Novel decision-level fusion strategies combined with hyperspectral imaging for the detection of soybean protein content.

Soybeans are used for human consumption or animal feed due to their abundant protein content. In this study, visible-near infrared (VNIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and short-wave infrared HSI combined with three-levels data fusion methods were employed to detect the protein content of soybean seeds, including measurement-level fusion, feature-level fusion, and decision-level fusion. Additionally, three novel decision-level fusion methods were proposed, including binary linear regression, feature-based multiple linear regression (MLR), and model-based MLR.

Effect of Additives on Tribological Performance of Magnetorheological Fluids.

In this study, nano-diamond (ND) and MoS powder are used as additives in a carbonyl iron-based magnetorheological fluid (MRF) to improve its tribological performance. MRFs are prepared by dispersing 35 wt.% of CI particles in silicone oil and adding different proportions (0, 1, 3, or 5 wt.

Toward real-time and accurate dense 3D mapping of crop fields for combine harvesters using a stereo camera.

Fast and accurate 3D scene perception is a crucial prerequisite for the autonomous navigation and harvesting of combine harvesters. However, crop field scenarios pose severe challenges for vision-based perception systems due to repetitive scenes, illumination changes and real-time constraints on embedded computing platforms. In this paper, we propose a feature-based, two-stage approach for real-time dense 3D mapping for combine harvesters.

Highly efficient reduction of ammonia emissions from livestock waste by the synergy of novel manure acidification and inhibition of ureolytic bacteria.

The global livestock system is one of the largest sources of ammonia emissions and there is an urgent need for ammonia mitigation. Here, we designed and constructed a novel strategy to abate ammonia emissions via livestock manure acidification based on a synthetic lactic acid bacteria community (LAB SynCom). The LAB SynCom possessed a wide carbon source spectrum and pH profile, high adaptability to the manure environment, and a high capability of generating lactic acid.

Dynamic Changes in Volatile Flavor Compounds, Amino Acids, Organic Acids, and Soluble Sugars in Lemon Juice Vesicles during Freeze-Drying and Hot-Air Drying.

Lemon juice vesicles have abundant flavor components that can undergo complex changes during drying. Three drying methods, including integrated freeze-drying (IFD), conventional freeze-drying (CFD), and hot-air drying (AD), were studied to determine their effects on the dynamic changes in the flavor compounds in lemon juice vesicles. Compared with the fresh samples, the final dried samples that underwent IFD, CFD, and AD lost seven, seven, and six volatile flavor compounds and three, four, and five amino acids, respectively; the order of the loss ratios with respect to the volatile compound content was: 82.

Stereovision-Based Ego-Motion Estimation for Combine Harvesters.

Ego-motion estimation is a foundational capability for autonomous combine harvesters, supporting high-level functions such as navigation and harvesting. This paper presents a novel approach for estimating the motion of a combine harvester from a sequence of stereo images. The proposed method starts with tracking a set of 3D landmarks which are triangulated from stereo-matched features.

Cutting speed follow-up adjusting system of bidirectional electric drive side cutter for rape combine harvester.

In rape combine harvester, side cutter must be equipped to cut off tangled rapeseed twigs. Inappropriate cutting speed would increase the repeated cutting and missing cutting of side cutter, which lead to serious header loss. In allusion to the problems mentioned above, bidirectional electric drive side cutter and a cutting speed follow-up adjusting system were proposed.

Design and Test Research on Cutting Blade of Corn Harvester Based on Bionic Principle.

Existing corn harvester cutting blades have problems associated with large cutting resistance, high energy consumption, and poor cut quality. Using bionics principles, a bionic blade was designed by extracting the cutting tooth profile curve of the palate. Using a double-blade cutting device testing system, a single stalk cutting performance contrast test for corn stalks obtained at harvest time was carried out.

Composition and morphology of cuticular wax in blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) fruits.

The chemical composition and morphology of cuticular wax in mature fruit of nine blueberry cultivars were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Triterpenoids and β-diketones were the most prominent compounds, accounting for on average 64.2% and 16.

Accumulation of carotenoids and expression of carotenogenic genes in peach fruit.

To understand better the regulatory mechanism of the carotenoid accumulation, the expression profile of relevant carotenoid genes and metabolites were compared between two peach cultivars with different colors during fruit development. Meanwhile, the change pattern of carotenoid content and expression of carotenoid metabolic genes in peaches after harvest in response to blue light were also investigated. As compared to the yellow fleshed-cultivar 'Jinli', lower carotenoid levels were observed in skin and pulp in white peach cultivar 'Hujing', which might be explained by differentially expression of PpCCD4 gene.

