By: Marissa Yee, Jacob Cody, Teddy Daniel, Maria Baig

The Values of Vapor 35

Drones have become a vital component of the agriculture field of study, primarily because they have such a wide variety of applications. In agricultural research, drones help measure fields for numerous useful qualities: canopy height, leaf area index, and the size and shape of streams over time. Today, Virginia Tech is using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), called Vapor 35, to map floodplains and inundation (floods) using the LiDAR imaging system. The LiDAR system has many functioning components: a yellow scan core system, multi-echo system, calibrated IMU, an embedded computer, data pre-processing system, ground control station software, onboard avionics, and heat sensors. The complexity of the LiDAR system allows for consistent data collection, simple navigation and flights, and in depth photographing of the region.

Exciting Experiments

In order to experiment with the abilities of drones, Virginia Tech has implemented new experimental techniques. One such experiment is the pseudo-drone; the drone is attached to a pole on a John Deere tractor, allowing factors like height, nozzle type, nozzle position, and more to be altered in a controlled manner. This eliminates the need for expensive and time intensive test flights. Researchers have used information collected to optimize the drones’ ability to spray fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and more on fields, reducing negative effects of pollution like algae blooms and increasing yields.

By: Virginia Campbell, Tati Kennedy, Cordie Aldridge, Shreya Dalal

What are some common misconceptions about milk pasteurization?

Many believe pasteurization harms milk and rids it of nutrients. However, pasteurization doesn’t harm milk; it helps it! Pasteurization destroys bacteria commonly found in raw milk, such as  Salmonella, E. Coli, and Listeria. Furthermore, drinking pasteurized milk does not cause lactose intolerance or allergic reactions more so than raw milk; both unpasteurized and pasteurized milk are equally hazardous to individuals sensitive to milk proteins.

So what really IS pasteurization?

Pasteurization is the heating up of milk to kill bacteria harmful to humans. We pasteurize milk so that it is safe for people to drink! There are two different pasteurization methods: batch and continuous. In batch pasteurization, milk is heated in a large vat to 145°F for 30 minutes to effectively kill the bacteria. In continuous pasteurization, however, the milk is never stagnant in a container, but is pushed between a hot pipe to heat it up in a method known as High Temperature, Short Time (HTST). At this point, the milk’s temperature can range from 161.6°F for 15 seconds to 280°F for 0.01 seconds. HTST pasteurization preserves the nutrient composition better than low temperature, long time pasteurization (LTLT).

How does the government regulate our milk?

To regulate the pasteurization and distribution of milk, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). Grade A dairy products must meet the basic requirements of the PMO to be sold to stores and consumers (you!). The milk is tested to ensure there are no antibiotic residues, no harmful bacteria, and no colostrum (milk undrinkable for humans),

So what does this mean?

Got (pasteurized) milk? You’d better! Drink pasteurized milk to stay healthy and be sure to inform others who may have incorrect pasteurization perceptions!

By: Melanie Fann, Mariana Smith, William Tu, Derek Siegrest

This week, students began working on their global seminar projects. They were assigned a topic related to current agricultural issues in the world, and have to answer an in-depth question while incorporating the concepts of engineering, science, and economics. Students were divided into groups of five people with mixtures of different interests and majors in each group. By the end of the month each group is responsible for a poster, brochure, 3D printed object, and paper to be presented at the symposium. In the first few days, students have began to create plans of work and lay out the rules for their teams.  They also created an outline for the first drafts of their 10-page research papers.

The topics which are being researched in global seminar are food safety, food security, climate change, childhood obesity, and sustainable energy. In food security, multiple issues dealing with undernourishment in underdeveloped countries were found. Major contributors tend to deal with the lack of resources, the political contradictions with foreign nations, and the harsh environment surrounding them.   In food safety, we have examined the causes of disease spreading through food, whether that’s through poor sanitation, bad farming practices, or improper food preparation.

There are subtopics under each larger topic. For example, one group in climate change is tasked with finding a solution to greenhouse gas emissions that are produced or related to agriculture. The emissions are not only related to agricultural production itself, like livestock or rice cultivation, but are also related to transportation and other industrial aspects. Another group in food safety is analyzing whether food donation programs such as the WIC are beneficial and what alternatives are possible for it.

The global seminar groups will continue to work towards their final project for the remainder of the month, and are enthusiastic to share their research and findings in the Symposium at the end of the month.

By: Yoona Lee, Sophie Peng, and Valerie Volodin.

Have you ever thought about the soil in your garden instead of just the plants? Most people usually value what is happening above the ground when they think of agriculture, but today we will change your mind with what we learned about soil during our second plant science class. Today we learned about soil tillage. Although that seems boring, this is a very important issue that needs to be addressed. When soil is tilled, the soil particles are broken down for easier planting. Unfortunately, tilled soil is more easily washed away by water and is overall considered not as healthy as not tilled soil. Also, tilled soil reduces the space between the aggregates, restricting the amount of water that can be absorbed within the ground and ease with which plants can sprout roots. With all this in mind, non-tilled soil is still not the best solution. Some plants, such as potatoes, cannot grow without disturbing the soil which forces farmers to use tilled soil anyway. Since many cash crops can only be grown in tilled soil, it has become more common than non-till. Even though many farmers are trying to convert their soil back to it’s original no-till state for healthier soil, it takes a long time. Since most of agriculture, from planting to cows, surrounds the soil, it is crucial that we keep this non-renewable resource healthy.

Click here to learn more about soil!