Food

Crop breeders are always looking for ways to improve a crop. They know that even small differences in quality and quantity can mean big differences in profits for farmers. So, making the breeding process faster and cheaper makes it more likely they will have success.

Considered to be the most widely consumed drink in the world, tea comes in many varieties. One of these includes honeybush tea, which is made from the leaves of the honeybush plant. It has a honey-like flavor and aroma. Although it is a less well-known variety than its more famous cousin – rooibos – honeybush tea is naturally low in sugar, caffeine-free, and has several other potential health benefits.

Many urban gardeners know that adding ingredients like compost and mulch to their soil has great benefits. But it can be difficult to know what to add and why. Researchers at Purdue University gathered scientific evidence about one specific soil addition, leaf mold compost, and how it benefits tomato plants.

Underneath the surface, plant roots are hard at work. Roots, of course, are how plants get water and minerals from the soil. But digging into how different root systems affect crop yields has been challenging for researchers.

The grain called finger millet may not be well-known outside of Africa, but it is an important crop to the region. Finger millet has been farmed in eastern Africa for thousands of years. However, breeding the crop for better traits has been difficult for local farmers.

Lentils are an important and popular food in many parts of the world. They are also a nutritional powerhouse. This versatile legume is a great source of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber, and high in mineral nutrients and vitamins like iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B.

Understanding how a crop will grow in various places is key to getting more farmers to grow it. Rye is a cereal grain grown in parts of Europe, and although not a commonly grown crop in other regions, its characteristics make it a valuable option for farmers.

There’s a widespread problem in rice growing that you’ve probably never heard of. Rice plants that face elevated temperatures can produce “chalky grains” that are easily crushed during the milling process. This leads to lost profits because the price is lower for chalky grains than undamaged grains.

If you’ve ever looked at food labels in your local grocery store, you’ve probably seen soy listed as an ingredient. Even though soy is widespread in our foods, that doesn’t make the production of soy any easier for growers. One challenge facing soy growers is flooding.

Cowpea is an important crop in many parts of the world, especially sub-Saharan Africa. It is resilient and can grow in areas with little rainfall and low-quality soils. But as hardy as it is, cowpea yields can decrease by drought and low levels of soil phosphorus.