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28 Dec 2010 |
FAO interested in adaptive greenhouse
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| Protected cultivation offers perspectives for ample, safe and sustainable food production. This does of course require greenhouses suited to the local conditions. Wageningen UR Greenhouse... more |
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23 Dec 2010 |
How the power of consumers increased
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| Jan Buurma visited the closing conference of the ENDURE project in Paris. Topics discussed were interest groups, power balances, and transitional processes en this involved frequent references to the... more |
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22 Dec 2010 |
Growing seaweed can solve acidification
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| Large-scale cultivation of sea lettuce can help reduce acidification of the oceans. And help solve the global food supply problem to boot. This idea, presented by Wageningen biologist Ronald Osinga,... more |
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Combatting malaria with fungus
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| Students go about their work in a wide variety of ways, but there are not many that manage to complete a PhD thesis within three years, as Marit Farenhorst did.
Not only did Farenhorst finish... more |
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Cancun: towing the line
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| The climate conference in Cancún ended with a treaty, but without any firm agreements among the various countries on limiting CO2 emissions. So was the conference of any use? Prof. Pier Vellinga,... more |
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21 Dec 2010 |
Brown spots in yellow courgettes variety-related
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| There is a strong variety-effect on the occurrence of dark spots just underneath or in the fruit skin of yellow courgettes. High-yielding varieties are relatively susceptible to the phenomenon. This... more |
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16 Dec 2010 |
Special feed halves methane production
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| It is not garlic but nitrate and sulphate that reduces methane production in the stomachs of cows and sheep. If their feed contains a small percentage of these substances the amount of this powerful... more |
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First publication prize goes to worm study
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| Worms increase the production of laughing gas in the soil. MSc student Lucas Nebert discovered how, and won Wageningen’s first Publication Prize. Worms stimulate the emission of laughing gas (N2O)... more |
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Developing the dairy chain in Southeast Asia
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On December 8th and 9th a dairy expert round table meeting on "Competitive Dairy Value Chains in Southeast Asia" was held in Muak Lek, Thailand. Participants from six countries in Southeast Asia... more |
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Guide to corporate social responsibility for agricultural sector in Ethiopia
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| Agribusinesses operating in Ethiopia now have a practical guide to help them improve their corporate social responsibility. The brochure ‘Inspiring practices in corporate responsibility’ suggests... more |
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15 Dec 2010 |
Honorary professorship for Ewa Wietsma in Kazakhstan
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| Ewa Wietsma has been named honourable professor of the National Agricultural University of Almaty, Kazakhstan. This honorary appointment recognises her contribution to the reform of the educational... more |
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Water management in temporary rivers
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| In the Mediterranean most rivers hold water only intermittently. Hydrological, biogeochemical, sedimentary and ecological processes in these tributaries work very differently than in systems that... more |
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10 Dec 2010 |
Semi-wild fruit trees are important for Western Africa
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| In rural areas of Mali and Burkina Faso, all population groups make use of fruit trees spread around the landscape, both for their own consumption and to trade. These wild fruit trees were... more |
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South Florida and Dutch partners sign Collaboration Agreement on Climate Change, Sea-Level Rise
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| After three days of sharing best practices and ideas, the South Florida Water Management District, water management stakeholders in South Florida, and a Dutch team of water management experts... more |
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9 Dec 2010 |
Russia is an attractive market for Dutch agricultural companies
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| The Dutch agricultural sector has good prospects for trade with and investments in a number of Russian sub sectors. Opportunities exist for the supply sectors such as animal feed, genetics, seeds,... more |
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7 Dec 2010 |
Consortium of Wageningen UR, Alterra and IMARES successful at Cefic-LRI
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| Each year, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) publishes an international request for proposals, and one proposal per subject is granted. This year, a consortium consisting of components... more |
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Cucumber cultivation with 70% less energy
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| An autumn cucumber crop in the Venlow Energy Greenhouse on the Innovation and Demo Centre (IDC) in Bleiswijk yielded 21 kg (53 cucumbers) with 3.2 m3 gas. This is a saving of some 70% per cent in... more |
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6 Dec 2010 |
Biologist held his ground during the Congolese war
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| Biologist Corneille Ewango risked his life to protect research data and a nature area from the Congolese rebels. Biologist and forestry warden Corneille Ewango received his doctorate at Wageningen... more |
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Seasons add to chaos in nature
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| Populations in nature wax and wane in a chaotic fashion. And that chaos is only reinforced by the influence of the seasons. This is the thesis which Italian PhD researcher Elisa Benincà defends in... more |
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Bacteria guide malaria mosquitoes
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| The composition of our skin bacteria determines whether we are attractive to malaria mosquito. This insight should make it possible to develop an effective odour trap for mosquitoes. The various... more |
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Resistant parasites in sheep
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| The commonest sheep parasite has become resistant to the most widely used worming medicine. And former CVI, part of Wageningen UR, researcher Fred Borgsteede is worried. Borgsteede examined sheep... more |
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Learning Network on Forest Landscape Restoration
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How can you plan a landscape stretching across administrative boundaries? How can you guarantee the rights of certain user groups - like indigenous minorities - to access and control resources in... more |
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3 Dec 2010 |
Excessive engine power of Dutch cutter fleet restricted
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| After a long period in which regulations regarding engine power were regularly exceeded, the engine power in the Dutch cutter fleet has now been brought almost completely back to statutory norms.... more |
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2 Dec 2010 |
KTC De Marke introduces European visit to made-to-measure fertilisation management
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| On 24 November, an international group of European policy-makers and researchers paid a visit to DAIRYMAN Knowledge Transfer Centre (KTC) De Marke. The visit to De Marke was part of a two-day... more |
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Misuse of prohormones in animal farming can now be proved
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| Wageningen – The misuse of prohormones in animal farming can be proved by using the right investigation methods. This is the conclusion of the thesis written by Jeroen Rijk, who works at RIKILT, part... more |
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1 Dec 2010 |
LEI research forms basis for further steps for Sustainable Soya Task Force
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| Dutch companies use 1.8 million tonnes of soya products and 0.13 million tonnes of soya oil. The 1.8 million tonnes of soya products are used for animal feed, while the 0.13 million tons of soya oil... more |
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The body protects itself against severe inflammation caused by saturated fat
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| The consumption of saturated fat can cause severe inflammation. The body tries to protect itself against the inflammation by producing a specific protein. Researchers from Wageningen University, part... more |
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Wageningen University Fund awards four thesis prizes and one publication prize
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| This year, Wageningen University will award prizes for four Master’s theses and one publication. On Monday 6 December the board of Wageningen University Fund will present the WUF-KLV thesis and... more |
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30 Nov 2010 |
Catch advice given on pelagic species 2011
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| Mackerel, North Sea herring and Norwegian spring spawning herring in the Norwegian sea are all doing well. However, blue whiting is doing not so well, as its biomass is declining. This information... more |
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Book: Ecosystem goods and services from plantation forests
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| Peter van der Meer, researcher at Alterra, Wageningen UR and Jürgen Bauhus wrote a book on this subject, asking the timely question to what extent plantations can provide different ecosystem goods... more |
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29 Nov 2010 |
Breeding of potatoes producing novel starches with improved properties
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It is possible to breed potatoes in such a way that they produce new types of starch for use as a new and improved plant-based raw material in the construction, paper, glue, fodder and food... more |
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New book on mountains, the ecological backbone of Europe
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| Mountain areas make up as much as 36 per cent of Europe’s ground area. A book called ‘Europe’s Ecological Backbone’ is published about this subject. This volume, to which substantial contributions... more |
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Detecting toxicity in molluscs without animal-testing
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| RIKILT, part of Wageningen University & Research centre, and its project partners have devised a method to detect toxins in molluscs without animal testing. The toxins are naturally-occurring but are... more |
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26 Nov 2010 |
“Inspiring Change”: a sharing and learning event
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Development organisations increasingly turn to various forms of multi-stakeholder collaboration to leverage pro-poor change. They seek to scale up impact and to inspire deeper forms of social,... more |
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25 Nov 2010 |
Meat substitutes need not be tasty
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| Meat substitutes must primarily fit well in a meal. This is more important than the taste of the product itself, as apparent from food research done in Wageningen, which will soon be featured in Food... more |
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Three Vidi grants for Wageningen
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| The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded Vidi grants to three Wageningen researchers. Each of them receives 800,000 euros to form their own research teams.One of the... more |
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Drink your milk: still good advice
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| In a 1960s Dutch advertising campaign for milk, cartoon character ‘Joris Threepints’ sang the praises of ‘the white motor’. The dietary claims made then for three glasses of milk a day are supported... more |
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24 Nov 2010 |
Combined heat and power generation is good for greenhouse horticulture
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| In recent years, the economics of cultivating greenhouse-grown vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet peppers and cucumbers have been less favourable in Spain and the Netherlands. Combined heat and power... more |
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23 Nov 2010 |
Alterra software in Fynbos, South Africa
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| Alterra, Wageningen UR created a software tool that contains a vast amount of ecological data about the Fynbos Biome, an area in South Africa the size of the Benelux countries that harbours some... more |
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Greenhouse to prove itself in tropical lowland of Malaysia
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| Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has developed a new type of greenhouse specifically for tropical lowland areas. In Malaysia the greenhouse is now tested in a ‘proof of principle’ project. A net... more |
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19 Nov 2010 |
Bacteria safely store arsenic in minerals
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| Arsenic in drinking water is a problem for a number of places around the world (not, however, in the Netherlands). This poisonous element is released in mines where ore is extracted and in smelting... more |
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17 Nov 2010 |
Twelve winners of the best school lunch in the Netherlands announced
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| Twelve Dutch primary schools are to be awarded a prize for serving the best school lunch in the province. The best school lunch in the Netherlands! competition was launched in the autumn to stress to... more |
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Climate change and plant health
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| LEI presents a conceptual framework for systematic assessment of direct economic impacts of climate change on pest and disease management at the crop level. The framework evaluates and aggregates the... more |
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16 Nov 2010 |
Emerging countries want agro-parks
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| Metropolitan agriculture with agro-parks in developing countries can make an important contribution to satisfy the growing demand for animal proteins and thus support food security, says Madeleine... more |
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What is Sustainability?
