Heat Wave Hits Crops Hard
With record-breaking heat across the west coast of the U . S . and western Canada in late June and July , crops have been severely impacted . “ I don ’ t believe we had a single day in triple digits . And if the forecast holds right now , we ’ ll have 30 days consecutive above 100 degrees ,” says Shay Myers of Parma , ID-based Owyhee Produce , adding onion and corn in the area were in rough shape . In the Okanagan region of Canada , where temperatures were more than 40 ° C ( 104 ° F ), cherry producers estimated up to 75 percent of their harvest was too damaged to sell fresh to consumers . Pinder Dhaliwal , president of the B . C . Fruit Growers Association , says that apples , apricots , and other stone fruits have also been damaged , though to a lesser degree . According to Dhaliwal , the heat wave “ cooked ” cherries right in the orchard . “ It seems like somebody took a blowtorch to it and just singed it .”
— maximumyieldstaff
Researcher Breeding Tomato Needing No Pesticides
Tomatoes routinely have pesticide residue on them . One West Virginia University researcher believes he will be able to develop a tomato requiring little to no pesticides . Vagner Benedito , associate professor of biochemical genetics in the Davis College of Agriculture , Natural Resources , and Design , is working to understand the genetics of economically important traits in the world ’ s most popular produce . Backed by a $ 400,000 grant , Benedito is working to understand the genes that make trichomes and eventually bring the insecticide-resistant trait to the domesticated tomato . To create a pest-resistant version , the researchers will cross a wild tomato with a Micro-Tom , a dwarf variety that grows quickly . Researchers will analyze trichome four , one of several types of small , hair-like growths on the outside of plants , and the acylsugar it produces , which is a fat-laden compound insects avoid , helping create pest resistance in the plant . The development of the tomato is about four years away .
— wvnews . com
Testing Underway on Drought-Resistant Seeds
As global warming continues , many arid regions that already have marginal agricultural conditions will be increasingly under stress , potentially leading to severe food shortages and crop loss . Now , researchers at MIT have come up with a promising process for protecting seeds from the stress of water shortage during their crucial germination phase , and even providing the plants with extra nutrition at the same time . The two-layer coating the team developed is aimed at tackling water shortages . The coating , taking inspiration from natural coatings occurring on some seeds like chia and basil , is engineered to protect the seeds from drying out . It provides a gel-like coating that tenaciously holds onto any moisture that comes along and envelops the seed with it . A second , inner layer of the coating contains preserved microorganisms called rhizobacteria , and some nutrients to help them grow . When exposed to soil and water , the microbes will fix nitrogen into the soil , providing the growing seedling with fertiliser to help it along .
— phys . org
Maximum Yield 23