The cleanest little chicken house in America – filtered-air positive pressure housing for chickens and eggs Vince Mazzola Can you imagine living in an environment so clean and free of disease risk that you never get sick, take medicine, or need to be vaccinated? “There are flocks of chickens that have lived at this laboratory, […]
Category: Agricultural Research
Salt-worthy flowers are stunningand sensible Erin Peabody A flower grower in the Coachella Valley of southern California looks doubtfully at the water easing its way down his field’s irrigation furrow. He’s using reclaimed drainage water, but he suspects it’s infused with multiple salts and trace elements–rendering it unfit for his just-emerging, tender crop of ornamental […]
Training dogs to smell off-flavor in catfish David Elstein Off-flavor in catfish costs the industry as much as $50 million annually. But Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists may have found a new solution to identify the fish that shouldn’t land on consumers’ plates. They’re getting help from canines. ARS researchers at the Aquatic Animal Health […]
Exotic fruits promise taste of the tropics – Agricultural Research Service’s tropical crops gene bank in Hawaii Marcia Wood Exotic Fruits Promise Taste of the Tropics Sweet and juicy, the exotic fruit lychee ranks as one of Asia’s most enduring taste treats. Farmers in China have cultivated lychee for more than 2,000 years. Today, lychee […]
Computer programs to help the environment – use of GOSSYM/COMAX system and TETrans in agriculture Dennis Senft Computer Programs Help the Environment Computer programs developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists are now striving to keep the environment clean while helping farmers and ranchers in getting better returns on their operations. “The two goals go hand […]
The Cause of Bronze Wilt of Cotton – Agricultral Research Service – Brief Article Linda McGraw A mysterious cotton disease known as bronze wilt appeared in the Midsouth and Southeast during the hot summers of 1995, 1996, and 1998. Similar disease symptoms were seen in peanuts and soybeans. Bronze wilt flourishes when daytime temperatures are […]
When’s Your Burger Really Done? It turns out that color alone is not a true test of a grilled burger’s doneness. While a brown center sometimes indicates that ground beef is fully cooked, how the meat was handled before cooking can undermine the accuracy of a visual test. Researchers confirmed this by grilling fresh ground […]
Feeling Weak? Try the Tortillas! – Brief Article Marcia Wood Can corn combat anemia? It’s a possibility. Tortillas and other foods made from the flour of a unique corn may help combat iron-deficiency anemia. That could be a boon in developing countries where corn-based foods are a part of nearly every meal. In fact, products […]
Melon growers’ next battle cry against insect pests could be squash them! Jan Suszkiw Once warmed by spring’s arrival, cucumber beetles and squash bugs are soon on the move. They are looking to feast on the tender seedlings of watermelon or other cucurbits, like cantaloupe. This can put melon growers on the defensive, forcing them […]
Local research, but everyone’s watching – Forum Roger Vargas The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata), commonly called the medfly, is one of the world’s most destructive agricultural pests. Also with the potential to cause a large amount of damage to agricultural crops are the melon fly, oriental fruit fly, and Malaysian fruit fly, all foreign […]