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Irrigation, Water Management Play Key Roles in Smoothing Drought Impacts

A new study examining more than 100 years of agricultural production and weather data in the United States suggests stored water plays an important role in providing resilience to drought.

Quantum Computing Could Get Boost From Discovery of Q-Silicon

Researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered a new distinct form of silicon called Q-silicon which, among other interesting properties, is ferromagnetic at room temperature.

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CRISPR/Cas9-Based Gene Drive Could Suppress Agricultural Pests

Researchers have developed a “homing gene drive system” based on CRISPR/Cas9 that could be used to suppress populations of Drosophila suzukii vinegar flies –

Newcomers May Change Ecosystem Functions – Or Not

In a study tracking climate-induced changes in the distribution of animals and their effects on ecosystem functions,

Banana ‘Paper’ Stymies Potato Pest

Wrapping potato seeds in biodegradable paper made from unusable parts of banana plants reduces the infestation and harmful effects of a nasty plant pathogen – a worm called the potato cyst nematode – and sharply increases potato size and yields.

Study: Tribal Water Rights Underutilized in U.S. West

A new North Carolina State University study shows that Indigenous groups in the western United States are – for various reasons – having difficulty turning water they have a legal right to, under water rights settlements, into actual water that can generate revenue through leases to other groups or through direct uses such as agriculture.

Perfume Component Helps Lure Male Moth Pests

North Carolina State University researchers have shown that adding a small amount of a chemical used in perfumes – nonanal – to a two-chemical combination of other sex pheromones helped increase the cocktail’s effectiveness in mimicking female fall armyworm “come hither” calls to males.

NC State Researchers Assemble Pathogen ‘Tree of Life’

A new online tool – the first of its kind for plant pathogens – will help researchers across the globe identify, detect and monitor species of Phytophthora, which have been responsible for plant diseases ranging from the devastating 1840s Irish potato famine to sudden oak death that still plagues in West Coast oak populations.

Study: Cover Crops Help Mitigate Farmer Losses

A North Carolina State University study suggests that cover crops – or crops grown in between cash-crop seasons – can help keep Midwestern soil drier and healthier, thereby preventing losses incurred when farmers can’t plant cash crops because of flooding or excessive soil moisture.

Sugar Aversion Hampers Cockroach Coupling

A new study from North Carolina State University shows the behavioral mechanism behind a sweet cockroach mating ritual that takes a bitter turn, resulting in rejected males.

Shorter, Wider Flowers May Transmit More Parasites to Bees

North Carolina State University researchers show that the shape of flowers has the biggest effect on how parasites are transmitted to bees, an important consideration for declining populations of our prodigious pollinators.

Borrowed Gene Helps Maize Adapt to High Elevations, Cold Temperatures

Researchers at North Carolina State University show that an important gene in maize called HPC1 modulates certain chemical processes that contribute to flowering time, and has its origins in “teosinte mexicana,” a precursor to modern-day corn that grows wild in the highlands of Mexico.

Researchers Lift the Veil on Stubborn Probiotic

New North Carolina State University research shows progress in gathering information on an important – yet difficult to characterize – human gut bacterium called Bifidobacterium, which is used in many probiotics that help maintain healthy microbiomes.

Study Pinpoints ‘Win-Win’ Solutions to Protect Human Health and Conserve Ecosystems

A far-reaching review of academic papers and reports evaluated 46 proposed “win–win” solutions for reducing human infectious disease burdens and advancing conservation goals, which now can be explored on a publicly available website.

No-Till Farming Study Shows Benefit to Midwestern Land Values

No-till farming, considered to be a more environmentally friendly farming practice that reduces soil disturbance when compared with conventional practices, appears to have an important benefit besides reducing soil erosion and nutrient runoff.

Researchers Propose New Framework for Regulating Engineered Crops

A Policy Forum article published today in Science calls for a new approach to regulating genetically engineered (GE) crops, arguing that current approaches for triggering safety testing vary dramatically among countries and generally lack scientific merit –

Soil Temperature Can Predict Pest Spread in Crops

A new study from North Carolina State University shows soil temperature can be used to effectively monitor and predict the spread of the corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), an important pest that ravages corn, cotton, soybeans, peppers, tomatoes and other vegetable crops.

N.C. Effort to Help Pollinators Shows Successes, Limitations

Although not quite the bee’s knees, a three-year effort to conserve bee populations by introducing pollinator habitat in North Carolina agricultural areas showed some positive effects, as bee abundance and diversity increased in the studied areas.

Microstructure and Defect Engineering Improves Performance of Lithium-Ion Batteries

A new North Carolina State University study, performed in collaboration with battery testing researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, shows that extremely short pulses from a high-powered laser can cause tiny defects in lithium-ion battery materials – defects that can enhance battery performance.

Study Examines Bacteria Living In and On Mosquitoes

Avoiding mosquitoes to protect against bites is always a good idea.