Mississippi Landmarks March 2016

Volume 12, Number 1

MARCH 2016

Supporting Mississippi’s Green Industry … page 16 Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

• • • Mississippi State University

Contents On the Cover

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More than 20 varieties of tomatoes were available for sampling at the annual Great Southern Tomato Tasting at the MSU Trial Gardens. MSU horticulture students grow the tomatoes and host the free event, which also features gardening tips. (Photo by Kevin Hudson)

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New Beginnings The Pinecote Pavilion at MSU’s Crosby Arboretum received needed expert restoration.

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Catalpa Creek Project MSU is spearheading an effort to restore the water quality of Catalpa Creek, which flows through the Starkville campus.

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Successful 4-H’er A Holmes County 4-H’er has been showing cattle since he was 8 years old and continues to win awards.

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Protecting Crops MSU research is used to develop weed control traits and herbicides.

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Hunting Lease Research MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center scientists are studying the benefits of hunting leases for private landowners and hunters.

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Bridging the Gap An MSU Extension program is helping rural communities transition to the digital age.

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Mississippi’s Green Industry MSU research and educational programs aim to support Mississippi’s valuable green industry, which includes nursery and greenhouse crops and floriculture.

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Veterinary Medical Technology An MSU College of Veterinary Medicine bachelor’s degree program offers a new path for students interested in veterinary medicine.

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Aflatoxin Research MSU researchers are developing cost-effective, portable screening methods to test for a fungal toxin found on corn.

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County Profile Kemper County is home to Sciple’s Mill, which has been in operation for more than 200 years.

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News Notes The division takes note of faculty, staff, and student accomplishments.

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Development Corner An MSU agronomy/weed science graduate student received an assistantship to study the impact of emerging plant herbicides.

Vice President’s Letter At this time of year, we like to reflect on the preliminary statistics for last year’s agricultural commodities. Though the value of agricultural production as a whole decreased about 4 percent from the previous year, it still exceeded $7 billion. Poultry and forestry, Mississippi’s top two commodities, both saw growth in 2015, with 3.4 and 13.5 percent increases, respectively. We are proud to support our state’s agricultural producers by training students in best practices and conducting needs-based research and outreach.

We welcomed 504 attendees to the annual Row Crops Short Course, held for the first time at The Mill Conference Center in Starkville. This event serves as a continuing education opportunity for industry professionals and a time to share and discuss the latest research on agriculture in the Southeast.

This is also the time of year we plan for the coming fiscal year. Our far-reaching work on a variety of issues related to businesses, communities, and families is possible because of the strong support we receive from Mississippi’s leaders. From legislators and county boards of supervisors to business and community leaders and commodity groups, we rely on our partners to continue to advance our mission of providing research-based answers to Mississippi’s most pressing challenges.

Each February, top livestock exhibitors from around the state represent 4-H and FFA at the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo and, ultimately, the Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions. Numerous Extension agents and faculty and staff work hard to showcase the accomplishments of the dedicated and hardworking young Mississippians at this event, and we appreciate the support shown by individuals and businesses at the sale.

This winter, all eyes were on the skies for migrating birds and the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza coming to our state. At the time of this letter, no birds with HPAI had been found in Mississippi. Long before the birds began heading south, division personnel in the Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU Extension Service, Office of Agricultural Communications, and Forest and Wildlife Research Center worked with partners in the Office of the State Veterinarian, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the poultry industry, Mississippi Poultry Association, and other state agencies to plan and prepare for the potential arrival of HPAI. We will continue to monitor the situation as the seasons change.

In this issue of LandMarks, you’ll find a feature about the implications of the deregulation of certain herbicides used in production agriculture. The MSU Extension Service has partnered with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and its Bureau of Plant Industry to develop online training modules for the state’s producers to learn how to safely and properly implement these new technologies.

Warmer weather is on the horizon, and many Mississippians have already planted seeds to grow indoors until they can transplant seedlings to their gardens. MSU provides research and Extension support to both the greenhouse industry and home gardeners through its many variety trial gardens across the state and through outreach programs designed to help clients develop their green thumbs. We hope the focus section (beginning on page 16 of this issue) will inspire you to begin planning your garden, and let you know about the programs and resources available for you.

With continued thanks for your support of the division,

Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

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LandMarks is published quarterly by the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University.

Mark E. Keenum

President

Gregory A. Bohach

Vice President

Gary B. Jackson

Director, MSU Extension Service

George M. Hopper

Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean, College of Forest Resources Director, Forest and Wildlife Research Center Director, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station

Kent H. Hoblet

Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine

LandMarks is produced by the Office of Agricultural Communications.

Elizabeth Gregory North Keryn Page Robyn Hearn Amelia Plair

Executive Editor Editor Assistant Editors

Annette Woods

Graphic Designer

Vanessa Beeson Sarah Buckleitner Susan Collins-Smith Nathan Gregory Keri Collins Lewis

Writers

Kevin Hudson Russell Kincaid Kat Lawrence Robert Lewis

Photographers

For a subscription to LandMarks or an address change, call (662) 325-2262.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Available on the World Wide Web www.dafvm.msstate.edu/landmarks

Gregory A. Bohach

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NEW BEGINNINGS

Planned for Crosby Arboretum

When spring arrived at the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, it brought with it a much-anticipated new beginning.

Renovations to the Pinecote Pavilion began in 2014. Pat Drackett, arboretum director, said the award-winning structure is the focal point of the arboretum grounds and is a popular location for weddings, as well as the arboretum’s many educational events.

“Damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, in addition to general weathering over the course of the building’s lifespan, resulted in the need for expert restoration,” Drackett said. “We’re excited

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to start a new year of programming with this important architectural feature open to the public again.”

The Pinecote Pavilion, designed by American Institute of Architects Fellow and Gold Medal winner E. Fay Jones, is a major attraction at Mississippi State University’s Crosby Arboretum. The open-air, all-wood structure is constructed of native longleaf pine and fastened together with nails, dowels, and metal connections.

The entire building was designed to be exposed to the elements so all components would be completely visible.

“With a proposed new education center, the arboretum will be able to host educational programs and events for larger groups without worrying about the weather. Handicapped-accessible restrooms, exhibit space, and a place to “I’ve spoken with visitors from the Tom Howorth, principal architect preserve our historical documents, U.K. and other parts of the U.S. who are and president of Howorth and Associphotos, and slides will make the familiar with Fay Jones’s work, but ates in Oxford and a fellow in the arboretum a fully functioning space many Mississippians have never been American Institute of Architects, led the here,” said Jill Mirkovich, arboretum project. The restoration mended the for both visitors and staff.” curator. “We get calls from all over the state landmark in accordance with Misstate about native plants and plant sissippi Department of Archives and identification, and our quarterly native History guidelines. plant sales are popular among those Over the past few years, Drackett Pat Drackett with the interest. You can’t find a lot of and the Crosby Arboretum staff have those plants at most retail stores.” worked to maintain an active schedule In addition to touring the permanent exhibits, visitors can atof outreach events while also expanding attractions within the artend numerous events, such as Bug Fest, which attracts about boretum itself.

1,500 visitors each fall; Forge Day and the Piney Woods Heritage In 2015, the arboretum received a grant through the Five Star Festival, which showcase local artisans and traditional skills; and and Urban Waters Restoration Program and Southern Company, Strawberries and Cream in April. the parent company of Mississippi Power, to establish a quaking “This year we plan to host our second art show featuring twobog educational exhibit. and three-dimensional creative works depicting the character of Quaking bogs are temperate wetlands, usually created by a the Piney Woods region, including its flowers, plants, animals, culthick layer of Sphagnum peat. The term “quaking” refers to the ture, and notable features, including the arboretum, of course,” feeling one has when standing upon a deep layer of peat supportMirkovich said. “We also have a gallery space and rotate the work ed by water. of different local artists through it during the year.”

Bob Brzuszek, a professor of landscape architecture at MSU, As the Pinecote Pavilion restoration project wrapped up, the said the exhibit will be the only Gulf Coast quaking bog exhibit in arboretum foundation’s board of directors turned their attention U.S. arboreta and the first constructed quaking bog wetland exto a long-desired educational center. The structure, also designed hibit in the country.

by Howorth and Associates, will be Leadership in Energy and En“This exhibit will educate visitors about the uniqueness of vironmental Design-certified. coastal wetlands and the biota they harbor,” Brzuszek said. “It will “With a proposed new education center, the arboretum will be about 900 square feet and provide additional habitat for threatbe able to host educational programs and events for larger groups ened birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles that are indigenous to Miswithout worrying about the weather,” Drackett observed. “Handsissippi’s wetland bog habitats. It will also serve as a primary icapped-accessible restrooms, exhibit space, and a place to preretention pond to store stormwater entering the arboretum site serve our historical documents, photos, and slides will make the and offer an outdoor classroom for area schools.” arboretum a fully functioning space for both visitors and staff.”

