2011

24 Nov 2011	Malaria in Suriname almost eliminated
	Malaria is almost under control in Suriname. According to an impact study conducted by Hélène Hiwat - van Laar, who was awarded a PhD on the subject on 21 November at Wageningen University, part of... more
23 Nov 2011	Growth set to be a challenge for Dutch agricultural sector
	Between now and 2025, agricultural production in the Netherlands will be confronted by environmental limits, particularly with regard to the disposal of manure. Nevertheless, the prospects for this... more
22 Nov 2011	LEI publishes overview of RURAGRI research
	LEI has published an overview of the research programmes carried out by the RURAGRI consortium. This is the first overview of research programmes in twenty countries, focusing on the relationships... more
	Model dairy farm is part of Memorandum of Understanding
	The Dutch and Russian dairy industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding during Prime Minister Rutte’s visit to Russia. Part of this MoU involves establishing a model dairy farm for 650 dairy cows... more
	Why can’t Africa produce more food?
	To deepen our understanding of the food security problem in Sub-Saharan Africa, a multidisciplinary team from Wageningen UR has mapped both biophysical and socio-economic conditions. In addition to... more
	Food security in Sudan
	Sudan is now focusing on recovery, reconstruction and rapid development after the end of civil war in 2007. The Ministry of Agriculture in Sudan invited Wageningen UR to execute a prefeasibility... more
	A nitrogen map for Europe
	Adaptation to climate change requires effective environmental monitoring. The European Union finances the project Geoland 2, which is aimed at providing harmonised geo-information at global to local... more
	Food security and maintaining biodiversity are not mutually exclusive
	The world can produce enough food and protect biodiversity, even if farm production continues to increase at the same rate. This can be done if three key measures are implemented. The measures are:... more
	Saudi Arabia to set up its own Agricultural Information Centre
	LEI, part of Wageningen UR, and IT company Al Elm are building a business information network for agriculture and horticulture in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government realises that, in order to pursue... more
18 Nov 2011	Triple Win: A relevant and practical concept for policymakers
	Triple Win contributes to security of food supply, climate change adaptation and mitigation goals and is therefore an important concept in the stimulation of agricultural development. The Triple Win... more
16 Nov 2011	M&E in French speaking African countries
	“Compared to Anglophone African countries, their Francophone neighbouring countries are lacking behind when it comes to the area of monitoring”. This was stated by Pr. Dieudonné Ouédraogo, former... more
15 Nov 2011	Parasitoid larvae in caterpillars affect behaviour of moths
	Parasitoid larvae that feed within caterpillars that eat cabbage plants influence the plant via the caterpillar, making the cabbage plant an unattractive prospect for moths looking for a spot to lay... more
14 Nov 2011	Aquaculture helps solve the problem of world food demand
	Africa’s population is growing and needs to be fed. But the yield of fish from seas, rivers and lakes is falling. Skills and knowledge can be exported from the Netherlands to build a productive... more
11 Nov 2011	Facilitating Participatory Wetland Management Planning in Shanghai
	“The International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management, a course focusing on the facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes and curriculum development, a training endorsed by the Ramsar... more
8 Nov 2011	Wageningen University appoints Professor of Behavioural Ecology
	Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, has appointed Dr. Marc Naguib as Professor of Behavioural Ecology as of 1 December. This is a new chair. Dr. Naguib currently works at the Netherlands... more
	Bread with 50% less salt is just as appetising
	People are just as willing to eat bread containing half the amount of salt as regular bread, according to a study published in the scientific periodical Journal of Nutrition. The study was carried... more
	Wageningen expert to address European Parliament
	Today the European Parliament discusses about drought issues in Europe. A few top researchers are invited to give their expert opinion about the issue in this meeting called 'Europe facing water... more
	Princess Máxima to open European branch of world-wide Sustainability Consortium
	Tuesday 8 November was the official launch of the European branch of The Sustainability Consortium (TSC). HRH Princess Máxima of the Netherlands took care of the official part of the opening... more
7 Nov 2011	MRSA thrives even without antibiotics
	The MRSA bacterium, which is resistant to antibiotics, has spread rapidly in the past few years on pig farms. Extensive use of antibiotics is thought to help it spread, but reducing the use of... more
	Calculating fussiness
	How fussy is a plant? A new measurement method developed by Alterra, part of Wageningen UR, gives the answer in a simple number. Some plants are not so choosy; they grow pretty much everywhere. Take... more
	Diversity of cabbage species explained
	The cabbage family is well-represented in the vegetable section of the supermarket. The cauliflower, red cabbage and broccoli found there were all bred from the cabbage species Brassica oleraciea.... more
	Wind energy lessens under heat wave conditions
	During the summer 2003, high temperatures and drought conditions in Europe led to a reduction of the wind force with direct consequences on the wind energy power, reduced by 22%. The study was... more
	Effective arguments for the protection of biodiversity are needed
	BESAFE - an EU-funded, Framework program 7 (FP7) project investigating how much importance people attribute to alternative arguments for the protection of biodiversity is officially launched on 7th... more
5 Nov 2011	Trust and New Modes of Fisheries Governance
	On 4 November, at Wageningen University, Birgit de Vos successfully defended her thesis Trust and New Modes of Fisheries Governance. It is a commonplace today that many of the world’s commercial... more
3 Nov 2011	Collaboration between Wageningen UR and Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology
	The collaboration between Wageningen UR and the Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) in Bangladesh has successfully started. On 19th and 20th October the inception workshop for a... more
	New research project on the environmental and socio-economic role of European forests
	On the 1st of November, the INTEGRAL project (Future-oriented integrated management of European forest landscapes), funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union, has started.... more
	Science into Action: Wageningen Statement on Climate-Smart Agriculture
	Last week, as the world population reached a staggering 7 billion people, leading scientists from 38 countries gathered in Ede/Wageningen to identify science based solutions and research priorities... more
2 Nov 2011	Launch of innovative research into malaria control without insecticide
	With a new, poison-free approach to malaria control, researchers in the Solarmal project have expressed not only the hope to eliminate malaria in Africa at local level, but also to provide the local... more
1 Nov 2011	Restrictions on grain exports increase risk of famine in Africa
	If in response to disappointing wheat harvests countries announce an export ban, African countries such as Tanzania could be hit particularly hard, as such bans actually push international wheat... more
	Closer collaboration between UC Davis and Wageningen UR
	The excellent relationship between Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) was strengthened with the signing of a formal cooperation agreement... more
28 Oct 2011	Research leads to improved bioplastic films
	Packaging extends the life of food products. It also generates extra waste. Researchers at Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research are working with the branch organization NRK, affiliated companies... more
25 Oct 2011	Model dairy farm is part of MoU
	The Dutch and Russian dairy industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding during Prime Minister Rutte’s visit to Russia. Part of this MoU involves establishing a model dairy farm for 650 dairy cows... more
21 Oct 2011	Wageningen UR starts forensic research project
	Wageningen University and RIKILT – Institute of Food Safety (both part of Wageningen UR) are initiating a new national forensic research project. It is one of nine research proposals that have been... more
18 Oct 2011	Wageningen University appoints Professor of Ethics in Life Sciences
	Professor Bart Gremmen has been appointed Professor by special appointment of Ethics in Life Sciences at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR. The chair is a joint initiative of the Animal... more
17 Oct 2011	CALL FOR PAPERS: MOPAN Conference 2012
	MOPAN 2012 Call for Papers The MOPAN conference series focusses on partnerships, alliances and networks... more
	Nutri-Pulse e-Cooker winner of the Food Valley Award
	The winner of the Food Valley Award 2011 is Nutri-Pulse e-Cooker, developed in association with Food & Biobased Research. It is an innovative product that uses Pulsed Electric Field technology to... more
