max FACTS
3 New Apple Varieties Released
Apple lovers can look forward to three new varieties from the oldest apple breeding program in the U . S . The Cornell AgriTech in New York announced the release of three new apples : Cordera , Pink Luster , and Firecracker . As an open-release , orchards across the U . S . will be able to grow the new varieties without licensing exclusivity . Cordera is bred to be scab ( a fungal disease ) resistant while retaining its flavor and texture . Pink Luster is the culmination of 23 years work with Honeycrisp and Gala apples . It ’ s got a bright , pink-red skin , crisp texture , and juiciness . It matures in mid-September , making it well-suited for on-farm and U-pick sales . Firecracker is being dubbed a “ triple threat ” as it is great for eating , baking , and hard-cider production . With the addition of Cordera , Pink Luster , and Firecracker , Cornell AgriTech has released more than 70 apple varieties since 1880 including the highly successful SnapDragon and RubyFrost .
— freshplaza . com
Water Runoff Leading to Greater Soil Erosion
Soil loss due to water runoff could increase greatly around the world over the next 50 years due to climate change and intensive land cultivation , according to research by an international team of experts . The finding , which was published in the scientific journal PNAS , shows soil erosion has far-reaching consequences and results in a loss of fertile soil , reduces agricultural productivity , and therefore threatens the food supply for the world ’ s population . Based on a global model , the new study now predicts how soil loss from water erosion is likely to change by the year 2070 . The researchers based their predictions on three scenarios that outline potential developments in the 21st century based on several different socio-economic postulations . The results indicate climate change is the primary factor driving increased soil erosion . The simulations predict that by 2070 , soil erosion will increase by 30-66 percent compared to 2015 figures .
— sciencedaily . com
Scientist Uses LEDs to Show Hops Don ’ t Need Dormant Period
A three-year study of hydroponically grown hops shows the popular crop doesn ’ t need a low-temperature dormancy period . Bill Bauerle , a plant scientist at Colorado State University ( CSU ), went through 13 hop growth cycles for his research at CSU ’ s horticultural research center and the results open up new possibilities for indoor , sustainable , local production of hops . “ We fooled our hops into thinking it was the middle of summer in British Columbia or somewhere else ,” Bauerle says , “ so we could grow them all year round .” It has long been thought that hops require a lowtemperature dormancy period , called vernalization , in which the hop buds reset themselves under winter conditions in order to flower prolifically . “ Up until 10 years ago , we didn ’ t have the technology as far as the LED lights and controlling the photoperiods . Because people couldn ’ t get the plants to develop like they would outside , they assumed the lower flowering was because they lacked the vernalization period ,” Bauerle says .
— craftbrewingbusiness . com
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