A monthly round-up of top stories from the AAES. IN THIS ISSUE: The Center for Beverage Innovation dives deep into yeasts to make nonalcoholic beers. Agricultural economists examine consumer confusion from CBD oils….
Research News
News by Department
News Archives
Arkansas Clean Plant Center Leader Tzanetakis Honored as a Fellow of American Phytopathological Society
Ioannis Tzanetakis, professor of plant virology and director of the Arkansas Clean Plant Center, was recently named a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society. Tzanetakis has a dual appointment in the department of entomology and plant pathology…
WATCH: Aranyak Goswami – Putting Biological Data to Use | Behind the Discovery
Aranyak Goswami thinks computational biology has the potential to change the course of human civilization. As an assistant professor in the animal science department, he uses computational genomics and bioinformatics tools…
As a Competitive Grain for Malting, Rice May Open Door to Increase Domestic Demand
A new economics study shows the potential for an ancient process to develop new domestic demand for rice and offset declining exports. That process is malting, which has been around for millennia…
Trash Talk: As Plastic Use Soars, Researchers Examine Biodegradable Solutions
While biodegradable plastics currently account for a half percent of the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic produced annually, a growing demand for the alternative reflects consumer awareness and corporate response…
Microplastics: What’s Trapping the Emerging Threat in Our Streams?
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles found in everyday products from face wash to toothpaste, are an emerging threat to health and ecology, prompting a research team to identify what keeps them trapped in stream ecosystems…
Getting to the Root of Crop Health: Four Webinars Set To Inform Root Zone Management in Controlled-Environment Agriculture
The root zone — the area surrounding a plant’s roots — must provide the right balance of water, nutrients and oxygen for plants to thrive. An upcoming webinar series will provide controlled-environment agriculture growers…
Nonalcoholic Beer Yeasts Evaluated for Fermentation Activity, Flavor Profiles
Small organisms can have a big impact. That’s why researchers explored nearly a dozen nontraditional yeast strains to find out which ones could brew the best nonalcoholic beers for a rapidly growing market…
Pecan Scab Hours Website Lets Producers Know When It’s Time to Spray
Arkansas pecan growers have an easy-to-use online tool to help them determine when to spray a fungicide to ward off “pecan scab,” a fungal disease that degrades pecan quality. Jackie Lee, associate professor of horticulture…
Fluridone Widens Palmer Pigweed Control Options for Rice Growers, but Stick to the Label
A word of caution to rice growers: the herbicide fluridone has become a valuable tool in fighting Palmer pigweed, but it can cause injury to some rice cultivars, depending on when it is used. Registered under the trade name Brake by SePRO Corporation…
Arkansas Research Alliance Grants Support Agricultural Innovation
What if you could use a plentiful rice byproduct to make biodegradable packaging materials? Or use nanotechnology to improve a probiotic’s performance in animals? These and other cutting-edge agricultural-focused projects by faculty with the AAES.
What Foods and Drinks Are Consumed Less by Those on GLP-1 Weight-Loss Meds?
As a large proportion of people taking medications like Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss report consuming less processed foods and soda, researchers say food and beverage companies are adjusting strategies…
CBD Oils: Do You Know What’s Inside?
Since the 2018 Farm Bill effectively legalized hemp-derived cannabidiol — better known as CBD — there’s been an exponential growth in products hitting the market, but a newly published study suggests consumer understanding…
WATCH: Ashley Dowling – Tiny Creatures, Big Impact | Behind the Discovery
If Ashley Dowling hopes to accomplish one thing as an educator, it would be to rekindle the appreciation for insects your 3-year-old self once had. Ashley’s research focuses on the mite world, which includes ticks and chiggers among many others…
March 2025 Arkansas Ag Research Report
A monthly round-up of top stories from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. IN THIS ISSUE: Find out who was honored as a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. See how John Deere’s See & Spray™ worked in a three-year field trial….
Marty Matlock Earns Prestigious AAAS Fellowship
Marty Matlock, professor of biological and agricultural engineering at the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has been named a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS…
Rahman Honored with Andersons Early-in-Career Award
Mahfuzur Rahman, a food scientist and grain processing engineer with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, is this year’s recipient of the Andersons Early-in-Career Award. Rahman joined the experiment station, the research arm of the UADA…
Economists Tackle Estimating Consumer Effects Following the Loss of Billions of Birds and Eggs Lost to Avian Influenza
Fewer and more expensive eggs in 2024 put estimated $1.41 billion burden on consumers in 2024, according to study by a trio of researchers examining the impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza — HPAI — on the economy…
Training on Particle Size Analyzer set March 19 at Food Science Building
A new particle size analyzer, which is useful in many scientific disciplines, has been acquired by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture through a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
Growth Rates of Broilers Contribute to Behavior Differences, Shed Light on Welfare Impacts
As poultry companies weigh cost and efficiency with higher animal welfare standards, research comparing conventional and slow-growing broiler breeds showed that the slow-growing chickens displayed behaviors more closely…
Precision Agriculture Research Measures Effectiveness of See & Spray Technology
Like any new technology, there is a learning curve to using it correctly, and the See & Spray™ from John Deere is no exception. A three-year field trial in Arkansas soybeans showed proper use of the technology can cut post-emergence herbicide use by half and save millions of dollars in expenses.
WATCH: Derico Setyabrata – Preserving Meat, Reducing Waste | Behind the Discovery
When it comes to the color of beef in the store or refrigerator, there’s more going on than meets the eye. Animal science researcher Derico Setyabrata is looking for ways to extend the shelf life of beef products to reduce food waste and boost the bottom line…
Cold Plasma-Treated Seeds Show Potential to Protect Plants, Reduce Pesticide Use
The same substance that paints the sky with the Northern Lights also appears to enhance plant growth and insect defense, according to a new study. Food science and entomology researchers from the AAES teamed up to harness plasma…
February 2025 Arkansas Ag Research Report
A monthly round-up of top stories from the AAES. How machine learning is used in poultry processing and ecology. Soybean research on impacts of flooding. Agricultural is evolving to include AI and microcontrollers. New director of Veterinary Diagnostics Lab. The Experiment Station’s top-cited scientists..
New Cotton Grading Score App Aims to Improve Yield Stability
Fred Bourland has another score to settle with cotton, and this time it’s coming with a technical punch. The professor of plant breeding and genetics for the AAES is working on his third cotton grading score to help cotton breeders in their unceasing…