Research Highlights for the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn University

Research Highlights is a monthly publication
of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station.

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July
2017

NIFA focus

Federal agricultural research funding pays hefty dividends

In this issue of Research Highlights, we turn our focus to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the impact of its funding on land-grant universities such as Auburn. We also look at two significant NIFA projects currently underway in the College of Agriculture and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station.

Grant addresses water issues

Auburn is joining with three other Southeastern universities in a $5 million research effort to help ensure water for agricultural production while maintaining healthy rivers and springs.

Improving peanut production

Researchers are developing solutions that can be implemented by peanut producers to mitigate drought, improve water-use efficiency and improve the environmental footprint of peanut production.

Liu named a Fellow of the World Aquaculture Society

Zhanjiang “John” Liu, Auburn University’s associate provost and associate vice president for research and a professor in the School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, was named a Fellow of the World Aquaculture Society at its annual meeting, held June 26-30 in Capetown, South Africa. The honor recognizes a member of the society “who has made outstanding achievements in aquaculture science, industry, outreach or extension as recognized by his/her peers."

AT THE STATIONS

GREC receives Best of Fairhope Award

The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station’s Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center has been selected for the 2017 Best of Fairhope Award in the research services category by the Fairhope Award Program. Each year, the Fairhope Award Program identifies companies or organization that it believes has achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local entities that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and the community.

Learn more.

IN THE FIELD

Commercial Horticulture Webinar

July 31, 9 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System Commercial Horticulture Team organizes webinars for providing quick updates to producers on various topics of interest. Webinars are streamed live. The July 31 webinar will cover Disease Update for Fruits and Vegetables and Lab Updates.

Agronomic Crops Webinar

Aug. 8, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.

The agronomic crops team from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System is conducting a series of monthly webinars for 2017. The webinars can be viewed live at 9 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. They are also being recorded so you can view each segment at your convenience. The Aug. 8 webinar will feature Pod Blasting Peanuts, Wheat Planting Dates and Varieties, Hessian Fly and BYD Management, Climate Update, and Cover Crop Mixtures and Seeding Rates.

Beef Cattle Conference

Aug. 12, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Cow-calf producers across the state will gain valuable insight on how to rebuild their herds successfully during the Auburn University Department of Animal Sciences’ 2017 Beef Cattle Conference Saturday, Aug. 12, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Ham Wilson Livestock Arena at 650 S. Donahue Drive in Auburn.

Precision Agriculture Workshop

The Alabama Precision Agriculture Extension Program will present a precision ag workshop Nov. 30 at the E.V. Smith Research Center in Shorter. The event will feature precision ag sprayer and planter clinics and cover topics such as using soil sensors to schedule irrigation, calibrating yield monitors and using yield data.