ARS Newslink

ARS News Service
USDA Agricultural Research Service
September 21, 2012

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Sorghum eyed as a bioenergy crop:
Sweet sorghum is primarily grown in the United States as a source of sugar for syrup and molasses, but the sturdy grass has other attributes that could make it uniquely suited to production as a bioenergy crop, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) studies suggest. (9/17) http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2012/120917.htm

New uses for old tools could boost biodiesel output:
For more than 30 years, near infrared reflectance spectroscopy has been used as a rapid and nondestructive method for measuring protein, moisture, and oil levels in whole grains, but now Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are studying how to use remote sensing tools to quickly assess seed oil quality and quantity before and after harvest. (9/20) http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2012/120920.htm

Scientists and students release beetles to combat an invasive vine in Florida:
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have teamed with students in Broward County, Fla., to release beneficial beetles that are proving to be an effective biological control against the air potato vine, an aggressive, invasive exotic plant that is displacing native plant species and disrupting ecological functions throughout Florida. (9/21) http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2012/120921.htm

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Newslink is the weekly e-mail pointer for web links to stories issued by the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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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