USDA’s principal in-house research agency committed to leading America toward a better future through #agriculture. #ARSAgLab #ScientificDiscoveries
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It’s #NationalPepperMonth! 🌶️🫑
ARS researchers in Oxford, MS, are helping Americans live healthier lives with peppers. Packed with nutrients, several varieties of peppers are gaining popularity in the United States—from the restaurant to the dinner table. While working to develop new pepper cultivars, ARS researchers also find the chemical compound in certain peppers, like TigerPaw (pictured), may also reduce blood sugar levels. This research is especially important in the fight against diabetes. scientificdiscoveries.ars.us…
#NationalDiabetesMonth
ARS researchers and collaborators used citizen science to confirm the first North American report of Pheidole parva—a small, big‑headed ant found in Florida through observations on the iNaturalist website. Their work highlights how community partnerships strengthen early detection of invasive species. aglab.ars.usda.gov/learn-and…
ALT Pheidole parva ants. (Photo by Sanford Porter).
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the National Arboretum and the 250th birthday of our nation, the Museum has accepted several new bonsai into their collection. They include bonsai generously donated by highly esteemed North American and Japanese artists that will make their debut in the Museum this fall.
While the bonsai from Japan remain in quarantine (having only made the journey to the United States this past Spring) stunning 3D images of each tree will be displayed and accompanied by three newly donated viewing stones (suiseki). For more information on the celebration of these generous gifts:
fona.org/events/50th-anniver…
ALT Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Arboretum.
Congrats to the U.S. National Arboretum—celebrating 50 years of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum! 🎉
Join the celebration on Nov. 7 at the National Arboretum’s Bonsai & Penjing Museum and gardens in Washington, D.C., with demonstrations, tours, food trucks, and family-friendly activities during the day (free and open to the public). Also enjoy an extra special bonsai-themed science café in the evening.
Tickets are required for the science café and are available at: eventbrite.com/e/science-caf…)
For more information: fona.org/events/50th-anniver…
ALT Bonsai & Penjing Museum. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Arboretum).
In #ScientificDiscoveries, learn how ARS researchers helped America’s food processors determine that a popular shipping method was not contributing to the risk of Enterohemorrhagic E. coli in romaine lettuce. scientificdiscoveries.ars.us…
This week’s podcast takes us to Lincoln, NE, and then on a detour through Pullman, WA, before landing in your kitchen—that’s right, between the pasta pot and the bread oven. In this episode, learn how ARS researchers have come up with a new wheat variety for bakers and chefs!
aglab.ars.usda.gov/sights-an…
ARS researchers in Maricopa, AZ, are studying whether combining irrigation scheduling models and soil water sensors could improve water efficiency for growing cotton. Learn more at: scientificdiscoveries.ars.us…
ALT This shows a variable rate in plant growth in the field while one sprinkler has turned off.
Exciting discovery for American wheat farmers!
ARS researchers and their collaborators have decoded a gene in wheat, labeled H13, that protects some varieties of the grain crop from Hessian fly larvae. This is good news for farmers since the pest's appetite claims approximately $100 million in the annual U.S. wheat harvest. Learn how this team’s discovery is opening the door to faster methods of screening wheat varieties for the Hessian fly resistance gene at: scientificdiscoveries.ars.us…
ALT Hessian fly on wheat (USDA-ARS).
ARS researchers and their collaborators @universityofga, with Department of Energy funding, have teamed up to breed new hybrid poplar tree varieties. These popular hybrids will open new revenue streams, benefitting U.S. farmers, producers, and the bioeconomy. scientificdiscoveries.ars.us…
ALT Poplar trees. (Photo by Wayne Parrott, professor of crop sciences at the University of Georgia, in Athens).
ARS researchers are fighting against the creepiest crawlers 🐜🦟that affect our nation’s crops and food supplies. Follow ARS as we learn more about the ways our researchers are helping U.S. farmers protect their crops from these scary insects. 🪲🕷️🕸️ aglab.ars.usda.gov/fuel-your…
#ARSAgLab
ALT Left: A soybean caterpillar. Right: An adult soybean looper resting on a leaf. (Photos by Jose Ramirez, ARS).
