Sustainability News

51. Rothamsted Gene-Edited Barley Crop Becomes First To Receive A UK Precision Bred Organism Marketing Notice 3/25/2026

    A gene-edited barley developed by scientists at Rothamsted Research has become the first crop to receive a Precision Bred Organism (PBO) marketing notice confirmation through the UK’s new regulatory pathway for precision breeding.

52. $7.94M Investment To Boost Drought Resilience For NSW Winegrape, Apple And Cherry Growers 3/25/2026

    The Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund is supporting the NSW Government, in partnership with program lead Charles Sturt University, to kick start a major new research initiative to help winegrape, apple and cherry producers strengthen their resilience to drought.

53. Low-Cost Sensor System Could Warn Farmers Of Salt Stress In Plants 3/24/2026

    Soil salinity is a critical concern in agriculture when excessive soluble salts restrict a plant’s water uptake, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, hindering crop growth and reducing yields on roughly 30% of U.S. irrigated land.

54. Researchers Uncover How Respiration Drives Tomato Colour And Ripening 3/24/2026

    A study led by researchers at CRAG and published in Plant Physiology shows that an alternative mitochondrial mechanism is the engine supplying components required for tomatoes to ripen, produce ethylene, and acquire their characteristic red colour.

55. The 'False Banana' That Could Feed And Create Jobs For Millions 3/24/2026

    In the search for solutions to Africa’s food security challenges, attention often turns to new technologies or imported crops.

56. McDonald's Joins Lantmännen's Climate & Nature Cultivation Program As The First Partner In Finland 3/24/2026

    Climate & Nature is Lantmännen’s program for farming of the future. The program was launched in Sweden in 2015 and in Finland in 2021 and is based on concrete measures in the field to reduce climate impacts and support biodiversity.

57. Biosensor Detects Early Fungal Outbreaks, Advances Plant Biotechnology 3/23/2026

    A new biosensor developed at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory detects the emerging presence of fungus on plants at the molecular level, paving the way for next-generation crop protection and the development of stress-tolerant plants.

58. Researchers Reveal Novel Octameric Resistosome And Immune Mechanism In Wheat 3/23/2026

    Plant immunity is largely initiated at the cellular level, with each cell capable of autonomous detection and response, while also coordinating systemic signaling across the organism—unlike the centralized, cell-based immune system of animals.

59. IPCs Differently Affect Citrus While Protecting Against Huanglongbing 3/19/2026

    A new research article, “Individual Protective Covers Differentially Affect Citrus Varieties While Protecting Young Trees against Huanglongbing,” reports that individual protective covers (IPCs) can reduce early exposure of young citrus trees to huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, while producing different growth and performance outcomes depending on citrus variety.

60. Danforth Center Scientist Leads New Department Of Energy Grant To Unlock The Secrets Of Sorghum Photosynthesis 3/19/2026

    A new five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research will fund a multi-institutional effort to improve how sorghum captures and manages energy through photosynthesis.