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| Sustainability is a central concept in impact assessment of policies and programmes in many countries as well as in international organisations such as the European Union and the United Nations.... more |
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International Trade and Healthy Diets
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| With markets becoming increasingly interconnected, international trade in food is on the rise. Trade is an important component of food consumption; a lot of food we have on our plate every day comes... more |
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15 Nov 2010 |
Simple measures to reduce amonia in pig farms
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| There are various possibilities for traditional forms of housing for fattening pigs which can satisfy the maximum legally permissible threshold value for ammonia by 2013 by means of relatively simple... more |
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Possible cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture
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| In early November the Minister of Agriculture of Saudi Arabia, Dr Fahad Abdulrahman S. Balghunaim, visited Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture together with a delegation of government... more |
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11 Nov 2010 |
Bell pepper picking robot in the making
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| Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture will develop a harvesting robot for bell peppers with funds from the European Union, which has set aside ten million euros for new research work into robots in... more |
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Fines can lead to safer meat
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| If the butcher imposes a fine on pork suppliers, food safety can be improved. This however does not always get the required results, contended LEI (part of Wageningen UR) employee Coen van Wagenberg... more |
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Disease-suppressing bacteria ensure reuse of phosphate from bone meal
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| Some bacteria can control diseases such as Pythium and Fusarium organically. It has now been shown that several of these bacteria can also dissolve phosphate from carbonised bone meal. The use of... more |
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Reducing salt in foods
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| Adding less salt to prepared foods is a healthy practice, but it results in technological headaches. This is because salt plays a role in food structure, keeping quality and other aspects. It is also... more |
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9 Nov 2010 |
Rural Innovation Systems and Entrepreneurship: Scaling-up in Ethiopia
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After China, Ethiopia has one of the largest public-supported agricultural extension services in the world. This reflects the enormous emphasis the Ethiopian government is putting on agriculture as... more |
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8 Nov 2010 |
Selective breeding speeds up growth of sole
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| Wageningen doctoral researcher Robbert Blonk has found a way of speeding up the growth of North Sea sole considerably. This may make sole farming more viable.
Solea is the only company in the world... more |
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4 Nov 2010 |
The future: being fed by a microchip
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| The food of the future will come out of a microchip. Literally. Franciso Rossier-Miranda developed such a chip and is due to get his doctorate for it on Friday. The technique in which Rossier-Miranda... more |
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Hunger in the womb raises risk of diabetes
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| Exposure to hunger in the uterus raises the risks of high blood sugar levels in later life, claim Wageningen and Chinese researchers in the journal Diabetes.The existence of a link between exposure... more |
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Skylark seeks sides of fields
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| Farmland birds are having a tough time in this country. Did anyone hear a skylark sing last summer? Money is needed to make that happen, says Jules Bos of Plant Research International, part of... more |
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Predictive power of dairy cattle methane models insufficient to provide sound environmental advice
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| Research team takes a close look at models of enteric methane production of dairy cows
Canadian and Dutch researchers have shown that current equations to predict methane production of cows are... more |
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2 Nov 2010 |
Free fruit and vegetables in junior schools thanks to EU programme
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| The supply of free fruit and vegetables to junior schools as specified by the EU school fruit scheme will continue in January 2011. Schools can already register. A total of more than 4 million Euros... more |
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Can agribusiness change the livelihoods of millions of farmers in Africa?
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Evaluation of the Strategic Alliance for Agricultural Development in Africa
In collaboration with Berenschot, Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation has recently carried out a... more |
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1 Nov 2010 |
Scientists find explanation for global advance of shrimp virus
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| White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has a devastating impact on shrimp farming throughout the world. What makes the situation even more serious is that the virus seems to become more aggressive as the... more |
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‘Algae seeks farmer’
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| Algae production offers economic opportunities and is good for the climate and environment. In a few years’ time, it will be possible to cultivate algae on special algae farms in Gelderland. This was... more |
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Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture coordinates international robotics project
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| The European Union makes available ten million euro for research into robots in the agricultural sector. Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture will be coordinating this project in which scientific... more |
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29 Oct 2010 |
Doing business in poor countries
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| Developing in poor countries is the in thing for companies, especially under the new Dutch cabinet. The new Base of the Pyramid Innovation Center will help companies to make investment plans to reach... more |
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Bitter spray leads to less feather pecking
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| Feather pecking among chickens can be reduced by half if their feathers are sprayed with a bitter substance. Unfortunately, pecking cannot be corrected, says Bas Rodenburg of the Animal Breeding and... more |
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LEI contributes to ‘It’s Down 2 Earth’ conference
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| LEI, part of Wageningen UR, will be taking part in two side-events of the ‘It’s Down 2 Earth’ conference, focusing on agriculture, food security and climate change. This international conference will... more |
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28 Oct 2010 |
Lower night temperature not possible for all Phalaenopsis cultivars
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| Research by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture showed that not all Phalaenopsis cultivars remain vegetative when propagated at a lower night temperature. These results are different from the... more |
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27 Oct 2010 |
Spontaneous occurrence predatory mites holds perspectives for integrated control
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| Scientists of Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture expect that some indigenous predatory mites could play a significant role in biological pest control in summer flowers. The variation in the... more |
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26 Oct 2010 |
Digestibility and nutritional value of grass silage and CCM for organic sows
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| Grass silage is a roughage fodder which many organic farms feed to pregnant sows. The nutritional value of grass silage is important in order to be able to responsibly use it as a replacement for... more |
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International award for Pierre Ramakers
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| Last week scientist Pierre Ramakers of Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture received the ‘Award of excellence for extraordinary contributions to augmentation biological control and its use in... more |
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Unique energy study greenhouse horticulture completed
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| Greenhouse horticulture’s approach of the energy issue is unique in the Netherlands, according to Ruud Lubbers, chairman of the jury of the design competition ‘Greenhouse as Energy Source’. Lubbers... more |
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25 Oct 2010 |
African women show resilience in coping with AIDS
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| Poverty is not just a consequence but also a cause of AIDS. But AIDS orphans are proving more resilient than was generally believed. These are some of the findings of African women researchers at... more |
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Comments from Wageningen: New government’s nature policy
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| The new Dutch government is planning to make drastic cuts in the area of nature and landscape. This will include a rethink on the Ecological Main Structure. What will be the consequences? Not good,... more |
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21 Oct 2010 |
Minister New Zealand launches new programme with Wageningen UR
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| During his visit at Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) on Wednesday 20th October, the minister of Agriculture of New Zealand, David Carter, launched a new programme: PROTEOS. This joint... more |
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Hormonal levels in flower bulbs indicator of quality
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| The levels and relative proportions of hormones in flower bulbs may offer indications of quality before a flower has formed. In a joint project, PPO and the Laboratory of Plant Physiology, both of... more |
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20 Oct 2010 |
Chair of Executive Board Wageningen UR joins Advisory Board of the World Knowledge Forum
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| Last week Dr Aalt A. Dijkhuizen, Chair of the Wageningen UR Executive Board (Wageningen University & Research centre), was appointed a member of the International Advisory Board of the World... more |
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19 Oct 2010 |
Structural changes could half the projected global loss of biodiversity
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| A combination of measures in different sectors could result in halving the projected global loss of biodiversity, up to 2050. This was calculated by the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment... more |
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Mexican dairy sector: opportunities for improving performance
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| The expanding Mexican dairy sector offers opportunities for investments on improving the performance of the large semi-specialised and dual-purpose cow farmers. This can be achieved by enhancing... more |
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18 Oct 2010 |
Interplanting method makes no difference in tomatoes
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| Changing the row structure has no consequences for production and energy demand of a tomato crop. This is shown in research by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. During a full growing season... more |
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15 Oct 2010 |
Care-giving and retail grow on farms
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| Farmers in the Netherlands are earning more income from care-giving, childcare, nature management, recreation and shop sales on their farms. The turnover of these activities grew by 28 percent... more |
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Tempering stomach upsets
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| Tempeh, the eastern soya product well liked by vegetarians, could also be good for preventing the runs. It stops pathogens from nestling in the intestines. Tempeh is hardly found on menu cards in... more |
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Flat rate good for hill farmers
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| Traditional olive growers in hilly regions in Southern Europe will benefit from a flat rate subsidy per hectare, a form of compensation for maintaining the landscape. This picture emerges from an... more |
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Costs and benefits of soil conservation
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| Soils fulfill many functions for human communities: apart from agricultural production, they also store water and carbon, are a reservoir of biodiversity, supply raw materials such as sand and clay,... more |
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Paper about the transition to consumer-driven value chains in the Netherlands
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| In August LEI, part of Wageningen UR, researcher Jan Buurma attended the International Horticultural Congress in Lisbon. He presented a paper on his research within the EU network ENDURE on the role... more |
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12 Oct 2010 |
Turnover of multifunctional agriculture growing
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| Multifunctional agriculture in the Netherlands is on the up and up. This is the picture that emerges from a study by LEI and PPO, both part of Wageningen UR, into the turnover and impact of this form... more |
