Feature Story from 2004

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The new Extension cotton specialist at Mississippi State University is a weed scientist who is no stranger to MSU or agronomic crops.

Before Tom Barber was named the MSU Extension Service cotton specialist on July 1, he spent three and a half years at MSU working with cotton and corn. Most recently, he was responsible for managing 170 acres of remote sensing, site-specific precision agriculture and weed control field and plot research.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A new specialist will assume the responsibility of supporting the rice industry in the state when Mississippi State University’s Extension Service appoints Nathan Buehring to the job.

Buehring assumes his duties July 16 and will work from the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville. Before being named rice specialist, Buehring established a background in weed control and pest management in various agronomic crops.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Rainfall up to three times the normal amount across the state in June made for soggy conditions, but the state's row crops still have the potential for a good yield.

Charles Wax, state climatologist at Mississippi State University, said Mississippi averaged 9.83 inches of rain statewide in June, a new record that beat the 9.8 inches set in 1989. Normal rainfall for the state is about 7 inches in June.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Credit cards seem to be the American way to shop, and youth as young as high school are using them.

Bobbie Shaffett, family resource management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said research shows more than 20 percent of American teens have a credit card. Just over half the college freshman have a credit card, but by their sophomore year, 92 percent have at least one.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Outdoor physical activities in late summer and early fall can be challenging or even deadly if Mississippians are not careful to avoid heat illnesses, and children may be at the most risk.

More than 300 people die annually from heat-related illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of the people who end up in emergency rooms for heat illnesses and dehydration are children.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- College-bound students know that extracurricular activity looks good on college entrance and scholarship applications, and there is an award program that can help them kill two birds with one stone.

The Congressional Award program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1979 to encourage young people in leadership and personal development. The Mississippi State University Extension Service has been involved with the program for 11 years helping state youth reach goals they set for themselves.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi's soybeans endured excess rains during the first half of the 2004 season and are plunging into the homestretch in surprisingly good shape.

"It is amazing how this crop has weathered the wet conditions. It helped that the bulk of the crop is early and has a more mature root system," said Alan Blaine, soybean specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service. "It remains important to identify any diseases quickly and determine the best way to address problems."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Loblolly pine is the primary source of pulpwood for the entire U.S. paper industry and the most economically important crop of any kind in the Southeast.

Despite its economic importance, little is known about the genome of loblolly pine. The term genome refers to the DNA that defines an organism, including its genes and the DNA sequences containing "blueprints" for all the heritable characteristics of the organism. In short, the genome is what makes a human a human, a cat a cat and a pine tree a pine tree.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Most people ignore eating disorders until a celebrity, close friend or relative falls victim. Awareness is an important first step in reducing this physical and emotional threat before it is too late.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Diseases have challenged Mississippi tomatoes throughout the 2004 vegetable season, forcing growers to work harder to produce adequate yields and quality.

Rick Snyder, Mississippi State University research and Extension horticulturist in Crystal Springs, said the rains and high humidity triggered more disease problems this year than normal. Tomato spotted wilt virus, which is impacted by thrips populations rather than weather, was especially challenging.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Homeowners know summertime means mowing time, but it is also the time to improve the health of the lawn and prepare it for fall.

Wayne Wells, turfgrass specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said water, nutrients, proper mowing, and pest and disease management are the four keys to having a good lawn.

"Summer is the time to grow grass, and measures can be taken now to catch up for missed work in the spring or to prepare the turf for winter," Wells said.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The new school year provides parents with an opportunity to help their children establish sound study habits to improve chances for academic success.

Louise Davis, child and family development specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said good study habits are best learned early in a child's academic career. Older students also may benefit from parental encouragement before encountering problems in their schoolwork.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- June rains made it hard for turfgrass producers to do any work, but weather the rest of the year has been good to the industry.

Wayne Wells, turfgrass specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said rains made mowing impossible at times and made conditions poor for lifting sod.

"There were some leaf diseases caused by the rain, but surprisingly we have not had much insect or disease problems this year," Wells said. "I think growers have been pretty pleased with what they've been able to do this year."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The battle against an inevitable soybean disease has begun in Mississippi, with researchers and specialists ready to attack rust once it appears in the state.

Soybean rust is a fungal disease spread by spores. It can be carried on the wind for hundreds of miles, transported on people or machinery, or spread by infected plant material. Left untreated, it completely defoliates and often kills a plant, reducing yields by as much as 80 percent.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Veterinary practices for years largely ignored dental problems, but a movement within the profession now is giving it the attention it deserves.

Dr. Bill Nalley, veterinarian with Animal Care Hospital in Long Beach, said periodontal disease is the most common disease in small animals.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A Mississippi State University veterinary researcher is enlisting the help of mice to unlock the mystery of a mental disorder that affects more than 2 million American adults.

Jeffrey Eells, an assistant professor with MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, recently received a $55,000 grant from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression. Eells' study focuses on a strain of mice that have a gene mutation similar to that found in schizophrenic humans.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station's annual Cattlemen's Field and Hay Day is scheduled for Aug. 14.

The experiment station is located off Hwy 18 west of Raymond in the Oakley community.

Registration is at 8 a.m. and the program begins at 8:30 with a beef quality assurance injection site lesion demonstration by Dr. Terry Engelken of Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Brandon Carter with Elanco.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Two upcoming meetings will help prepare growers and vendors for the new farmers market coming to Jackson next spring.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce are organizing the evening meetings. The first meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the Forrest County Extension Office on Sullivan Drive in Hattiesburg. The second meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 31 at the Agriculture and Forestry Museum on Lakeland Drive in Jackson. Each meeting will last one hour.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Low shrimp prices and high fuel costs may share the blame for the reduction in commercial fishing boats in Mississippi waters.

Aerial surveys by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources on opening day June 9 revealed 538 shrimp boats in Mississippi waters compared to 1,067 on the first day last year.

Richard Gollott of Golden Gulf Fisheries in Biloxi said shrimp prices are at 1960s levels and fuel costs have skyrocketed.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Spraying chemicals is a significant part of the cost and control of modern farming, and calibrating the implements can make a difference in efficiency.

Herb Willcutt, agricultural engineer with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said calibration is a simple procedure that can potentially save thousands of dollars and protect the environment.