Environmental Protection Agency – The Daily Evergreen

Researchers to create robotic system for fruit flower pollination

Manoj Karkee, associate professor in WSU’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering, has worked on several projects including a robotic system that selectively prunes fruit tree branches.

CHERYL AARNIO, Evergreen reporter

June 26, 2020

Researchers at WSU and Pennsylvania State University are collaborating to create a robotic system that will artificially pollinate fruit tree flowers due to threats to natural pollination worldwide. The robotic system will be able to detect where flowers are using cameras and a computational s...

Tags: artificial pollination, bees, Department of Horticulture, environment, Environmental Protection Agency, Penn State, pollination, trees, WSU research

High river temperatures dangerous to salmon

Salmon and most other fish do not internally regulate their temperatures. Instead, they adapt to water temperatures, so if the water is too hot or cold, the fish will not survive.

CHERYL AARNIO, Evergreen reporter

June 8, 2020

The Environmental Protection Agency released a report May 18 for public comment stating the temperatures of the Columbia and Lower Snake rivers do not meet Washington’s and Oregon’s water quality standards, which can be harmful to salmon. The report creates a temperature standard for the Lower Columbia and Lower Snake rivers in Washington and Oregon. The report states it is challenging to establish standards b...

Tags: aquatic life, Canada, Columbia River, Environmental Protection Agency, idaho, Lower Snake river, Oregon, salmon, Washington