Robert Pore's Ag Blog

By ARS News Service

An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist has identified specific packaging wraps, called films, which provide several fruit and vegetable varieties with a long shelf life.

Food technologist Yaguang Luo, with the ARS Produce Quality and Safety Laboratory (PQSL), Beltsville, Md., led the project. The technology she used is known as "modified atmosphere packaging," or MAP.

Fresh-cut fruit and vegetable varieties are still alive, and each respires at its own unique rate. Therefore, a film's permeability and the amount of oxygen initially infused into a package are key.

Manufacturers have produced hundreds of different types of films, and each type has its own oxygen transmission rate, which allows sliced produce to continue breathing throughout storage and distribution. If a film's oxygen transmission rate is too high for the variety it's wrapping, the product inside will brown; if it's too low, the product will prematurely decay.

Luo's research findings led to developing a balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide inside select packages that permits a particular fresh-cut produce variety to respire slowly and stay fresh for the longest possible time.

For example, fresh-cut cilantro--a leafy culinary herb that's a popular flavor component of tomato salsa--has a high respiration rate that makes storage a challenge. Leaf yellowing, dehydration and loss of aroma can set in quickly after cutting. The packaging film Luo has identified for wrapping cilantro provides a 14-day shelf life. So the cilantro has plenty of time to be plucked from the grocery shelf and chopped to enliven a fresh batch of salsa.

Using similar advanced packaging technologies, Luo has been able to prolong the shelf life of romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, carrots and salad savoy, a nutritious new vegetable crop that is a close relative to kale and cabbage.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

According to a recent study, one in four of us sleeps on a mattress that is past its prime. This can cause us to wake up feeling stiff, sore or unrested. Since you spend more time on a mattress than any other piece of furniture, experts recommend that you replace your mattress every eight to ten years to ensure maximum comfort and support.

When choosing a new mattress, the options can be overwhelming so it is important to understand the basics. Slumberland Furniture offers these ten tips to keep in mind when looking for a new mattress:

> Decide on a budget: Mattress prices can vary greatly. If price is your number one consideration, you can find an inexpensive mattress and box spring set for a few hundred dollars. But it is a good idea to buy the best mattress and box spring you can afford because when buying a mattress, you get what you pay for.

> Size matters: For adults who share a bed, avoid buying anything smaller than a queen-size bed. A king-size bed, assuming you can afford it and have the room for it, is highly recommended, and will provide enough room to move around without disturbing your partner.

> Know what you like: There are basically three comfort preferences: pillowtop, plush and firm. Once you know which "feel" you prefer, you will have effectively eliminated two-thirds of the options.

> Know your options: Innerspring mattresses are the most common type of mattress purchased. Innerspring mattresses are made with coils encased in layers of cushioning and upholstery. Other options include foam mattresses, adjustable mattresses, which allow you to adjust the firmness, and waterbeds.

> Consider construction: Don't judge a mattress by its cover – it’s what’s underneath that counts. Ask to see a model of the interior of the mattress. Look for sturdy springs and a filling material that can spring back easily. The more expensive the mattress, the better the filling. And the better the filling, the longer the mattress should last.

> Understand firmness: Firmness is not standardized in the mattress industry. One manufacturer’s “firm” mattress may actually be firmer than another’s “extra firm” mattress. Look for comfort and support, and remember that a firm mattress isn’t always the best mattress. You need to find a balance between softness and firmness,” says Bill Fedor, bedding buyer for Slumberland Furniture. “You want to feel both cradled and supported when you lay on a mattress.”

> Don’t forget the box spring: The mattress rests on a box spring, which interacts with the mattress to help absorb shock, distribute weight and support the body. It’s not a good idea to put a new mattress on an old box spring because a manufacturer’s box spring and mattress are designed to work together to give you the best product. Box springs also save wear on your mattress. A new box spring will triple the life of your mattress.

> Take your time: Give each mattress a good test. The best way to test a mattress is wear comfortable clothing and take off your shoes. “It is a good idea to spend 15 minutes on each mattress to get a good sense of the comfort it will provide,” explains Fedor. “It’s the best way to tell if a mattress is or isn’t right for you.”
Warranty vs. sleep guarantee: A warranty that protects you from defects and problems is important, but remember that the life expectancy of a quality mattress is about 10 years. A sleep guarantee is more important than a long warranty. A sleep guarantee gives you a period to try out your mattress. If during that time you decide the mattress you purchased is not right for you, you can either exchange it or return it for a refund.

> Let comfort be the deciding factor: There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a new mattress, but remember that it is important to focus on what feels best. Comfort, as long as you are in your within the range of your budget, should be your number one consideration.

Marinating meats may help decrease the number of unhealthy cholesterol compounds that form during cooking, a new study states.

Researchers in Taiwan found that marinades rich in soy sauce or sugar limited the formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) in pork and eggs as they cooked.
The scientists believe that the marinade created a “browning reaction product,” which is thought to act as an antioxidant that neutralizes COPs and similar molecules that can damage body cells.

