News

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Given the recent economic conditions, there has been a lot of talk of “bean counters.” It was no different at the Hot to Trot Pot Competition in Hattiesburg. Beans were literally counted, and a kaleidoscope of colorful succulents earned the most.

The Mississippi Nursery and Landscape Association created the first Hot to Trot Pot Competition at this year’s Hattiesburg Garden and Patio Show, a friendly competition showcasing Mississippi’s best mixed container designers.

By Rebekah Ray
Delta Research and Extension Center

STONEVILLE – Two researchers at Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville are continuing a centennial study begun in 2004 to examine the long-term effects of rotations on crop yields.

“We plowed the first plots for the study when the Delta station observed its 100th anniversary in 2004, and we refer to it as the Centennial Rotation,” said Wayne Ebelhar, the study’s organizer and a researcher specializing in soil fertility and cotton, corn and soybean production.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A $150,000 grant will enable Mississippi State University students to gain international exposure as they study a technology that makes it possible to grow crops for longer than a typical season allows.

“Season extension technology” allows a crop to be grown earlier or later than weather typically allows. One method is to construct an unheated, Quonset-shaped greenhouse that captures heat.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s Crosby Arboretum in Picayune hopes to be overrun, not with bugs, but with youth and adults looking for insects as part of Bugfest Sept. 18 and 19.

The two-day event will include insect collecting, identification and mounting for display; a “Buggy Midway;” and educational seminars on various insects and collecting techniques. The Bugmobile from the New Orleans Audubon Insectarium will make a special appearance Saturday afternoon, with presentations at 1 and 2 p.m.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The bonds between animals and people will be the topic of an upcoming lecture series at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

The second annual Human-Animal Bond Lecture Series will take place Oct. 19-23. It will celebrate the unique interdependence between people and animals -- companion, production, lab animal and wildlife. The series is sponsored by Nestle Purina PetCare Co.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Only in its second year, a student association at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine was awarded top honors at the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior conference this summer in Seattle.

The society sponsors veterinary student chapters in efforts to enhance knowledge of animal behavior. Student chapters are responsible for arranging events and speakers to share knowledge about animal behavior with their fellow students and the public.

By Karen Templeton
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Though heavy rains this spring delayed some of the state's rice planting, warm, sunny days in June and July helped the crop along, and by late Aug., Mississippi farmers were pleased with the results.

Optimal planting for rice is before May 1, and 75 percent of the state’s crop made it in by that date. The remainder was late because of excessive rains during the first few weeks of May.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Families that do not venture outside miss what the outdoors can teach them about conservation and natural resource management, but Mississippi State University offers a summer camp series that combines fun and excitement with science and career exploration.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Quick. What is colorful, architecturally interesting and tasty? Up until “tasty,” lots of answers come to mind, but one that fits all three descriptions is edible landscape plants.

Norman Winter, horticulture specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said edible plants are often grown for their looks rather than for the table.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – As the “green” movement expands, Mississippians can now turn to two Mississippi State University experts for advice on using green technology to roof their homes and buildings.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- What can be “greener” than Mississippi forests? Find the answer when Mississippi forests and their products are managed with all of the environment’s best interests in mind.

Glenn Hughes, Extension forestry professor at Mississippi State University’s College of Forest Resources, said a growing number of wood product and forest managers are seeking official “green” certification.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Abundant natural resources and a good infrastructure give Mississippi a competitive advantage as a major supplier of renewable energy, and Mississippi State University is conducting research and connecting with industry to help the state reach its potential.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Red is a color that many gardeners want in the landscape but find very difficult to use successfully. The secret, however, may lie in your accent features.

It seems strange to think that red may be hard to use. There are red roses, red zinnias, red petunias and scores of other red flowers, but if you place them near each other, a wave of nausea may sweep over you.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi’s small cotton crop was looking good by late August, but with prices below break-even levels, producers will hold their breath until harvests are in.

John Michael Riley, Extension agricultural economist, said cotton harvest cash prices in Mississippi in mid-August were about 53-55 cents a pound. MSU crop budget estimators indicate the “average Mississippi producer” needs prices above 62 cents a pound to be in the black in 2009.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Dreams often drive the will to live and the courage to endure, and one organization based at Mississippi State University is helping fuel these dreams for young people across the country who face life-threatening health conditions.

The Catch-A-Dream Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides special hunting and fishing expeditions to young people age 18 and under with a disease or condition that will become terminal if not cured or interrupted. Marty Brunson is a professor with MSU’s Extension Service and director of the foundation.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

“Simply unbelievable” is how I would describe the new Fireworks gomphrena. Gomphrena, sometimes called globe amaranth or bachelor’s button, is already considered a tough plant and you would think it would be hard to improve on it, but Fireworks is like none other.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- For almost 25 years, a Winston County self-help cooperative has been doing what its name implies -- helping people help themselves -- by providing educational information and establishing partnerships with experts.

A partnership with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine are an important part of the co-op’s monthly programs. The partnership also makes it easier for specialists to assist producers when needed. Such was the case when the co-op hosted a recent cattle field day for its members.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

OKOLONA -- Chickasaw County farmer Jay Schmidt wants to leave a lasting legacy for his four children, so slumping catfish prices and volatile row crop markets made him step outside his comfort zone to find a solution.

Jay has grown soybeans, corn and catfish for many years. He, his wife, Sonya, and their children, Andrea, 13; Dean, 15; Laura Beth, 10; and Emily, 5; have worked hard to make the farm a family operation.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University Extension Service specialists are hopeful that incidences of soybean rust across the state will continue to be minor and only occur after plants have passed the at-risk growth stage.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A research scientist with more than two decades of experience with cropping systems is the first recipient of an endowed chair in Mississippi State University’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.

Daniel B. Reynolds, a professor of weed science at MSU, has been named the first Dr. Glover B. Triplett Endowed Chair in Agronomy. The Triplett Endowed Chair recognizes major contributions to Mississippi State by Triplett and his wife Imogene.