Farmers usually plant so-called cover crops after harvesting their main crop in the Fall. This prevents erosion of the soil and nutrient leaching. The roots of these crops also stabilize the structure ...

To judge the overall effectiveness of cover crops and choose those offering the most ecosystem services, agricultural scientists must consider the plants' roots as well as above-ground biomass, ...

Malcolm Bennett receives funding from Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/G023972/1, BB/R013748/1, BB/L026848/1, BB/M018431/1, BB/PO16855/1, BB/M001806/1, BB/M012212, and ...

You walk through a field of wheat, ryegrass, or clover and notice the sway of stems and leaves. What you cannot see is where most of the action happens. Beneath the soil surface, roots spread, compete ...

Scientists have determined how the well-known plant hormone ethylene is crucial in controlling the angle at which roots grow. The findings can be used to engineer plants and crops that withstand the ...

Conservation methods can help rejuvenate farmland, but the startup cost and uncertain results mean a risk many farmers still aren't willing to take. The University of Missouri Center for Regenerative ...

There’s nothing quite like pulling a homegrown carrot from the soil for a winter meal. If you’ve never managed this feat before, perhaps this will be your year! Overwintering root vegetables is easier ...