To allow visitors to experience the feeling of a quaking bog, For more information, visit http://crosbyarboretum.msstate.edu. exhibit designers will create a floating bridge that will rest upon the water level. The 100-foot-long bridge will be handicapped-accessible, include safety railings, and protect the fragile wetlands from foot traffic.

By Keri Collins Lewis • Photo by Kevin Hudson The arboretum’s mission is to preserve, protect, and display plants native to the Pearl River Drainage Basin of Mississippi and Louisiana, but the mission statement cannot adequately represent the many experiences available throughout the year at this hidden gem in southern Mississippi.

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Renovations to the Crosby Arboretum’s Pinecote Pavilion began in 2014 and should be completed this spring. The award-winning structure is the focal point of the arboretum grounds.

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CATALPA CREEK PROJECT LAUNCHES University Spearheads Effort to Protect Local Watershed

Catalpa Creek runs through the Mississippi State University campus and is the focal point of the 28,943-acre Catalpa Creek watershed. MSU personnel are part of a multiagency effort to restore the water quality of Catalpa Creek.

More than 20 campus units and 30 faculty and staff members at Mississippi State University are teaming up with state and federal agencies and local stakeholders to restore the water quality of a creek that flows through campus and is the focal point of the Catalpa Creek watershed.

MSU’s Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute (MWRRI), Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station,

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and Extension Service are spearheading the comprehensive effort to conduct preliminary research, develop implementation measures, foster education and experiential learning activities, and seek funding that faculty and students would use to address erosion and nutrient impairment within Catalpa Creek.

MWRRI was established by the state legislature in 1984 and designated a Center of Excellence for Watershed Management by the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality in 2013. MWRRI Associate Director Richard Ingram said the institute recently submitted a water resources management plan to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for review and consideration for funding.

“As soon as the creek emerges on campus, we begin to see degradation in the channel through excessive erosion. Sediments that are harmful to the habitat and ecosystem accumulate in the creek system,” Ingram said. “Land-use changes in Starkville, on campus, and in the headwaters of the watershed have increased the volume and intensity of storm water flowing into Catalpa Creek and have resulted in this situation.”

Creek conditions improve as the creek continues away from campus, he added.

“The stream velocity slows, the creek widens, and you find ripples and pools and a more natural ecosystem with good fish assemblages,” Ingram said, “but if we don’t do something soon to restore the headwaters, the environmental damage will extend farther downstream into these areas.”

A portion of the headwaters of the 28,943-acre watershed includes a small corner of Starkville north of Mississippi Highway 12.

The creek initially travels underground through campus in culverts until it surfaces at the edge of the intramural fields and flows through the H. H. Leveck Animal Research Center (commonly called South Farm). The creek then passes through the Oktoc and Sessums communities in Oktibbeha County before flowing northeastward into Lowndes County, where it drains into Tibbee Creek.

Growth on campus and at the South Farm is contributing to sedimentation, erosion, and nutrient run-off within the watershed.

The South Farm consists of about 1,600 acres that are used for research in livestock agriculture, aquaculture, wildlife management, and forages. Researchers associated with the watershed recovery project will collect data to determine the present condition of the stream and how its water quality, ecosystem, and stream function can be improved.

The Catalpa Creek Watershed Project has six major goals: • restore and maintain the watershed’s ecosystem health and biological integrity; • reduce nutrient and sediment loadings and attain water quality standards; • maintain quality of life for watershed stakeholders in the event of future land-use changes; • create experiential learning opportunities for students and faculty; • foster collaboration among university departments and state and federal agencies; and • advance sustainable watershed management applications for agricultural and urban environments.

Dr. Bill Herndon, associate vice president in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, said a similar project is in progress at the University of Kentucky, which MSU administrators and faculty visited as part of developing the Catalpa Creek watershed plan.

“MSU wants to protect natural resources while accommodating growth,” Herndon said. “We have people working really hard on this. Everyone volunteered in this planning effort, and that says a lot about them. Our scientists are energized and feel this is a wonderful opportunity to make some headway.”

MSU alumna and MDEQ Tombigbee River Basin coordinator Janet Chapman has been a big supporter of this project.

“I’ve been excited about this work from the very beginning. We are submitting the project to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for funding in 2016 as part of a grant MDEQ receives from EPA each year,” she said. “MSU researchers are seeking other possible funding sources as well, but, in the meantime, everyone has worked together to finalize the plan that is the first of several pieces that have to come together in order to begin work.”

Chapman added that Catalpa Creek has excessive sediment in the water.

“By strategically managing the land that drains to the creek, we can reduce the amount of sediment that washes off during a rain storm,” she said. “This will help enable the creek to meet its designated use by meeting water quality standards and providing the habitat aquatic animals need.”

Three functional teams and a work group have been established to support the process: a Planning and Implementation Team co-led

by Dr. Tim Schauwecker, associate professor and Experiment Station scientist in the Department of Landscape Architecture, and Ingram; a Modeling and Hydrology Work Group co-led by Dr. Beth Baker, assistant Extension professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, and Dr. John Ramirez-Avila, assistant research professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; an Education, Experiential Learning, and Outreach Team led by Dr. Leslie Burger, assistant Extension professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture; and a Funding and Incentives Team co-led by Dr. Joby Czarnecki, assistant research professor with the MSU Geosystems Research Institute, and Ingram.

Schauwecker said forest habitat and the quality of fishing in the creek go hand in hand.

“Hearing people talk about fishing in that stream is a huge motivation for me. I would like to see it be healthy again,” he said.

“That, to me, is the most beneficial use of that stream. I hope that, when we look back 20 years from now, we will see that we have made an impact.”

Another long-term effort includes the creation of the Catalpa Creek Watershed DREAMS Center. The acronym DREAMS emphasizes the tenets the center seeks to promote: demonstration, research, education, application, management, and sustainability.

“This is going to be a challenging project, but these kinds of projects are happening all over the country,” Ingram said. “We are hopeful this is going to build into something beyond just MSU, but we have to start in our own backyard correcting those things we can that will bring healing to Catalpa Creek. By so doing, we not only are doing our part, but we will also be setting an example for others in the watershed to follow.”

By Nathan Gregory • Photos by Robert Lewis

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Delta 4-H’er Finds Success in the Show Ring

4-H’er Davian “Bug” Powell has been showing cattle since he was 8 years old. He plans to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Herman Williams, and become a cattleman.

“I spend about 2 hours a day with my show calves. During school, my granddad sometimes helps me with morning feedings and basic care, but I walk them, brush them, clean their pens, practice the show pattern with them, and keep up with my show book.”

鵻鵼 Davian Powell

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When Davian Powell asked to join 4-H and show cattle almost 6 years ago, no one thought he would stick with it.

“I really thought he wouldn’t like it and would give up on it,” his grandfather, Herman Williams, said.

Holmes County 4-H agent Betsy Padgett and Davian’s mom, Stephanie Powell, also were a bit uncertain that an 8-year-old could manage such a large animal in the show ring. But he proved them all wrong.

“He loved it, and he still does,” Williams said of the now 13-year-old seventhgrader. “He can make these cows do anything he wants and always could. He’s not afraid of them, and that is important if you are going to work with a 600- to 700pound animal.”

Davian, who is affectionately called Bug by family and friends, retired his first prize-winning show calf, Scooter, a year and a half ago. Scooter now spends his days in the pasture but always enjoys a visit from Bug. Once his showing days were over, Scooter went to work for Williams. The registered Hereford bull sired 28 calves with Williams’s Angus-Limousin heifers, creating the more desirable black baldy cattle, which have black coats with splashes of white on their faces.

Bug said the different cattle have “This particular crossbreed of cattheir own personalities. tle is more muscular and has the body “Gladys is a good cow, but she likes type that is most wanted in show to move around. She can be stubborn,” calves right now,” Padgett said. “The he explained. “Pepper is slower and judge is looking for good muscle deficalmer than Gladys. And Crisco is just nition, especially in the hindquarters, big and lazy.” and a deep belly.”

