|
9 Feb 2010 |
Good guidance impacts effectiveness of treatment of patients with chronic diseases
|
| 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 |
|
5 Feb 2010 |
High import tariffs not necessarily an obstacle for developing countries
|
| 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 |
|
4 Feb 2010 |
New, practical flyers on late blight control available
|
| 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 |
|
|
Saturated fats are bad
|
| 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 |
|
|
Life is about organization
|
| 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 |
|
|
Piglets benefit from homeopathy - or do they?
|
| 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 |
|
3 Feb 2010 |
New European research project on greenhouse gas balance in agriculture and forestry
|
| 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 |
|
28 Jan 2010 |
Farmers mainly to blame for deforestation in the Amazon
|
| 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 |
|
|
Rice farmers in Senegal can save 40 percent of water
|
| 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 |
|
|
Information dissemination in Malawi misses the mark
|
| 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 |
|
27 Jan 2010 |
Pesticides most important barrier for the recovery of biodiversity on farmland
|
| 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 |
|
25 Jan 2010 |
Millions from Europe for two Wageningen researchers
|
| 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 |
|
21 Jan 2010 |
Conquering Asia with the pink tomato
|
| 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 |
|
|
How do we solve this dilemma?
|
| 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 |
|
|
Big Brother spies on wading birds
|
| 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 |
|
20 Jan 2010 |
New camera lets plants speak
|
| 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 |
|
18 Jan 2010 |
Let children take their pick of vegetables
|
| 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 |
|
15 Jan 2010 |
“High time we applied adaptation science to climate change”
|
| 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 |
|
|
Down with the climate summit
|
| 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 |
|
14 Jan 2010 |
Fake meat still too fake
|
| 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 |
|
|
Adaptation takes over from greenhouse
|
| 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 |
|
13 Jan 2010 |
Wageningen UR studies meals in care institutions for the elderly
|
| 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 |
|
|
Vaccination against Foot-and-Mouth Disease
|
| 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 |
|
12 Jan 2010 |
East African governments' responses to high cereal prices
|
| 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 |
|
7 Jan 2010 |
With their tail between their legs
|
| 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 |
|
|
Organic feed influences gene expression in chickens
|
| 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 |
|
29 Dec 2009 |
New name for contract research component of AFSG, Wageningen UR
|
| 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 |
|
18 Dec 2009 |
Fish fatty acids don’t make you cleverer or happier
|
| A diet rich in fish fatty acids has no effect on cognitive functions such as memory and concentration in the elderly. Nor does it affect their level of wellbeing. This is the conclusion drawn by... more |
|
|
Biodiversity treaty blocks organic pest control
|
| Integrated plant protection, in which pests are controlled using their natural enemies, is seriously hindered by the international biodiversity treaty, according to Wageningen entomologist Joop van... more |
|
17 Dec 2009 |
Research on food safety more efficient
|
| Joint Press Release: RIKILT - Institute of Food Safety and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)RIKILT no. 07 – 2009
With effect from 1 January 2010, policy-oriented... more |
|
|
Delta Alliance for the resilience of riverdeltas worldwide
|
| Today the Delta Alliance, an emerging international network for the resilience of river deltas worldwide, was officially announced by dignitaries of Indonesia, Bangladesh, California and the... more |
|
|
‘ClimateGate does not affect IPCC-conclusions’
|
| Rik Leemans, professor Environmental System Analysis at Wageningen University:
Term ‘trick’ in personal e-mails does not indicate misconduct or fraud.
