The Ag eDispatch

SAES bioengineers on right track

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:55:12 -0500

Among the technical sessions at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers’ (ASABE) 102nd annual meeting this past summer were three that sprang from the Bioengineering Program at A&T. Dr. Manuel Reyes gave a progress report on “Agroforestry and Sustainable Vegetable Production in Southeast Asian Watersheds,” that covered policy analyses and recommendations for incentives for environmental stewardship that are outgrowths of a $1.2 million research project he is coordinating. Dr. Abolghasem Shahbazi was on a team, along with Shuangning Xiu, an SAES research associate, and James Croonenberghs, a graduate student, that had a presentation on “Thermochemical Liquefaction of Duckweed to Biofuel” among the ASABE technical presentations. Shahbazi was also part of a team, along with research associates, Michele Mims and Lijun Wang, which had a presentation on “Anaerobic Co-fermentation of Crude Glycerol and Oil-Seed Meal to Ethanol and Hydrogen.”

As an organization devoted to both science and education, the ASABE, has evolved into an international clearinghouse for research in biological, food, and agricultural engineering. With more than 9,000 members from more than 100 countries, ASABE membership includes scientists and other professionals specializing in farm safety, nursery and greenhouse operations, power systems, and farm machinery and structures.

Molecular sponging

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:49:46 -0500

The first-ever National Science Experiment will be Wednesday, Oct. 8. The experiment that 4-H’ers and other youths from across the country will be conducting has a focus on the environment and water conservation, and it will explore the properties of water-absorbing polymers — chains of molecules that can be used in agriculture, erosion control, soil management and environmental clean-ups. Soil and water get involved also, as the experiment tests the effectiveness of polymers in preventing the spread of contaminants. Once they have completed the National Science Experiment, student scientists and their adult mentors can go to a special Web page to submit results, and compare their findings to those of other student scientists across the country.

National Science Experiment National Youth Science Day was announced in June alongside a new 4-H public service campaign One Million New Scientists. One Million New Ideas. The campaign supports the organization’s long-term goal of attracting a million new youths to 4-H science, engineering, and technology programs by the year 2013.

TV personality Steve Spangler is serving as the official spokesperson for National Youth Science Day, and Spangler’s website currently has a seasonal offering that will be of interest to teachers, 4-H leaders and parents who would like to insert an educational component into the festivities on Oct. 31. The “Making Science Fun” website is featuring instructions for six experiments with Halloween resonance.

Student research work to get a spotlight

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:19:33 -0500

It's going to be open to the public free of charge, but Sept. 22 is the deadline for online registration for the Alliance Day showcasing of research by students from A&T and seven other institutions on Friday, Sept. 26 at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. A number of high schools students will also attend Alliance Day with oral and poster presentations of research projects.

One of the agencies collaborating on Alliance Day is the North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, which was established by A&T and other institutions in the UNC system to increase the number of minority students pursuing advanced degrees in scientific and technical fields. Among the dignitaries who will be bringing greetings this year are Dr. Alton Thompson, interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at A&T, and Dr. Stanley F. Battle, A&T's chancellor. Students entered in the oral presentation competition will be making their presentations from 2 to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26.

Cattail tale

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:34:56 -0500

Dr. Ghasem Shahbazi’s research work at the University Farm fueled some interest at the Greensboro News & Record, and on July 28 the paper ran an article covering a couple of his research projects. The story provides some insights into the research Shahbazi is conducting that is looking into the potential to convert cattails and other cellusic plants into ethanol, and also potential for converting swine waste into a heavy oil that can be used in manufacturing.

Chance to draw attention to SAES student research

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:30:49 -0500

The North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation was established by eight institutions in the UNC System, including A&T, to increase the number of minority students pursuing advanced degrees in scientific and technical fields. NC LSAMP has an annual Alliance Day for research presentations by both graduate and undergraduate students. The deadline for students to submit abstracts for oral and poster presentations of 300 words is Sept. 2. Alliance Day itself will be Friday, Sept. 26 at the Greensboro Coliseum’s Special Events Center.

Sweet 16 teams

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:20:58 -0500

There were 16 presentations at the 2008 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo that included SAES scientists on the research teams. Dr. Salam Ibrahim was a member of 14 of the research teams, and his teamwork included presentations of research findings on the antimicrobial effects of pomegranates, persimmons and red bell peppers, and nutritional enhancements for yogurt, ice cream and ground beef. The roster of SAES research faculty working along with Ibrahim on these teams includes Drs. C. W. Seo, Chyer Kim and Danfeng “Tammy” Song of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, and Dr. Willie Willis of the Department of Animal Sciences.

The 2008 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo also had presentations from research teams that presented results from investigations of the use of pecan shells in well-water purification and peanut-based powdered milk Drs. Mohamed Ahmedna and Jianmei Yu of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences were on both of these research teams.

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo, in New Orleans June 28 to July 1, lived up to its billing as one of the 200 largest conventions in the United States. Estimates are that more than 20,000 food scientists and technologists attended, and that nearly 1,000 companies in food-related industries had exhibits.

Acceleration through micropropagation

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:14:45 -0500

Dr. Guochen Yang and Zhongge “Cindy” Lu of the SAES Agricultural Research Program presented findings from promising research into micropropagation of Alexandrian laurel at the 105th Annual Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) in Orlando in late July. When propagated from seeds, the ornamental shrub has a germination rate of only 20 percent, and it then takes growers up to six years to produce a commercially viable one-gallon plant. Yang and Lu have been researching a micropropagation method that is resulting in a germination rate of 80 to 100 percent, and one-year-old plants the size of three-year-old plants grown conventionally.

