<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<rdf:RDF
 xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
 xmlns="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/"
 xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
 xmlns:taxo="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/taxonomy/"
 xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
 xmlns:syn="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
 xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/"
>

<channel rdf:about="http://mobile.gourt.com/Science/Agriculture.html">
<title>Agriculture RSS : Gourt</title>
<link>http://mobile.gourt.com/Science/Agriculture.html</link>
<description></description>
<dc:language>en-us</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Copyright 2007, Gourt.com</dc:rights>
<dc:date>2009-12-16T22:53+56:00
</dc:date>
<dc:publisher>rtruog@gourt.com</dc:publisher>
<dc:creator>rtruog@gourt.com</dc:creator>
<dc:subject>Agriculture RSS : Gourt</dc:subject>
<syn:updatePeriod>hourly</syn:updatePeriod>
<syn:updateFrequency>1</syn:updateFrequency>
<syn:updateBase>1901-01-01T00:00+00:00</syn:updateBase>
<items>
 <rdf:Seq>
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091215.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091214.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091211.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091210.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091209.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091208.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091207.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091204.htm" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F09%2F0433.xml" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F07%2F0322.xml" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F01%2F0027.xml" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2007%2F02%2F0023.xml" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2006%2F10%2F0408.xml" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2006%2F03%2F0061.xml" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2005%2F07%2F0279.xml" />
  <rdf:li rdf:resource="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=Strengthening_Medicare.xml" />
 </rdf:Seq>
</items>
</channel>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091215.htm">
<title>Sorter Detects and Removes Damaged Popcorn Kernels</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091215.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       
	  
		 
		   
			 
				
				  A device that can detect and remove damaged
				  popcorn kernels has been developed from a machine that is usually used to sort
				  wheat. Photo courtesy of USDA-GIPSA.   
		   
		   
			 
				
				   
				 
				  Sorting technology for
					 red, white wheat kernels &nbsp; 
				  Grain moisture
					 measurements may divert mold, insect infestation  &nbsp; 
				  Agricultural pest's genome
					 is sequenced 
				  
		   
		 
		Sorter Detects and Removes Damaged Popcorn
		  Kernels  By Sharon Durham December 15, 2009 
		A device developed by an Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
		  scientist to sort wheat has been successfully used to detect and remove popcorn
		  kernels that have been damaged by fungi. 
		ARS engineer
		  Tom
		  Pearson in Manhattan, Kan., developed the low-cost, high-speed device to
		  inspect and separate a variety of grains based on color variations or slight
		  defects. This technology was previously applied to sorting white and red wheat
		  grains. 
		The system achieved 74 percent accuracy when removing popcorn with
		  fungal damage called blue-eye, and was 91 percent accurate at recognizing
		  undamaged popcorn, according to Pearson, at the ARS
		  Center
		  for Grain and Animal Health Research in Manhattan. The sorter, which uses a
		  specially-designed camera linked to a processor, can handle 88 pounds of
		  popcorn per hour. Pearson is currently designing a sorting machine that has
		  much higher accuracy and can handle greater volumes. 
		Blue-eye damage in corn is characterized by a small blue spot of the
		  popcorn germ and is caused by certain species of Aspergillus and
		  Penicillin, which can grow under poor storage conditions and can affect
		  up to 20 percent of the popcorn harvest. Blue-eye can be minimized if popcorn
		  is dried before storage to reduce its internal moisture to no more than 14
		  percent. 
		The sorting device combines a color image sensor with what's called a
		  field-programmable gate array, which is a programmable, electrical circuit that
		  Pearson configured to execute image processing in real-time, without the need
		  for an external computer. 
		The sorter also could be useful for detecting and removing other
		  defective grains, such as insect-damaged grain, scab-damaged wheat, and bunted
		  wheat. Parts for the system cost less than $2,000, suggesting that it may be
		  economical to simultaneously operate several of the systems to keep up with
		  processing plant rates. 
		This research was published in Computers
		  and Electronics in Agriculture. 
		ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency in the
		  U.S. Department of
		  Agriculture (USDA). This research supports the USDA priorities of promoting
		  international food security and ensuring food safety.  
    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091214.htm">
<title>Foodborne Staph Toxin Pinpointed by New Assay</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091214.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       




A new test that ARS researchers have developed to
trace a Staphylococcus aureus toxin is one billion times more sensitive
than the current &quot;gold standard&quot; assay. Click the image for more
information about it.