14 Oct 2011	Climatic Tipping Points for Tropical Forest and Savanna
	Satellite data reveal where tropical forest and savanna are most vulnerable Tropical tree cover will jump sharply between a forested state and savanna or treeless conditions rather than respond... more
13 Oct 2011	Shrubs slow permafrost thaw
	Tundra shrubs can obstruct permafrost thaw caused by climate change. Daan Blok draws this surprising conclusion in his thesis Shrubs in the cold, for which he received his PhD at Wageningen... more
	Tomato experiment with limited CO2 is initiating debate
	It seems that a tomato crop can do with less CO2 than the current CO2 dose levels applied in greenhouses. This is the result of research carried out by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture together... more
12 Oct 2011	Manure fermentation has potential as sustainable source of energy
	Manure fermentation is a development within the agricultural and other sectors which offers a great deal of potential and addresses the desire for the availability of locally produced, renewable... more
6 Oct 2011	Wageningen University appoints Professor of Numerical Genetics and Genomics
	Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, has appointed Dr Roel Veerkamp as Professor by special appointment in Numerical Genetics and Genomics as from 1 October. This new chair is part of the... more
5 Oct 2011	Good pollution management is a matter of making the right choices
	Managing the pollution of our environment is a highly complex matter and full of fundamental dilemmas. To make the right choices, science and society need each other to address questions such as... more
	Water is the world’s most valuable asset
	Global food security depends on the availability of fresh water. Countless new developments increase the demand for water or prevent enough water getting to the right place at the right time.... more
3 Oct 2011	Premature leaf drop in Golden Delicious apple trees can now be prevented
	Research at Applied Plant Research (PPO), part of Wageningen UR, has succeeded in preventing large-scale premature leaf drop in Golden Delicious trees. In the tests performed in Randwijk, the... more
27 Sep 2011	EAAE organised session 'Non-tariff measures: new data and new findings'
	At the congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE) in Zurich, LEI, part of Wageningen UR, organised a session 'Non-tariff measures: new data and new findings'. The session... more
26 Sep 2011	New EU-South America research on Amazon die-back, climate and deforestation starts in October
	Deforestation in the Amazon has been decreasing over the last 6 years, but it appears that the downward trend may have stopped, this year. Apart from deforestation, the Amazon rainforests are also... more
	A spatial assessment of ecosystem services in Europe: Methods, case studies and policy analysis - phase I
	Present data on ecosystem services are strongly biased towards provisioning services such as food and timber production, while spatial information of so called regulating and cultural ecosystem... more
	Succesful course Local Economic Development
	In close collaboration with Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, Wageninegn UR Centre for Development Innovation just ran the first edition of the regional course on Local Economic... more
22 Sep 2011	Book publication: Exploring the Visual Landscape
	The book 'Exploring the Visual Landscape. Advances in Physiognomic Landscape Research in the Netherlands' was recently published by IOS Press. The book is an initiative of Delft University of... more
21 Sep 2011	Producing the bulk chemicals styrene and acrylic acid from plant materials
	Researchers from four companies – BASF, GreenICT, Synbra and DSM – are working together with Wageningen University and the research institute Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research to develop... more
20 Sep 2011	United Kingdom role model in sustainable meat and eggs
	In the United Kingdom, the so-called intermediate segment in meat and eggs is more popular among consumers than it is in the Netherlands. The intermediate segment refers to products which, although... more
	Predicting the effect of light on tomato with a 3D model
	Diffuse glass and led lighting receive a lot of attention in horticulture. These techniques are expected to contribute to a higher crop production per unit of energy used. New model calculations... more
16 Sep 2011	Microalgae: green gold of the future?
	Publication in the ‘Groene Grondstoffen’ (Green raw materials) seriesThe cultivation of microalgae can play an important role in sustainable production of raw materials for biodiesel. In addition,... more
	International innovation needed for more efficient nitrogen management
	Nitrogen is essential to life. Its use in chemical fertilisers has had enormous benefits: feeding the ever-increasing world population would be an impossible task without chemical nitrogen... more
15 Sep 2011	Sustainable meat plan is not concrete enough
	On 2 September, the Van Doorn commission presented its vision for a fully sustainable livestock sector by 2020. The plan received the support of livestock farmers, politicians and supermarkets.... more
	Stop injecting
	A drastic reduction is needed in the use of antibiotics in livestock farming if the spread of drug-resistant bacteria in the healthcare system is to be halted, say experts. How urgent is the problem... more
	Greening of EU agricultural subsidies will slow down decline of farmland biodiversity
	Greening’ the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as proposed by the EC, will slow down the decline in farmland biodiversity, most notably in intensive farming areas. Extensively farmed areas are... more
14 Sep 2011	National PHD thesis award for Wageningen researcher in business administration and management
	On Thursday September 8th , the NOBEM-thesis of the year award was presented at the PREBEM conferences in Rotterdam NOBEM to Maarten Batterink. Maarten Batterink did his PhD at the Department of... more
13 Sep 2011	KeyGene and Wageningen UR launch new DNA sequencing facility
	KeyGene and Wageningen UR launch new R&D facility for next generation high throughput DNA sequencing Today Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) and KeyGene announce the start of a joint DNA... more
	KeyGene and Wageningen UR launch new DNA sequencing facility
	KeyGene and Wageningen UR launch new R&D facility for next generation high throughput DNA sequencing Today Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) and KeyGene announce the start of a joint DNA... more
12 Sep 2011	The cost of better water quality
	The EU Water Framework Directive requires significant improvements to the quality of water in the Netherlands. Since these improvements will be very costly, the problem is how to achieve them in the... more
9 Sep 2011	Wageningen vision: National screening of animal experiments?
	The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals has proposed that a national ethical committee should be set up to screen applications for animal experiments. The committee would include animal... more
	Remote sensing, science for all
	Remote sensing, observing the earth from an airborne or spaceborne platform, is the basis for monitoring and understanding the world. It therefore offers huge opportunities for developing scientific... more
	Bees are good informers
	Honey-bees can do far more than simply pollinate plants or make honey. The busy creatures also make excellent environmental monitors. This has been demonstrated by Wageningen UR bee researcher Sjef... more
8 Sep 2011	New Wageningen greenhouse gives high yields in the Tropics
	It is possible to build greenhouses with relatively simple means in tropical lowlands regions in which crops can be protected against winds and pests, and can be grown at practically the same... more
	LEI reviews European opportunities for Serbian agriculture
	The Dutch government has announced that the Netherlands is to work more intensively with Serbia’s agricultural sector. LEI, part of Wageningen UR, is making a contribution by reviewing the extent to... more
7 Sep 2011	Substantial decline in the livestock farming sector’s use of antibiotics
	Total sales of antibiotics for Dutch veterinary use have declined by 23% in the past three years to 455 tonnes in 2010. A review of a group of holdings also revealed a marked decline in the use of... more
6 Sep 2011	CTA and Wageningen UR agree to boost partnership
	On Wednesday 31 August, 2011, CTA and Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the long-standing collaboration between the two... more
	Resource to be also published in English in future
	Resource, the fortnightly magazine for employees and students at Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) will be published in an English edition alongside the existing Dutch edition with effect... more
	Potential control of blackleg and wet rot in seed potatoes and flower bulbs discovered
	The bacterial diseases blackleg and wet rot represent a major challenge to growers of seed potatoes and flower bulbs. They cause substantial economic damage worldwide, including tens of millions of... more
	Review of the effects of European rural policy can be simplified
