Success Stories

Scientists are halfway through the first year of a two-year Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) grant helping regional growers make farming more profitable by reducing inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, and water) and increasing overall crop health and yields.

The Institute works to develop analytical methods for analyzing small molecules as well as natural health and nutraceutical products. This is accomplished by using a variety of analytical techniques including UPLCMS and GCMS.

Scientists at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research will continue assisting growers in the counties of Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenberg, Patrick, and Pittsylvania by introducing precision agriculture technologies to current growers of strawberries, vegetables, grapes, grains, tobacco, and legumes.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) has concluded one year of research with impressive results for participating Asian pear growers. The research is funded by a two-year Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) grant to study tree pruning methodology and fruit bagging techniques in Virginia Asian pear orchards to improve Asian pear yield and quality, and to develop a standard Asian pear training, pruning, and bagging system for Virginia farmers.

Our polymer research is committed to the development and application of cutting-edge materials and assisting the region’s organizations in re-energizing the economy. IALR has invested in two distinct laboratories focused on the characterization and processing of polymer materials.

Members of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research's (IALR) Applied Research team met with Altavista's town council in October to go over a proposal that would remediate contaminants in the town's overflow pond. The proposal was approved on November 11 for the amount of $36,000...