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Tempting consumers with fruit
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| The fruit industry can do more to reach consumers with innovation. That goes for the whole chain, from farmer to market gardener to retail outlet. A group of European researchers brought together in... more |
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8 Oct 2010 |
Stone age cooking lessons
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| The prehistoric diet is in. Its supporters hail it as delicious and much more wholesome than our affluent menus. Natural foods seem to be better for our genetic disposition. It has even been chosen... more |
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Urban farming yields small climate gains
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| Farming in and around cities is sustainable, but the gains in terms of climate are limited. To really make a difference we must change our eating habits. This conclusion was reached by Wageningen UR... more |
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7 Oct 2010 |
More clarity needed in regulations on daylight for organic (breeding) laying-hens
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| More clarity is needed in the regulations on daylight for organic (breeding) laying-hens. The regulations on regular (breeding) laying-hens could be used as a basis. The research carried out by... more |
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6 Oct 2010 |
Intelligent irrigation saves water and fertiliser without reducing yield or quality
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| Sensors and decision-support software can help horticultural growers worldwide to reduce their water consumption by 60 percent and use 30 percent less fertiliser without sacrificing yield and... more |
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4 Oct 2010 |
Delta Alliance declaration signed by international representatives
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| Rotterdam, 30 September 2010 - today, representatives from 6 countries signed the Delta Alliance declaration, a statement on the value of the world's deltas and the importance of international... more |
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1 Oct 2010 |
Jongkind finds new plant variety again
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| Wageningen University botanist Carel Jongkind keeps coming up with new plant varieties in West Africa. Jongkind reported earlier this month a new jasmine variety (Jasminium) in the scientific journal... more |
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Many pigs get MRSA infection in slaughterhouses
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| One in ten pigs gets the MRSA bacterium in livestock transport trucks, while sixty percent of pigs in slaughterhouses have the bacterium. Wageningen University veterinary researcher Els Broens finds... more |
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Algae biodiesel production has to be three times cheaper
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| The cost of producing biodiesel from algae is now three and a half times more than producing it from oil, and twice as much as producing fuel from rapeseed. Investments in biotechnology would however... more |
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Food industry wants to change the character of food legislation
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| On Tuesday, 21 September 2010, the second workshop on food wastage was held with representatives of the food industry. Participants discussed which legislation generates most food wastage. The Dutch... more |
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30 Sep 2010 |
Food4you: delicious and healthy food from prehistoric times to the future
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| Knowledge Festival from 6 to 11 October 2010What do humans naturally eat? Certainly not cheese sandwiches because they didn't exist in prehistoric times. Is our body really adapted for ‘modern food’?... more |
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Unraveling DNA of potato wart disease possible
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| Scientists of Plant Research International (PRI), part of Wageningen UR, and the division Plant of the new Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (nVWA) in the Netherlands are capable to isolate... more |
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28 Sep 2010 |
Today’s pig farmer is efficient and animal-friendly
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| Pig farmers who want to keep their business profitable must work very efficiently and take animal welfare into account. This conclusion was presented by LEI researcher Robert Hoste in a reading... more |
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27 Sep 2010 |
People also have antiviral ‘plant defences’
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| In addition to known antiviral agents such as antibodies and interferons, people also seem to have a similar immune system to that previously identified in plants. This is the result of research... more |
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24 Sep 2010 |
Poisonous, bitter or just plain vile
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| Because August was so wet, there are very many different kinds of fungi in the woods this autumn. Can you eat them? To avoid falling ill, Resource called on Wageningen expert Thom Kuyper for help. So... more |
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Two centuries of tinned food
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| We owe the industrial revolution to it, expeditions depended on it and waging war would never be the same again - preserved food in glass or cans. We have now had it for exactly 200 years. Five... more |
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Democracy helps prevent deforestation
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| Democratic countries suffer less from deforestation. That seems logical enough. But forests also do well under a strong dictatorship. This remarkable conclusion was reached by Wageningen... more |
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How do you measure world hunger?
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| The number of people suffering from malnutrition is going down, reported the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant last week. No, hunger is on the increase, wrote the Volkskrant the next day. What is going on,... more |
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Higher air scrubber stacks reduce odour nuisance caused by pig houses
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| Increasing the stack height of pig-house air scrubbers reduces the odour nuisance to the surroundings: this means of limiting odour levels can offer pig farms an interesting and economical... more |
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23 Sep 2010 |
Fusarium Screen for tulips
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| Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. tulipae causes dry rot in tulips. Every year this disease leads to losses of around 10 million euros in the sector despite painstaking efforts to control it. PPO and PRI are... more |
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21 Sep 2010 |
International workshop on micro-economic databases
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| LEI, part of Wageningen UR, organised the 18th Pacioli workshop, held from 5 to 8 September inclusive. This is an international workshop on Micro Economic databases, like Farm Accountancy Data... more |
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Papers about green care agriculture
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| In the summer of 2010 LEI (part of Wageningen UR) researcher Aïde Roest presented two papers on green care in agriculture. In July Roest presented the paper ‘Regional platforms for green care farming... more |
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Increased feed level for young sows improves fertility
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| A 30% increase in the feed provided to first and second parity sows during the first four weeks of gestation increases the size of the litter but also appears to increase the percentage of repeat... more |
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17 Sep 2010 |
Flooded ditches very costly for peat farmers
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| A rise in the water level in ditches by thirty centimeters can avert three millimeters of soil subsidence, but costs farmers in the Groene Hart (in the Netherlands) 239 euros per hectare per year.... more |
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Dialogue with fishers improves policy making
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| Fishers are playing bigger roles in fisheries policy. Nothing but good can come from this, according to PhD candidate Luc van Hoof. Before the nineties, the quantity of fish allowed to be caught at... more |
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Detergent keeps botrytis away from roses
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| A major pathogen in roses, the mould Botrytis cinerea, can be easily kept at bay with a dash of chlorine. Wageningen researchers discovered this by chance. Botrytis causes big problems in rose... more |
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15 Sep 2010 |
Robert Hall appointed as President of the International Metabolomics Society
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| Robert Hall, Director of the Centre for BioSystems Genomics and cluster leader in Metabolic Regulation at Plant Research International, was elected President of the Metabolomics Society... more |
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14 Sep 2010 |
Consumption of 'good salt' can reduce population blood pressure levels
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| An increased intake of 'good' potassium salts could contribute significantly to improving blood pressure at the population level. The favourable effect brought about by potassium is even estimated to... more |
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Providing sugar has a limited effect on the vitality of piglets
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| Adding sugar and lactose to organic sow feed does not have a significant effect on the reproduction of sows or the variation in birth weight of piglets within a litter. However, the mortality rate of... more |
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13 Sep 2010 |
Polled cattle are a step closer by
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| Most calves at Dutch dairy farms are dehorned to prevent future injury. Since inbred polled cattle are found in nature, Wageningen UR Livestock Research has carried out studies to review the... more |
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10 Sep 2010 |
‘Climate science doesn’t offer absolute truths’
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| The IPCC, the UN climate panel, needs to be more professionally organized and allow sceptics more space, concludes the InterAcademy Council (IAC), which has investigated the IPCC’s way of working.... more |
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Neighbours keep elderly healthy
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| Good neighbours are apparently important for the health of the elderly, according to a study involving 25,000 elderly people.Epidemiologist Croezen examined the link between social contacts and the... more |
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More attention needed for food in health care
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| ‘Food should be assigned a more prominent position in healthcare’, according to Mr. Huijts, Director General of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. Huijts was just one of the... more |
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Trace allergens quickly
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| RIKILT – Institute of Food Safety and the chair group Physical Chemistry and Colloid Sciences, both of which are part of Wageningen UR, have together developed an allergen test. This test quickly,... more |
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9 Sep 2010 |
Energy crops in North Holland not profitable
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| The production of ethanol from sugar beet and the grass variety Micanthus in North Holland cannot compete with petrol from oil at this moment. An energy crop is only profitable if energy prices are... more |
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Alterra sets up intelligent site on climate knowledge
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| Alterra, part of Wageningen UR, has been appointed by the European Commission to set up a clearinghouse for climate knowledge. This mechanism will bring together European knowledge about the... more |
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Probiotic bacteria change gene activity in humane intestines
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| Drinks with probiotic bacteria change the activity of the genes in the small intestine. This is the conclusion of research of TI Food and Nutrition published in the American journal PNAS (Proceedings... more |
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8 Sep 2010 |
Wallowing is important for a pig’s happiness
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| Wallowing means rolling in mud, a behaviour characteristic of pigs. A study carried out by Wageningen UR Livestock Research has revealed that wallowing is of importance to pig well-being. For this... more |
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7 Sep 2010 |
Custom-made gels suitable for drug delivery
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| That gels based on proteins from yeasts can be used as drug delivery systems and carriers of antibodies is the most important conclusion from the Helena Teles’ doctoral research at Wageningen UR Food... more |
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Impact of a potential Turkish accession on food security in Turkey and the EU
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| The study ‘Extension of the AGMEMOD model towards Turkey’ was carried out from September 2009 until July 2010 under the management of LEI , in cooperation with the European Commission's Joint... more |
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EU project NovelQ is to share results on novel processing technologies with the industry
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| ‘From NovelQuality to NovelReality’ NovelQ shares its results with the industry on 5 and 6 October in Wageningen. The EU-funded project is exploring novel processing technologies for foods.35... more |
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Are cows without a dry period healthier?
