Tag

Breeding

All articles tagged with #breeding

science1 month ago•17 min saved

Kakapo comeback: New Zealand's heaviest parrot climbs to 325 after record 2026 breeding season

New Zealand’s critically endangered kakapo, the world’s heaviest parrot, has surged to 325 birds after 90 chicks were added from the 2026 season—the peak of three decades of predator-free island management, intensive monitoring, genetic work, and breeding control that began with just 51 birds in 1995. Breeding is tied to rimu mast years and occurs only every two to four years, making each season crucial; scientists also employ rapid DNA sexing and careful egg/chick management. Despite the milestone, the species remains critically endangered and conservationists aim to expand safe habitat and gradually reduce human intervention to build a more self-sustaining population, potentially returning kakapo to Stewart Island in the long term.

via The Times of India|

#breeding #conservation #endangered

environment1 month ago•2 min saved

Kākāpō Rally Pushes Global Population Past 300 After Record Breeding

New Zealand’s kākāpō, the world’s heaviest parrot, has surpassed 300 individuals for the first time in about 75 years after 90 chicks were added this season, bringing the total to 325 thanks to a record breeding triggered by a bumper rimu berry crop on predator-free islands.

via The Guardian|

#breeding #conservation #endangered-species

environment1 month ago•3 min saved

Record Kakapo Chick Boom Lifts New Zealand Population to 325

New Zealand's critically endangered kakapo parrot has reached a record 325 birds after a record 90 chicks were added this season. The Kakapo Recovery Programme, started in 1995 to tackle genetic and fertility challenges, relies on predator-free offshore islands, radio tracking, and adjusted management as it works toward more natural breeding, with some chicks to be named on hatch-day anniversaries and expectations of a shorter gap between seasons.

via NBC News|

#birds #breeding #conservation

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Avocado Flowers Flip Gender Daily, Revealing a Clocklike Genetic Switch

Scientists have pinpointed the genetic basis of avocado temporal dichogamy—the daily switch between female and male flowers—driven by the SDMYB clock gene. Across hundreds of trees, A-type varieties open female flowers in the morning and male flowers in the afternoon, while B-types do the opposite. The SDMYB gene has two alleles; A-types carry one of each, B-types two recessives, enabling quick typing without flowering. Published in PNAS 2026, the finding can speed breeding and orchard design (e.g., using B-type pollinizers to boost A-type yields), though commercial Hass fruit remains an A-type, and gene editing remains years away.

via ScienceAlert|

#avocado #breeding #flowering

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Avocados keep a 42-million-year polling schedule

Avocado flowers alternate between a female phase (receiving pollen) and a subsequent male phase (releasing pollen) over two days, a two-day cycle that has remained driven by the SDMYB gene for about 42 million years. Hass is an A-type variety, and breeders are now able to create B-type pollinizers that both pollinate and bear marketable fruit, offering higher yields with some trade‑offs in fruit quality and orchard management.

via Boing Boing|

#avocado #breeding #hass

sports5 months ago•10 min saved

Into Mischief Sparks a Derby Dynasty at Spendthrift Farm

The piece profiles Spendthrift Farm’s Into Mischief, a high-priced, high-impact sire who has produced three Kentucky Derby winners and fuels a Derby-focused breeding operation that covers hundreds of mares each season; it also highlights the farm’s pedigree-driven approach, the success of his offspring like Renegade and Further Ado in this year’s Derby, and the ongoing legacy of Into Mischief in American racing.

via Sports Illustrated|

#breeding #horse-racing #into-mischief

science7 months ago•85 min saved

Sorghum pangenome reveals hidden diversity to boost trait discovery

A 33-member sorghum pangenome and a 1,984-genotype diversity panel expand beyond the BTx623 reference to capture extensive structural variation and presence–absence variation. The study annotates genes with RNA-seq, identifies large-scale variants, and uses a fast k-mer genotyping approach to map complex alleles at loci like SH1 and the dhurrin biosynthetic cluster. By linking genomic diversity to traits such as drought tolerance, biomass, and leaf chemistry, the work provides a framework to accelerate trait discovery and breeding across global sorghum germplasm.

