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The Walrus

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2850 on: May 14, 2024, 01:14:25 PM »
Subsistence farmers in Mexico are taking on avocado growers, as they are using much of the regions water supply., drying up local streams.  Avocado tend to be grown in areas that are susceptible to drought, and the recent rain shortfall in Mexico is creating conflict.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/mexico-avocado-farming-water-drought-1.7183139

kassy

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2851 on: May 14, 2024, 11:34:51 PM »
Quote
Residents say they don't want to deny water entirely to the orchards and have proposed an agreement to give landowners 20 per cent of the water from local streams, if they allow the remaining 80 per cent to keep flowing. They say they haven't gotten any response yet.

Drug cartels often make money from illegal logging and extorting money from avocado growers in Michoacán. The activists around Villa Madero have suffered threats, kidnappings and beatings in the past.

"We are running a serious risk of them killing us for protesting," Gomez Cortes said. "Out of necessity, we are doing what the government should be doing."

Pretty serious. The above article could go into the Water Wars thread too.
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kassy

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2852 on: May 23, 2024, 06:04:36 PM »
No mercy for overfished yellowfin tuna at Indian Ocean fisheries meeting

Members of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, the intergovernmental body that regulates fishing for tuna and tuna-like species in the region, met May 13-17 in Bangkok.

Although a decision on reining in catches of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), which has been declared overfished for the past nine years, was perhaps the most anticipated move of the meeting, delegates failed to reach any such agreement.

They did, however, strengthen management of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fisheries, and took steps to rein in fish aggregating devices (FADs), which are criticized for netting large numbers of juvenile tuna and nontarget species, and for polluting the ocean with large amounts of lost fishing gear.


Although yellowfin tuna comprises almost one-third of the global tuna catch, in the Indian Ocean it’s been declared overfished for the past nine years and scientists have described the stock as being “in critical condition.” Yet countries failed to reach any agreement to reduce catches of yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) at the closely watched recent meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, the intergovernmental body that regulates fishing for tuna and tuna-like species in the region.

Delegates did, however, adopt the first management measures for skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fisheries, and took steps to rein in controversial fish aggregating devices (FADs), largely used by European purse seine vessels, which represent the biggest tuna fleet in the Indian Ocean.

“The EU welcomes the important decisions reached during the 28th annual meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), which will make fisheries in the Indian Ocean more sustainable,” the European Commission wrote in a press release, highlighting agreements reached on FADs.

...

details on:

https://news.mongabay.com/2024/05/no-mercy-for-overfished-yellowfin-tuna-at-indian-ocean-fisheries-meeting/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2853 on: May 23, 2024, 06:13:58 PM »
Humorist John Oliver on corn in the US.
 
“… currently occupies nearly 5% of the land surface of the contiguous United States ... only 1% is made for [direct] human consumption."
 
40%: Animal feed
45%: Fuel/Ethanol

May 23, 2024. 25 min.
People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

morganism

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2854 on: May 25, 2024, 12:52:37 AM »
(late frosts, and early droughts causing probs in RU. One report says no re-seeding due to drought. I heard the frozen plains for grazing were especially tough this year too.)

The Empire is Frozen
Agrarians are declining crops and profitability

For Russian plant growers, the spring drought in one part of the country and May frosts in another turned out to be a strong blow. The cereal harvest in this agricultural season may decrease by 10%, according to optimistic estimates, and by 30% pessimistic. In the context of a prolonged decline in profitability, this can lead to the bankruptcy of small farms and a decrease in the cost of agricultural land.

May frosts in the center of Russia, coupled with arid weather in the south of the country, caused serious damage to the main Russian crop - wheat. In the "Sovekone" predict that at the end of the season, farmers will not be able to collect 3.9 million tons of the planned volume, losses will amount to about 45 billion rubles. Since the beginning of May, analysts have already adjusted the forecast for the collection of wheat twice, reducing the initial expectations by 7.85%, to 85.7 million tons. If this happens, the harvest in the current season will be below last year by 7.65%. The Institute of Agrarian Market (ICAR) reduced the forecast for wheat by 5.5%, to 86 million tons, for gross grain harvest by 5%, to 135 million tons due to frost.
Peresev in question

The weather affected almost all cultures. Director of Sovecona Andrey Sizov says that the frosts are the least resistant rapeseed, corn, peas, sugar beet, winter wheat are also resistant. Director General of ICAR Dmitry Rylko adds that the situation in the Voronezh and Volgograd regions is particularly difficult, to a lesser extent in the Tambov and Lipetsk regions. But the frosts affected other large agrarian regions - from the Kursk and Rostov to the Saratov and Penza regions.