Valid science should be discussed and... more |
|
|
Innovation boost to tackle Climate Change
|
| While Heads of State are negotiating to reach a substantial climate agreement in Copenhagen, the EU is stepping forward to take the lead in developing innovations to tackle climate change. The... more |
|
15 Dec 2009 |
Towards a circular economy: Louise Vet on the marriage between economy and ecology
|
| Prof dr Louise Vet, professor of Evolutionary Ecology at Wageningen University and director of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), gave in her TEDxAmsterdam talk various examples of... more |
|
|
Marcel Dicke at TEDx: ‘Why not eat insects?’
|
| Prof. dr. Marcel Dicke, Laboratory of Entomology at Wageningen UR (University and Research centre), is an ecologist working with a special interest in the relation between plants and insects. He is a... more |
|
14 Dec 2009 |
Organic sector benefits from better communication on the food safety risks of organic products
|
| Scientists from Wageningen UR Livestock Research and Plant Research International (both part of Wageningen University and Research Centre) are advocating better communication on the possible food... more |
|
|
Fisheries advisory panel offers recommendations on CITES proposals
|
| Atlantic Bluefin tuna, several shark species, corals reviewed Photo: An Oceanic Whitetip Shark. (Photo by J. Quinn)An advisory panel of independent experts convened by FAO has issued recommendations... more |
|
11 Dec 2009 |
LANMAP in EU headline news
|
| The European Commission has published some headlines on the publication of Sander Mücher on a European Landscape Classification (LANMAP), with reference: Mücher, C.A., Klijn, J.A., Wascher, D.M.,... more |
|
|
China wasting money on sustainable energy
|
| China would get a better return on its investments in sustainable energy if it opted for the private sector and set up a Ministry of Energy, according to a Chinese researcher.In Copenhagen, Chinese... more |
|
|
Cloning plants from seeds
|
| Wageningen geneticists are developing a method to replicate the parents of a chosen plant. Known as 'reverse breeding', this will have a big impact for the breeding industry.Just as humans have no... more |
|
7 Dec 2009 |
PhD student develops fast method for preparing flu vaccine
|
| A shortage of flu vaccines may soon become a thing of the past. Researcher Manon Cox has designed an alternative process for producing large quantities of safe and effective vaccines at twice to four... more |
|
3 Dec 2009 |
Wageningen at the CO2penhagen fair
|
| Some call the climate summit in Copenhagen a circus. Others call it a knowledge exchange. Professor Pier Vellinga talks about it almost affectionately as a fair. A fair you have to go to if you are a... more |
|
|
Are plants going to save the world?
|
| Don't be too quick to promote biofuels - they are supplanting world food supplies. Encourage the production of biofuels by making better use of residual waste and crops on marginal soil. Wageningen... more |
|
30 Nov 2009 |
Intensive fungicide use may lead to azole resistance in humans
|
| A team of scientists from the Netherlands, including Gert Kema of Plant Research International, published an article in the Lancet Infectious Diseases about the relationship between fungicide use in... more |
|
26 Nov 2009 |
QBOL project publishes lists with sampled species of quarantine organisms
|
| QBOL is generating barcode sequences for quarantine species and closely related species (look alikes). These barcode sequences will be collected in central and public databases. As a first step QBOL... more |
|
|
Burning coal worse for climate than clearing rain forests
|
| Deforestation has had a big influence on the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the past three centuries, but its impact is tapering off relatively. Nowadays, the burning of fossil fuels... more |
|
|
Case for transgenic plants
|
| Put genetic modification to work for integrated plant protection. Equip plants with Bt genes and extra scents to keep particular insects off them. Then you can cut down on harmful pesticides. So say... more |
|
|
No two geese are the same
|
| Geese have personalities. And their personalities influence how they forage. Ralf Kurvers of the Resource Ecology Group has demonstrated this.What's good for the goose is not necessarily good for the... more |
|
25 Nov 2009 |
Wageningen University wins the Dow Energy Dissertation prize
|
| On 25 November, René Rozendal won the Dow Energy Dissertation prize. He received this prize for his thesis, written under the auspices of Wageningen-Wetsus, on ‘Hydrogen Production through... more |
|
|
Whiteflies sabotage alarm system of plant in distress
|
