Fresh from the Field, Nov. 16, 2017

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Fresh from the Field is a weekly album showcasing transformative impacts made by grantees supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Nov. 16, 2017

Success Stories

Nano-Paper

'Smart Paper' Can Conduct Electricity, Detect Water

Lab spills often spell trouble, but a University of Washington scientist turned an accident into an inventive new sensor that can potentially save billions of dollars per year.

The discovery occurred when a student spilled some water during an experiment on paper laced with conductive nanomaterials. The water swelled the fibers in the paper, which broke the electrical connection of the nanomaterials and turned off an indicator light. Researchers envision wrapping this "smart paper" around water pipes to detect leaks -- a problem that costs public utilities about $2.8 billion each year.

Their discovery appears in the November issue of Journal of Materials Chemistry A.

NIFA supports this research through a McIntire-Stennis grant.

Read the full story at UW News. Photo by Mark Stone.

Auto Parts

Trees Could Become Auto Parts

A Clemson University research team is combining one of the world's oldest building materials with cutting-edge technology. The result? Auto parts made from trees.

The ancient ingredient is wood, derived from trees that have been removed in efforts to reduce the risk of forest fires. These trees provide nanocellulose, which combines high stiffness and strength with low density. When mixed with advanced polymers, the result is a strong, biorenewable project that can be molded into auto parts. Researchers are currently experimenting with glove boxes and fenders, but could branch out into bumpers and other components. When these parts reach the end of the road, they could easily be recycled or processed into compost.

NIFA supports this project through an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant.

Read the entire story in the Clemson Newsstand.

Photo courtesy of the Clemson Newsstand.


News Coverage 


Broccoli

Like it or Not: Broccoli May Be Good for the Gut

For the broccoli haters of the world, researchers may have more bad news: the vegetable may also help promote a healthy gut.

Researchers at Penn State University found that when mice ate broccoli with their regular diet, they were better able to tolerate digestive issues similar to symptoms of leaky gut and colitis than mice that were not placed on a broccoli-supplemented diet.

The research suggests that cruciferous vegetables -- such as broccoli, burssels sprouts, and cabbage -- contain an organic chemical compound that helps maintain gut flora and immune surveillance. This may help prevent various cancers and Crohn's Disease, caused by gut inflammation.

Read the full article at ScienMag. 

NIFA supports this project with an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.


The Library 


Aquifer

Ogallala Water CAP team releases special issue report

Ensuring the availability of fresh water resources in sufficient quantity and quality to support human populations and surrounding ecosystems represents one of the grand challenges of our time.

The NIFA-funded Ogallala Water Coordinated Agriculture Project (OWCAP) team, led by Colorado State University in partnership with the Colorado Water Center, has released a special issue about the Ogallala (High Plains) aquifer region. Articles cover best management practices, policies, producer perspectives, and research. The team’s activities support long-term effective and efficient water use techniques and technologies to support crop and livestock production and sustain the communities of the High Plains region.

The multi-disciplinary OWCAP team includes scientists from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, New Mexico State University, Texas Tech University, West Texas A&M University, Texas A&M AgriLife, and USDA's Agricultural Research Service.

NIFA supports the research through an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant.

Read the magazine's 12 articles. Photo by William A. Cotton.


Video


Little Sprouts 1

Little Sprouts

Two of the challenges urban residents often face are food insecurity and lack of agricultural education. In Denver, Colorado, Denver Urban Gardens addressed these problems by establishing 14 new, sustainable, produce-focused community gardens in five Metro Denver counties. Placed in high-need areas, the project brought engagement, education, and empowerment through community gardening. Gardens planted at elementary schools not only taught agriculture to students, but provided fresh produce to school cafeterias.

NIFA funded this project through the People's Garden Grant Program.

Watch the video about the Little Sprouts Farmers Market, where students at Little Elementary School, in Jefferson County, sold their produce and returned proceeds to help with garden upkeep.

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