Agriculture

The latest on what's growing and what's faltering across the world's farms—and the resources they use to keep running.

Latest in Agriculture

three men work on planting a tree

A tree with 40 different fruits planted in Philadelphia A tree with 40 different fruits planted in Philadelphia

By Laura Baisas

a plant with google eyes saying 'help'

Plants can now tell you when they’re stressed out Plants can now tell you when they’re stressed out

By Mack DeGeurin

Red tomatoes with googly eyes on yellow background

Scientists finally figured out why tomatoes don’t kill you Scientists finally figured out why tomatoes don’t kill you

View of fog at the Atacama desert in Iquique, some 2000 km north of Santiago, on April 19, 2016. Catholic University of Chile researchers' challenge is to implement a fog collection system -which uses large pieces of vertical canvas to make the fog condense into droplets- in small communities which don't have drinkable water in Atacama desert. / AFP / MARTIN BERNETTI (Photo credit should read MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

In the driest place on Earth, water hides in plain sight In the driest place on Earth, water hides in plain sight

By Lauren Leffer

Seized Japanese beetles in containers

Smugglers try to disguise giant beetles as Japanese snacks, unsuccessfully Smugglers try to disguise giant beetles as Japanese snacks, unsuccessfully

cattle grazing in a field

Feeding seaweed to gassy cattle can reduce methane Feeding seaweed to gassy cattle can reduce methane

By Laura Baisas

Focaccia baked in kiln

Focaccia likely originated in Mesopotamia, not Rome Focaccia likely originated in Mesopotamia, not Rome

Ripe tomatoes on green garden.

They CRISPR’ed tomatoes to make them sweet and large They CRISPR’ed tomatoes to make them sweet and large

'Electro-agriculture' prototype.

‘Electro-agriculture’ may help plants grow in the dark ‘Electro-agriculture’ may help plants grow in the dark

a close up of four pieces of sliced bread

Our love of delicious carbs may go back 800,000 years Our love of delicious carbs may go back 800,000 years

By Laura Baisas

A farmer promotes taro through a live webcast in a field in Suqian, Jiangsu province, China, on Sept. 9, 2024.

Farms to fame: How China’s rural influencers are redefining country life Farms to fame: How China’s rural influencers are redefining country life

By Mitchell Gallagher / The Conversation

man stands behind large pumpkin with scarecrow

Gargantuan pumpkin could flavor 74,794 pumpkin spice lattes Gargantuan pumpkin could flavor 74,794 pumpkin spice lattes

By Laura Baisas

Armenian sapphire (muscari armeniacum) flowers closeup. Shallow depth of field.

DIY

How to revamp your lawn’s reputation with bulbs How to revamp your lawn’s reputation with bulbs

By Debbie Wolfe

Leaf cutter ants

The dinosaur-killing asteroid turned ants into farmers The dinosaur-killing asteroid turned ants into farmers

How the Forest Service is trying to save Appalachian ginseng How the Forest Service is trying to save Appalachian ginseng

By Katie Myers/Grist

Monarch butterfly feeding on purple aster flower in summer floral background.

DIY

How to plant a garden butterflies will love How to plant a garden butterflies will love

By Debbie Wolfe

Hybrid potatoes created by the biotechnology company Solynta, grown and recently harvested in Kenya.

How crop science is transforming the humble potato How crop science is transforming the humble potato

By Martin Enserink / Undark

glass bowl filled with brown seaweed

Bye, kale: Marine scientists want you to eat more seaweed Bye, kale: Marine scientists want you to eat more seaweed

By Alisha McDarris

Spinach rows in farm field

Your recycled pee may be better for crops than synthetic fertilizer Your recycled pee may be better for crops than synthetic fertilizer

several loaves of golden rustic looking bread on a table

How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs

By Laura Baisas