|
|
|
 |
Natural extracts from seed of the neem tree are the key ingredient in
three new commercial products registered by the Environmental Protection
Agency for pest and disease control. ARS scientists pioneered the use
of neem seed as an alternative for chemicals. One of the findings was
that neem extracts can control pests such as whiteflies, aphids, mealybugs
and mites. Another finding was that neem can protect several ornamental
and food crops against fungus diseases such as rusts and powdery mildew
that attack leaves. All three products--the first to control insects and
fungi at the same time--were developed under a cooperative research and
development agreement between ARS and the W.R. Grace and Company of
Columbia, MD. The products, called Trilogy, Triact and Rose Defense,
depending on the marketing niche, are covered by five U.S. patents held
jointly by the USDA and Grace. (PATENT 5,298,251; 5,356,628; 5,372,817;
5,405,612; and 5,409,708)
U.S. National
Arboretum, Washington, DC
James Locke, (301) 504-6413
Cooperative Research and Development Agreements
...With Ecogen, Inc., Langhorne, MA, and Mantrose-Haueser, Attleboro,
MA, to produce coatings containing an ARS-patented natural yeast that
protects grapefruit from postharvest diseases. These new coatings can
extend the shelf life of grapefruit for up to two months. Unnoticeable on
treated fruit, the coating can be applied at the packinghouse to prevent
green mold, which feeds on nutrients on the fruit's surface. The
protective yeast thrives on the same nutrients, so it crowds out the
fruit-damaging mold, making it an ideal candidate for a biocontrol
product.
ARS Contact: Raymond G. McGuire, Subtropical
Horticulture Research Station, Miami, FL, (305) 238-9321
...With Intertec of Lynchburg, VA, to merge an ARS-patented tensiometer
valve with a pulse irrigation system patented by the company to increase
irrigation efficiency. As the soil dries, increasing suction causes
the tensiometer valve to open, delivering water as needed. When the soil
has received enough water, the suction decreases and the valve closes
without the need for electricity and wires. The tensiometer valve will
reduce water consumption and leaching of nutrients below the root zone,
while maintaining high productivity. This system can be used in fruit and
vegetable production, landscape applications, nurseries and in home
gardens. (PATENT 5,156,179)
ARS Contact: D. Michael Glenn/D.L. Peterson, Appalachian Fruit Research
Station, Kearneysville, WV, (304) 725-3451
...With Florida's Department of Citrus, Lakeland, FL, to adapt a
spiked-drum shaker to pick oranges. An ARS engineer previously
invented and received a patent on a new shaker that mechanically harvests
berries and other fruits, thereby improving the quality of harvested fruit
and reducing growers' picking costs. BEI, Inc., South Haven, MI, is
licensed to manufacture the spiked-drum shaker and is using it in a
harvester for fresh market quality blueberries. Now the Florida citrus
industry hopes to use the same technology to mechanically harvest oranges
for the processing market. (PATENT 4,860,529)
ARS Contact: Donald Peterson, Appalachian Fruit Research
Station, Kearneysville, WV, (304) 725-3451
...With Automata, Inc., of Grass Valley, CA, to develop equipment to
automatically control water flow in irrigation canals, insuring timely
delivery of water that satisfies crop demands. ARS scientists and
cooperators created the basic technology, including software, that could
be used on large and smaller secondary canals. Automata, Inc., will
assist in developing low-cost electronic controls for water flow gates. A
major goal is balance the many complex variables involved in providing a
constant flow of irrigation water through hundreds of miles of
non-standardized canals.
ARS Contact: Albert J. Clemmens, U.S. Water Conservation
Laboratory, Phoenix, AZ, (602) 379-4356
..With Union Camp of Savannah, GA, to improve methods for cloning trees
that will quickly yield high amounts of biomass for pulp and paper.
ARS researchers hope to learn whether the goal can be achieved by
nurturing tissue cultures with excess carbon dioxide generated during corn
to ethanol production. Cutting the time required to produce a crop could
greatly reduce forest industry costs. ARS scientists' task: create a
combination of automated systems for shortening the time in starting up
loblolly pine and sweetgum clones in tissue culture. Thousands of
sweetgum clones can be cultured in a laboratory at one time and then
transplanted outdoors. Union Camp will determine how these clones perform
after they are planted in the field.