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| Researchers at Wageningen UR and Utrecht University began a large-scale study of the length of dairy cows' dry period last summer. The objective of the WHY DRY study is to evaluate the length of the... more |
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6 Sep 2010 |
Forests make heatwaves initially warmer
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| During heatwaves forests reduce their evaporation. This causes the atmosphere to warm up even more. During extremely long periods of heat, however, this reduction enables the forests to continue... more |
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Protecting wild pollinators from pesticides
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| Research project involves Kenya, Brazil and the NetherlandsIn various developing countries, more and more food is being grown for export. These new crops offer important economic advantages, but... more |
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3 Sep 2010 |
European grant for environmental researcher
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| Lars Hein, a researcher at the Environmental Systems Analysis Group, has won an 800,000-euro European Research Grant. His research proposal and fourteen others have been selected out of more than... more |
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Obese Lynch syndrome patients more at risk for colon cancer
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| People with the hereditary Lynch syndrome have considerably more risk of developing colon cancer. Obese people with this ailment also have twice as much risk of developing benign tumours in the large... more |
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Stinking for sex
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| Wilbert Hetterscheid has discovered about sixty new Amorphophalli in the course of his career, making him the undisputed leading world expert in the weird and wonderful world of these ‘shapeless... more |
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Analyzing the effects from non tariff measures (NTM) in the global agri-food trade
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| With the liberalisation of agri-food trade, standards and regulations that specify the requirements for imported products to be sold on domestic markets have become increasingly important. These... more |
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2 Sep 2010 |
Natura 2000: Successful lessons from abroad
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| Strong coordination and clear delegation of tasks are keys to successful implementation of Natura 2000, according to a study just completed by Alterra Wageningen UR in collaboration with Belgium’s... more |
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1 Sep 2010 |
Standard parameters counteract soil degradation
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| Wageningen UR conducts many kinds of soil research. An umbrella programme has been established to coordinate the various types of research. The aim is develop a standard set of parameters that will... more |
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30 Aug 2010 |
Alpha Omega: Beneficial effect of low doses of n-3 fatty acids only found in sub-groups of post-MI patients
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| Results from the Alpha Omega Trial, a multicentre, placebo-controlled trial in men and women following myocardial infarction (MI), suggest that low doses of n-3 fatty acids given in the form of... more |
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27 Aug 2010 |
Controlling downy mildew in onions
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| Infections with downy mildew can be delayed by starting with "clean" planting material. In the case of onion sets, a warm water treatment before planting is one way eliminate any contamination of the... more |
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Dynamic feeding of organic dairy cattle results in a higher feed utilisation
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| A study of the phase feeding of organic dairy cattle with maize meal at the beginning of lactation revealed that a favourable energy balance could be achieved, although with disappointing milk... more |
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26 Aug 2010 |
One cow pie is better than another
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| Cow pies from organic dairy farms contain one and a half times as many insects as those in cow pies from conventional farms. This affects birds in these pastures. Cow pies are a major source of food.... more |
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Good yields with less phosphate
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| Strict norms for phosphate applications do not seem to affect crop yields at livestock farms on sandy soils. This has been the finding after long-term use of balanced fertilization on De Marke... more |
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Wageningens comment: New food crisis (un)likely
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| The increase in grain prices may spell a new food crisis, warns Joachim von Braun, former director of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). However, LEI researcher Roel Jongeneel... more |
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Wageningen University appoints Bas Zwaan as Professor of Genetics
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| With effect from 15 September, Wageningen University, a part of Wageningen UR, has appointed Dr Bas Zwaan as Professor of Genetics. Professor Zwaan, currently associate professor of Evolutionary... more |
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Wageningen University appoints five professors to personal chairs
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| Wageningen University, a part of Wageningen UR, has appointed five of its own researchers as professors by special appointment. These appointments have taken place due to the outstanding merit of the... more |
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Comparable Assessment for Cisgenic and Transgenic Plants
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| Wageningen – The food and animal feed safety assessment for plant varieties created using cisgenesis will have to remain comparable to the assessment criteria for transgenic varieties. Researchers... more |
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Consumers relatively positive about the role of GM vegetables and fruit in alleviating health problems
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| Consumers are more favourable towards genetically modified vegetables and fruit when these products have extra health benefits. They especially feel positive if the genetic modification can alleviate... more |
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24 Aug 2010 |
Greenhouse gas emissions calculated which result from the production of crops for fuel
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| At the request of the European Commission, the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment has carried out a study into the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production of... more |
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Correlation between energy and food prices
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| The prices of agricultural products and fossil fuels have decreased significantly, after rising to very high levels in 2008. This parallel trend in price levels is due to the fact that the demand in... more |
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Study into eel fishery and sales
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| During the last decades, the eel stocks in the European waters have steadily declined, resulting in a bad situation for the eel population as well as the eel fishery. Accordingly, various measures... more |
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Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture and Agrosystems support growers in East Africa
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| Last year, researchers from Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture and Wageningen UR Agrosystems participated in optimising the water and crop protection management on horticultural operations in... more |
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23 Aug 2010 |
DeltaCompetition attracts innovative and diverse ideas for climate adaptation from students around the world
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| The worldwide DeltaCompetition challenged students to formulate creative solutions for adapting the delta cities of the world to climate change impacts. The competition, run by Royal Haskoning, Delta... more |
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20 Aug 2010 |
Smart fungus disarms plant, animal and human immunity
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| Fungal and bacterial pathogens are well capable of infecting plants, animals and humans despite their immune systems. Fungi penetrate leafs, stalks and roots, or skin, intestines and lungs, to infect... more |
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Insufficient compensation for agriculture
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| For the Dutch agricultural sector, 2009 was a bad year economically. Production increased slightly, but most primary agriculture market prices fell. The average agricultural income decreased to 5,500... more |
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18 Aug 2010 |
Food safety assurance in Indonesia – Who is responsible?
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| This week researchers from Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation and LEI, part of Wageningen UR, made a start with a project that aims to tackle the challenges to introduce and implement... more |
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Salination in agriculture
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| Salt water is infiltrating further and further inland. Previously, only the coastal areas were affected by salt water, but now there are problems in the 'Green Heart' and the Wieringermeer. Due to... more |
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17 Aug 2010 |
Can clover repress weeds?
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| In organic arboriculture, weed control is expensive. Groundcovers can be planted to repress weeds. Can this green groundcover contribute to the nitrogen supply or does it compete with the tree crop?... more |
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16 Aug 2010 |
The type of interaction between species might play a fundamental part in the stability of ecological communities
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| Elisa Thébault and Colin Fontaine, with a research carried out at Imperial College London, Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, and the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, have shown that... more |
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13 Aug 2010 |
Combination of biological and chemical pesticides more effective than expected on malaria mosquitoes
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| A combination of fungal spores and chemical insecticides are an effective way of combating insecticide-resistant malaria mosquitoes. Researchers at Wageningen UR and from Benin, West Africa, have... more |
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Industrial production of biodiesel feasible within 15 years
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| Within 10 to 15 years, it will be technically possible to produce sustainable and economically viable biodiesel from micro-algae on a large scale. Technological innovations during this period should... more |
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12 Aug 2010 |
Santana and new sprayer keep surface water clean
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| Fruit growers can reduce the contamination of surface water by 98% with a new system that was developed in the six-year programme Smaak van Morgen (Taste of Tomorrow). The aim of the programme is to... more |
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11 Aug 2010 |
Growing crops without soil is better for the environmen
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| Broccoli, strawberries, summer flowers, flower bulbs and trees do not need soil to grow. They can also be grown in water or on substrate, and that is better for the environment. However, the costs... more |
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10 Aug 2010 |
The richer the country, the cleaner the money
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| The richer, better-developed and more economically-independent a country is, the fewer bacteria you will find on its money. The material used to produce banknotes and the age of the money (whether it... more |
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4 Aug 2010 |
Dutch nature reserve source of natural enemies of tomato leaf miner
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| Scientists from Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture have discovered natural enemies of Tuta absoluta, the much-feared tomato leaf miner that does not occur in the Netherlands yet, during research... more |
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Biological soil disinfestation offers perspectives for all soil-bound cultivations
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| Biological soil disinfestation consists of the incorporation of fermented organic material after which the soil is covered with plastic. This results in the release of compounds with a disinfecting... more |
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3 Aug 2010 |
Saving energy in pot plant cultivation with new climate settings
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| Allowing more light, wider temperature ranges and a higher moisture level is resulting in energy savings without giving up on growth in a number of pot plant species. This is the result of research... more |
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29 Jul 2010 |
Fresnel Greenhouse built in Bleiswijk
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| A greenhouse with daylight installation will be built at the Innovation and Demo Centre (IDC) in Bleiswijk. A greenhouse with such an installation can generate electric and thermal energy. In this... more |
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27 Jul 2010 |
Scientists laud forest conservation deal for Indonesia
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| Meeting in Bali, Indonesia last week, over 900 scientists from the international Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) released a ‘Bali Declaration’ that calls for urgent efforts... more |
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20 Jul 2010 |
Alterra leads the way in Europe’s largest ever stream experiment for climate change
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| For the first time ever, uniform freshwater experiments are being carried out across Europe. During the course of this year, a start will be made on a series of experiments in streams along the coast... more |
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16 Jul 2010 |
Going “green” is feasible, but has its costs
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| The Influence of the biobased economy on agricultural markets is a study from two Wageningen UR institutes that shows how the impacts of new technology may have unanticipated effects. The rapidly... more |
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13 Jul 2010 |
Quick test shows gut flora in piglets
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| When piglets are weaned from milk to solid food, their intestinal flora change, with a steep rise in the numbers of potentially harmful streptococci. This finding has come out of research done by... more |
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Saving nature saves money too
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| Alterra scientists argue for the ecosystem services approach, which they say will increase the support base for nature conservation.Alterra, part of Wageningen UR, is preaching a new gospel: a nature... more |
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Plaice is thriving again
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| The North Sea is full of plaice. Stocks are almost back to nineteen eighties levels: well over 400 thousand tons. According to Jan Jaap Poos, fisheries biologist at IMARES, part of Wageningen UR,... more |
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International attention for guidelines on sustainability reports
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| The guidelines for food-processing companies on producing sustainability reports about their companies have been officially launched and presented at two international congresses. These guidelines... more |
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12 Jul 2010 |
150 extra accommodations for students
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| Hotel Hof van Wageningen will temporarily accommodate at least 150 students in the new academic year, of which mostly international students. At the moment, Hotel Stadsbrink is preparing its... more |
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Bioenergy by-products cannot be ignored any longer
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| An article in the current issue of Global Change Biology Bioenergy explains that researchers must recognize the importance of including the environmental effects of bioenergy by-products as part of... more |
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Reproduction of European eel in the focus of European Top Institutes
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Towards a Self Sustained Aquaculture
The PRO-EEL project aims at reproduct European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in captivity. Reproduction of eel in culture has become a focus research area due to a... more |
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Weapons against Phytophthora
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| In the DuRPh project, various potato varieties have been successfully given one or more resistance genes against Phytophthora. Beginning next year, field tests of management strategies can be... more |
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9 Jul 2010 |
Spatial Analysis of Rural Development Measures
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| Rural development is the second pillar of the EU Common Agricultural Policy. For the first pillar (direct payments to farmers and market regulation), sophisticated models exist with which the impact... more |
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Eastern European dairy farmers start management course
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| In the autumn of 2010, farm managers from Eastern Europe will follow a training course in Interactive Strategic Management (ISM). In particular, dairy farmers will be taking the course.The countries... more |
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8 Jul 2010 |
New academic degree programme in tourism in Breda and Wageningen
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| Collaborative press release of Wageningen University and NHTV Breda University of Applied SciencesWageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, and NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences are... more |
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6 Jul 2010 |
Role of plant life in global climate accurately determined
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| New data on atmospheric carbon lead to better models
Researchers from 18 scientific institutions have used observations and calculations to determine the amount of CO2 exchange between global... more |
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Ethiopia tackling contamination of sesame exports
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| Ethiopia has the potential to become a world-class player on the sesame seed market, but at present the quality of the sesame seeds at the time of export leaves much to be desired. The problem seems... more |
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5 Jul 2010 |
Piglets copy mum’s food choice
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| Piglets eat more, and a more varied diet if their mother is around. It seems they copy the sow when it comes to trying new foods. This conclusion was drawn by PhD researcher Marije Oostindjer of the... more |
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The housewife is a dying breed
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| How have electrical appliances changed households over the past century? That question is the subject of an exhibition at the NEMO in Amsterdam called 'Domestic Paradise'. Much has changed among the... more |
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Doping test gotcha with retroactive effect
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| A doping test which sees everything, even banned substances which we don't know about yet. It sounds like something from science fiction. But it exists. Professor Michel Nielen from RIKILT, part of... more |
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2 Jul 2010 |
Stabilisation of the grain market by the flexible use of grain for bioethanol
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| This report reviews whether the grain market and grain price can be stabilised by the variation of the use of grain in the EU-27's production of bioethanol. The time horizon of this study is 2020,... more |
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Apple and tomato chains in China and the EU
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| This study seeks to assess the comparative advantages of horticultural com-modities in the EU and China. The assessment is determined on the basis of natural endowments, farm structure, and marketing... more |
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24 Jun 2010 |
Parties raise status for China’s poor
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| Spending on celebrations, parties and gifts by the poor in China has shot up over recent years. The idea is to raise your status in your village.
