A Systems Approach to Corn, genome sequencing and genetic diversity of corn, Nested Association Mapping Population, crop improvement, biofuel production, breeding, Germplasm Enhancement of Maize project, Aspergillus, aflatoxin, weed management, new uses for cornstarch, corn-based plastics, Kay Simmons, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.2

Opening Up a New World of Maize Traits, Nested Association Mapping Population, genetic diversity of corn, QTLs for traits, photoperiod sensitivity, recombination in the chromosome, Ed Buckler, Ithaca, NY, Jim Holland, Raleigh, NC, Michael McMullen and Sherry Flint-Garcia, Columbia, MO, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.4-6

Want To Know What a Gene Does? Use a Little MAGIC, “mutant-assisted gene identification and characterization” process for mapping useful agricultural traits, hypersensitive response as indication of plant defense response, Peter Balint-Kurti, Raleigh, NC (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.7

Protecting Corn Crops From Aflatoxin, competitive exclusion with Afla-Guard or K49 for outcompeting Aspergillus flavus to inhibit aflatoxin production, lines Mp715 and Mp717 resist aflatoxin and fumonisin accumulation, other germplasm resists fall armyworm and southwestern corn borer, Joe Dorner, Dawson, Georgia, Hamed Abbas, Stoneville, MS, Peter Cotty, Tucson, AZ, Paul Williams, Mississippi State, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.8-10

Helping Earth-Friendly, Corn-Based Plastics Take the Heat, heat deflection temperature modifier added to polylactic acid improves corn-based plastic’s heat tolerance, potential uses include coffee-cup lids and beverage bottles, William J. Orts, Albany, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.11

Rooting Out Rootworm Resistance, studying western corn rootworm resistance to Bt corn lines, using non-Bt plants as insect refuges, genes and DNA markers in rootworm for resistance to corn-soybean rotations, Bruce Hibbard, Columbia, MO, Tom Sappington, Ames, IA, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.12-13

Sweet Corn Weed-Management Systems for the Changing Climate, changes in corn yields and weed species in north central U.S. as climate warms over the years, role of latitude, corn planting time, and Marty Williams, Urbana, IL, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.14

Genetic-Diversification Program Is a “GEM” of a Resource for Corn Growers, Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) project for broadening genetic base of corn and identifying promising exotic germplasm, allelic diversity study, double haploid method, photoperiod-control shade houses, Mike Blanco, Ames, IA, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.15

Corn Genomics: At the Touch of a Keystroke, Maize Genomics and Genetics Database (Maize GDB) online provideds geneticists and breeders with genetic maps, bioinformatics and more, Carolyn Lawrence, Ames, IA, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.15

Corn! See These Sources To Learn More, sources of literature and web sites on corn recommended by National Agricultural Library, Felicia Tyler, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.16

ARS National Research Program on Corn, improving genetic diversity of corn, pest resistance, resilience to climate change, food and biobased product uses, Kay Simmons, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.17

Hawaii Hosts Wasp-on-Wasp Battle Royale, taxonomic identification of African biocontrol wasp Eurytoma erythrinae and release to battle the gall wasp in Hawaii, Michael Gates, Washington, D.C., (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.18-19

Designing Technology To Minimize Environmental Damage, W. Clint Hoffman, testing spray nozzles and droplet size for three oil dispersants used to clean up oil slicks from oil spills in waterways, College Station, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.20-21

Pickle Spoilage Culprit May Give the Environment a Helping Hand, studying Lactobacilli spoilage bacteria in pickles treated with FD&C yellow no. 5 tartrazine food dye, role of pH, prevention with sodium benzoate, Ilenys Pérez-Díaz, Raleigh, NC, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.22

Fungus-on-Fungus Fight Could Benefit Chickpeas, Aureobasidium pullulans as biocontrol to combat Ascochyta rabiei (cause of Ascochyta blight) on chickpea crops, Frank Dugan, Pullman, WA, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.23

Tryptophan-enriched Diet Reduces Pig Aggression, amino acid tryptophan makes young female pigs less aggressive, easier to manage, Jeremy Merchant-Forde, Heng-Wei Cheng, West Lafayette, IN, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.23

ARS Survey Helps Growers Track Two Key Cotton Pests, 13 new host plants identified for tarnished plant bugs and 8 for cotton fleahoppers, Jesus Esquivel, College Station, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.23

Livestock Can Help Rangelands Recover From Fires, grazing helps control cheatgrass and helps native bunchgrass establishment, Kirk Davies, Burns, OR, (html) or (pdf) 10SEPp.23

Saving the Bay: It’s One of the Things ARS Does Best, restoring water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, Executive Order to clean up bay, sediment and fertilizer runoff, CEAP, wetlands, watershed, Mike Shannon, Mark Walbridge, Matt Smith, Charles Walthal, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.2

There’s More Than One Way To Save the Bay, reducing nutrient/fertilizer runoff from farm land, nitrogen leaching, runoff, manure disk injectors to reduce runoff and odor emissions, gypsum trenches to capture phosphorus, arsenic levels in soils from poultry litter fertilizer, Peter Kleinman and others, University Park, PA, Gary Feyereisen, St. Paul, MN, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.4-8

