CID Bio-Science & Felix Instruments | February 2021 Updates |
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- New Interview -
Spectroscopy and Solanaceae
Rapid Phenotyping of Nightshades
Using the Felix Produce Quality Meter
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Evaluating 7 Crops with 1 Tool |
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Alberto De Marcos and his team at Semillas FitĂł are exploring the use of NIRS to breed better varieties of seven solanaceae (nightshade) and cucurbit (gourd) crops: tomato, pepper, eggplant, melon, watermelon, zucchini, and cucumber.
In our most recent interview, Application Scientist Galen George sits down with Alberto to chat about his plans to integrate the F-750 Produce Quality Meter to improve in-house testing with data-driven insights.
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Use the link below to schedule a live instrument demonstration with an application scientist. Get an overview of functionality, see how the tool can be used in your specific application and get your questions answered in real-time.
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This month we have the unique pleasure of welcoming two new faces to the CID Bio-Science and Felix Instruments team - |
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Michael Pliska
Engineering Director
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A self-described “jack of all trades” engineer and physicist, Michael brings with him a strong background in technical leadership, most recently heading up the engineering department at ISSPRO, a manufacturer of extreme-duty automotive electronics and instrumentation.
Michael's extensive education includes advanced degrees in business administration, mechanical engineering, and physics. His prior research has focused on instrumentation based on optical phenomena and electrical engineering.
Outside of work, Michael is an avid drag racer, competitive shooter, and karaoke singer.
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Steve O'Hara
Product Manager
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Steve has more than 20 years experience developing rugged, handheld, electronic test instruments. He most recently led the global product planning team for Fluke Networks where his team developed industry leading copper and fiber optic network cabling certification field test instruments.
Steve holds degrees in engineering and technology management from Stanford University and the University of Washington.
He enjoys running, especially 5k and half-marathon distances; and travel, having visited more than 20 countries on five continents.
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Understanding Chemometrics for NIR Spectroscopy |
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Chemometrics is a multidisciplinary approach referring to the analysis of large, complex chemical data obtained from spectroscopic measurements. Among a vast array of applications, chemometric tools are used in research, quality control, and in food processing.
Today, chemometrics and food analysis go hand-in-hand. Thanks to innovation in electronics, computing, and the miniaturization of sophisticated data collection methods researchers and stakeholders can glean information on complex internal chemistry in real-time.
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Predictive Modeling in Forestry - Light Extinction, LAI, and the CI-110 Plant Canopy Imager |
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Precise and portable scientific devices that can non-destructively and rapidly record complex data in the field are becoming integral to forest research. These tools have miniaturized sophisticated technology for simultaneous data collection and data analysis. Find out how the CI-110 Plant Canopy Imager helped forest scientists achieve a breakthrough in producing accurate predictive models for remote imagery that can now be used in forest productivity estimations.
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Spectrophotometry in 2021 |
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Spectrophotometers have come a long way from the first model invented in 1940. Miniaturized and combined with other modern technology, these devices now have a wide range of research and practical applications in food, medical, industrial, and environmental fields. As the applications of spectrophotometry develop rapidly into many spheres, this article examines the subject from top to bottom.
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Minirhizotron as a Tool to Measure Root Turnover |
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Fine root turnover is important for the nutrient acquisition of trees and in nutrient cycling for the entire ecosystem. Hence, it is important to understand how elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are influencing root turnover in high altitude forests. Special tools, suited to non-destructive and repeated data collection, are crucial to the success of the time-series experiments needed for this kind of research.
This article examines a study by Japanese scientists—Wang, Fujita, Nakaji, Watanabe, Satoh & Koike—looking into how elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) affects birch root turnover in volcanic ash soils that are poor in both phosphorus and nitrogen.
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Detecting Fungal Disease in the Fresh Produce supply Chain |
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Around 40-50% of fresh produce is lost in the post-harvest stage due to rotting. Fungi alone can account for the destruction of 22.5% of fruits and vegetables.
Ethylene produced by many fungi can cause disease in perishable fresh produce. Scientists found that this phytohormone can be used as a marker in non-destructive diagnosis for fruit disease detection of post-harvest fruits. A portable gas analyzer was used in an experiment to measure fungal ethylene in real-time. The findings from the experiment could help in reducing food loss.
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