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Ohio Farm Bureau Federation awarded Laura D. Johnson and Angelica K. Liu of Upper Arlington High School in Columbus with the organization’s first-place Agricultural Science Award at this year’s State Science Day sponsored by the Ohio Academy of Science.

The award is given to student teams whose projects demonstrate ways to improve agricultural practices or incorporate new agricultural technology.

Johnson and Liu’s project, "Translocation of mRNA through grafting Glycine max," looked at whether or not genetic traits in soybean plants’ rootstock would be expressed in a grafted portion of the plant’s leaves and seeds. The students found that genetic traits in the roots would translocate to the newly grafted portion of the soybean plant.

Both team members received a $200 cash award and a certificate for their accomplishment. Students reached the State Science Day after competing in local and district science competitions earlier this year.

Evan R. Washburn and Dylan R. Atterholt of Riverside High School in DeGraff won the organization’s second place Agricultural Science Award for their project "Burning biomass, an alternative energy resource?" The students tested chicken, horse and cow manure by burning each with kindling and then measuring for time, temperature and weight. The students’ conclusion was that horse manure might provide the best energy source compared to the burning of the other two types of manure.

Team members each received a $100 cash award and a certificate.

"We were impressed to see the quality of projects the students presented," said Judy Roush, Ohio Farm Bureau promotion and education specialist. "Anything we can do to encourage research and knowledge about agriculture is an investment worth making."

More than 1,000 students in grades seven to 12 from nearly 300 schools were evaluated this year on their scientific research and communication skills. Awards and scholarships worth more than $730,000 were presented to State Science Day participants.