Fall armyworms with offspring-killing gene tested on farms in Brazil

Male fall armyworms carrying a gene that kills female offspring were released on farms in Brazil as a possible way to control wild populations of a major pest Life 15 March 2022 By Michael Le Page A fall armyworm Shutterstock/kale kkm Fall armyworms genetically modified to wipe out wild populations of the pests have been … Read more

World’s First Octopus Farm Planned For 2023 Is Raising Serious Ethical Concerns

Rising demands in the global cephalopod trade have encouraged the Spanish aquaculture company Nueva Pescanova to push forward with their plans to open the world’s first octopus farm sometime next year.   Proponents of the venture claim the breeding programs will ease pressure on overtaxed fisheries and provide local jobs. But ethicists, zoologists, and environmentalists … Read more

This Maine Farm is Harvesting the Sun’s Power While it Picks the Blueberries

Carey: I’m standing on a hillside. All around me are short shrubs with purple stems and waxy leaves. A brisk December wind moves through the lowbush blueberry bushes. But among the plants sits an odd sight… row after row of solar panels.  You’ve heard of solar farms. And you’ve heard of blueberry farms. But a … Read more

Crop yields could be boosted up to 37 per cent by covering plants in red plastic

A simple, cheap technology could help to boost food production and possibly allow crops to be grown in different places in order to cut down on food miles Environment 18 February 2022 By Alice Klein Trial of the LLEAF material in a greenhouse at Western Sydney University Alexander Soeriyadi/LLEAF Pty Ltd The yields of some … Read more