Wheat production is particularly under stress in developing countries due to increasing ozone concentrations A recent article co-authored by JRC and international experts reports that the benefits of increasing global wheat yield are significantly offset as a result of increasing concentrations of ground-level ozone.
This negative effect on wheat yield is particularly evident in humid rain-fed and irrigated areas of major wheat-producing countries, including the USA, France, India, China and Russia.
Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography - Highlights of two years of activity
The European Commission's Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography (KCMD) – celebrating its 2nd anniversary – has in its first two years of existence achieved a lot, successfully providing analysis and evidence for EU policymaking on one of the most important issues of our times.
Dying pine trees with red and brown leaves as a result of the pine wilt disease caused by the pine wood nematode. A recently published article co-authored by Begoña de la Fuente of the Technical University of Madrid (and visiting scientist at the JRC in 2016-2017), and Santiago Saura and Pieter Beck of the JRC, describes a new model for predicting the spread of the pine wood nematode (PWN), one of the most harmful pests for EU forests, and therefore regulated as a "quarantine pest" under EU law.
In Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, below-optimal water supply and high temperatures caused early ripening of winter cereals, with negative effects on yields The June issue of the JRC MARS Bulletin Crop monitoring in Europe was published today, alongside Ukraine edition of the JRC MARS Bulletin global outlook series.
According to the crop monitoring Bulletin for Europe, yield forecasts for all winter crops, grain maize, and sunflowers were revised downwards at the EU level, mainly as a consequence of unusually warm and dry conditions in central, eastern and northern Europe. A noteworthy upward revision was made for Spain.
AUC sample, JRC Nanobiotechnology Laboratory JRC scientists contributed to an intra-laboratory study comparing the outcome of analytical results using ultracentrifugation for the identification of nanomaterials. This is important for the registration or authorisation process related to the nanoparticle content of various chemicals, cosmetic or food products.
Judging whether a material is a nanomaterial for regulatory purposes in Europe is based on measuring the relative number of particles above and below a 100 nm threshold.
The non-indigenous lionfish, spreading in the Mediterranean.
A new study of the JRC’s EASIN scientific team has identified the origin and the pathway of introduction of the 824 marine non-indigenous species established across the European Seas. It is based on the data of the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN).
A new JRC assessment of the future water resources of the Danube River Basin finds that climate change beyond 2°C would lead to increased flooding and water scarcity, significantly drier summer months and substantial flood damage in cities along the Danube River and its tributaries.
The contribution for standardization of nuclear analytical methods performed at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel, was emphasized in a news article within the journal “ASTM Standardization News” of ASTM-International.
The May edition of the JRC's Anomaly Hotspots of Agricultural Production (ASAP) assessment, which was published on Monday, highlights agricultural production hotspots in East Africa due to heavy rainfall, in the Middle East due to failed sowing activities and high temperatures, and in Southern Africa due to a major early season dry spell.
Main findings of the May overview
JRC released first CRM for analysis of pesticide in cucumber The JRC released ERM-BC403, the first Certified Reference Material (CRM) for the analysis of fifteen pesticide residues in cucumber that will support quality assurance for control laboratories. It will also ensure the comparability of measurement results supporting the European single market and trade.
Pesticides are substances used in agricultural production with the purpose to control pests, including weeds. Although pesticides have benefits, it is important to monitor their amount in the food chain as they have a potential toxicity to humans and animals.
