News

By Karen Templeton
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi peanut growers will finish planting on time and will fare better than last year as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

Peanut planting began the first week of May and is slated to wrap up by June 1.

“Planting is going well so far thanks to the moist soil,” said Mike Steede, Mississippi State University Extension Service director in George County. “We need the moisture for the seeds to germinate. The rain we got in the beginning of the month has created some optimal conditions for now.”

BILOXI – Oil spewing from BP’s destroyed Deepwater Horizon rig had not reached the Mississippi coastline by mid-May, but Mississippi State University experts were already working to help with the problem.

An estimated 5,000 barrels of crude oil have been spewing daily from the BP well that exploded April 20. Crude oil is a volatile mixture of compounds that are flammable, sticky, foul-smelling, persistent in the environment, poisonous and cancer-causing.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s apparel, textiles and merchandising majors found a fitting way to end the spring semester by staging their first-ever fashion exhibit on campus.

Fashion Focus, a student organization, held the event to demonstrate the ability of MSU fashion majors to master design, business and technical skills needed for successful careers in the industry.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Veterinarians at Mississippi State University now have access to a magnetic resonance imaging unit that can help pinpoint the source of lameness in horses.

MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine has entered into an agreement with MREquine, an Idaho company that has developed the first-of-its-kind mobile veterinary imaging coach for horses. The 1.5 tesla MRI unit can image body parts up to 18 centimeters in diameter, which includes a horse’s feet, fetlock, cannon bone, carpus (knee) and hock. The majority of horse lameness issues are in these areas.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – People interested in learning about the basics of tree planting and care have the opportunity to do so at workshops being held across the state in May and June.

The Urban Forest Workshops are sponsored by the Mississippi Urban Forestry Council and are free to the public. MUFC and Mississippi State University Extension Service personnel will lead the sessions and educate attendees about planting, pruning, selecting trees, preparing for a storm and replacing trees. The workshops will be held in various locations:

BILOXI – Mississippi will host a national meeting in June aimed at increasing the economic value and consumer appeal of agricultural commodities.

The 12th annual National Value-Added Conference will take place June 27-29 at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi. Hosts for the event include Mississippi State University’s Extension Service; the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion; and the Department of Agricultural Economics.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The fashion world is beginning to take notice of Mississippi State University’s apparel, textiles and merchandising students.

Many MSU students have interned with cutting-edge design houses and popular fashion magazines or performed well against peers from all over the United States in prestigious design competitions. Others have someone closer to thank for spurring their interest in fashion.

Those who love plants have surely been to their favorite garden center this spring and noticed calibrachoa, the great warm-season performer with small flowers that look like petunias.

Calibrachoa (pronounced kal-ih-bruh-KO-uh) is more commonly called Million Bells. These plants are related to petunias and should be grown in full sun. They produce an unbelievable number of 1-inch-wide flowers from spring until frost.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi’s poultry industry is cautiously optimistic that the economic doldrums of the last two years -- brought on by the high costs of energy, feed and debt -- may finally be over.

Insider talk of expansion, new export markets and domestic consumption of eggs and breast meat may be indicators the upswing has begun.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- In times of need, people know help has arrived when they see the symbols of certain organizations — vests with the American Red Cross logo, National Guard uniforms, and the blue and yellow shirts of state and federal emergency responders.

There are many excellent petunias on the market—too many to detail in this column—so I am going to concentrate on what I consider one of the best petunias series: the Supertunias.

There are two groups in this series, the Supertunias and the Supertunia Vistas. Supertunias grow to about 12 inches tall and have a vigorous spreading habit. The Supertunia Vistas are bigger and can reach 24 inches tall. Both types are hummingbird and butterfly magnets.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Imagine the misery of wearing a winter coat outside in Mississippi as late as May, June or even July.

People would want to stay in the shade or in cool water. Eating a big meal would not be very appetizing. Cattle may feel the same way, especially if they are from the longhaired breeds of cattle including Angus, Charolais and Hereford.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi youth and adult volunteer leaders who have 4-H dairy projects or want to start one should plan to attend the 2010 Mississippi 4-H Bulldog Dairy Cow Camp June 17-19 at Mississippi State University. 

Registration is $85 per camper and due by June 4. The fee covers housing, meals and other expenses. Campers can purchase T-shirts for an additional $10.

The camp will have a junior track for youth ages 8-13 and a senior track for youth ages 14-18. Most activities will take place on campus and in the surrounding community.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University will cook up some fun with children this summer at the fourth annual Fun with Food camp for kids June 21-25.

MSU’s Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion is offering the camp to children entering third through sixth grades as an opportunity for hands-on food experiences.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s Basic Insect and Plant Ecology camp will provide fun and learning for all ages June 13 – 17.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Young people and adults have two opportunities this summer to try a variety of high-interest outdoor sports through wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture camps offered by Mississippi State University.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University forestry specialists are advising landowners with timber damaged by the April 24 tornadoes to assess and remove injured trees promptly.

More than 62,000 acres of forestland in 10 Mississippi counties sustained damage from the tornadoes. A statewide assessment provided by the Mississippi Forestry Commission reports the value of timber damaged at more than $19 million.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Some Mississippi forest landowners with timber destroyed by the April 24 tornado may be eligible to claim a casualty loss.

Debbie Gaddis, Mississippi State University Extension Service forestry professor, said the tornado destroyed many privately owned forestlands in the state. Those owners who can claim a casualty loss will receive a deduction based on the loss of fair market value or their basis in the asset, whichever is less.

STONEVILLE – Mississippi’s 2010 rice crop is ahead of schedule and looking good, even after strong storms swept through the state in April.

Nathan Buehring, rice specialist at Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center, said growers had about 75 percent of the crop planted by the end of April. In the last two years, the majority of the planting took place well into May.

By Karen Templeton
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE — A group of Mississippi State University landscape architecture and contracting students stays busy outside the design studio by recruiting other students to join the program.