Padgett said she is impressed with Black baldy cattle put on weight Bug’s drive to succeed. faster and bring a higher price at the “As long as I’ve known him, all he sale barn than the Angus-Limousin wanted to do is to get in the ring and breed Williams was raising. show,” she said. “But he has the work “Diversifying my cattle operation ethic it takes to be successful. He does has worked out really well for me and all the behind-the-scenes things that it for Bug,” Williams said. “It doesn’t take takes to be good in the show ring. And as long to feed them out, and I can get once you get there, you can’t go to sleep about 10 cents more per pound. And in the ring. You have to constantly every few years, Bug gets a new bull check the calf to make sure it is set right calf to work with.” and the judge can see the animal.”

As the male calves get too old for Though Bug and his family did not the show ring, they provide a new participate in 4-H before, it is now a bloodline for Williams’s herd and Bug central part of their lives. In addition to can choose one or two of the new showing cattle, Bug is also involved in calves he wants to train for shows. other 4-H programs, including robotics, Gladys, one of Scooter’s heifer dairy products judging, horse bowl, calves, is an ideal candidate for showBug said one of his new show calves, Crisco, a registered and livestock judging. He also particimanship. She has good muscle definiHereford bull calf, is “just big and lazy.” pates in activities at the Mississippi tion and the deep belly, or large rib State Fair, where he shows his calves each year. cage, which is a good indication a female cow has enough room to “4-H is a family activity for us,” Bug’s mom said. “When we carry a calf, Padgett said. go to shows, our whole family goes—me, my husband, my dad, Bug and Gladys placed second in showmanship at the Attala my brother, everyone shows up. And we look forward to all the County livestock show in Kosciusko in 2015. other activities he participates in, too. He keeps us very busy.”

“That’s the best we’ve ever done there,” Powell said. “Bug’s And it’s not all about winning, Bug said. showmanship skills are getting better and better every year.”

“My favorite part of 4-H is showing cows, but I like all of it,” He is getting a lot of practice this year. In addition to Gladys, he said. “I’ve made new friends in 4-H and enjoy watching the Bug is showing Pepper, another heifer from his grandfather’s herd, other kids show their animals.” and Crisco, a new Hereford bull calf.

Williams said Bug loves anything about the farm.

“I spend about 2 hours a day with my show calves,” Bug said.

“Since he was little, I’ve always taken him with me when I’d “During school, my granddad sometimes helps me with morning do anything with my cows—feed them, check them,” he said. feedings and basic care, but I walk them, brush them, clean their Bug plans to be a cattleman when he grows up, and he’s alpens, practice the show pattern with them, and keep up with my ready started practicing. He has nine of his own cows that he manshow book.” ages now.

His grandfather and his mom help him, but they make sure he “He has four cows and four calves, plus Sally, his very first shoulders the majority of the responsibility. show calf,” Williams said. “He’s actually a better cattleman than I “He’s always been pretty responsible, but I’ve seen him grow am. He researches things and knows more than I do. He teaches even more since he’s been involved in 4-H,” Williams said. “I make me about cows.” him do the work. I help him more during school with feeding in the mornings, but he still comes every afternoon to work with them.”

That is part of Bug’s success, Padgett said.

By Susan Collins-Smith • Photos by Kevin Hudson “People who love their animals know how to handle them,” she said. “When you work with them like Bug does, you learn their quirks and how to manage them even when the animals are having a bad day. They are just like people in that sense. Cows have off days just like people. But Bug works through that. He has that kind of relationship with his animals.”

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Improving Crop Protection

MSU Research Used to Develop Weed Control Traits, Herbicides

MAFES and MSU Extension researchers provide growers with valuable information regarding weed control and crop tolerance.

As weed resistance to herbicides continues to be a challenge, producers need access to the most recent technology designed to prevent their crops from being compromised.

Researchers with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Mississippi State University Extension Service recognize the importance of such research and work with manufacturers of traits and herbicides as they develop new crop protection products.

“Our scientists evaluate all aspects of weed control and crop tolerance to see how these technologies fit our production systems,” said MSU Extension soybean specialist Dr. Trent Irby. “We make our best recommendations to the companies behind the new technology based on the results of our evaluations.”

In Mississippi, the main enemy to row crops—particularly cotton and soybeans—is Palmer amaranth, an aggressive, fastgrowing pigweed that invades crops growing in hot climates. Producers across the state also encounter horseweed. With about 9 million acres of cotton and 83 million acres of soybeans across the U.S., a weapon to control these weeds is vital.

“Palmer amaranth drives all the weed-control decisions in cotton and soybean, without question,” said MAFES scientist and Extension cotton specialist Dr. Darrin Dodds. “If you design a weed control program to control glysophate-resistant Palmer amaranth, you can control pretty much everything else.”

There is a marked difference between traits and herbicides, which are also commonly known as chemistries. Traits are inserted

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Dr. Dan Reynolds is one of several MSU scientists who relay university recommendations to growers at crop field days. into the genetic makeup of traditional crop varieties, which makes the crops tolerant to herbicides sprayed on them later in the growing season, with the goal of reducing yield losses from weed infestation.

Getting the newest technology into producers’ arsenals is a long process, as manufacturers must be able to prove their products are safe for the environment as well as the consumer. This is known in the agricultural field as the deregulation process, and it often takes up to 5 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Environmental Protection Agency must evaluate and approve all genetically engineered organisms before commercialization is an option.

“The USDA and EPA want to ensure that the chemicals are safe for the producers making applications and for consumers before they are released into the market,” Dodds said. “Deregulation takes the safety of other organisms such as bees into account, as well. It is important to them and to us that these kinds of products are safe for the environment as a whole.”

In the past, private industry and university cooperators would first test traits or chemistries until they found an effective option. Once a trait or chemistry had been used on several crops, the manufacturer would develop a data package to prove the new technology would control weeds without harming the crops and that it would not pose a danger to consumers or the environment.

Two commonly used herbicides, 2,4-D and dicamba, have been in use on row crops for several decades. Recently, Monsanto

Company and Dow AgroSciences have developed crops tolerant to each of these herbicides. The most common traits currently used in row crop production for weed control are known commercially as the Roundup Ready and Liberty Link traits.

Scholarly opinion on the use of herbicide-resistant crop varieties varies depending on the views of companies owning the rights to the technology and the potential for injury by drift to crops not targeted by the spray. Dodds said while recently approved traits and herbicides have improved modern agriculture significantly, producers will have to pay more attention to detail when making herbicide applications.

“The problem is going to be both of these traits existing in the same world, because soybeans are extremely sensitive to dicamba and cotton is extremely sensitive to 2,4-D,” Dodds said. “If you make an application of dicamba near cotton on a windy day, it’s going to show, and the same goes for 2,4-D near soybeans. Sprayer cleanout is also going to become more important because you don’t want a chemical left over from a previous application being used on a crop that is not tolerant to it.”

In 2015, Monsanto’s Xtend trait was deregulated, but the Xtend chemistry is not yet available. Dow’s Enlist trait and chemistry have been deregulated.

Irby said traits have a fairly long but limited shelf life as weeds develop resistance to them, necessitating continual adjustments to established formulas.

“Repeated use causes weed species to develop resistance to chemicals over time, but there are several other species that the same technology can also manage once that happens,” Irby said.

“The same kind of technology can provide protective benefits for a long time depending on how and when they are used. Using different products with multiple modes of action in a weed control system and rotating crops helps to manage the development of resistance.”

Dodds said MSU involvement in testing new crop protection and weed control technology is instrumental in helping Mississippi producers succeed each year.

“Everyone in our industry is well aware of the weed control issues we have in Mississippi, but we are also fortunate for a number of reasons,” Dodds said. “We have a good working relationship with the companies that make these products, and we have been able to conduct useful research and demonstration plots showcasing their effectiveness well before they reach the commercial market. We also agree that this technology is needed in our climate, and our growers have benefited significantly from its development.”

By Nathan Gregory • Photos by Kevin Hudson

MSU involvement in testing new crop protection and weed control technology is instrumental in helping Mississippi producers succeed each year.

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On the Hunt for Land It’s not a matter of wanting to hunt; it’s finding a place to hunt.

The state’s 665,000 acres of wildlife management areas do not provide enough space for Mississippi’s 483,000 hunters, according to a recent study by scientists in Mississippi State University’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center.

Researchers surveyed 4,000 hunters who had purchased wildlife management area permits. Over 93 percent of respondents were male, with an average age of 44.9 years.

Survey results indicate that 61 percent of hunters thought public lands were moderately to very overcrowded, while 42 percent said that they felt the abundance and quality of game on public land was satisfactory. Private land was viewed more positively. Eighty-two percent believed that game abundance was satisfactory on private land, and 76 percent felt that game quality was satisfactory.

Despite these perceptions, leasing private land for hunting is still uncommon among Mississippi hunters.