	Every year, Brussels grants substantial funds to the various European regions for the Rural Development Programme. The European Commission reviews the effects of this policy with a method designed in... more
	Inspiring lectures and lively discussions at Artificial Economics conference
	Forty scientists participated on 1 and 2 September 2011 in the Artificial Economics 2011 symposium at LEI, part of Wageningen UR. Artificial Economics is an annual symposium on the application of... more
5 Sep 2011	Three EAAP awards for researchers ASG
	At the annual European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) convention, three ASG (part of Wageningen UR) researchers were awarded prizes for best scientific poster or best presentation. The EAAP is... more
2 Sep 2011	Advanced research equipment available for multiple users
	The Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I) Mr Maxime Verhagen will officially open the Centre for Advanced Technology in the Agro and Food sector (CAT-AgroFood) on Monday 5... more
1 Sep 2011	Mosselwad recovery project
	Studying life in and around mussel beds is difficult as they are so hard to reach - but they can be watched. Imares Texel, part of Wageningen UR, will be doing just that as of this week, using three... more
31 Aug 2011	Collaboration between food sciences and the business community yields concrete results
	Nutrition, health and eating behaviour is one of the main research domains of Wageningen UR (University & Research centre). The recently published book ‘Food, Nutrition & Behaviour - Research for... more
29 Aug 2011	Consumer acceptance of new food products
	LEI, part of Wageningen UR, is coordinating an EU FP7 project proposal ‘Strategies for improving communication between social and consumer scientists, food technology developers and consumers’... more
26 Aug 2011	Training course in Interactive Strategic Management in Eastern Europe shows promise
	LEI’s training course in Interactive Strategic Management (ISM) appears to be delivering good results. Earlier this year LEI, part of Waegningen UR, held a pilot for this training with experts from... more
	Sole and plaice fisheries can become more profitable
	The Dutch flatfish fleet currently comprises too many ships to be able to make a profit under current conditions. The 306 ships currently used to catch species including sole and plaice bring costs... more
23 Aug 2011	Wageningen UR develops knowledge system for Syntens
	One of the biggest challenges facing businesses, intermediary organizations and advice consultancies is separating correct, relevant information from irrelevant information; in other words, finding a... more
19 Aug 2011	Wageningen UR European coordinator of world-wide sustainability consortium
	Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) is to coordinate the activities of the globally-operating Sustainability Consortium in Europe. In order to do so, it will be setting up the European... more
16 Aug 2011	Breeding horses without joint problems
	Many horses used in show jumping and dressage suffer from joint problems. Wageningen UR research shows that selection using offspring and DNA information from stallions can lead to a substantial... more
	Nuts go furthest with the early bird
	Toucans in the tropics disperse nutmegs the furthest in the morning, according to research by Wageningen UR ecologist Patrick Jansen. Imagine that you are a wild nutmeg tree in South America and you... more
	High-quality climate research in the Netherlands guaranteed by ICOS-nl
	At Thursday August 18th 2011, eight knowledge institutes in The Netherlands launch their climate research partnership in the form of ICOS-nl. The launch will take place at the KNMI measurement mast... more
10 Aug 2011	Many species are needed to maintain ecosystem services
	Species are less redundant than previously thought for providing ecosystem services, reports this week’s Nature. Scientists from universities throughout North America and Europe, including Wageningen... more
8 Aug 2011	Wind farm in North Sea has positive net impact on fauna
	A North-Sea wind farm has hardly any negative effects on fauna. At most, a few bird species will avoid such a wind farm. It turns out that a wind farm also provides a new natural habitat for... more
	One-and-a-half million euros for stem cell research in plants
	The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded dr. Dolf Weijers, Associate Professor in the Biochemistry Laboratory at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, a so-called Starting Grant worth... more
5 Aug 2011	Culling more effective than vaccinating
	In economic and epidemiological terms, the practice of culling on farms within a radius of 1 to 3 km of infected farms is the best method of combating Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).... more
	European countries measure water quality in different ways
	European Union member states are obliged to monitor the water quality and the effects of their manure policy on that quality, and to report on these aspects to the European Commission. It appears... more
	LEI helping to set up Turkish Farm Accountancy Data Network
	LEI, part of Waegningen UR, is working together with parties in Turkey to set up a Turkish FADN, a data network for agricultural and horticultural businesses. In due course, this should make it... more
2 Aug 2011	British approach to organising plans for Natura 2000 area example to the Netherlands
	Why is it that plans for organising a stretch of the British coast at Thanet for Natura 2000 have been implemented successfully, while in the Weerribben-Wieden area of Overijssel, Netherlands,... more
27 Jul 2011	Wageningen University to welcome exchange students from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
	Wageningen University is taking part in a major student exchange programme between Europe and Central Asia. The initiative, 'CASIA' is an Erasmus Mundus partnership aimed at establishing a... more
21 Jul 2011	Meeting on global food research in Wageningen
	Heads of six leading universities and research organisations in food and agriculture from all over the world met in Wageningen, the Netherlands, on 14 and 15 July to discuss a cooperative effort on... more
20 Jul 2011	Food4You Festival in and around Wageningen features Good Food, Better Mood
	Food that makes you happy, intelligent or depressed. Is that possible? The theme of the 5th Food4You Knowledge Festival in Wageningen, Ede and Barneveld is Good Food, Better Mood and will focus on... more
	More efficient agrologistics in Europe good for the Netherlands too
	With a twenty per cent reduction in the number of kilometres driven by lorries, we can still transport the same amount of agri-food products, according to Arjen Simons, a researcher at Wageningen UR... more
19 Jul 2011	Bedded pack barn forms interesting alternative to traditional cubicle-based housing
	What do cows, dairy farmers and society want? This question formed the background to the study carried out by Wageningen UR Livestock Research into alternatives to the traditional cubicle-based... more
12 Jul 2011	Seaweed cultivation: sustainable farming at sea
	Seaweed cultivation could solve the looming global food crisis, says a group of Wageningen researchers. Seaweed is chockfull of high quality protein and grows amazingly fast. Wageningen's first... more
8 Jul 2011	Quality labels restrict access for food from developing countries
	The requirements supermarkets impose on farmers and market gardeners in terms of food safety, sustainability and quality restrict access to Europe for food from developing countries. That is because... more
	Unravelling the potato genome paves the way for new varieties
	The potato, number three on the list of the world’s most popular food, has been genetically unravelled. On the initiative of the Plant Breeding department at Wageningen UR (University & Research... more
7 Jul 2011	Wageningen University one of three winners Thought for food
	Student teams from Wageningen University together with teams from Imperial University and Reading University have been selected as winners of the pan-European Thought for Food student challenge on... more
	Dairy bull sequencing - Sequencing of genomes from Sunny Boy and Kian
	Deep genome sequencing is an upcoming technique with several potential applications. DNA from the Dutch dairy bulls Sunny Boy and Kian have been sequenced on a Hi-Seq2000 machine. Wageningen UR's... more
	Animal Breeding & Genomics Newsletter
	Edition no. 20 of the Animal Breeding & Genomics Newsletter (English edition) is out. The newsletter is published by the Animal Breeding & Genomics Centre. In the Animal Breeding & Genomics Centre,... more
5 Jul 2011	Dealing with cultural differences in trade networks
	It is possible to take cultural differences into account when analysing business practices. This is the subject of LEI, part of Wageningen UR, researcher Tim Verwaart’s thesis, Agent-Based Modeling... more
	Agriculture and horticulture recovering from the crisis better than other sectors
	As a result of the high prices for agricultural products, incomes are increasing in agriculture and horticulture. Export is growing, but a manure surplus is once again looming. Interest in animal... more
	High food prices because of scarce supply
	The recent high food prices are the result of failed harvests. Export prices from some countries have also contributed to the increase, as have the weak dollar and the high oil price. The increasing... more
