Wageningen University & Research

Comparative assessment of two evapotranspiration models from earth observation data in arid agricultural regions

Abstract Accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) and its components is crucial for sustainable water management in agriculture, particularly in semi-arid regions. This study presents the first direct comparison of ET products from WaPOR version 3.0 Level 3 (WaPORv3), which...

Potential of Dairy Coproducts in Wood Modification: Dimensional Stability and Mechanical Properties

Abstract Chemical modification of wood using citric acid and polyols is a promising biosourced route to improve dimensional stability. However, conventional polyols can be costly and are derived from food-grade resources. Dairy coproducts such as whey and whey ultrafiltration per...

Timing Matters: Optimising the Early Blight Spraying Strategy in Potatoes in the Netherlands

Abstract Potato early blight is a fungal disease in potato, caused by the fungus Alternaria solani . We analysed 25 experiments (2009–2023) in different locations with different cultivars to assess effects of the disease on yield, disease progression curves and effects of fungici...

Deciphering the genomic signatures of climate vulnerability across 77 sheep breeds

Abstract Among domesticated species, sheep ( Ovis aries ) have achieved a wide geographic distribution due to their mobility, rusticity and ability to adapt to diverse environments and climatic conditions. Here, we characterise the genome-wide diversity of >1,000 sheep representi...

Rethinking Premium Subsidies for Agricultural Insurance. Quantitative evidence from 146 index insurance schemes worldwide

While subsidization of index insurance is a common measure to promote financial risk management in agriculture, this form of policy support is highly controversial. Critics fear, among others, potential market distortions and heavy strains on public budgets, and point out alterna...

Functional variation in butterfly egg pore traits: The potential role of climate

Abstract Immobile eggs of terrestrial animals are exposed to variable environmental conditions. Insect egg pores, critical for gas exchange (aeropyles) and fertilisation (micropyles), are ecologically important yet understudied. While aeropyles likely adapt to climatic respirator...

Intermolecular Carbon–Carbon Naphthalene Coupling Involves a Radical Mechanism Driven by Cytochrome P450 in Alternaria alternata

ABSTRACT Dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN) derivatives are precursors of biologically important molecules, including melanin and perylenequinones (PQs). Biosynthesis of DHN‐derived metabolites requires precise spatial control of radical reactions to form specific C─C or C─O─C bonds. Inv...

The state of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the cloud physics community

The Geosciences are amongst the least diverse research fields, where women and other underrepresented groups face systemic biases. This paper presents the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the cloud-physics community, by combining a metadata analysis of 6987 clou...

Multispecies Justice Through Interspecies Deliberation

In this paper, we argue that multispecies justice should be able to integrate diverse ontologies, especially relational ontologies that emphasize relationships between human and more-than-human beings. After reviewing three existing accounts, we develop an approach to interspecie...

Structuring Potential of Brown Rice Protein for Meat Analogue

ABSTRACT Brown rice protein (BRP) is a lesser‐used plant‐based ingredient derived from the grains of rice. However, it holds potential for diversifying protein sources for food products such as infant foods and bakeries as nutritious plant‐based sources. This study investigates t...

Pervasive sublethal impacts of heat exposure revealed by telomere dynamics

Predicting species responses to anthropogenic environmental change remains one of the most pressing and complex challenges in contemporary biology. While mass mortality events and localized extinctions have been linked to global warming, the more elusive and probably common, effe...

Designing resilient foods: The role of food technology in a changing ingredient landscape

Food technology integrates knowledge from chemistry, biology, microbiology, engineering and nutrition to improve the food supply chain, from production to consumption. Its origins lie in preservation techniques such as canning and pasteurization, which shaped modern food safety....

Rapid increase of climate extremes reveals new areas of concern in Amazonia

Abstract Amazonia is highly sensitive to climate extremes, yet we lack an Amazon-wide assessment that examines the spatial-temporal changes in these extreme conditions. We address this within seasons and across the hydrological year, using a quantiles approach that integrates the...

Ribosome stalling position, spacing, and A-site occupancy impact translation and cotranslational mRNA decay in plants

Abstract Rate limitation in translational elongation causes ribosomes to pause as they decode an open reading frame (ORF). The triggers and outcomes of these events are poorly understood in plants. Here, we size, map, and quantify footprints of individual (monosome) and closely s...

Machine learning-based emission rate estimates of global methane super-emissions

Abstract. Methane, the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas, has a global warming potential more than 80 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Given its decadal atmospheric lifetime, reducing anthropogenic methane emissions is critical for limiting nea...

Business Strategy and Corporate Waste Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Board Gender Diversity

ABSTRACT Firm‐level drivers of corporate waste remain underresearched relative to other sustainability topics, such as carbon emissions and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure. Moreover, the role of female directors on corporate boards in this realm is also und...

Invited perspectives: Towards usable compound event research

Abstract. Supporting stakeholders with science-based decision-making to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts is a central mandate of the climate research community. In particular, mapping out scenario-dependent climate risk landscapes is one of the most pressing challenge...

Biological stability shapes habitat-specific microbial community dynamics from treatment to distribution in non-chlorinated drinking water distribution systems

Maintaining biological stability is essential for high microbiological water quality in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS). Although treatment without residual disinfectant removes biodegradable organic matter to limit microbial regrowth, it remains unclear how improved b...

Plurality in transformative change: Three co‐created pathways toward nature‐positive Europe(s)

1.The accelerating decline of biodiversity necessitates transformative change to protect nature and society, requiring innovative actions and governance strategies. This paper focuses on developing diverse transformative pathways for biodiversity in Europe and advancing methodolo...

Can small reductions in Rubisco content improve nitrogen use in wheat without negatively impacting biomass or grain yield?

In this study, the level of Rubisco protein was reduced in wheat using RNAi, to test the hypothesis that photosynthesis, growth, and grain yield could be maintained whilst improving nitrogen use efficiency. The RNAi Rubisco wheat plants, with a Rubisco activity of less than 70% o...