Testing Data Acquisition Systems for Use in Monitoring Building Energy Conservation Systems

Dedicated microprocessor-based data acquisition systems are beginning to be used to monitor the energy savings from building energy conservation retrofits. These systems capture data from important monitoring points and store the values for periodic transfer to a central location. While there are many data loggers available that appear suited to this task, choosing between them is complicated by a large number of manufacturers, a lack of standard communications protocols, and most significantly, no standardized tests for reporting their capabilities. This paper addresses the last point with a battery of tests that were developed and applied to data loggers from nine manufacturers

Genetic Variability for Agronomic Traits in Sorghum Minicore Collection

Sorghum is a major cereal crop globally with economically important uses such as food, feed, fodder, fuel, and fiber. Crop improvement and precision breeding can be achieved by understanding and utilizing the variability in sorghum germplasm collection. A total of 242 germplasm accessions of sorghum minicore were assessed for the extent of variability, trait associations and genetic diversity. Sorghum minicore collection was evaluated for agronomic traits in two post-rainy seasons at ICRISAT- Patancheru, India. Large variability was observed for agronomic traits and strong associations between the traits studied. The 242 minicore accessions were grouped into six clusters under a hierarchical dendrogram. Genotypes from diverse clusters can be used in crossing programs to combine desirable traits and can be used as donors in breeding programs

The Texas LoanSTAR Program: Acquiring and Archiving LoanSTAR Data

This paper discusses the acquisition and archiving of data for the Texas LoanSTAR monitoring program, an eight year, $98 million revolving loan program for energy conservation retrofits in Texas state, local government and school buildings funded by oil overcharge dollars. In particular we focus on the design, development and implementation of a state-wide computer network that communicates with field recorders installed in participating agencies, the development of public domain software for electronically polling the data acquisition systems (DASs), and the development of procedures to assess the accuracy of the data being collected. The development of a field data recorder testbench facility is also discussed. Such a facility is being used to develop and test software for polling DASs to be used in the program. In this report we also discuss data management and the process of acquiring data from a site, translating these data to a common format and preparing the data for graphic presentation or analysis. In the final section we discuss the lessons we have learned and our future work

Sweet Sorghum Research and Development in India: Status and Prospects

Renewable energy is a critical source of energy that contributes to energy security, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gases. India would require more than 6.3 billion liters of ethanol to meet its ambitious target of 20 % EBP by 2017. Sweet sorghum is a promising dryland adapted biofuel feedstock that addresses food-versus-fuel issue favourably. Owing to its genetic variability in terms of stalk sugar traits such as total soluble sugars, green stalk yield, juice quantity and grain yield various research institutes in India and abroad have developed superior varieties and hybrids. Two commercial sweet sorghum based distilleries were established in India but could not operate for long for several reasons. The decentralized crushing units were established to overcome the issues encountered by centralized units. The large scale cultivation of sweet sorghum can happen if improved cultivars with higher sugar yield with multiple biotic and abiotic stress tolerance are available besides more importantly the policy support from Government of India in terms of both producer and processor incentives materialize

Evaluation of fodder yield and fodder quality in sorghum and its interaction with grain yield under different water availability regimes

Sorghum is widely grown as a failsafe crop in semi-arid regions particularly in post rainy season. Though the effect of drought on crop performance is studied widely there are few studies illustrating the association of fodder quality and agronomic traits under drought. To study the interactions we evaluated a set of 24 cultivars under drought for three years in post rainy season. The effect of drought was evident in delayed flowering (by 2 days) and reduce plant height (by 0.98 cm) compared to control. The fodder digestibility traits were reduced (in vitro organic matter digestibility by 2.25 times) under drought. All the plant growth and yield parameters recorded higher heritability compared to fodder quality parameters (<0.75) in most of the season in both control and stress environments. The scatter plot showed best (ICSV700-P10, N13, PB15881-3, SP 2417-P3) and poor (296B, ICSB377-P1, ICSV1, IS9830) performing entries in control and stress plots. The agronomic and the fodder quality traits have shown no significant relationship between them, hence independent association can be utilized to breed for desirable traits. Identification of contrasting lines could be the key to identify genes controlling the fodder quality traits under drought

Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Sorghum: Exploring Native Variability for Traits Under Variable N-Regimes