New Poultry Litter Applicator Offers Hope for Chesapeake Bay Area, prototype applicator injects manure belowground (subsurface) in no-till fields, reduces nutrient runoff and ammonia/odor emissions, Poultry Daniel H. Pote, Booneville, AR, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.9

ARS Chesapeake Bay Research Intensifies, study of agricultural pollutants in Choptank River, CEAP, nitrate levels and algal blooms, phosphorus and copper and herbicide flows from the watershed, conservation practices, forested wetland restorations, Cathleen Hapeman, Greg McCarty, Laura McConnell, and others, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.10-12

Forested Wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, merging two remote sensing technologies—LiDAR and a type of radar—to map surface-water flow in forested wetlands and determine ecological benefits of wetlands as they filter/remove nutrients, sediments, and pesticides, Greg McCarty, Megan Lang, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.13-15

Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Revs Up!, testing winter cover crops—rye, barley, wheat—for controlling nitrogen losses from farm fields, GIS software for monitoring performance and benefits/effects of cover crop, and Greg McCarty, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.16-17

Anti-pest Aeration: A New Twist on an Old Concept, effect of suction vs. pressure aeration for controlling insect pests in grain storage bins, Frank Arthur, Mark Casada, Manhattan, KS, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.18

Throwing a Citrus Pest Off Its Scent, control of citrus leafminer via mating disruption, sex pheromone/attractant in SPLAT substance, Stephen Lapointe, Fort Pierce, FL, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.19

Bee Pastures: Floral Havens Where Pollinators Can Prosper, native California wildflowers identified as ideal pastures to raise populations of blue orchard bees for almond orchards, James H. Cane, Logan, UT, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.20-21

Producers and Pigs Profit From Manure Management Process, second-generation energy-efficient swine wastewater treatment system, reduces ammonia, methane, nitrous oxide, odors, pathogens, nitrogen and phosphorus, ammonia levels in barns, pig mortality, and cull weight, and increases pig weight gain and production, Matias B. Vanotti, Ariel A. Szogi, Florence, SC, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.22-24

Unraveling the Origins of a Symbol of the Tropics, phylogenetic analysis of coconut/palm species (Attaleinae subtribe) reveals evolution of coconut trees from South American ancestors, Alan W. Meerow, Miami, FL, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.25

Stress: It’s Not Just for You and Me, sow prenatal stress causes piglets increased plasma cortisol and less ability to heal wounds, vitamin C/beta-glucan supplements improve piglet health and weight gain during stresses like transport, infrared lasers reduce pain from beak trimming and amount of beak removed, improve feather condition, Donald C. Lay, West Lafayette, IN, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.26-27

Whole Tree: A More Sustainable, Environmentally Friendly Substrate, plantation thinnings of southern pine trees (loblolly pine) provides a good potting substrate for growing chrysanthemums and other landscaping ornamentals, Glenn Fain, Jim Spiers, Poplarvillke, MS, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.28-29

Power Needs and Wind Power as Different as Day and Night, wind and solar power in Texas and California provide complementary renewable energy, Brian D. Vick, Bushland, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.30

Torching Invasive Trees Revives Rangeland Perennials, John Bates, winter burning cut western juniper trees reduces cheatgrass establishment and enhances perennial grass establishment, Tony Svejcar, Burns, OR, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.30

Sustainable Corn Production Supports Advanced Biofuel Feedstocks, pyrolysis process converts stover and cobs into energy-dense bio-oil (for fuel) and biochar (for enriching soil and sequestering carbon), Charles Mullen, Wyndmoor, PA, (html) or (pdf) 10AUGp.31

Plant Hormone Increases Cotton Yields in Drought Conditions, cytokinins promote bigger cotton root systems to access deeper water, boost yield, John Burke, Lubbock, TX, (html) or (pdf)10AUGp.31

Fungi May Hold Key to Reducing Grapefruit Juice Interactions with Medications, Aspergillus niger proteins can reduce medication-interfering furanocomarins in grapefruit juice, Jan Narciso, Winter Haven, FL, (html) or (pdf)10AUGp.31

Tough New Spuds Take on Double Trouble, five new potato breeding lines resist powdery scab and black dot diseases, Chuck Brown, Prosser, WA, (html) or (pdf)10AUGp.31

Nutrition and Your Health: ARS Studies Target Nutrition’s Vital Roles, nutrition-related health problems, chronic disease prevention, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, nutrient timing and interactions, science-based approach to nutrient recommendations, John W. Finley, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.2

Eat Well, But Don’t Feed a Cancer Cell, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, benefits of phytochemicals, cancer risk from excess resveratrol or excess folic acid consumption in lab animals, excess antioxidant consumption during chemotherapy or radiation treatments, Thomas Wang, Beltsville, MD, Joel Mason, Jeffrey Blumberg, Boston, MA, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.4-5

Cancer-Fighting Roles of Intriguing Plant Compounds, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, strawberry phytochemical compounds role in combating cancer and inflammation, bioavailability, TBK1 enzyme, Susan J. Zunino, Daniel H. Hwang, Davis, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.6