Injured wheat, sugar beet and corn in the Voronezh region and the Volga region, but we are talking about insignificant areas, said - the representative of the GC "Ekoniva" Irina Sinitsina. The general director of the agroholding Andrey Neduzhko is waiting for a 10% reduction in yields by 10% from the planned, General Director of LLC "Agrocomplex Labinsky" (manages the assets of the concern "Pokrovsky" by the decision of the Federal Property Management Agency) Alexey Skorobatov - by 10-30%.

The new head of the Ministry of agriculture Oksana Lut said that in total, due to the frosts of the agrarian will be moved 500 thousand. Assiding that the necessary resources for this are. Market participants are not sure. The source in the industry claims that in part of the regions, it is impractical to resettle crops due to dryness. Mr. Rylko believes that it is no longer possible to cross wheat, and in the case of sugar beet, corn, soybean, chickpeas, the process is complicated by drought and the lack of suitable seeds. Andrei Sizov notes that the consequences of spring bad weather could level the warm summer, but there are no prerequisites for this.

The Ministry of agriculture after the delivery of the material clarified that as of May 16, the crops died at 830,000. The ha. That's 1% of the total area of the sowing area. Agricultural crops were affected by another 500,000. ha, perennial fruit and berry plantings - 17.3 thousand. The ha. It is planned to be resin mainly spring wheat, barley, buckwheat, corn, peas, rapeseed, sunflower, soy and sugar beet. Stocks of seeds and resources are enough, the ministry said.

Irina Sinitsina emphasizes that from natural anomalies, which in recent years are increasingly occurring, it is impossible for farmers to be completely protected, but it is possible to minimize the damage through the use of agrotechnologies and timely feeding of plants. The impact of frosts and drought on crops, according to Mr. Sizov, has become critical just because of the desire of business to save, including on means of plant protection. The interlocutor in the industry adds that in recent years, small farms have reduced the use of nitrogen fertilizers, which have doubled in three years. The negative effect of this is obvious: the yield of the land is reduced by 30-50% in the future of three to five years, he explains.

Saving farmers is forced by a reduction in margins. The Ministry of Agriculture notes that the profitability of crop production in 2023 amounted to 26%, reducing by 4 percentage points year-on-year. According to the grain, the indicator was estimated at 17%. But the official data are overestimated, says Andrei Sizov: "The prices for many cultures have come close to the cost or fall below, and the bad weather can significantly exacerbate the problems.

Irina Sinitsina says that the profitability of crop production remains low due to low prices for agricultural products within the country and increased costs. According to her, since 2022, spare parts for agricultural machinery, mineral fertilizers, consumables have become more expensive, the payroll fund is growing. Andrei Neduzhko says that in recent years some positions have risen in price several times. According to Alexey Skorobogatov, the average profitability in crop production, excluding subsidies, is now at the level of 16-18%.
Expectation of price rise

In such conditions, the price growth at the expense of crop failure, experts and market participants consider a factor that can improve the economy of farmers. Dmitry Rylko notes that grain prices in the world and the Russian Federation have already increased significantly, only in the last ten days, the index of wheat prices on the basis of FOB Novorossiysk has added about $20. According to ICAR, at the end of last week, the figure reached $221 per ton of wheat with a protein content of 12.5%. According to Sovemonas, this class rose in price in a week from $215 to 219 to $223-227 per ton. In the domestic market, third-class wheat for the European part rose by 425 rubles, to 12.5 thousand. The rub. for a ton, the fourth - for 525 rubles., up to 11.4 thousand. The rub. per tonne of self-sustaining.

https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6693623


(...)

May frosts damaged 50-70% apple trees in Central Russia

May frosts will seriously affect the harvest of apples this year, said the President of the Association of producers of fruits, berries and planting material Igor Mukhanin. According to his estimates, from 50% to 70% of the blooming apple trees in the Central Federal District were damaged.

The most affected were Voronezh, Rostov, Tambov and Lipetsk regions, said Mr. Mukhin in an interview with RIA Novosti. However, according to him, the harvest can remain in the Tula region and the Krasnodar region. He noted that due to frosts without a harvest of apples will remain Poland, because the flowering of apple gardens also interrupted the frost to 10 C.

