News

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Environmentally conscious producers in Panola County got more than 13 tons of waste pesticide off their farms during a one-day collection in March.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service partnered with the state Department of Agriculture and Commerce to offer the Agricultural Pesticide Disposal Program to area producers March 22 in Batesville. A grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality covered the cost of disposal.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- For the eighth year in a row, Mississippi State University and the state's community colleges are teaming up to encourage bright high school seniors to consider a medical profession in Mississippi.

The intense, five-week Rural Medical Scholars summer program at MSU aims to identify the state's future primary care doctors and help them become members of the medical school class of 2014.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Asian soybean rust did not cause the dramatic decline in acreage it could have, but its threat may have inspired a 13 percent increase in prospective cotton acreage.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its annual prospective plantings report March 31, and Mississippi producers indicated they will decrease soybean acreage 4 percent to 1.6 million acres and increase cotton to 1.25 million acres.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Landowners with as few as five acres can manage their land for pine timber production, and an often overlooked byproduct can add to the profits.

Tim Traugott, a Mississippi State University Extension Service forestry professor, said in the past landowners needed 20 to 40 acres of land to make timber production economically feasible. With today's market situation and prices, however, five acres of pine trees is more than enough.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

It won't be long now until landscapes across the state are alive with color. Certainly the azalea will be putting on its usual show, but so will the 2005 Mississippi Medallion Award-winning Chinese snowball viburnum.

There are a lot of good viburnums, but with its white, snowball-like flowers, the Chinese snowball (Viburnum macrocephalum) is the showiest. This plant is always for sale but in small quantities, rarely meeting demand.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The best group of landscape zinnias, the Profusion series, just got better thanks to two new varieties: Fire and Apricot.

The Profusion series put zinnias back in the mainstream garden of America. The Cherry, Orange and White each earned the All-America Selections Gold Medal award. The Profusion series is disease-resistant and blooms from spring until frost. The Fire and Apricot varieties look to have the same superior performance.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- New educational materials should help young people gain a life-long appreciation for the benefits of forests on society.

Bob Daniels, Extension professor in Mississippi State University's Department of Forestry, chaired the national design team that developed the "Forests of Fun" 4-H curriculum. Foresters, educators, curriculum specialists, county Extension agents and volunteer leaders from around the country contributed to the two-year project. The new national curriculum is the first for forestry since 1979.

RALEIGH -- Poultry and cattle farmers will gain the latest production recommendations from state and regional experts during educational seminars and a trade show set for April 21 in South Mississippi.

The Magnolia Beef and Poultry Expo will take place at the Smith County Agricultural Complex on Highway 35 South in Raleigh. Organizers expect producers from across the area to come hear health and marketing recommendations as well as methods to improve production efficiency.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Obesity is no small problem for Mississippians, and a program under way in the Delta addressing it by promoting healthy lifestyles among the state's youngest residents: school children.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Entrepreneurs who dream of creating and manufacturing food products can learn how to make those dreams reality at a one-day conference in Brandon in April.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Students at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine will hold their 21st annual open house April 1 and 2 at the Wise Center, located on the south side of campus off Spring Street.

The theme of the open house is "Explore the Possibilities." 2005 marks the 31st anniversary of the establishment of the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine by the Mississippi Legislature.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi's animals are in continuously trained hands, thanks in part to distance education programs offered by Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

MSU Extension veterinarian Dr. Stanley Robertson said the veterinary college hosts distance education programs two to four times each year. Presentations are given by CVM faculty members, and the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association gives a two-hour continuing education credit for each program.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- One Mississippi State University professor, already an international leader among her peers, is assuming responsibility for advising nationally in several aspects of toxicology, the environment and research funding decisions.

Dr. Jan Chambers, a professor in the Department of Basic Sciences in MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, serves as president of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences, an international organization of 200 Fellows. Membership in the Academy is based on a strict peer review of applicants' credentials.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist

Geraniums were among the showiest plants at the recent Jackson Garden and Patio Show. Exhibits had just about every color and kind you could want, including scented ones. Judging from the carts going out the door, they were a hit with the shoppers, too.

Large containers of geraniums welcomed visitors to front doors in landscapes all over the state last year. Whether a container is all geraniums or mixed with other spring-bloomers, these are showy flowers that can be admired from a great distance.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A catfish hatchery owner with a little time on his hands developed a cheap and easy solution to a problem that nags producers.

Hatcheries typically place catfish egg masses in mesh baskets in metal troughs, and flow water over them with rotating metal paddles placed between the baskets. The paddles move water to simulate the care male fish give eggs.

Jim Steeby, aquaculture specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said this technique, while simple and effective, poses some danger to workers.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Cheryl Read's biology students are enthusiastic about their new outdoor classroom because their high school "doesn't even have windows."

The recent winners of the Governor's Award for the Community Pride program, members of the Raleigh High School 4-H Envirothon Team said they can study many subjects around their fish pond. First, they name topics such as plants, fish and insects, but eventually they will tell of the valuable lessons they learned about community.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Flowers blooming and birds courting are signs of spring's arrival, but swarms of termites are the more ominous indicators.

Blake Layton, an entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said termite colonies normally remain unseen, shunning light and quickly plugging any holes or openings to the outside world. But each spring, well-established colonies send out swarmers to reproduce, spread and begin new colonies.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- When homeowners look out in the spring and see more weeds than grass, it's time to take action to beautify the lawn.

Winning the battle of the weeds begins with a two-part effort. Eliminate existing winter weeds in yards and apply pre-emergence herbicide to prevent summer weed seedlings from establishing.

"If you've not done anything before, you've got to jump in at some point in time if you want a well-groomed, manicured lawn," said John Byrd, weed specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Two Mississippi State University veterinary science researchers hope to help prevent a portion of the 76 million cases of food poisoning in the United States each year.

Hart Bailey and Bob Wills are researchers in MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine. They focus their research efforts on preventing food-borne illnesses during the production phase.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Designing mixed containers has become a frenzied passion nationwide, and I have to admit I'm hooked, too. Nothing can liven up a porch, patio or deck like a large container filled with several species of blooming flowers.

Part of the appeal of mixed containers is that they allow those of us with cement-like soil to grow beautiful bouquets with ease. There are hardly any rules to container gardening, but good drainage is of paramount importance.