Seeing is Believing—When Nutrition Saves Sight, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, relation between dietary nutrient intake and risk of age-related macular degeneration, vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, Allen Taylor, Boston, MA, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.7

Boost Immunity With Food and Sun, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, vitamin D recommendations based on sun exposure and skin tone, white button mushroom compounds enhance immunity, zinc supplements and immunity in elderly, Charles B. Stephensen, Davis, CA, Simin Meydani, Dayong Wu, Boston, MA, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.8-9

Bolstering Bone Health Through Nutrition Research, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, “Adequate Calcium Today” study shows girls’ perception of lactose intolerance, soy isoflavones and bone loss in postmenopausal women, weight-bearing exercise, recommended dietary calcium intake, Marta D. Van Loan, Davis, CA, LuAnn Johnson, Grand Forks, ND, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.10-11

Eat Smart for a Healthy Heart, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, adherence to “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” and frequency of plant sterol consumption affects progression of arterial plaque, atherosclerosis, effect of substituting corn oil for partially hydrogenated soybean oil, trans fats, low-fat diets, Alice H. Lichtenstein, Boston, MA, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.12-14

Nutrition and Your Health—Sources Suggested by the National Agricultural Library, Food and Nutrition Information Service, disease prevention, heart-healthy foods, osteoporosis, diabetes and prediabetes, cancer, eye health, supplements, Lorraine Butler, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.15

Diabetes: Nutrition Research Tackles Widespread Disease, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, fatty acylcarnitines as biomarkers for African American women at risk to type 2 diabetes, chromosome 13 and diabetes risk in young Hispanics, cinnamon extracts effect on metabolic syndrome, Sean H. Adams, Davis, CA, Nancy Butte, Houston, TX, Richard Anderson, Marilyn Polansky, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.16-17

Adventure Video May Help Kids Dodge Diabetes (sidebar), video game encourages children to make wise food choices, human nutrition and health, disease prevention,Tom Baranowski, Houston, TX, (html) 10JULp.17

Food Discoveries for Brain Fitness, human nutrition and health, disease prevention, omega-3 fatty acids from fish, dementia, Alzheimer’s, APOE epsilon 4 gene, vitamin D and cognitive function in elderly, B vitamins and cognitive function and blood supply to brain, B12 ratio to holotranscobalamin protein in Hispanic elders in SALSA study, Ernst Shaefer, Aaron Troen, Irwin Rosenberg, Boston, MA, Lindsay H. Allen, Davis, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.18-20

ARS Research on Preventing Diseases Through Nutrition, human nutrition and health, nutrients/proper nutrition for prevensting chronic diseases, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.21

How To Make a Wave Behave, wave-breaking device for controlling erosion on reservoir levees, Daniel G. Wren, Oxford, MS, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.22

Integrated Worm Control in Lambs, FAMACHA eye chart for diagnosing anemia from barber pole worm, rotational grazing reduces need for deworming, Joan M. Burke, Booneville, AR, (html) or (pdf) 10JULp.23

Using Genetic Tools To Combat Hunger, research to ensure a bountiful food supply, pest and pathogen threats to staple crop production, livestock health, Ug99 wheat stem rust, vitamin A deficiencies, Kay Simmons, Steven M. Kappes, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.2

Improving Rice, Staple Crop Worldwide, breeding for rice yield and sheath blight and rice blast resistance, technique for more precise measurement of amylose content, Anna McClung, Georgia Eizenga, Yulin Jia, Stuttgart, AR, Shannon Pinson, Beaumont, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.4-7

Golden Rice-2 Shines in Nutrition Study, genetic engineering of white rice for beta-carotene production to help combat vitamin A deficiency, Guangwen Tang, Boston, MA, (html) 10MAY/JUNp.6-7

Help for the Common Bean: Genetic Solutions for Legume Problems, breeding for rust resistance, heat tolerance, and drought resistance in common beans, chocolate pod resistance in snap beans, beat armyworm resistance in chickpeas, Talo Pastor-Corrales, Beltsville, MD, Tim Porch, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Richard Larsen, Prosser, WA, Stephen Clement, Pullman, WA, (html) or (pdf)10MAY/JUNp.8-10

Better Beans Mean Better Health for People Everywhere, boosting iron content and bioavailability in beans, chickens as animal model for prediction of iron absorption in humans, Raymond P. Glahn, Ithaca, NY, (html) 10MAY/JUNp.10

ARS Wheat Rust Resistance Roundup, summary of ARS Ug99 stem rust research around the U.S., St. Paul, MN, Raleigh, NC, Aberdeen, ID, Fargo, ND, Manhattan, KS, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.11

Corn: Boosting Vitamin A Levels in Corn To Fight Hunger, using association mapping genetic screening technique to identify high beta-carotene genes in corn lines for fighting vitamin A deficiency in the world, Edward Buckler, Ithaca, NY, (html) or (pdf)10MAY/JUNp.12-13