Dr. Ian Munn, associate dean and professor in the College of Forest Resources and a forest economist in the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, views private land as an underused resource. He believes more leases between hunters or hunting clubs and landowners could be beneficial for all involved. At present in Mississippi, 66 percent of hunters use public or free private land, while only 34 percent stated that some portion of their hunting is on leased land.

“Hunting leases can provide a healthy income stream to the landowner,” Munn said. “A good hunting club can serve as eyes on the ground for absentee landown-

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trips than non-lessees. Lessees also hunted ers, which is becoming increasingly impora wider variety of species. tant as fewer and fewer landowners are livHunters also benefit from hunting on ing on, or close to, their forestland.” private land.

Munn believes private lands are un“The advantages to the hunters are that derused not because hunters are unwillfuture hunting is ensured and the property ing to pay for leases, but for other, can be aggressively managed for wildlife resolvable issues. habitat, thereby increasing the quality of the “In an early study, we found that many available hunting,” Munn said. landowners were hesitant to lease because Andrew Bailey is a Hancock County they were concerned about a number of pohunter who hunts on leased land. tential problems they believed came hand “The game is decent on public land, in hand with leasing hunting rights, such as but on private land you don’t have to deal liability, safety, and loss of control of the with all of the people. The hunters in my property,” Munn said. “However, when we area have formed a hunting club, and we interviewed landowners who were actively managed to find land to lease right in our engaged in leasing, none of these issues area,” he said. “By leasing from private were a significant problem. In fact, these landowners, we always have access to a landowners reported virtually no problems place to hunt. It also means that we can use associated with their leasing operations.” the land in different ways, like camping Instead, scientists found that leases out, because we know that we won’t run often provided landowners peace of mind into other hunters.” about their properties. Lessees could keep Bailey said that, at $500 per hunter per an eye on things and report problems such year, with 10 hunters on 540 acres, it was as vandalism, trespassing, and poaching. well worth the opportunity to hunt on priHunters’ willingness to lease also vate land. plays a role in the use of private land.

As more people become aware of the Munn’s research demonstrated that hunter benefits to both hunters and landowners backgrounds might alter their likelihood to when leasing, it is likely that the numbers lease hunting land. The study found that of hunters on private land will continue hunters who leased, on average, were to grow. older and had fewer dependents than those who did not. It also reported that they tended to hold bachelor’s degrees or higher, were employed full-time, and By Sarah Buckleitner • Photo by Kevin Hudson earned higher incomes.

However, these differences were not significant enough to completely distinguish lessees from non-lessees. People from all backgrounds and income levels appeared to use leases. One major difference was the amount of time hunters invested: lessees took about 70 percent more hunting

“I have approximately 585 acres I inherited from my father and grandfather. I lease it for several reasons. First of all, I like the idea of someone being able to enjoy and utilize the land—that means a lot to me. The income from leasing helps pay the property taxes. It also provides an extra set of eyes on particular areas of the farm during different times throughout the year.”

鵻鵼 Janice Rhodes, a local landowner, talks with Dr. Ian Munn about the various benefits of leasing her land to area hunters.

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Dr. Roberto Gallardo (right) talks with Quitman Mayor Eddie Fulton about the Extension Intelligent Community Institute.

Gallardo travels around the state to help rural communities transition to, plan for, and prosper in the digital age.

BRIDGING THE GAP Program Helps Rural Communities Transition to the Digital Age

age through research and outreach, specifically its Intelligent ComBringing rural Mississippi communities into the digital age is the munity Outreach Process. objective of a newly established Mississippi State University ExDr. Roberto Gallardo, associtension Service program. ate Extension professor in the The MSU Extension Intelligent “What really blows their mind is that they see that Center for Technology Outreach, Community Institute, or MSUEwe have actually made this at the library with said doing so means understandICI, is a joint project between the ing characteristics of the digital Extension Center for Technology the machine. We did not have a 3-D printer in age and their implications for Outreach, Extension Center for this area before, so having something like that businesses, governments, and resGovernment and Community Dehere has been great for kids to come in because idents. velopment, and its parent worldit’s introducing them to emerging technology.”

“There is not a lot of research wide organization, the Intelligent on the impact of broadband in Community Forum.

Josh Haidet rural areas,” Gallardo said. “You Designated as an Intelligent see a lot of it on cities, but there is Community Institute in October little attention to rural settings. We are trying to generate that re2014, MSUE-ICI is currently working to help nine rural communisearch by working with communities that want to participate.” ties across the state transition to, plan for, and prosper in the digital

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Though it is only in its second year, the foundation for MSUE-ICI was established when Extension received grant funding in 2011 to increase broadband adoption and availability throughout the state. Gallardo said, for the next 3 years, Extension formed partnerships with the Mississippi Development Authority along with WIN Job Centers and public libraries.

Due to a solid working relationship with these and other statewide agencies and an important need for digital literacy, Extension applied to be designated as an established ICI with rural communities in mind.

The Intelligent Community Outreach Process put in place by ICF identifies the unique digital challenges each community faces and provides local Extension agents and other local champions with the tools necessary to address those needs over an 18- to 24-month, four-step process. The steps are increasing awareness; identifying assets and needs; implementing a strategy to address those weaknesses and leverage existing assets; and nominating themselves for consideration from ICF as one of

21 Intelligent Community yearly designations in the world.

One Mississippi community already benefiting from the efforts of MSUE-ICI is the city of Quitman. Gallardo worked with the town’s public library to purchase a three-dimensional printer for the facility.

He said the library’s new tool addresses two indicators of Intelligent Communities: knowledge workforce and digital equality.

Broadband connectivity, innovation, marketing, and sustainability are the other four indicators.

“It’s been fantastic,” Gallardo said. “If the kids there are reading a book with an emphasis on the Empire State Building, they can print a 3-D model of the building and develop a better understanding of the book. More than likely, they would not have seen that elsewhere. Exposing kids to STEM-related concepts at an early age can have a significant impact on their lives later on as they choose career paths.”

East Mississippi Regional Library System Director Josh Haidet said the new equipment has gotten local young people coming to the library more often to see it

Clarke County Extension agent Christy King and Gallardo display items made with the new 3-D printer at the Quitman Public Library.

at work and using their imaginations on ideas for objects that could be printed next.

“What really blows their mind is that they see that we have actually made this at the library with the machine,” Haidet said. “We did not have a 3-D printer in this area before, so having something like that here has been great for kids to come in because it’s introducing them to emerging technology.

“Roberto has been a true asset to this area, and we can’t thank him enough for his work,” Haidet said. “It has been very helpful to our community.”

Gallardo said the Intelligent Community concept plays well into the Extension mission of extending knowledge and changing lives because it creates another role for Extension in the 21st century.

“Incorporating the IC concept provides strong incentives for Extension specialists and agents to develop relevant programming to address 21st century needs in their communities,” Gallardo said.

By Nathan Gregory • Photos by Kevin Hudson

Gallardo conducts a social media training session with residents of Quitman. The MSU Extension Intelligent Community Institute helps rural communities identify and address their digital challenges.

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FOCUS

Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

SUPPORTING MISSISSIPPI’S GREEN INDUSTRY crease from the $46 million value of sales for the same industry Mississippi’s horticulture industry has weathered several storms segment reported in the 2007 census. in the last 10 years, beginning with Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Dr. Geoff Denny, Mississippi State University assistant ExWhat had been an almost billion-dollar industry before the tension professor of horticulture in the Department of Plant and storm underwent major infrastructure, inventory, and market losses.

Soil Sciences, said he expects the industry to continue to improve Hundreds of nurseries, greenhouses, retailers, and landscapers lost in 2016. upward of $20 million in plants, buildings, and computer systems.

“This year has been a decent year for the industry,” he said.

Although those who rebuilt their businesses recuperated “We definitely continue to see an upward quickly to be ready for community recovtrend in sales. During the last couple of ery, the following housing market collapse, years, the housing market has improved, recession, and drought caused sales to de“This year has been a decent and we’ve had two really harsh winters. cline further.

Both of those factors have given us a boost, The subset of the industry that inyear for the industry. We’re I think.” cludes nursery and greenhouse crops and Slumping sales are due mostly to the floriculture is called the green industry and not at pre-2008 levels, but we economic climate, but the industry also is is concentrated in the state’s six coastal definitely continue to see an facing cultural shifts and new product decounties. It produces trees, shrubs, bedmand from younger gardeners. ding plants, cut flowers, florist greenery, upward trend in sales.”

“We are seeing an increased interest in and seasonal crops such as Easter lilies and horticulture from the millennial generapoinsettias. Related businesses, such as Dr. Geoff Denny tion,” Denny said. “But they are interested landscape architecture, contracting, and in different products. We find that they maintenance companies, throughout the want multi-function products. They aren’t state were also affected. as interested in ornamental plants as the baby boomer generation.