ARS Contact: Brent H. Tisserat, National
Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, (309)
681-6289
...With Bioplastics, Inc., a subsidiary of MBI International in
Lansing, MI, to further develop and commercialize biodegradable sheets of
film for packaging. Bioplastics has a grant from USDA's Small
Business Innovation program to develop the films. ARS scientists
developed the films from a combination of starch, glycerol from either
animal fat or corn, and pectin, a major component of fruits and
vegetables. They could be used as packaging that dissolves in cooking,
such as a film wrap for soups, or to separate food on packaging trays. A
patent has been granted for the films, which also have potential for
biodegradable, water-soluble industrial uses such as in flushable diapers
and other hygienic products. (PATENT 5,451,673)
ARS Contact: Marshall L. Fishman, Eastern Regional Research Center,
Wyndmoor, PA, (215) 233-6450
...With EPL Technologies, Inc., Conshohocken, PA, to commercialize a
new process that keeps pre-peeled potatoes from turning brown for up to
two weeks without using sulfite. Pre-peeled potatoes, widely used by
food processors and the food service industry, rapidly brown if not
treated with browning inhibitors. Sulfite, the most effective
anti-browning compound for potato products, leaves a residue in food that
can trigger an allergic reaction in some consumers. Under the new ARS-EPL
process, scientists treat pre-peeled potatoes in a heated solution
containing FDA-approved food additives, and then apply a different sulfite
substitute without heating. The combined treatments maintain quality and
shelf life of the product for two weeks without adversely affecting
product texture. Current sulfite substitutes forestall potato browning
for only one week and often induce textural defects.
ARS Contact: Gerald M. Sapers, Eastern
Regional Research Center, Wyndmoor, PA, (215) 233-6417
...With Consep, Inc. of Bend, OR, to develop a spray that would
immediately repel attacking bees, including highly defensive Africanized
honey bees. Small canisters of a safe, nontoxic, pleasant smelling
bee repellant could be handy protection for letter carriers, meter
readers, utility and construction workers, campers and others. The bee
spray being investigated by ARS scientists has as its major ingredient a
mimic of a natural repellant that queen bees produce to keep worker bees
out of their way. Africanized bees invaded the United States a few years
ago via Mexico. They now are found in Arizona, California, New Mexico and
Texas.
ARS Contact: Eric H. Erickson, Carl Hayden Bee Research
Center, Tucson, AZ, (520) 670-6380
...With GFK Consulting Ltd., of San Clemente, CA, to design and test a
safe, fast, affordable system to trap methyl bromide after its use in
fumigating harvested crops. The system might offer packers of
strawberries, cherries, oranges, peaches and other crops an effective way
to reduce emissions of methyl bromide vented into the atmosphere from
fumigation chambers. Methyl bromide is commonly used so that American
packers can ship high-value, insect-and-disease-free produce that meets
the strict quarantine standards of importing nations. But, because
commercially used methyl bromide is implicated in damaging Earth's
protective ozone layer, it is scheduled to be phased out by 2001.
Reducing the emissions, however, might lead to a new okay for use of
methyl bromide for fumigating commodities. So, researchers are testing
several different activated-carbon filters to determine what works best at
various temperatures, humidities and methyl bromide concentrations.
Chemical companies would recycle the spent carbon. This would break down
trapped methyl bromide into water, carbon dioxide and sodium bromide. The
latter could be used to manufacture methyl bromide or other bromine
chemicals. The idea of employing carbon filters to trap methyl bromide
isn't new. Today's packinghouses nevertheless lack the kind of thoroughly
tested recycling system planned by the researchers.
ARS Contact: James G. Leesch, Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory,
Fresno, CA, (209) 453-3090
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with Kalium Canada, Ltd.,
of Regina, Saskatchewan, to investigate substituting potassium chloride
for common salt now used by the meat packing and tanning industries to
preserve raw animal hides. With this new process, these industries
can eliminate an environmental problem problem: the disposal of used salt
brine. Unlike sodium, potassium is a plant nutrient, so waste from the new
process can be recycled into fertilizer. ARS scientists are working with
the affected industries to demonstrate this process, which they have shown
does not affect the quality of the leather. Kalium Canada, Ltd. is a
subsidiary of the American company Vigro.
Eastern Regional Research Center,
Wyndmoor, PA
William N. Marmer, (215) 233-6585
Last updated: October 21, 1996
Return to: Quarterly Report
Table of Contents
|
|
|
|
Printable Version
E-mail this page
