Where do new apple varieties come from?
The apple is constantly being reinvented, changing with the times and cultures. The Malus domestica species comes in some 7,500 varieties.
"Today, people want crisp, sweet apples. Quebec used to import a lot of Granny Smiths; they're now much less popular because they're very acidic," explains David Wees, a McGill Plant Science lecturer and Associate Director of the university's Farm Management and Technology Program.
From AI to robot butchers, automating the meat packing industry is not cut-and-dried
Artificial intelligence, automation and robotics are reshaping many parts of the economy, and experts say the meat-processing sector could benefit from improved technology to overcome labour shortages, improve food safety and remain competitive against alternatives like plant-based proteins.
2023 Distinguished Alumni announced
Congratulations to Marc Bieler DipAgr’58, BA’64, Nicolas Chatel-Launay BSc(AgEnvSc)’14 and B. Pratyusha Chennupati MSc’13 who will receive Macdonald Distinguished Alumni Awards at the Homecoming Lunch on Saturday, October 21.
Social environments are important determinants of nutritional risk among older-aged adults
According to a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition by a team including Associate Professor Daiva Nielsen and other researchers from McGill's School of Human Nutrition, a supportive social environment may protect against nutritional risk among middle and older-aged adults.
Achieving alternate futures in the Anthropocene
A recent article, written by a team which includes Professor Elena Bennett in McGill’s Department of Natural Resource Sciences, explores the challenges of the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch defined by humans' colossal impact on the environment.
AAFC Agri-Science Program announces $5.3M to BioFuelNet
On August 30, Vice-Principal of Macdonald Campus and Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Anja Geitmann welcomed Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Louis Francis Scarpaleggia, on behalf of Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (AAFC) Lawrence MacAulay, to the Macdonald Campus.
Your 2023 guide to chasing fall foliage across Quebec
Across Quebec, we're already seeing leaves start to transition from bright summery greens to the burnished, coppery hues of Fall—but the changes aren’t happening because the days are chillier.
Sports Logging: She'd never touched an axe before coming to McGill University
Even though she grew up on a farm, Stéphanie Naud had never touched an axe or saw before studying at McGill's Mac campus. As a natural athlete who loved the outdoors and working with her hands, when she heard about our unique inter-university lumberjack club, she was intrigued, she recently told Le journal de Montréal.
Oh my gourd! Giant pumpkins in Lennoxville, QC
With fall officially here, it's time for Lennoxville, Quebec's annual Giant Pumpkin Festival, where people can see pumpkins that weigh as much as 680 kilograms.
The festival — which is taking place at the Amédée Beaudoin community centre Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — is a family event with bouncy castles, a petting zoo, a farmers' market, music and even horse-drawn carriages.
How can the use of plastics in agriculture become more sustainable?
It is impossible to imagine modern agriculture without plastics—12 million tons are used every year. But what about the environmental consequences?
Master's student Will Hein writes about his odyssey to the heart of the Arctic
Wonder found chasing bugs: A summer in the Yukon ArcticIn a new McGill Reporter article, Renewable Resources Master's student Will Hein writes about his journey to the heart of the remote Arctic wilderness to study wildlife interaction in the face of climate change.
2023 Safety Ambassadors honoured with awards
Several McGill staff members and teams were honoured at the annual Security Services Community Barbecue, on September 15.
MI4 announces new Early Career Investigator Awards
With this donation from Pfizer Canada, early career scientists and researchers across the McGill and MUHC community have an opportunity to carry out research across three broad thematic areas: Pandemic Threats, Antimicrobial Resistance, Microbes that Shape Human Health.
The Impact of Wildfires on Birds in Canada
This was the worst year for Canadian wildfires on record and though fire season is not yet over, we can already start to see and look at some of the impact of fires on our ecosystems across the country. One population particularly affected by the fires this summer is birds. Dr.Nationwide tracking sought for rare disease that is spread by canines, fatal if untreated
As cases creep upward of a rare disease that spreads to humans from wild canines and dogs, medical experts say it's important to get a better understanding of its incidence across the country.