| When spider mites attack a bean plant, the plant responds by producing odours which attract predatory mites. These predatory mites then exterminate the spider mite population, thus acting as a type... more |
|
23 Nov 2009 |
Youth Engagement in Agricultural Research - A focus on Sub-Sahara Africa
|
|
Wageningen International has commissioned a study ‘Youth engagement in agricultural research’ with a special focus on Sub-Sahara Africa. The report of this study, which was compiled by Ms Ir.... more |
|
20 Nov 2009 |
Termite creates sustainable monoculture fungus-farming
|
| Food production of modern human societies is mostly based on large-scale monoculture crops, but it now appears that advanced insect societies have the same practice. Our societies took just ten... more |
|
19 Nov 2009 |
Low-fat mayonnaise that tastes good
|
| Emulsions such as mayonnaise are becoming low-fat, tastier and more sustainable thanks to a promising new technology. This has been developed by Koen van Dijke, who until recently worked in the Food... more |
|
|
Chickens don’t care whether their food is organic
|
| A varied diet keeps the immune system alert, but it doesn't matter whether the feed was grown organically or in the usual manner. Variation in the diet means variation in mild stress. And because... more |
|
|
Sponges against cancer
|
| The Bioprocess Technology chair group is going to look for Red Sea sponges which defend themselves with special chemicals. Back in Wageningen, the sponges will have to be trained to produce medicines... more |
|
18 Nov 2009 |
Holland Climate House Side Event at CoP15 Copenhagen
|
| The Climate changes Spatial Planning Programme and Knowledge for Climate Programme initiated to organise the Holland Climate House during the CoP15 at Copenhagen. The CoP15 is the United Nations... more |
|
17 Nov 2009 |
Sample of Dutch FADN 2007
|
| The EU Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) requires the Netherlands toyearly send bookkeeping data of 1,500 farms to Brussels. This task is carried out by LEI and CEI. The data sent to Brussels... more |
|
16 Nov 2009 |
Rapid development of gene technology in livestock
|
| Press release 05/2009RIKILT- Institute of Food Safety, part of Wageningen UR has published a report claiming that gene technology in livestock is now at an advanced stage. In the report entitled... more |
|
13 Nov 2009 |
Management and recovery costs of Natura 2000 sites
|
| As part of a European study organised by BirdLife International, LEI Wageningen UR has calculated the management and recovery costs of the Natura 2000 sites in the Netherlands. Until 2020, around €2... more |
|
|
Van Gorcom new director of RIKILT
|
| Press release 068 from Wageningen UR – 11 November 2009Dr. Robert van Gorcom (53) has been appointed director of the food safety institute RIKILT as of 1 January 2010. RIKILT operates as part of... more |
|
12 Nov 2009 |
Ethiopia: Collaboration on Science for Impact
|
| On June 19, 2009 the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), the Universities of Addis Ababa, Jimma, Haramaya, Hawassa and Mekelle and Wageningen UR (University and Research centre)... more |
|
|
Less trans fatty acids could improve fertility of cows
|
| The dairy industry in the Netherlands could breed Holstein-Friesian cows that produce less trans fatty acids in their milk. A lower concentration of trans fatty acids does not only improve the... more |
|
|
Cows fall sick to the tune of farmer’s attitude
|
| Why do cows suffer from udder infection more often in some dairy farms and not in others? The attitude of the dairy farmer has a lot to do with this, communication scientist Jolanda Jansen has... more |
|
11 Nov 2009 |
Accelerated building construction for Wageningen University’s Agrotechnology and Nutrition groups
|
|
Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) will execute accelerated construction of the new buildings on Wageningen Campus for the groups in the department of Agrotechnology and Nutrition... more |
|
10 Nov 2009 |
Blue services in a European perspective
|
| Land owners who offer blue services make their land available for activities such as water conservation, peak-flow storage or the containment of the rise of the groundwater level, and receive... more |
|
|
Ethiopian and Dutch Ministers launch Business Opportunities Report Oilseeds
|
| On november 4th the Dutch Minister of Agriculture Gerda Verburg and two Ethiopean State Ministers for Agricultural and Rural Development, Aberra Deresa and Yaekob Yalla, handed out the first copy of... more |
|
9 Nov 2009 |
Green light for advanced centre for agri-food research in Food Valley
|
|
