Abstract: A method is provided for use in optimizing ethanol yield from agricultural products. The method includes imaging agricultural products to determine predicted ethanol yields for the agricultural products and assigning characterizations to the imaged agricultural products based on their predicted ethanol yields. An apparatus is provided for collecting, retaining, and/or transporting bulk quantities of agricultural products. The apparatus includes an analyzer configured to image the agricultural products for use in determining the predicted ethanol yields. And, a system is provided for tracking and/or monitoring agricultural products.

Abstract: A method of accumulating a quantity of seeds having a desired fatty acid characteristic is provided. The method includes removing a sample from each seed in a population of seeds while maintaining the germination viability of the seeds; contacting each sample with a solvent to form a mixture comprising fatty acid methyl esters; analyzing the mixture of fatty acid methyl esters from each sample to determine the fatty acid profile of the corresponding seed; selecting seeds having at least one desired fatty acid characteristic based on the analysis of the samples removed from the seeds; cultivating plants from the selected seeds; recovering seeds from the cultivated plants, wherein the recovered seeds are a subsequent generation of the selected seeds; and repeating the operations for one or more generations of the recovered seeds to thereby accumulate the quantity of seeds having the desired fatty acid characteristic.

Abstract: A method of accumulating a quantity of seeds having a desired fatty acid characteristic is provided. The method includes removing a sample from each seed in a population of seeds while maintaining the germination viability of the seeds; contacting each sample with a solvent to form a mixture comprising fatty acid methyl esters; analyzing the mixture of fatty acid methyl esters from each sample to determine the fatty acid profile of the corresponding seed; selecting seeds having at least one desired fatty acid characteristic based on the analysis of the samples removed from the seeds; cultivating plants from the selected seeds; recovering seeds from the cultivated plants, wherein the recovered seeds are a subsequent generation of the selected seeds; and repeating the operations for one or more generations of the recovered seeds to thereby accumulate the quantity of seeds having the desired fatty acid characteristic.

Abstract: A method is provided for use in optimizing ethanol yield from agricultural products. The method includes imaging agricultural products to determine predicted ethanol yields for the agricultural products and assigning characterizations to the imaged agricultural products based on their predicted ethanol yields. An apparatus is provided for collecting, retaining, and/or transporting bulk quantities of agricultural products. The apparatus includes an analyzer configured to image the agricultural products for use in determining the predicted ethanol yields. And, a system is provided for tracking and/or monitoring agricultural products.

Abstract: A method for analyzing agricultural products at a point of transaction is provided. The method comprises presenting a sample comprising at least one seed to a portable analysis system; analyzing the sample for at least one relevant attribute; and characterizing the sample for the transaction based upon the results of the analysis for the at least one relevant attribute.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for increasing fermentability to yield ethanol from plant material by contacting the material with an effective amount of a protease to hydrolyze at least a portion of zein proteins. The present disclosure also provides methods for increasing digestibility of a milling co-product by contacting a plant material with a protease during dry milling or wet milling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for analyzing agricultural products. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for analysis of the oil content of one or more seeds.