News
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Red-fleshed kiwifruit have recently entered the international market. As their nutraceutical properties have generated significant consumer interest, to establish a quality standard along the supply chain, the internal quality of the fruit must be accurately evaluated. Evaluating the redness of kiwifruit flesh poses a complex challenge due to the inherent variability in color localization and […]6 January 2024 -
Muthianzhele Ravuluma is a PhD candidate at the University of the Free State, South Africa. His research is focused on estimating the current and future use of water in pomegranate orchards in the Western Cape, South Africa. Establishing crops tolerant to water stress is essential to improve food availability. As the climate in South Africa […]6 January 2024 -
Sebastian Dam is a former undergraduate student of Dr. Youbin Zheng (University of Guelph) and is currently a crop consultant at Cultivation Coaches in Canada. Sebastian’s research consists of optimizing cannabis cultivation techniques. Throughout the world, as the cultivation of cannabis is becoming legal for both medicinal and recreational use, documented research for this new […]6 January 2024 -
As a member of Cranfield University’s Plant Science Laboratory, Heather is currently completing a PhD project entitled “Reducing seed loss and waste in umbelliferous crops” as part of the FoodBioSystems DTP program in partnership with Elsoms Seeds Ltd. The project focuses on understanding the genetic background of flower and seed development in parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) […]6 January 2024 -
The Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana L.), a member of the family Rhamnaceae, is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The tree can withstand highly alkaline and slightly waterlogged soils and has potential to prevent soil erosion and desertification. However, the cultivation of Indian jujube may also provide opportunities for smallholder farmers […]6 January 2024 -
Severe drought and extreme temperatures are two main impacts of climate change, resulting in increased abiotic stress response from plants and an increased demand for fresh water. Breeding for functional traits such as stomatal density can enhance the climate resilience of plants. As stomata control plant-water relations, their function makes them promising targets for improving […]6 January 2024 -
The employment of Vitis vinifera germplasm for the development of downy mildew resistant cultivars could greatly shorten and simplify breeding programs. ‘Mgaloblishvili’ is a V. vinifera cultivar that has shown some resistance to grape downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), one of the most destructive diseases affecting grapevines. A genome wide association study was able to identify […]6 January 2024 -
Jingyin Bao, a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, under the supervision of Dr. Alice Hayward, is focused on conserving endangered Australian flora. Armed with a Master of Biotechnology, her prior work has focused on optimizing cryopreservation protocols for the endangered Gossia fragrantissima. Expanding on this foundation, her current PhD project is dedicated to […]6 January 2024 -
Biostimulants can improve nutrient uptake by plants, growth, productivity, fruit quality, as well as plant resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses. Among them, silicon (Si) is reported to be beneficial in mitigating stresses such as plant diseases, salinity, drought, and nutrient imbalances. For organic highbush blueberries, the ability to enhance crop resilience and produce high […]6 January 2024
