News

By Karen Templeton
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University researchers are investigating ways to improve the nutrition and growth of the state’s most profitable bird.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A fertilizer commonly used in Mississippi is the target of thefts and criminal abuse, prompting federal regulators to consider more carefully controlling this chemical’s distribution and producers to look for alternatives to avoid the hassle.

Ammonium nitrate is sold in granular form as an efficient source of nitrogen fertilizer. It is often used for pasture systems and hay production but also has other crop uses. It is desirable because the nitrogen comes in a form readily taken up by plants but not readily lost to the atmosphere.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s 56th annual Edward C. Martin Design Symposium on Oct. 19 will focus on how landscapes can best fit their environment.

You don’t have to be a gardener for long before you come across a situation that calls for some garden “surgery” called division. Division is cutting the plant into smaller pieces and replanting.

You see the need for division when you notice a perennial plant no longer looking good. Maybe it hasn't been flowering prolifically, the leaves are getting smaller or the center is opening up. You decide to divide the plant to remedy the situation. Dividing perennial plants is a great way to rejuvenate some of our ornamental garden treasures.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi’s cotton has overcome one hurdle after another all season, and fall weather is all that stands between respectable yields and the finish line.

Darrin Dodds, cotton specialist with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service, said “challenging” is the one word that sums up the 2011 cotton crop.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Increased childhood peanut allergies in America have turned many school cafeterias into no-peanut zones, but kids do not have to give up tasty and healthy foods while keeping their allergic classmates safe.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – More than 120 cotton breeders from around the world spent Tuesday examining cotton research being conducted at two Mississippi State University facilities.

The group was part of the four-day Cotton Breeders’ Tour. The scientists visited university and industry locations in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana on this year’s trip. Tours are sponsored by Cotton Inc., and are held every other year, rotating through each of the nation’s five cotton-growing regions.

The Internet can be a useful tool for finding information, but it takes a true cyber-sleuth to distinguish between fact and fiction.

Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox are just two of the Internet browsers that can act as gateways to search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask, which are used to find information on the Internet.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Jacquelyn Deeds, agricultural information and education professor at Mississippi State University, was elected senior fellow of the American Association of Agricultural Education at the organization’s recent annual meeting.

A couple of years ago, I received a call in late summer from a new gardener asking about a plant he had seen at a local golf course. I was interested because he described it as a blue azalea. I visited the golf course and toured until I found the plant. It wasn’t a blue azalea after all, but the familiar Mexican petunia.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The yield of early-planted rice looks good so far, but only time will tell how seriously the high heat of early August will cut into yields from later-planted fields.

Nathan Buehring, rice specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said harvest began in mid-August and will proceed at full speed until completed, probably by the first week of October.

“Those who have a good feel for yield have been pleased with what they’re harvesting so far,” Buehring said. “It won’t be a bumper year, but we should be average.”

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippians who want the freshest blueberries and butterbeans have more options as community-supported agriculture programs increase.

Kimberly Morgan, an agricultural economist and professor with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said Mississippians are participating in a trend that began within the past 20 years.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – When freshman Mitchell McCloud walked onto campus at Mississippi State University Aug. 17, he already had two classes behind him and a clear idea of where his intended major could take him.

“Through the Rural Medical Scholars program, I was simultaneously introduced to Mississippi State University’s outstanding campus and the different aspects of the path to medical school,” McCloud said.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Parents may think their children intentionally argue with everything they say, but the problem may be more complicated.

Louise Davis, Mississippi State University Extension child and family development specialist, said the problem could be factors beyond the child’s control.

Paying bills and balancing the family checkbook with a bank’s online software program saves time, but few people plan for handling the accounts if there is an unexpected illness or even a death in the family.

Typically, one person in the household takes responsibility for paying the bills online or managing the online banking account. However, if something happens to that person, the whole family’s finances can be in jeopardy.

PICAYUNE – Mississippi State University’s Crosby Arboretum in Picayune will be crawling with activities at the annual Bugfest Sept. 23 and 24.

The family-friendly event will include collecting, identifying and mounting insects for display; bug-themed crafts and games; and educational seminars on various insects and collecting techniques.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Professionals who provide home inspections, audits or health services are encouraged to participate in the Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioner’s Course in Canton on Sept. 22 and 23.

The training will be conducted by the National Center for Healthy Housing and hosted by Mississippi State University’s Extension Service at their Madison County office. Professionals from a variety of fields will gather to share their expertise and learn from others at the two-day course. The $100 registration fee covers all course materials.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – New owners of food businesses can take part in an upcoming workshop to help improve their odds of success, even during the current economic challenges.

“Food as a Business” is a day-long video conference Oct. 4 with satellite locations at Mississippi State University, Hattiesburg, Raymond, Verona and Cleveland. The $40 registration fee covers snacks during breaks, lunch and conference materials. The registration deadline is Sept. 23.

Sometimes the most interesting plants in our landscapes are the ones that can’t be predicted. Each year, there is a wonderful, random variety that presents itself in the garden through the mutations that occur in every plant species.

The secret to finding some of these botanical gems is taking a closer look at flowering and evergreen plants. Every once in a while, we are rewarded with garden treasure.