Botulism assay quickly
detects potent foodborne toxin
&nbsp;
Arcobacter: Foodborne
pathogen's genome exposed 
&nbsp;
Garden microbe foils E.
coli O157:H7 in laboratory tests 




Foodborne Staph Toxin Pinpointed by New Assay 

By Marcia Wood
December 14, 2009 Most people need about two days to
recover from being sickened by foods contaminated with what's known as
staphylococcal enterotoxin A, or &quot;SEA.&quot; Produced by Staphylococcus
aureus bacteria, this toxin is a leading cause of foodborne illness in the
United States and worldwide, according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) research
chemist
Reuven
Rasooly.
To help public health officials trace the source of food poisoning outbreaks
in which staph A is a suspect, and to give food makers another way to ensure
the safety of their products, Rasooly has developed a superior new test for
finding this toxin in foods. He and technician
Paula
M. Do developed the test at the
ARS
Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif.
The ARS test can detect the toxin at levels that are a remarkable one
billion times lower than the current &quot;gold standard&quot; assay for SEA.
The researchers' experiments with chicken, beef and milk indicate that the
assay reliably distinguishes active from inactive toxin and yields reproducible
results.
The test takes advantage of the fact that the toxin has a double life.
Besides causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastroenteritis symptoms,
SEA also acts as a superantigen&#151;a molecule that activates large numbers of
immune-system cells. The assay neatly exploits this trait by measuring
proliferation of splenocytes, which are immune system cells produced in the
spleen. For the assay, the cells are kept alive in laboratory petri dishes.
The SEA assay is practical, comparatively fast, and relatively inexpensive.
Experienced technicians can quickly learn how to perform the test using
equipment that's standard in laboratories across the nation.
Rasooly and Do describe their test in an article published earlier this year
in FEMS
Immunology and Medical Microbiology .
ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The
Albany research is one of dozens of studies conducted by agency scientists
nationwide to help keep food safe&#151;a top priority of the USDA.

    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091211.htm">
<title>Watermelon: Fruit on the Fast Track</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091211.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       


  
    
            ARS scientists Pat Wechter (left) and Amnon Levi
              have identified and characterized key genes regulating growth and development
              that enable watermelons to grow from tiny flowers to plus-size, market-ready
              produce in only five weeks. Click the image for more information about
                it.
  
  
    
            
        
          Researchers identify
            cause of watermelon vine decline
            &nbsp;
          Watermelon serves up
            medically important amino acid
            &nbsp;
          Watermelon line may help
            breeders combat mildew
        
  

Watermelon: Fruit on the Fast Track  
By Ann Perry 
December 11, 2009 
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are studying how watermelons grow from tiny flowers to plus-size, market-ready produce in only five weeks.  Their findings have resulted in the first reported large-scale study that identified and characterized key genes regulating watermelon growth and development. 
The researchers included plant geneticist Amnon Levi and plant pathologist Pat Wechter at the ARS U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, S.C. Plant geneticist Karen Harris at the ARS Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit in Tifton, Ga., plant geneticist Angela Davis at the ARS South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory in Lane, Okla., and molecular biologist Jim Giovannoni at the ARS Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health in Ithaca, N.Y., also contributed to the research. 
Tissue was taken from watermelons at three distinct stages during growth and ripening. Then the team analyzed RNA from all the tissue samples and used the RNA to develop a library of genes called expressed sequence tags (ESTs), which are unique gene segments involved in different aspects of development and metabolism. 
The researchers found that these genes were active in metabolism, cell growth, cell development, and transporting nutrients and other substances across cell walls. The genes also came into play in cell division, cellular communication, DNA copying, plant defense and stress response. 
The scientists also found a large number of ESTs that appear to be modulated in the fruit during development and ripening. But they can't match them up with any other known plant ESTs, so they may be unique to watermelon. 
This information could benefit plant breeders and watermelon producers alike. Since cultivated watermelons are not genetically diverse, they are more vulnerable to pathogens and environmental stresses. So finding sources of genetic resistance to watermelon diseases is essential to the continued success of U.S. production. 
Results from this study were published in Biomed Central Genomics. 
Read more about this research in the November/December 2009 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This research supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security.

