Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are looking to beef up your salad—not with complementary slices of tender chicken, steak or other meat but rather new, improved varieties of carrots and onions. Philipp Simon, research leader of the ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit in Madison, Wisconsin, is coordinating the effort to fortify these popular salad items and fresh-market favorites with increased levels of …
Low Pesticide Residues on Fresh Produce
How safe is your fresh produce? We answer that question coming up on this land of ours. Fresh fruits and vegetables and known for being healthy for us, but sometimes misinformation is put out about pesticide residue. One organization even claims to base its misinformation on a government study. So, advocates of healthy foods for American families went to work …
Finding The Truth About Pesticides in Produce
Finding the truth about pesticides in produce. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Each year, an anti-conventional farming organization puts out a list of fresh produce products that they claim are contaminated with harmful pesticide residues. However, there is no scientific evidence to support their claims, and they’re simply false. Another organization works to fight that misinformation. Teresa Thorn …
University of Florida Researchers Focus on Biofuel Crop?
(NSF/Tallahassee, FL/April 11, 2022) — Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are studying ways to scale up production of a crop that can be used for things such as renewable jet fuel. Carinata is an oilseed crop that is closely related to the mustard family of plants. The crop is not used to …
Vidalia Onions Ready for Grocery Store Shelves
It’s a favorite time of year for those who love a certain type of onion. That’s coming up on this land of ours. One of America’s favorite types of sweet onion is set to ship this month. Vidalia onions are only available for a limited time each year, so Vidalia onions hitting grocery store shelves often signals spring has sprung. …
Rising Chocolate Demand Means More Plant Health Research
As demand for chocolate rises, so does the need for agricultural research. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When was the last time you had a bite of chocolate? USDA researcher Doctor Alina Puig says people around the world are wanting it more, and that means a higher demand for cacao beans. As much as 40 percent of …
Protect Chocolate Supply by Not Transporting Plants
Following rules about plant transportation can help the world’s chocolate supply. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. There are rules in place about not transporting soil and plants from one country to another, and USDA researcher Dr. Alina Puig says those are important to follow. She is studying diseases in the cacao plant, which provides the main ingredient …
Combating Viruses in Cacao Plants
Researchers are working to battle a virus that affects the world’s chocolate supply. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Up to 40 percent of the world’s cacao beans, which are used to make chocolate, are lost to cacao plant diseases. Researcher Doctor Alina Puig is finding ways to fight those issues. One issue she’s working on is cacao …
Research into Diseases that Threaten Chocolate
As the saying goes, not all heroes wear capes. Meet the researcher protecting the world’s chocolate supply. Chocolate is made from cacao beans, and research shows that up to 40 percent of the world’s cacao beans are lost to cacao plant diseases. Researcher Doctor Alina Puig says black pod rot causes the most losses in cacao, primarily because it’s found in …
When to Harvest the Tastiest Strawberries You’ve Ever Grown Before
When to harvest the tastiest strawberries you’ve ever grown before. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When to harvest strawberries depends on the variety you’re growing. June-bearing strawberries will start to ripen all at once, usually over a period of about three weeks. Everbearing strawberries will produce a few different crops; usually, one large harvest in spring, a few …