Project Number: 3620-41000-150-04
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Feb 21, 2013
End Date: Jul 31, 2013

Objective:
To analyze compositional variations in soybean samples by cooperator using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). A limited number of samples will be analyzed using wet chemistry to ensure quality of NIR data.

Approach:
One of the goals of this project is to analyze the set of samples for amino acid levels. This information, together with other compositional characteristics, will be employed in models which estimate the economic implications of observed differences. This information will be used to complement the findings from other efforts toward describing the Component Market (i.e., emphasis of compositional variations in soybean products as one of pricing vectors) opportunity and the use of this information toward informing and driving a dialogue within the value chain. ARS in this project is responsible for grinding and scanning, using a FOSS NIRS 6500 instrument, no more than 6,240 soybean samples from crop year 2012 to obtain NIR spectra for subsequent use by subcontractor in predicting compositional characteristics of the soybean samples. The NIR instrument will be standardized to the FOSS master instrument. As part of a Quality Assurance (QA) effort, ARS will work with cooperator to implement a process where up to 50 of the samples run by NIR are selected for analysis by wet-chemistry. The wet chemistry data will be shared between ARSR, cooperator, and its subcontractor.