Can you tell the difference between traditional and bioengineered corn into which genes have been inserted to make the plant resistant to insects? A NASA technology is starting to make the differences clearer because of a snapshot.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has teamed with NASA to use hyperspectral imaging technology to ensure that appropriate crop-management practices are used to prevent the development of resistance in corn pest populations. Pest resistance could severely limit the continued use of these new varieties of corn. With more than 25 million acres of corn planted in 2005, it is physically and economically impractical to sample each acre. Early use of hyperspectral imaging provides the ability to efficiently distinguish the characteristics of traditional and bioengineered corn and identify pest-infestation conditions.

Hyperspectral imaging uses a special camera to cut one snapshot into 120 color-specific images. Hyperspectral means that you are getting many more images within the spectrum of just one picture. Each image shows a unique characteristic, not distinguishable by the human eye.

The patented, portable hyperspectral sensor was a 2005 inductee into the Space Foundation’s Space Technology Hall of Fame, which honors innovators who transform technology developed for space use into commercial products.

The hyperspectral camera and its applications were developed by the Institute for Technology Development (ITD) at NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The institute is one of several NASA Research Partnership Centers managed for NASA Headquarters by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

“This effort will enhance NASA’s understanding of image-processing techniques to extract knowledge from hyperspectral data sets,” says Brian Mitchell of NASA’s Space Partnership Development Program at Marshall. “The research being conducted with genetically modified plants and plant growth has the potential to contribute significantly to our ability to grow sustainable and nutritional crops in space for our astronaut crews. This could prove vital for long-duration exploration missions.”

The hyperspectral technology supports NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration and long-term spaceflight goals. The Vision calls for space shuttles to return to safe flight to complete the international space station, and human and robotic exploration of the solar system.

“This knowledge is vital to future Mars missions,” says George May, director of the ITD. “When we go to Mars, we will have to grow our own food source. This technology enables early detection of stresses in plants, such as nutrient problems, so that corrective action can be taken to maintain the food supply.”

Hyperspectral imaging also can be used in treating astronaut wounds in space. The ITD is developing a portable, handheld camera for astronauts to capture images of wound sites.

A hyperspectral camera is helping the Environmental Protection Agency and NASA ensure appropriate crop management practices.

These images will allow doctors to identify the severity of a wound or how a wound is healing, and decide the best treatment. This could save precious time in diagnosing and treating a problem and speed up healing time.

Hyperspectral imaging also will be able to detect mold and toxins in spacecraft — a necessity during long-duration missions to ensure that astronauts have a clean, healthy environment.

A healthy environment also is what the EPA is looking for when monitoring corn crops. The agency is working with a hyperspectral camera — about the size of a loaf of bread — mounted onboard a small aircraft. The aircraft typically flies about 8,000 feet above the terrain, imaging the same sites every 10 days during growing season. All of the images are then put into a computer system, where data-mining techniques are used to extract knowledge about the corn plants.

“A major concern is to ensure the optimal productive life for the biotech crop due to the expected environmental benefits,” says John A. Glaser of the EPA Office of Research and Development’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory in Cincinnati. “The spectral imagery of corn hybrids collected during the 2004 growing season begins to show that imagery can be developed into a component of biotech crop monitoring,” adds Glaser. “We are pleased to see that the ability to accurately distinguish transgenic from nontransgenic hybrids begins to answer the needs of our decision support system. The clarity of infestation effects in the imagery strongly underscores the potential utility of imagery for crop monitoring.”

The hyperspectral imaging system is trademarked and patented under U.S. Patent No. 6,166,373, issued Dec. 26, 2000, and is available only from the Institute for Technology Development, or under license.

For more information, contact Brian Mitchell, Marshall Space Flight Center, (256) 544-7161, Brian.K.Mitchell-1@nasa.gov.

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