Science briefs

Science briefs

Image of web interface looking at Global Historical Climatology Network daily (GHCNd) data with example downloading a small region of data in southeast Minnesota. In the map, a user can define a bounding box (blue-square). Then in the application programming interface (API) call, the user can define the climate variable, the dates for which the data should be gathered and the type of aggregation that is requested. Image from Gall et al. (2024).

New tool simplifies collection, integration, and querying of agrometeorological data

April 2, 2025

Workflow of physics-informed neural networks (PINNs), proposed in a new article published in Vadose Zone Journal. The PINNs consist of two fully connected feedforward neural networks. Image by Koki Oikawa/Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

Using machine learning to estimate soil hydraulic parameters of layered profiles

February 26, 2025

Led by University of Oklahoma Ph.D. candidate Tiffany Legg, University of Oklahoma Environmental Studies capstone students conducted soil sampling in Oklahoma City's John F. Kennedy community. Collaborating with local residents, the team addressed concerns about industrial disturbances and soil contamination. Photo by Carrie Leslie.

Transforming urban soil research through community engagement

February 26, 2025

Highbush blueberries, a North American blueberry species. Photo by Mark Ehlenfeldt, USDA-ARS.

A breakthrough for blueberry breeding with near-infrared spectroscopy

February 26, 2025

Greenhouse gas sampling under dryland spring wheat using a static chamber. Photo by Upendra Sainju.

Benefits of continuous cropping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sustain crop yields

February 26, 2025

Russian wheat aphid (RWA)-resistant (upper) and RWA-susceptible (lower) wheat lines at four weeks after infestation. Photo courtesy of Xiangyang Xu.

Characterization of gene conferring resistance to U.S. Russian wheat aphid

February 26, 2025

Multinutrient nitrogen fertilizers produced in this study. Photo courtesy of Rafael Otto.

Enhanced-efficiency multinutrient nitrogen fertilizers

February 26, 2025

The nitrogen value of legume and grass cover crops to replace fertilizer to corn. Illustration by Guillermo Marcillo.

How much nitrogen can cover crops replace?

February 25, 2025

Infiltrometers deployed at an experimental site at Companhia das Lezírias, Portugal. Photo by Pedro Leite.

A cost-effective and adaptable instrument for soil infiltration measurements

February 25, 2025

Researchers used a simulation of a maize (pictured) breeding program to evaluate the efficacy of the new SimpleMating R package. Photo by Keith Weller/USDA.

A new R package for optimizing breeding crosses

February 25, 2025