'Everyone has to join in, to keep their position... more |
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Bumble bee visits a fritillary
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| Bumble bees can see which fritillary has the most nectar. Pollination by the bees protects plants against moulds. Queen bumble bees never fail to find the flower with the most nectar in a field full... more |
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Healthy food if you’re lucky
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| Diet determines whether genes do their job. Not everyone benefits equally from healthy food. Studies of healthy food should allow for the genetic make-up of the people in the experiment. This is the... more |
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23 Jun 2010 |
Interdisciplinary research programmes making a difference
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| ‘White elephants’ (expensive projects that are not really useful) still abound. Almost without exception, such white elephant development projects are the unfortunate result of specialists and... more |
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Q-bank databases officially launched
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| On 22 June 2010 the new online database Q-bank for regulated plant pest species – www.q-bank.eu – has been launched. Q-bank comprises data about bacteria, fungi, insects, nematodes, viruses and... more |
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22 Jun 2010 |
Isobionics B.V. introduces natural Valencene PureTM with the contribution of research of Wageningen UR
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| Isobionics has finalized the development of a breakthrough fermentation process for production of its natural Valencene PureTM with the contribution of research of the Plant Sciences Group of... more |
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18 Jun 2010 |
Eel Farming can save Wild Eel Population
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| The Dutch Sustainable Eel Sector foundation (DUPAN) wants to restock Dutch inland waters with glass eels to boost dwindling eel stocks. A nice gesture, says Professor Johan Verreth, Professor of... more |
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Breeding indigenous and more productive chickens
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| Ethiopian villagers favour white or red chickens which are both meaty and good for laying eggs. Nigussie Mullu has started a breeding programme to meet these goals.Chickens play a vital role in most... more |
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New guidelines for the sustainability of the food-processing industry
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| Companies are increasingly expected to account for their role in such issues as animal welfare and the environment. Many companies therefore produce sustainability reports, in which they report on... more |
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17 Jun 2010 |
Sustainable Land Management enhances our living soils
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| Today is the World Day to Combat Desertification, a day to focus on desertification problems around the world, and this year researchers are joining hands with farmers around the world to stand up to... more |
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14 Jun 2010 |
Too many barriers to introduction of biological control
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| Farewell speech Professor Joop van Lenteren
Biological control is the most sustainable and economically profitable method of pest control in agriculture. Yet its introduction is proceeding in fits... more |
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11 Jun 2010 |
Official reopening of research building Qualitron4
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| Food & Biobased Research has modernised and placed its post-harvest research facilities for fresh products in one building, Qualitron4 (Q4). The innovation impulse was needed to be able to give the... more |
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10 Jun 2010 |
Malaria mosquito prefers smelly socks to aroma traps
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| A mixture of ammonia, lactic acid, and twelve fatty acids can lure malaria mosquitoes into the trap. However, given a choice, the mosquitoes would go for the odour of human sweat, reported Wageningen... more |
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Elderly have more ‘bad’ gut bacteria
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| The composition of gut microbiota changes as humans reach old age. Bacteria which protect against infections become less, while bacteria which cause infections actually increase in quantity. This... more |
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Biofuel cell retrieves copper
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| Producing energy and recovering copper from waste water at the same time: this is what Wageningen UR environmental technologists are doing with their new microbial fuel cell.'We obtain quite a lot of... more |
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Wageningen University appoints Professors of Seafood and Climate Dynamics
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Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, has announced the appointment of two extraordinary professors on 1 June 2010. Dr J.B. Luten and Dr W. Hazeleger will assume the newly created Chairs of... more |
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9 Jun 2010 |
Wireless measuring system identifies cold and wet spots in greenhouses
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| Horizontal and vertical climate differences in greenhouses are unwanted. In current practice the number of measuring boxes is too low to detect such differences. SmartDust is the wireless system of... more |
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8 Jun 2010 |
On the way to solutions to save our tropical forests
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| In 2010, proclaimed the ‘International Year of Biodiversity’ by the United Nations, tropical forests are no less endangered than before. Though in some regions, forests are certainly recovering,... more |
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3 Jun 2010 |
Better armed to fight potato blight
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| Stocks of genetic material for potatoes with sustainable resistance against phytophthora are now available, says plant breeder Evert Jacobsen. He is, however, not allowed to conduct any field trials... more |
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Bio-energy can replace petroleum in Kenya
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| Think about this: producing 1300 million cubic metres of methane annually from agriculture waste in Kenya. A third of such agriculture residue could be fermented directly. Kenya would have enough to... more |
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Zinc switches found in plants
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| Geneticists have discovered two gene switches in plants which enable better zinc intake. This paves the way for plant breeders to reduce malnutrition.An international research team, comprising VENI... more |
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2 Jun 2010 |
Phosphate-induced growth inhibition has negative effect on quality of Kalanchoe
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| Kalanchoe can grow at low phosphate levels but phosphate is not an effective instrument for suppressing longitudinal growth. Shorter plants have a poorer quality because the plants have lower and... more |
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1 Jun 2010 |
Farm viability in the European Union
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| Farm viability is an important issue in the European Union. Farm payments con-tribute to the viability of farms. This study analyses the differences in farm pay-ments within Europe and analyses the... more |
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Costs and benefits of measures for soil protection
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| LEI has developed a method for measuring the costs and benefits of protecting soil. The method takes into account private as well as public costs and benefits, and on-site as well as off-site... more |
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‘Hands-on mentality and knowledge’ for Uganda flower export industry
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| The four-year programme “Capacity building in the floriculture sub sector in Uganda” ended formally on 7 May 2010 with an official ceremony in Kampala.
