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
Downy mildew, a fungus-like pathogen, is a major threat to crops around the country. Cucurbit crops like squash, cucumber, and melons suffered from a downy mildew outbreak in 2004 that initially only affected crops in the southeastern United States but later spread throughout the Midwestern region, and is still affecting these foods today. Michigan is a state where crops are greatly affected by downy mildew. A team of researchers from Michigan State University will be leading a $2.3 million project, granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to develop methods to manage downy mildew. (Image courtesy of Kerstin Ellen Hantschel via Wikimedia Commons)
Read MoreTags: Michigan State University, Midwest, agriculture, new research funding, MI, East Lansing, MSU, 2016, BioResearch Product Faire, vegetable crops, downy mildew