On Friday 6 November, the council of ministers decided to jointly invest 18.8 million euros together with the province of Gelderland in a centre for advanced research facilities in Gelderland's... more |
|
|
Green light for advanced centre for agri-food research in Food Valley
|
|
On Friday 6 November, the council of ministers decided to jointly invest 18.8 million euros together with the province of Gelderland in a centre for advanced research facilities in Gelderland?s... more |
|
|
MoU signed between IMARES and SINTEF
|
| The chief executives of the research institutes IMARES, Wageningen and the Norwegian SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 6 November which relates to the synergy... more |
|
6 Nov 2009 |
Collaboration with Japan on algae
|
| Wageningen UR wants to work with Japanese universities and companies on generating knowledge about algae and seaweed.A lot of knowledge on algae and seaweed was gained in Japan in the nineteen... more |
|
3 Nov 2009 |
Exploratory Study to Illuminate the Spread of the System of Rice Intensification
|
| A team of researchers from Wageningen University, the Netherlands, will investigate the adoption, spread and potential benefits of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). SRI comprises a set of... more |
|
2 Nov 2009 |
Higher carbon content of the soil increases yield
|
| "Increasing the carbon content of the soil increases yields." This is the conclusion of Steven Groot, Research Coordinator Organic Propagation Material at Plant Research International, after the... more |
|
30 Oct 2009 |
Drought tolerant cowpea can improve crop yield in arid West Africa
|
| Even the highly drought-resistant cowpea (a long type of legume) now has an increasingly difficult time surviving in the Sahel countries where climate change has resulted in shorter and less frequent... more |
|
|
Abolition of organic boar castration not feasible at present
|
| The Dutch organic pig sector is keen to put an end to the castration of boar piglets as soon as possible. The developments surrounding castration in the conventional pig-farming sector accelerated... more |
|
|
Blue energy seems feasible and offers considerable benefits
|
| Generating energy on a large scale by mixing salt and fresh water is both technically possible and practical. The worldwide potential for this clean form of energy – ‘blue energy’ or ‘blue... more |
|
29 Oct 2009 |
New agricultural atlas of the Netherlands
|
| The Agricultural Atlas of the Netherlands (Landbouwatlas) from 1959 will finally have a sequel. Rye and land re-allotment make way for the Black-tailed Godwit. Fifty years have taken their toll. The... more |
|
|
Natural resources not a curse for developing countries
|
| Dependency on natural resources does not lead to armed conflicts, as claimed by a group of economists. The 'resource curse' is a misnomer, says Wageningen economist Erwin Bulte. According to him,... more |
|
|
West European dairy plants support East European farmers
|
| With western dairy companies offering a helping hand, dairy farmers in Central and East Europe have been able to improve and expand their businesses in the last ten years. Companies such as Friesland... more |
|
28 Oct 2009 |
Sustainable dehumidification of greenhouse air
|
| Controlled dehumidification using outside air offers major energy savings The best way for Dutch greenhouse horticulturists to dehumidify greenhouse air is to let outside air in. Heating up this... more |
|
27 Oct 2009 |
Double Degree Programme should draw Consumer studies students
|
|
On 29 October, the European Commissioner for Consumers Meglena Kuneva and the Bavarian Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection Beate Merk will officially open the new Double Degree Programme... more |
|
|
American Researchers Too Pessimistic about Consequences of Climate Change
|
|
Expectations are that climate change will not cause serious shortages in American agriculture. In Brazil, substantially higher agricultural yields have been found possible in areas warmer than the... more |
|
26 Oct 2009 |
‘On the origin of nematodes’ – A phylogenetic tree of the world’s most numerous group of animals
|
|
Wageningen UR publishes phylogenetic tree of nematodes
Scientists from Wageningen University and Research Centre have published the largest nematode Phylogenetic Tree to date in cooperation with... more |
|
22 Oct 2009 |
Wageningen UR involved in research slippery rails
|
| The chair groups Plant Physiology and Mathematical and Statistical Methods (Biometris) of Wageningen University have for four years been involved in research into slippery train rails in the... more |
|
|
Bio air scrubbers do not trap enough ammonia
|
| The European Union should give chemical air scrubbers the status of 'Best Available Technique' in order to reduce ammonia emissions from pig pens. Bio-scrubbers do not deserve this title.This is the... more |