Since 2006, two Ugandan education... more |
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31 May 2010 |
Controlling the raspberry cane midge to prevent cane diseases
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| In recent years, the raspberry cane midge has caused more and more problems. In 2009, for example, the entire raspberry crop was lost on several parcels. In the spring of 2010, the Kennis- en... more |
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28 May 2010 |
Social learning – essential for a more sustainable world
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| Technological innovation, improved legislation and regulations, and fundamental policy changes are key weapons in the battle for global sustainability. But are they enough? Ultimately, sustainability... more |
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Legume Futures
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| Legumes are important to the sustainability of European agriculture: by fixing nitrogen, they improve the soil and save nitrogen fertiliser (the production of which costs much energy). Because of... more |
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Expo Park Shanghai draws royal attention from the Netherlands
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| At the World Expo in Shanghai, landscape architect Niek Roozen led Princess Maxima and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander on a tour of the Expo Park. The royal couple was impressed by the park and the... more |
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27 May 2010 |
Genetic research shows degeneration in ageing worm
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| Genetic research focusing on the soil nematode C. elegans has generated fundamental new insights into the way in which these tiny worms age. During the ageing process, the activity of the worm's... more |
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City park good for social harmony
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| City parks are good meeting places for various ethnic groups. A good layout will give everyone something, writes Karin Peters in the latest issue of Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. Peters,... more |
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Oak has secret weapon against caterpillar
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| A plague of caterpillars is munching its way through the leaves on our trees (in the Netherlands). Oak forests are suffering the most, reports the Nature Calendar. Cause for concern? Not according to... more |
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26 May 2010 |
Marathon runners consume too much iron
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| Athletes often consume iron supplements because a lack of blood is bad for performance. Men in particular take in too much, rather than too little, according to research carried out by the Division... more |
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Echinothrips escapes integrated control
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| Problems with Echinothrips in ornamental plant cultivation are increasing. This pest insect may show an explosive development as result of the increasing application of integrated control. Reports of... more |
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Insects cause seed contamination with Xanthomonas in cabbage
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| It appears that insects can contaminate cruciferous plants with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) when they pollinate the flowers. Insects such as blowflies, bumble bees and... more |
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25 May 2010 |
GEO Biodiversity Observation Network to monitor and study the global biosphere
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| Geneva, 21 May 2010 – The Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) has initiated a coordinated global campaign to gather and share information on biodiversity, provide... more |
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21 May 2010 |
Bisseling and Rietjens appointed to Royal Academy
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| Ton Bisseling, professor of Molecular Biology and Ivonne Rietjens, professor of Toxicology, have been appointed to the Netherlands Royal Academy of Sciences (KNAW). They are among the 27... more |
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Earth’s temperature rising by one degree too much
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| CO2 emissions are still rising substantially. Limiting global warming is not realistic. The current agreements on CO2 emissions mean the earth's temperature is set to increase by more than two... more |
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European dairy policy in the years to come
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| This study examines and discusses recent and future developments in the EU dairy sector. Expected future market projections are discussed. Market impacts are downscaled to farm level, illustrated by... more |
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20 May 2010 |
Personality of geese determines their foraging behaviour
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| When searching for food, slow, shy barnacle geese follow information given by their flock mates. On the other hand, fast, bold geese ignore this type of information and go off in search for food on... more |
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19 May 2010 |
Many visitors for Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture
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| Thousands of people are visiting Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture and the Innovation and Demo Centre Greenhouse as Energy Source each year. There were 3000 visitors in 2009 and already well over... more |
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18 May 2010 |
New measuring ball for determination of diffuse light in greenhouses
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| Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has developed a new device for measuring the optical properties of greenhouse covers, the so-called Transvision. This device can determine the transmission of... more |
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12 May 2010 |
Wageningen plant breeding course sowed seeds for scientist’s grassroots work
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| Humberto Ríos Labrada is a plant breeder from Cuba. In April he was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize, which recognises the efforts of unsung grassroots heroes. Ríos Labrada has worked for... more |
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11 May 2010 |
Low-energy pot plant cultivation with new planning programme
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| The moment of putting plants further apart has a strong effect on the amount of energy per pot plant. This is shown by calculations made with the new cultivation planning programme for ficus,... more |
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Evaluation methods for rural development policy
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| The Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (CMEF) is used for evalua-tion of the EU Rural Development Policy 2007-2013. In this study a set of 22 evaluation methods of rural development policy... more |
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7 May 2010 |
Intensive fishing leads to smaller fish
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| Intensive fishery activities in the North Sea have resulted in evolutionary changes in fish. Fish remain smaller, grow slower and mature sexually earlier. This is postulated by Fabian Mollet, fishery... more |
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Twenty percent fewer livestock will curb manure oversupply
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| The oversupply of manure from Dutch livestock farms is rising as a result of stricter environmental regulations. To solve this problem without manure export or technological innovations, the number... more |
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4 May 2010 |
China-SPAR project successfully concluded
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| The China-SPAR project is an example of fruitful cooperation between science and business. The project resulted in improved fresh supply chains of SPAR and in a better understanding of the fresh... more |
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29 Apr 2010 |
Anniversary for Mouse-ear cress
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| It comes up through the cracks in the pavements on every street corner in the Netherlands: Arabidopsis thaliana, commonly known as mouse-ear cress or thale cress. And this year this weed celebrates... more |
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Environment affects maize plant more than gene technology
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| The impact of genetic manipulation on maize plants is no greater than that of regular breeding methods. Environment differences are far more influential, research by RIKILT and partner institutes... more |
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More sons after sex in the rain
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| Quality of buffalo sperm is better in rainy periods. African buffalos have more sons than daughters during rainy periods. Pim van Hooft, who works for the Resource Ecology Group, discovered... more |
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Raoul Bino, Managing Director, Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group
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| The Executive Board of Wageningen UR has appointed Professor Raoul Bino (53) as Managing Director of the Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group (AFSG) at Wageningen UR. Professor Bino succeeds Dr Peter... more |
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28 Apr 2010 |
Certification has a positive impact on sustainable forest management
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| Forest certification (by the FSC, for example) is having a positive impact on the management of tropical forests from the economic, social and ecological point of view. This is the conclusion drawn... more |
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27 Apr 2010 |
Forest Landscape Restoration in the Netherlands
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| Wednesday 21st of April, a group of six international and interdisciplinary students of Wageningen University presented the findings of their “Academic Consultancy Training” assignment at the Centre... more |
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Tracking the cause of vascular browning in radish
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| Discolouration of vascular bundles and the poor root quality of radish is caused by a micro-organism. This was shown in research by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. It is still unclear whether... more |
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26 Apr 2010 |
Huub Löffler new Director Wageningen International
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The Executive Board of Wageningen UR has appointed Huub Löffler (54) as Director Wageningen International effective 1 June 2010. Huub Löffler will succeed Bram Huijsman (59) who joined the Social... more |
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23 Apr 2010 |
Green herb to combat malnutrition
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| The herb-like plant Amaranth shows great promise for the reduction of malnutrition in Kenya. This plant has a lot of healthy proteins, vitamins and beta-carotene. Amaranth is also a lucrative crop... more |
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Shrimp farmers need incentives for water treatment
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| Intensive shrimp farming in Vietnam is less pollutive than that in China and Indonesia, mainly because production is less intensive. But investments in water treatment are needed, now that the... more |
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22 Apr 2010 |
Stimulating entrepreneurship in Slovenia
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| Since Slovenia became one of the new members is of the European Union, farmers in that country need to adjust to the European environment and rules. Three so called EU Twinning projects between... more |
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Workshop 'Structural Changes in the Agrifood Sector in China and India'
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| On 27 May 2010 a workshop on 'Structural Changes in the Agrifood Sector in China and India; future prospects for supply, demand and trade', will take place in Brussels, Belgium. The workshop will... more |
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Decline in use of antibiotics on livestock
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| The annual MARAN report, published in early April, indicates that the use of antibiotics on farm animals in the Netherlands decreased in 2008 for the first time after several years of increasing... more |
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16 Apr 2010 |
Dutch pre-university (VWO) students work with Wageningen University scientists online
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| Over one hundred VWO students from the Bonhoeffercollege in Castricum, two biology teachers and 12 scientists from Wageningen University have launched the PlantingScience project in Holland following... more |
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Study of the decline in fish farming in the Netherlands
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| More and more fish are being farmed worldwide. Today, nearly half of all fish products produced for human consumption are farmed. In the Netherlands too, the farming of fish for human consumption has... more |
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Fair economic development in India
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| What is fair economic development? This was the critical question discussed at a workshop facilitated by CDI in Delhi, India this week. Seventy people attended the three-day workshop, representing... more |
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15 Apr 2010 |
Active Rhizoctonia inoculation leads to disease-suppressing soil
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| Research of Plant Research International, part of Wageningen UR, shows that soil susceptible to Rhizoctonia solani can be made suppressive to this soil disease by inoculating the soil with R. solani... more |
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Crop biodiversity going up, not down
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| The decrease in biodiversity in the natural environment must lead to a decrease in the genetic variety of breeds among plant breeding companies. That would seem logical, wouldn't it? But it isn't the... more |
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Spending an environmentally friendly penny
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| The toilet of the future can be found in a housing estate in Sneek. Introducing separation 'at the bowl' means a new lease of life for a large proportion of the raw materials. Good for the... more |
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Minister Verburg puts 1 million euros aside for Wageningen UR research into insects in food
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| This is a joint press release issued by Wageningen UR and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality
Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) is set to receive 1 million euros in... more |
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'Primed' chicory seed germinates quickly
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| The fastest germinating seeds in a chicory seed test performed by Applied Plant Research (Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Omgeving, PPO), part of Wageningen UR, saw the light of day on Friday 9 April, only... more |
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14 Apr 2010 |
"CDI is a linking pin in Agri-ProFocus country work"
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| Agri-ProFocus (APF) held its annual membership council meeting in Wageningen on Thursday 8 April. At the meeting the members reflected on how the Dutch network of partners is now well consolidated,... more |
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13 Apr 2010 |
Africa can be made more resilient to fluctuations in food prices
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| Greater fluctuations in food prices are expected in the future as markets worldwide become more connected with each other. Eventually, climate change will also make its mark in this respect; the... more |
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Cooperation PPO and Fruitconsult leads to demonstration orchard
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| As of now, Fruitconsult will be managing the (standard) care of the orchards of PPO (Applied Plant Research, part of Wageningen UR) in Randwijk. This not only makes this experimental site a good... more |
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9 Apr 2010 |
Heart protects itself from fat
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| When you eat a fatty meal, a certain mechanism is activated in the heart, which prevents dangerous substances from being deposited in the heart muscle. This is one of the findings of research carried... more |
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Electric nose smells early infestation in crop
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| A new type of advanced sensor enables detection of mildew or red spider mites before the human eye can detect the infestation. This so-called ‘electric nose’ is currently under further development... more |
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8 Apr 2010 |
Dusting off museums for bee research
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| Alterra and the European Invertebrate Survey in Leiden are going to dust off their museum collections in search of old pollen. Researcher David Kleijn wants to get an impression of the food that was... more |
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Tomato gene may fend banana against formidable fungus
