Codling moth uses yeast to digest fruit
Codling moth ( Cydia pomonella) is a major pest insect of apples worldwide; the larvae mine and destroy the fruit. Chemical ecologists at SLU (the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences),yeast molecular biologists at Lund University and entomologists from USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) have now shown that the larvae associate with a yeast ( Metschnikowia) , and that this yeast...
(2012-10-24)
Legumes reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture
Net emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from legumes are less than those from N fertilised crops. That makes them extra suitable as feedstock for bioenergy production. In a review article Erik Steen Jensen, SLU, has collated the current knowledge on the capacity of legumes.
(2012-04-24)
Amino acids – a significant source of nitrogen
Plants absorb not only nitrate and ammonium. Amino acids, i.e. the small units that build proteins, may be an additional source of nitrogen. One source of amino acids is decaying organic matter in soil.
(2010-06-30)
Social life promoted in urban oases
A new phenomenon, known as the community garden concept, may serve as a breeding ground for ecological awareness, creativity and social life in the urban environment.
(2009-10-01)
Invasive species costly to control
Rugosa rose, HIV, the rat and Iberian slug – over the years many alien species have been introduced in Sweden, deliberately or inadvertently. These “invasive” species have caused varying degrees of devastation in water, on land and among man and animals.
(2009-05-25)
Bio-surfactants rescue tomato roots
Greenhouse tomatoes are often grown in closed recirculation (hydroponic) systems to minimise the leakage of nutrients to watercourses and the sea, and to economise on fertilisers.
(2008-11-24)
Plant cultivars fend off aphids
Plants engage in chemical warfare. When different species are grown together, they defend themselves against each other.
(2007-05-04)