Development of robots and application to industrial processes

An algorithm is presented for using a robot system with a single camera to position in three-dimensional space a slender object for insertion into a hole; for example, an electrical pin-type termination into a connector hole. The algorithm relies on a control-configured end effector to achieve the required horizontal translations and rotational motion, and it does not require camera calibration. A force sensor in each fingertip is integrated with the vision system to allow the robot to teach itself new reference points when different connectors and pins are used. Variability in the grasped orientation and position of the pin can be accomodated with the sensor system. Performance tests show that the system is feasible. More work is needed to determine more precisely the effects of lighting levels and lighting direction

Anthracnose of shade trees

"This guide describes the symptoms of the anthracnose diseases on various trees and provides recommendations for control."--First page.J. Al Wrather and Einar W. Palm (Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture)New 2/86/6

Foliar diseases of wheat

"Powdery mildew, Septoria leaf blotch, Septoria glume blotch, and leaf rust damage Missouri's wheat crop each year. When severe, these diseases can reduce wheat yields as much as 25 percent. You can reduce the crop damage they cause by accurately diagnosing the diseases and by using proper controls. This guide describes the symptoms of and controls for these four wheat diseases."--First page.J. Al Wrather and Einar W. Palm (Department of Plant Pathology College of Agriculture)New 1/86/6

Controlling diseases of grain sorghum

"Diseases damage the grain sorghum (milo) crop in Missouri each year. They limit production and reduce profits. Many of these diseases can be controlled by using resistant varieties or through cultural practices, but the disease must be identified first, and then the proper control technique must be used. This guide will help you identify and select control measures for the most common grain sorghum diseases in Missouri."--First page.J. Al Wrather and Einar W. Palm (Department of Plant Pathology College of Agriculture)New 1/83/7

Missouri commercial strawberry spray schedule, 1988

Double-sided ; 3 hole punches at top ; folded in half ; pink ; 43 cm"1/88 1.5M""These recommendations are intended to serve as guidelines for commercial strawberry growers in Missouri. The pesticides and application rates listed for any given pest problem are based on their effectiveness, economy, safety and general integration into control programs for other pests present at or about the same time. The choice of which chemicals to use, when to use them, and how they are applied must be made by the individual grower relative to his own experience, equipment, and special problems associated with his fields. The effective and efficient use of all pesticides requires careful selection of the most appropriate material and the rate required, critical timing of the application(s), and uniform, thorough coverage of the plants."--first paragraphJ.W. Johnson (Entomology), E.W. Palm (Plant Pathology), J.F. Moore (Plant Pathology), H. Townsend (Entomology

The soybean cyst nematode

"The soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, attacks soybean roots and is a serious threat to the crop in many soybean growing areas. This tiny, parasitic roundworm is so named because the female body, when filled with eggs, is known as a cyst. Cysts may remain in and infest soil for several years. The nematodes' persistence and rapid production, along with the severe injuries they cause to host-plant roots, make the nematodes a serious agricultural threat."--First page.Einar W. Palm, J. A Wrather (Department of Plant Pathology), and Sam Anand (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture)Revised 11/86/8

Missouri commercial strawberry spray schedule, 1987

Double-sided ; 3 hole punches at top ; folded in half ; green ; 43 cm"1/87 1.5M""These recommendations are intended to serve as guidelines for commercial strawberry growers in Missouri. The pesticides and application rates listed for any given pest problem are based on their effectiveness, economy, safety and general integration into control programs for other pests present at or about the same time. The choice of which chemicals to use, when to use them, and how they are applied must be made by the individual grower relative to his own experience, equipment, and special problems associated with his fields. The effective and efficient use of all pesticides requires careful selection of the most appropriate material and the rate required, critical timing of the application(s), and uniform, thorough coverage of the plants."--first paragraphA.E. Gaus (Horticulture), E.W. Palm (Plant Pathology), J.W. Johnson (Entomology), J.F. Moore (Plant Pathology), H. Townsend (Entomology

Antarctica Cloud Cover for October 2003 from GLAS Satellite Lidar Profiling

Seeing clouds in polar regions has been a problem for the imagers used on satellites. Both clouds and snow and ice are white, which makes clouds over snow hard to see. And for thermal infrared imaging both the surface and the clouds cold. The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) launched in 2003 gives an entirely new way to see clouds from space. Pulses of laser light scatter from clouds giving a signal that is separated in time from the signal from the surface. The scattering from clouds is thus a sensitive and direct measure of the presence and height of clouds. The GLAS instrument orbits over Antarctica 16 times a day. All of the cloud observations for October 2003 were summarized and compared to the results from the MODIS imager for the same month. There are two basic cloud types that are observed, low stratus with tops below 3 km and high cirrus form clouds with cloud top altitude and thickness tending at 12 km and 1.3 km respectively. The average cloud cover varies from over 93 % for ocean and coastal regions to an average of 40% over the East Antarctic plateau and 60-90% over West Antarctica. When the GLAS monthly average cloud fractions are compared to the MODIS cloud fraction data product, differences in the amount of cloud cover are as much as 40% over the continent. The results will be used to improve the way clouds are detected from the imager observations. These measurements give a much improved understanding of distribution of clouds over Antarctica and may show how they are changing as a result of global warming

Tree decline - what is it?

"A natural forest typically begins as a large group of small trees, perhaps as many as several thousand to the acre. Over a period of many years, the numbers are reduced to only a few large trees per acre. Foresters, farmers and gardeners have long realized that an acre of land can produce only a certain amount of plant growth for either many small stems or for a few large ones."--First page.John P. Slusher (School of Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife), Einar W. Palm (Department of Plant Pathology), Marc J. Linit (Department of Entomology), and Gary Long (Department of Horticulture)New 7/88/5