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| Proteins from the fungus Cladosporium fulvum, which causes leaf blight in tomato plants, are very similar to the proteins of the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis, which causes the much-feared black... more |
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Shrubs are cool! They protect permafrost against climate change
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| Tundra shrubs can reduce the thawing of permafrost caused by climate change. This unexpected finding is from research done by Wageningen University in the Siberian tundra. It means that shifts in... more |
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Scientists discover new option to provide bananas with resistance to dreaded Black Sigatoka disease
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| Scientists from the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR have found a new method for making banana plants resistant to the much feared Black Sigatoka disease. They recently showed that several... more |
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6 Apr 2010 |
Aid donors follow western governments
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| International aid organizations were selective in the emergency aid they offered the population of Angola during the civil war between 1995 and 2005. It was not the needs of the population but the... more |
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Living with water in New Orleans
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| Three Wageningen MSc students have designed a Dutch-style 'water city' for New Orleans. Peter Hermens, Jaap van der Salm and Chris van der Zwet drew up designs for New Orleans that show how the city... more |
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In hot water: lakes speed up climate change
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| Lakes that warm up due to climate change give off large amounts of CO2, says PhD researcher Sarian Kosten in Global Biochemical Cycles. And those emissions speed up climate change in their turn.... more |
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EFSIM takes research to farmers
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| Around the world, there is still a lot that can be improved regarding the production of food, but much of the agricultural expertise being developed at universities never reaches the world’s poorer... more |
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New book about environmental and agricultural modelling
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| Agriculture increasingly faces the challenge of balancing its multiple functions in a sustainable way. Integrated assessment and modelling (IAM) can provide insight into the potential impacts of... more |
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LEI participated in OECD workshop on the impacts of CAP Reform
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| At the OECD Workshop on the Disaggregated Impacts of CAP Reform in Paris, 11 and 12 March, some LEI-researchers participated with a presentation. Hans van Meijl presented papers about 'CAP reform en... more |
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Ethiopian flower growers work more sustainably
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| Flower growers in Ethiopia have taken the first step towards working sustainably in accordance with international standards. To this end, the training teams who supported the growers made use of... more |
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31 Mar 2010 |
Iodine-enriched lettuce for healthy nutrition
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| Adding iodine in the cultivation of lettuce on water can improve the nutritional value of lettuce for humans. Worldwide iodine deficiency is a large health problem. Wageningen UR Greenhouse... more |
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30 Mar 2010 |
A cup of tea to prevent stroke
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| A cup of tea is good for you. At least three cups a day can reduce the chances of having a stroke by 20 percent. This is the conclusion drawn by Peter Hollman of Human nutrition and food safety... more |
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25 Mar 2010 |
Third Torrado virus discovered in Guatemala
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| Scientists of Plant Research International, part of Wageningen UR, have discovered the pathogen that causes the so-called ‘Chocolàte disease’. This is a third member of the new plant virus genus... more |
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Sterksel designs biogas plant
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| Wageningen UR's Swine Research Farm at Sterksel is to carry out research into carbon neutral pig farming using a mini-biogas plant. The Productschap Vee en Vlees (Cattle and Meat Marketing Board)... more |
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Energy-rich snacks don’t make you fat
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| Eating between meals does not necessarily make a person fat. That, at least, applies if you are young and slender. This surprising finding comes from a doctoral research project at the Human... more |
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23 Mar 2010 |
Detection of nanoparticles in food
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| RIKILT – Institute of Food Safety, part of Wageningen UR, recently kicked off the EU project NanoLyse. The project was set up in order to develop methods for the detection of engineered nanoparticles... more |
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New book forms basis for discussion on agricultural policy
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| From the earliest days of European unity, agricultural policy has always occupied a central position. Over the years, the policy has undergone various radical reforms and another new radical change... more |
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Focus on chemicals
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| Requirements concerning the emission of crop protection chemicals will be tightened considerably in the years ahead. And the number of available products will show a further decrease. During the... more |
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21 Mar 2010 |
Bee health research combined
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| Plant Research International, Alterra, Netherlands Centre for Bee Research (NCB) and European Invertebrate Survey (EIS) jointly started research into the significance and cause of the decline of... more |
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19 Mar 2010 |
Trends and challenges in world dairy farming
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| During the congress of Global Dairy Farmers in China in 2009 the main trends and challenges were discussed with farmers and representatives from the dairy industry. Globalization, change from... more |
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18 Mar 2010 |
GM Banana split in Uganda
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| The introduction of genetically modified (GM) bananas in Uganda could meet stiff resistance from the urban population in the country, according to environmental economist Enoch Kilukwe, who obtains... more |
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Comparing 1,200,000,000,000 base pairs
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| Martien Groenen, professor of the Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, will use a European Research Grant to determine the DNA sequence of twelve different pig species. These will include European... more |
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Pork belly cuts better for environment than beef steak
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| Milk, eggs, pork and chicken are friendlier for the environment than beef. This is the conclusion after examining sixteen life cycle assessment (LCA) studies of animal products. However, the margins... more |
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Wageningen UR to build research facility for algae
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| Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) is to start construction work on the AlgaePARC (Algae Production And Research Centre) at the Wageningen Campus. AlgaePARC will be a facility for research... more |
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DeltaCompetition
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| DeltaCompetition challenges students to craft solutions for climate change adaptation in the world’s delta cities
Nijmegen, 18 March 2010 – The worldwide DeltaCompetition is open for submissions.... more |
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17 Mar 2010 |
Wageningen UR presents gene bank of wheat-ravaging fungus to Global Rust Reference Centre
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| Scientists of the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR have presented their unique gene bank of the ravaging stripe rust fungus Puccinia striiformis f.sp.tritici to the Global Rust Reference Centre... more |
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Bring on the green waste
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| During her research with the Environmental Technology department, Kirsten Steinbusch found a new method of turning organic waste into energy using volatile fatty acids, formed when microbes break... more |
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Developing capacities for effective adaptation to climate change: Regional training in Ethiopia
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| In March CDI and Alterra gave a joint regional training on Climate Change Adaptation in agriculture and NRM in Addis Ababa. The 12-day course was attended by 19 participants from Ethiopia, Kenya,... more |
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15 Mar 2010 |
PSG active in European phytoplasma research
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| Scientists of the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR represent the Netherlands in the European COST action of Integrated Management of Phytoplasma Epidemics in Different Crop Systems. This COST... more |
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13 Mar 2010 |
Vegetables measure emission waste incinerator
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| Spinach and curly kale are good at absorbing dangerous substances such as cadmium, mercury, heavy metals and pah’s from the air. Wageningen UR is planting these vegetables near the Harlingen waste... more |
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12 Mar 2010 |
1,2 mln for the “Pellets for Power” project developing sustainable biomass from the Ukraine
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A consortium of Dutch, Ukrainian and Belgian institutes and companies led by Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research is to develop a business model for producing certified sustainable biomass... more |
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11 Mar 2010 |
Genes of a feather flock together
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| Chicken genes are more organized that we thought. Genes that are frequently expressed can be found close together on chromosomes, and so can genes which are rarely expressed. The clustering of active... more |
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Breeding plants to produce cheap energy
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| Plant breeding can play a big role in the transition to a biobased economy, says PhD student Andres Torres Salvador of Wageningen University. He wants to cultivate plants from which energy can be... more |
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Signal proteins for plant stem cells discovered
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| Wageningen UR biochemist Dolf Weijers and his German colleagues have discovered how stem cells in a plant embryo are formed. The cells communicate with one another via the transportation of a... more |
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Wageningen UR develops cost-saving technology for seed research
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| Scientists from the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR have developed a system for the automated evaluation of the germination capacity of large quantities of seed samples., Details of the system,... more |
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Desk study shows TEG to be too expensive
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| Research by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture shows that the use of a thermo-electric generator (TEG), utilising residual heat for electricity production, is economically not interesting for... more |
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10 Mar 2010 |
Transgenetic and cisgenetic potatoes coming closer
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| The European Commission has given the go-ahead to member countries to cultivate the genetically modified Amflora potato of chemical company BASF. This is a big step forward, says Anton Haverkort of... more |
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9 Mar 2010 |
Two winners of WUF Press Award 2010
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| The executive committee of the Wageningen University Fund has decided to present the 2010 Press Award to documentary maker ir Barend Hazeleger, as well as to journalist and editor ir Arend Jan... more |
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5 Mar 2010 |
Chain Risk Model for a cost effective assessment of phytosanitary measures
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| A Chain Risk Model (CRM) was developed for a cost effective assessment of phytosanitary measures. The CRM model can be applied to phytosanitary assessments of all agricultural product chains. In CRM,... more |
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New perspectives on agri-environmental policies; a multidisciplinary and transatlantic approach
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| This new book about agri-environmental policies aims to identify options for policy to overcome the challenges ahead related to future agri-environmental policies. Second, it synthesizes existing... more |
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Poultry and pig sector in Argentina
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| This report gives an overview of the current husbandry and management practices in the poultry and pig sector in Argentina related to animal welfare. The research centered on a description of the... more |
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4 Mar 2010 |
Gut bacteria reveals its genes
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| Genome of gut bacteria mapped. Diseases can now be traced to micro-organisms. The genes of a large number of micro-organisms, the microbiota, found in the human intestines have been mapped. The... more |
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More phosphates than before found in soil
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| Farmers and market gardeners have recently been advised by Blgg Laboratories to use less phosphates to fertilize their land. A better method has been developed to gauge the presence of nutrients in... more |
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Charting new waters for the yellowtail snapper
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| IMARES lends a hand in breeding and marketing. Tuna-like fish has all it takes to become a success.
The kitchen in restaurant De Kip in Rotterdam is bustling with activity. Crowded into this... more |
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Health claims rejected
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| The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has rejected the vast majority of the health claims for food products and supplements. Renger Witkamp, professor of Nutrition and Pharmacology, is not... more |
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Start long-term experiment recirculation water treatment in rose
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| Water treatment with hydrogen peroxide and UV seems to offer perspectives for reduction of growth inhibition in rose. Positive results were achieved in preliminary research. The technique will this... more |
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3 Mar 2010 |
High intake of raw fruit and vegetables may protect against stroke
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| Consuming large amounts of raw fruit and vegetables may lower the risk of suffering a stroke. However, researchers from Wageningen University and their colleagues from the National Institute for... more |
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2 Mar 2010 |
Oviposition behaviour of pest insects keeps Bt-cotton durably resistant
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| Moths behave like Darwin’s finches
The oviposition behaviour of insect pests results in an improved durability of insect resistance in so-called Bt-crops, while promoting the survival of pest... more |
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Study: Climate change one factor in malaria spread
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| Climate change is one reason malaria is on the rise in some parts of the world, new research finds, but other factors such as migration and land-use changes are likely also at play. The research,... more |
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26 Feb 2010 |
State-of-the-art overview of biobased technologies
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| The impending threats of catastrophic climate change and peak oil are driving our society towards increased use of biomass for energy, chemical compounds and other materials - the beginnings of a... more |
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25 Feb 2010 |
Drought tolerance throws light on tropical forests
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| The composition of tropical forests depends mainly on how trees can tolerate drought, concluded PhD student Lars Markesteijn.Sufficient light and water are the most important requirements for the... more |
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Be happy and live longer?
