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Managing the water quality  of farm dams is critical to the health of livestock as well as boosting crop production, according to new research from the Sustainable Farms group at The Australian National University (ANU). According to the ANU researchers, "enhancing" dams by erecting fencing would help mitigate the impacts of livestock and significantly improve water quality, while also allowing vegetation to flourish, which is good for biodiversity.

Study examined effect of rising temperatures on California's crop  Strawberries could be fewer and more expensive because of higher temperatures caused by climate change, according to research from the University of Waterloo. Using a new method of analysis, the researchers found that a rise in temperature of 3 degrees Fahrenheit could reduce strawberry yields by up to 40 per cent.

Since January 1, 2023, the Egalim law has required public establishments to offer a vegetarian option every day. In line with this, the Crous are aiming for 30% vegetarian meals by 2025. One of the main obstacles to be overcome to reach this objective is the acceptability of such a measure by students.

A chemical-free method of controlling flystrike in sheep is a step closer, according to University of Queensland research. Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation Research Fellow Dr Karishma Mody and PhD candidate Yunjia Yang are using the innovative RNA technology to combat sheep blowfly, a major disease and welfare issue for sheep.

Jannis Brandt Unsplash The intestinal immune system is an indispensable intermediary in the complex association between diet and metabolism: without it, the dietary fibers present in fruit and vegetables cannot play a proper part in regulating blood sugar levels in the body. Researchers at Inserm and Sorbonne University have now demonstrated that a certain type of immune cell is essential for the beneficial effect of dietary fibre on carbohydrate metabolism.

Comprising billions of microorganisms, the gut microbiota progressively matures after birth in humans and other animals. While environmental factors, and especially diet, are known to have a major influence on microbiota development and composition, the role of genetics remains a topic of debate. In a groundbreaking study recently published in Microbiome, INRAE researchers used pigs to experimentally demonstrate that gut microbiota composition is partly heritable.

During the Contact Day Archaeology of the Province of East Flanders on Friday 28 June, it was announced that the oldest skull and skull fragment of Flanders have been discovered in Ename. A new exhibition on heritage care and the heritage of Ename will open at the provincial Heritage Site Ename on 6 July.

University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers have developed low-cost sensors that allow for real-time, continuous monitoring of nitrate in soil types that are common in Wisconsin. These printed electrochemical sensors could enable farmers to make better informed nutrient management decisions and reap economic benefits.

Study: Intake of Snacks and Sweets in a National Study of Built and Social Environments: The REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke Study People living in lower-income neighborhoods and in areas without local food stores eat more snacks and sweets than those in higher-income areas and in neighborhoods with many food stores, a new study shows.

News from Two new papers published by researchers from Leipzig University and its partner institutions shed light on the complex relationships between biodiversity, soil and climate. They show how human influences and climate change are jeopardising our environment and emphasise the need for integrated solutions that promote sustainability and social justice.

A study from the University of Bonn has investigated how to achieve high crop yields while also protecting the environment Leaving some weeds between crops can help to combat pests on agricultural land, according to a new study carried out by the University of Bonn. This step has particularly positive effects in combination with other measures: the cultivation of different types of crops and planting strips of wildflowers.

Researchers at Imperial College London have discovered how foods with a higher fibre content keep us feeling more satiated. In a study published today , researchers at Imperial have found that a higher-fibre diet stimulates the release of a key appetite-reducing hormone, in the ileum, part of the small intestine.

Tool developed at the University of Bonn should enable yield forecasts, among other things, in the future Researchers at the University of Bonn have developed software that can simulate the growth of field crops. To do this, they fed thousands of photos from field experiments into a learning algorithm.

In wealthier countries with greater gender equality, men are more likely to eat meat more frequently than women, a new study reveals. The research team, led by the University of Zurich, examined the meat consumption patterns of more than 20,000 people from 23 countries. The findings could inform strategies for promoting plant-based and cultured meat as viable alternatives to traditional meat consumption.

Heavily processed plant-based foods may be worse for heart health than non-processed foods. New analysis of the health impacts of plant-based ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has found they may pose a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases compared to less-processed plant-based foods. The research , led by the University of São Paulo and involving Imperial College London, used data from more than 118,000 people.

A probiotic made from maple syrup with flavor defects could theoretically enrich the gut microbiota of farm animals, improve their resistance to disease and reduce the need for antibiotics Approximately 2% of the 200 million pounds of maple syrup produced each year in Quebec suffers from a flavor defect that makes it more suitable for use as an ingredient in processed products than for consumption in its natural state.

Irrigation with treated wastewater and sewage sludge brings tire additives into the leafy vegetables Car tires contain hundreds of chemical additives that can leach out of them. This is how they end up in crops and subsequently in the food chain. Researchers at the Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University of Vienna and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have now detected these chemical residues in leafy vegetables for the first time.

The fungus Magnaporthe oryzae ravages rice and wheat crops and poses a formidable threat to human food on a global scale. Researchers from INRAE, CIRAD and the Université de Montpellier, together with the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Centre (HHRRC) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have discovered a gene in rice for resistance to this pathogen, challenging the findings of a study that remained the reference for 25 years.

Farmland is often a battleground in the fight against climate change. Solar panels and energy crops are pitted against food production, while well-intended policy choices can create incentives for farmers to till up new lands, releasing even more heat-trapping gas into the atmosphere. That's why strategies for sustainable plant-based fuels focus on marginal lands - fields that are too hard to cultivate or don't produce good enough yields to be considered profitable.

A long-term study of humpback whale populations in the North Pacific Ocean shows that climate change is having a negative impact on the species. Marine biologist Joëlle De Weerdt of the VUB, founder of the non-profit organization ELI-S and co-author of the study, explains: 'Humpback whales have large, distinctive pectoral fins and a melodious song.