Horticultural crops, which include fruits and vegetables, tree They want plants that do more than just look pretty.” nuts, nursery and greenhouse crops, floriculture, sod, and ChristMillennials, who were born during the 1980s and 1990s, have mas trees, rank 10th among Mississippi’s agricultural commodia renewed interest in growing fruits and vegetables. Members of ties, with an estimated value of $112 million, according to the MSU generation X, born during the late 1960s and the 1970s, have less Department of Agricultural Economics. Statistics gathered by the interest in gardening than the baby-boomer generation.

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics “There is a gap there. Millennials were raised by nongardenService and reported in the 2012 Census of Agriculture showed ers, and, for many of them, it is a foreign concept even though they Mississippi’s nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod had a marhave a desire to grow things, especially food,” Denny said. ket value in terms of products sold of $61.1 million. That’s an in-

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FOCUS

Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

Trial Garden RESEARCH Helps Growers

Scientists conduct ornamental horticulture research at two main MSU locations: the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs and the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville. The North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona and the trial gardens on the Starkville campus also perform plant trials.

The Truck Crops and South Mississippi stations evaluate ornamental flowers and shrubs for suitability to Mississippi’s climate and growing conditions for home gardeners, commercial growers, and retailers.

Studies at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station, the largest of the three off-campus facilities dedicated to horticulture research, focus on breeding and evaluating plants for home gardeners.

Shaun Broderick, assistant professor with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU Extension, manages the station’s 2-acre trial gardens that test annual and perennial bedding plants. He also has started a breeding program. He is concentrating on studies that reflect market trends and consumer demand for easy-care plants in Mississippi’s hot, humid climate.

“In my breeding work, I want to create plants that will thrive and continue growing no matter what happens to them,” Broderick said. “In the trial gardens, I want to see the same resilience in the plants we test.”

Broderick and his team set up the trials to mimic home garden conditions. Plants sent to the Truck Crops station by commercial

growers are planted in raised beds with drip irrigation to water and fertilize the plants. Insecticides and fungicides are only applied if there are extreme pressures from insects or disease during the growing season. Scientists collect data on characteristics such as how much the plant flowers, leaf health, uniformity of the crop when two or more plants are planted together, and landscape impact.

Trial plants are rated every 2 weeks, for a total of about 10 ratings for the growing season. The ratings are entered into a new blog for public viewing and are updated throughout the season.

“This work is very valuable because it gives home gardeners real-world results,” Broderick said. “It tells them how the plants perform in this area of the state and what to buy when they go to the garden center. The data also helps suppliers and retailers know which plants to grow and buy.”

Through these trials, MSU scientists also learn about diseases or insects that might need attention as the growing season begins.

Broderick said his plant trials and breeding programs are set up to eliminate cultivars that cannot stand up to mild insect and disease pressure. Hollyhocks, a flower popular two to three decades ago, are fussy plants, but Broderick predicts that gardeners will be interested in them again.

“These flowers are notorious for getting every disease under the sun,” Broderick said, “so I’m doing some breeding work with them to try and toughen them up and make them attractive to today’s gardeners.”

To view the plant trial database, visit http://www.blogs.msucares.com/ornamentals/.

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FOCUS

Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

At the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, Dr. Gene Blythe, an associate research professor with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, tests about 200 plant varieties for commercial growers each year.

Researchers test All-America Selections plants, which are improved varieties for the home garden that have not yet been introduced to the market, and authorized trials for new varieties from commercial growers, such as Ball Horticultural and Proven Winners. Both trials are observed for the same general performance characteristics as are rated at the Truck Crops station.

The All-America Selections trial plants are tested at locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, including universities, commercial greenhouses, and breeding facilities. AAS judges observe and rate the plants throughout the season. AAS winners are declared after the judges’ scores are tabulated by AAS and an independent accounting firm at the end of each season.

The results of the authorized plant trials are provided to commercial suppliers and are entered into the National Plant Trials Database for viewing by green industry professionals.

“These unbiased trials in Mississippi’s hot, humid growing conditions can be used by commercial growers in selecting crops for production, by retailers focused on selecting products that will perform best for their customers, by landscapers for selecting plants that will give optimal performance in our climate, and by home gardeners in selecting plants they can rely upon for good garden performance,” Blythe said. “MAFES and Extension must strive to maintain a balance in research among multiple issues facing the green industry, particularly those facing the commercial production sector.”

In addition to variety trials, research done at the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station includes commercial nursery propagation, fertilization, and water issues. Blythe and scientists at cooperating institutions are also growing and testing aromatic plants that could be sources of pest repellents and pest control compounds.

Trial garden news and horticultural research from the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station is published in the monthly newsletter “Highlights,” available at http://mafes.msstate.edu/publications/highlights.asp/.

Scientists will begin a multi-site Mississippi Medallion flower trial this year to help home gardeners and commercial growers select plants that perform well in their area of the state. The Mississippi Medallion trials began in Verona about 20 years ago, but these plants will now be planted at the Mississippi State Trial Garden on the Starkville campus, the Truck Crops Experiment Station in Crystal Springs, the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona, and the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi.

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“We’ve been working on coordinating this project for a while, and we’re excited about it,” said Dr. Gary Bachman, associate Extension/research professor and host of Southern Gardening. “This will give commercial producers, retailers, and consumers reliable information about which plants will stand up to our heat and humidity in each of our four planting zones.”

No-care roses were trialed in fall of 2015. Plants in the gardens now will be considered by the Mississippi Nursery and Landscape Association for the 2017 and 2018 medallion awards, which will give growers plenty of time to produce enough plants for consumers.

For more information about MSU research and Extension centers, visit http://msucares.com/branches.

The trial gardens are open to the public during regular business hours throughout the year and during special events, such as the Fall Flower and Vegetable Tour at the Northeast Mississippi branch in September, the Fall Flower & Garden Fest at the Truck Crops branch in October, and the Ornamental Horticulture Field Day at the South Mississippi branch in October.

FOCUS

Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

EXTENSION Adapts to Gardeners’ Needs shocked by that. Neither of us thought that would work. We thought we’d get some tomatoes, but not nearly that many.”

That kind of convenience is what resonates with home gardeners right now.

“When you can come home and grab the water hose and water the garden without leaving the patio, that is what people are looking for,” Denny said. “Most people don’t want a half-acre garden. They don’t have the time to commit to work in it and would not use the amount of food that size garden would produce even if they preserved it.”

Denny’s chief duty is teaching the public about horticulture through Extension programming and partnerships. He said he is directing a large portion of his educational programs toward millennials.

Photo by Susan Collins-Smith “A lot of my workshops focus on introducing this age group to a hobby or to the products that Extension and MAFES scientists work to reflect the changing are available and how to use them,” Denny said. “Many of them public interests in their outreach and research projects. are intimidated by plants because they have not experienced garIn the 1960s and 1970s, the horticulture industry primarily fodening or had parents or grandparents who grew plants.” cused on fruit and vegetables as their main products. In the late Denny and Kandiace Gray, who is an Extension associate, cre1980s and early 1990s, people wanted nursery products, such as ated a hands-on, how-to workshop series as one way to appeal to annual and perennial bedding plants. From the mid-1990s to early the college-age population when Gray was a horticulture graduate 2000s, landscaping items, such as shrubs and trees, were in high student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The workdemand. shop is still held one Tuesday night per month at Dorman Hall on “Now everyone is going back to edibles,” Denny said. “It’s just the Starkville campus. Between 40 and 60 people meet and learn the normal cycle of things. We need to be willing to go with the how to do floral arrangements or other horticulture-related projects flow at the undergraduate education level and in our research and they see on websites, such as Pinterest. outreach at the university.”

“Our target audience was college students, so we were pleasAnd that’s just what they’re doing. antly surprised during our first meeting when we had everyone In 2015, Denny and colleague Dr. David Nagel, an Extension from teenagers to senior citizens show up,” Denny said. professor and horticulture specialist, tested new vegetable cultivars Participants have made all kinds of items, including succulent bred for container production. Patio vegetable gardens are popular wall frames, fairy gardens, faux stone flowerpots, and fall pumpkin with people who do not have space for or do not want large vegplanters. etable gardens, Denny said.

Denny also conducts a monthly Saturday workshop on the As part of their student instruction duties and their work Starkville campus, which addresses timely topics and features with the trial gardens on the MSU campus, they tested various MSU specialists and plants grown at the Mississippi State Trial vegetable plants in different size containers. Some were complete Gardens. experiments.

