Natural Solutions to Invasive Plants

Invasive plants pose serious threats to both our agriculture and our ecosystems. One of the biggest threats is the way these plants can drain water supplies, by consuming large amounts of available water that would otherwise support local plants and crops. In the southwestern U.S., the fast-growing Arundo plant has become one of the worst offenders. 

To address the problem without using chemical sprays, ARS scientists are identifying insects that can feed on and kill the Arundo plant. Importantly, these host-specific insects will not harm other plants or negatively affect the ecosystem in those areas. This is the first biocontrol project targeting an invasive grass. Watch this video to learn more about how scientists are zeroing in on safe, natural biocontrol approaches to combat the Arundo plant. 

ARS Researchers Use Tiny Particles to Create Huge Antimicrobial Capabilities

At a time when a global pandemic has sent shockwaves through society, the need for products to fight bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens has become more urgent than ever. Fortunately, ARS researchers have been working on powerful anti-microbial tools for years.

Scientists at the ARS Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans, LA, have been perfecting a technology to embed nanoparticles of silver – a known anti-microbial agent – inside of cotton fibers; binding them securely and enabling them to survive countless turns through a washing machine. The result is cotton-based textile products that have a powerful and lasting ability to kill germs.  Learn more.

Great Grains: Ancient Grains Deliver Health Benefits

Grains are the edible seeds of cereal crops such as wheat, rice, barley, oats and corn. A human nutrition study at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging reaffirmed the health benefits of substituting whole-grain foods for refined-grain products like white bread in the diet. Unlike refined grains, which undergo extensive milling or other processing, whole grains are sold for eating with their bran and other constituents intact—all rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients. Three healthy grains are farro, teff, and sorghum. 

• Farro, considered an ancient grain, is a nutty tasting whole grain in the wheat family. It's a good source of fiber and contains potassium, B vitamins and more protein than wheat.

• Sorghum is the fifth-most widely grown cereal grain crop worldwide, providing consumers with 12 essential nutrients.

• Teff is a gluten-free cereal grain containing 13% protein.

It's important to note that not everyone can eat all grains. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 2 million people in the United States have an autoimmune condition known as celiac disease. People affected with this serious disease are unable to consume gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Fortunately, sorghum and teff are known as alternative grains, those not containing gluten.

In these episodes our ARS researchers team up with culinary chefs Eric McCoy and David Milburn (Howard Community College Culinary Arts Program in Columbia, MD) to create wonderful dishes using the ancient grains farro, sorghum, and teff.

You'll learn how to make a delightful and beautiful farro and pomegranate salad, the best chicken and waffles (with hot honey sauce) you've ever tasted, and ultra-tasty gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, made from teff flour while learning  about the health and nutritional benefits of these ancient grains.

Witch Hazel, Not Just for Grandma Anymore!

Witch hazel is a popular folk remedy that your grandmother or great grandmother probably used to treat a variety of skin ailments, including acne and inflammation. But, according to a recent study by ARS scientist Reuven Rasooly and his team with the Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, witch hazel’s exalted place in folk medicine isn’t just hype.

The team discovered that witch hazel extract was extremely effective in suppressing bacterial pathogenesis, or the ability of bacteria to further develop and produce harmful toxins. Rasooly explained that pathogenesis is the root cause of many persistent infections and accompanying complications.

For consumers, witch hazel’s ‘smart’ antimicrobial properties make the plant a great way to fight bacterial pathogens, especially those that have notoriously developed resistance to conventional antibiotic treatments. Read "Witch Hazel Spells Trouble for Harmful Microbes" to learn more.

True North: Bringing Scientific Insights to Farming in Alaska

When they think about farming, many people picture endless rows of corn and wheat spilling across the middle of the country. But the truth is that agriculture is everywhere in the U.S. — from sea to shining sea, and in Hawaii and Alaska. In fact, Alaska is poised to see even more farming as climate change leads to warmer conditions and a longer growing season.

ARS researchers are hard at work figuring out how to develop farming in Alaska in the most sustainable way possible. Together with colleagues from the University of Alaska, they are testing a wide variety of possible crops and practices to see what works well now — and what might work well in the future. Perhaps most importantly, they are focused on working closely with residents of Alaska, letting them decide which research questions are important to pursue. Together, the team is working on projects like selective breeding of crops for the longer season, and testing out new crops that haven’t grown in Alaska before but might do well there — all while ensuring soil health through sustainable choices and practices. Learn more about the research.

Innovations for Ready-to-Eat Foods

It can be challenging to slow down and plan and cook a well-balanced meal from scratch. Due to busy lifestyles, we often turn to ready-to-eat food products. These foods include minimally processed, extended shelf-life, refrigerated ready-to-eat meat and poultry products with reduced salt that do not require additional cooking. But how do we know if these ready-to-eat meals are safe to consume? ARS researchers in Wyndmoor, PA, developed models to predict the behavior of pathogens in foods, by estimating reduced heat treatment to ensure safety against pathogens in ready-to-eat foods while minimizing quality losses. The models serve as a scientific bases to establish regulatory performance standards guidelines for ready-to-eat foods and can assist risk managers to determine food processing and handling conditions that affect the risk of foodborne illness. Check out our food safety research site for more information. 

Making the Blue Skies a Little Greener

In the race to reduce emissions, aviation has proven to be one of the most challenging sectors to transform. However, biofuels derived from agricultural products and byproducts offer a promising way to significantly reduce emissions. In this video, an ARS researcher from the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, IL, discusses techniques his team has developed that use yeast to convert plant materials into bio-oil. That bio-oil can be used to make renewable jet fuel. Several crops, from sugarcane to soy, can be used, and the technology can be used with crops grown on marginal farmland, so it does not displace the cultivation of food crops.

Collectively, the U.S. aviation industry aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50% by the year 2050. Innovative new technologies like these biofuels can play a critical role in helping to reach that goal.

Like ‘Mad Cow,’ Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer Currently Has no Cure

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal illness that affects the brain, spinal cord, and many other tissues in deer, elk, and moose. The disease’s name comes from the most obvious symptom, dramatic weight loss.

CWD is one of a group of diseases called prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other TSEs include scrapie, in sheep and goats, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy – mad cow disease – in cattle. Prions are proteins that exist throughout the body but are most prevalent in the brain. Malformed prions lead to the disease.

Deer-to-human transmission of CWD is not known to occur under normal circumstances.

ARS scientists at the National Animal Disease Center (NADC) in Ames, IA, are investigating CWD. One approach is to develop a new test that can detect low levels of CWD in easily accessible samples, like saliva, feces, and nasal swabs. They’re also investigating biomarkers that can detect target proteins at ultra-low levels in the blood through a technique called single molecule array.

NADC researchers are investigating various rare prion protein genotypes in white-tailed deer. They are hoping to find a genotype that may be at least partially resistant to CWD. Even finding a genotype that could slow the onset of the disease would give producers a tool for managing deer on their farms.

While not normally considered an agricultural resource, the commercial deer breeding industry represents a $7.9 billion annual impact on the U.S. economy and supports more than 56,000 jobs.