The study consisted of ground pork and hard-boiled eggs soaked in marinades containing soy sauce, sugar or both. Researchers, as of yet, are unsure if other marinades would have the same anti-COP abilities.

The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

By ARS News Service

Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Researchers with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have designed feed supplements for poultry and other farm animals that not only boost nutrition, but also reduce the amount of potentially harmful phosphorus escaping into the environment.

ARS researchers Ed Mullaney and Jaffor Ullah have designed hard-working phytase enzymes that help chickens and swine digest more of the phosphorus found in their plant-based diets. While phosphorus is a necessary mineral that helps make up the DNA in all animals, excess phosphorus loads--in the form of manure--can contribute to pollution.

Unnaturally high levels of phosphorus seeping into rivers and oceans trigger massive algal blooms that steal oxygen from the water as they decompose. Depleted oxygen stores send shockwaves through marine ecosystems, causing large numbers of fish and other organisms to die off.

Twenty years ago, Mullaney and Ullah were the first to characterize a natural, fungal-based enzyme--called phytase--which could improve animal nutrition, save on feed costs and reduce phosphorus losses from farms. Mullaney, a geneticist, and Ullah, a biochemist, both work at the ARS Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans, La.

Building on previous work, the scientists have now created new and improved enzymes specially suited for working in the stomachs of chickens and swine. They realized that phytase is an impressive catalyst for breaking down the tied-up phosphorus in animals' plant-based diets, but its performance isn't optimal in the microenvironments typical of many animal stomachs.

To get around this obstacle, the researchers made over the enzyme on a molecular scale. Its new look is making all the difference. In fact, Mullaney and collaborators discovered that swine fed the redesigned phytase additive for just five weeks gained 13 percent more weight than swine fed the original enzyme. And if the animals are absorbing more phosphorus, they are excreting less in their manure.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

The old song goes "It's summertime and the livin' is easy," but that usually isn't the case for those tending lawns and gardens, said Texas Cooperative Extension experts.


Summertime is normally a challenging time for taking care of lawns and gardens, said Skip Richter, Extension horticulturist.


"The three main issues people have to deal with are water, insects and disease," he said. "And the situation is worse than normal this year due to drought."
The most common summertime problem with turf grass and plants is watering, he said.
"People tend to water too little and too often," Richter said. "Applying water in small amounts at more frequent intervals results in a greater loss to evaporation because so much of the water stays at the surface. And frequent watering can also promote turfgrass and plant diseases. That' s why it's better to give a lawn a good soaking a little less often."


The average lawn should get one-half inch to 1 inch of water every one to two weeks, depending on temperature, type of soil and amount of sun, he said, with shady areas requiring less frequent watering.


Another common challenge for summertime lawn warriors is take-all root rot, he added. This fungal disease, mainly affecting St. Augustine grass, but also an enemy of zoysia, bermuda and other turfgrass is pervasive and can kill the entire plant.
"Take-all frequently leaves lawns with large, blighted, discolored dead areas," Richter said. "It's very common on lawns throughout the state and is a problem that's repeated every summer."


There are two generally effective methods to control take-all, he said.
"One way is to make the soil surface inhospitable to the fungus by applying a top dressing of peat moss or other acidifying product," he said. "Another way to control it is to treat it with a fungicide."


In addition to water and disease, certain insects can be a major challenge during the summer, especially chinch bugs, said Wizzie Brown, Extension entomologist
"We've seen a much larger number of chinch bugs than is normal this early in the season," Brown said. "Drought-stressed lawns are more susceptible to damage from chinch bugs, and we've got a lot of those in Travis County and throughout the state."
Chinch bugs are small black and white insects with a triangular black mark on each wing, Brown said. They typically feed on St. Augustine grass, but can also feed on bermuda, zoysia, bahia and centipede grasses. Damage from chinch bugs is often confused with "brown patch" and other lawn problems.


"To see if you have chinch bugs, part the grass at the edge of the damaged area and visually inspect for them," she said. "That's the best way to determine if it's a genuine chinch bug problem."


There are various means of managing chinch bugs, Brown said. Here are some tips:

> Aerate the lawn and apply a top dressing of soil or peat to reduce the layer of thatch(dead organic plant material on the surface of the soil.

> Do not over-apply fertilizer.

> Do not over-water or under-water the lawn.

> Only use pesticide when necessary to help preserve the beneficial insects.
If pesticides are needed, Brown recommends using spot treatment if chinch bugs are in limited areas of the lawn. Sweep up any granular product that may land on sidewalks or driveways, and make sure to carefully follow all instructions on the product label.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – As it does most years, powdery mildew is spreading rapidly through the central Great Plains. Almost every garden, landscape and farm has plants the fungus-caused infection can affect.


Unlike other fungal diseases, powdery mildew doesn’t require that host plants be wet with rain or irrigation. To thrive, most powdery mildew fungi just need warm weather with high humidity, said Megan Kennelly, plant pathologist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.