“We want people to have a sense of accomplishment when “We took a small pot, one that would hold about 3 quarts of they leave our workshops,” he said. “Our favorite thing to hear soil—or about the same amount as would fit in a 2-liter bottle— people say when they leave is, ‘Oh, that was easy. I could have and put a patio tomato plant in it. We were able to produce 6 or 7 done that.’” pounds of tomatoes off that one plant,” Denny said. “We were both

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FOCUS

Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

ACADEMIC Programs Prepare Horticulture Grads Career options for graduates include production, manageMSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences helps prepare ment, marketing, and retail businesses. students for careers related to horticulture. Forty-one students are “There are quite a range of job opportunities for horticulture enrolled in the horticulture undergraduate degree program, which graduates,” Harkess said. “Most of our graduates accept positions consists of three concentrations. Students can focus on floral manwith botanical gardens, landscape maintenance companies, and in agement, floriculture and ornamentals, and fruit and vegetable sales and marketing. A few also go into greenhouse and nursery production. production.

Courses in the department also are available to students in re“The industry has grown quite a bit, and production sales is a lated fields, such as landscape architecture, or those who are interhuge segment of the industry,” Harkess said. ested in learning how to arrange flowers. They earn credit hours There are also opportunities with municipalities, schools, and toward their elective requirements. universities. Students with horticulture degrees can work as writers Although the department is small in terms of enrollment, those for garden publications, as research techniwho enter the field have a huge impact on cians for government or private industry, society, said Dr. Mike Phillips, professor and as horticulture consultants, Harkess and head of the department.

“Horticulture is horticulture whether said.

“The degree program extends well bewe are teaching students to grow “There are almost always job openings yond plants. Horticulture impacts human somewhere, and these are good-paying nutrition, social aspects of society, conserpetunias or tomatoes. If they want to jobs, especially in production because of vation, beautification, and sustainability of learn how to grow a tomato, we the need right now,” Denny said. our landscapes,” Phillips said. “This field Gardening trends are shifting as milis significant in everyday life across the U.S should teach them how to grow a lennials focus more on food crops and muland the globe. Horticulture serves to protomato. No matter what plant we tifunctional plants, but Harkess said vide the basic structure for all of the green students major in horticulture because of industry in the production and manageteach them to grow, they will have their love of plants and growing things. ment of ornamentals, fruits and vegetathe basics.”

“Landscapes in general are moving bles, and floral designs for various events.” more toward the integration of food The small student body lends many Dr. Geoff Denny plants,” he said. “There is definitely more advantages to horticulture majors, includof a conscious look at pollinators and ing one-on-one time with professors and plants that perform a practical function as well as look good.” advisors and more opportunities for hands-on learning, said Dr. But this is not considered a bad thing. The principals for growRichard Harkess, a professor of horticulture in the department. ing plants are universal, Denny said.

“Any student who comes to me for advising gets at least a half“Horticulture is horticulture whether we are teaching students hour of my time,” Harkess said. “As a department, we do a really to grow petunias or tomatoes,” he said. “If they want to learn how good job of that anyway, but the small number of students really to grow a tomato, we should teach them how to grow a tomato. No allows us to get to know our students and their goals and help matter what plant we teach them to grow, they will have the basics.” them meet those goals.”

Horticulture is one of 16 majors offered in the MSU College of Coursework gives students the basic scientific knowledge to Agriculture and Life Sciences. grow plants, but students also get practical experience in the field.

Students complete internships, work within the department, and engage in service projects and the department’s Horticulture Club.

They also participate in field days and workshops sponsored by

By Susan Collins-Smith • Photos by Kevin Hudson the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU Extension.

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FOCUS

Research, Education, and Extension in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine

Coursework gives horticulture students the basic scientific knowledge to grow plants, but students also get practical experience in the field.

MSU horticulture students host the annual Great Southern Tomato Tasting at the MSU Trial Gardens. The free event features gardening tips and samples of more than 20 varieties of tomatoes grown by the students.

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Brittany Storey graduated from the CVM VMT program in 2013 and now works as a licensed veterinary medical technician with Memphis Veterinary Specialists.

Veterinary Medical Technicians Find Career Satisfaction, Confidence

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When Brittany Storey of Terry, Mississippi, was searching for a major, she felt a little like Goldilocks—she couldn’t find the career path that felt “just right.”

Although she loved animals and wanted a career in biology, she didn’t see herself as a veterinarian. She spoke with different department heads, but she couldn’t picture herself in a career in agriculture or human medicine, either.

Finally, she discovered a new program at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine for veterinary medical technicians, and after spending some time shadowing Lisa Pritchard and other VMTs at MSU-CVM, decided the program was the perfect fit.

Storey graduated in 2013 and currently works at Memphis Veterinary Specialists as a licensed veterinary medical technician.

“I am very pleased with my career decision, because I am able to be an advocate for the patients,” Storey said. “I am able to be a doctor’s second set of eyes when she has to go figure out the best

plan of treatment, or be her second set of hands to help a patient beWhile Eldridge originally aspired to be a veterinarian, once come more comfortable and pain-free. I can also be there to comfort he discovered the VMT program, he never looked back. the patient’s owner when the doctor is busy with another patient.”

“I loved seeing the other side of veterinary medicine, from a Storey said her job in the clinic is comparable to a nurse’s role nurse’s point of view,” he explained. “The teachers showed me in a human medical setting. there is no limit to what we can do, and the vet school taught us “I can play many roles, such as radiology technician, aneshow valuable we can be. I knew then I wanted to do this for the thetist, lab technician, phlebotomist, surgical assistant, mortician, rest of my career.” or just a shoulder to cry on,” she said. “Now that I am working Eldridge worked in the CVM radiology and laboratory aniin all these different capacities, I’m able to call on what I learned mal departments, but he opted to pursue emergency medicine as a student at MSU and build after graduation. He currently on that.” works at PetMed Emergency CenStorey said she chose MSU ter in Memphis and is studying to because she wanted a highbecome specialized with the Acadquality education in a scientific emy of Veterinary Emergency and field without having to leave Critical Care Technicians. her home state. But more than “I am certified in animal an education, she was welCPR, and I’m learning new skills comed into a warm, hospitable and knowledge for critical paatmosphere with people who tients,” he said. “Working in the truly wanted her to succeed. In ER can be long hours, stressful, addition to technical skills and and sometimes draining, but it is knowledge, she gained confiimportant and rewarding.” dence and inspiration.

Dr. Allison Gardner, VMT “Mrs. Joyce Billow, who is program director, said she loves now retired, told me I could do watching the program grow. anything I wanted and encourAdding a 3-week elective and 4aged me to be all I can be,” David Eldridge was in the first graduating class of VMTs in 2012. He currently week externship has given VMT Storey recalled. “Matt Raby in students even more hands-on works at PetMed Emergency Center in Memphis. internal medicine was always experience. willing to teach me, or to forgive me when I made a mistake or “We often have students who come into the program with forgot something. Mrs. Tonya Graham in anesthesia always taught very specific interests, such as equine and canine rehabilitation, us to be brave and bold, to ask if we had questions, and to not be emergency medicine and critical care, or exotic animals and afraid to ask ‘Why?’” pocket pets,” she said. “The electives and externships allow the Storey’s next goal is to complete her veterinary technician students to gain additional experience in those areas by the time specialty in small animal internal medicine. they graduate.”

MSU-CVM is the third college of veterinary medicine in the Over time, the program’s reputation has allowed it to draw U.S. to offer a 4-year bachelor of science degree in veterinary medstudents from all over the U.S. ical technology. Nationwide, students have just 20 programs to “We had a very busy summer of orientation sessions, with apply to for this degree. students from Alabama, Louisiana, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Dr. Ron McLaughlin, associate dean for administration at Michigan, Arkansas, and Puerto Rico attending,” Gardner said. “I MSU-CVM, said the college introduced the VMT program to help find it very rewarding to see a student’s face light up because he fill a need for more trained animal “nurses” in Mississippi and or she has finally found a career to pursue.” across the country.

“This bachelor’s degree program provides our graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in a wide variety

By Keri Collins Lewis • Photos by Kevin Hudson of animal-related fields,” McLaughlin said. “We are very proud of the tremendous impact they’ve had in numerous veterinary hospitals, shelters, and research labs throughout the region. The program’s success is the result of a lot of hard work by the faculty and the students, and is certainly a point of pride at the college.”

David Eldridge of Memphis, Tennessee, was in the first graduating class of VMTs in 2012. He first decided MSU was the place for him when he visited campus in 2007.

