The destruction of crops has always been a considerable problem. In particular, rice farmers of South East Asia are directly affected by heavy floods and damaging salt contamination every year, losing large amounts of harvest. Floods in this region are a direct result of torrential rains and overflowing rivers. At the forefront of research and development into newer, stronger crops that might resist such damage are the CGI (Clinton Global Initiative) and the IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) - the duo plans to provide a more sustainable crop, that would be unaffected by such flooding. In a news release entitled "IRRI-bred rice varieties for the Philippines," the IRRI demonstrates three innovative newly tested (yet to be distributed) rice crops: salt-tolerant rice, flood-tolerant rice, and drought tolerant rice.
The destruction of crops has always been a considerable problem. In particular, rice farmers of South East Asia are directly affected by heavy floods and damaging salt contamination every year, losing large amounts of harvest. Floods in this region are a direct result of torrential rains and overflowing rivers.
At the forefront of research and development into newer, stronger crops that might resist such damage are the CGI (Clinton Global Initiative) and the IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) - the duo plans to provide a more sustainable crop, that would be unaffected by such flooding.
In a news release entitled "IRRI-bred rice varieties for the Philippines," the IRRI demonstrates three innovative newly tested (yet to be distributed) rice crops: salt-tolerant rice, flood-tolerant rice, and drought tolerant rice.
BARCELONA, Jul 22, 2010 (Tierramérica) - Plagued by Spain's economic recession and subsidy cuts, renewable energy businesses are following the sun and wind to Latin America in search of profits.In 2009, the wind energy companies of the Madrid-based AEE (Asociación Empresarial Eólica) reached 1,274 megawatts installed capacity in Latin America. At the head of the list was Mexico (650 MW), followed by Brazil and Chile. The plan is to expand to Argentina (700 MW), Peru (110 MW) and Venezuela (100 MW), with additional investments in Mexico and Brazil. "A recent study shows that by 2025 the investments could reach 46,000 installed MW" in Latin America, the Association's energy policy director Heikki Willstedt Mesa told Tierramérica.
Providence, R.I. (UPI) Jul 21, 2010 Africa's Lake Tanganyika, the second-oldest and second-deepest lake on Earth, is warmer now than it has been in 1,500 years, scientists say. Experiencing unprecedented warming during the last century, the lake's surface waters are the warmest on record, LiveScience.com reported Wednesday. The warmer waters are linked to a decrease in the lake's productivity, affecting fish stocks depended upon by millions of people in the region, researchers say. Rift lakes like Tanganyika are created when two of Earth's continental plates move apart, expand and eventually become ocean basins over millions of years.
Experiencing unprecedented warming during the last century, the lake's surface waters are the warmest on record, LiveScience.com reported Wednesday.
The warmer waters are linked to a decrease in the lake's productivity, affecting fish stocks depended upon by millions of people in the region, researchers say.
Rift lakes like Tanganyika are created when two of Earth's continental plates move apart, expand and eventually become ocean basins over millions of years.
Munich, Germany (SPX) Jul 23, 2010 Sites of origin and regions of domestication of many of our most important cultivated plants are still unknown. The botanical genus Cucumis, to which both the cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and the honeydew melon (C. melo) belong, was long thought to have originated and diversified in Africa, because many wild species of Cucumis are found there. "A molecular genetic analysis has now shown that the wild populations that gave rise to melons and cucumbers originated in Asia", says LMU botanist Professor Susanne Renner. "In addition, we have found that 25 related species which have never been formally described are found in Asia, Australia and regions around the Indian Ocean."
"A molecular genetic analysis has now shown that the wild populations that gave rise to melons and cucumbers originated in Asia", says LMU botanist Professor Susanne Renner.
"In addition, we have found that 25 related species which have never been formally described are found in Asia, Australia and regions around the Indian Ocean."
Cambridge MA (SPX) Jul 22, 2010 The tropics owe their stunning biodiversity to consistent year-round temperatures, not higher temperatures or more sunlight, according to a novel survey of insect diversity at different latitudes and at different points in the planet's history. The finding, presented this week in the journal Paleobiology by researchers from Harvard University, Simon Fraser University, and Brandon University, may finally answer a question that has dogged scientists for centuries. It also suggests, intriguingly, that the world is likely far less diverse today than it was tens of millions of years ago, when the entire Earth had consistent year-round temperatures, much like the modern tropics.
The finding, presented this week in the journal Paleobiology by researchers from Harvard University, Simon Fraser University, and Brandon University, may finally answer a question that has dogged scientists for centuries.
It also suggests, intriguingly, that the world is likely far less diverse today than it was tens of millions of years ago, when the entire Earth had consistent year-round temperatures, much like the modern tropics.
