Research News
News by Months
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Researchers Recognized As Top-Cited Scientists
Seventeen Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researchers are among those ranked as the world’s most-cited scientists, an indication of their impact across multiple fields of inquiry.
Conference Explores Sensory Cues Beyond Food Preference
An international conference that explores the impact of sensory cues such as lighting and aroma will be hosted by the UADA’s Sensory Science Center at the end of February. Sensory cues can affect perceptions and behaviors…
Machine Learning Maps Animal Feeding Operations to Improve Sustainability
Understanding where farm animals are raised is crucial for managing their environmental impacts and developing technological solutions, but gaps in data often make it challenging to get the full picture…
Arkansas Soil Testing Lab Sees Record Number of Samples in ‘23
The Marianna Soil Test Lab set a new record for samples tested by processing more than 220,000 last year. Cindy Herron, lab manager, said the center processed 220,032 samples
Chicken ‘Woody Breast’ Detection Improved With Advanced Machine Learning Model
It’s called “woody breast” and for consumers it can mean a chewier chicken sandwich, but for the industry it can mean up to $200 million annual yield loss. Chaitanya Pallerla with hyperspectral imaging camera and woody breast chicken meat…
LISTEN: From ChatGPT to Hay Balers: Technology and Ag Education
Don Johnson, a University Professor in the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology, joins us to discuss the intersection of agriculture, technology and education. Johnson addresses the importance of agricultural education…
Second-Gen Land-Grant Poultry Veteran Barton Takes Helm of Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
A veterinarian with deep experience in poultry science, animal welfare and disease prevention was recently named the director of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Veterinary Diagnostic Lab.
More Than Demand Driving Super Bowl Chicken Wing Price Increase This Year
The nearly 1.5 billion chicken wings fans are expected to consumer during Sunday’s Super Bowl watch parties will cost more this year, and it is more than just the demand driving the increase….
How Flooding Soybeans in Early Reproductive Stages Impacts Yield, Seed Composition
With an increasing frequency and intensity of flooding events and an eye to capitalize on a common rice production technique, soybean breeders are on a quest to develop varieties with flood tolerance at any stage in the plant’s development…
January 2025 Arkansas Ag Research Report
A monthly round-up of top stories from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. IN THIS ISSUE: What are “phantom agents” and how does their identification offer potential to improve international food security? New software package developed to help understand…
WATCH: Casey Owens – Enhancing Poultry Quality | Behind the Discovery
Casey Owens is at the forefront of improving poultry meat quality. One of her current studies is focused on marination and how certain functional ingredients could help improve meat texture. Casey’s passion for poultry began in high school through her involvement with FFA…
Behavioral Economist Aims to Bridge Information Gap Between Farmers, Consumers
Most people go to the grocery store for food. Behavioral economist Shijun Gao goes for research. Gao’s passion for learning where food comes from, how it’s produced and how consumers make choices about the foods they buy led him to pursue a career in agricultural economics…
Herbicide-Resistant Trait Patented in Conventional Grain Sorghum
Grain sorghum is widely grown in arid environments as an animal feed grain, but weedy grass control in the crop is a big challenge due to limited post-emergent herbicide options. A joint effort between the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas A&M AgriLife Research…
New Software Package Drives Deeper Understanding of Trait Evolution
Evolution is complex and difficult to study, but a new software package developed by the AAES offers researchers a better way to simulate how organisms change over time. The new software, called TraitTrainR, builds on work in the field of comparative biology to provide an efficient and effective framework…
Worthington Wins a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
A University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture horticulture professor and researcher was recently bestowed the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers…
How Do Road Salts Impact Roadside Microorganisms?
Salt is essential to keeping our roads and walkways safe when it snows. But when salt is washed off the roads, how does it impact nearby microorganisms? Water quality researcher Shannon Speir and her students have been conducting studies…
A Way Forward in Breeding Rice to Withstand High Nighttime Stress
Rice plants can deal with the heat during the day, but when the sun goes down, they need to chill out. Developing rice with tolerance to higher nighttime temperatures has become a focus for rice breeders because studies are showing nights…
LISTEN: Rice Innovation at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center
Dr. Burcham shares NERREC’s mission to help farmers achieve greater profitability and sustainability and to educate the public about the importance of rice and agriculture in Arkansas. He discusses the significance of NERREC’s location and agronomic characteristics…
Andrew Maust Wins 3-Minute Thesis Competition Breaking Down Non-Alcoholic Beer Research
Andrew Maust, a Ph.D. student in food science, recently won the University of Arkansas’s 3-Minute Thesis competition. The 3-Minute Thesis competition challenges graduate students to present a simple and compelling speech about their research…
Arkansas Clean Plant Center Leads Global Effort to Wipe ‘Phantom Agents’ from Pathogen Regulatory Lists
Wiping “phantom agents” from a list of suspected plant pathogens would improve agricultural efficiency and food security by updating regulations on international shipment of pathogen-free plant materials destined to countries where they are needed…