|
|
Grey seal boom in the Wadden Sea
|
| The population of grey seals in the Wadden Sea has increased by a quarter, with baby seals even doubling their numbers, according to the latest count made by Wageningen Imares.The seal count, carried... more |
|
|
Fishermen’s practical knowledge at variance with researchers’ models
|
| Fishing researchers often produce information that does not fit in with the perceptions of fishermen. Basic information about fish population levels is hidden in complex models that fishermen do not... more |
|
20 Oct 2009 |
Biophysicists from Wageningen UR awarded
|
| During the NMR-Discussion Group meeting of Friday 16 October the annual C.J. Gorter NMR-DG thesis prize has been awarded to Dr. Carel Windt. This award is yearly given to the best Ph.D. thesis in the... more |
|
19 Oct 2009 |
Changing smell of plants announces fungus attack
|
| Tomato plants under attack from the Botrytis fungus give off an aromatic substance that can be measured in greenhouses. This is the result of research performed by Roel Jansen with which he obtained... more |
|
16 Oct 2009 |
Wageningen University Launches Project To Improve Food Production and Soil Fertility in Africa
|
| Press release Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation & Wageningen University
Wageningen University has launched a new initiative to improve food production and soil fertility in Africa through expanding... more |
|
15 Oct 2009 |
Horticulture struggles with CO2 emission pricing
|
| Last year, a directive came into force for trading CO2 emission rights. On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), LEI Wageningen UR studied the financial consequences... more |
|
|
Bacterium with grabber arms stops intruders
|
| Bacteria in drinks such as Vifit stop pathogens by using grabber-like arms to cling onto intestinal walls. This discovery is made by a group of Finnish, Belgium and Dutch researchers, under the... more |
|
14 Oct 2009 |
Lifetime award for Peter Reijnders
|
| Professor Peter Reijnders received an international lifetime award in Bonn (Germany) on September 16 2009. He was honoured for his contribution to the conservation of marine mammals all over the... more |
|
|
WEFTA award 2009 for IMARES scientist Joop Luten
|
| Joop Luten (Senior scientist, advisor European collaboration at IMARES) received at the 3rd Trans Atlantic Fish Technologist (TAFT) meeting in Copenhagen the WEFTA award 2009. This prestigious award... more |
|
13 Oct 2009 |
Pricing in the greenhouse horticulture sector
|
| Nowadays, the auction clock no longer plays a significant role in the marketing of fresh vegetables in the Netherlands. Cooperative auction organisations transformed themselves into cooperative... more |
|
8 Oct 2009 |
Biofuels mean less raw material available for animal feed
|
| Due to the increasing production of green energy from biomass, in the future fewer raw materials will be available for the animal feed sector. On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and... more |
|
|
Quick test for antibiotics
|
| RIKILT - Institute for Food Safety and the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, both part of Wageningen UR, have developed a new, real-time test to detect antibiotics in the food... more |
|
|
Termites travel with fungi as take-away food
|
| Fungi travelled to Madagascar in the intestines of termites. Fungus serves as a source of food and helps in cellulose conversion. Termites which formed colonies on the island of Madagascar took with... more |
|
|
Micro-credit needs more down-to-earth measures
|
| When micro-credit fails to reach the poorest in Ethiopia, small banks have to break fresh ground.Micro-credit is fast becoming popular in the last few years, including in the Ethiopian countryside.... more |
|
|
Film is a catalyst for change
|
| The doctoral thesis committee lost Loes Witteveen's thesis. The committee members were looking for a book, not a large box containing 46 DVDs and a book in tissue paper. We've never seen that before... more |
|
7 Oct 2009 |
Rutgerd Boelens designated Visiting Professorship in Peru
|
| The Academic Board of the Catholic University of Peru, internationally recognized as one of the most prestigious, high-quality universities of Latin America, has awarded Dr. Rutgerd Boelens the title... more |
|
6 Oct 2009 |
Eating fish has no effect on health of large intestine
|
| It appears that eating more fish has no effect on the health of the large intestine. Neither was there any difference between eating salmon and cod. In other words, there are no additional... more |
|
|
Nitrogen deposition limits climate change impacts on carbon sequestration
