Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
by Kathleen Phillips, Texas A&M AgriLife
A turfgrass disease that looked like an ink spill on many southern golf courses has been identified and all but blotted out, according to a plant pathologist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
The disease, which occurs on short-cut Bermuda and Zoysia grasses, had golf course superintendents from Texas to Florida “scared,” Dr. Young-Ki Jo said, because it ruined the aesthetic looks of their fairways and greens, which could have some players teed-off. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: bermudagrass, Curvularia malina, fungal diseases, turfgrass disease, Young-Ki Jo, Zoysia grass | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced the availability of $17.6 million for research and outreach activities to support the organic agriculture sector. The grants are funded through NIFA’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “The organic industry is the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture, with sales growing by $4.2 billion last year to reach a record $43.3 billion,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. “Over the past seven years, USDA has invested nearly $261 million in research to improve the productivity and success of organic agriculture, including seed-breeding. The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative is one of the many ways USDA is helping this sector meet growing consumer demand.” Continue reading →
Filed under: featured | Tagged: National Institute, NIFA, OREI, organic, Organic agriculture, USDA | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
The OREI seeks to solve critical organic agriculture issues, priorities, or problems through the integration of research, education, and extension activities. The purpose of this program is to fund projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality organic agricultural products. Priority concerns include biological, physical, and social sciences, including economics. The OREI is particularly interested in projects that emphasize research, education and outreach that assist farmers and ranchers with whole farm planning by delivering practical research-based information. Projects should plan to deliver applied production information to producers. Fieldwork must be done on certified organic land or on land in transition to organic certification, as appropriate to project goals and objectives. Refer to the USDA National Organic Program for organic production standards. Continue reading →
Filed under: funding | Tagged: OREI, organic agriculture research and extension initiative, organic funding, organic production | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
By Carol Lea Spence, University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service will offer a forestry webinar series on five evenings in November and December. The idea behind the web-based series is to provide woodland owners with a convenient way to gain beneficial information they can use on their own properties.
The series is designed primarily for woodland owners, but anyone interested in woodland, timber and wildlife topics is welcome to participate. Those who have attended the Kentucky Woodland Owners Short Course or other UK Department of Forestry educational programs will find new and valuable information in the webinar series. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: Forest health, forest IPM, forestry webinar, University of Kentucky | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
By Katie Pratt, University of Kentucky
In the Monroe County community of Vernon, sweet sorghum production is the economic driver for the area’s Amish population. When a new pest threatened to destroy the 2016 crop, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service stepped in to help the farmers save the crop and their livelihood.
Since 2013, the sugarcane aphid has made its way north each summer after spending the winter in Mexico and Texas. Before then, it did not feed on sorghum nor pose a serious threat. Continue reading →
Filed under: featured | Tagged: johnsongrass, Ric Bessin, sorghum, sugarcane aphid, University of Kentucky | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
The second annual IPM Online Conference hosted by the Northeastern IPM Center (NEIPMC) will feature updates from active projects funded by the Center’s Partnership Grants Program. In addition, the online conference will have updates from IPM-related projects funded through the Northeastern Sustainable Agriculture and Education (NE SARE) Program and USDA-NIFA’s Applied Research and Development Program (ARDP) and Extension Implementation Program (EIP).
The rapid style conference will feature 5 minute presentations in which the speakers will discuss, show, or possibly sing! about 1 or 2 highlights from their projects. The purpose of the conference is to increase collaboration and awareness about current IPM-related research and extension in the Northeast in a fun way. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: IPM, IPM online conference, Northeastern IPM Center | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
by South Dakota State University
Although many landowners may not give much thought to weed control as a soil health measure, Gared Shaffer, SDSU Extension Weeds Field Specialist said the two go hand-in-hand.
“The same management practices which increase soil health, like planting cover crops or a diverse cash crop rotation, also can be deterrent to weeds,” Shaffer explained. With the rise of herbicide resistant weeds not just on the horizon but in your fields, farmers want answers. Most have turned to a new herbicide in the past. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: cover crop, Crop rotation, herbicides, monoculture farming, soil health, weed control | Leave a comment »
Posted on November 1, 2016 by southernipmcenter
University of Arkansas
As farmers finish harvesting their summer crops, they should consider planting cover crops to revitalize their soil’s nutrient content, Shaun Francis, Extension horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, said. When seeded in the fall and grown throughout the winter, crops such as grains, grasses or legumes can help ensure healthy, productive soil for the next growing season.
“Cover crops are not grown for harvest, but rather to protect and improve soils,” he said. “They are commonly referred to as ‘green manure’ because at the end of their growing cycle, cover crops should be terminated and tilled back into the soil, where nutrients are released as the plants decay.” Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: cover crops, Shaun Francis, University of Arkansas, weed control | Leave a comment »
