Abstract: A kiln for drying and processing lumber packages is provided. The kiln generally includes at least one end chamber, a drying chamber adjacent to the end chamber, a first lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a first direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber, and a second lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a second direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber. The conveying lines may be countercurrent or uniflow. The kiln may further include a heat distributor in the end chamber to distribute heat into the end chamber in addition to heat from the drying chamber along the first and second lumber conveying lines. The heat distributor may include a distribution duct receiving heat from a drying chamber distribution duct or a heater inlet duct, a heat exchanger, a radiative heating element, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A kiln for drying and processing lumber packages is provided. The kiln generally includes at least one end chamber, a drying chamber adjacent to the end chamber, a first lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a first direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber, and a second lumber conveying line configured to transport the lumber packages in a second direction through the end chamber and the drying chamber. The conveying lines may be countercurrent or uniflow. The kiln may further include a heat distributor in the end chamber to distribute heat into the end chamber in addition to heat from the drying chamber along the first and second lumber conveying lines. The heat distributor may include a distribution duct receiving heat from a drying chamber distribution duct or a heater inlet duct, a heat exchanger, a radiative heating element, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A composite wood product in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology includes a composite substrate and a sealant disposed within a surface portion of the substrate. The substrate includes wood and a binder. The sealant includes photoresponsive molecules present within the surface portion of the substrate at an average concentration greater than 1000 parts per million. In response to a 120-day exposure at 7 inches separation distance to a UV lamp with a UVA (315-400 nm) output of 13.6 W and a UVB (280-315 nm) output of 3.0 W, a CIELab b* value of the substrate decreases by a first amount, a CIELab b* value of the sealant increases by a second amount, and a CIELab b* value of the overall wood product decreases by an amount less than the first amount, increases by an amount less than the second amount, or is unchanged.

Abstract: A system for analyzing remotely sensed photos of a forest or other areas of interest uses a computer system to increase the variation in NIR data having values that represent items of interest. In one embodiment, a computer system applies a stretching function to the NIR data to increase their variation. The objective spectral stretched NIR data is used to differentiate different types of vegetation in the remotely sensed image. Objective-based Vegetation Index (OVI) values are calculated from the objective spectral stretched NIR data that allow different types of vegetation to be distinguished. In one embodiment, the OVI values are used to differentiate hardwoods from conifers in a digital aerial photo of a forest.

Abstract: Sawmill auditing and control apparatus and methods employ information from one or more scan zones and/or controllers (e.g., PLCs). Boards may be logically associated with mill equipment which produced the boards, allowing defects or imperfections to be tied to certain equipment. For example, boards may be associated with a primary breakdown machine or a gangsaw, or with a pair of cutters (e.g., saws, chip heads). Such allows auditing of mill operations to identify improperly functioning machinery or out of tolerance conditions, to correct such, and/or provide notification.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are adhesives, wood-based composites incorporating the adhesives, and methods of forming wood-based composites using the adhesives. Wood-based composites formed using the adhesives demonstrate an optimal combination of characteristics desirable to the wood products industry. Specifically, the wood products formed using the adhesive demonstrate (1) a light appearance when wet; (2) relatively low moisture content after soaking in water; (3) relatively little thickness swelling after soaking in water; and (4) minimal adhesion to metal press platens during press-forming of the wood products.

Abstract: Methods of developing plant somatic embryos include incubating the plant somatic embryos at a first temperature for a first period of time followed by storing the plant somatic embryos at a second temperature for a second period of time. The first temperature can be in the range of about 23° C. to 30° C. and leads to rapid plant somatic embryo growth. The second temperature can be in the range of about 8° C. to 15° C. and slows plant somatic embryo development. Plant somatic embryos developed in this manner and implanted in artificial seeds show germination rates similar to zygotic embryos implanted in artificial seeds.

Abstract: Separating and singulating embryos employs a spray module configured to spray a plurality of embryos which are loaded on a porous substrate so as to separate and singulate the plurality of embryos, and a drying module configured to dry the plurality of separated and singulated embryos retained on the porous substrate while the porous substrate is moved across the drying module. A robotic arm operates to transfer the porous substrate from module to module, and a control device controls the operation of the system of separating and singulating embryos.

Abstract: Provided is a method of improving plant embryo development and/or germination. The method comprises developing plant embryos in the presence of nitric oxide (NO). The method entails the step of incubating plant embryogenic suspensor mass (ESM) in, or on, a development medium containing a nitric oxide donor for a period of time to develop mature somatic embryos. The method disclosed herein improves the yield and/or the germination frequency of plant embryos as compared to plant embryos developed by conventional methods without a nitric oxide donor in the medium.

