ARS AgLab

In  Maricopa , scientists developed sustainable agricultural systems to protect  natural  resources and support rural communities in arid and semi-arid regions through multi-disciplinary research.

In  Stuttgart , scientists have unearthed a natural material that helps prevent a deadly fish disease.  Kaolin , a type of clay found globally, significantly improved the survival of channel catfish with columnaris disease. Kaolin is a soft white clay that has been used for years in cosmetics, medicine, and papermaking. Scientists found that adding clay particles to water tanks gave fish a 96 percent chance of surviving the disease.

Scientists in  Albany  partnered with industry experts to reinvent the classic wrap by using an ARS-developed technology that makes edible films out of unmarketable fruits and vegetables. “ GemWraps ” are low-carb alternatives to bread, tortillas, and lavash. Made from fruit and vegetable purées, one wrap equals a full serving of fruits or vegetables. The wraps are all natural, gluten free, 100-percent plant based, and low calorie. They come in flavors like tomato, carrot, and apple-kale. The wraps prevent moisture loss, keep the fillings fresh, and block oxygen that could cause unattractive browning.

In  Albany , researchers developed an improved variety of the  guayule plant  as a natural source of tire rubber, optimizing traits like yield capacity and disease resistance. Researchers are also exploring guayule as a source of inexpensive and clean energy, such as converting the plant into ethanol and other biofuels. 

In the  Central Valley , researchers are creating new grape varieties, including the recently released  Sunpreme grape .

Throughout the  Golden State , ARS research labs have produced new grape varieties including Flame Seedless, Crimson Seedless, Thomcord, and Autumn King. ARS scientists were the first to breed  “seedless” grape  varieties with seeds so tiny that you can’t even detect them.

In  Salinas , researchers are using natural enemies to protect fields from  aphids  and other destructive pests. They are planting alyssum with their lettuce crops to encourage hoverflies to maintain residence on the farms. Hoverflies are natural enemies of aphids that infest lettuce crops. By keeping hoverflies on the field year-round, farmers have a completely natural pest control system. Researchers have even shown how to efficiently plant the alyssum within the lettuce crops, thereby saving precious land for vegetables. 

In  Salinas,  researchers created the world’s first true  red spinach , called USDA Red.

In  Sonoma , ARS scientists are working with grape growers on specialty flours made from wine grape seeds.  Wine grape seed flour  uses disposed grape seeds during the winemaking process and contains important compounds such as proteins, lipids, and antioxidants. The flour can also significantly reduce cholesterol levels, ameliorate insulin resistance, and even decrease abdominal fat.

In  Fort Lauderdale , scientists are helping farmers help battle the insidious alien invader, the air potato plant, with a  beetle  from Nepal.

In  Byron , researchers developed and released a trio of new  peaches : Crimson Joy, Liberty Joy, and Rich Joy. This series is a fruit of labor intended to continue rejuvenating the peach industry in the Southeastern U.S., which has been facing multiple challenges, including unfavorable weather changes, pests, and diseases. Thanks to increased competition from other fruits and imports, American peaches with increased aesthetic value and improved taste are more in demand than ever.

In  Aberdeen , researchers cross bred two  potato  varieties to create the low-starch, huckleberry gold potato.

ARS hop breeders are responsible for about one third of the nation’s 65  hop  varieties. In  Aberdeen , scientists created “Cascade,” one of the most widely-used varieties in the world and a new variety, “Triumph,” that is flavorful, disease tolerant, high yielding, and grows well in all regions.

In  Boise , researchers are investigating the power of a natural, targeted grazing approach to help mitigate wildfires. They are identifying  highly-flammable  annual grasses like cheatgrass and using livestock to graze in these specific areas prior to wildfire season. This innovative grazing strategy has been shown to reduce the fuel that causes wildfires, which in the short and long term protects forage, wildlife, and other critical resources. The practice will reduce fire suppression costs and restoration and rehabilitation costs and save lives.

In  Peoria , researchers found that  cedarwood oil  kills houseflies, ticks, and mosquitoes; repels several species of ants, including two types of fire ants; and is a natural wood preservative that deters termites and wood-decay fungi.

In  Peoria , scientists converted two fatty acids from the seed oil of the purple-flowered annual known as  cuphea   into a natural repellent that works as well as DEET, the most common active ingredient in insect repellents.