Induction of Direct or Priming Resistance against Botrytis cinerea in Strawberries by β-Aminobutyric Acid and Their Effects on Sucrose Metabolism.

The specific forms of disease resistance induced by β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) and their impacts on sucrose metabolism of postharvest strawberries were determined in the present research. Treatment with 10-500 mmol L(-1) BABA inhibited the Botrytis cinerea infection, possibly directly by suppressing the fungus growth and indirectly by triggering disease resistance. Moreover, BABA-induced resistance against B.

Exogenous Melatonin Treatment Increases Chilling Tolerance and Induces Defense Response in Harvested Peach Fruit during Cold Storage.

The effect of exogenous melatonin on chilling injury in peach fruit after harvest was investigated. To explore the optimum concentration of melatonin for chilling tolerance induction, peach fruit were treated with 50, 100, or 200 μM melatonin for 120 min and then stored for 28 days at 4 °C. The results showed that application of melatonin at 100 μM was most effective in reducing chilling injury of peach fruit after harvest.

Antioxidant enzymes and fatty acid composition as related to disease resistance in postharvest loquat fruit.

Two cultivars of loquat fruit were stored at 20°C for 10days to investigate the relationship between disease resistance, and fatty acid composition and activities of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. The results showed that decay incidence increased with storage time in both cultivars. A significantly lower disease incidence was observed in 'Qingzhong' fruit than in 'Fuyang', suggesting 'Qingzhong' had increased disease resistance.

Domestic cooking methods affect the nutritional quality of red cabbage.

The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of domestic cooking methods, including steaming, microwave heating, boiling and stir-frying on the nutritional quality of red cabbage. Compared with fresh-cut red cabbage, all cooking methods were found to cause significant reduction in anthocyanin and total glucosinolates contents. Moreover, steaming resulted in significantly greater retention of vitamin C and DPPH radical-scavenging activity, while stir-frying and boiling, two popular Chinese cooking methods, led to significant losses of total phenolic, vitamin C, DPPH radical-scavenging activity, and total soluble sugar as well as reducing sugars.

Respiratory activity and mitochondrial membrane associated with fruit senescence in postharvest peaches in response to UV-C treatment.

The effect of 3.0kJ/m(2) ultraviolet-C (UV-C) treatment on respiratory activity and mitochondrial membrane associated with fruit senescence in peach fruit stored at 20°C for 8days was investigated. UV-C treatment could reduce senescence development, as evidenced by higher fruit firmness due to inhibition of respiration rate via reducing succinic dehydrogenase and cytochrome C oxidase activity.

Effect of MeJA treatment on polyamine, energy status and anthracnose rot of loquat fruit.

The effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on changes in polyamines content and energy status and their relation to disease resistance was investigated. Freshly harvested loquat fruit were treated with 10 μmol l(-1) MeJA and wound inoculated with Colletotrichum acutatum spore suspension (1.0 × 10(5) spores ml(-1)) after 24h, and then stored at 20 °C for 6 days.

Sugar metabolism in relation to chilling tolerance of loquat fruit.

The relationship between chilling injury and sugar metabolism was investigated in loquat fruit stored at 1°C for 35days. No symptoms of chilling injury occurred in the fruit, of 'Ninghaibai' cultivar, during the whole storage whereas, in 'Dahongpao' fruit, severe chilling symptoms were observed after 20days of storage at 1°C. 'Ninghaibai' fruit had higher levels of glucose and fructose and higher activities of sucrose hydrolyzing enzymes, such as sucrose synthase-cleavage and invertase, than had 'Dahongpao'.

Combination of Pichia membranifaciens and ammonium molybdate for controlling blue mould caused by Penicillium expansum in peach fruit.

The potential enhancement of Pichia membranifaciens by ammonium molybdate (NH(4)Mo) to control blue mould caused by Penicillium expansum on peach fruit was investigated. Combining P. membranifaciens at 1x10(8) cell/ml with 1 mM NH(4)Mo provided a more effective control of blue mould rot than applying the yeast or NH(4)Mo alone.

Effect of BTH on anthocyanin content and activities of related enzymes in Strawberry after harvest.

The effect of benzo-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH) at 0.2 g L(-1) on anthocyanin content and the enzymes involved in its metabolism such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), shikimate dehydrogenase (SKDH), tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), 4-coumarate/coenzyme A ligase (4-CL), and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) fruit was investigated in this study.