“That’s fairly typical weather in late spring and early summer, particularly at night,” she said.


Lots of the fungi are always around, too, just waiting for those right conditions.
“Powdery mildew fungi are host-specific. Different, but closely-related species cause the disease on oaks, roses, lilacs, crabapples, cucumbers, bluegrass and the like,” Kennelly said. “Even so, all of the fungi grow as white or whitish-grey colonies on the lower and upper surface of leaves. Some powdery mildews also grow on flowers, young fruit and other succulent tissues.


“Then the fungi produce massive numbers of spores. The disease can develop so quickly because those spores disperse on the wind.”


The plant pathologist said the long-term ways to combat the fungi are cultural: If possible, plant resistant varieties. Don’t plant susceptible plants in shady areas. Promote good air circulation with proper plant spacing, pruning, weeding, and trellising.


When powdery mildew attacks, however, identifying it early is vital to effective control.


“Once the infection reaches high levels, chemicals don’t do much good,” Kennelly said.


Under favorable conditions, powdery mildew colonies can expand to cover entire leaf surfaces, sometimes causing curling, twisting or other distortion. Severely infected tissues dry, turn brown and fall.


“Usually, powdery mildew weakens plants by reducing photosynthesis, the ability to feed themselves. The infection typically isn’t fatal, but the resulting weakness can make plants vulnerable to other problems,” Kennelly said. “Food crops, in particular, can also have reductions in both quantity and quality of yields – a real risk for market gardeners.”


Powdery mildew already is active this year in northeast Kansas fields of cucurbit crops (cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash, watermelon).


“I’m recommending cucurbit growers scout their fields about once a week, checking the undersides of older leaves – where the disease usually gets established,” the plant pathologist said. “If one in 50 leaves has symptoms, the disease is active. Controls may be warranted.”


Commercial growers have many control options, but they must rotate chemicals, alternating ones with different modes of action.


“Powdery mildew fungi are notorious for developing resistance to fungicides, particularly some of the systemic chemicals,” she said. “Fungicide resistance is the last thing you want to promote.”


For homeowners, some control options include products with myclobutanil, chlorothalonil, triforine ,or thiophanate-methyl as the active ingredient. Organic options include neem extract, potassium bicarbonate, horticultural oil and sulfur products.


“Powdery mildew can be a challenging disease. It’s important to catch it before the disease pressure builds up. And, it’s important that you read and understand the label before applying any kind of control,” Kennelly said.

Tips to control cooling costs

Huron, SD – The dog days of summer are here, and NorthWestern Energy is offering tips to customers concerned with the rising cost of keeping their home comfortable during the sweltering heat.

As high temperatures and humidity blankets the region, demand for comforts like air conditioning increases causing electricity bills to soar. During hot weather take the following steps to help reduce energy consumption:

> Use a programmable thermostat, or set the thermostat warmer when no on is home.
> Set the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher. You will save about 5 to 10 percent on the operation cost of your air conditioner for every 2 degrees warmer your setting.
> Draw blinds and draperies during the day to keep the heat out.
> Avoid leaving unnecessary lights turned on.
> Do not use ranges, stoves, dishwashers, clothes dryers or other heat-producing equipment during the mid-day.
> Adjust ceiling fans to turn counter-clockwise.
> Change your air filter; a dirty filter can use 5 to 10 percent more energy than necessary.
> Stay on the lowest floor of your home.
By following all or some of the tips listed above the heat will be bearable and so will the electric bill. For more information on energy efficiency visit the NorthWestern Energy website at www.northwesternenergy.com.

LINCOLN — An overwhelming majority of rural Nebraskans consider agriculture to be important to the state and their communities and well over half see it as important to their own families' finances, according to the 2006 Nebraska Rural Poll.
Such a conclusion might be considered a "no-brainer," University of Nebraska-Lincoln agricultural economist Bruce Johnson said. But at a time when even many rural residents are a generation or more removed from farming, it's encouraging to find that agriculture is still "more highly valued than Nebraska football."
"It's just built into the gestalt out there," added UNL rural sociologist Randy Cantrell, who with Johnson conducts the Rural Poll for the university's Center for Applied Rural Innovation.


Ninety percent of those surveyed said agriculture is important to the state's economy; 88 percent said it's important to the state's quality of life; and 85 percent said it's important to their own community's economy.


Percentages were lower when respondents were asked about ag's influence on their own families. Seventy-two percent said it's important to their family's quality of life, while 57 percent said ag is important to their family's personal finances.


Rural Nebraskans' appreciation for agriculture crosses all age groups, though respondents in the 19-to-39-year-old group were less likely than older respondents to see agriculture as important to their family's finances; only 47 percent said that was so, compared to 61 percent of 50 to 64-year-olds.


A similar difference exists between Nebraskans who live in or near communities with less than 500 people and those who live in or new communities with populations of 5,000 or more. Sixty-six percent of the former group see agriculture as important to their family's personal finances, while 52 percent of the latter group felt that way.
Survey results are based on 2,482 responses from 84 rural counties.