Yang was also cited for his contributions as member of the selection committee for the ASHS’s International Horticulturist Award in the conference program.

The ASHS is the largest organization in the world working to advance research and education in horticulture and related areas. The organization’s 2008 conference featured more than 900 scientific presentations, and more than 1,000 scientists and students participated.

University Farm research to get public review

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:13:35 -0500

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. for Small Farms Field Day at the University Farm on Thursday, Aug. 7. The program will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Extension specialists and research scientists will discuss several research projects with profitable potential for small farms: new varieties of bell peppers, pastured swine and organic vegetable production. The Small Farms Field Day agenda also includes programs covering on-farm biodiesel production, biosecurity considerations for beef cattle marketing, the use of GPS for production management, and prepping produce for direct marketing. Dr. Keith Baldwin, Cooperative Extension's program leader for agriculture and natural resources, is coordinating the 2008 Small Farms Field Day at the University Farm.

Crystal ball grazing

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:34:15 -0500

The American Sheep and Goat Center (ASGC) is accepting proposals for $200,000 in competitive grants for a program that includes animal health, producer information, and genetic research. Although individual producers are ineligible for grants, most awards in previous funding cycles have gone for research projects led by land-grant institutions and producer groups. The deadline for proposal submissions is 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1.

SAES orbiting with news from Mars

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:37:32 -0500

The last week of June the Mars candy company released news of a $10 million, five-year project to sequence and analyze the entire cocoa genome as groundwork for development of drought- and disease-resistant cocao trees. The announcement got a considerable amount of media attention and the spokesman selected by the candy company to explain what Mars and its partners, IBM and USDA, have in mind was Dr. Howard-Yana Shapiro, director of plant science for Mars. If that name sounded vaguely familiar to SAES faculty and staff, it’s probably because Dr. Shapiro has visited A&T to deliver a lecture at the invitation of his colleague on the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Collaborative Research Support Program’s (SANREM CRSP) technical committee, Dr. Manual Reyes. Another SAES connection to Dr. Shapiro is Dr. Alton Thompson, who will continue to serve as chair of the SANREM board of directors while serving as interim provost and vice chancellor for A&T State University.

All invited to RAP wrap-up

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:31:03 -0500

The Agricultural Research Program is hosting a select group of high school students through July 18. The 20 students selected for the 2008 Research Apprentice Program (RAP), who arrived on campus June 22, will return home with a taste of college life, and a month of scientific guidance from the SAES research faculty. Before they depart, however, the research apprentices will present overviews of their research projects at a reception from 9 a.m. to noon at Webb Hall on Friday, July 18. The entire SAES faculty and staff is invited to attend the grand finale for the 2008 RAP students.

Texas techies issue call for papers

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:36:58 -0500

A call for papers has gone out for a national educational technology symposium that the Texas Computer Education Association will be hosting in Austin in February 2009. The deadline for submitting papers is Aug. 1. Submissions should be no longer than eight pages, and adaptable to a 20-minute presentation at the symposium. The short-list of 34 “possible paper topics” includes cultural attitudes and technology, online learning, gender and diversity issues, Web-based instruction and women in technology.

Sumer Is Icumen In

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:33:47 -0500

The Agricultural Research Program is hosting a highly select group of high school students through July 18. The 20 students selected for the 2008 Research Apprentice Program (RAP) arrived on campus June 22. Seventeen of the students come from North Carolina. This summer’s RAP will go home with a taste of college life, and a month of scientific guidance, working one-on-one with a member of the SAES research faculty. The entire SAES faculty and staff is invited to attend the grand finale for the 2008 RAP on Friday, July 18, when the research apprentices will present overviews of their projects from 9 a.m. to noon at Webb Hall. The RAP students will be making poster presentations and discussing what they learned while working with their SAES mentor scientists.

Tomato/tomahto controversy eclipsed

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:32:20 -0500

“Localculture” is extremely good advice for North Carolina tomato consumers now that the FDA has narrowed its search for the source for salmonella outbreak to plum, Roma and red round slicing tomatoes, most likely from Florida or Mexico. The North Carolina-grown tomatoes available at farmers markets and roadside stands aren’t on the list of suspects.

SAES students have a second motivation to give North Carolina tomatoes careful consideration. The application deadline is June 30, for the N.C. Tomato Growers Association’s $1,000 scholarship for the 2008-09 academic year. The scholarship will be awarded to a student majoring in horticulture or agribusiness at either the graduate or undergraduate level. Scholarship applicants should be residents of North Carolina, and have an overall GPA of at least 2.5. The winner will be announced Aug. 7 at the annual Tomato Field Day at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Fletcher.

Door open for trustworthy proposals

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:26:08 -0500

The Tobacco Trust Fund Commission’s deadline for grant applications for its next funding cycle is Aug. 1. The Commission’s priorities for the upcoming funding cycle include community economic development, farm profitability, natural resource and farmland preservation, and other projects that will support the state’s agricultural economy. Special attention will be given to proposals that address areas affected by changes in the tobacco industries, and to projects with broad geographic and demographic impact potential.

The N. C. General Assembly established the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission to direct lawsuit settlement funds from cigarette manufacturers (the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement) to farmers and tobacco-related businesses. Among the projects awarded funding in 2007 are local initiatives for food safety and workforce development training, farmers market facility improvements, bramble production workshops, and alternative energy and value-added agribusiness projects.