January 2021 - CID Bio-Science

Hemispherical Photography to Estimate Leaf Area Index in Cotton

Non-destructive hemispherical photography provides a rapid and efficient means of collecting information on several eco-physiological features of plants. Scientists are eager to expand the use of this method to estimate the Leaf Area Index in annual crops. Testing the technique provides answers, but it also raises fresh challenges. A reliable standard tool, such as the CI-110… Continue reading…

Minirhizotron as a Tool to Measure Root Turnover

Fine root turnover is important for the nutrient acquisition of trees and in nutrient cycling for the entire ecosystem. Hence, it is important to understand how elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are influencing root turnover in high altitude forests. Special tools, suited to non-destructive and repeated data collection, are crucial to the success of… Continue reading…

INTERVIEW: Hops in the Heat – Root Imaging and Research on Hops at University of Florida

Plant Physiologist Shinsuke Agehara (University of Florida) sits down with Application Scientist Eric Munoz (CID Bio-Science) to talk about root imaging and growing hops in the subtropics. TRANSCRIPT: Eric: Hi, my name is Eric Munoz. I’m an application scientist here at Felix Instruments, CID Bioscience. Shinsuke: Hi, my name is Shinsuke Agehara. I’m a plant… Continue reading…

Measuring How Microclimate Affects Turmeric Yield

Turmeric is integrated as an under-canopy cash crop in agroforestry, as it is considered to be tolerant to light shade. The microclimate created by canopy trees differs, so it is important to find which species creates the optimum growing conditions for turmeric. Finding out the amount of light that is transmitted to the under-canopy is… Continue reading…

Photo Friday: Leaf Area in the Alps

The first Photo Friday of the year has arrived! Here’s to a groundbreaking 2021! About the photos: In conjunction with the LECA, PhyloAlps Project and Swiss Federal Research Institute (WSL), Louise Boulangeat measures functional traits throughout the Alps to model ecosystem functioning in order to better understand the link between human activities, biodiversity, and climate… Continue reading…

Cassava Cultivation and the Photosynthesis Process in Drought

To meet the needs of a growing population, society faces the challenge of increasing crop production with reduced resources. This challenge is further complicated by increasingly extreme weather conditions induced by climate change. Even crops such as cassava that are adapted to drought have recorded decreases in yield. In Latin America, a group of scientists… Continue reading…