Exploring the natural genetic variability and its exploitation for improved Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) in sorghum is one of the primary goals in the modern crop improvement programs. The integrated strategies include high-throughput phenotyping, next generation sequencing (NGS)-based genotyping technologies, and a priori selected candidate gene studies that help understand the detailed physiological and molecular mechanisms underpinning this complex trait. A set of sixty diverse sorghum genotypes was evaluated for different vegetative, reproductive, and yield traits related to NUE in the field (under three N regimes) for two seasons. Significant variations for different yield and related traits under 0 and 50% N confirmed the availability of native genetic variability in sorghum under low N regimes. Sorghum genotypes with distinct genetic background had interestingly similar NUE associated traits. The Genotyping- By-Sequencing based SNPs (>89 K) were used to study the population structure, and phylogenetic groupings identified three distinct groups. The information of grain N and stalk N content of the individuals covered on the phylogenetic groups indicated randomness in the distribution for adaptation under variable N regimes. This study identified promising sorghum genotypes with consistent performance under varying environments, with buffer capacity for yield under low N conditions. We also report better performing genotypes for varied production use—grain, stover, and dual-purpose sorghum having differential adaptation response to NUE traits. Expression profiling of NUE associated genes in shoot and root tissues of contrasting lines (PVK801 and HDW703) grown in varying N conditions revealed interesting outcomes. Root tissues of contrasting lines exhibited differential expression profiles for transporter genes [ammonium transporter (SbAMT), nitrate transporters (SbNRT)]; primary assimilatory (glutamine synthetase (SbGS), glutamate synthase (SbGOGAT[NADH], SbGOGAT[Fd]), assimilatory genes [nitrite reductase (SbNiR[NADH]3)]; and amino acid biosynthesis associated gene [glutamate dehydrogenase (SbGDH)]. Identification and expression profiling of contrasting sorghum genotypes in varying N dosages will provide new information to understand the response of NUE genes toward adaptation to the differential N regimes in sorghum. High NUE genotypes identified from this study could be potential candidates for in-depth molecular analysis and contribute toward the development of N efficient sorghum cultivars

Genome-wide assessment of population structure and association mapping for agronomic and grain nutritional traits in proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)

Proso millet is an important but under-researched and underutilized crop with the potential to become a future smart crop because of its climate-resilient features and high nutrient content. Assessing diversity and marker-trait associations are essential to support the genomics-assisted improvement of proso millet. This study aimed to assess the population structure and diversity of a proso millet diversity panel and identify marker-trait associations for agronomic and grain nutrient traits. In this study, genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified by mapping raw genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data onto the proso millet genome, resulting in 5621 quality-filtered SNPs in 160 diverse accessions. The modified Roger's Distance assessment indicated an average distance of 0.268 among accessions, with the race miliaceum exhibiting the highest diversity and ovatum the lowest. Proso millet germplasm diversity was structured according to geographic centers of origin and domestication. Genome-wide association mapping identified 40 marker-trait associations (MTAs), including 34 MTAs for agronomic traits and 6 for grain nutrients; 20 of these MTAs were located within genes. Favourable alleles and phenotypic values were estimated for all MTAs. This study provides valuable insights into the population structure and diversity of proso millet, identified marker-trait associations, and reported favourable alleles and their phenotypic values for supporting genomics-assisted improvement efforts in proso millet

Overview of T and D-T results in JET with ITER-like wall

In 2021 JET exploited its unique capabilities to operate with T and D–T fuel with an ITER-like Be/W wall (JET-ILW). This second major JET D–T campaign (DTE2), after DTE1 in 1997, represented the culmination of a series of JET enhancements—new fusion diagnostics, new T injection capabilities, refurbishment of the T plant, increased auxiliary heating, in-vessel calibration of 14 MeV neutron yield monitors—as well as significant advances in plasma theory and modelling in the fusion community. DTE2 was complemented by a sequence of isotope physics campaigns encompassing operation in pure tritium at high T-NBI power. Carefully conducted for safe operation with tritium, the new T and D–T experiments used 1 kg of T (vs 100 g in DTE1), yielding the most fusion reactor relevant D–T plasmas to date and expanding our understanding of isotopes and D–T mixture physics. Furthermore, since the JET T and DTE2 campaigns occurred almost 25 years after the last major D–T tokamak experiment, it was also a strategic goal of the European fusion programme to refresh operational experience of a nuclear tokamak to prepare staff for ITER operation. The key physics results of the JET T and DTE2 experiments, carried out within the EUROfusion JET1 work package, are reported in this paper. Progress in the technological exploitation of JET D–T operations, development and validation of nuclear codes, neutronic tools and techniques for ITER operations carried out by EUROfusion (started within the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme and continuing under the Horizon Europe FP) are reported in (Litaudon et al Nucl. Fusion accepted), while JET experience on T and D–T operations is presented in (King et al Nucl. Fusion submitted)