You have probably eaten a pasta dish with mushrooms or a pizza with mushrooms, but have you ever looked at mushrooms as a source of health rather than just food? Mushrooms are fungi that have been used by humans for centuries in culinary applications. Currently, more than 2,000 species of mushrooms exist in the wild, but only about 25 species are wildly consumed as food (Valverde et al., 2015). Romans used to call mushrooms “Food of the Gods”, while Chinese people referred to them as “Elixir of Life” due to their various health benefits and medicinal properties (Pardeep K. Khanna & Shivani Sharma, 2013). The aim of this newsletter is to provide a simple and cle

Agriculture is the backbone of all civilizations, and the stronger this backbone is the stronger the civilization will be. Agricultural systems are man-made systems with the aim of cultivating the largest number of crops possible within the system. However, it makes no sense to follow a system that meets the aim we need if we can not sustain the system for years to come. Additionally, human and soil health should be evaluated as well, and the overall environmental effects should be studied before adopting any agricultural system. From this perspective, agronomists realized that the highest yield/production is not a reliable indicator for the efficiency or the sustainability

Greenhouses are structures designed primarily for cultivating plants that require specific environmental conditions to thrive. They are typically made of transparent materials like glass or plastic to allow sunlight to penetrate and heat the interior. The transparent walls and roof help trap heat inside, creating a warmer climate than the external environment, which is crucial for growing plants that might not cultivate in the local climate. Greenhouses represent an innovative and important method for cultivating crops within an enclosed structure that regulates environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, light exposure, and ventilation. This method has gained great importance in

Pests and diseases cause between 20-40% of all crop production to be lost each year, this equates to losing around $300 billion annually (FAO, 2023). Such losses contribute massively to food insecurity, which is particularly prevalent in African countries. Pesticides are typically used to control pests, but their excessive use has led to biodiversity loss and widespread pollution, which in turn harms humans and the environment. To combat this growing challenge, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies have been increasingly adopted. These strategies focus on a combination of cultural, mechanical, biological and chemical approaches to control pests in an environmen

In the quest for sustainable agriculture, biofertilizers have emerged as a game-changer. These natural fertilizers harness the power of microorganisms to enhance soil fertility and plant growth, offering an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. When applied biofertilizers to seeds, plant surfaces, or soil, colonize the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant and promote growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant.

Balance is essential to maintain and regulate our planet. Unfortunately, anthropogenic activities have disturbed this balance. Each activity humans perform have an impact on our planet, such as building, eating, heating, travelling, transportation, electricity, etc. From this perspective, our everyday activities should be evaluated and considered, in order to minimize our actions’ negative consequences. However, how can you measure or calculate the harmful effect of your activities? A simple, but effective, solution is the carbon footprint, but what does it mean and how does it work?