Earlier, the head of the Ministry of agriculture of Russia Oksana Lut said that due to frosts in Russia killed crops on the territory of 830 thousand. ga, which was about 1% of all crops in the country. It was indicated that due to frosts in May, the emergency regime was introduced in eight regions of Russia. Freezing was observed on the territory of the Central and Volga Federal Districts, as well as in the Volgograd and Rostov regions. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev urged the regions to quickly organize the resusal of the dead crops.

Dmitry Patrushev said on May 12 that Russia will receive the crops necessary to ensure food security, despite the frosts. According to him, more than 25 million hectares were sowed, which is about half of the forecast area.

https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6715783

(mozilla translate)

kassy

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2855 on: May 29, 2024, 09:57:44 PM »
Failed wheat and hungry cows: farmers count the cost of a wet winter

Up to a quarter of the UK's wheat harvest will be lost this year, after the wettest winter since records began, according to the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

Persistent rain has either left seed rotting in the fields, or made it impossible to get tractors onto the ground to sow at all.
Wiltshire farmer Mike Wilkins has lost half the wheat he has sown this year.

...

Between October 2022 and March 2024, England had 1,695.9mm of rainfall, the wettest 18-month period since records began in 1836.
Mr Collins, the county chairman for the NFU, told me their experience is bad, but not unique.
"Across the county we've lost about 15% of all our wheat," he said.
"The UK as a whole is higher than that, probably 25% down, a quarter down."

That means the UK will be short of about four million tonnes of wheat. The shortfall will be made up with more imports, which will cost more, he said.
Farmers are keen to point out that the wet winter is not only hitting their pockets, but will put up the price of bread and everyday staples, just as food inflation was starting to ease.
And, Mr Collins explains, wheat is in far more than just bread and cakes.
"Wheat is in sausages, it's in cosmetics, even in paracetamol. So not only food prices will rise, but the wider economy will be affected too," he said.

....

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-69068619

In the Netherlands we also had many losses related to the wet weather.
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Linus

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2856 on: May 29, 2024, 10:45:35 PM »
Morocco’s Cereal Harvest to Drop by 43%

Rabat - The projected production of key cereals, including soft wheat, durum wheat, and barley, for the 2023/2024 agricultural season is estimated at 31.2 million quintals, marking a 43% annual nosedive.

According to an update from the Ministry of Agriculture on Friday, the area sown has also dropped by 33%, now covering 2.47 million hectares, with a harvestable area of 1.85 million hectares.

This season’s breakdown includes 17.5 million quintals of soft wheat, 7.1 million quintals of durum wheat, and 6.6 million quintals of barley.

The regions of Fez-Meknes, Rabat-Sale-Kenitra, and Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima are major contributors, accounting for 84% of the nation's total production.

As of May 22, cumulative rainfall stood at 237 millimeters, 31% lower than the annual average. Agricultural dams are filled to 31% capacity, the ministry’s data showed. It detailed that the current agricultural season faced significant adverse climatic conditions, impacting the sowing of autumn crops.

However, there are positive signs for arboricultural and vegetable crops, thanks to improved weather conditions starting in February, with vegetable production reaching 5.6 million tons.

The agricultural sector continues to ensure a steady supply to the national market, supported by the efforts of the ministry’s climate mitigation programs.

Last month, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) within the US Department of Agriculture issued a report projecting a significant spike in imports for the 2024-25 season.

FAS’ projections on Morocco’s cereal production were close to those of the Agriculture Ministry, as the US agency predicted a 45% annualized drop in cereal production.

The FAS predicts a staggering 52% surge in wheat imports, totaling 7.5 million tonnes, dwarfing Morocco’s ten-year import average.

Meanwhile, domestic importers are attempting to diversify their procurement strategies in response to mounting instability and payment issues with Black Sea suppliers.

In the previous season, a substantial 80% of Morocco’s wheat imports originated from European Union nations.
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2024/05/362871/moroccos-cereal-harvest-to-drop-by-43-to-31-2-million-quintals

Linus

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2857 on: May 30, 2024, 08:54:17 PM »
Fears of a potato shortage after a ‘nightmare’ 12 months for growers
Around 700 acres were lost between flooding and frost, and overall the yield was poor.

Thu, 30 May, 2024 - 11:05
A shortage of Irish potatoes will soon become apparent to consumers especially as they could face higher prices as growers battle a "nightmare" for the last 12 months that has been the culmination of delayed plantings and harvests, and reduced yield.

