Vegetable

WellCare of North Carolina and Reinvestment Partners Join to Improve the Health of North Carolinians

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of North Carolina, a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) announced today a partnership with Reinvestment Partners, a North Carolina non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing health by enrolling WellCare members in the Eat Well Program (Eat Well).

Key Points: 
  • DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of North Carolina , a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) announced today a partnership with Reinvestment Partners , a North Carolina non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing health by enrolling WellCare members in the Eat Well Program ( Eat Well ).
  • WellCare is planning to enroll more than 1,600 North Carolinians with complex health needs and chronic conditions in the program.
  • Eat Well reflects the state's commitment to addressing food insecurity and providing a healthier well-being for the people of North Carolina.
  • "WellCare is pleased to work with Reinvestment Partners to support the dual mission of enhancing the health of North Carolinians," said Frances Johnson, RN, Vice President, Population Health & Quality Improvement for WellCare of North Carolina.

Our robot harvests cotton by reaching out and plucking it, like a lizard’s tongue snatching flies

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Cotton grows inside a hard, fibrous case called a boll.

Key Points: 
  • Cotton grows inside a hard, fibrous case called a boll.
  • About 100 days after planting, the bolls mature and split open, revealing thousands of fluffy white fibers inside.
  • Each boll contains 20 to 40 seeds with fibers attached to them, which is why the cotton plant’s fruit is called seed cotton.
  • To harvest the seed cotton, they have to grab and twist it to separate it from the boll without leaving fiber behind.

Why use robotics?

  • Traditional mechanical harvesters can be up to 14 feet long and weigh more than 30 tons.
  • They remove cotton effectively without damaging the plants but also can cause problems.
  • And the machines cost roughly US$1 million apiece but are used for only two to three months each year.
  • And small, nimble robots don’t compress the soil as they move over it, so they help maintain soil health.

A bioinspired ‘picking hand’

  • An end-effector is a robotic hand that enables the robot to interact with other objects.
  • The pins help the hand grasp and pull in the seed cotton.
  • Like a lizard snatching prey with its sticky tongue, our end-effector’s three fingers approach the seed cotton delicately.
  • A control algorithm monitors each cotton boll to ensure that the robot picks as much seed cotton as possible.

Testing and results

  • So far, we have tested the robotic cotton harvester in the laboratory and in cotton fields.
  • The detection system found 78% of ripe cotton bolls; the localization system calculated 3D coordinates for 70% of the detected bolls; and the picking system successfully harvested 83% of these bolls.
  • Overall, the robot picked about 50% of the cotton bolls that were within its reach.
  • One way to make this technology available for small farmers in low-income countries would be to make smaller, semi-autonomous robots that would require fewer sensors.
  • Producing higher-value cotton with less damage to plants and soil could improve life for millions of people who earn their livings raising this global crop.


Hussein Gharakhani receives funding from Cotton Incorporated, a nonprofit research and marketing company that works to improve demand for and profitability of cotton.

SaliCrop's Novel Seed Enhancement Tech Makes Deserts Bloom

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

KFAR VITKIN, Israel, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Extreme weather events—heatwaves, droughts, extreme cold snaps—pose significant threats to agriculture, contributing to the phenomenon of desertification. Globally, fertile lands are increasingly being degraded, losing the ability to sustain life and grow food. AgriTech start-up SaliCrop, Ltd., has pioneered a breakthrough seed treatment to transform arid terrain into flourishing landscapes to growing food.

Key Points: 
  • AgriTech start-up SaliCrop, Ltd., has pioneered a breakthrough seed treatment to transform arid terrain into flourishing landscapes to growing food.
  • SaliCrop's proprietary seed enhancement technology is the brainchild of Ṛcā Godbole, Ph.D., co-founder and CSO of SaliCrop.
  • SaliCrop's has developed  hundreds of seed enhancement protocols designed to improve plant resilience to the impacts of climate change by intentionally exposing the seeds to controlled abiotic stressors.
  • "Our climate-smart seed enhancement technology has empowered tomatoes to better withstand extreme climate events," adds Devir.

SaliCrop's Novel Seed Enhancement Tech Makes Deserts Bloom

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

KFAR VITKIN, Israel, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Extreme weather events—heatwaves, droughts, extreme cold snaps—pose significant threats to agriculture, contributing to the phenomenon of desertification. Globally, fertile lands are increasingly being degraded, losing the ability to sustain life and grow food. AgriTech start-up SaliCrop, Ltd., has pioneered a breakthrough seed treatment to transform arid terrain into flourishing landscapes to growing food.

Key Points: 
  • AgriTech start-up SaliCrop, Ltd., has pioneered a breakthrough seed treatment to transform arid terrain into flourishing landscapes to growing food.
  • SaliCrop's proprietary seed enhancement technology is the brainchild of Ṛcā Godbole, Ph.D., co-founder and CSO of SaliCrop.
  • SaliCrop's has developed  hundreds of seed enhancement protocols designed to improve plant resilience to the impacts of climate change by intentionally exposing the seeds to controlled abiotic stressors.
  • "Our climate-smart seed enhancement technology has empowered tomatoes to better withstand extreme climate events," adds Devir.

