Browse Field Crops, Forage and Turfgrass Production Stories - Page 11

Georgia farmers can learn about agricultural research while interacting with University of Georgia scientists during the annual Sunbelt Field Day in Moultrie, Georgia, on Thursday, July 25.

After suffering a three-week dry spell in May, Georgia corn crops benefitted from rains during the month of June.

Scientists from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Scientists are investigating the epidemiology of cotton leaf roll dwarf virus (CLRDV) in Georgia using a $75,000 grant jointly funded by the Georgia Cotton Commission and Cotton Incorporated.

Scientists, students and advisors working on Peanut Innovation Lab projects in Uganda met in late May for a launch meeting in Kampala to celebrate the start of work and share questions and insight about the direction of projects.

The Peanut Innovation Lab is working not only to find the diversity in modern peanut, but also to introduce new diversity from the wild species. These efforts are aimed at helping to improve future peanut varieties – which already adapts well to different climates – become even more resilient to disease, pests and extreme weather.

One big key to improving peanut crop quality and market reliability in Malawi is post-harvest equipment. The Peanut Innovation Lab helped match up the people who want to buy peanuts with Frank Nolin, a retired steel equipment manufacturer who spent his career building equipment for the US peanut industry. By making it possible for buyers to sort nuts for size and quality, Nolin’s equipment allows buyers to separate nuts by grade and reward farmers based on quality, as well as separate groundnuts for sale in different markets.

Katrien M. Devos, a professor of crop and soil sciences and plant biology at the University of Georgia, has been named a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA).

Before farm-to-table was trendy, scientists and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension personnel in Tifton were taking research from the lab to the farm.

Recent dry weather encouraged the use, and possible overuse, of irrigation systems. Followed by tropical conditions characterized by heavy rainfall and humidity, there have been reports of a jelly-like substance growing in turf.

While most Georgia crops are suffering from the recent lack of rainfall across the state, tobacco farmers have some reason to celebrate. Three consecutive weeks of dry weather in May have curbed incidences of black shank disease, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension tobacco agronomist J. Michael Moore.