4 Jul 2011	Surface layer effectively kills malaria mosquitoes in rice paddies
	A thin, liquid layer applied on the surface of inundated rice paddies effectively kills malaria mosquito larvae without having an impact on other aquatic life. Rice yield remains the same and water... more
30 Jun 2011	Export opportunities to customs union depend sharply on non-tariff trade terms
	The customs union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan may lead to more competition for Dutch exporters to these countries as a result of more restrictive import rules at the common border and... more
29 Jun 2011	Global plant database set to promote biodiversity research and Earth-system sciences
	The world’s largest database on plants’ functional properties, or traits, has been published. Scientists compiled three million traits for 69,000 out of the world's ~300,000 plant species. The... more
	Intake of the right fatty acids can help to prevent heart attacks
	There is much confusion at present about the importance of fatty acids in preventing heart attacks. Recent studies have questioned the need to reduce the intake of saturated fatty acids in the diet... more
28 Jun 2011	Indicators for agricultural policy: from ‘nice to know’ to ‘need to know’
	Every government institution has a need for indicators to show whether its policies are effective. The cost of collecting and processing the required information is substantial. It is not always... more
	Biobased-economy in Malaysia
	As a consequence of depleting natural resources (in particular fossil fuels), competing claims on land and rising food prices caused by an increasing demand for biofuels, countries are increasingly... more
27 Jun 2011	Flood Resilience in the Bangladeshi and Dutch Deltas
	Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, has been awarded a NWO WOTRO Integrated Programme Grant to conduct research on flood resilience and flood risk management in Bangladesh and the... more
24 Jun 2011	New book about Value Chains
	Lead firms, development organisations, donors and governments view value chains and voluntary standards as vital instruments for achieving millennium development goals through trade and... more
	Study of interaction between mouth movements and perceptions
	Anyone who takes a mouthful of food notices straightaway how solid or liquid it is. If the teeth and tongue then go to work on this mouthful, you will notice attributes such as whether the food is... more
23 Jun 2011	More money does not lead to better governance
	Good governance is a condition of economic progress in developing countries. But when people in a corrupt country start earning more money, the result is not development but more corruption. These... more
	Researchers clarify bacterial resistance
	Just like plants and animals, bacteria have a range of defence mechanisms against viruses and other threats. Researchers at the Wageningen Laboratory for Microbiology and their American and Russian... more
22 Jun 2011	Forestry calculations in the Amazon region
	The Brazilian parliament recently approved the relaxation of a piece of legislation regulating tree felling in the Amazon region; the so-called Forest Code. Under this legislation, farmers are... more
17 Jun 2011	Students illuminate bacteria communication
	Wageningen UR students are entering the iGEM biotech competition for the first time, with an attempt to illuminate communication between cells.Cells are in continuous contact with each other, and... more
	Designing the best greenhouse
	A tomato greenhouse which is profitable in the Netherlands can be too high-tech for Spain. Bram Vanthoor has developed a model for designing the best greenhouse for a certain region. Spanish market... more
	Scientists wrong to criticize alternative rice growing method
	Bigger harvests using an alternative cultivation method without high-tech. A method developed by a priest in Madagascar. Scientists turn their backs on it, but the African method is reliable and... more
	Joint learning in and about Innovation Systems in African Agriculture (JOLISAA)
	JOLISAA aims to assess and learn from past and ongoing experiences in three countries in Africa (Benin, Kenya and South Africa) with multi-stakeholder approaches to agricultural innovation... more
16 Jun 2011	Launch of research programme on sustainable energy production
	BioSolar CellsLaunch of research programme on sustainable energy productionThe large-scale BioSolar Cells research programme in the Netherlands officially begins with the opening symposium ‘Solar... more
	New algae research centre for renewable energy and materials
	AlgaePARCOn 17 June, with the opening of AlgaePARC and the launch of the BioSolar Cells research project, a new research facility at Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) starts exploring on a... more
	Complex communities of micro-organisms are charted
	Inauguration prof. Hauke Smidt.‘Till death us do part’ – This is not only a wedding promise, it also describes our relationship with the incredible diversity of micro-organisms inside and around us,... more
	New method for designing better greenhouses
	PhD student Bram Vanthoor of Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has developed a mathematical method for designing greenhouses that are better adapted to local conditions. The method has been... more
	Using an innovation strategy to structurally change the Dutch recreation business
	The recreation industry in the Netherlands suffer from low returns on investment, a low innovation rate and a heavy regulatory burden. A particular problem is that the industry is seen as a threat to... more
14 Jun 2011	Probiotic drinks help against allergies
	Probiotic drinks such as Yakult and Vivit can alleviate the symptoms of pollen allergies, says Wageningen UR PhD scholar Yvonne Vissers. They do this by diminishing the amounts of certain proteins... more
	Is the Amazon rain forest nearing its end?
	While Brazil has relaxed its laws on nature, the tussle among its government, agriculture and nature lobbyists is not yet over, says Peter Zuurbier and Stephanie Ruiter of the Latin America Office of... more
	LEI contributes to Netherlands Economic Mission to India
	On June 6, Floor Brouwer contributed to the Indo-Dutch seminar ‘Innovative technologies, the key to modern food chain management’, held in New Delhi. This seminar was part of the Netherlands Economic... more
	Launch of Wageningen UR Lignin Platform
	14 June sees the launch of the Lignin Platform, in which the business world and knowledge centres are working together to heighten the value of the biomass component lignin. The platform forms a... more
10 Jun 2011	Bean sprouts likely source of EHEC
	Bean sprouts are very likely to be the source of the EHEC-outbreak in Germany, reports the Robert Koch Institute today. The warning in Germany to avoid eating cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce has been... more
8 Jun 2011	Soil suppressiveness exists and can be predicted
	Research by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has shown that soil suppressiveness in greenhouse horticulture does exist. A model for the prediction of soil suppressiveness towards root knot... more
7 Jun 2011	Wageningen UR successful in capacity development in higher education
	Since the launch of two International Education Capacity Development Programmes by the Dutch Ministry of Development Cooperation in 2002, Wageningen UR (University and Research centre) has been... more
	New DNA analysis thousand times more sensitive
	An international team of researchers has developed a new DNA technology which makes it possible to perform reliable analyses on DNA quantities that are a thousand times smaller than was previously... more
6 Jun 2011	Nanotechnology in food and agriculture barely an issue among consumers
	Consumers in the Netherlands do not really know what nanotechnology is. They are critical, but not dismissive. This is the conclusion of a team of researchers from Wageningen UR (University &... more
	Emission restriction discussed during Water Weeks
	During the Water Weeks in May some 175 growers were informed about promising solutions for restricting the emission of nutrients and plant protection products. Together with their partners,... more
1 Jun 2011	Less food in the rubbish bin
	Dutch households throw away a lot of food: approximately 40 kg per person per year. This can and must be reduced. Researchers from Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research are helping to find ways of... more
31 May 2011	Simulation and optimalisation model calculates the effects of fisheries policy
	Changes in fishery policy usually will have economic effects. Four European research institutes, including LEI, developed a simulation model that calculates these effects. What is new is that the... more
	Food security in 2050 on a global scale achievable but greatly challenging
	With today’s crops, it would be possible to feed the 2050 global population of nine billion people. But agricultural land will have to be used optimally. And this demands solid economic and... more
30 May 2011	Succesfull Master Class on Seed Technology in Wageningen
	The eighth Master Class on Seed Technology was held at the end of May at Wageningen UR. There were fifteen participants from eight countries, mainly from the seed industry, two PhD students, and a... more
	App for iPhone: How fresh is your fish?