    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091210.htm">
<title>ARS Scientists Help Fight Damaging Moth in Africa</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091210.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       




ARS is working on ways to keep the false coddling
moth out of the U.S. with the aim of averting a threat to the country's citrus,
corn, cotton and a wide range of nuts and fruits. Photo courtesy of the Pest
and Diseases Image Library, Bugwood.org






Scientists pit fungus
against apple pest
&nbsp;
New pheromone sprayer
leads amorous moths astray
&nbsp;
To catch a pest,
scientists fine tune traps




ARS Scientists Help Fight Damaging Moth in Africa

By Dennis
O'Brien
December 10, 2009 Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
scientists have launched a preemptive strike to combat the false codling moth,
a major pest in its native Africa.
If the moth enters the United States, it will damage citrus, corn, cotton
and a wide range of nuts and fruits, according to entomologist
James
Carpenter, at the ARS
Crop
Protection and Management Research Unit in Tifton, Ga. He is working to
control the moth in Africa, thereby reducing the risk of its arrival in the
United States&#151;and ensuring a future weapon if it does show up.
Carpenter and an international team of scientists have turned to a
tried-and-true method of pest control: the sterile insect technique (SIT).
Using this technique, both male and female insects are irradiated. The female
insects are left sterile by the irradiation and are unable to produce
offspring. The males are completely or partially sterilized; if they are able
to produce offspring, the offspring are sterile. By repeating the process, the
target insect population eventually declines.
Originally developed by ARS scientists to control screwworms, SIT is now
used to control Mediterranean fruit flies, pink bollworms and a number of other
moths and pests.
Carpenter began working with South African scientists several years ago to
develop SIT to control false codling moths and to test the methods in South
Africa&#146;s citrus groves. In a series of studies, Carpenter and his
colleagues found that irradiating adult false codling moths sterilized the
females and ensured that males produced only sterile offspring. The research
has been largely funded by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the
International Atomic Energy Agency, which is
dedicated to finding peaceful uses for nuclear energy.
Carpenter also helped South African scientists establish a facility in a
rural village where codling moths are reared, chilled, irradiated and
transported for release in the orchards. In a year of operations, sterilized
moths released aerially and by hand drastically reduced moth populations in
South Africa&#146;s Western Cape region. The sterile moths also are available
for shipment to the United States if they are needed here. A report on this
work was recently published in Area-Wide
Control of Insect Pests.
ARS is the principal scientific research agency of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This
research supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security. 


    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091209.htm">
<title>Farms, Fertilizers and Greenhouse Gas Emissions</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091209.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       
	  
		 
		   
			 
				 Research by ARS
				  soil scientist Rod Venterea on the release of nitrous oxide and other
				  greenhouse gases suggests farmers using reduced tillage can minimize nitrous
				  oxide emissions by putting fertilizers below the upper 2 to 3 inches of soil.
				  Click the image for more information about it. 
		   
