Award Data

This application describes the Phase I commercialization by Virginia Cobia Farms (VCF) of a combination of unique technologies including proprietary technology involving molecular salinity nutrient sensors in fish, use of intensive land based recirculation systems (RAS), novel dietary fish feed formulations as well as commercial production scale application of ARS scientists focused on development ...

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Most contemporary diagnostic tests are designed to detect and identify a single particular pathogen if it may be present in a given specimen. Furthermore such assays typically rely upon a short biomarker, or short signature gene sequence element to INDIRECTLY determine if the specimen is or is not present in the specimen. Such assays are inevitably vulnerable to false negative or false positive re ...

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THE U.S. PORK INDUSTRY IS CURRENTLY OPERATING WITH RELATIVELY INEFFECIENT FEED CONVERSION RATIOS OF 3.4 TO 3.5 DURING THE GROWER-FINISHER STAGES, AND IS TRYING TO MEET CONSUMER DEMANDS FOR LEANER PRODUCT WHILE FACING STIFF PRICE COMPETITION FROM THE POULTRY INDUSTRY. THE PORK INDUSTRY WILL NEED TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCIES TO REMAIN PROFITABLE WHILE MAINTAINING OR INCREASING MARKET SHARE AT ...

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project envisages new biodegradable, water-soluble films produced from blends of pectin and starch for commercial applications. The proposed research focuses on developing films by melt extrusion of plasticized blends of pectin and starch. The extruded films will be characterized in terms of blend morphology, mechanical properties, and barrier prop ...

Economic bioethanol production is critically dependent upon the ability to convert both the hexose (C6) and pentose (C5) sugars resulting from cellulose and hemicellulose components of biomass. C5 sugars are not readily fermentable by native organisms. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are designed to ferment xylose, but their stability, ethanol yield, environmental impact, and survival under ...

Frothed foams will be prepared and applied in place as low cost mulches for weed control in small plot specialty crop operations. Foam mixes will be formulated from degradable natural polymers including gelatins and starches. Fillers will be common cellulosic mulch ingredients such as crushed seed hulls and corncobs. A conventional portable spray tank modified with an impeller blade will mechan ...

In this project, we will develop cost-effective, environmentally benign architectural roof coatings derived from agricultural products. Each year more than 5 billion pounds of material are used for roof coatings leading to the emission of more than 2.5 billion pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Our preliminary studies have shown that cationic photopolymerizations of epoxidized soybean ...

Cement-bonded particleboard is an environmentally safe high-performance reconstituted wood product with desirable longevity, fire resistance and life-cycle cost position, presenting a great potential to maintain the competitive position of reconstituted wood boards in demanding construction markets. The low productivity of cement-bonded particleboard plants and the inhibitory effects of some wood ...