Nutrient-Packed and Pest-Resistant Potatoes From ARS Research, breeding for late blight resistance, Defender, longer storage varieties Dakota Crisp and Dakota Diamond, high vitamin C potatoes Clearwater and Classic varieties, antioxidant content, root knot nematode resistance, Rich Novy, Aberdeen, ID, Jeff Suttle, Fargo, ND, Chuck Brown, Roy Navarre, Prosser, WA, (html) or (pdf)10MAY/JUNp.14-16

Fighting Potato Diseases by Enhancing Germplasm, using wild potatoes genes for developing disease resistance in potatoes, late blight, early blight, Verticillium wilt, Dennis Halterman, Shelly Jansky, Halterman, ID, (html) 10MAY/JUNp.16

Fast-Track Insights on World Hunger: Selections From the National Agricultural Library, recommended reading/info. sources on world hunger and food security, Felicia Tyler, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.17

ARS National Research Programs in Genomics and Genetics for Food Security, sustainable food production, feed utilization, animal production, informatics, (html) or (pdf)10MAY/JUNp.18

A New Approach to an Old Problem: Devising Formulas To Enhance Growth, ion-based approach for creating culture medium, fertilizers, nutrient solutions, potting soils, Randall P. Niedz, Terence J. Evens, Fort Pierce, FL, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.19

Algae: A Mean, Green Cleaning Machine, algal turf scrubbers remove nitrogen and phosphorus from manure effluents, dried algae as fertilizer, keeping nutrients out of Chesapeake Bay, Walter Mulbry, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf)10MAY/JUNp.20-21

True Origins of Widely Used Potato Germplasm Revealed, origin of Neo-Tuberosum traced to southern lowland Chile, not to Andes, potato breeding and taxonomy, David Spooner, Madison, WI, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.22

A Hedge With an Edge for Erosion Control, grass hedges for sediment and runoff control in wide-row and ultra-narrow-row conventional and no-till cotton, Seth Dabney, Oxford, MS, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.23

First Hard Winter Wheat Varieties for Eastern U.S. Production, NuEast hard red winter wheat and Appalachian White hard white winter wheat with good yields and disease resistance, grain quality, rust, powdery mildew, Hessian fly, David Marshall, Raleigh, NC, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.23

Roasting Does More Than Enhance Flavor in Peanuts, dark-roasting effect on antioxidant and vitamin E level of peanuts, peanut flour, peanut skins, Jack Davis, Raleigh, NC, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.23

New Vaccines May Help Thwart E. coli O157:H7, vaccines reduce E. coli in Holstein calves manure, microbe shedding, lowers food safety risk, Vijay Sharma, Tom Casey, Ames, IA, (html) or (pdf) 10MAY/JUNp.23

At BARC, We’ve Only Just Begun, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and it’s projects around the country, 100th Anniversary of and history of BARC, future research, Joseph Spence, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.2

Celebrating 100 Years of Beltsville Agricultural Research, photojournal of highlights of BARC research, BARC’s 100th Anniversary, Joseph Spence, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.4-8

Diverse Wheat Tapped for Antifungal Genes, Fusarium head blight resistance (types I, II, and III) from exotic Asian wheat lines from China, Korea, Japan, Guihua Bai, Manhattan, KS, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.9

New Ideas for Longer Lasting Blooms in California Laboratory, extending life of potted plants leaves and flowers with thidiazuron (TDZ), cytokinin, use of virus-induced gene silencing technique to assess gene function in senescence in petunia plants, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Davis, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.10-11

Figuring Out Puzzling Animal Diseases, changes in replication in malignant catarrhal fever virus make it difficult for vaccine development and virus cell culturing, potential diagnostic tests for ovine progressive pneumonia virus in sheep, Hong Li, Lynn Herrmann-Hoesing, Pullman, WA, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.12-13

Self-Pollinating Almonds Key to Bountiful Harvests, new and improved self-pollinating almonds with desired traits of Nonpareil, navel orangeworm, Craig A. Ledbetter, Parlier, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.14-15

Whole-Grain Rice Stakes Out Its Claim, ARS’s workshops with USA Rice Federation to promote health benefits and whole-grain health claim of brown rice, resistant starch, patented brown rice treatment reduces cooking time, Elaine T. Champagne, New Orleans, LA, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.16-17

Hops Could Reduce Ammonia Production in Cattle, adding hops to a ruminant’s diet can reduce ammonia-producing bacteria, fermentation, feed digestion efficiency, Michael Flythe, Lexington, KY, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.18

“Skip Planting a Row or Two” Is Good Advice for Some, stabilizing annual corn and sorghum grain yields in arid Central Plains by skipping rows in planting, skip-row planting, Merle F. Vigil, Akron, CO, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.19

Partnering With the NRC, estimating movement of soil pollutants/contaminants in the subsurface (vadose) zones,  improving accuracy of contaminant transport models, Yakov A. Pachepsky, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.19

Niches and Glitches in Ethanol Production, optimizing cellulosic ethanol production from wheat straw, barley straw, and rice hull feedstocks with alkaline peroxide or lime pretreatments, bacterial outbreaks from Lactobacillus fermentum inhibit yield, viriniamycin antibiotic, Badal Saha, Ken Bischoff, Tim Leathers, Peoria, IL, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.20-21

