(Natural News) Come to any local gardening center and you may see rows and rows of plant- and animal-based fertilizers that boast of faster growth, beautiful blooms, or abundant produce from your plants. But which type of fertilizer can actually deliver these promises? A study published in the journal Biological Agriculture & Horticulture assessed the effect of plant- and animal-based […]

(Natural News) There’s no question that eating meat is highly beneficial: Meats like beef and chicken are a complete source of protein and deliver a good amount of iron and vitamin B12. Unfortunately, meat can also become detrimental to your health. When damaged by heat or oxygen, the polyunsaturated fats in meat become oxidized and […]

(Natural News) The vertical farming system, a relatively new method of planting crops, is proving that it’s not always where, but also how you plant your crops, that lets you increase your yield. A vertical farming system breaks away from many of the conventions of traditional farming. This is most evident in how crops are […]

(Natural News) Feeding cattle isn’t just about grass: Trees also play a part in providing nourishment, according to a study published in the journal Agroforestry Systems. There is a caveat to this process, however – the amount of nutrition it gives is heavily reliant on factors such as tree species, soil type, and season. Researchers from the Louis […]

(Natural News) Most people know that chocolates come from the cocoa tree; however, only the seeds of the tree are used, with most industries discarding the husks that house these seeds. However, a study published in the OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences may breathe new life into these husks, thanks to rot fungi – which can […]

(Natural News) A study published in Biological Agriculture & Horticulture tells of how pyrethrins, natural compounds found in chrysanthemums, effectively kill rosy apple aphids, providing organic farmers with additional means to control the pests and to prevent them from becoming an even worse problem. Rosy apple aphids can be a significant headache for organic apple […]

(Natural News) A seven-year-long study conducted by Spanish researchers in a farm under the Mediterranean sun has concluded its comparison of natural and synthetic fertilizers. The researchers reported that manure-based fertilizer greatly improved the crop yield, both on its own and when added to chemical fertilizer. The goal of the Universitat de Lleida (UDL) research […]

(Natural News) A study published in Annals of Applied Biology has found that the extracts and phenolic compounds derived from Zuccagnia punctata, a species of legume, can be used to protect corn seeds from fungal pathogens, providing farmers a natural alternative to artificial – and often toxic – fungicides. Fusarium is a diverse genus of fungi […]

(Natural News) Agriculture is more than just growing and harvesting crops. It’s a modern process that has far-reaching effects, particularly in its surrounding ecosystems. This includes factors such as water quality, nutrient cycling, soil retention, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation. In as much as agriculture affects its surrounding ecosystem, it also goes both ways: The […]

(Natural News) Vineyards are an ancient and valuable means of agriculture in the southern reaches of Europe. Although many have been taking up organic farming in recent years, most continue to manage their crops through the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Spanish researchers evaluated how the adoption of organic farming methods could further benefit […]