In 1980 the U.S. population was 226.5 million; by 2015 it reached just over 321 million. By 2050 the U.S. population is projected to reach nearly 400 million. That’s roughly 80 million more mouths to feed. The USDA recently awarded the University of Georgia, Athens $5,000,000 to conduct research into making indoor farming a more feasible solution to this looming crisis. At present operating an indoor farm is comparatively costly. Up to 60% of the cost goes to energy and half of that is for lighting.
Read MoreTags: biomedical research, University of Georgia Athens, University of Georgia, UGA, chemical supply, laboratory equipment suppliers, lab suppliers, BioResearch Product Faire, Laboratory product sales, agricultural business, agribusiness, Biotechnology trade show, Agricultural Biotech, university research funding
Dr. Madelaine Bartlett, a biologist at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, recently received a four-year $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The new research funding will allow Barlett and colleagues from UMass and other institutions to study the genes that regulate plant stem cell biology and their effect on fruit size and yield.
Read MoreTags: Stem cell research, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Massachusetts, agriculture, new research funding, Massachusetts, agricultural, MA, Northeast Region, UMASS, new research grant, NSF funding, NSF grant, NSF award, Plant Biology, agricultural business, agribusiness
Mechthild Tegeder, a professor of Plant Molecular Physiology at Washington State University, has designed a way to dramatically increase the yield and quality of soybeans. Tegeder accomplished this by developing a novel way to double the amount of nitrogen fixed by the plants. The agricultural research study indicates a breakthrough that could help meet society's need to feed an increasing population while also protecting the environment.
Read MoreTags: Washington, WSU Pullman, WA, Washington State University Pullman, agriculture, WSU, Washington State University, agricultural, Northwest Region, research news, vegetable crops, agricultural business, agribusiness