News

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Despite weather putting a damper on the shrimp season this year, shrimpers managed to land twice as many pounds of shrimp in the early part of the season than they did last year.

Dave Burrage is a marine resources specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. He said despite the early high landings, the season looks to be an average year.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The efficiency and sustainability of Mississippi's timber industry has helped grow it to the $1.2 billion value it has today.

The state has about 18.5 million acres of timberland. Of these, 70 percent are held by private, non-industrial owners. Mississippi's forest types are about 30 percent pine, 25 percent oak/pine mix and 45 percent hardwood.

Bob Daniels, forestry specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said forests are quite resilient and the state is using more of its pine than its hardwoods.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Crape myrtles are starting to bloom all over the South, and it's not hard to see why they are the most popular summer flowering tree. Many gardeners mistakenly think they are native to this area, but Europeans discovered the Southeast Asia natives around 1750 and early settlers brought them to this country.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Food that is good for one person can be dangerous to another because of food allergies that affect about 7 million Americans.

Common foods that people are allergic to include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. More children than adults have food allergies, although many outgrow their allergies as they mature.

Rebecca Kelly, human nutrition specialist at Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said food intolerances are often confused with true food allergies.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Watermelon harvests have begun in some Mississippi counties, but homegrown supplies are slower for other parts of the state.

George County extension agent Mike Steede said some harvesting started the first week of June for the county's 600 to 700 acres of watermelons, and the biggest challenge this year has been the recent rains.

"Up until the tropical storm (Allison), we were having a dry growing season," Steede said. "About 70 percent of the county's crop is irrigated, so the rains mainly helped the smaller, non-irrigated fields."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Preparing beef, pork or chicken may be routine to some people, but catching on to the tricks of cooking seafood that is delicious and safe can be a bigger challenge than the catch itself.

Overcooked seafood can become rubbery and tasteless, while raw or undercooked seafood can pose many health risks. With a little extra care, seafood can be a delicious and safe addition to a family's menu.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Many gardeners want plants that will bloom all summer right up until fall. The first option always seems to be New Gold lantana. Believe it or not, there is a tropical vine that will bloom until the first freeze as well. It is called Brazilian Jasmine, or Mandevilla.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A short-term study of a common catfish pond treatment suggests copper sulfate is an environmentally sound procedure for controlling off-flavor problems.

John Hargreaves, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station aquaculture biologist with the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center, completed a study of the effects of copper sulfate applications to catfish ponds over three years.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Finally, dairy producers have something more than a nutritious product to celebrate during National Dairy Month: milk prices.

"Milk prices should average about $2 more per hundredweight than last year," said Bill Herndon, agricultural economist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service. "That's about a 15 percent increase over 2000."

Herndon said prices will likely remain strong throughout the summer and peak-usage period in early fall. Class I milk prices have the potential of record prices this fall.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Dairy products are among the best sources of calcium and many other nutrients, but not everyone consumes the recommended amounts of these products daily.

Health experts recommend that Americans eat three servings of dairy products daily. This quantity helps the body receive the calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin, protein and vitamins A and D that it needs daily.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Gardeners everywhere seem to be searching out vines for that special fence, trellis or arbor. The passionflower, one of my favorites, is not only one of the most beautiful and exotic blooms in the world, but the fruit also yields one of the favorite flavors in tropical fruit juices.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Dry conditions in April and May, especially in the Delta, played havoc with Mississippi's corn crop this spring, leaving the root systems confounded about which way to go.

Erick Larson, corn specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said wet conditions delayed planting some, but most of the crop was in the ground by the end of April.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Students typically come to teachers for education, but technology is enabling the education to come to students, especially in rural areas.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- In a state where insects outnumber humans, it may be surprising that only a few Mississippians get sick every year from diseases carried by insects.

Dr. Mike Williams, entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the best way to avoid getting an insect-borne disease is to prevent pests from biting.

"Watch the time of day you're outside and wear insect repellant," Williams said. "There are some diseases that are possible to get from insects we have in Mississippi."

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The firebush, known as hummingbird bush and scarlet bush, is a Texas Superstar plant that would qualify in Mississippi as well. The Texas Superstar designation is similar to our Mississippi Medallion award.

By Charmain Courcelle

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A search for alternative fuels may uncover an additional source of income for Mississippi farmers and provide a solution to the waste disposal problems encountered by the state's agricultural industry.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi youth are doing what it takes to earn gold medals, but these awards are for personal improvement and service, not athletics.

Seven Mississippians are being honored with the gold Congressional Award, the U.S. Congress' only award given to recognize the outstanding achievements of youth. Seven other state youth received silver and bronze medals in the same program.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi farmers have the rest of the season to wait and see if the state's earliest soybean planting ever will pay off in a good crop this year.

Ideal spring planting conditions enabled state farmers to get about 85 percent of the crop in the ground by the middle of May, a pace that was 30 percent ahead of normal. Much of what remains to be planted will go onto fields that are double-cropped with wheat or are waiting on much-needed moisture.

By Bonnie Coblentz

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Insects and humans seem to have the same idea about the nice weather in Mississippi since both are out in number when temperatures are pleasant.

Mosquitoes, wasps, horseflies, deerflies, chiggers and ticks are abundant in the state from late spring to mid-summer. These nuisances make their presence known at picnics, walks outside, swimming holes and other places people like to congregate and relax.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Like most lessons in life, children develop their eating habits by what they experience at home.

"When children are exposed to certain foods (healthy or not) in the home, they are much more likely to accept the same foods later," said Melissa Mixon, human nutrition specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service. "Exposure may need to be as many as 18 to 20 times before a child accepts the food."