“I wanted to walk those halls as a student ever since,” he remembered. “The professors are fantastic, the facility is wonderful, the staff is warm and sweet—CVM is just filled with good people!”

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Mississippi State University researchers are developing cost-ef“We may end up moving back to the goggle idea in the end fective, portable screening methods to test for a potentially deaddue to expense—this version is still too expensive to be effectively contaminant. ly distributed,” Yao said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and PreHe also explained that, once the technology has been develvention, an estimated 4.5 billion people living in developing oped, getting people to use it may be yet another challenge. countries may be chronically exposed to aflatoxin, a fungal toxin “During a recent visit to Haiti, we found that, in the market, found on corn and peanuts that can lead to liver cancer. people screen the corn on their own—they take only the best kerDr. Haibo Yao, associate renels, which are less likely to be search professor in the MSU contaminated. However, beGeosystems Research Institute cause food is so scarce, the and scientist with the Mississippi growers then eat the leftover, Agricultural and Forestry Expericontaminated kernels and are ment Station, explained the imexposed to aflatoxin. We hope portance of reducing the time and that, with education and incencost involved in detecting contamtives from nonprofits, they will inated grain. utilize the technology and learn “The screening process that to avoid aflatoxin, but it’s a long corn goes through before it can be road toward that point,” Yao shipped to consumers is lengthy added. and expensive,” Yao said. “TradiWhile people in the United tionally, screening centers would States are unlikely to be exposed take samples of each new load to aflatoxin due to strict governand analyze its chemical compoment guidelines, the toxin is still nents in order to detect aflatoxin. problematic. The lengthy screenIn third world countries, the exing process often causes backups pense and technology required at screening centers, which slows means that food containing aflathe harvest and transportation toxin often is not screened.” process.

This is where Mississippi State’s The issue is growing in Misresearch is making an impact. sissippi because of increased “We developed a way to view corn yields over the past 20 aflatoxin contamination by comyears, GRI senior research assobining UV fluorescence with opciate Russell Kincaid said. tics, which provides a cheap, fast “Where you used to drive alternative to the traditional down road after road lined with method,” Yao said. cotton, now it’s all corn,” he Essentially, Yao created a way said. “And because of Missisfor people to take images of posippi’s climate, the conditions tentially contaminated kernels for aflatoxin are just right. Findunder UV light and see the aflaing a way to quickly, cheaply toxin as glowing splotches. With screen for it is economically imthis technology, detecting aflatoxportant to this region.” in is as quick as a glance.

This research was funded in Furthermore, Yao developed part by the U.S. government’s a patented screening device that is Feed the Future effort to allevicheap and portable, so that it can ate world hunger and to ensure be easily distributed to places food security for everyone, as MSU scientist Dr. Haibo Yao, pictured on page 25, has developed the technology to detect aflatoxin in corn kernels quickly and where people may consume aflawell as the U.S. Department of economically. toxin-contaminated corn. While Agriculture and U.S. Agency for initial designs envisioned the International Development. screening device as goggles that could be worn, the researchers have since moved in the direction of a shoebox-sized black box, called AflaGoggles. This prototype is a big step forward in terms of getting the technology into the hands of people who need it; however, there are still obstacles to overcome.

By Sarah Buckleitner • Photos by Russell Kincaid

Aflatoxin

Research Advances Food Safety

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Dr. Haibo Yao’s AflaGoggle prototype is about the size of a shoe box. While the prototype is a step forward, Yao said it will likely be modified in the future.

When viewed through the AflaGoggle box, aflatoxincontaminated corn glows.

Yao hopes the new technology will encourage screening for aflatoxin, especially in third world countries where the contaminant is common and screening is often not feasible.

The AflaGoggle box combines UV fluorescence with optics to quickly and easily detect contaminated corn.

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1/82: Kemper County Kemper County Office, MSU Extension Service 587 Old Scooba Road DeKalb, MS 39328 (601) 743-2837 ruby.d.rankin@msstate.edu or kemper@ext.msstate.edu Like us on Facebook: Kemper County Extension Office

Sciple’s Mill in Kemper County has been in operation for more than 200 years.

Photo by Kevin Hudson

County seat:

DeKalb

Population:

10,456

Municipalities:

DeKalb and Scooba

Commodities:

beef, forestry, poultry

Industries:

Kemper IGCG Facility, North American Coal, Emilia Resources, Prime Line Catfish Processing Plant, Nokomis, Electric Mills Wood Preserving

Natural resources:

forestry, wildlife, kaolinite and montmorillonite clay, lignite

History notes:

The Choctaw, Chickasaw, Alabama, and Muscogee Native Americans first inhabited Kemper County. Kemper County is also the home of former U.S. Senator John C. Stennis, who served as a congressman for more than 40 years. Sciple’s Mill is more than 200 years old and has been owned by the Sciple family for over 140 years. It is still operable and grinds corn and wheat.

Attractions:

Kemper Lake, Sciple’s Mill, East Mississippi Community College (football), Kemper Coal Facility

Did you know?

Kemper County was one of the 16 counties formed in 1833 from the territory acquired from the Choctaws by the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit.

“Although very rural, Kemper County is just a short automobile ride from MSU-Starkville, Tuscaloosa, Jackson, and Birmingham. With the addition of Plant Ratcliff, this Southern community is seeing its share of people from all over the world.”

Ruby D. Rankin, MSU Extension County Coordinator

Editor’s note: 1/82 is a regular feature highlighting one of Mississippi’s 82 counties.

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NEWSNotes Dr. Marion Willard “Will” Evans became head of the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion December 1. A master certified health education specialist and certified wellness practitioner, Evans brings experience and leadership in health promotion and wellness. His background in nutrition and wellness will build on the department’s research program, which seeks to make food safe and accessible while training the next generation of leaders. Evans was previously the executive vice president and provost of the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Alabama. He received a doctor of chiropractic degree from Logan University.

Dr. Marion Willard Evans

Dr. Sylvia Byrd is committed to improving the nutrition and health of low-resource households through her efforts as the new project director for the MSU Extension Service Office of Nutrition Education. She will provide leadership for externally funded nutrition education programs that target low-resource households.

She will work closely with the Mississippi Department of Human Services to ensure successful implementation of the program. In addition to education, a significant focus of the office will be policy, operational, and environmental changes. A licensed and registered dietitian, the North Carolina native earned her bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University in 1982 and her doctorate in nutrition from MSU in 1993. A member of the MSU faculty since 1994, her most recent duties have been as a professor and director of the didactic program in nutrition and dietetics in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion.

Dr. Sylvia Byrd

Dr. Phil Bushby

Dr. Phil Bushby, the retired Marcia P. Lane Endowed Chair in Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare, accepted the 2015 Association of Shelter Veterinarians Meritorious Award. Each year, the association’s board honors a veterinarian who has significantly advanced shelter medicine through leadership, public service, research, education, and/or clinical practice.

During his career at MSU, Bushby managed mobile veterinary units that travel to North Mississippi animal shelters to provide spay and neuter services. As a professor emeritus, Bushby raises funds for the shelter medicine program. Most recently, he secured a $400,000 grant from PetSmart Charities Inc.

Dr. Steven Turner

William Staggers

MISSISSIPPI LANDMARKS

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Dr. Steven Turner, who has served as head of the MSU Department of Agricultural Economics for 12 years, became director of the Southern Rural Development Center January 1.

Turner will work with 29 land-grant institutions in 13 states to address critical contemporary rural development issues affecting the well-being of people and communities in the rural South. Housed at the main campus in Starkville, the Southern Rural Development Center is one of four regional centers coordinating rural development research and Extension education programs cooperatively with landgrant institutions regionally and nationally. The development center forms multistate research and Extension teams throughout the South to address issues unique to rural areas.

William “Will” Staggers is the new assistant director of development for MSU Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Staggers joins fundraising efforts with fellow alumnus Jud Skelton, director of development for CALS. Staggers’s position will extend to the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU Extension, both of which serve all of Mississippi’s 82 counties. His responsibility to secure funds for the land-grant university’s second-oldest college also will bolster support for MSU’s ongoing capital campaign, Infinite Impact. The Starkville native earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from MSU’s College of Education in 2010. He previously was an accounts payable specialist with MSU’s Department of Procurement and Contracts.

Assistant Extension and research professor Dr. David Buys recently was certified in public health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. He earned this certification after demonstrating mastery in several key components of public health and completing an examination. Buys, who also conducts research with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said this credential is the only one of its kind for public health. Buys is the chair of the chronic disease prevention and management action team for a larger, nationwide effort by the Extension Service. Before coming to MSU, he was on the faculty of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and a postdoctoral fellow at the UAB School of Public Health. Buys also recently accepted an appointment to the board of the Mississippi Public Health Association.