via Nature|

#breeding #genomics #pangenome

sciencenature7 months ago•6 min saved

Fruit boom could trigger a record breeding season for New Zealand’s kakapo

The endangered kakapo, New Zealand’s flightless parrot, could set a record for chicks as a bumper native fruit crop spurs a rare breeding season; conservation efforts have lifted the population from about 50 to more than 200, with live nest monitoring and predator-free island shelters supporting the birds’ complex, infrequent breeding cycles.

via AP News|

#breeding #conservation #endangered

science11 months ago•86 min saved

Decoding oat genetics for healthier, climate-resistant crops

The article presents a comprehensive study of the oat genome, including the assembly of 33 diverse oat lines, analysis of gene expression, structural variations, and the impact of chromosomal rearrangements on breeding and traits like flowering time and yield, highlighting the importance of pangenomic resources for oat improvement.

via Nature|

#breeding #genomic-diversity #hexaploid-oat

health-and-nutrition1 year ago•5 min saved

New Study Shows How to Make Wheat Bread Healthier and Tastier

A study highlights how wheat's nutritional value can be enhanced through breeding, growing, and baking techniques, emphasizing the importance of consuming whole grains and using specific baking methods like sourdough to maximize nutrient availability in bread.

via Earth.com|

#baking-methods #bread #breeding

environment1 year ago•1 min saved

74-Year-Old Wisdom, World's Oldest Bird, Lays Another Egg

Wisdom, the world's oldest known bird at 74 years old, has laid an egg at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, marking her first egg in four years. This Laysan albatross, first banded in 1956, has laid between 50 and 60 eggs in her lifetime and raised 30 chicks. The event is celebrated by researchers, who are hopeful for the egg's successful hatching.

via USA TODAY|

#breeding #environment #laysan-albatross

gaming2 years ago•1 min saved

"Power-Hungry Palworld Breeder Creates Rare Lamball as Lavish Gift, Disregards Work Speed as Beneath God"

A Palworld breeder has created an incredibly powerful and rare Lamball, dubbed the "Ball of God," as a gift for their wife, with maxed-out stats and overpowered passive skills. The breeder's decision to prioritize attack power over work speed has sparked discussion on the game's customization potential, especially with the upcoming multiplayer arena. The game's developer has also addressed a bug related to negative traits and players continue to find creative ways to excel in the game, such as running a gold farm for 900 hours.

via Gamesradar|

#breeding #gaming #multiplayer

gaming2 years ago•2 min saved

"Palworld Patch v0.1.4.1 Addresses Comatose Pals and Introduces New Content"

Palworld developer Pocketpair has released a patch, v0.1.4.1 on Steam and v0.1.1.4 on Xbox, addressing issues such as Pals falling asleep and never waking up after breeding, game crashes, and save data corruption. The patch also includes countermeasures against cheats and exploits. The game has seen a successful early access launch with over two million concurrent players on Steam and the biggest third-party launch in Game Pass' history on Xbox. Pocketpair has also announced plans for future improvements, including PvP, end-game Raid Bosses, and new Pals.

via Eurogamer.net|

#breeding #game-crashes #gaming

gaming2 years ago•1 min saved

"Ultimate Guide to Palworld Breeding Combinations"

In Palworld, Anubis is a powerful Pal and boss that can be obtained through breeding at lower levels by combining specific Pals such as Penking and Bushi. To start the breeding process, players need to reach Level 19, acquire an egg incubator, and use the Breeding Farm Cake. Maintaining optimal conditions for hatching is crucial. Other recommended breeding combinations include Quivern and Chillet, Ragnahawk and Tombat, Kitsun and Jormuntide, and Broncherry and Relaxaurus.

via ONE Esports|

#anubis #breeding #gaming

gaming2 years ago•2 min saved

"Mastering Palworld Breeding: Creating the Ultimate Speed Machine"

Palworld offers 35 different Pals that can be created through breeding combinations, with specific pairings guaranteeing certain results. Additionally, there are five Pals that can only be born from two parents of the same species. This breeding process is a key aspect of the game, providing players with the opportunity to obtain powerful and rare monsters, making it a fun and rewarding long-term endeavor.

via Forbes|

#breeding #gaming #pals