While early potato varieties should be planted early in the spring and harvested in June/July, as a result of continued wet weather, growers encountered difficulties in doing so and instead, the planting of these early crops came at much the same time as planting of the main crops.

Irish Farmers' Association potato chairman Sean Ryan said that farms in the midlands and parts of Leinster such as Meath are nearly finished up planting and overall have gotten on better in recent weeks due to more reasonable weather, while more southern counties such as Wexford and Cork are around 70% of the way there.

"With the forecast coming there now we'd be hoping most of them will be finished planting towards the end of next week," Mr Ryan estimated.

Potatoes should have been planted in March and into April and "this year we're at the first week of June and still not finished - that is going to affect yields that are going to come off those crops".

Flooding and frost impact

A reduced availability of Irish potatoes will be visible from now on, as Mr Ryan explained that last year around 700 acres were lost between flooding and frost, and overall the yield was poor then too.

"The old season potatoes are not there, usually the old season would be there until the new season comes in, but they're not so it's a double whammy really," he said, as the new season potatoes were not planted on time there will be a delay and more limited supply for sale in the coming months.

"There will be some new season in the middle of June but it won't be a lot. It will be maybe six or eight weeks later than normal," he added.

Colin Buttimer, a third-generation potato grower at Rockvale Farm in Sheepwalk, Fermoy, is situated in the "heart of Ireland’s prime potato growing land, the Blackwater valley in north county Cork”.
The farm, which also grows grain and has beef cattle, specialises in chipping potatoes, with its main varieties being Markies and Rooster, Mr Buttimer explained.

He told the Irish Examiner that the farm has 125 acres for potatoes this year, and annually tries to grow between 120 and 150 acres, "but it just depends on land availability".

The farm works with tillage farmers in the area and rotates with them, but many of these farmers have come under pressure for ground as a result of the nitrates derogation reduction, with dairy farmers taking in more land.

The impact of bad weather started around a year ago, Mr Buttimer recalled.

"During the summer it didn't affect us that badly because potatoes like a bit of water during the growing season.

Coming up to harvest, we were hoping we might get a decent spell in the autumn but that never came. Harvesting was a nightmare, we were struggling all the time.

"We never got a dry spell at all really, all the way through the autumn and into the spring and we still haven't gotten that dry spell."

The farm doesn't sow early crops, and it would normally be towards the end of March before planting would start. However, this year, they were a month late in starting, and the process has been on and off ever since, with a few days of this work taking place in between spells of bad weather.

"Trying to get a week's work into three or four days is hard stuff," Mr Buttimer said.

"We've never been planting this late before, I don't know about other growers around here but we've always been finished earlier than this.

"In saying that, last year was a late year as well but we finished the bulk of it last year around May 20 - but that was a lot later than normal too.

We don't have much left, we have about 10 acres left now so we're nearly there.

"Sometimes this time of year we'd be trying to bag potatoes as well but we're basically sold out now."

The weather has made work that "doesn't need to be that difficult, very difficult", Mr Buttimer added.

"When nature works with you and things are ok, there's no better job in the world," he said.

"But when nature goes against you, it really can make things difficult."

Payment

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue announced recently that to “give confidence to farmers to plant crops this year and to give them confidence in the future of their industry”, he would work to deliver a €100 per hectare payment for every horticulture and tillage farmer that puts seed in the soil for the 2024 harvest year.

“My department is considering the next steps, including the state aid and other approvals and the identification of appropriate funding. I am committed to our potato sector and despite the constraints of my existing budget, I will work to deliver this support for these farmers,” Mr McConalogue said.

The IFA's Sean Ryan said that this level of funding is a "kick in the teeth" when it's "costing €5,000 to grow an acre of potatoes" currently.

Mr Ryan warned of the reducing number of potato growers in Ireland.

"Back around 10 years ago we had 700 growers, we're down to 160 growers now," he said.

"Most of the smaller growers have got out. You'd just be afraid of the potato sector ending up like the veg sector."

One of the biggest issues is below-cost selling, Mr Ryan said.

Seeing their produce selling for so little at times is "disheartening to growers" after they spend all year "nurturing crops and trying to get them in good conditions".

Mr Ryan said the retailers are "making little of their produce", and "it is coming back to haunt them now".

Blight

Mr Ryan said that with growers getting planting out of the way, the "next challenge" is looking after the crop against things like blight.

Teagasc this week organised potato crop walks as it warned that cases of blight are beginning to emerge.

Along with covering EU43, a new threat to potatoes in Ireland, the events are featuring new guidelines on controlling blight and developing robust blight control programmes for 2024.

