World Hunger News: Robotics Aid in the Study of Corn and Drought Tolerance
Date: March 28, 2017 Source: University of Missouri-Columbia Summary:Developing drought tolerant corn that makes efficient use of available water will be vital to sustain the estimated 9 billion global population by 2050. In March 2014, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the University of Missouri a $20 million grant as part of a multi-institutional consortium to study how corn maintains root growth during drought conditions.
Using funding from the NSF, Mizzou engineers on a multidisciplinary team have developed a robotic system that is changing the way scientists study crops and plant composition.Gui DeSouza, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, and colleagues and students in his Vision-Guided and Intelligent Robotics (ViGIR) Laboratory partnered with researchers such as Felix Fritschi, an associate professor of plant sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and Todd Mockler, a principal investigator with the Danforth Plant Science Center to study the effects of climate change on crops in Missouri.
Using principles developed in the ViGIR lab, DeSouza is changing the way agriculturists collect data in the field."I've been working with CAFNR assisting them in experiments where we helped to create 3-D images of root growth in the laboratory," DeSouza said. "Now, we're creating robotics to assist in creating those images out in the field."
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Our mission is to assist in bringing about a world with sustainable clean, safe and healthy drinking water in which everyone understands how it impacts their life and takes action to preserve it. The enclosed material details the program and projects of WAVES™ which will utilize corporate sponsorship funding and personal financing to launch and sustain the WAVES™ K-4 and 5-8 OSEP™ curriculum.
WAVES™ believe that early childhood education and protection efforts should be recognized, shared, plus replicated within all communities. The K-4 and 5-8 Waves™ and OSEP™ educates both children and adults. It motivates action to ensure sustainable clean healthy water for today and our future.
Everyone benefits from a sustainable supply of clean water. Whether it is the source of a community’s drinking water or the water used to produce the food on our table, water is vital to life. As such, every person must play a role in protecting and conserving our water for future generations. Collectively we will educate the next generation to understand the water crisis that is faced today and how we can rectify the problem with proper long term solutions. WAVES™ belief is by acting with honesty, respect, and high ethical standards, trust is inspired in all that we do.
WAVES™ strive for innovated growth of environmental education when promoting clean safe drinking water.
As stated previously, “We believe water education is a powerful motivator for change”. Factually informed youths and adults who understand the value and vulnerability of our planets water will act responsibly on its behalf.
In closing, it is our belief that by including everyone in the community we will make a positive difference towards the sustainability of our water. Partnerships and collaboration are paramount to effective delivery of healthy water information and education. WAVES™ is dedicated to help equip, inspire, and empower the youth of our community to become stewards of safe clean sustainable water now and for future generations.
