However you eat your peanuts – shelled, salted, or in a favorite mix – they are a snack item enjoyed by many. They are also a main ingredient in many favorite dishes, […]
Wild about peanuts – using crop wild relatives to improve today’s crops
What are some current advancements in hop breeding?
Common hop – you might call it hops – is a main ingredient in beer responsible for its rich flavor profile. Craft brewers and larger manufacturers alike are always looking for that […]
Old beans may have new uses
In the United States, you will be hard pressed to find a barbeque without baked beans. Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving favorite. Refried beans come on the side of our orders […]
Sesame cultivation: expansion versus temperature stress
Garnished on top of a freshly baked hamburger bun or deeply nestled within a crunchy granola bar, tiny sesame seed seldom gets enough of our attention. But it’s captured the interest of […]
What is the quinoa seed and germplasm collection like?
You may never have heard of quinoa before 2013. That’s when the United Nations ran a campaign to promote awareness of this cereal crop. Now, many people enjoy a bowl of cooked […]
Why is it important to increase genetic diversity in crops, especially in soybean?
Most of us have a favorite variety of apple. ‘HoneyCrisp’ is my new favorite because, as the name implies, the taste is super sweet, and the bite is crunchy. For apple pies, […]
How are plants bred to be biofortified? Why is it important?
The plants in our diet are critical to our health. Food crops provide us with nutrients important to human health, growth, and metabolism. Different vegetable crops contain many types of vitamins and […]
How do scientists do traditional plant breeding?
The “science” of plant breeding has only existed for a little more than a century. But, humans have unofficially been selecting for the ‘cream of the crop’ for over 10,000 years. Farmers […]