Better Guidance for Battling Corn Earworm, aerial spray rates and droplet sizes for insecticides controlling corn earworm, Bradley K. Fritz, College Station, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.22

Subtract Pounds of Weeds, Add Pounds of Grass = More Cows, online weed calculator shows western U.S. ranchers potential cow production if control key exotic invasive weeds, Mathew J. Rinella, Miles City, MT, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.22

Drug Eliminates Parasite That Causes Babesiosis in Horses, imidocarb diproprionate as potential treatment of equine babesiosis, current use in cattle could be expanded to include horses, Donald P. Knowles, Pullman, WA, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.23

Researchers Study Effect of Cinnamon Compounds on Brain Cells, cinnamon compound extracts’ protection of brain cells from fluid accumulation, effect on membrane potential, brain trauma injuries, Richard Anderson, Marilyn Polansky, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.23

Springtime Sheep Grazing Helps Control Leafy Spurge, effect of simulated grazing  on plant community recovery following leafy spurge infestation, Matthew J. Rinella, Miles City, MT, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.23

Food “Tattoos”: An Alternative to Labels for Identifying Fruit, laser etching technology on citrus and other fruit could replace current fruit labeling practices, Jan Narcisco, Winter Haven, FL, (html) or (pdf) 10APRp.23

Childhood Obesity: Researchers Attack a Nationwide Epidemic, human nutrition program for ARS research to prevent kids from being overweight or obese, David M. Klurfeld, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.2

Kids Lose Pounds, Gain Fitness, in Science-Based Regimen, study of self-and-parent taught nutrition and fitness plan vs. instructor-led program for weight loss in Hispanic youths, BMI, prevention of obesity, overweight, Craig A. Johnston, John P. Foreyt, Houston, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.4

Through Computer Fun, Girls Improve Fitness and Food Choices, “Food, Fun, and Fitness Internet Program for Girls,” cartoons teach African-American girls nutrition and fitness, help prevent obesity, overweight, Deborah Thompson, Houston, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.5

Hey Mom, What’s for Dinner? Parents’ Feeding Styles May Affect Kids’ Obesity, permissive (indulgent and uninvolved) vs. authoritarian feeding styles of parents/caregivers compared, affect on childhood obesity, overweight, Sheryl O. Hughes, Houston, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.6

Kids’ Body Fat: What’s Healthy? What’s Not? making reliable body-composition charts for all ages of children, recommended body fat and lean, Kenneth J. Ellis, Houston, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.7

Baby’s Weight: Is Epigenetics To Blame? Genetic programming of rat pups’ weight after birth as affected by mother’s obesity, overweight, during pregnancy, transgenerational amplification, predisposition to obesity, Kartik Shankar, Little Rock, AR, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.8-9

Weight Gains in U.S. Hispanic Children: Study Identifies Significant Predators, Viva La Familia program to determine causes of weight gain in Hispanic children, child’s and mom’s BMIs, hormones, calories, overweight, obesity, Nancy Butte, Houston, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.10

Cutting the Fat—and Calories—in a Childhood Favorite, FANTESK trans-fat-free cooking oil lowers fat and calories in cake and frosting, healthy fruit bars, apple slices provide alternative to prevent obesity, overweight kids, Mukti Singh, Jeffrey Byars, Peoria, IL, Tara McHugh, Albany, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.11

Helping Kids Fight Obesity: Best Online Info Sources, Food and Nutrition Information Center at National Agrcicultural Library lists online info. sources for prevention of childrens’ obesity, overweight, Sara Wilson, Beltsville, MD (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.12

ARS Research Program on Children’s Nutrition—and Obesity Prevention, childhood obesity prevention program at ARS, overweight, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.13

Line 1 Hereford Cattle: More Than 75 Years of Research, 75th anniversary of Line 1 Hereford cattle, role/foundation in cattle breeding, Michael MacNeil, Miles City, MT, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.14-15

Biocontrol Bacteria Hold Their Own—to the Benefit of Apples, integrated management of apple replant disease, beneficial Pseudomonas bacteria produce CLPs protectant biofilms for apple roots, using wheat cover crops and treating soils with seed meal from canola and Brassica, Mark Mazzola, Wenatchee, WA, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.16-17

Geraniums and Begonias: New Research on Old Garden Favorites, geranium flower compound as potential natural insecticide against Japanese beetles, begonia varieties that tolerate high light intensity and colder temperatures in greenhouse, Christopher M. Ranger, Heping Zhu, Wooster, OH, (html) or  (pdf) 10MARp.18-19

Helping Cattle Keep Their Cool, causes of and responses to heat stress in cattle, comparison of four shade materials for outdoor pens, Tami Brown-Brandl, Roger Eigenberg, John Nienaber, Clay Center, NE, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.20-21

No Easy Answers to Echinacea’s Evolution, chemical differences in root metabolites perform better than DNA analysis in species distinction of Echinacea populations, Mark Widrlechner, Ames, IA, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.22