		   
			 
				
				   
				 
				  Searching for ways to
					 reduce agriculture's climate change footprint &nbsp; 
				  More about no-till and
					 greenhouse gas emissions  &nbsp; 
				  Capturing carbon a key
					 benefit of no-till soil management  
				 
		   
		 
		Farms, Fertilizers and Greenhouse Gas
		  Emissions  By Ann
		Perry  December 9, 2009 
		Agricultural Research Service
		  (ARS) scientists are front and center in finding out how farming affects
		  emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). 
		Experts already know that N2O emissions rise as applications of
		  nitrogen-based fertilizers increase. Microbiologist
		  Tim
		  Parkin, who works at the
		  ARS
		  National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames, Iowa, is
		  part of a team that is studying how different soils and different fertilizers
		  affect N2O emissions.  
		The researchers assessed the variation in the emissions of N2O, carbon
		  dioxide and methane from two different soil types&#151;a sandy loam mix and a
		  clay soil. The two fertilizers used in the study were urea-ammonium nitrate
		  (UAN) and a liquid swine manure slurry.  
		They found that overall N2O emission levels were highest from soils
		  amended with swine manure slurry. High levels of N2O emissions were measured
		  from sandy loam soils amended either with UAN or slurry. But on the clay soils,
		  only those amended with slurry&#151;and not with UAN&#151;had elevated N2O
		  emissions.  
		Soil scientist
		  Rod
		  Venterea, who works at the
		  ARS
		  Soil and Water Management Research Unit in St. Paul, Minn., is also
		  studying N2O emission dynamics. He found that the amount of N2O emitted from
		  fields fertilized with anhydrous ammonia was on average twice as high as
		  emissions from fields fertilized with urea. The higher emissions from anhydrous
		  ammonia were likely derived from the conversion of ammonia to nitrate.  
		His findings also suggest that farmers using reduced tillage can
		  minimize N2O emissions by placing fertilizers below the upper 2 to 3 inches of
		  soil. This is because in a reduced tillage system, the microorganisms that
		  support N2O emissions are concentrated in the topmost soil layer.  
		Results from Parkin's research were published in the
		  Journal of Environmental
		  Quality in 2008. Venterea's work was published in
		  Global Change
		  Biology in 2007 and the Journal of Environmental
		  Quality in 2005 and 2008.  
		Read
		  more about this research in the November/December 2009 issue of
		  Agricultural Research magazine. 
		ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the
		  U.S. Department of
		  Agriculture (USDA). The research supports the USDA priority of responding
		  to climate change. 
    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091208.htm">
<title>Roasting Does More than Enhance Flavor in Peanuts</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091208.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       
	  
		 
		   
			 
				 Dark roasting peanuts, peanut flour and peanut skins enhances
				  their antioxidant levels, according to new ARS studies. Photo courtesy of
				  Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org.
				 
		   
		   
			 
				
				   
				 
				  New research presented on
					 peanut components &nbsp; 
				  Measuring peanuts'
					 moisture&#151;while still in the shell  &nbsp; 
				  The powers of peanut
					 flours  
				  
		   
		 
		Roasting Does More than Enhance Flavor in
		  Peanuts  By Rosalie Marion Bliss
		December 8, 2009 
		Agricultural Research Service
		  (ARS) scientists have shown that increasing roast color intensity steadily
		  ramps up the antioxidant capacities of peanuts, peanut flour and peanut skins.
		  