In  Peoria , researchers found that essential oils in  Italian honeysuckle  killed 100 percent of mosquito larvae, opening the door to its potential as a biopesticide that can be safely applied to ponds, drainage ditches, stormwater catch basins, and other areas of standing water that serve as mosquito breeding sites. 

In  Peoria , scientists collaborated with industry partners to develop a sweetener called  Sucromalt . Sucromalt, also called “Xtend™,” offers consumers health benefits such as its slow and complete digestibility, as well as its ability to release carbohydrates into the bloodstream slowly.

 In Peoria,  scientists have developed new chia- oat  and mixtures. Amaranth-oat flour is as versatile as ordinary wheat flour, but provides more essential amino acids and can help lower blood cholesterol. Chia-oat flour is rich in Omega-3, which helps lower cholesterol and prevents coronary heart disease. 

In  Urbana , scientists are working to increase the  photosynthetic  ability of food and bioenergy crops as well as understand how soil microorganisms are impacted by global environmental change conditions. 

In  Ames , scientists are taking a multi-disciplinary approach to developing integrated approaches to managing crop, animal, and watershed  systems  that will increase efficiency and reduce environmental risk. 

In  New Orleans , researchers developed a new blood-clotting  gauze  that can help save lives! Uncontrolled bleeding is the main cause of preventable death in people with a traumatic injury. Known as “TACgauze,” the product is made of raw, unbleached cotton rather than the processed cotton typically used. In unbleached cotton, the lipids, waxes, and pectin in the fiber’s outer “cuticle” remain intact, helping to stimulate the body’s production of blood-clotting agents.

In  Orono,  scientists developed and transferred environmentally sound technologies that will support both conventional and organic crop production systems in the northeastern United States, particularly  potato .

Did you know that the  Roma  tomato was developed by ARS researchers here in  Beltsville ?

In  Beltsville , researchers are coordinating a national research network looking at crop productivity, soil health, and sustainability through cover crop practices. The main driver is real-time  data  acquisition, aggregation, analytics, and visualization to give farmers immediate results from their cover crop practices and to see the cost of not cover cropping. 

In  Beltsville , scientists have shown that cereal  crop farmers  can reduce weeds while increasing yields by instituting longer and com­plex crop rotations.

In  Beltsville , ARS researchers developed a new strawberry variety, “ Keepsake .” Keepsake does well in cold storage and is firm enough for handling during harvest and packaging. It can be harvested as early as May, and the good-sized berries are sweet and juicy. Keepsake is resistant to anthracnose fruit rot, one of the most serious fruit rots worldwide

In  East Lansing , researchers teamed up with industry partners to develop a self-propelled  apple-harvest  and in-field sorting machine.

In  St. Paul , scientists continuously  measure surface/atmosphere exchange  and water usage under different farming practices. They are using the data to demonstrate the benefits of reducing tillage and adding winter cover crops and perennial living mulch crops. These practices can reduce the environmental impact of agriculture while preserving and even increasing productivity.

In  Clay Center , researchers have developed an App called  iGENDEC,  that gives beef cattle producers a way to select the best bull for their herds.

In  Las Cruces , scientists developed  LandPKS , a user-friendly mobile app to help people understand and manage their land in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way.

In  Geneva,  researchers are working on  apple rootstocks  that are more resistant to pests and diseases.

In  Raleigh , scientists are adding livestock to crop fields as a way to improve farm production and sustainability while reducing environmental impact. Early indications are that  integrated  crop-livestock systems allow nutrients to be used more efficiently, soil and water resources to be conserved, natural resources to be sustainably utilized, and soil health to be improved.

In  Wooster , researchers and their partners have developed and tested an innovative laser-guided sprayer to help growers apply precise amounts of  pesticide .

In  Stillwater , scientists developed and released a new Virginia-type peanut called “ Contender ,” which features the large seeds, pods, and yields that are optimal for peanut processing. Contender also contains high amounts of oleic acid, a special fatty acid that can promote cardiovascular health and extend peanut product shelf life. Considering its superior market quality, Contender looks like a heavy weight against other peanut cultivars.

In  Burns , scientists are using innovative research programs to restore rangelands to their native, productive, and ecologically stable states. To control and reestablish perennial vegetation, researchers are employing a multi-step approach that includes controlled rangeland burning and applying a pre-emergent herbicide, followed by delayed seed planting. Researchers are also developing seed enhancement technologies to stimulate vegetation growth during difficult weather conditions.