Reaping More Rewards From Crop Residues, Ann Kennedy, tool for crop residue management to build soil organic matter, soil moisture, maximize yields, prevent erosion, decomposition, Pullman, WA, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.23

Experimental Chickpeas Fend Off Caterpillar Pest, new lines of chickpeas resist beet armyworm moth larvae, crop breeding, Stephen L. Clement, Pullman, WA, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.23

ARS Scientists Help Sequence Genome of Potato Late Blight Pathogen, genome of Phytophthora infestans, pathogen of Irish potato famine, genes for enzymes of plant cell wall degradation, Richard W. Jones, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.23

Reflective Particle Films Improve Apple Quality, aluminized plastic film or particle-based mineral reflective films improve color and weight of apple fruit, alter light quality, Michael Glenn, Kearneysville, WV, (html) or (pdf) 10MARp.23

ARS Research Partnerships Are Critical to U.S. Grain Production, oat and barley cooperative projects, Fusarium head blight (scab), U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, genome work for disease resistance, beta-glucan and heart health, barley as bioenergy crop, Kay Simmons, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.2

Fighting Fusarium Through Molecular Genetics, identifying gene promoters and markers for barley resistance to Fusarium graminearum, U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, Barley Coordinated Agricultural Project, breeding for mycotoxin reduction and barleys for malting and brewing, Ron Skadsen, Cynthia Henson, Madison, WI, Shiaoman Chao, Fargo, ND, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.4-6

Like Malt? You’ll Love This Malting Barley Research! serine-class proteases affect other enzymes that degrade carbohydrate in barley kernel during germination in malt houses, Mark Schmitt, Allen Budde, Madison, WI, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.7

International Wheat and Barley Screening Collaboration Helps Uncover Stem Rust-Resistant Material, progress in screening U.S. wheat germplasm in Kenya for Ug99 rust resistance and at the Winter Wheat Stem Rust Resistance Nursery in Ankara, Turkey, also screening barley lines, Mike Bonman, Eric Jackson, Aberdeen, ID, Yue Jin, St. Paul, MN, David Marshall, Raleigh, NC, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.8-9

Oats: Cooling Inflammation and Unhealthy Cell Proliferation, health benefits of avenanthramides in oats, arrest smooth muscle cell proliferation and promote nitric oxide production, decrease inflammation of arterial wall, lower risk of atherosclerosis, oats and oat bran and colon cancer risk, Mohsen Meydani, Boston, MA, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.10

Barley Examined as Source for Potential Fish Feed, concentrating protein in barley grain for aquaculture fishmeal-free feeds, Rick Barrows, Hagerman, ID, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.11

Markers Point the Way to New Oat Traits, cooperative molecular genetics program to map oat genome and find markers for beta-glucan and tocopherol production and disease resistance, Eric Jackson, Don Obert, Aberdeen, ID, Gina Brown-Guedira, Raleigh, NC, Joe Anderson, West Lafayette, IN, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.12

Finding Crown Rust Resistance That Can Go the Distance, in Oats, putting crown rust resistance genes from wild oats into cultivated oats, Martin L. Carson, St Paul, MN, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.13

Boosting Barley for Bioenergy, developing technologies for using winter barley as biofeedstock for biofuel/ethanol production, developing improved varieties for ethanol production and Ug99 stem rust resistance, Kevin B. Hicks, Wyndmoor, PA, David S. Marshall, Raleigh, NC, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.14

Uncovering the Nutritional Value of Oats, determining the function and production of avenanthramides in oats, disease resistance in plant, biosynthesis of avenanthramides in oat shoot tissue cultures, Mitchell Wise, Madison, WI, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.15

All-Oat, All-Barley Breads Ahead? Maybe! using the plant fiber hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) in oat, barley, and wheat breads, cholesterol-lowering effects in hamsters, Wallace H. Yokoyama, Hyunsook Kim, Albany, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.16

Oats, Barley, and Wheat: Great Reads and Web Viewing, National Agricultural Library-recommended books, websites, and other references on oats, barley, and wheat, including nutrients/nutrition in the grains, Rebecca Mazur, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.16

ARS Research Program in Oats and Barley, focus of ARS’s national research program on oats and barley research, including breeding/genome work, disease resistance, partnering/managing U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, pest resistance, nutritional quality, and more, Kay Simmons, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.17

A Range of Plants for Rangeland Rehab, best plants and practices for revegetating dry rangeland of western U.S., plant releases include Hycrest and Hycrest II crested wheatgrasses, Vavilov II Siberian wheatgrass, Bozoisky II Russian wildrye, FirstStrike wheatgrass, White River Indian ricegrass, and more, to re-establish after wildfire, erosion, other disturbances, Jack Staub, Kevin Jensen, Logan, UT, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.18-19

Fungal Fumes Clear Out Crop Pests, using fungus Muscodor albus as biobased fumigant, volatile organic compounds act as fungicide against bunt diseases (Tilletia species) of wheat and gray mold fungus (Botrytis cinerea) on grapes, insecticide against potato tuber moth and apple codling moth, Blair Goates, Aberdeen, ID, Lawrence A. Lacey, Wapato, Washington, Joseph L. Smilanick, Parlier, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.20-21

