Award Data

While bacteria cause fewer plant diseases than fungi and viruses, they do cause serious economic damages to both US and worldwide agriculture. Citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis has resulted in the destruction of over 20 million trees in Florida, while fire blight caused by Erwinia amylovora costs exceed $100 million per year in the United States alone, and recent epidemics have cost o ...

Hundreds of existing wind power projects have transformed communities by creating jobs, improving economic development, and reducing environmental pollution. However, 85 percent of rural communities cannot utilize wind power today due to community concerns or poor wind resources at ground level that make projects uneconomical. Altaeros Energies is developing an airborne wind turbine that adapts pr ...

As fish species with greater sensitivity to water quality are cultured in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), it becomes vital to improve fine solids capture. Additionally, phosphorous levels in the discharge from RAS are often high (per EPA guidelines and regulations) and can lead to eutrophication of receiving waters. This project has the potential to improve PBF performance in both respect ...

Tuna are among the most highly valued fish worldwide. Due to this value and high demand, tuna are being fished beyond sustainable levels in many parts of the world. Replacing or supplementing wild catch with hatchery raised tuna makes sense, but this is technically difficult with current technology. Hatchery efforts since the 1970s have made progress in capture and spawning of tuna to provide eggs ...

This application addresses the USDA NIFA "Global Food Security and Hunger" primary societal challenge area by developing a countermeasure against a potential agricultural disease threat - Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). RVFV is an arthropod-borne pathogen that often results in severe morbidity and mortality in both humans and livestock. RVF manifests itself in the vast majority of individuals that ...

The "KickinKitchen.TV" project combines: technology, education and research strategies to address the USDA challenge area of improving nutritional health and reducing childhood obesity. This study involves the following partners: racially diverse, urban public schools, KidsCOOK Productions, an independent production company committed to addressing childhood obesity risk through its digital educati ...

Mandates for biofuels have resulted in the significant increase of biodiesel production in rural communities. Hawaii's Jatropha biodiesel production will produce nearly 650-700 kg of residues, consisting of Jatropha seedcake and fruit hulls for every metric ton of seeds harvested for oil production. In addition, the biodiesel conversion process will produce another 30-50 kg of crude glycerin, ...

The development of an inexpensive, field pesticide sensor would serve a large market for researchers, municipalities and regulatory agencies to minimize the risks involved in pesticide use. The long-term vision is for this technology to become a key environmental science tool to support water quality monitoring efforts. The proposed device will solve two of the most important shortcomings of prese ...

Currently there are no truly effective interventions or therapeutic treatments for White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in farmed shrimp. Current production practices focus on pathogen exclusion by stocking specific pathogen free (SPF) larvae, decontamination and filtration of water to prevent pathogen introduction, and strict biosecurity at hatcheries and grow out pond sites. This is extremely challe ...

Apple snail, (Pomacea canaliculata), a highly invasive pest affecting wetland crops in 18 countries including the U.S., is listed as one of the 100 Worst Global Invaders. One study showed that due to its voracious appetite, present value damage from the snail could cost Philippine rice production as much as 2.3 billion dollars annually. In Hawai`i, the apple snail invasion has reduced taro harvest ...