Award Data

More than 200 million pounds of blueberries are sorted annually based upon visual observation by men and women on inspection lines or with equipment that observes blueberry color. As domestic hand labor becomes more expensive, the industry continues to move towards mechanized sorting processes using less than adequate sorting technologies. We propose a novel, commercially viable, low-cost classifi ...

We will develop a vapor phase detector of the chemicals/explosives associated with nuclear weaponry. Radioactivity detection allows accurate weapons verification, but provides too much information on the weaponry design. An alternative is to detect otherchemicals associated with nuclear weaponry. EIC Laboratories has successfully developed vapor phase Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) ...

The presence of human pathogens in uncooked sprouts has required health advisories by government agencies. Various chemical and physical processes for seed decontamination are under evaluation. The electron beam fluidized bed process developed by EPS under USDA grants has been shown to be an effective biocidal agent and is well suited to the disinfection of sprout seeds. Any commercially useful pr ...

This project will enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. aquaculture industry by providing a cost- effective means of increasing the rate of genetic improvement of hybrid striped bass. We will compare the reproductive, hatchery and grow-out performance of selectively bred hybrid striped bass and backcross hybrid striped bass of common genetic origin. We will also benchmark our findings via compar ...

This project will improve the market value of U.S. aquaculture products through the development of an improved system for transporting, holding and distributing live finfish. In Phase I, we will develop a new anesthetic Aqui-S that holds tremendous promise for mitigating handling stress. We will also develop and evaluate key components of a low-cost, modular transport system that promises to signi ...

This project will enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. aquaculture industry by bringing to fruition seven years of prior work that has resulted in the creation of a genetically diverse founder populations of F1 through F3 performance striped bass, improved reproductive techniques and a comprehensive set of microsattellite DNA markers. We will accelerate the commercial application of our work by ...

This project will enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. aquaculture industry by bringing to fruition seven years of prior work that has resulted in the creation of a genetically diverse founder populations of F1 through F3 performance striped bass, improved reproductive techniques and a comprehensive set of microsattellite DNA markers. We will accelerate the commercial application of our work by ...

Due to environmental and regulatory concerns, research and development of nonchemical alternatives for pest suppression is necessary. Entomopathogenic nematodes are environmentally friendly biocontrol agents that can suppress a wide variety of economically important insect pests including the black vine weevil, the Japanese beetle, Diaprepes root weevil, and fungus gnats. Commercialization of thes ...

Scierotinia sclerotiorum, or white mold, is generally considered to be one of the two most damaging diseases to the U.S. canola, dry bean, soybean, and sunflower crops. Although controllable with timely fungicide applications, the expense of these fungicides and the lack of reliable information as to the need for the application often prohibit the preemptive action requited for disease control. Wh ...

The project goal is to develop an alternative infrasound monitoring system with piezoelectric sensors for use under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. These sensors will have several advantages over the microbarograph system that forms the baseline forthe IMS. As an all-electronic system, the novel sensor would be far simpler than the baseline, with no moving parts or piping. It will be more ro ...