Award Data

Biomass is a renewable resource with high potential to achieve cost effective, reliable, and environmentally friendly energy to the American consumer, but yet is still deemed inefficient. First, current methodologies only allow conversion of cellulosic materials into biofuel, leaving energy-rich hemicellulosic material unutilized. Second, even though carbohydrate conversion is the focus of biomass ...

Globalization of our seafood supply, the lack of international standards, and the numerous reported instances of fraudulent labeling of seafood products has reduced consumer confidence in seafood across the country. In addition, concerns of this rampant mislabeling of seafood products, which could lead to seafood safety issues, have prompted many to look at traceability as a means to track seafood ...

Fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers are transported and stored in refrigerated containers. As the produce ripens, ethylene gas is produced, which further ripens the product and can lead to premature spoilage. Most fruits and vegetables emit ethylene gas which promotes ripening. Certain species, such as apples and bananas, produce more ethylene than others. Elevated ethylene levels can significant ...

Agricultural equipment powered using hydrocarbon fuels emit VOCs, CO, soot, particulates, and NOx. However, controlling and reducing these emissions can impose a heavy economic burden on farmers and the agricultural industry. For example, equipment powered by two cycle engines cannot economically employ catalytic converter technology for highway gasoline and diesel engines. Thus, economic control ...

Most citrus is harvested by hand. The resulting high cost in the U.S. is a burden to growers and positions them at a disadvantage to overseas competitors with low labor costs. Automated methods are needed to ensure the long-term viability and prosperity of the U.S. citrus industry. Energid Technologies proposes a new harvesting approach that combines robotic technologies with the efficiency of mas ...

Cypripedium is a genus of temperate terrestrial ladyslipper orchids of excellent garden size, forming clumps or 12 - 18 inches in diameter or more, with very showy flowers. Many species are easy to grow in northern gardens (USDA zones 2-7) and have excellent horticultural potential. Today, several nurseries grow a few species and hybrids from seed, although a number of garden-worthy species have n ...

Ammonia emissions from extensive agricultural operations such as livestock (beef, dairy, poultry, swine and horses) have gained much attention in recent years due to the adverse effects of these emissions on public health and outdoor air quality. Ammonia is considered an important pollutant due to its role as a precursor in fine particulate matter formation and its impact on ecological nitrogen ba ...

Pesticides are among the most widely used toxic chemicals in the world, and are demonstrably dangerous to human health. Their effects can be especially widespread when pesticides enter into drinking water. There are growing demands for field-deployable devices for reliable on-site monitoring of trace pesticides in water at low ppb levels of these compounds. In proposed Phase I program, Giner, Inc. ...

Red alder is the predominant commercial hardwood species of the Pacific Northwest. It is an early successional species that rapidly regenerates following fire or clearcutting and normally precedes the establishment of the historically preferred Douglas-fir. As such, past conifer forestry management practices were designed to speed the transition to Douglas-fir through alder eradication efforts. Co ...

Greenhouse farming is an absolute necessity to revive and create local agriculture industries in northern climatically challenged regions with short growing seasons. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) has made significant strides in greenhouse farming technology. State of the art CEA farming utilizes direct control of lighting, temperature and CO2 in a hydroponics environment. Key advantages ...