News From 2013

PONTOTOC -- Growers, crop consultants and other agriculture professionals in north Mississippi can learn about the latest crop research and emerging technologies during a July 11 field day.

Researchers and specialists with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will host the event at the Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch Experiment Station at 8320 Highway 15 South.

By Kaitlyn Byrne
MSU Office of Ag Communications

Students interested in veterinary school had an opportunity to get an inside look at the profession during the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Camp.

During the recent three-day camp, 13- to 16-year-olds attended labs taught by MSU College of Veterinary Medicine faculty and participated in hands-on workshops.

JACKSON -- Mississippi State University is offering two deer management workshops in late July and August to landowners, hunters, and professionals working with Mississippi’s white-tailed deer populations.

Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and the College of Forest Resources, along with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, will offer the two-day workshops in Starkville and Biloxi.

Since it is June, the vitex have begun flowering, and these brilliant blooms are causing many gardeners and nongardeners alike to stop and take notice.

The flowering period for vitex begins in late May on the Gulf Coast and moves on up to north Mississippi in the following weeks. The main flowering period lasts up to six weeks, but flowering continues sporadically for the rest of the summer.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Late-spring cold snaps and untimely freezes have delayed harvests and reduced yields for Mississippi’s 2013 blueberry crop.

George Traicoff of Hernando runs a family owned and operated you-pick operation in DeSoto County. He started Nesbit Blueberry Plantation with 6,000 plants in 1984, and today his family tends 16,000 plants.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – She is new to Mississippi State University, but her professional track record is well known across the country.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Several Mississippi communities are taking on projects designed to help senior adults keep their independence and improve their health.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service has challenged communities to assess the resources they offer senior adults and is helping them develop a plan to strengthen and add to those resources.

RAYMOND -- Mississippi State University will honor the memory of longtime employee Frank T. “Butch” Withers Jr. by naming the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond after him.

Former colleagues, friends and family members will gather at the center at 10:30 a.m. July 10 for a naming ceremony. The event will conclude with a luncheon at noon. The public is invited to attend.

JACKSON -- Whether families head to the local park or an out-of-town destination, veterinarians advise them this summer to take steps to ensure pets stay safe and healthy as they travel.

Dr. Joey Burt, assistant clinical professor and director of the Animal Health Center at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said before setting out on any trip, pet owners should make sure their pets are comfortable with riding in an automobile. Burt suggested taking pets on short trips to gauge their tolerance.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s new livestock judging team coach invites young people and coaches interested in sharpening their livestock judging skills to one of two camps.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Preparing for the 2013 hurricane season is wise, even if no major storm strikes the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Susan Cosgrove, an area family resource management agent in Newton County with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the steps taken to prepare for a hurricane will help whenever an unexpected disaster strikes.

If you’re looking for a plant that is attractive now but looks its best in the cooler months, you may be interested in the Dianthus. This is a group of versatile flowering plants that look good year-round.

Dianthus is called by many names, but the common name “pink” really is a good description. Colors include pink and red, but there are also nice white and lavender selections.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A week of mostly ideal weather allowed Mississippi producers to more than double the acreage planted in cotton, but they remain behind schedule with this year’s crop.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated the cotton crop went from 36 to 77 percent planted in the week ending June 2, and many days were favorable since then. The state typically has 93 percent of its cotton acreage planted by this time, but the situation is not quite as bleak as it had been.

By Karen Templeton
MSU College of Veterinary Medicine

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A group of veterinarians at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is working to better understand cancer in dogs, work that will likely also advance knowledge of human cancer.

MSU scientists said there is little difference between cancerous tumors found in dogs and humans, and the opportunity to help both human and canine patients is growing.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Four representatives of Mississippi State University’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine will participate in a national program targeting future agricultural leaders.

MSU faculty selected to participate in Leadership Development for the 21st Century: Linking Research, Academics and Extension include

Much like personal computers and 2-year-old children, Android smartphones can throw their own versions of temper tantrums. Mine recently slowed to a crawl and became increasingly unresponsive.

Before I decided to send it off to that great e-waste landfill, I made one last attempt to revive its broken spirit. To begin with, I turned it off, waited a few moments, and then turned it back on. While an obvious first step, most of us forget that our phones run constantly.

BILOXI -- Many frustrated gardeners have noted how plants often look their best on retail shelves, but ongoing tests at Mississippi State University helps these gardeners figure out which flowers will meet expectations.

Gary Bachman, horticulturist with the MSU Extension Service at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, said the university currently tests flower selections at two sites. Plans are underway to conduct flower variety testing at five locations around the state soon.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- When veterinarian Dr. Alicia Olivier arrives for work every day, she isn’t greeted by wagging tails and nervous meows. Instead, she spends her days behind a microscope to help better understand disease processes and therapy development.

Olivier is a member of a diverse set of veterinary scientists who conduct a variety of biomedical research that impacts animal and human health.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Paring, slicing, dicing, and cubing are a few of the activities that young chefs will learn at Mississippi State University’s seventh annual Fun with Food Camp.

The five-day camp will be June 17-21 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m on MSU’s Starkville campus. The camp is open to children entering third through sixth grades and provides an opportunity for hands-on food experiences.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Nine teenaged 4-H leaders addressed current issues and shared their passions in hopes of winning a spot on a team representing Mississippi at the national 4-H conference in Washington, D.C.

Selected delegates will spend April 5-10, 2014, working with their peers in round-table discussions to prepare presentations for federal agencies on a variety of topics, such as texting while driving and obesity.