In  Corvallis , researchers are developing methods to restore abandoned  mines  using a combination of soil amendments, including biochar. Biochar is charcoal made from low-value agricultural and forest biomass, such as leftover crops and plants after harvest. Researchers found that biochar-based amendments can also increase soil pH, sequester carbon, and increase beneficial soil microbes on marginal and degraded farmland. These practices simultaneously improve soil health and utilize waste streams, providing win-win solutions for agriculture and environmental sustainability.

In  University Park,  scientists are exploring  sustainable  approaches to managing forage and grazing lands, managing manure to protect water quality, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from manure. 

Did you know that low-fat  mozzarella  cheese was invented by ARS scientists here in  Wyndmoor ?

 In Florence , scientists developed technologies to improve soil health, resource conservation and manure- and wastewater-treatment systems, including a patented process for extracting  phosphorus  from poultry and swine wastes.

In  Houston , scientists are researching  epigenetics , or how what you eat at certain stages of life may determine your future health.

In  Pullman , scientists developed a new type of wheat that’s a major ingredient in Happy Inside cereal. The wheat cultivar, named “ Waxy-Pen ,” is what’s known as a waxy wheat, and it has a unique starch composition can improve the texture, shelf life, and other qualities of foods made with it. Waxy-pen has dramatically different processing properties, such as lower gelatinization temperature and higher water swelling. It puffs well, with large expansion and crispy texture.

Fort Collins is home to the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation, the world’s  largest  collection of genetic resources gathered under one roof: material from 167 breeds of livestock (36 species) and material from more than 1.1 million cultivated, wild, and endangered plants from around the world.

In Reno, ARS researchers are studying ways to control  cheatgrass  and restore rangelands to a healthy mix of plants, which in turn reduces wildfire threats, supports wildlife, and increases sustainable grazing resources. Cheatgrass is an aggressive, invasive weed from central Asia that takes full advantage of any environment it finds itself in, covering millions of acres, crowding out native plant species, and fueling wildfires.

ARS scientists in Manhattan and their collaborators have developed a new test to quickly detect  Zika  virus in mosquitoes.

ARS researchers in Lexington found that  hops  that are too old for brewing beer, but still nutritious for cattle, may be available for coproduct development. New research has found that adding hops, an important ingredient in beer, to cattle feed reduces overall cattle feed requirements, which decreases expenses for producers and helps the environment by reducing cow waste.

ARS researchers in Lincoln are studying ways to keep carbon derived from agriculture from releasing into the air and instead returning to the ground, called carbon  sequestration .

ARS scientists in Corvallis are examining the potential of  biochar  – made from agricultural waste – to rejuvenate soil, especially in degraded land areas like mining sites where high acidity and pollutants like heavy metals can stop or slow plant growth. Biochar may also help farmers reduce their need for fertilizers as well as handling wastes like chicken manure.

ARS and university scientists in Ames studied nine  milkweed  species in critical breeding areas of the country and found that female monarch butterflies prefer laying their eggs on certain milkweed species, but they don’t specialize in reproducing only on one kind. This knowledge is key to a broader national effort to reverse this iconic insect’s declining numbers through milkweed habitat restoration projects.

ARS scientists in Madison are experimenting with  alfalfa  as a promising alternative to using fishmeal, a protein-rich ingredient in aquaculture feeds given to "farm-raised" finfish and shellfish. Nutritious, affordable, plant-based food like alfalfa could help ease the burden on providing feed to these forage fish populations, which are important members of the marine ecosystem and its inhabitants, particularly larger predatory species.

ARS scientists in Miles City investigated the benefits of  prescribed  fires vs. mowing or grazing to help control invasive weeds, improve forage quality, increase plant diversity, and maintain wildlife habitats. They found that while mowing offered some benefits, prescribed fire proved better at rejuvenating the soil, eliminating combustible debris, and promoting the growth of nutrient-rich grasses for cattle.

ARS scientists in Florence “dug up” manure-loving bacteria called anammox that can help remove pollutants from wastewater and septic tanks. The bacteria could soon find itself in  space , as NASA is exploring the bacteria’s use in a water-recycling system for astronauts that could mean millions in savings in annual resupply costs.