|
| Forests are important in reducing the green house gas CO2. For the period 2000-2007, it has been estimated that from the 8.9 billion ton of carbon released by man, approximately 46% is found back in... more |
|
5 Oct 2009 |
Storing carbon in tropical forests: Feasible
|
| Trees sequester large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. Keeping that fact in mind, researchers at Wageningen UR approach the restoration of tropical forests from various sides and on several... more |
|
|
Cooperate in a pleasant and respectful manner
|
| Have the patience to try and understand what another specialist means and be inquisitive and respectful. That is the core of the interdisciplinary approach of aquatic ecologist Marten Scheffer, to... more |
|
2 Oct 2009 |
Income fluctuations in European agriculture on the increase
|
| As a result of the liberalisation of the EU’s common agricultural policy, the agricultural sector will need to work with less predictable prices. LEI Wageningen UR has taken part in a European... more |
|
1 Oct 2009 |
Fruit & veg better than pills
|
| Our diet is woefully inadequate, and puts us at risk from illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Or so the dietary supplement industry would have us believe. Two Wageningen professors... more |
|
|
Chinese want their say in water prices
|
| Water wasting in China has been reduced ever since water came with a price tag. State control makes way for involvement from occupant groups.
Just like in the west, Chinese companies and citizens... more |
|
|
Symbiotic crops improve their photosynthesis
|
| Legumes that grow symbiotically with rhizobial bacteria, produce the same amount of food as fertilized crops. PhD student Glaciela Kaschuk explains why, and improves the theory and models of... more |
|
29 Sep 2009 |
Developing countries vulnerable to climate change
|
| In developing countries droughts have significant impacts on rainfed agriculture and remaining rainforests are under continuous threat caused by a strong and increasing world demand for livestock... more |
|
|
Scientists argue for establishing safe boundaries to the Earth system
|
| For the first time, a group of 28 scientists – including researchers from Wageningen University – has estimated what the safe boundaries are for the human effect on the global environment. This... more |
|
28 Sep 2009 |
89% of consumers purchase out of habit
|
| More knowledge about health and sustainability does not automatically lead to different consumer purchasing behaviour. Increased knowledge has a positive impact only on the small group of people who... more |
|
24 Sep 2009 |
Separate waste collection for beverage cartons is costly and the environmental benefits are inadequate
|
| Separate waste collection of beverage cartons is expensive and provides limited environmental benefits with high societal costs. This is the conclusion of a report compiled by FNLI and CBL, which... more |
|
|
Allergen-free foods don't help allergy sufferers
|
| New allergen-free foods do little to solve food allergy problems. Food can never be guaranteed absolutely allergy-free, and allergy patients are often extremely cautious.This is the conclusion of Dr.... more |
|
|
‘Not enough protection for hundreds of nature reserves'
|
| There are not enough areas on the current Natura-2000 list. As a result, much of the nature in the Netherlands is not getting proper protection, in the opinion of the Wageningen professor for nature... more |
|
23 Sep 2009 |
Potato Genome Sequence Released by International Group of Scientists
|
| The Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium (PGSC), an international group of scientists has announced that it has released the first draft sequence of the potato genome. The PGSC started work on the... more |
|
22 Sep 2009 |
Fungus enhances susceptibility of resistant malaria mosquito to pesticides
|
| In areas where malaria mosquitoes have become resistant to chemical pesticides, mosquito-killing fungi can be an effective tool. Fungal spores can effectively infect and kill malaria mosquitoes, even... more |
|
17 Sep 2009 |
Wageningen Doctor Receives Prize for Best Dissertation on International Development
|
| Dr Rutgerd Boelens from Wageningen University has won the "Thesis Award Competition". The price is being awarded for the best dissertation that appeared at one of the Dutch universities in the field... more |
|
15 Sep 2009 |
Agricultural expertise system is robust
|
| The agricultural expertise system and the powerful agricultural interests that characterise the Netherlands have changed a great deal during the past 20 years. In a report published today, Wageningen... more |
|
14 Sep 2009 |