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| Elderly people who feel happy live longer than those who do not. The lower death rate is probably due to the fact that happy people get more exercise, smoke less and fall ill less often. Be happy and... more |
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Ichneumon wasp back in favour
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| The Aphidius matricariae wasp of the Ichneumon family was widely used to get rid of plant lice in greenhouse agriculture up to fifteen years ago. Since then, it has given way to its American cousin,... more |
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24 Feb 2010 |
Longhorn-beetle infestation recognised by X-ray
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| Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture is working on a method for early detection of the longhorn beetle in wood and in living plant material. Research showed good results of a combination of X-ray... more |
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23 Feb 2010 |
The impact of WTO and other trade negotiations of fisheries
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| This study compiles and analyses information on international as well as EU trade flows; it considers the tariffs applied in trade in fisheries with a particular focus on tariff protection maintained... more |
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18 Feb 2010 |
Breeding Eels in Africa
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| Africa is going to export eels. That is, if it is up to the Ripple Fish Company. Under the supervision of scientists from IMARES, Ripple Fish wants to breed eels on a large scale in Madagascar. The... more |
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Eco-biofuels from the tropics
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| Palm oil from South-East Asia, sugarcane from Brazil and sweet sorghum in China are the most sustainable energy crops at present. Maize from the US and wheat in Europe have a much more negative... more |
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Research into the effect of misting in amaryllis
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| An increase in production is required to keep cultivation of cut amaryllis profitable. Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture and the Improvement Centre in Bleiswijk are to start a three-year study... more |
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17 Feb 2010 |
Checklist for successful innovation
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| Systems innovation is complex. This is also true for new cultivation systems for soil-grown crops. Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture developed a checklist for the conditions that need to be met... more |
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16 Feb 2010 |
All-round flavoenzymes have much more in store
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| Flavoenzymes appear to have much more to offer than had been thought. An article written by researchers at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, and colleagues at the University of Texas and... more |
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Botrytis and physics in the greenhouse
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| Proper climate control can reduce the risk of botrytis. Air humidity and temperature play an important role in this. The physical variable ‘enthalpy’ is a measure that takes these two factors into... more |
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11 Feb 2010 |
Open letter by Netherlands scientists on IPCC and errors in 2007 climate change report
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| Open letter to Netherlands parliament by Netherlands climate change scientists, 10 February 2010Errors in the IPCC climate change report are being seized by some to discredit climate science. In the... more |
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Virus versus virus in tomatoes
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| Market gardeners can protect tomatoes against the aggressive Pepino mosaic virus by employing a mild form of this virus. They do, however, have to select the right virus strain, as shown in the... more |
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Gut bacteria can cause obesity
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| Diet, exercise and genes are not the only factors which determine if someone can become obese. The composition of the intestinal bacteria may also account for a person's obesity. This is the... more |
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Better vaccines against Rift Valley Fever outbreak in animals
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| The Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) has developed two candidate vaccines to protect animals, and probably humans too, against the Rift Valley Fever virus. This virus can be fatal for ruminants and... more |
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Smarter than Google
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| Mathematician Nicole Koenderink obtained her PhD yesterday. Her thesis involved a search engine that is smarter than Google. This machine taps into the knowledge of experts and poses questions in... more |
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Research on Dickeya in the spotlight
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| The Dickeya sp. bacterium (Erwinia chrysanthemi) annually causes some 15 to 25 million euro damage in seed potato cultivation resulting from the stem diseases caused by the bacterium. Research by... more |
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9 Feb 2010 |
Good guidance impacts effectiveness of treatment of patients with chronic diseases
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| Many patients with chronic conditions do not take as much of their medication as they should. As a result, the effectiveness of the treatment is often suboptimal, and it also becomes more expensive.... more |
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5 Feb 2010 |
High import tariffs not necessarily an obstacle for developing countries
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| The agricultural trading policy of the European Union has been criticised because higher import tariffs apply to processed products than to unprocessed agricultural products. This 'tariff escalation'... more |
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4 Feb 2010 |
Piglets benefit from homeopathy - or do they?
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| Fewer piglets with diarrhoea after injection with homeopathic medicine. Professor Savelkoul has reservations about the study. A homeopathic treatment of pregnant sows leads to a substantial reduction... more |
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Life is about organization
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| Gerard Jagers op Akkerhuis has come up with a new theory about what life is. He feels it is not enough to just look at reproduction and metabolism. 'In my opinion you should get just as high a prison... more |
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Saturated fats are bad
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| There is no evidence that saturated fats are a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, American researchers have contended in the January issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This... more |
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New, practical flyers on late blight control available
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| Late blight in potato, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is still one of the largest threats to potato cultivation. Not only in the Netherlands, but worldwide. The Potato Case Study team of the EU... more |
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Chairman of Wageningen UR made honorary citizen of Fujian (China)
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| Dr. Aalt Dijkhuizen, Chairman of the Executive Board of Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) has been made an honorary citizen of Fujian Province in China. The ceremony took place on Tuesday... more |
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3 Feb 2010 |
New European research project on greenhouse gas balance in agriculture and forestry
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| On 27 January a new large European project on greenhouse gas balance in agriculture and forestry was launched. The ambitious aim of this project is to establish a greenhouse gas budget for Europe,... more |
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2 Feb 2010 |
Insects sampled for apple “witch broom disease”
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| Plant Research International is conducting experiments on insects from unsprayed apple orchards to investigate whether they transfer the pathogen that causes “witch broom disease” in healthy apple... more |
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28 Jan 2010 |
Information dissemination in Malawi misses the mark
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| Things are not working well for participatory farmer field schools in Malawi where woman farmers get together to solve problems in cassava farming. This picture emerges from research carried out by... more |
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Rice farmers in Senegal can save 40 percent of water
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| An alternative irrigation technique can enable rice farmers in Senegal to save twenty to forty percent of irrigation water, without lowering the rice output. Research done by Wageningen PhD student... more |
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Farmers mainly to blame for deforestation in the Amazon
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| Small-scale farmers who lease land from the Brazilian government are very much responsible for deforestation in the Brazilian state of Rondônia in the Amazon area. In most areas with agrarian... more |
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27 Jan 2010 |
Pesticides most important barrier for the recovery of biodiversity on farmland
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| Since the early nineties the EU has implemented policies to reduce the dramatic negative effects of the use of pesticides on farmland. Nevertheless, a Europe wide study showed that insecticides and... more |
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25 Jan 2010 |
Millions from Europe for two Wageningen researchers
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| The European research organisation ERC (European Research Council) has allocated around €5 million to two prominent professors at Wageningen. Professor of Microbiology, Willem de Vos, and Animal... more |
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Protein-rich food in stride against obesity
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| Nine companies and universities in the east of the Netherlands have joined forces in combating obesity. They will develop and produce healthy food products and ingredients that are rich in protein,... more |
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21 Jan 2010 |
Big Brother spies on wading birds
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| A long pole carrying an ultra-modern video camera stands in the Balgzand mudflats in the Wadden Sea near Den Helder. Day and night, the camera records the activities of wading birds in the area.The... more |
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How do we solve this dilemma?
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| The university's policy specialists are set to combine their research efforts in the Wageningen Centre of Governance. Their studies look at the management of complex social questions, ranging from... more |
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Conquering Asia with the pink tomato
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| Plant Research International has discovered the gene that makes tomatoes pink. Plant breeding companies are showing a great deal of interest in this gene; they are hoping to use it to conquer the... more |
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20 Jan 2010 |
New camera lets plants speak
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| Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has developed a new camera that can much faster than existing equipment measure the effect of a stress factor on photosynthesis. Patent on the technique has been... more |
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18 Jan 2010 |
Let children take their pick of vegetables
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| Children prefer vegetables which are crunchy and have no brown patches. They also get a perk when they can choose what they eat beforehand. So says PhD student Gertrude Zeinstra of Wageningen... more |
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15 Jan 2010 |
Down with the climate summit
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| The climate summit is a flop because traditional diplomacy has failed. Its participants take a much too simplistic view of the climate issue and are too preoccupied with negotiations for an... more |
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“High time we applied adaptation science to climate change”
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| Inauguration of Prof. Holger Meinke
The urgency for adaptation actions in response to climate risks is rapidly growing - climate change mitigation efforts alone are insufficient to avoid further and... more |
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14 Jan 2010 |
Adaptation takes over from greenhouse
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| Greenhouse effect and carbon dioxide emission are out; climate change is in. To get the media interested in a climate project, make sure it has something to do with adaptation. This view is offered... more |
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Fake meat still too fake
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| Vegetable-based meat substitutes are still not good enough to persuade meat eaters to abandon their pork chops or steaks. Fake meat is too far removed from the real thing, but it is unfamiliarity... more |
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13 Jan 2010 |
Vaccination against Foot-and-Mouth Disease
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| The effectiveness of different control strategies against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) were investigated using epidemiological and economic models. A quick and large-scale vaccination within a radius... more |
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Wageningen UR studies meals in care institutions for the elderly
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| Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research and Phliss have been commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to carry out research into meals in care institutions. The aim of the... more |
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12 Jan 2010 |
East African governments' responses to high cereal prices
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| World food prices rose to unprecedented heights in 2008 but have come down in 2009. However, in many African countries prices continued to rise, despite governments' efforts to reduce prices. This... more |
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7 Jan 2010 |
Organic feed influences gene expression in chickens
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| Organically fed chickens develop a different process of gene expression in their small intestines than that of chickens which get conventional feed. The organic chickens have higher expressed genes... more |
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With their tail between their legs
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| Pig tails reveal outbreak of tail biting. Pig farmers can take preventive action. If pigs walk around with their tail between their legs they often become the victims of tail biting. It is therefore... more |
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6 Jan 2010 |
Excess hunting in tropical forest threatens carbon sequestration
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| The overhunting of animals in tropical forests is beneficial to lianas and can also be detrimental to carbon sequestration by trees. This unusual relationship is described by ecologists from... more |
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29 Dec 2009 |
New name for contract research component of AFSG, Wageningen UR
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| On 1 January 2010, Food & Biobased Research became the new name of A&F BV, the contract research component of the Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group (AFSG) of Wageningen University & Research... more |