Chicken House Attics Can Be Tapped To Warm Broilers, ventilation system uses solar-heated attic air in broiler houses and reduces fuel energy use, moisture, and ammonia, improves air quality, Joseph L. Purswell, Mississippi State, MS, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.22

Balancing Water Content and Temperature To Manage Antibiotic Breakdown in Manure, oxytetracycline degradation in cattle manure as affected by temperature and moisture content, Scott R. Yates, Riverside, CA, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.22

Why a North American Tree Is Invasive In Europe? virulent Pythium species of fungi from U.S. could prove to be biocontrol for black cherry tree invasive species in Europe, Kurt O. Reinhart, Miles City, MT, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.23

Catnip Compound Curbs Asian Lady Beetles, nepetalactone compound repels lady beetles and some other species, Eric W. Riddick, Stoneville, MS, Kamal R. Chauhan, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.23

Developing Attractants, Repellents for a Cattle Pest, nepetalactone aromatic compunds protect cattle from stable flies, reduce biting and egg laying, possible use of carbon dioxide and other compounds emitted from manure as biobased controls of stable flies, Junwei Zhu, Lincoln, NE, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.23

Water Hardness Plays a Role in Removing Bacteria From Chicken Skin, soft water removes Campylobacter, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas from the skin of chicken broilers better than hard water, Arthur Hinton, Ronald Holser, Athens, GA, (html) or (pdf) 10FEBp.23

Systematics and Collections: Preserving Diversity, Trade, and Our Way of Life, value of ARS's collections of microbes, viruses, invertebrates, plants, animals, insects, cell cultures, seeds, and more, role in trade, imports, shipments, transport, food safety, Kevin J. Hackett, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.2

Plant Germplasm: Preserving Diversity, Insuring Our Future, ARS genebanks/collections preserve world supply of food, fiber, crop production and diversity, almonds and replant disease resistance, reniform nematode resistance in cotton, Germplasm Resources Information Network, Gary Kinard, Beltsville, MD, Malli Aradhya, Davis, CA, Alois Bell, College Station, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.4-6

Roundworm Repository Provides "Ag Insurance", role of USDA's Nematode Collection in nematode identification at U.S. ports and around the world, providing pest control through nematode biological controls, Zafar A. Handoo, Lynn K. Carta, David J. Chitwood, Andrea Skantar, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.7

Overseas Collections Help Solve Domestic Problems, European Biological Control Laboratory, Australian Biological Control Laboratory, South American Biological Control Laboratory, overseas collections provide biocontrol agents to fight U.S. invasive species like giant reed (Arundo donax), melaleuca, fire ants, Walter Jones, Montpellier, France, Mathew Purcell, Brisbane, Australia, Juan Briano, Hurlingham, Argentina, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.8-9

Marvelous Microbe Collections Accelerate Discoveries To Protect People, Plants—and More!, role of ARS Culture Collection, U.S. National Fungus Collections, Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungal Cultures, and National Rhizobium Germplasm Resource Collection, in detecting, identifying, classifying species of fungi, molds, bacteria, actinomycetes, microorganisms, Rhizobium, Cletus Kurtzman, Amy R. Rossman, Stephen Rehner, Peter van Berkum, Beltsville, MD, Richard Humber, Ithaca, NY, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.10-11

Troublesome Microbes That Resist Antimicrobials: The Antimicrobial Resistance Collection, role of the collection and the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System in monitoring resistance of pathogens to antimicrobials, Paula Cray, Athens, GA, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.11

Animal Gene Collections Support U.S. Research, preserving the genetic diversity of animals, cryopreservation, National Animal Germplasm Program, National Sedimentation Laboratory, Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, Harvey Blackburn, Fort Collins, CO, Scott Knight, Oxford, MI, and others, East Lansing, MI, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.12-14

Archiving Parasites and Protozoa for Research, Diagnoses, and More, role of U.S. National Parasite Collection, ARS's microsporidia collections' role in biocontrols against fire ants, grasshoppers, beetles, Eric Hoberg, Beltsville, MD, David Oi, Gainesville, FL, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.15

Our Invaluable Invertebrate Collections, role of ARS's insect and mite collections in protecting trade, agriculture, food supply, quality of life, and providing biological controls, cryopreservation, Natalia Vandenberg, Alma Solis, Washington, D.C., Beltsville, MD, John Burd, Stillwater, OK, Roger Leopold, Joe Rinehart, Fargo, ND, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.16-17

Freeze-Drying Is Key to Saving Fungal Collection, value of freeze-drying preservation of fungi in the Fungal Culture Collection, Maren A. Klich, New Orleans, LA, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.18

Tropical Treasure Turns 60, anniversary of Cotton Winter Nursery (CWN) in Tecoman, Mexico, collaboration of ARS's Cotton Germplasm Collection and CWN for testing/developing cotton varieties, James Frelichowski, College Station, TX, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.18

ARS Research Programs in Systematics and Collections, ARS's research emphasis in germplasm preservation of plants, animals, microbes, and more, Germplasm Resources Information Network, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.19

