News

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Fewer shrimp boats are working the waters off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but the industry is showing signs of recovery from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

“About 300 boats were counted in Mississippi waters the morning of June 6, the official opening date of the state's shrimp season,” said David Burrage, professor of marine resources with the Mississippi State University Extenison Service in Biloxi. “This is about the same number of boats counted last year, but still less than one-third the number before Katrina hit in 2005.”

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Entomologists and wildlife and fisheries faculty at Mississippi State University think you can learn a lot from insects, so they are interested in developing a curriculum for K-12 education that uses the creepy-crawlies to teach a variety of subjects.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Influenza becomes an issue in schools every winter, but the increasing threat of a pandemic flu demands more efforts to minimize the spread of germs.

Jane Clary, health specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said a pandemic influenza will be far worse than the seasonal-flu outbreaks that schools and communities experience each year. A pandemic is a disease outbreak that spans the world.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Head lice have an uncomfortable way of finding a new home regardless of their host's age, social status or personal hygiene, and with school about to start, chances are good that many Mississippi families will encounter these annoying parasites in the months ahead.

Blake Layton, an entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said there is no shame in getting head lice.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Recent high demand for dairy products has pushed milk prices to near-record highs even before schools resume their massive use of milk.

Bill Herndon, dairy specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said milk prices have been steadily increasing since the middle of 2006 when milk was at a 25-year low.

“This July was the 13th month in a row to have increased milk prices,” Herndon said. “The public is responding by consuming fewer products, and farmers are responding by gearing up to produce more milk.”

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The Imperial Taro is one of my favorite cold-hardy elephant ears for lending that lush Caribbean look to the garden. Most elephant ears are thriving this year in a summer that started off dry and now has followed with almost daily monsoons.

The Imperial Taro can be found under a couple of other names like Illustris and Antiquorum. Most catalogs refer to them scientifically as Colocasia antiquorum var. Illustris. However, the real botanical name is Colocasia esculenta.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A week of almost daily rains after July 4 could not overcome three years of deficit rainfall, but Mississippi's pastures and crops show evidence that the drought is over, at least for a short time.

Charles Wax, state climatologist and Mississippi State University professor of geosciences, compared the rain deficit to lost sleep.

“When you lose sleep, you can't catch up. Extra rest can help in the future, but the past is over,” Wax said.

WOODVILLE -- Scouts with the Mississippi State University Extension Service found Asian soybean rust on kudzu in Mississippi July 12 in Wilkinson County.

As of July 13, no soybean rust has been found on soybeans in any field in Mississippi, but recent rains across the state created ideal conditions for the fungus.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service will hold a waste pesticide collection day July 31 in Tunica County for farmers and pesticide applicators in northwest Mississippi.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tunica Gin on Highway 61, one mile south of Tunica. There is no fee to participate.

Waste pesticides are leftover, cancelled, suspended or unusable products. Examples include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and plant growth regulators. Empty pesticide containers will not be accepted.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Darrin Dodds has been named the state’s new cotton specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Dodds will serve as the primary contact for Extension educational material, technology transfer and programming regarding production of cotton, said Michael Collins, head of MSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Lime continues to rock the garden world. Recently, I have been enjoying a new iresine, or beefsteak plant, called Blazin' Lime.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Recent rains are turning struggling lawns across Mississippi into lush landscapes, and homeowners must work hard to keep them looking good all summer.

Wayne Wells, turf specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said now that the grass is growing, those performing lawn maintenance need to be sure to cut their turf to the correct height.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- With four specialty areas under its umbrella, the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine's primary care group offers learning experiences and veterinary services not available elsewhere.

Dr. Ron McLaughlin, head of CVM's Department of Clinical Sciences, said the primary care group includes a shelter medicine program, routine health care maintenance, dental care, and a behavior program.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi's rice may be on track for another strong yield, but it will be on fewer acres.

Nathan Buehring, rice specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the 2007 crop has “good to excellent yield potential” as it enters the heading stage.

“This year, everything has worked like a charm,” Buehring said. “The crop has had good moisture levels to help herbicides work and stay activated. By the time we reached the dry period, it was time for flooding the fields.”

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine has an enviable track record of seeking and obtaining financial support for programs that promote the humane care and treatment of animals. It was no surprise that the College “doggedly” pursued the offer of a $100,000 grant by the American Kennel Club to assist with emergency response in times of civil or natural disaster.

By Andrea Cooper
MSU College of Forest Resources

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Drying lumber in kilns produces numerous air pollutants, but equipment for real-time measurement of the emissions is not currently available.

A team of researchers at Mississippi State University, however, is developing a new state-of-the-art sensor that monitors air pollution emitted while wood is drying. The MSU scientists are improving a detector produced by Seacoast Science Inc. that will continuously monitor pollutants in real time during materials processing. 

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Employees of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University were recently recognized for their service to the university and the state.

The recipient of the 2007 Rosalind and Rodney Foil Teamwork Award was Rick Snyder, Extension and research professor at the Truck Crops Experiment Station in Crystal Springs. Snyder was honored for his work with the annual Fall Flower and Garden Fest at the station.

The Foil awards are presented each year in honor of the former MSU vice president and his wife.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- People eager to become trained as Master Health Education Volunteers are being recruited for a program that promotes healthy living in the community.

The three-day training will be held Aug. 9, 23 and 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lauderdale County Extension office in Meridian. The cost to attend is $50, and the deadline to register is Aug. 3.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Gardeners looking for the perfect hanging-basket plant are finding an outstanding option in the new Bonfire begonia, which produces hundreds of fiery, scarlet-orange flowers. Bonfire brings incredible beauty and a rugged nature.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Strong prices encouraged Mississippi farmers to make corn the state's No. 1 row crop this year, but drought conditions are cutting yields.

On June 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated Mississippi producers have planted 980,000 acres of corn, up from 340,000 in 2006. Erick Larson, Mississippi State University Extension Service small grains specialist, said persistent drought conditions are reducing the yield potential of corn across much of the state.