Teagasc crops and potato specialist Shay Phelan said that the identification of the EU43 strain of potato blight in Ireland last year is “potentially one of the most serious developments in potato growing in recent times”.

“This strain is causing many problems in Europe and growers in many countries are struggling to control it,” Mr Phelan said.

“The presence of this strain in the Irish population will result in a significant change in how we approach disease control over the coming years.”

https://www.irishexaminer.com/farming/arid-41405483.html

kassy

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2858 on: May 30, 2024, 09:22:12 PM »
Market prizes for frozen orange juice are shooting up because Brazil had a really bad harvest.
It´s 25% less then a year ago and much worse then expected.
Brazil provides 70% of oranges in the world.
The harvest is plagued by diseases in the trees and drought.

https://www.nu.nl/economie/6314863/prijzen-sinaasappelsap-schieten-omhoog-dus-wordt-er-mango-bijgemengd.html
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kassy

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2859 on: June 01, 2024, 07:34:38 PM »
Pakistan farmers pin poor mango crop on climate change

Pakistan's mangoes are normally a source of national pride and much-needed income, but farmers are blaming climate change for the parasites and extreme weather ruining much of this season's crop.
A white and orange scarf wrapped around his head in the scorching heat, farmer Muhammad Yusuf lamented the erratic weather.

An abnormally long winter was followed by the wettest April in decades, while the country is now experiencing a heatwave with temperatures hitting up to 52 degrees Celsius (126 degrees Fahrenheit).

"Buds didn't flower on time, many buds just died. Those that started growing were infected with (parasite) black hopper," said Yusuf, who has worked half his life growing mangoes.


...

Pakistan is the world's fourth-largest mango producer and agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of its GDP.

Further south in Tando Ghulam Ali, Arsalan, who manages a 900-acre mango orchard, noticed the damage as soon as the harvest started this week.

"We have production losses of 15 to 20 percent, and the picking has only just started so this figure will surely increase," said the 32-year-old.

Exports will be slashed as a result warned Arsalan, who goes by one name.

"The mangoes turn yellow from the outside but remain underripe or overripe inside," he explained.

Ziaul Haq, a mango grower and exporter from Tando Ghulam Ali, said the "many attacks on fruit" by pests were unprecedented.

"This, in our history, has never happened before," he told AFP.

The proliferation of parasites has led to an explosion in spending on pesticides.

This uptick was confirmed by several farmers in Sindh province, where Tando Allahyar and Tando Ghulam Ali are located, as well as those in the leading agricultural province of Punjab further north.

They told AFP that chemicals are now used six to seven times per year, compared to just twice three years ago.

Farmers in Sindh said they have been struggling since 2022 when a series of severe heatwaves were followed by unprecedented flooding, while those in Punjab said the declining crops yields date back several years more.

...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-13479191/Pakistan-farmers-pin-poor-mango-crop-climate-change.html
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morganism

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2860 on: June 06, 2024, 12:07:14 AM »
Unlocking salt tolerance: Sea lavender's genetic secret revealed
(could be very helpful in protecting ground water too, we pump a lot just to flush salts)
(...)
The study focuses on the genome-wide identification of bHLH transcription factors in sea lavender and their role in salt gland development. By analyzing the characteristics, localization, and phylogenetic relationships of 187 bHLH genes, the researchers uncovered their significant roles in regulating plant growth and stress responses.

The study identified 187 bHLH transcription factor genes in the Limonium bicolor genome, revealing their roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Bioinformatics analyses highlighted conserved bHLH domains and cis-regulatory elements linked to stress tolerance and epidermal structure development. Researchers focused on nine key bHLH genes, examining their localization and expression.

CRISPR-Cas9 knockout and overexpression lines highlighted the critical role of Lb1G07934 in salt gland formation and salt resistance. Knockout lines showed enhanced salt tolerance and Na+ efflux, while overexpression lines exhibited reduced salt tolerance. These findings suggest a complex regulatory network and pave the way for future agricultural applications.

Dr. Baoshan Wang, a researcher in plant stress biology at Shandong Normal University, stated, "This study marks a significant advancement in our understanding of the genetic mechanisms behind salt tolerance in halophytes. The identification and functional analysis of bHLH genes in Limonium bicolor open new avenues for developing salt-tolerant crops, which is crucial for global food security amidst increasing soil salinization."