	A new app "How fresh is your fish?" for the iPhone is a tool for determining the freshness of fish in just a few simple steps. This app (version 1) was recently launched at the European Seafood... more
27 May 2011	PhD student finds a new path to gold
	Bacteria can be used to help extract gold from pyrite. This new procedure is more sustainable than the old method. It was not unknown for gold prospectors in the Wild West to be deceived by pyrite.... more
	Fertilizer wastage costs China 52 million tons of grain
	If China could divide its available fertilizers better among its provinces, it could produce 52 million tons more grain. This would enable China to tackle its growing demand for food and animal feed... more
	Better vaccines thanks to RNA
	Vaccination can be just as effective with dead bacteria as with live ones, as long as you inject them with the RNA of live bacteria. This finding was published in Nature by a team of American,... more
	Traces of cow’s methane emissions in the milk
	Wageningen UR researchers are able to determine cows' methane emissions using the composition of fatty acids in their milk. This opens up the prospect of a method for reducing methane production by... more
25 May 2011	Flight Artists film smallest insect in flight
	The Flight Artists team from Wageningen University, the Netherlands, has been the first to make high-speed camera footage of parasitic wasps of about 1 mm wingspan. The team made films of the tiny... more
24 May 2011	Taste model tomato now also suitable for new varieties
	Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has improved the taste model for tomato. The model is now suitable for pronouncements about the taste of the latest generation of tomato varieties. A taste... more
20 May 2011	Small-scale edible oil milling operations: alternative business models for Ethiopia
	Oilseeds are Ethiopia’s second most important export product. Despite being a major producer and exporter, Ethiopia imports more than three-fourths of its domestic edible oil consumption. The... more
19 May 2011	Chair of the Executive Board of Wageningen UR appointed to Advisory Council to Malaysian Prime Minister
	Dr. Aalt Dijkhuizen (1953), Chair of the Executive Board of Wageningen UR (University & Research centre), has been appointed as a member of the International Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of... more
	Gene bank expedition to collect seeds of wild spinach in the Trans Caucasus
	In late May, employees from Wageningen UR’s Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN) and local research institutes in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia will be searching for wild spinach... more
18 May 2011	Wageningen UR contributes to ‘Metropolitan Food Security’ in China
	‘Metropolian Food Security’ was a key theme at the Sino Dutch Agricultural Innovation Conference, which was held in Beijing on Wednesday 11 May to mark the official visit to China by Maxime Verhagen,... more
17 May 2011	Enhancing Good Agricultural Practices & Food Safety Assurance in Indonesia’s Horticultural sector
	In partnership with Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation, the HortiChain Centre, and key actors from the public and private sector in Indonesia, LEI (part of Wageningen UR) is involved in... more
	Wageningen UR Greenhouse in think tank Smart Thermal Grids
	A think tank for investigating the possibilities of Smart Thermal Grids in the province South Holland was initiated during a meeting of the KISSZ (Knowledge In Synergy for a Sustainable South... more
16 May 2011	EU should speed up authorisation process for GM animal feed
	The European Union should speed up the authorisation processes for novel GM events, to preserve the relative importance of the EU market in animal feed products. In this context, it is necessary to... more
	Second honorary doctorate for Joop van Lenteren
	The Warsaw University of Life Sciences will confer the title of Doctor Honoris Causa to Joop van Lenteren during the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the university on 20 May 2011. The title of... more
	The Algaeneers compete for the Academic Year Prize
	A green generation with energy for the future. Using this theme Wageningen UR team The Algaeneers compete for the Academic Year Prize and the Labyrint Public Prize 2011. These prizes are awarded to... more
13 May 2011	Insight into sustainable behaviour with food
	Sustainability has become serious business: CEOs are focusing on it and businesses are looking at their own role in sustainability. But at the current pace, it will be seventeen years before all food... more
	Transformation and sustainability in agriculture
	Public pressure and societal changes induce interventions and policies, which aim to transform agriculture and food provision. This book shows that for upscaling novel practices and organizational... more
	Sustainability in current production of GM crops depends on trait, crop species, production method and local context
	The production of genetically modified (GM) crops outside of the Netherlands can make a clear contribution to sustainable agriculture at a local level. However, the eventual impact on sustainability,... more
	Costing Adaptation through Local Institutions (CALI)
	The Costing Adaptation through Local Institutions (CALI) study aims to highlight how adaptation by households to climate change and climate variability is shaped by institutions, and how governments,... more
12 May 2011	Conference report Evaluation Revisited
	This report summarises the discussions and presentations of the conference ‘Evaluation Revisited: Improving the Quality of Evaluative Practice by Embracing Complexity’, which took place in May last... more
11 May 2011	Folic acid no help for heart and blood vessels
	Folic acid does not reduce the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases, reports a three-year study of more than eight hundred people by Wageningen University. The results have been published in the... more
	What’s on the label?
	The labels on food products are full of information, but does anyone read it? And is it possible to measure what consumers read on the pots and packets they pick up in the supermarket? Yes it is, say... more
	Soil bacteria plant bodyguards against fungal infections
	With up to 33,000 ‘taxa’, plant roots are home to an unprecedentedly large diversity of bacteria. Some of these bacteria can function as a type of bodyguard for plants, protecting them against... more
10 May 2011	Capacity building conservation professionals Rwanda
	The inception phase of the NUFFIC/NICHE project “Strengthening the Kitabi College of Conservation and Environmental Management (KCCEM) to build the capacity of conservation professionals in the... more
	European network to improve coordination of research in the areas of agriculture, rural and sustainable development
	LEI, part of Wageningen UR, participates in a European network, to improve coordination between on-going and future European and national research programs. Focus is on research programs dealing with... more
	Sustainable valorisation of organic urban wastes
	Waste management is a growing challenge in Kenya and other countries in Africa. The increase in solid waste generation has not been accompanied by an equivalent increase in the capacity of relevant... more
9 May 2011	Students Wageningen University win IFLA-price
	At the yearly Student Design Competition, organised by the International Federation of Landscape Architects, the project 'Vibrant Land' by two students of Wageningen University, part of... more
	LEI and KREI: cooperation with Korea
	On April 27 a letter of intent was signed between Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) and LEI about scientific cooperation. Mr Ruud Huirne of LEI, part of Wageningen UR, has signed the letter... more
	Reduction in methane emissions possible with breeding
	Research by Wageningen UR Livestock Research into ‘gene signals for feed efficiency and methane emissions’ has charted how the feed efficiency of dairy cattle can be improved through genomic... more
	Pregnancy test for cattle: measuring pregnancy in milk
	One pilot of the project ‘Prospects for genomics in dairy farming’ focused on finding ‘pregnancy indicators in milk’. The research performed by Wageningen UR Livestock Research could result in a... more
6 May 2011	Malaria mosquitoes accurately find their way to smelly feet
	Malaria mosquitoes utilise CO2 from exhaled air to localise humans from afar. In the vicinity of their preferred host they alter their course towards the human feet. Researcher Remco Suer discovered... more
4 May 2011	Internet changes the food and agribusiness
	On 3 May European Commissioner Neelie Kroes launched the Future Internet Public Private Partnership programme, part of which is the SmartAgriFood project under the direction of LEI, part of... more
2 May 2011	Enzymes will play a key role in development of sustainable society
	Enzymes play a central role in the chemistry of living nature. They facilitate our digestion, for example, and often determine the difference between sick or healthy organisms. Professor Willem van... more
	Capacity building horticulture in Ethiopia
	From 23 to 25 March the International Horticulture & Floriculture Trade Exhibition HortiFlora Ethiopia Expo was held for the 4th time in Addis Ababa. More than 20 countries participated in the event.... more
	More regular light for rose under diffuse glass
	In August 2010 Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture in Bleiswijk started a study into the cultivation of rose under diffuse glass. With increasing irradiation, the first differences are now starting... more
29 Apr 2011	First large investment in equipment in new centre for agrofood research
	A 3T-MRI scanner - capable of accommodating an entire person - including the peripheral equipment constitutes the first large-scale investment in equipment made by the Centre for Advanced Technology... more
28 Apr 2011	EU launches EcoFINDERS project: combining science, practice and policy for sustainable soils
	The European Commission has launched a project to establish a policy framework for the sustainable conservation of European soils. Such a framework already exists for the conservation of air and... more
26 Apr 2011	Wageningen researchers discover genetic ‘control box’
	Potatoes under dry conditions: a real possibilityIn the future, plant breeders may be able to develop potato varieties that are better able to withstand long drought spells than the currently grown... more
	Publication - Promoting good governance
	A decentralisation process has been underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2006. Elections are planned at the levels of chiefdoms or sectors in the rural areas, and cities and communes in... more
	Sunflowers and soya beans might be an economic success in Ethiopia