Creepy crawler alert!
The soybean looper is a significant pest where soybean is cultivated. Jose Ramirez and ARS researchers in Peoria, IL, are diving deep into the biology of the insect and other pests to develop natural, sustainable solutions to protect our corn and soybean crops. #ARSAgLab
ALT Left: Adult soybean looper head. Right: Soybean looper caterpillar rests on a leaf. Images provided by Jose Ramirez. Created by ARS Visual Information.
Creepy crawler alert!
The bee-slaying Varroa destructor mite is the most damaging parasite to honey bees worldwide. They weaken bees and spread viruses within colonies.
#ARSAgLab
ALT Varroa destructor mite. Photos provided by Jose Ramirez and Dennis Anderson. Created by ARS Visual Information.
Creepy crawlers alert!
What’s creepier than mosquitoes and ticks?
Jose Ramirez and ARS researchers in Peoria, IL, are turning microbes into allies, fighting back against these pests and others with fungi that naturally take them down. This research helps protect pollinators, reduce pesticide use, and safeguard public health.
#ARSAgLab
ALT A female mosquito rests soon after emergence. Photos provided by Jose Ramirez. Created by ARS Visual Information.
ALT Lone star tick. Photos by Kim Lewers. Created by ARS Visual Information.
Creepy crawler alert! Ambrosia beetles are wood-boring, fungus-farming insects. These tiny insects are creepy and destructive! Female beetles tunnel into trees, farming fungus that feeds their young and leaving behind dead branches and dying trees. Christopher Ranger and ARS researchers in Wooster, OH, are developing pest control strategies to help U.S. farmers reduce crop losses and production costs, enhancing their competitiveness.
#ARSAgLab
ALT Ambrosia beetle. Photos by Christopher M. Ranger and Stephen Ausmus. Created by ARS Visual Information.
ARS researchers in Peoria, IL, are developing biodegradable food containers and other products from biomass to help America’s farmers reduce agricultural waste. Their work is also creating new revenue streams for U.S. agriculture. aglab.ars.usda.gov/fuel-your…
#ARSAgLab
ALT Reusable food packing.
Creepy crawler alert!
An adult male grape root borer has a wasp-like appearance that might be mistaken for a villainous drone from a sci-fi thriller, but it’s actually a moth. These pests pose a significant threat to vineyards across the country. Dr. Jacob Corcoran and ARS researchers in Columbia, MO, are leading research efforts to monitor these pests in local vineyards, identifying where and when they are most active, and developing novel, olfactory-based tools to control pest populations, helping growers protect their crops and livelihoods.
#ARSAgLab
Creepy crawler alert!
The corn earworm, like other pest insects, is outmaneuvering human efforts to control it. ARS researchers Brad Coates, Craig Abel, and O. P. Perera discovered that these pests borrowed a gene from an invasive cousin, making them resistant to certain insecticides. They found a way to deactivate the gene, thus restoring farmers’ ability to protect sweet corn.
#ARSAgLab
In #ScientificDiscoveries, learn how ARS scientists are collaborating with industry and university researchers to devise a process for using medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in coconut oil as a natural repellent. This process rivals the effectiveness of DEET. Developed commercially, the MCFAs could give consumers a new alternative to repel blood-feeding pests, whose bites can transmit diseases. scientificdiscoveries.ars.us…
ALT An adult bed bug. Only about .2 of an inch, these insects are very flat, making it easy for them to hide in cracks and crevices.
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service celebrated the opening of the new Southwest Watershed Research Center in Tucson, AZ. This state-of-the-art facility will advance research to deliver practical solutions for land managers across the Southwest.
ars.usda.gov/news-events/new…
ALT The new ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center in Tucson, AZ. (Photo by Melvin Abreu, ARS).
ALT Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, spoke at the opening of the new Southwest Watershed Research Center in Tucson, AZ.