ARS Newslink

ARS News Service
USDA Agricultural Research Service
August 13, 2010

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Ditching phosphorus runoff:
An industrial byproduct can help clean up water quality in the Chesapeake Bay by trapping some agricultural pollutants in field runoff, according to an ARS researcher. (8/9)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100809.htm

Adequate zinc eases pneumonia in elderly:
An observational study funded by ARS and the National Institute on Aging has revealed that a high proportion of nursing facility residents have low zinc concentrations in their blood, but those with normal blood zinc concentrations are about 50 percent less likely to develop pneumonia than those with low concentrations. (8/10)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100810.htm

A new agreement with Israel:
Officials with ARS and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the State of Israel this week signed a formal agreement in Washington, D.C., to collaborate on research to meet the world's food and fiber needs and address other high-priority agricultural issues. (8/10)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100810.2.htm

A fast and practical way to check for scab resistance:
Individual kernels of wheat and barley can be quickly evaluated for resistance to a damaging scab disease by using near infrared light technology, according to an ARS study conducted in support of a program to safeguard these valuable grain crops. (8/11)

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100811.htm

Blending wind and solar power:
In parts of Texas and California, a good match between renewable energy production and peak energy demands could be obtained by combining wind power with solar power, according to an ARS researcher. (8/12)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100812.htm

Better maps of the Chesapeake Bay's forested wetlands:
An ARS scientist and his Forest Service colleague have combined two remote sensing devices to create new maps of Chesapeake Bay forested wetlands that are about 30 percent more accurate than existing maps. (8/13)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2010/100813.htm

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ARS News Service, Information Staff, Agricultural Research Service
5601 Sunnyside Ave., Room 1-2251, Beltsville MD 20705-5128
NewsService@ars.usda.gov | www.ars.usda.gov/news
Phone (301) 504-1636 | fax (301) 504-1486