The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of

Government of the United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Commerce

United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

The State of Israel, Aro/peri

Charles L Wilson

Edo Chalutz

Randy J McLaughlin

Ahmed El Ghaouth

Michael E Wisniewski

Eung Gi Paek

Michael D Garris

James L Blue

Jose M Solar

Paul L Pusey

Craig I Watson

Robert A Wilkinson, Jr

The present invention is drawn to biological control of plant pathogens (e.g. either preharvest or postharvest diseases) on agricultural commodities (such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds and silage) by use of at least one microorganism which is an antagonist against plant pathogens.

Inhibiting plant pathogens with an antagonistic microorganism(s)

A method for improving the quality of holographic images by reducing local noise in a holographic memory system is disclosed. The method is characterized by: storing a white reference image and a black reference image in the memory system, storing a series of data images in the memory system, applying a simple model based on a point-to-point of linear interpolation to the series of data images, the white reference image and the black reference image to provide a series of corrected data images having reduced noise. The simple model is preferably in the form of

Noise reduction in volume holographic memories

A fumigant which is effective for the control of postharvest disease in agricultural commodities utilizes carbon supports impregnated with natural volatiles to provide controlled release of the volatiles in storage containers and facilities. Activated carbon is an effective carbon support, while essential oils and benzaldehyde are useful natural volatiles.

Controlled release fumigation of harvested agricultural commodities

The present invention is drawn to isolates of Candida oleophila which are effective for the control of postharvest diseases in fruit and to biocontrol compositions which include such isolates. A method of utilizing the isolates to inhibit pathogens which cause postharvest diseases is also described. The organisms were isolated from the surface of tomato fruit and are useful for the control of a variety of fruit-rot pathogens in a variety of fruits.

Biological control of diseases of harvested agricultural commodities

A coating for harvested agricultural commodities which delays ripening and controls decay is described. The coating comprises a modified chitosan matrix containing a yeast antagonistic to postharvest pathogens. The modified chitosan may be carboxymethylchitosan or glycolchitosan. The combined fungicidal activities of the modified chitosan and the antagonistic yeast make this formulation an attractive preservative which is superior to existing coatings and ensures the even distribution of the antagonistic yeast over the surface of the harvested commodity, thus increasing its effectiveness.

Bioactive coating for harvested commodities

A biocontrol composition comprising an antagonistic microorganism and a sugar analog (2-deoxy-D-glucose) gives a level of control superior to that of either component when used alone and comparable to that of synthetic chemical fungicides. The antagonistic microorganism is an isolate of Candida saitoana and has resistance to the fungicidal activity of sugars and sugar analogs.

Composition containing 2-deoxy-D-glucose and Candida saitoana and a

A method and apparatus is described for recognition of hand printed characters using maximum uncertainty--minimum variance (MUMV) functions, such as Gabor functions, implemented by optical elements. A set of optical elements having varying optical density corresponding to a set of two-dimensional MUMV functions is generated. A pattern of illumination responsive to the image of the character to be identified is simultaneously transmitted through each of the optical elements implementing the MUMV functions. The amount of light transmitted through each of the elements is measured, providing a transmission coefficient. Such transmission coefficients are used as a set of inputs to a neural network, such that the inputs to the neural network are a set of transmission coefficients resulting from transmission of light corresponding to a character to be identified through a complete set of optical elements implementing a set of two-dimensional MUMV functions. The neural network calculates weighted sums of the transmission coefficients. The neural network may be implemented as a network of resistors connected between input nodes, intermediate nodes, and output nodes. The output node having the highest voltage identifies the character to be identified.

Automated recognition of characters using optical filtering with maximum

A method and apparatus is described for recognition of hand printed characters using pairs of positive and negative correlative functions (PNCFs), the PNCFs including both pattern and relevance information, implemented by optical elements. A set of optical elements having varying optical density corresponding to a set of two-dimensional PNCFs is generated. A pattern of illumination responsive to the image of the character to be identified is simultaneously transmitted through each of the optical elements implementing the PNCFs. The amount of light transmitted through each of the elements is measured, providing a transmission coefficient. The transmission coefficients are the inputs to a neural network, such that the inputs to the neural network are a set of transmission coefficients resulting from transmission of light corresponding to a character to be identified through a complete set of optical elements implementing a set of PNCFs. The neural network calculates weighted sums of the transmission coefficients. The neural network may be implemented as a network of resistors connected between input nodes, intermediate nodes, and output nodes. The output node having the highest voltage identifies the character to be identified.

Automated recongition of characters using optical filtering with

The system of the present invention applies self-organizing and/or supervd learning network methods to the problem of segmentation. The segmenter receives a visual field, implemented as a sliding window and distinguishes occurrences of complete characters from occurrences of parts of neighboring characters. Images of isolated whole characters are true objects and the opposite of true objects are anti-objects, centered on the space between two characters. The window is moved across a line of text producing a sequence of images and the segmentation system distinguishes true objects from anti-objects. Frames classified as anti-objects demarcate character boundaries, and frames classified as true objects represent detected character images. The system of the present invention may be a feedforward adaption using a symmetric triggering network. Inputs to the network are applied directly to the separate associative memories of the network. The associative memories produce a best match pattern output for each part of the input data. The associative memories provide two or more subnetworks which define data subsets, such as objects or anti-objects, according to previously learned examples. Multi-layer perceptron architecture may also be used in the system of the present invention rather than the symmetrically triggered feedforward adaptation with tradeoffs in training time but advantages in speed.

Object/anti-object neural network segmentation

The present invention is drawn to an apparatus and process for applying material, such that it is dispersed in a pulsed manner, in micronized form, to agricultural commodities, while preventing drift of the micronized material to nontargeted areas. The instant invention employs a canopy which is passed over the agricultural commodity wherein a micronizing means is used to apply material, such as a pesticide, to an agricultural commodity within the canopy. The micronized material is preferably electrostatically charged when applied to the commodity.

Apparatus and method for applying material to agricultural commodities

The present invention is drawn to processes for biologically controlling postharvest disease in fruit using isolates of Pichia guilliermondii having the identifying characteristics of NRRL Y-18313, NRRL Y-18314, and NRRL Y-18654. The organisms were isolated from the surface of citrus fruits and are useful to control a variety of fruit-rot pathogens in a variety of fruits. Also disclosed is a biologically pure culture of at least one isolate of Pichia guilliermondii having the identifying characteristics of an isolate selected from the group consisting of NRRL Y-18313, NRRL Y-18314, and NRRL Y-18654.

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Frederick, MD, United States of America

Charles L Wilson