Newsbuds

A software package developed and validated at The University of Queensland can tailor safe, effective and chemical-free crop protection using RNA interference (RNAi).

The dsRNAmax software designs double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to target pest and pathogen species while excluding off-target species like beneficial insects.… Continue reading

Dr Peter Irga

Australian researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) are working with experienced hempcrete builders to develop a hemp-based structural panel with a geopolymer binder said to be up to four times stronger than traditional hempcrete.

Led by Professor Arnaud Castel from the UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT, a multi-disciplinary team of researchers have released their first publication on research creating a binder made of calcined clay and ground granulated blast-furnace slag.… Continue reading

Research proves green walls offer more than good looks

By Associate Professor Fraser Torpy and Dr Peter Irga

If you love that new-car smell, brace yourself. While that smell evokes feelings of fresh and new, it’s the byproduct of materials like paint, carpet and plastics leeching potentially carcinogenic compounds such as benzene into the air.  … Continue reading

With the ongoing concerns of plastic waste and pollution it is heartening to hear that Japanese researchers have recently developed innovative biodegradable plastics that decompose rapidly in marine environments.

A team, led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), in collaboration with the University of Tokyo and Eindhoven University of Technology, has created a durable plastic that fully dissolves in seawater.… Continue reading

Wang Fei is hailed as the ‘King of Sunflower Seeds’ in his hometown of Bayannur, in Northern China.

The title reflects his passion for the crunchy snack and his remarkable achievement in transforming locally grown sunflower kernels into a global commodity, with markets spanning the Republic of Korea, Egypt and Germany.… Continue reading

Strong growth in international trade fair participants

This year, IPM ESSEN confirmed its role as the world’s leading innovation platform, and powerful industry driver, when the global horticultural industry gathered recently at the Messe Essen exhibition grounds. “The spirit of optimism in the green sector is palpable,” says Oliver P.… Continue reading