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Sunday, December 30, 2012
The tomato decoded: holds more genes than humans
The tomato has always been a complex fruit. Or is it a vegetable? Either way. Tomato, tomahto, right?
The tomato, which is considered a fruit by botanists and a vegetable to the US government, has been demystified by a consortium of plant geneticists from 14 countries who spent nine years decoding the tomato genome with the hopes of breeding better, tastier fruits.
Specifically, the scientists sequenced the genomes of both Heinz 1706, a variety...
New method to design better greenhouses
Doctorate student Bram Vanthoor of Wageningen UR Glastuinbouw has developed a method of calculation to design greenhouses better suited to local circumstances. The method has been tested for the Netherlands and Spain. During the tests two different greenhouse designs were built fully in line with the local situation. The method offers the possibility to optimise greenhouse building worldwide. Vanthoor will defend his thesis on Friday 17th of June.
Arch...
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Six Air Purifying House Plants
1. Bamboo Palm:
According to NASA, it removes formaldahyde and is also said to act as a
natural humidifier.
2. Snake Plant: Found
by NASA to absorb nitrogen oxides and formaldahyde.
3. Areca Palm: One of
the best air purifying plants for general air cleanliness.
4. Spider Plant: Great
indoor plant for removing carbon monoxide and other toxins or impurities. Spider
plants are one of three plants NASA deems best at removing formaldahyde...
Cucumber nutrition facts
BY: A
M Awan
Ever wonder how to beat the scorching summer heat? Remember humble crunchy cucumber! This wonderful, low calorie vegetable indeed has more nutrients to offer than just water and electrolytes.
The vegetable is one of the oldest cultivated crops and believed to be originating in the northern plains of Indian subcontinent. The plant is a creeper (vine) like other members of Cucurbita family, for example, gourds,squashes,melons,zucchini,...
Friday, December 28, 2012
Robot learns to pick the sweetest strawberries in UK
Richard Dudley imagines a world where strawberries grow in perfect rows and every day a robot army "tastes" their colors before harvesting the ripe ones. The research scientist at the United Kingdom’s National Physical Laboratory is building a robot that uses multiple wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to identify the sweetest, ripest fruit — then plucks it from the vine.
Strawberries are a fickle, high-value crop, and harvesting them is costly....
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Pomegranate nutrition facts
Pomegranate is among the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavor, taste, and heath promoting characteristics. Along with berries, and some tropical exotics such as mango, it too has novel qualities of functional foods often called as “super fruits.”
Botanically, it is a small size fruit-bearing deciduous tree belonging within the Lythraceaefamily, of genus: Punica. The fruit is thought to originate in the Sub-Himalayan range of...
Banana fruit nutrition facts
Go for banana fruit, nature's own energy-rich food that comes in a safety envelope! Fresh, delicious bananas are available year around and in fact, one of the cheapest fruits. Botanically, the fruit belongs to the family of Musaceae.Commercially, it is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical zones.
Scientific name: Musa acuminata colla.
Banana is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome....
Health benefits of Persimmon (Japani Phal)
By Mohammed Rashid, Qarshi industries Pakistan
Diospyros kaki is the botanical name of Persimmon or Japani Phal. Diospyros comes from the ancient Greek words, this means more or less "divine fruit", though its literal meaning is more like "Wheat of Zeus".
This species, native to China, is deciduous, with broad, stiff leaves. Cultivation of the fruit extended to East Asia, California, Europe and Brazil.
Its trees have been classified...
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Ginger Cultivation Basics
Ginger is an important spice crop of the world .Its scientific name is Zingiber
officinale.Its a valuable cash
crop and plays an important role in aurvedic medicines in India .It has been used for cleaning body
through perspiration,to calm down nausea,and to stimulate the appetite.Ginger
tea is used as carminative and in the symptomatic treatment
of colds.Ginger contains gingerol, an oleo resin that accounts for the
characteristic aroma and...
The North American Landscape Kew at British Museum
Where: British
Museum
Type: temporary
exhibition
The British Museum is playing host to Kew Garden’s
‘North American Landscape’ from 10th May to 25 November
2012.
The main motive of the temporary garden is to
strengthen the cultural understanding of geographical landscapes around the
world and support biodiversity conservation. It draws attention to botanical
diversity and the threats faced by the north American plants due to...
Islamic Gardens – They Could Build A Green Muslim Movement
By Arwa Aburawa, Green Prophet
Can gardens really help promote environmentally friendly behaviour amongst the Muslim community? Mark Bryant says they can
There’s nothing like being with nature to help clear your mind and when the weather is as lovely as it has been recently, who can resist spending a couple of hours in the garden? But the humble garden should not be overlooked. According to researcher in the uk, the garden can be a powerful...
Gardening for busy people
By Bunny Guinness, Telegraph
While some may be getting ready for the Olympics, I am checking over my bamboo canes, sharpening my saw and sorting my hurdles. Success on the sports field takes hard work, and it’s the same in the garden. For those with full-time jobs, children and other commitments, a bit more skill is needed to get results. With a little help from experts such as Charles Dowding and Kim Wilde, here is my guide to spring gardening...
Mushroom Farming: The Fungal Goldmine
By Muhammad Zeeshan Farid & Dr Amjad Farooq
A global trend in agriculture has been a shift away from simple systems that rely on traditional crops, to those that increasingly seek new varieties of plants that cater to advanced dietary needs. To this end, scientists and growers have recommended several new crops that can augment the spectrum of agricultural produce.
Mushrooms, known locally as “khumbi”, are among this emerging cropping system....
Mixing grapefruit with drugs is dangerous
The number of drugs when mixed with grapefruit that can lead to serious health problems, including sudden death, has skyrocketed, warns a Canadian researcher who first discovered the toxic link.
In an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, David Bailey, a scientist at the Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario, said more than 85 drugs, many of them highly prescribed for common medical conditions, are known to interact...
Fruit and vegetables treated with pesticides can cause Parkinson's disease
Fruit and vegetables treated with pesticides can cause Parkinsons, say scientists from the German University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus. The researchers came to this conclusion after extensive testing with mice.
In Germany alone 400,000 people are suffering from Parkinsons disease. Scientists have now discovered that the insecticide rotenone doesn’t just cause the disease, but exacerbates the symptoms. Earlier, researchers confirmed the fact that...
Garden Talk: The Sage Advice
By Zahra Nasir
Indigenous in all countries surrounding the Mediterranean, sage has been cultivated throughout Europe for hundreds of years. Zahra Nasir teaches gardening-buffs how to grow the herb in Pakistani soil
Well, ladies, make no bones about it, if you want to stand up and make a statement about who really rules the roost; simply plant sage in your garden. If your sage flourishes then this is an indelible sign to all and sundry that matriarchy...
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