		The study was conducted by food technologist
		  Jack
		  P. Davis and his colleagues in the ARS
		  Market
		  Quality and Handling Research Unit in Raleigh, N.C. ARS is the principal
		  intramural scientific research agency in the
		  U.S. Department of
		  Agriculture (USDA). 
		The researchers characterized changes in antioxidant levels of roasted
		  peanuts and the 
		corresponding blanched skins across an industrially relevant range of
		  roast treatments. For the study, peanuts were incrementally roasted at 362
		  degrees Fahrenheit from zero to 77 minutes. The water- and oil-soluble
		  antioxidant activity levels of the roasted peanut product samples were then
		  determined. 
		Dark-roasting consistently increased water- and oil-soluble
		  antioxidant capacities for both commercially available peanut flours and
		  blanched peanuts. Peanut skins, currently considered a waste product of
		  industrial peanut processing, had remarkably high antioxidant capacities across
		  all roast conditions. 
		These antioxidant increases upon roasting were attributed to greater
		  concentrations of phenolic compounds and/or "browning" reaction products. The
		  latter result from thousands of complex chemical reactions in which proteins
		  and sugars interact, ultimately resulting in brown pigmentation. These
		  reactions, collectively termed Maillard browning, are also thought to
		  contribute in part to the characteristic flavor of roasted peanuts. 
		The researchers also measured vitamin E in the roasted peanuts.
		  Vitamin E degradation was most rapid in oil from lightly roasted peanuts;
		  however, oil from darker roasted peanuts had better vitamin E retention than
		  that of lightly roasted or even raw peanuts. This preservation of vitamin E
		  could be due to the increased concentration of oil-soluble Maillard reaction
		  products, which seem to protect vitamin E from oxidation. 
		While darker roasted peanuts are inappropriate for some applications
		  due to sensory considerations, these materials are utilized to prepare, for
		  example, darker roasted peanut flours and flavor extracts. The study expands
		  the fundamental knowledge of roasting as it relates to the antioxidant capacity
		  of peanuts and peanut ingredients, according to the authors. Davis reported the
		  findings in
		  Food
		  Chemistry. 
    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091207.htm">
<title>Long-Term Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Plants Studied by ARS</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091207.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       



Read the
magazine
story to find out more. 




For some forest species such as the longleaf pine,
it turns out higher CO2 levels that can come with global climate change could
be a boon, increasing growth and survival, according to long-term ARS studies.
Photo courtesy of David Stephens, Bugwood.org 






Elevated carbon dioxide
boosts invasive nutsedge 
&nbsp;
Elevated carbon dioxide
has uneven influence on longleaf communities 
&nbsp;
Farming practices
influence the effects of rising carbon dioxide 




Long-Term Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Plants Studied by
ARS 
By Don Comis
December 7, 2009 Long-term, open-top chamber studies
of how rising carbon dioxide (CO2) could affect crops, forests, and pastures
reveal a wide range of impacts, according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
scientists.
Plant physiologist
Steve
Prior at the
ARS
National Soil Dynamics Laboratory in Auburn, Ala., heads this research
effort. He, plant pathologist
Brett
Runion, and other colleagues at the Auburn laboratory have found that
fast-growing exotic weedy invasives such as Chinese privet, nutsedge and
tropical spiderwort could become even more troublesome as CO2 levels increase
to 550 parts per million as predicted by 2050.
For forest species such as longleaf pine, higher CO2 levels improve water
use efficiency, which may improve drought tolerance, by causing leaf pores or
stomates to stay partially closed longer.
In their studies, growth and survival of pine trees went up, while growth
and survival of understory plants declined by half.
In addition to increased pine needle production under high CO2, the
scientists also found some chemical changes in these needles that litter the
forest floor, resulting in less nutritional content for millipedes and other
bugs and microbes that feed on them. These changes may alter carbon and
nutrient cycling in these natural systems.
And they found that higher CO2 can increase residues left from soybeans and
other crops and affect the amount of nitrogen available to plants as microbes
decompose the residue. Different soybean varieties may also have different
effects on nitrogen availability in a high CO2 world.
In addition to weeds, Prior and Runion also saw effects on disease and
insect pests, such as fusiform rust and the red headed pine sawfly.
The study supports the U.S. Department of
Agriculture&#146;s priority of responding to climate change.
Read
more about this and other climate change research in the November-December
2009 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
ARS is USDA&#146;s principal intramural scientific research agency.

    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091204.htm">
<title>Fungus-on-Fungus Fight Could Benefit Chickpeas</title>
<link>http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/091204.htm</link>
<description><![CDATA[
    
       




ARS scientists may have found a biological control
for Ascochyta rabiei&#151;a fungus that threatens chickpea crops the
world over with blight. Photo courtesy of Sam Markell, North Dakota State
University, Bugwood.org.