	Soya bean companies and sunflower companies are economically and agronomically feasible in Ethiopia, if their activities are fine-tuned within a chain. Compared to other oilseeds, sunflowers offer... more
	Biofuels without competing claims in Mozambique
	It might not seem the most obvious option to generate energy using biomass in Mozambique, where agriculture barely manages to feed the population. But Wageningen UR researchers concluded the... more
22 Apr 2011	Humans shown to have intestinal bacteria groups as well as blood groups
	It would appear that in terms of composition, the intestinal bacteria of every individual can be divided into three main groups known as enterotypes. The intestinal bacteria in each enterotype... more
19 Apr 2011	Ten million euro for ‘Healthy Greenhouse’ in German-Dutch border region
	In April Wageningen UR has made a start with the ‘Healthy Greenhouse’ programme. Research organisations and industry in the border region between Germany and the Netherlands are collaborating in this... more
18 Apr 2011	Dutch horticultural technique at English garden show
	In early July, various crops grown in hydroculture will be on display in the show garden designed by the English garden architect and TV personality David Domonay. Growers, Wageningen UR Greenhouse... more
15 Apr 2011	All diseases and pests in a single database
	Researchers and plant breeding companies aim to find the genes responsible for one plant's resistance to all diseases and pests. The project started last Friday. One plant breeding company may carry... more
	Smelt spawns in lab
	Researchers at IMARES, part of Wageningen UR, have got smelt taken from the IJsselmeer lake to spawn, which is an unparalleled result for this species. They are still only eggs so some caution is in... more
	Birds digest plastic faster than believed
	Seabirds appear to process plastic faster than scientists hitherto believed. This is bad news, as it means they ingest large amounts of toxic substances. The birds also transport plastic around the... more
14 Apr 2011	Reduced VAT rates for flowers and plants
	The ornamental sector is very important to the Dutch economy and has an export value of 5.9 billion euros. Since 1975 all ornamental products in the Netherlands have been charged the lower VAT rate... more
13 Apr 2011	World Bank Group Strategy for Engagement in Palm Oil
	Palm oil is the most important tropical vegetable oil in the global oils and fats industry. It plays a significant role in generating employment in the primary production countries, and thus... more
11 Apr 2011	The fly family genealogy
	Certain blackflies can cause river blindness in humans. But which ones? Wageningen UR PhD candidate Luis Miguel Hernandez systematized the relationships within the blackfly subgenus Trichodagmia and... more
	Some onions thrive on less phosphate
	Onions need large amounts of phosphate to grow well, but Wageningen UR researchers have found an onion that thrives on very little phosphate. Once this ingredient of artificial fertilizer becomes... more
	Comments from Wageningen: No panic over food shortage in Europe
	A volcanic eruption or an animal disease can badly hit the European agriculture sector too, says a report this week. But there is no reason to panic, says Rudy Rabbinge, and the proposed measures are... more
	Horticultural Practice Center opened in Fujian, China
	In Zhangzhou in the Chinese Fujian province the 'Sino Europe Agricultural Development Center' was opened on Friday, April 8. This center is meant for practical training and research in the field of... more
	Extra Plant Sciences Seminar
	Towards malaria elimination: what WURks (and what not)? An extra Plant Sciences Seminar will be held on Tuesday 26 April in the context of the World Malaria Day (24 April). During this special... more
	Peppers and tomatoes on the vine seems to have a longer shelf life in PLA packaging
	Peppers and tomatoes on the vine seems to have a longer shelf life in PLA packaging compared to the products that are packed in traditional synthetic materials. This was proven by research conducted... more
	Excessive nitrogen harms the economy and environment – first Europe-wide assessment published
	Nitrogen is needed to feed a growing world population but pollutes air, soil and water A major new study finds that nitrogen pollution is costing each person in Europe around £130 - £650 (€150 -... more
8 Apr 2011	Account of figures for the European commission
	The European Commission requires the yearly establishment of a selection plan describing the sample of agricultural and horticultural holdings in the Dutch FADN. The report Sample of Dutch FADN 2008;... more
	The impact of private labels
	The European Commission has asked a consortium led by LEI to investigate whether private labels have a negative impact on value creation and innovation in European food supply chains. The EC also... more
6 Apr 2011	Future For Nature award 2011 for Corneille Ewango
	Wageningen alumnus wins major international nature conservation award Corneille Ewango, the well-known Congolese botanist, forest ecologist and conservationist who received his doctoral degree at... more
	New EU project working on further reduction of chemical crop protection
	The use of chemical pesticides is increasingly restricted by European legislation. Pure is a recently started EU project in which scientists of PRI, PPO and Wageningen University, all part of... more
	Plant resilience is spearhead in coming years
	On Thursday 31 March over sixty advisors of private bureaus and suppliers visited Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. They were informed about the latest views and research results. There was a... more
4 Apr 2011	How do tropical forests respond to climate change?
	Carbon sequestration in tropical forests has increased in recent decades. The forests have then tempered climate change to some extent. Dr Pieter Zuidema of Wageningen University is studying whether... more
	Solar cells for sustainable production of methanol from CO2
	In the BIOCOMET project, researchers from Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research and Plant Research International, part of Wageningen UR, together with biomethanol producer BioMCN from Delfzijl,... more
31 Mar 2011	Dutch grass does not contain any radioactivity from Japan
	RIKILT, part of Wageningen UR, has this week tested samples of Dutch grass for the presence of radioactivity. This was in response to the events at the Fukushima nuclear reactors in Japan. In line... more
30 Mar 2011	New system for fruit and vegetable research
	Fruit and vegetables are seen as being healthy foodstuffs, but exactly why they are so beneficial for human health is unclear. In the journal Food & Function, researchers at Wageningen UR Food &... more
29 Mar 2011	5000th doctorate at Wageningen University
	On Friday 18 March, Alireza Seifi became the five thousandth PhD student to be awarded their doctorate at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR. The ceremony had an extra festive air. The... more
	Production of bioplastics and biofuels scores better than their fossil counterparts on greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption
	The use of renewable resources for producing bioplastics and biofuels leads to lower emissions of greenhouse gases and uses less fossil energy than the production of their plastic and fuel... more
28 Mar 2011	Comments from Wageningen: Helpless in the face of nuclear disaster
	The international humanitarian relief community is not prepared for nuclear disaster such as that threatening Japan. Nor would it be equipped to deal with chemical or biological disasters, says Thea... more
	Alterra helps Japan relief effort by updating map
	Some forty students and employees of Alterra, part of Wageningen UR, lent a hand to the humanitarian assistance effort in Japan by working to update the map of the country. The idea came from... more
	The Netherlands collates biological knowledge about tropical seas in the Scientific Platform ‘AcroporaNet’
	Following the political changes involving the former Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands suddenly gained control over a biologically very rich marine area, larger than the Dutch sections of the... more
25 Mar 2011	Demonstrable difference between organic and regular eggs
	RIKILT, part of Wageningen UR, has developed a method for verifying whether an egg is organic with the help of analytical techniques. The method works by reading a ‘fingerprint’ of components of the... more
	Upscaling can give sustainability an impulse
	For many farms, upscaling is an important strategy for long-term survival. Upscaling offers farms the opportunity to adapt the production method in the desired direction in terms of sustainability,... more
24 Mar 2011	Biodiversity: general public has a soft spot for species in trouble
	Decisions about nature and biodiversity management are increasingly being made based on indicators. Factors considered may include nativeness, rarity, endangeredness and the (economic) value of... more
	Film ‘Greenhouse as Energy Source’ first shown at Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture
	The film ‘Greenhouse as Energy Source’ was first shown during the Energiek Event 2011 at Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. Two hundred viewers saw the film in which Sjaak Bakker, business unit... more
23 Mar 2011	Elise apples suitable for most people with mild apple allergy
	Second safe apple variety broadens consumer options Apples of the variety Elise can be consumed safely by most people with a mild apple allergy. This is the outcome of research performed by... more
22 Mar 2011	New book on sustainable landscape development: ‘Knowledge in Action’
	LEI and policy makers of the Dutch Ministry of EL&I (Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation) will discuss the implications for future research in view of the book ‘Knowledge in Action’ at a... more
	Dutch trade is causing loss of biodiversity in tropical countries
	The Netherlands is a large importer of soya, palm oil and tropical timber products. These imports require large area of land in the exporting countries. The imports of soya from Brazil, palm oil from... more
	MASPNOSE encourages countries to join forces in marine spatial planning
	Several EU member states are working on spatial plans for their part of the North Sea. For example for the purpose of nature conservation, the construction of offshore wind farms, subsea cables and... more
18 Mar 2011	Pig-farming sector has efficient production, but manure results in high costs
	The Dutch pig-farming sector is operating within a competitive European market, and production costs play an important role in the sector’s competitiveness. At €1.41 per kg of slaughter weight in... more
17 Mar 2011	Sport viewers eat less
	Here is a handy tip for those who want to eat less: watching exercise ads on TV could very well reduce food intake in the meal after. This surprising conclusion is drawn by Ellen van Kleef, a... more
