Use Social Media to Capture and Track Crop Diseases

Posted on July 31, 2017 by rhallberg

In Farm2Ranch

Farmers, agronomists, crop consultants and specialists now have a place to collectively document and track corn and soybean diseases this growing season.

The Twitter accounts @corndisease and @soydisease will be used to upload photos of crop diseases as they show up across the country. This effort is part of the Integrated Pest Information Platform for Education and Extension (iPiPE). The hope is to use tweets of crop disease photos from around the country for future disease tracking and prevention purposes. Continue reading →

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Wildflowers Draw Native Pollinators to Georgia Apple Orchard, Yields Increase

Posted on July 31, 2017 by rhallberg

In Southern SARE newsletter

Joe Dickey’s curiosity about bees nearly matches his affinity for birds.

“I’ve loved birds ever since I was a kid because of all their different colors,” said Dickey, as he watches yellow finches fly around three 100X100-foot wildflower plots at his farm, Mountain View Orchards. But it’s the bees that are capturing his attention lately, and the wildflowers were planted for them. Continue reading →

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NC State study finds Triangle bees can’t stand the heat

Posted on July 31, 2017 by rhallberg

In the News and Observer

On a hot summer day, urban areas of the Triangle can be up to five degrees warmer than surrounding rural locations, and the temperature gap grows after the sun sets, as acres of pavement, concrete and steel emit heat absorbed during the day.

The phenomenon is known as the “urban heat island” effect, and a recent N.C. State University study shows that many of North Carolina’s native bee species keep away from hot, urban areas. The study also offers a glimpse at how bees might be affected by rising temperatures due to climate change. Continue reading →

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APHIS will accept proposals for FY 2018 NCPN cooperative agreements from July 17, 2017 through October 6, 2017

Posted on July 31, 2017 by rhallberg

The NCPN provides high-quality, propagated plant material that is free of plant pathogens and pests that can cause economic losses to the American specialty crop industry. USDA’s goal is to create an effective, uniform, consistent, efficient, and highly self-sufficient network of clean plant centers serving the needs of specialty crop industry.

Funding will be provided to Land-Grant Universities, Non Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, State Governments, and Federal Agencies to support implementation and ongoing activities of the NCPN. Continue reading →

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About mosquito and tick repellents

Posted on July 31, 2017 by rhallberg

by Dawn H. Gouge1,2, Shujuan (Lucy) Li2, Shaku Nair2, Kathleen Walker1, Christopher S. Bibbs3

1Department of Entomology – College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, University of Arizona; 2Cooperative Extension – Arizona Pest Management Center, University of Arizona; 3Anastasia Mosquito Control District, FL

Introduction

Personal repellents (often referred to as “bug sprays“) are substances applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces to repel or discourage insects and other arthropods such as ticks from feeding on humans. Repellents help people avoid bites from mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting arthropods that may transmit disease-causing pathogens, and allow them to engage freely in outdoor activities. Continue reading →

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Corn gene associated with disease resistance

Posted on July 31, 2017 by rhallberg

from North Carolina State University via EurekAlert!

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a specific gene in corn that appears to be associated with resistance to two and possibly three different plant leaf diseases.

In a paper published this week in Nature Genetics, NC State researchers pinpoint the gene – caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase – that seems to confer partial resistance to Southern leaf blight and gray leaf spot, and possibly to Northern leaf blight, a trio of diseases that cripple corn plants worldwide. Continue reading →

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UGA Extension’s newest plant pathologist to focus on management of plant-parasitic nematodes

Posted on July 31, 2017 by rhallberg

by Clint Thompson, University of Georgia

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension’s newest plant pathologist will focus on improved control of plant-parasitic nematodes, the microscopic, worm-like pests that primarily feed on the roots of vegetable crops.

Nematologist Abolfazl Hajihassani is now responsible for control of the pest in more than 20 Georgia commodities, including bell peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. Based out of the UGA Tifton campus, Hajihassani hopes his research and expertise will help producers manage the devastating pest. Continue reading →

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