News From 2012

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A rapidly maturing 2012 wheat crop proved to be a timing challenge for Mississippi growers.

The state’s growers planted 480,000 acres, up from 360,000 acres the previous season. They were inspired by strong market prices and the record-average yields of 64 bushels per acre grown last year.

“Harvest is two or three weeks ahead of schedule, but we aren’t seeing exceptional yields like last year,” said Erick Larson, small grains specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University has the South’s first portable forage tester that can give hay and cattle producers immediate decision-making information and enable them to improve their profit margins.

Rocky Lemus, assistant Extension and research professor in MSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, said the small machine has big potential.

“We can use this year-round, testing grass in pastures and hay in fields during the growing season or testing hay in the barn during winter,” Lemus said.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A Mississippi State University plant pathology researcher’s discovery of an agricultural phenomenon could lead to the development of a new antifungal drug.

The potential drug shows significant promise for the treatment of serious fungal infections in people with compromised immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy treatments and those with HIV or AIDS. While MSU holds numerous patents and licenses, this is the first time a potential pharmaceutical drug has emerged from MSU research.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A veteran administrator has been selected to head the operations of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Mississippi State University Extension Service in North Mississippi.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A Mississippi State University researcher landed another grant to continue work begun in 2007 to support the state’s cotton industry.

Ted Wallace, a researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, received a $25,000 grant for 2012 from Cotton Inc. to continue his work developing nematode-resistant cotton cultivars.

NATCHEZ – Joanne King is passionate about gardening, and it shows -- all over her Adams County yard.

Colorful blooms and various shades of green abound from any view, anytime of year.

“I always like to have something blooming, and I’ve accomplished that,” King said.

King gives a lot of credit for her gardening success to the Master Gardener training program facilitated by Mississippi State University’s Extension Service. King took the class in 2001 and moved from the city limits of Natchez in 2002.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – New medical breakthroughs offer hope to those who suffer from health problems, and researchers at Mississippi State University are trying to reduce the time it takes for scientific advances to get from the laboratory to the patient.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Planting seeds for healthy living is a way of life for Lowndes County 4-H Agent Sharon Patrick, especially in her work at the Columbus Air Force Base.

“Our on-base 4-H club has been learning about choosing healthy foods using the MyPlate guidelines, and when I heard about Burpee’s Welcome Home Garden program, I thought it would be an excellent way to support the concepts we’ve studied -- eating healthy, exercising and being responsible,” Patrick said. “I talked to the director of the CAFB youth center, and before you knew it, we had a garden planned.”

Technology can play a role in all four seasons recognized by Mississippians – hunting, athletic, farming and hurricane. June 1 is the official start of hurricane season, so now is a good time to figure out how to protect and use electronics if a major storm threatens our coast.

Before the storm…

If you’re one of the many gardeners who consider Angelonia an ideal plant for the hot summer garden, I would have to agree with you.

Angelonia is a member of the snapdragon family, and it is actually called summer snapdragon. Few, if any, insects or diseases bother the Angelonia in the garden or landscape. Because it thrives in the full sun during the heat and humidity of summer, it makes a wonderful addition to our Mississippi gardens and landscapes.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi’s blueberry growers have found their thrill this spring as ideal weather conditions resulted in abundant, high quality fruit.

“Right now, berries are coming in fast and furious in the southern half of the state,” said Wayne Porter, a Mississippi State University Extension Service agent in Lauderdale County who specializes in horticulture. “I was at a farm this morning, and they were bringing them in as fast as they could ship them out and make room for more.”

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Fire ants are one of the most frustrating insect pests to deal with in Mississippi lawns, but they can be successfully controlled with the correct approach.

“There is a lot of confusion when it comes to treating fire ants, but it is not that complicated,” said Blake Layton, an entomology specialist with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service. “I recommend using what I call the one-two punch.”

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A passion for fashion led a Mississippi State University alumna back to campus to share her career path with students in the apparel, textiles and merchandising program.

Robin Cox, a 1998 MSU graduate and corporate merchandise planner for national retailer J.C. Penney Co., now known as jcpenney, spent a day talking with students and faculty as part of the Senior Showcase. This event celebrated 2012 graduates and the design work they completed while in MSU’s School of Human Sciences.

This spring, take time to clean your computer both inside and out. Last week, I explained how to clean the exterior. This week, I’ll tell you how to clean up your operating system and files.

Begin by removing unnecessary desktop icons. A cluttered desktop simply slows down the computer’s initial boot time, especially if you have saved documents or photos to the desktop. Move these files to the My Documents folder.

STONEVILLE – Farmers can learn more about controlling Palmer amaranth, universally hated and commonly known as pigweed, at an upcoming field day.

Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center will host a Pigweed Field Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 14.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Some skeptics think agricultural production and natural resource conservation are incompatible, but a Mississippi State University scientist is committed to proving them wrong, one farm at a time.

Robbie Kroger, assistant professor of aquatic sciences in the MSU Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, is the co-founder and spokesperson for a new initiative called Research and Education to Advance Conservation and Habitat, or REACH.

STONEVILLE -- Two Mississippi State University scientists are taking on new leadership roles at the university’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville.

Jimmy Avery, who has served as the MSU Extension Service aquaculture specialist since 1999, has been named director of the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center.

The mission of the center is to support aquaculture research and education in the Southeast. Its goal is to enhance aquaculture production to benefit consumers, producers, service industries and the American economy.

If you’re looking for a little tropical flair for your home garden or landscape, consider bringing in some bougainvillea. This plant is especially gorgeous when displayed in a hanging basket that shows off its many flowers with almost iridescent colors.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi peanut producers should have a wonderful feeling about the 2012 crop as almost everything is going their way – including buyers from Oklahoma.

Mike Howell, state peanut specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said many of the factors favoring Mississippi’s crop this year, started last year.

NEWTON – Spending the day fishing, searching pond water for insects, and hiking nature trails might not be a traditional middle school field trip, but organizers of the first Youth Fishing Day hope the May 11 event sparked an appreciation for the outdoors in participating sixth graders.