Palm oil plantations and deforestation in Guatemala: Certifying products as 'sustainable' is no panacea
Palm oil, which can be found in roughly half of all packaged supermarket products, is notorious for causing deforestation and biodiversity loss. Efforts to curtail the damage have largely focused on voluntary environmental certification programs that label qualifying palm-oil sources as "sustainable."
Natural structures can give rise to stronger, lighter systems
In a recent multidisciplinary study published in Advanced Science, researchers build upon the principles of biomimicry by drawing inspiration from the wing of a dragonfly to redesign that of a Boeing 777.
Sollio, º«¹úÂãÎè join forces on novel coated fertilizer study; PurYield is being marketed as a nutrient uptake enhancer
Sollio Agriculture has partnered with º«¹úÂãÎè to test the benefits of PurYield, a new coated fertilizer which enhances nutrient uptake by plants. Researchers will compare it to commonly used uncoated urea fertilizer to assess its impact on corn grain growth, yield, and quality, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Previous trials showed a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Can a disease-free, drought-proof potato exist? A map of the vegetable’s genes aims to find out
A Canadian-led team has assembled the most extensive genetic roadmap of the potato to date, along with its closest relatives, in order to bolster the plant’s ability to cope with climate change and protect its future as a mainstay of global food security and sustainability.
º«¹úÂãÎè launches new partnership with the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development
On May 31, 2023, º«¹úÂãÎè’s Margaret A. Gilliam Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) and SOCODEVI, in collaboration with the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), held an event showcasing concrete actions to strengthen sustainable agriculture, improve the living conditions of smallholder farmers and increase the resilience of agri-food systems.
Experts: WHO's cancer research agency to list aspartame sweetener a possible carcinogen
Aspartame, used in products such as diet sodas and chewing gum, will soon be listed as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm. (Reuters)
Lean times hit the vertical farming business
Vertical farming, once touted as the future of agriculture, is currently facing a lean period. Challenges in scalability and energy consumption have cast a shadow on this innovative farming method.Â
Building a more resilient food system
The impacts of climate change, rising fuel costs, geopolitical conflicts, and global supply chain snags make today's delocalized food system—and the 8 billion people who depend on it—increasingly vulnerable.Â
Part of the solution to building a more sustainable and resilient agrifood system is to improve local, indoor food production. Researchers in º«¹úÂãÎè’s Biomass Production Laboratory are doing just that, increasing access to fresh produce year-round.
Des semences de peupliers en abondance à Windsor
Si vous habitez les alentours de la ville de Windsor, peut-être avez-vous remarqué des substances blanches semblables à du pollen amassé sur les trottoirs, les pelouses ou les terrasses. Ce sont des semences de peupliers. À l'émission Matins sans frontières, David Wees, enseignant en horticulture à l'Université º«¹úÂãÎè, explique l'origine de ces semences, leur importance et comment se comporter vis-à -vis d'elles.
New research will look at dairy welfare and technology
A new research collaboration at º«¹úÂãÎè and the University of Quebec in Montreal will explore the role of artificial intelligence in promoting dairy cattle welfare.
It will be led by Dr. Elsa Vasseur of º«¹úÂãÎè’s Department of Animal Science and Abdoulaye Baniré Diallo of UQAM’s Department of Computer Science.
The Mystery of the Vanishing Kestrels: What’s happening to this flashy falcon?
The number of American kestrels has dropped sharply. That goes against the trend for birds of prey, broadly seen as a conservation bright spot.
Hypotheses about the decline abound. In a newly published special issue on kestrels in The Journal of Raptor Research, Dr. Smallwood and David Bird, an emeritus professor of wildlife biology at º«¹úÂãÎè in Montreal, list seven possible factors for kestrel declines that they argue merit more research, in no particular order.
How Canadians' lifestyle behaviours changed during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sixty per cent of roughly 1,600 Canadians who took part in a new study from º«¹úÂãÎè's School of Human Nutrition say their lifestyle habits either stayed the same or improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the flip side, 40% of participants say they adopted less healthy lifestyle habits, including worsened eating habits, sleep quality, decreased physical activity and weight gain.
Professor Ryan Mailloux appointed Director of the School of Human Nutrition
Professor Ryan Mailloux has been appointed Director of the School of Human Nutrition (SHN) effective from June 1, 2023, for a five-year term.
Dr. Mailloux earned his Ph.D. in Biomolecular Sciences from Laurentian University in 2007. He joined º«¹úÂãÎè in 2019, previously serving as an Assistant Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
In conversation with Alessandra Granata, valedictorian for the Agricultural & Environmental Sciences ‘B’ ceremony
º«¹úÂãÎè’s valedictorians are outstanding students whose strong academic performance, leadership and community involvement has earned the respect of their peers. This year’s cohort is remarkable for its diversity, each having vastly different backgrounds, experiences, passions and goals.
What they do share is ambition, curiosity, and a desire to have a positive impact on the world.
In conversation with Alex Kuijper Dickson, AES valedictorian A ceremony
º«¹úÂãÎè’s valedictorians are outstanding students whose strong academic performance, leadership and community involvement has earned the respect of their peers. This year’s cohort is remarkable for its diversity, each having vastly different backgrounds, experiences, passions and goals.
What they do share is ambition, curiosity, and a desire to have a positive impact on the world.