Yellow rust, also known as stripe rust, is caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and is one of the most dangerous diseases in wheat cultivation. Around 88% of global bread wheat production is potentially affected by the pathogen. An international research team led by the University of Zurich (UZH) has now identified two genome segments in Asian wheat varieties that give the plants natural resistance to the disease.

Droughts and other consequences of climate change are putting a strain on agriculture. This is why the cultivation method of agroforestry - already long established in the tropics and subtropics - is increasingly being used in European agricultural systems. This is because the integration of trees and shrubs with arable farming and livestock farming on the same land promotes biodiversity and protects against climate risks.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are no longer only installed on roofs, but also on farmland and grassland. A growing variant of this is agrivoltaics - the generation of solar power on agricultural land: solar panels between fruit trees, vines or cows. The study published in the journal Land Use Policy now shows that agrivoltaics are better accepted by the population than normal ground-mounted solar systems. This result is based on an online survey of almost 2,000 people from Germany.

The facade walls of buildings are usually made of metal, concrete or wood. They protect, but hardly interact with their surroundings. However, they could take on an important function in the future - if their utilisation is adapted. For example, through microorganisms that not only protect the materials from weathering, but also store CO₂ and filter pollutants from the air.

Every year, pests and pathogens cause 17-30% crop losses worldwide. At the same time, the use of chemical pesticides favours the development of resistance, contributes to the decline in biodiversity and contaminates the soil.

The way in which fields are cultivated and food is produced has a lasting impact on the environment and climate. Around a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and soil degradation are caused by global agricultural and food systems. The Leibniz research network ‘Green Food - Healthy Society’ is now providing a new systemic approach to tackling these challenges.

The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a well-known model organism, especially in molecular biology. Here, the unicellular organism is used to research photosynthesis in living cells, metabolism and protein transport. The alga is also becoming increasingly important as a biofactory for the production of hydrogen. However, the cultivation of C. Chlamydomonas in the laboratory has its pitfalls.

Oil spills occur time and again in the world's oceans with serious consequences for the entire ecosystem. But here, too, nature has microbial helpers at the ready that can contain the spread of the oil slick and thus the environmental pollution. These are marine bacteria that feed on crude oil. A research team led by the University of Bonn has now taken a closer look at such a marine bacterium. RWTH Aachen University, HHU Düsseldorf and the Jülich Research Centre were involved in the study.