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This paper was presented at the Art, Science and Applications of Reflectance Spectroscopy Symposium sponsored by ASD Inc. and IEEE GRSS, February 23-25, 2010 in Boulder, Colorado.

Author: Floyd Dowell,
Affiliation: USDA ARS EWERU, Manhattan, KS  USA

Abstract
Our research group has used NIRS to determine characteristics such as protein content, amylose content, hardness, and internal insects in single wheat kernels.  Identifying these traits in single kernels gives information about the distribution of quality traits within samples.  This information is used by breeders to select specific traits for breeding lines.  We also applied this technique to measuring characteristics of single insects.  Traits determined include species and age of malaria vectors, grasshopper color, age of biting midges that transmit blue-tongue and other diseases, honey bee insemination, budworm and earworm species, termite species, stored-grain pest species and age, and stemborer parasitoid species.  This technique is having a significant impact on the entomology field and is being used in research labs and field applications.

Using NIRS to Determine Insect Species and Age, and to Determine Single Kernel Quality