Let them eat cake: better fed bees become queens
For over a century, royal jelly has been thought to contain a substance that determines whether honey bees develop into workers or queens.
Author: R4A
Genetic discovery sheds light on sodium accumulation in barley crops
An international team of scientists have identified a naturally occurring gene variation that influences sodium content in barley crops. The finding could help to advance the development of barley varieties with greater yield and better resilience to varying salt conditions.
Australian fisheries seeking sustainability certification largely driven by social responsibility
Ensuring their businesses are sustainable and therefore seen as more socially acceptable to local communities, are the two leading factors driving Western Australian commercial fisheries to seek MSC certification – according to new research by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Commonwealth Scientific and…
Hungry bumblebees bite back
Facing a scarcity of pollen, bumblebees will nibble on the leaves of flowerless plants, causing intentional damage in such a way that accelerates the production of flowers, according to a new study, which reports on a previously unknown behavior of bumblebees.
Smart farming investment to yield positives in St George
Cotton farmers in St George will share in a $50,000 boost through the Federal Government’s Smart Farms Small Grants program, to undertake sustainability projects, Maranoa MP David Littleproud announced.
Egg farmers call for community input into CSIRO research program
Australians are being invited to take part in an extensive nation-wide research program developed to better understand public attitudes towards the egg industry.
Unique opportunity to help deliver frost outcomes
Grower groups, advisers, researchers and people involved in agribusiness are encouraged to put up their hands to assist in the delivery of frost research outcomes to Australian grain growers.
‘Intelligent’ weeds evolve to evade controls
Findings from one of Australia’s longest running paddock surveys have confirmed some plants will change the way they grow and reproduce to avoid all forms of weed control.
Best winter cropping outlook in four years is welcome news for Aussie farmers
Projected rainfall combined with earlier rainfall has many Australian farmers positively positioned ahead of the winter season, with the current winter cropping outlook looking to be the best since 2016.
Without bees, our food supply with be significantly affected
Climate change, deforestation, bushfires, tropical cyclones, floods, droughts and now COVID-19* have all had major impacts on beekeepers in the Australia-Pacific region.
Good news for growers: no evidence of resistance in Lucerne flea
Against the backdrop of increasing resistance to pesticides, research has produced some positive news for Australian grain growers.
For food security, hoverflies could be the bees’ knees
Pollinator declines have the potential to seriously affect food security and have driven an increased interested in non-bee pollinators, of which hoverflies are the most prominent group, visiting 72% of global food crops worth US$300 billion per year and over 70% of wildflowers.