	Gluten-free and looking like bread
	Gluten-free bread is hardly edible, according to bread lovers. But change is on its way. PhD student Lieke van Riemsdijk replaced gluten in bread with tiny particles of milk protein. The result was... more
	Overweight? Get someone else’s gut bacteria
	People who are overweight may have different gut bacteria from those in their slender fellow human beings. This is the contention of Willem de Vos, professor of Microbiology at Wageningen University... more
	Overview of Wageningen's work on global agri-food chains
	For Wageningen UR the global agri-food system is a major area of research. Consumers have increasingly complex and varied demands for the food they buy. Fast-rising middle classes in emerging... more
	Next generation greenhouse cultivation Alstroemeria in practice
	Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has started follow-up research on an alstroemeria holding with a simpler system for ambient air suction. The tubes can easily be placed and there is less... more
16 Mar 2011	New international peer-reviewed journal on greenhouse gas
	The new international peer-reviewed journal Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Management brings together information on the application of methods and techniques to estimate, measure, account and audit... more
	€19.6 million for innovations - Incentive for bionanotechnology at Wageningen
	Wageningen UR has been awarded €19.6 million for innovations in the field of bionanotechnology as part of the recently-approved NanoNextNL projects. Businesses and research centres will be joining... more
	Lighting may improve plant resilience
	The resilience of plants to, e.g. mildew may possibly be improved by using red light. Preliminary experiments by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture and Plant Research International show that light... more
15 Mar 2011	Visitors to Natura 2000 areas use their iPhone as guide
	Smartphones are replacing maps and guide booklets, offering people a new way to find their way in unfamiliar territory. This is now also true for the Natura 2000 sites in the Netherlands. Alterra,... more
	Detection test shows latent infestation fruit tree canker
	Fruit tree canker can be present for a long time before symptoms appear. This means that the presence of the fungus in grafting wood may later cause tree loss. This is why fruit tree growers would... more
11 Mar 2011	It pays to pray
	Pastoralists in rural Tibet who spend more time on religious activities earn more than their counterparts who pray less. This is the striking conclusion drawn by Wageningen University development... more
	Comments from Wageningen: Antibiotic target for livestock still far off
	Antibiotic prescriptions in Dutch livestock farming went down by 12 percent last year, reported the veterinary medicine producer organization FIDIN. Is that good enough? Tjeerd Kimman, researcher... more
	Timing is crucial in rice farming in Sahel
	Rice farmers in Senegal will get a much bigger harvest if they sow at the right time. Rice plants are easily affected by the Sahel climate, typified by big temperature swings.This finding comes from... more
	Dramatic increase in consumer spend on sustainable seafood
	Consumers are increasingly committed to buying sustainable seafood products even in difficult financial times. Independent research shows a 50% increase in consumer spend on sustainable seafood in... more
10 Mar 2011	Storm-van der Chijs Stipends for excellent female PhD candidates
	On the occasion of the two-yearly awarding of the Storm-van der Chijs Stipends on 8 March, three most talented PhD candidates from more
	Open water provision increases welfare in duck stalls
	A literature search by Wageningen UR Livestock Research has shown that the welfare of ducks can be further increased by offering open water in duck stalls. Dutch Pekin ducks are restricted in their... more
	Publication: Trainers' Manual Climate Change
	Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation and Alterra, both part of Wageningen UR, have composed this training manual based on the training material developed for the first and second training... more
9 Mar 2011	Patient’s mealtime experience limits food waste
	Eating is more than just partaking of a meal. For this reason, bed patients at the Máxima Medical Centre in Veldhoven (NL) are allowed to decide what and how much they would like to eat. Research at... more
8 Mar 2011	New monitoring system to guarantee food safety of Japanese oysters
	IMARES (part of Wageningen UR) staff are currently charting the food safety of Japanese oysters in the Wadden Sea. Based on the results, an effective monitoring system will be developed in order to... more
	Greenhouse built for algae culture with CO2 from manure fermentation and heat-power coupling
	Together with a number of partners Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) will be building a greenhouse on its research site in Lelystad for continuous (day and night) culture of algae using... more
3 Mar 2011	Accelerating learning and innovation in local seed business in Ethiopia
	From 27 January till 8 February the Local Seed Business (LSB) project organized five regional workshops in Ethiopia. These were strategic in the process of guiding activities within the regions and... more
2 Mar 2011	Success factors for development sustainable horticulture described
	Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture can contribute to the development of sustainable horticultural initiatives worldwide. But the availability of sufficient knowledge and support is a precondition... more
1 Mar 2011	Former Dutch minister Tineke Huizinga new chairperson of Delta Alliance
	Tineke Huizinga-Heringa, former Dutch minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM), has been named chairperson of the International Governing Board of Delta Alliance. The... more
	New book: ‘Breeding crops with resistance to diseases and pests’
	The book ‘Breeding crops with resistance to diseases and pests’ was published on 1 March. The book provides important up-to-date information about plant-pathogen principles for plant breeders who... more
28 Feb 2011	Land use even affects the composition of the atmosphere
	Tropical deforestation not only has a large impact on the carbon cycle and climate, but also affects the chemistry of the atmosphere. That conclusion, by Laurens Ganzeveld (researcher at Wageningen... more
	New edition newsletter Restaurant of the Future
	The new digital newsletter of the Restaurant of the Future offers you a glimpse of a number of current developments and the latest research. This edition focuses on how to support consumers in making... more
25 Feb 2011	Medicinal honey kills MRSA
	Medicinal honey kills the bacteria that cause infections in wounds, such as the antibiotic-resistant MRSA. This has been ascertained by tests by Amsterdam and Wageningen researchers. It has been... more
22 Feb 2011	Prospects for soil-less chrysanthemum cultivation
	Five chrysanthemum substrate cultivation systems have been investigated by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. Cultivation on sand beds seems to offer best prospects for early application in... more
21 Feb 2011	Action plan for sustainable vegetable cultivation in Holambra
	Wageningen UR Greenhouse has conducted a SWOT analysis for vegetable cultivation in the Holambra horticultural region in Brazil. The infrastructure in the region offers chances for sustainable... more
18 Feb 2011	Alga produces food supplement under stress
	The single cell alga Dunaliella salina can produce large amounts of the nutritive orange pigment, beta-carotene. But it only does this under great stress, as the doctoral research work of Packo... more
	Gene transfer makes fungi harmful
	Pathogenic fungi do spontaneously what organizations such as Greenpeace dread: they exchange genes or even complete chromosomes with other fungi species. So says an article in FEMS Microbiology... more
	Tough leaves live longer
	Toughness is the most essential mechanical trait for a leaf. This conclusion is reached by Wageninger Lourens Poorter and a group of international scientists in an article to be published next month... more
	Impact of marine life on economic sectors
	Marine life makes a substantial contribution to the economy and society of Europe. Human use of the European marine environment by marine and maritime sectors is increasing and diversifying. This is... more
17 Feb 2011	IMARES Fulmar research in UNEP Yearbook 2011
	The IMARES long term research into plastic debris in stomachs of Fulmars from the North Sea has been given a prominent place in a chapter on the problem of marine plastic pollution in the UNEP... more
16 Feb 2011	Management by objectives in EU rural development policy
	The implementation of the EU rural development policy is currently managed by a menu of preselected rural development measures. In two other EU policy areas, the cohesion policy and the water policy,... more
15 Feb 2011	Paul van den Brink chosen as SETAC president
	Paul van den Brink (researcher at Alterra, Wageningen UR) has been chosen as the new president of the World Council of SETAC, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. SETAC is a global... more
	Workshop on Competing Claims on Natural Resources
	In the framework of the DGIS-Wageningen UR Partnership Programme ‘Globalisation and Sustainable Rural Development’ (2006-2010), a workshop was held on 9 December 2010 at DGIS, The Hague. The aim was... more
	Consumer food science in the Western Balkan countries
	LEI participates in the EU project Focus Balkans. The general objective of this project is to improve competence and understanding in the field of consumer food science in the Western Balkan... more
14 Feb 2011	Bacteria shed light on toxic medicine
	A new method developed in Wageningen should facilitate the early testing of drugs, reducing costs and the need for animal testing. Many of the medical drugs that are developed do not make the grade... more
	Making meat
	The universities in Wageningen and Utrecht will sink their teeth into making new meat. 'In vitro meat' is meat cultured in a test tube. Is this for real? Yes, even though it would be some time before... more
	Comments from Wageningen: Egypt has to support its farmers
	Whether or not the current situation in Egypt turns for the better, food supply in that country remains precarious with the prevailing high prices. Egypt needs to get its ducks in a row. Bart... more
10 Feb 2011	New SelectBioControl approach results in faster development and introduction of biological control products
	Scientists from Plant Research International (PRI), part of Wageningen UR, have developed a new approach for the fast and cost-effective development of biological control products. SelectBioControl... more