This research has profound implications: integrating sea lavender's salt tolerance into crops can enhance productivity on saline lands, boosting global food security and sustainable land use. The study's genomic analysis and genetic modification approach also pave the way for improving crop resilience to various stress factors.
(more)

https://phys.org/news/2024-06-salt-tolerance-sea-lavender-genetic.html

Genome-wide identification of bHLH transcription factors and functional analysis in salt gland development of the recretohalophyte sea lavender (Limonium bicolor), Horticulture Research (2024). DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae036

vox_mundi

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2861 on: June 10, 2024, 04:59:33 PM »
Aquaculture Overtakes Wild Fisheries for First Time: UN Report
https://phys.org/news/2024-06-aquaculture-wild-fisheries.html

With global demand for aquatic foods expected to keep growing, an increase in sustainable production is vital to ensure healthy diets, the United Nations's Food and Agriculture Organization said.

In 2022, aquaculture yielded 94.4 million tonnes of aquatic animal production -- 51 percent of the total, and 57 percent of the production destined for human consumption, it said.

While wild fisheries production has stayed largely unchanged for decades, aquaculture has increased by 6.6 percent since 2020, the report noted.

The sustainability of wild fishery resources remained a cause for concern, it added.

The proportion of marine stocks fished within biologically sustainable levels decreased to 62.3 percent in 2021, 2.3 percent lower than in 2019, the report said.

"Urgent action is needed to accelerate fishery stock conservation and rebuilding."

With the world's population projected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, "providing sufficient food, nutrition and livelihoods for this growing population demands significant investments," it added.

FAO Report: Global fisheries and aquaculture production reaches a new record high
https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-report-global-fisheries-and-aquaculture-production-reaches-a-new-record-high/en
There are 3 classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see

Insensible before the wave so soon released by callous fate. Affected most, they understand the least, and understanding, when it comes, invariably arrives too late

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus

kassy

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2862 on: June 11, 2024, 06:49:27 PM »
Because it rained too much there is a severe lack of fresh spinach in the Netherlands. Also at risk are carrots and onions. The problem is both the harvest and planting is problematic too because seeds get washed away.

https://www.nu.nl/economie/6316394/lege-schappen-spinazie-weggespoeld-door-extreme-regenval.html
Þetta minnismerki er til vitnis um að við vitum hvað er að gerast og hvað þarf að gera. Aðeins þú veist hvort við gerðum eitthvað.

morganism

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2863 on: June 13, 2024, 09:15:11 PM »
(snip)
Unraveling the drivers of the global Zn cycle in our oceans

In summer it seems that higher productivity leads to a greater abundance of Zn in the organic fraction of the surface ocean, which can readily become available for uptake by phytoplankton. But the researchers also found high concentrations of Zn associated with debris derived from rocks and earth, and from atmospheric dust, present in these samples.

In the open ocean, the interplay between Zn's association or dissociation from particles is pivotal for replenishing dissolved Zn to support marine life.

Cloete explains, "Due to poor growing conditions in winter, Zn particles are literally 'scavenged' by inorganic solids such as silica, abundantly available in the form of diatoms, as well as iron and aluminum oxides. Diatoms are microalgae—unicellular organisms with skeletons made of silica—thereby explaining the strong association between Zn and Silica in the oceans."

In other words, when Zn is bound to an organic ligand it is easy for uptake by marine life such as phytoplankton. Zn in a mineral phase, however, is not easy to dissolve and will therefore not be easily available for uptake. In this form, particulate Zn can form large aggregates and sink to the deep ocean, where it becomes unavailable for uptake by phytoplankton.

Implications for changing climate

This understanding of the global Zn cycle has important implications in the context of warming oceans, warns Roychoudhury. "A warmer climate increases erosion, leading to more dust in the atmosphere and consequently more dust being deposited into the oceans. More dust means more scavenging of Zn particles, leading to less Zn being available to sustain phytoplankton and other marine life."

Cloete says their novel approach to studying the oceanic Zn cycle now opens the door to investigating other important micronutrients. "Like Zn, the distribution of copper, cadmium, and cobalt could also experience climate-induced changes in the future," Cloete said.

For Roychoudhury, the findings reaffirm the Southern Ocean's global influence in regulating the climate and the marine food web.

https://phys.org/news/2024-06-scientists-unravel-drivers-global-zinc.html

Bruce Steele

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Re: Climate change, the ocean, agriculture, and FOOD
« Reply #2864 on: June 14, 2024, 05:47:04 AM »


Protein anyone?