Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

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Sverige
Uppsala
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

SLU is a top ranked university in the fields of life and environmental sciences. We check everything that is written.

SLU is a university with a very important purpose: to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve global sustainable development. At SLU, we engage students in some of the most important issues facing the 21st century, such as global warming, the food crisis, and our dependence on non-renewable energy. Students are encouraged to face these challenges head-on and create a greener, cleaner

and more sustainable world. Rules for social media comments

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07/09/2026

🌊 What happens to ocean ecosystems when seabirds disappear?

Seabird populations worldwide have declined by 70% since the 1950s, but we still don’t fully understand what this dramatic loss means for ocean ecosystems.

Now, SLU scientist Chuxian Li has been awarded a prestigious Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to investigate the long-term consequences of seabird decline.

In the new project SOSeabird, Chuxian Li and her research group will look thousands of years into the past to explore how seabird populations have responded to climate change. They will also investigate how seabirds themselves influence nutrient cycling and climate through their droppings.

“We need to understand the past to shape a better future. The new project will reveal the long-term role of seabirds in the ocean ecosystem using my mercury method,” says Chuxian Li.

The project builds on her previous research at SLU, where an innovative method using mercury preserved in peat revealed 8,000 years of seabird nesting history on a sub-Antarctic island.

🔗 Read more about the ERC grant and the SOSeabird project: https://www.slu.se/en/news/2026/09/novel-research-on-seabirds-receives-erc-starting-grant/

Photo: Angela Gallego-Sala

03/09/2026

What does SLU’s slogan, “Science and education for sustainable life,” mean to me, an American who moved to Sweden for one of SLU’s masters program?

Interested in attending an NYC Grad School Fair?

RSVP for the Idealist Grad School Fair with Idealist in New York City on September 29th, 2026. For more information and to register, head to their page or go to idealist.org/grad-schools/attend

When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026, from 5-8 p.m.
Where: Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W 8th St., New York, NY 10011)

Check out SLU’s website for more information about our programs! slu.se/en

02/09/2026

Legumes can help reduce insect pests in winter oilseed r**e, according to a new study from SLU.

In a field experiment conducted over two growing seasons, SLU researchers investigated how different legumes affect insect pests and yield under Swedish growing conditions.

The clearest effects were seen when winter oilseed r**e was intercropped with frost-sensitive faba bean. The average number of cabbage stem flea beetle larvae decreased from 6.87 to 3.48 per plant compared with oilseed r**e grown as a sole crop. Damage to r**e buds caused by pollen beetles also decreased by 34%.

“It was interesting to see that sowing the intercrop simultaneously with winter oilseed r**e is essential for pest control. Even a short sowing delay of ten days between the faba bean or the berseem clover and winter oilseed r**e increased the number of cabbage stem flea beetle larvae significantly compared with when the crops were sown simultaneously,” says researcher Chloë Raderschall.

The reduced incidence of insect pests did not, however, result in a higher yield. Oilseed r**e intercropped with faba bean produced a lower yield than oilseed r**e grown alone, possibly because of competition between the crops. The researchers are therefore continuing to investigate how to achieve the plant protection benefits of intercropping without the intercrop competing too strongly with the oilseed r**e.

🔗 Read more about the research: https://www.slu.se/en/news/2026/09/legumes-can-reduce-insect-pests-in-winter-oilseed-r**e/

Photo: Juliana Fälldin and Chloë Raderschall

31/08/2026

Kicking off the new year at SLU!

These are some clips from our meet and greet last Thursday in Ultuna, where our new international students met administratives, ambassadors, buddies, the international masters committee and the student union. We’re all so very excited for you to be here and wish you the best for the duration of your stay!

27/08/2026

The Orientation programme is ON! 🎉 First stop: Umeå!

A big, warm welcome to all our new international students! 💚 We’re so happy you’re here – and we hope you’re ready for everything SLU and Umeå have in store for you.

And yes, we know we promised you snow and Northern Lights… We might need a little more time to deliver on those. 😉

Photo: Anna Englund, SLU

27/08/2026

🌱 Northern peatlands hold enormous stores of carbon that have accumulated over thousands of years. But what happens to these carbon stores as the climate changes?

In her doctoral thesis at SLU in Umeå, Antonia Hartmann investigated how different peatland plants influence the exchange of carbon dioxide and methane between peatlands and the atmosphere.

The research shows that vascular plants and mosses have different but complementary roles. Vascular plants, such as sedges and dwarf shrubs, account for most of the photosynthetic carbon dioxide uptake during summer. Sphagnum mosses become active earlier in spring, continue photosynthesising further into autumn and are more efficient at retaining the carbon they take up.

