The cultivation of rice—the staple grain for more than 3.5 billion people around the world—comes with extremely high environmental, climate and economic costs. But this may be about to change, thanks to new research led by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and China’s Jiangnan University. They have shown that nanoscale applications of the element selenium can decrease the amount of fertilizer necessary for rice cultivation while sustaining yields, boosting nutrition, enhancing the soil’s microbial diversity and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, in a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they demonstrate for the first time that such nanoscale applications work in real-world conditions.

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications by researchers from the IBS Center for Climate Physics (ICCP) at Pusan National University in the Republic of Korea reveals that Global Warming is accelerating the risk of multi-year droughts that can lead to extreme water scarcity, threatening water demands in cities, agriculture, and livelihoods worldwide, already within the coming decades.

From 191 samples representing 45 origins, international flavour experts have selected the 2025

Best 50 cacaos and their producers. Part of the 2025 Cacao of Excellence Awards, the Best 50

highlights exceptional quality, diversity, and farmer dedication.

Illinois once harbored more than 8 million acres of wetlands. By the 1980s, all but 1.2 million wetland acres had been lost, filled in for development or drained to make way for agriculture. Now, thanks to a 2023 Supreme Court decision, roughly 72% of the remaining 981,000 acres of Illinois wetlands are no longer protected by the federal Clean Water Act, putting communities at risk of losing the flood control, groundwater recharge, water purification and natural habitat these wetlands provide, researchers report.

A study published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts explores the potential of converting pineapple peel waste into nanocellulose fibers to enhance sandy soils. Using mechanochemical processes, researchers obtained fibers that improved soil water-holding capacity, reduced evaporation, and increased nutrient retention. Tested in United Arab Emirates desert sands, the amendments enhanced soil mechanics and supported tomato plant growth at optimal concentrations. The findings highlight a scalable and sustainable strategy to repurpose food waste for soil restoration and agricultural productivity in arid environments.