South Africa Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Industry Report 2023, Featuring Company Profiles for Capespan North America, Gestao de Terminais, Goodview & Middelburg Vineyards - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

South Africa has a well-developed commercial farming industry and is a major exporter of high-value fruit, especially citrus.

Key Points: 
  • South Africa has a well-developed commercial farming industry and is a major exporter of high-value fruit, especially citrus.
  • Weather pattern changes caused by climate change, especially the effect on rainfall patterns, pose risks for farmers.
  • Russia and Ukraine import South African agricultural products and may also affect the economic performance of the sector.
  • There is also information on government support for the industry, competition authority investigations, barriers to entry and the use of technology.

"I Love Fruit & Veg from Europe": healthy eating and passion with a vegetarian Valentine's Day

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

LONDON, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Valentine's Day dinner made with fruit and vegetables seasoned with passion. The "I Love Fruit & Veg from Europe" campaign proposes seasonal produce for a romantic vegetarian meal, because light and digestible can be a delicious alternative.

Key Points: 
  • On this healthy lovers' menu: caprese salad, spaghetti with broccoli, ricotta and pecorino and heart-shaped lemon biscuits.
  • LONDON, Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Valentine's Day dinner made with fruit and vegetables seasoned with passion.
  • The "I Love Fruit & Veg from Europe" campaign proposes seasonal produce for a romantic vegetarian meal, because light and digestible can be a delicious alternative.
  • Cut the mozzarella into a heart shapes, place on slices of tomato and season with basil, olive oil and salt.

Plant-Based Diet Tied to Improved Sexual Health in Men Treated for Prostate Cancer

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Chan School of Public Health, the analysis of more than 3,500 men with prostate cancer explored whether eating a more plant-based diet was associated with quality-of-life issues that often arise after treatment.

Key Points: 
  • Chan School of Public Health, the analysis of more than 3,500 men with prostate cancer explored whether eating a more plant-based diet was associated with quality-of-life issues that often arise after treatment.
  • Similarly, the results revealed up to 14% better scores for urinary health, with fewer instances of incontinence, obstruction, and irritation.
  • Prostate cancer is among the most common and deadliest forms of cancer among American men, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Funding for the study was provided by National Institutes of Health grant U01CA167552, New York State Department of Health, Tricia and Michael Berns, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

InventHelp Inventor Develops Specially Designed Grill for Indoor Use (LJD-336)

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024

My design enables you to grill without preparing conventional outdoor grills or worrying about inclement weather."

Key Points: 
  • My design enables you to grill without preparing conventional outdoor grills or worrying about inclement weather."
  • The invention provides a specially designed grill for indoor use.
  • In doing so, it would automatically separate grease and fat from the foods during the grilling process.
  • 22-LJD-336, InventHelp, 100 Beecham Drive, Suite 110, Pittsburgh, PA 15205-9801, or call (412) 288-1300 ext.

Pakistan election results in political instability when the country needed it least

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024

Shock results in Pakistan’s national election threaten to see the country free-fall into political crisis.

Key Points: 
  • Shock results in Pakistan’s national election threaten to see the country free-fall into political crisis.
  • Days after the election, it remains unclear which party (or parties) will form a government and who the next prime minister will be.
  • Independent candidates affiliated to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice/PTI), the party of former prime minister, Imran Khan, won 95 of 264 seats.
  • The country has been under military rule for nearly as much time as it has been under a civilian government.

Close contest

  • Behind the scenes, Sharif and his PML-N is negotiating power-sharing with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s Pakistan People Party (PPP).
  • He is also hoping to co-opt some of Khan’s PTI-backed candidates, and is showing some success.
  • If he manages to put together a coalition, Sharif will come to power with much baggage.

Stability is unlikely

  • These results meant the Awami League had won an outright majority to govern the whole of Pakistan.
  • East Pakistan became Bangladesh and West Pakistan simply became Pakistan.
  • Over half a century later, it is unlikely that Khan will stay quiet if his party is denied power.

Pakistan’s economy is in crisis

  • The cost of essentials such as wheat, sugar and vegetables are now unaffordable for many ordinary people whose wages are being stretched to breaking point.
  • The number of people living in poverty in Pakistan has climbed to nearly 40%.
  • And price hikes for electricity and fuel in September 2023 led to protests, with thousands taking to the streets and burning their electricity bills.


Parveen Akhtar has previously received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council and the British Academy.

InventHelp Inventor Develops New Basting System for Foods (LAX-1596)

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024

My design would allow for constant and even basting and it could help prevent burns and mishaps."

Key Points: 
  • My design would allow for constant and even basting and it could help prevent burns and mishaps."
  • The invention provides an effective means of basting foods.
  • In doing so, it eliminates the hassle of extending the rack and tilting the pan to baste foods.
  • 22-LAX-1596, InventHelp, 100 Beecham Drive, Suite 110, Pittsburgh, PA 15205-9801, or call (412) 288-1300 ext.