8 Feb 2011	Rising food prices: how and why?
	The prices of various important agricultural products (wheat, maize, soya, sugar) have risen on the world market since the summer of 2010. The prices are now as high as during the peak of 2008. The... more
7 Feb 2011	Climate change makes butterflies more frequent flyers
	Thanks to climate change, butterflies are flying more frequently, further and longer. This makes it easier for them to cope with a fragmented landscape, says Wageningen University doctoral researcher... more
	School students learn to make biofuel from waste
	Take some used paper tissues out of the waste paper basket. Add water and enzymes to convert the cellulose in the paper into glucose. Next, add baking yeast to convert these sugars into bio-ethanol.... more
	Turkish tomato greenhouse gets geothermal heating
	Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture will set up an ultramodern greenhouse in Turkey, together with Dutch greenhouse builders and contractors. Geothermal energy will be used there to provide heat... more
	Food Safety Initiative – Indonesia
	How can fruit and vegetables produced in Indonesia be guaranteed to be safe to eat? How can they be produced without damaging the environment or endangering farmers’ health? One of the instruments... more
	Thrips prefers sweet pepper with Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV)
	The extra work required to remove diseased plants from a greenhouse with sweet pepper is well spent to prevent tomato spotted wilt virus. Rapid action is crucial because diseased plants are very... more
4 Feb 2011	Safety net in the CAP
	A safety net would allow the government to cover serious disturbances in the market, resulting from climatological, veterinary or phytosanitary calamities or temporarily low prices. LEI investigated... more
	Dairy Campus gets green light
	Dairy Campus, the new international knowledge institute for the dairy farming sector, has officially opened its doors. On Wednesday 26 January, the Duch province of Friesland, the municipality of... more
3 Feb 2011	Environment would benefit from well chosen, natural and renewable packaging
	Organic products, particularly fruit and vegetables, are often packaged on trays and in plastic film made from new, appropriate materials, originating from natural, renewable resources. Research at... more
	Alterra and Ethiopia combine efforts to raise food production
	In 2009, 6.2 million Ethiopians were still dependent on emergency food aid. With the recent signing of the CASCAPE project agreement, a three-year research and capacity building initiative was... more
	New European Topic Centre will help improve information on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation across Europe
	Vulnerability of natural and human systems is increasing across Europe due to climate change combined with many other factors such as intensified land use, urban expansion and infrastructure... more
2 Feb 2011	Wageningen UR is working on a new concept for sustainable fruit trade
	The South African knowledge specialist Ikhaya is working with Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research on a new trading system for fruit, namely direct trading between producer and customer. This will... more
27 Jan 2011	Art is a better investment than shares
	Art has been an excellent form of investment over the past ten years, but it can be very risky too, LEI researchers have shown. Investing in art is a strong option when the stock market is in the... more
	Does nature has a positive effect on ADHD children?
	Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can cope with complex tasks better in the open air, Wageningen research has shown. A natural environment made no difference to simple... more
	Comments from Wageningen: Cows improve the look of the landscape
	The dairy company Friesland Campina recently decided that all dairy farmers supplying milk to them would have to keep their cows in the field. A good plan? Paul Galama of Wageningen UR Livestock... more
	Proceedings of symposium ‘Priority topics for food economy research in the next 20 years’
	In the coming decades, the Chinese food economy will face huge challenges to feed its large and growing population. Agricultural economists should play a leading role in the development process... more
	Slow cooking now a matter of seconds
	It is not a microwave oven. However, the Nutri-Pulse, developed by IXL Nederland BV in Schalkwijk and Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, may well replace the microwave in our kitchens in the... more
25 Jan 2011	Healthy ageing with a hoe and spade
	People older than 62 who have an allotment garden are significantly more healthy than people without an allotment. In general, people of all ages with an allotment get more physical exercise. This... more
	The current status and future of indirect land use change (iLUC) in the scientific world
	Biofuels are viewed as a sustainable solution to the problem arising from the depletion of fossil fuels. Nevertheless, there has been much discussion about the scale of indirect land use change... more
24 Jan 2011	Unhealthy snacks play on our unconscious
	Chances are small that young people will exchange the Mars bar or bag of chips in their hands for an apple or an orange. Even when they know that fruit is healthier and this is widely reported. That... more
	DNA revolution in animal breeding
	Animal breeders have recently been able to speed up the process of establishing the breeding value of a bull by using DNA know-how. This opens up new possibilities, such as breeding dairy cows with a... more
	Increasing levels of phosphate in farmland soil
	Phosphate levels in arable farmland have risen over the past thirty years, despite the restrictive policy on manure. This is the conclusion of Alterra (part of Wageningen UR) researchers in the... more
	Combining forces in the chain for new biobased building blocks and materials
	Food & Biobased Research is working with three universities and eight companies on developing completely biobased adhesives and coatings, as well as composite parts for trains and wind turbines on... more
21 Jan 2011	Economic governance: Paying for ecosystem and landscape services
	When analysing economic governance of ecosystem services, a recurring key question concerns the beneficiaries who should be taken into account. Governance can be public or private on different... more
	The Water Framework Directive and LEI
	The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a part of EU legislation, aimed at achieving a good water status in the entire territory of the Union. The water status is what is obligatory, how to achieve it... more
	Air humidity Phalaenopsis below 75% not necessary
	The bacterium Pseudomonas cattleyae can rapidly spread throughout the greenhouse at an air humidity of 90%. This problem is much less severe at a humidity of 75% or lower. This was found in a recent... more
20 Jan 2011	More insight in summer climate and bud drop cymbidium
	More light seems to give more shoots in cymbidium cultivation, too low temperatures in winter and spring are suppressing shoot growth. Early bud drop in cymbidium usually is the result of a stress... more
17 Jan 2011	Young people not interested in healthy, sustainable food options
	'Unhealthy food is fine, as long as it doesn’t make you fat' Young people have little interest in healthy and sustainable food. Healthy options only become important if they start to put on weight.... more
14 Jan 2011	Corals in the nursery
	Wageningen UR wants to play a part in the coral scene. Its first attempts are promising. The Dutch even has a first: an inland coral breeding nursery. Biologist Ronald Osinga carefully attaches... more
	Comments from Wageningen: Food is only getting cheaper
	Global food prices have never been so high, reported the world food organization FAO early this month. In one year, food prices have gone up by almost 25 percent. What is going on? Agricultural... more
	A drink can help against diabetes
	A couple of beers a day can be part of a healthy lifestyle, and even reduce the risk of developing diabetes, says a Wageningen researcher. Beer helps against diabetes: a slogan from the Beer... more
	Signs of recovery in agriculture and horticulture
	For agricultural and horticultural businesses, 2010 was a significantly better year financially and economically than the abysmally bad 2009, particularly in the livestock and greenhouse sectors.... more
	Stimulating competition and sustainability in new European agricultural policy
	During the review of the CAP, the Netherlands must strive for the preservation of instruments for the stimulation and financing of innovations, the addition of instruments for the harmonisation of... more
11 Jan 2011	Edible insects produce smaller quantities of greenhouse gasses than cattle
	Insects produce much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases per kilogram of meat than cattle and pigs. This is the conclusion of scientists at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, who have... more
6 Jan 2011	Go-ahead for field test with cisgene apples
	Plant Research International, part of Wageningen UR, has been given the go-ahead to carry out field tests with cisgene apples with resistance to apple scab. The Commission on Genetic Modification... more
	Gene for drought tolerance is worth money
	The Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR has entered into a licensing agreement with the French biotechnology firm Biogemma. The French are going to use a gene patented by PSG to increase drought... more
	Fish farming goes ‘cradle to cradle’
	The algae that are fed to shellfish can be bred more sustainably if they are fed on the waste water from fishponds. PhD researcher Michiel Michels is going to optimize this approach to breeding algae... more
20 Dec 2010	Once again European funding awarded to two Wageningen researchers
	Two prominent researchers from Wageningen University, part of Wageningen UR, have each been awarded a grant of two-and-a-half million euros by the European Research Council (ERC) for their... more
7 Dec 2010	Green plastic for new high-grade applications
	New dashboards and drink bottles on the basis of the green raw material poly lactic acid, or PLA. This is the subject of research currently being carried out at in two new projects at Wageningen UR... more