Early detection Opogona now possible
|
| Pheromone traps available for use in practice
Researchers of Wageningen UR have discovered a new sex pheromone for easy and specific detection of infestations and contaminations of the banana borer... more |
|
11 Sep 2009 |
Eels in Dutch rivers remain highly contaminated
|
| A report published by RIKILT – Institute of Food Safety and IMARES, both part of Wageningen UR – reveals that red eels from Dutch rivers are still highly contaminated. However, this is not applicable... more |
|
|
GLOBALGAP and standards in Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico and Chile
|
| GLOBALGAP is a private sector organisation which sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe, with respect to food safety and sustainability among others.... more |
|
|
Alternative futures of rural areas in the EU
|
| In this study alternative futures of rural areas in the EU are explored. For this purpose, a comparative analysis of seven scenario studies of rural areas in the EU was conducted. Often, these... more |
|
|
Future of the agricultural sector in the Netherlands
|
| Scale increase in the agricultural sector is set to continue apace in the long term. In this context, technological innovation offers opportunities to meet rising social demands. This is the... more |
|
|
Wageningen UR partners French sister institute INRA in Europe
|
| Wageningen UR (University and Research Centre) and French research institute INRA (l’Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) are planning intensive future collaboration. In the framework of... more |
|
10 Sep 2009 |
Wageningen UR Participates in Salvation Army Food Project
|
| Under the authority of the Salvation Army, the project 'Food Saving and Food Usage in Focus' officially started on Wednesday, 9 September. Wageningen University and Research Centre is participating... more |
|
|
Pigs to get jab against human flu
|
| The Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) in Lelystad is testing its own vaccine to protect pigs against the Mexican flu. Without it the epidemic could spread to the pig population. Researcher Guus Koch... more |
|
|
Molecular trampoline replaces duster
|
| Dirt is an inevitable part of life but there is new hope for those who would prefer to leave their dusters in the cupboard. Daily life could become a good bit cleaner thanks to the discovery of Wiebe... more |
|
|
Novel breeding strategy for plant resistance
|
| Disabling certain plant genes instead of adding resistance genes is a promising strategy for giving crops long-term resistance to diseases. Researcher Yuling Bai and professors Evert Jacobsen and... more |
|
|
Genome of potato pathogen sequenced
|
| Scientists have unravelled the genome of Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen that poses the most serious threat to the world’s potato crop. Nearly one hundred researchers from 34 institutes in six... more |
|
|
Genome of potato pathogen sequenced
|
| Scientists have unravelled the genome of Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen that poses the most serious threat to the world’s potato crop. Nearly one hundred researchers from 34 institutes in six... more |
|
9 Sep 2009 |
Transitions towards sustainable agriculture
|
| The greatest current challenge to the agricultural sector is for it to become sustainable in all three of the dimensions profit, people and planet. This challenge is even more urgent in highly... more |
|
|
Management of agricultural genetic resources
|
| LEI Wageningen UR analyses the developments in the institutional environment of the statutory research tasks for conservation and use of agricultural genetic resources (WOT-GB ) in the Netherlands.... more |
|
|
Unique collaboration of European knowledge institutes and corporations
|
| Leading role for the Netherlands in the knowledge cluster on climate and innovation
Next year the new European Institute of Technology (EIT) will become operational. This initiative of the European... more |
|
8 Sep 2009 |
Digital soil map of the entire world being produced
|
| Soil experts from 11 institutes, including the ISRIC, are producing a digital soil map of the entire world. It is an important project, because the availability of reliable soil information is... more |
|
|
Research and knowledge in new ‘Centre for Marine Policy’
|
| Wageningen UR Centre for Marine Policy is a new European research centre that supports the development of integrated maritime and marine policies. The centre brings together research and knowledge by... more |
|
|
Trade with South Africa can boost organic sector
|
| Despite increasing interest in organic products in the Netherlands, the growth of this market is hampered due to the difficulty in guaranteeing a constant supply of fresh products. Due to its... more |
