The present disclosure relates to the field of algal cultivation and biofuels. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of enhancing lipid production during algal culturing. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of enhancing neutral lipid and total lipid production by maintaining algae in a thin layer cultivation system and exposing said algae maintained in the thin layer cultivation system to infra-red (IR) radiation. Said method enhances lipid accumulation in algae, thereby increasing the yield of neutral lipids and total lipids. The method is simple, cost-effective in producing high quantities of algal-derived biofuels, requires shorter time duration for lipid induction and results in no or minimal reduction of biomass.

The present disclosure relates to the field of algal cultivation and biofuels. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of enhancing lipid production during algal culturing. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of enhancing neutral lipid and total lipid production by maintaining algae in a thin layer cultivation system and exposing said algae maintained in the thin layer cultivation system to infra-red (IR) radiation. Said method enhances lipid accumulation in algae, thereby increasing the yield of neutral lipids and total lipids. The method is simple, cost-effective in producing high quantities of algal-derived biofuels, requires shorter time duration for lipid induction and results in no or minimal reduction of biomass.

A variety of plant products that are intended for consumption can become contaminated with microbial growth. The levels of contamination must be reduced or eliminated in order for the product to pass microbial growth testing standards. The contaminated plant product can be sterilized using high pressure processing to treat the product with a pressurized gas at a temperature for a desired period of time to reduce the level of the microbial contaminants present in the plant product to a predetermined acceptable level. After treatment, the sterilized plant product can then pass microbial testing standards and be fit for consumption.

Techniques for treating an area with both crop plants and weeds involves applying a treatment to both the crop plants and the weeds to increase contrast between the crop plants and the weeds. For example, a non-lethal dose of herbicide may be applied to an area with both weeds and a crop to increase contrast in color, morphology, or both. The weeds may then be detected using artificial intelligence (AI) object detection, and an automated sprayer can then apply a second targeted treatment to the weeds based on the AI object detection. The first treatment to both the crops and the weeds that increased contrast between the crops and weeds enables higher accuracy object detection and therefore improves the performance of the automated sprayer.

Techniques for treating an area with both crop plants and weeds involves applying a treatment to both the crop plants and the weeds to increase contrast between the crop plants and the weeds. For example, a non-lethal dose of herbicide may be applied to an area with both weeds and a crop to increase contrast in color, morphology, or both. The weeds may then be detected using artificial intelligence (AI) object detection, and an automated sprayer can then apply a second targeted treatment to the weeds based on the AI object detection. The first treatment to both the crops and the weeds that increased contrast between the crops and weeds enables higher accuracy object detection and therefore improves the performance of the automated sprayer.

A method for predicting a likelihood of infection in a set of similarly sourced plant products is disclosed. A subset of plant products is selected from the set of plant products. For each plant product in the subset, a level of expression of one or more infection biomarkers, and optionally a level of expression of one more housekeeping biomarkers, are determined. A set of biomarker expression statistics for the subset of plant products is determined based on the determined levels of expression of the one or more infection biomarkers and optionally the levels of expression of the one or more housekeeping biomarkers for each plant product in the subset. A likelihood of infection in the set of plant products is then predicted based at least in part on the determined set of biomarker expression statistics for the subset of plant products.

Described are methods of preserving cereal crop pollen and/or anthers. A method of the present invention includes collecting fresh pollen and/or anthers and introducing the pollen and/or anthers to field conditioning conditions which regulate pollen moisture content. The field conditioning conditions may include a an air flow at a humidity ranging from 0% to about 99% and a temperature ranging from about −10-10° C. The field conditioning conditions may further include a flow of one or more continuously refreshed, selected gases. The field conditioning conditions may dehydrate the pollen to achieve a pollen moisture content of about 15% to about 35%.

Described are methods of preserving cereal crop pollen and/or anthers. A method of the present invention includes collecting fresh pollen and/or anthers and introducing the pollen and/or anthers to field conditioning conditions which regulate pollen moisture content. The field conditioning conditions may include a an air flow at a humidity ranging from 0% to about 99% and a temperature ranging from about −10-10° C. The field conditioning conditions may further include a flow of one or more continuously refreshed, selected gases. The field conditioning conditions may dehydrate the pollen to achieve a pollen moisture content of about 15% to about 35%.

Described are methods of grain production with field conditioned pollen. A method of the present invention includes growing one or more designated female plants that include both female and male components, collecting fresh pollen from designated male plants from a different genetic background, and subjecting the fresh pollen to field conditions, which may regulate pollen moisture content. The field conditioning conditions may include a relative humidity ranging from about 50% to about 100%, a temperature ranging from about −10-10° C., and an air pressure ranging from about 15 kPa to about 150 kPa. These conditions may result in pollen having a moisture content of about 40% to about 58%. The one or more designated female plants are intentionally cross-pollinated with the field conditioned pollen and then grown to maturity such that the grain may be harvested therefrom. Also provided is a method of preventing undesirable pollination in grain production.

Described are methods of grain production with field conditioned pollen. A method of the present invention includes growing one or more designated female plants that include both female and male components, collecting fresh pollen from designated male plants from a different genetic background, and subjecting the fresh pollen to field conditions, which may regulate pollen moisture content. The field conditioning conditions may include a relative humidity ranging from about 50% to about 100%, a temperature ranging from about −10-10° C., and an air pressure ranging from about 15 kPa to about 150 kPa. These conditions may result in pollen having a moisture content of about 40% to about 58%. The one or more designated female plants are intentionally cross-pollinated with the field conditioned pollen and then grown to maturity such that the grain may be harvested therefrom. Also provided is a method of preventing undesirable pollination in grain production.