Experimental chickpeas
fend off caterpillar pest 
&nbsp;
Scientists tie chickpea
disease to fungal culprit 
&nbsp;
New chickpea variety
available for legume lovers 




Fungus-on-Fungus Fight Could Benefit Chickpeas 

By Jan Suszkiw
December 4, 2009 The fungus Ascochyta rabiei
threatens chickpea crops the world over. But now this blight-causing pathogen
could meet its match in Aureobasidium pullulans, a rival fungus that
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
scientists are investigating as a biocontrol agent. 
Treating chickpea seed with fungicides, planting resistant cultivars,
plowing crop fields before planting time, and rotating chickpeas with non-host
crops are effective methods of controlling Ascochyta blight, which forms dark
lesions on the legume crop&#146;s stems, leaves and pods. According to ARS
plant pathologist
Frank
Dugan, however, biocontrol is worth exploring for its potential to provide
chickpea growers with greater flexibility in how they manage the disease. 
During the winter, A. rabiei survives on chickpea stubble (stems and
leaves left behind after harvest) and forms sexual spores, called ascospores,
which can infect plantings of the crop in the spring. Severe
outbreaks&#151;fueled by cool, wet conditions&#151;can wipe out the entire
crop. But for all the damage A. rabiei inflicts, it, too, can be harmed.

In studies begun by Dugan and colleagues in 2003, a close examination of
chickpea stubble from fields near Pullman, Wash., revealed a community of
fungal competitors. Of 28 fungal isolates identified, A. pullulans
scored highest on a ranking system used to assess their biocontrol potential.
These criteria included ease of growth in culture, abundance in nature, safety
to humans and animals, and &#147;antagonism&#148; towards targeted pathogens. 

According to Dugan, with the
ARS
Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research Station in Pullman, A.
pullulans inhibits A. rabiei&#146;s ability to form or release
ascospores in the over-wintered stubble, thereby curbing its infection of
chickpea seedlings in the spring. In small-scale field trials, inoculating
stubble with A. pullulan spores, called conidia, reduced Ascochyta
blight by 38 percent, a level Dugan expects can be improved using adjuvants and
other standard ingredients often used in biocontrol formulations. 
Dugan and ARS and Washington State
University colleagues reported their findings in the journal
Biocontrol
Science and Technology.
ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. The research
supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security. 

    
    ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F09%2F0433.xml">
<title>Statement from Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Regarding Animal Health and 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F09%2F0433.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F07%2F0322.xml">
<title>Response to Drudge Item on Recovery Act Funding</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F07%2F0322.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F01%2F0027.xml">
<title>Transcript:  Secretary Tom Vilsack Hosts News Conference Call with Reporters</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2009%2F01%2F0027.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[ ]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2007%2F02%2F0023.xml">
<title>USDA Announces Appointment of Mast as Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2007%2F02%2F0023.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the selection of Gary W. Mast as Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment (NRE). Mast succeeds Merlyn Carlson, who retired from the position on Jan. 5, 2007]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2006%2F10%2F0408.xml">
<title>USDA-DOE Make Available $4 Million For Biomass Genomics Research</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2006%2F10%2F0408.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture (DOE and USDA) today announced $4 million for bio-based fuels research that will accelerate the development of alternative fuels.]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2006%2F03%2F0061.xml">
<title>Johanns Announces $5.3 Million In Air Quality Grants</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2006%2F03%2F0061.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced today that 11 educational institutions will be awarded  $5.3 million to conduct air quality research that focuses on reducing emissions and odor levels due to agricultural operations.]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2005%2F07%2F0279.xml">
<title>USDA, FDA, DHS and FBI Join States And Private Industry To Protect Nation&#x26;apos;s Food And Agriculture Supply From Agroterrorism</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2005%2F07%2F0279.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services&apos; Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced a new collaboration with states and private industry to protect the nation&apos;s food supply from terrorist threats.]]></description>
</item>

<item rdf:about="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=Strengthening_Medicare.xml">
<title>Strengthening Medicare: A Framework to Modernize and Improve Medicare</title>
<link>http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentidonly=true&#x26;PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=Strengthening_Medicare.xml</link>
<description><![CDATA[President Bush wants Seniors And Americans with disabilities to know about new Medicare benefits.]]></description>
</item>

</rdf:RDF>