|
|
Dutch agriculture through the eyes of a Chinese economist
|
| Professor Li Weimin, an economist of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) described the performance of Dutch agribusiness. How is it possible, he asked himself, that such a small... more |
|
7 Sep 2009 |
Rijnaarts Appointed Professor of Water Technology
|
| As from 1 September 2009, Prof. Dr ir Huub Rijnaarts will work as a professor of Water Technology in the Sub-department of Environmental Technology. His research focuses on the re-use and... more |
|
4 Sep 2009 |
Universal warning signals for critical transitions
|
| Sudden shifts in complex systems such as the climate, financial markets, ecosystems and even the human body can be preceded by surprisingly comparable warning signals. It is crucial to be able to... more |
|
3 Sep 2009 |
Dieter Luetticken Award 2008 for Alternatives in Animal Testing Presented to Dr. Ivo Claassen
|
|
ROME, Sep. 03 /CSRwire/ - The Dieter Luetticken Award 2008 for alternatives in animal testing was presented today to Dr. Ivo Claassen for developing an alternative quality control method for... more |
|
2 Sep 2009 |
Best farming regions outside Netherlands
|
| Dutch farmers face high land prices and environmental costs. The liberalization of agricultural policy is causing Dutch agriculture to lose out to some neighbouring countries. The reason is high... more |
|
|
Smelly ointments stop pigs biting tails
|
| Stockholm tar and antler oil definitely help to stop pigs biting their tails. But you can also avoid using these smelly ointments by giving them plenty of toys instead. These suggestions came from... more |
|
27 Aug 2009 |
Price drop solar cells results in savings for Elkas
|
| The drastic price reduction of solar cells saves 8 per cent on the cost price of the electricity producing greenhouse (Elkas). This is what Piet Sonneveld, project leader of Elkas and connected to... more |
|
|
Scientists investigate urban climate in Rotterdam and Arnhem
|
| Researchers from Wageningen University used the warm days in August to map out the urban climate in the cities of Rotterdam and Arnhem. During four time intervals on a 24 hours’ day, mobile traverse... more |
|
24 Aug 2009 |
Keygene and Wageningen UR sign a licensing agreement and strengthen their collaboration
|
| Keygene N.V. and Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR) signed a licensing agreement that strengthens and expands their long lasting relationship on August 17, 2009. The agreement... more |
|
20 Aug 2009 |
Weed ever growing problem, also in agriculture in the Netherlands
|
| Weed is not only a major problem for farmers in developing countries but farmers in rich countries are also facing increasing weed problems. This is the view of Bert Lotz of Plant Research... more |
|
|
Dutch Delta Design 2012 sets ambitious targets
|
| Wageningen UR stood at the cradle of Dutch Delta Design 2012, an initiative to put Dutch water expertise on the map, nationally and internationally. Since its establishment, dozens of parties from... more |
|
17 Aug 2009 |
Cut flowers enhance positive feelings and moods
|
| It has been commonly assumed that cut flowers have a positive influence on people. For example cut flowers are used to cheer up the sick or as a symbol of joy on the occasion of birthdays and births,... more |
|
|
Cut flowers enhance positive feelings and moods
|
| It has been commonly assumed that cut flowers have a positive influence on people. For example cut flowers are used to cheer up the sick or as a symbol of joy on the occasion of birthdays and births,... more |
|
14 Aug 2009 |
EU dairy industry is losing market share
|
| The EU dairy industry can be characterised as innovative and a global player, but it is losing market share since the world market is growing faster than European exports. The improvement in labour... more |
|
|
High food prices and multinationals
|
| LEI Wageningen UR has been commissioned by Oxfam Novib to carry out a study into the role of multinationals (in the grain sector) within the framework of the high food prices. While riots broke out... more |
|
11 Aug 2009 |
How adventurous is your lunch?
|
| Ever since the opening of the Restaurant of the Future in 2007, food selection behaviour in a group of registered lunch users has been systematically recorded. René de Wijk, Senior Sensory Scientist... more |
|
10 Aug 2009 |
Bacterial leaf spot infestation visible in strawberry
|
| Bacterial leaf spot disease is caused by Xanthomonas fragariae. This disease causes much damage in strawberry propagation and production. This slow-growing bacterium is difficult to trace.
Infested... more |