Preparing Peanuts for the Future: New Cultivars and Farming Strategies, screening of U.S. peanut mini-core collection identifies two heat- and drought-resistant peanuts, evaluation of traditional vs. conservation tillage (strip tillage) and deficit irrigation in early- and late-season stages, Paxton Payton, Rao Kottapalli, Lubbock, TX, Wilson Faircloth, Diane Rowland, Dawson, Georgia, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.20-21

The National Cotton Variety Test, 50 Years Old and Growing Strong, 50^th anniversary of National Cotton Variety Test for evaluating upland and pima region-specific varieties, cotton variety changes over time, William R. Meredith, Stoneville, MS, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp. 22

Know Your USDA Watersheds, U.S. watershed data on topography, weather info., nitrogen, phosphorus and other ag. pollutants now available online on STEWARDS, conservation, Jean Steiner, El Reno, OK, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.23

It Pays To Furrow Dike, effects of furrow diking on runoff and erosion in southeast U.S. cotton fields, irrigation rates, water savings, Russell C. Nuti, Dawson, GA, Clinton C. Truman, Tifton, GA, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.23

Avian Bacterium More Dangerous Than Believed, pathogenicity tests on Bordetella hinzii prove it can cause disease in turkeys, Karen B. Register, Robert A. Kunkle, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.23

Conservation Tillage and Cotton: The Bottom Line, comparing five different tillage practices combined with winter wheat cover crop on cotton production, James E. Hanks, Stoneville, MS, (html) or (pdf) 10JANp.23

Managing Agriculture in a Climate of Change, adaptations to global warming, rangeland response, plant community health from rising heat and carbon dioxide, heat islands in cities, invasive weed growth, Charles L. Walthall, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.2

GRACEnet: A Unified Response to Climate Change, fertilizer, crop rotations, alternative tilling cropping systems, and effect on greenhouse gas emission from agriculture, biofuel production and carbon sequestration in soil, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide emissions, Ronald Follett, Fort Collins, CO, Hero Gollany, Pendleton, OR, Jane Johnson, Morris, MN, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.4-6

Predicting Impacts From Climate Variations, using NOAA data to make useful climate forecasts for farmers/growers, weather, computer models for climate forecasts, Jeanne M. Schneider, Jurgen D. Garbrecht, John Zhang, El Reno, OK, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.7

New Leads on Nitrous Oxide, greenhouse gas emissions from different soils, fertilizers and manures, tillage/reduced tillage, soil injection of fertilizer, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, methane (article includes page 9 sidebar, Ardell Halvorson, Fort Collins, CO, on altering types and amounts of fertilizers to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fields, controlled-release urea fertilizers), Timothy B. Parkin, Ames, IA, Rodney T. Venterea, St. Paul, MN, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.8-9

Soybean & Wheat Response to Climate Change, effect of elevated carbon dioxide and ozone levels on soybean and wheat growth and production, no-till cropping and carbon sequestration, SoyFACE, Fitzgerald Booker, Kent Burkey, Ed Fiscus, Raleigh, NC, Bruce Kimball, Don Ort, Randall Nelson, Urbana, IL, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.10-11

As CO₂ Levels Rise, Plants—and Humans—Respond, effect of elevated carbon dioxide and warmer temperature on soybean, wheat, and corn growth and production, weed growth, pollen production, Lewis Ziska, Richard Sicher, Jim Bunce, and others, Beltsville, MD, Anna McClung, Stuttgart, AR, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.12-13

Changing CO₂ Promises Surprising Changes in Plant Communities, effects of elevated carbon dioxide and temperature on water-use efficiency of weedy shrubs and grasses, no-till and carbon storage in soil, urban studies of weeds and plants, invasive/exotic weed growth from global climate change (article includes p.16 sidebar on National Agricultural Library’s top information choices for climate change), Wayne Polley, Philip Fay, Temple, TX, Jack Morgan, Dana Blumenthal, Fort Collins, CO, Steve Prior, Auburn, AL, Lewis Ziska, Beltsville, MD, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.14-16

ARS Research on Global Climate Change Adaptation, effects of climate change on agriculture, climate change adaptation strategies, carbon sequestration, GRACEnet, mitigation strategies, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.17

Why Watermelons Just Grow and Grow, gene segments, or expressed sequence tags, regulating growth and development, discovery of genes involved in ethylene production in watermelon fruit, ripening, Amnon Levi, Pat Wechter, Karen Harris, Charleston, SC, Angela Davis, Lane, OK, Jim Giovannoni, Ithaca, NY, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.18-19

Boosting Alkali Levels for Bones, high-protein (high in meat, low in fruits and vegetables) diet vs. alkali (potassium bicarbonate) diet and preservation of bone mass and muscle mass, acidosis, Bess Dawson-Hughes, Boston, MA, (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.20

Grain Pest’s Own Genes Turned Against It, using the genomic map of red flour beetle, exploiting genes for chitin deacetylases to disrupt normal beetle development, potential for pest control and biopesticide, Richard W. Beeman, Manhattan, KS (html) or (pdf) 09NOV/DECp.21