Advances in Agricultural Biologicals
Posted 30th September 2016 by Jane Williams
The most exciting advances in agricultural biologicals research relate to the use of “systems biology” (or “omics”) approaches to discovery and development of new active ingredients for crop biostimulants. It is a new wave of very deep research that parallels natural products discovery programs for new drugs or lifestyle products that is happening in the Pharmaceutical industry.
Where our food really comes from
Posted 30th September 2016 by Jane Williams
The question of where our food comes from is a refrain heard frequently these days. It is a very good one to ask, but it goes far beyond knowing where the nearest farm-to-table restaurant or CSA pick-up location is. To truly know where one’s food comes from, one needs to have an appreciation of the origin of agriculture. The plants growing in our fields today did not spring fully formed from some primordial ooze but are rather the result of natural and human forces over the course of millennia.
The Transformation of Wheat Research
Posted 30th September 2016 by Jane Williams
Wheat is the staple food for more than 30% of the world population and provides more than 20% of all of the calories consumed around the world, offering high protein and fibre content. In addition to carbohydrates in the form of starch, wheat contains more minerals and trace elements that are vital for a healthy diet than any other staple food, including phosphorus, selenium, magnesium, zinc and manganese.