Abstract: A building product having improved fire resistance by virtue of solid fire-resistant cladding material attached to at least a portion of one or more surfaces of the building product. The solid fire-resistant cladding material includes wood fiber and binder. The building product can be a wood-based building product, and can be in the form of an I-joist. When an I-joist is used, the solid fire-resistant cladding material can be attached to, for example, the web of the I-joist.

Abstract: A moisture content indicator for visually indicating the moisture content of a wood substrate and methods of making the moisture content indicator are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for processing LiDAR return data prior to analyzing the data to detect planted trees. LiDAR return data for an area in question is filtered to remove data that are not within a predetermined area of where trees have been planted. Planting data such as GPS data that is collected by tractors or other equipment records the location of where trees are planted. The planting data is used to filter the LiDAR return data by eliminating or ignoring LiDAR return data that are not within a buffer zone around the location where the trees have been planted. Once filtered, the LiDAR return data can be analyzed to detect trees or other items of interest in the LiDAR return data.

Abstract: Methods of transferring a plurality of plant somatic embryos to germination medium are provided.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a frame, at least two arms at least one of which is movably mounted to the frame, at least two rails wherein each rail is coupled to an end of one of said at least two arms, at least two belts wherein each belt is rotatably mounted on one of said at least two rails such that the belts are capable of engaging plants therebetween and moving the plants along a conveyor axis, and one or more bias members which are configured to bias said at least one movable arm toward the other one of said at least two arms. The conveyor further comprises an expanding mechanism which is configured to exert an outward force on said at least one movable arm upon engagement so that said at least one movable arm move away from another arm.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are adhesives, wood-based composites incorporating the adhesives, and methods of forming wood-based composites using the adhesives. In some embodiments, an adhesive emulsion includes a continuous phase having an aqueous, alkaline solution that includes a melamine/urea/formaldehyde (“MUF”) resin, and a dispersed phase that includes a multifunctional aromatic isocyanate component. The solution including the MUF resin has a percent solids content of about 1.0% to about 90.0%, and the MUF resin and the multifunctional aromatic isocyanate component are present in a ratio of about 92:8 to about 40:60 on a solids mass basis. Wood-based composites formed using the adhesives demonstrate an optimal combination of characteristics desirable to the wood products industry.

Abstract: An audit system and method audits operation of an optimizer system in a mill, for example auditing operation of a cant optimizer which optimizes sawing patterns. The audit system may be completely independent of the optimizer. For example, the audit system may acquire information (e.g., optically) indicative of a geometry of boards downstream from a piece of equipment such as a gangsaw. The audit system may computationally reconstruct a cant from which the boards were sawn, determine an outside dimension indicative of wane, and simulate alternative sawing patterns, determining a theoretical amount of recovery that would have resulted from each and comparing such to actual recovery from the log or cant. Alternative sawing patterns may take into account various wane rules and comparison may take into account current demand and/or prices for dimensional lumber.

Abstract: A computer system is programmed to analyze data from aerial images and LiDAR data obtained from a region of interest in order to determine whether a group of LiDAR data points representing an individual item of vegetation (i.e. a blob) is a particular type of vegetation. Infrared data from aerial images of the region of interest is stretched and divided by red spectral data to compute an objective-stretched vegetation index value (OVI) for a pixel. The mean LiDAR intensity and the mean OVI for the LiDAR data points and the pixels in the area of a blob are used to predict what type of vegetation is represented in the area of the blob.

Abstract: A method of sorting green lumber is based on a ratio of moisture content to either weight or density. The moisture content of each piece of green lumber is measured, and the weight or density of the green lumber is measure. One more thresholds of moisture content to weight or density ratios are used to divide the green lumber into groups. Such a sort tends to produce groups of green lumber that require similar kiln drying schedules.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of separating plant germinants from gelled germination medium.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed generally towards to embryo insertion systems and methods for use with manufactured seeds. In some embodiments, embryo insertion systems according to the disclosure include an embryo delivery assembly and a fill material deposit assembly. The embryo delivery assembly may include an insertion member, a release assistance member, and a fill material deposit assembly. The fill material deposit assembly may include a fill material containment device, a fill material conveyance device, and optionally, a fill material separation device. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to methods for operating embryo insertion systems according to embodiments of the disclosure to enable simultaneous embryo insertion and fill material delivery.