Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
by Kay Ledbetter, Texas A&M AgriLife
Even barely poking through the ground, weeds are distinctive. Determining the right tools for early identification and control are the goals of an ongoing Texas A&M AgriLife Research project.
Dr. Muthu Bagavathiannan, AgriLife Research weed scientist in College Station, is using unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, to “read the weeds.” Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: drones, Muthu Bagavathiannan, Texas AgriLife, UAV, unmanned vehicles, Vijay Singh, weed control | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
From coast to coast, a diverse community of farmers, ranchers, scientists and educators is working to shape a sustainable future for our food system. Listen to the new Our Farms, Our Future podcast series and join this community for intimate conversations about the state of agriculture, how we got here and where we’re headed. Continue reading →
Filed under: featured | Tagged: our farms our future, podcast, SARE, SARE podcast, sustainable agriculture | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
By Sharon Dowdy, University of Georgia
Fire ant research is not a hot topic in the scientific community because effective control products are available, but fire ants can kill people, so management of this pest remains an ongoing issue, according to Will Hudson, University of Georgia entomology professor.
“It’s a measure of the state of entomology. We used to have a fair amount of fire ant research going on in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,” said Hudson, who has studied the control of turf insects for the past 30 years. “But fire ants are still important because other ants aren’t going to kill you. If you are allergic and you get stung by a whole lot of fire ants, you could die.” Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: allergies to fire ants, fire ants, insect control, invasive species, University of Georgia | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
The Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) is seeking a qualified individual to serve as a Weed Science resource for USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and to act as a liaison between WSSA members and USDA-NIFA employees. Dr. Donn Shilling from the University of Georgia has served in this role for the past three years, but plans to step down from this position in 2018. Our intention is for Donn and the new NIFA Fellow to initially work together during the transition period. Ideally, the new individual will travel to Washington, D.C. approximately once every 6 – 8 weeks to interact and work with USDA-NIFA employees during the week. The NIFA Fellow will provide input on a wide range of topics such as current weed management practices, herbicide resistance management, weed biology and ecology, invasive plants, and the potential for new weed management paradigms such as the use of weed genomics and intelligent weed removal technologies. A key role for the NIFA Fellow is to connect USDA-NIFA staff with WSSA committees and members to leverage their expertise to address these and other Weed Science topics. Continue reading →
Filed under: employment | Tagged: NIFA, NIFA Fellow, weed science liaison, Weed Science resource, Weed science society, wssa | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
No-till vegetable production offers a more sustainable approach to weed management than the frequent use of herbicides and tillage, and also promotes soil health. Because cover crop based no-till vegetable production involves a different approach to management, growers may be reluctant to transition from conventional tillage without seeing the system in action and knowing its costs and benefits compared with conventional tillage. In this workshop Clemson University specialists will discuss the pros and cons of cover cropping and no-till with recommendations based on current research and our experiences in the field over the past decade.
May 17TH, 2018, 8:45 AM – 3:30 PM Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: Clemson University, cover crops, no-till, organic, sustainable agriculture, tillage, weed management | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
The purpose of the Aquaculture Research program is to support the development of an environmentally and economically sustainable aquaculture industry in the U.S. and generate new science-based information and innovation to address industry constraints. Over the long term, results of projects supported by this program may help improve the profitability of the U.S. aquaculture industry, reduce the U.S. trade deficit, increase domestic food security, provide markets for U.S.-produced grain products, increase domestic aquaculture business investment opportunities, and provide more jobs for rural and coastal America. The Aquaculture Research program will fund projects that directly address major constraints to the U.S. aquaculture industry and focus on one or more of the following program priorities: (1) genetics of commercial aquaculture species; (2) critical disease issues impacting aquaculture species; (3) design of environmentally and economically sustainable aquaculture production systems; and (4) economic research for increasing aquaculture profitability. Continue reading →
Filed under: funding | Tagged: aquaculture, Aquaculture Research, NIFA, NIFA Funding | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
in Southwest Farm Press
The threat of cattle fever ticks spreading northward into the Southwest U.S. is an issue heavy on the minds of South Texas border region livestock producers, who have been operating under inspection, and in some cases quarantine, protocols imposed by federal and state animal health officials.
The protocols were issued as because of an increase in the number of cattle fever ticks discovered on livestock and wildlife outside the permanent tick eradication quarantine zone on the Texas border. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: animal IPM, cattle fever ticks, quarantines, Rio Grande | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
Join the conversation to learn the conservation status of North America’s bumble bees (including the federally endangered rusty patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis), threats they face, and conservation measures known to support healthy bee communities. Sponsored by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, this webinar will cover the basics of bumble bee ecology and conservation. Participants will learn the status of North America’s nearly 50 species of bumble bees, the threats they face, and the role that important habitat features and land management play in supporting robust bumble bee communities. Participants will also learn basic identification skills as well as the resources available for a more in depth investigation. Learn more… Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: bumble bee, conservation, NRCS, pollinator health, pollinator protection | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2018 by southernipmcenter
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating its regulations to allow the importation of fresh lemons (Citrus limon) from Chile under a systems approach. The systems approach is a combination of prescribed measures that must be taken by Chilean growers, packers, and shippers to minimize the risk of importing Chilean false red mite (Brevipalpus chilensis) into the United States. Previously, APHIS only allowed the importation of Chilean lemons after they received an approved methyl bromide treatment to eliminate the pest risk. Continue reading →
Filed under: news | Tagged: APHIS, fresh lemon, importation regulations, imports, phytosanitary, quarantine | Leave a comment »