“Mosses grow slowly, but they are very resource-efficient. In this way, they complement the vascular plants by extending the growing season,” says Antonia Hartmann.

The balance between the plant groups could become increasingly important as the climate changes. Warmer and sunnier conditions may favour vascular plants, but some of these plants can also transport methane from the peat into the atmosphere. Sphagnum mosses, meanwhile, can help reduce methane emissions through microorganisms living in the moss.

Read more about the research: https://www.slu.se/en/news/2026/08/plants-play-a-bigger-role-in-shaping-the-peatland-climate-balance-than-you-might-think/

Photo: Antonia Hartmann, SLU.

24/08/2026

🌿 Could harvesting reeds help both the Baltic Sea and livestock farming?

A new PhD thesis from SLU suggests that harvesting overgrown reed beds along the Baltic Sea coast could offer benefits on two fronts: supporting healthier coastal ecosystems while also providing a potential source of livestock feed.

PhD student William Ashworth found that reed harvesting can help control dense reed beds, benefit other aquatic plants and, with the right harvesting strategies, support fish populations. Harvesting in July and August also removed around nine kilograms of phosphorus per hectare and year from coastal ecosystems.

The research also explored reed as animal feed. The results suggest that it can be suitable for horses with low energy demands and non-producing dairy cows, although there are limitations – including lower feed intake compared with conventional alternatives.

“If these challenges can be addressed, reed harvesting could become a practical tool for both combating coastal eutrophication and meeting growing demands for livestock feed in a more sustainable way,” says William Ashworth.

🔗 Read more: https://www.slu.se/en/news/2026/08/vasskord-kan-ge-dubbel-nytta--friskare-kustmiljoer-och-mer-djurfoder/

20/08/2026

Quinoa can thrive in conditions that would challenge many crops. On the Bolivian Altiplano, at around 4,000 metres above sea level, it faces drought, large temperature fluctuations, intense solar radiation and nutrient-poor soils. But longer periods of drought are threatening yields.

In her new doctoral thesis at SLU, Virginia Gonzales investigated an important but largely invisible part of quinoa’s resilience: the microorganisms living around and inside its roots.

Her research shows that the quinoa genotype strongly influences the bacterial communities found in the roots. A drought-tolerant genotype maintained a more resilient root microbiome during water shortage, while drought had a greater impact on the microbiome of a drought-susceptible genotype.

Virginia also identified native bacteria from the Bolivian Altiplano that could help quinoa grow under drought. Several strains showed promising results, and in field trials one Serratia strain significantly increased both quinoa growth and yield.

The research could support the development of sustainable bioinoculants based on microorganisms that are naturally adapted to local conditions. It also highlights why there is no one-size-fits-all solution: the interaction between the bacterial strain and the quinoa variety can determine how well an inoculant works.

“So it is not enough to find a bacterium that works well. We also need to consider which quinoa variety it will be used with. It is the interaction between the bacterium and the plant that determines how well it works,” says Virginia.

🌾 By making use of quinoa’s natural microbial partners, the research points towards new ways of supporting climate-resilient and locally adapted agriculture.

Read more: https://www.slu.se/en/news/2026/08/beneficial-bacteria-can-help-quinoa-withstand-drought/

Photo: Milenka Rivera

19/08/2026

Starting university in a new country comes with a few unavoidable experiences: getting lost, forgetting something important, wondering whether everyone else has magically figured out how university works… and occasionally questioning every life choice that brought you here. 😅

Here’s the good news: you’re allowed to be new at this. You don’t need to know everything in your first week. You don’t need to make your best friends on day one. You don’t need to understand every system, find every building or have your entire future mapped out before your first lecture.

Ask questions. Get things wrong. Introduce yourself even when it feels awkward. Put the deadline in your calendar. (Seriously. Put it in your calendar.)

And remember: every student who looks completely at home on campus was once standing somewhere with Google Maps open, wondering if they were even on the right campus.

Welcome to SLU. You’ll find your way. 💚🌱

18/08/2026

New to SLU and enrolled in one of our international study programmes? 🌍🎓

Join the Orientation Programme and get a great start to your studies and student life at SLU!

During the programme, you’ll receive useful information for international students, meet other new students, and learn more about studying and living in Sweden.

The Orientation Programme includes both online sessions and on-campus activities.

Participation is voluntary, but highly recommended to help you settle in and make the most of your time at SLU.

👉 Register in advance to participate: https://www.slu.se/en/calendar/2026/08/orientation-programme-autumn-2026

We look forward to meeting you - welcome to SLU! 💚

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Box 7070
Uppsala
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+4618671000

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https://www.slu.se/en/study/

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