Dr. Lurleen Walters, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics, was elected vice president of student programs for the Food Distribution Research Society at the group’s annual meeting. She was recently appointed to the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Trust Committee and is also chair-elect of the Committee on Women in Agricultural Economics (AAEA Section).

Dr. David Buys

Dr. Lurleen Walters

Dr. Mike Phillips

Dr. Mary Beck

Lucas J. Ferguson

Two Mississippi State University faculty members are participating in an executive leadership program to gain enhanced management skills and a broader perspective on food systems. Dr. Mike Phillips, head of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, and Dr. Mary Beck, head of the Department of Poultry Science, began the Food Systems Leadership Institute program in fall 2015. The 2-year program helps participants build networks of constituents and develop enhanced skills to lead their institutions in addressing food system issues, challenges, and opportunities. Phillips is developing the precision agriculture certificate program for MSU graduates as part of the program. Beck works closely with the poultry industry in Mississippi and will be addressing questions of global food supply.

MSU and Shandong Agricultural University recently signed a memorandum of agreement to offer a dual-degree program in forestry. The agreement will allow both institutions to enhance the educational experiences of students.

Participants will be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry from MSU’s College of Forest Resources and a Bachelor of Agriculture degree from SDAU. Students at the College of Forestry at SDAU who have completed 3 years of study at their home institution will be eligible to transfer to MSU as part of the dual-degree program.

The MSU Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs was ranked second in the All-America Selections top landscape gardens that receive 10,000 to 100,000 visitors annually in North America. Personnel at the station represent the MSU Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. This AAS Display Garden is the focal point of MSU’s Fall Flower and Garden Fest each October.

The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine received a $20,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The grant will help offset some of the expenses incurred as the Mobile Veterinary Clinics travel to 20 North Mississippi animal shelters that do not have surgical facilities. In these mobile units, students work under faculty direction to spay and neuter shelter animals. This work gives students surgical experience and teaches them how they can help solve the problem of unwanted pet overpopulation. The program is funded solely by grants and donations.

The Society of American Foresters again is recognizing its Mississippi State student chapter as one of the nation’s best. The College of Forest Resources group recently took second place in SAF’s 2015 outstanding student chapter competition. This latest award represents the 17th consecutive year in which the MSU group has placed among the top three finalists. Founded in 1909, the Bethesda, Maryland-based nonprofit organization is the main U.S. accreditor for bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in professional forestry. SAF membership includes more than 30 student chapters nationwide. A demonstrated commitment to the forestry profession and community service activities are among criteria for top chapter recognitions.

A Batesville honors student in the MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the lead author on a research study published in the December edition of Virology, an international medical journal. The report by junior Lucas J. Ferguson focuses on a new influenza virus and its impacts on bovine production systems. Ferguson, a double-major in microbiology and biochemistry, is a graduate of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus. A first-place winner earlier this year in MSU’s Undergraduate Research Symposium competition, he is a President’s List Scholar and Shackouls Honors College member. As part of a research effort guided by Dr. Henry Wan, an associate professor with MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, he and others investigated a novel influenza virus distantly related to human influenza C virus.

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DEVELOPMENT

CORNER

Graduate student John T. Buol (left) received the 2015 Will D. Carpenter Distinguished Field Scientist Graduate Assistantship. Dr. Anthony Mills, a Monsanto researcher for nearly 30 years specializing in weed management technology, is mentoring Buol.

MSU GRAD STUDENT Now at Intersection of Industry, Research Mississippi State is giving special recognition to a new graduate student beginning research on the impact of emerging plant herbicides.

John T. Buol received the university’s 2015 Will D. Carpenter Distinguished Field Scientist Graduate Assistantship. The Monroe, Wisconsin, resident began work during the spring semester on a master’s degree in agronomy/weed science.

The Monsanto Co.-funded award honors the 1952 MSU agronomy graduate who spent 34 years of his career with the Missouri-based multinational agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation. Carpenter retired in the early 1990s as vice president and general manager of the new products division.

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Buol said most of his early years were spent on a dairy farm until he entered the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

“I chose biochemistry because it is a basic science you can apply to anything,” he said. “It proved to be a challenging program that provided a good base.”

While at UW, Buol first worked as a research assistant in a biotechnology and genetics laboratory. He then held the same position in UW’s agronomy department, where he conducted research in small-plot integrated pest management.

That work enabled him to combine personal passions for agriculture and research. After excelling in his duties, he

was allowed to pursue his own research interests and attend competitions and conferences. Before his senior year at the Wisconsin land-grant institution, his accumulated expertise earned a summer internship with an agricultural biotechnology company.

“During my undergraduate experience, I discovered I loved both the agricultural industry and research, and I sought to find a path that would combine the two,” Buol said, adding that his quest for more knowledge and experience led him to Mississippi State University.

At the Starkville land-grant institution, Buol is investigating cotton’s susceptibility to auxin herbicide injury. His work is directed by weed science profes-

sor Dr. Dan Reynolds, holder of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Edgar E. and Winifred B. Hartwig Endowed Chair in Soybean Agronomy.

Buol said he purposely chose cotton in order to move beyond his research comfort zone and, in the process, significantly enhance his professional expertise and prospects for post-graduate employment.

“I grew up in the Midwest, so I have appreciable experience with corn, soy, and alfalfa, but I didn’t know anything about cotton,” Buol explained. “This research gave me a chance to diversify my knowledge of various crops, cropping systems, and challenges faced by producers.”

Buol said he considers the assistantship to be more like an apprenticeship.

“In my opinion, graduate school teaches you how a bicycle works and how to ride it. The assistantship shows me what the street looks like around me,” he explained. “I have the opportunity to ride along with field scientists, which shows the relevancy of the research and shows how my work will be applied. It takes me out of the classroom, contextualizes everything I do, and shows me how our work as researchers impacts the industry, government, and world.”

The assistantship also pairs Buol with Dr. Anthony Mills, a Monsanto researcher for nearly 30 years specializing in weed management technology.

Because of many achievements he has received over the decades, Mills holds the title of Monsanto Distinguished Field Scientist.

“Monsanto created the distinguished field scientist position as a way for senior development representatives to further advance their careers in the field,” Mills said. “The designation requires that the scientist conduct or oversee a special project. My project centers on recruiting and developing new talent to bring into our company.”

Mills, a University of Kentucky doctoral graduate in agronomy and crop science, said he finds the mentor role to be most rewarding.

“My passion lies in the field assisting customers. More recently, at this stage in my career, I’ve found it a lot more satisfying to see younger people come on board and benefit in ways I can help those students or new employees develop within the company.”

He especially enjoys helping further develop students like Buol so they may join a company like Monsanto following graduation and require only a truncated training period.

“Hands-on training with our agronomists in the field can take up to 2 years when a new hire comes on board,” Mills said. “The program affords a student the opportunity to gain critical, tactile industry experience while still in graduate school.”

Mills said the spirit of the MSU assistantship also epitomizes the personal and professional character of the university alumnus whose name it carries. Carpenter and a company team received international recognitions some years ago for helping greatly increase global food production through their development of two popular weed- and grass-control products, RoundUp and Lasso.

Mills praised Carpenter for being a great leader for Monsanto and for the agricultural industry as a whole.

“He did much to further the advancement of crop protection,” Mills said.

He also acknowledged Carpenter’s well-known and continuing support for Mississippi State University.

For More Information 鵻鵼 Jud Skelton College of Agriculture and Life Sciences/Real Estate Giving (662) 325-0643 jskelton@foundation.msstate.edu http://www.cals.msstate.edu/ Charlie Weatherly Director of Development Emeritus for Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine (662) 325-3471 cweatherly@foundation.msstate.edu http://www.cals.msstate.edu/ Jeff Little College of Forest Resources and The Bulldog Forest (662) 325-8151 jlittle@foundation.msstate.edu http://www.cfr.msstate.edu/ Jimmy Kight College of Veterinary Medicine (662) 325-3815 jkight@foundation.msstate.edu http://www.cvm.msstate.edu Will Staggers College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and MSU Extension Service (662) 325-2837 wstaggers@foundation.msstate.edu http://www.cals.msstate.edu

By Vanessa Beeson • Photo by Kevin Hudson

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Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Birmingham, AL Permit No. 1776

Box 9625 Mississippi State, MS 39762

Canada geese stop to enjoy the leftovers in a corn field after harvest at MSU’s Rodney Foil Plant Science Research Center (North Farm). (Photo by Kat Lawrence)