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| Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences VISION eXtra is e-mailed weekly to faculty and staff of Bumpers College and the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Division of Agriculture. This service is primarily for timely announcement of news and events for the AAES and Bumpers College. Submit items to hmedders@uark.edu. You may also wish to submit items to headline@uark.edu for posting on "UA Daily Headlines" for campus-wide distribution. |
June 27, 2008 |
1. Fruit Research Center Field Day and Dedication
2. RiceCAP Program produces podcast
4. Plant diagnostic booth at Farmers Market
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1. Fruit Research Center Field Day and Dedication
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| Dr. John R. Clark talks about the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture fruit breeding program during the Fruit Field Day. About 380 people attended the field day June 24. | Dr. Curt Rom talks about peach variety testing during a field day at the Fruit Research Station. |
Some 380 visitors learned firsthand how the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture fruit research and extension programs support fruit growers during a field day June 24 at the Fruit Research Station.
"Everything Arkansas farmers know about growing fruit comes from here," said Dr. Kent Westbrook in his keynote address for the dedication of a new administrative building at the station during the field day.
Westbrook, distinguished professor of surgery at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, is the son of Cole Westbrook, first director of what was then the Fruit Substation.
During field tours, visitors saw Natchez, the latest blackberry variety released from the division's fruit breeding program. John R. Clark, head of the fruit breeding program, said the thornless, upright variety was released in 2007 and features large, sweet berries and high yields.
Clark said the fruit breeding program has released 41 varieties of blackberries, blueberries, peaches, nectarines and ornamental fruit plants since it was founded in 1964 by plant breeder James N. Moore. Arkansas blackberries are grown on every continent except Antarctica and the U of A Division of Agriculture developed the first primocane varieties, which produce blackberries in the spring on year-old canes and in the fall on new canes.
Other stops included the variety testing orchard, where peach varieties from Arkansas and other states are evaluated for their ability to grow and produce fruit in Arkansas; test plots for fertilizer in peach and pecan trees; and insect research using traps to determine whether control measures are needed in orchards.
The new 4800-square-foot administrative building replaces an older building constructed in 1975. The new building includes offices for administration and staff, a laboratory, small conference room, small kitchen and a meeting/work room. It was designed by SCM Architects of Little Rock and built by Hydco Inc. of North Little Rock.
"The big advantage is that the building has satellite internet connection and phones in every room," said resident director Dan Chapman, noting the old building had only one dial-up internet connection. "Office space is doubled, the lab has updated equipment and the meeting room has internet connection in the center of the room to facilitate computers used for presentations."
The field day also featured presentations on research and extension programs for home lawns and gardens, orchards, wildflowers, composting, organic and sustainable blackberry and pecan production, edible landscaping, the role of fruits in human health and other horticultural topics. A fruit dessert contest and children's activities, and a barbecue lunch rounded out the event.
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2. RiceCAP program produces podcast
The $ 5 million USDA/CSREES funded RiceCAP effort, being lead by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, has recently released a highly informative five-minute video podcast that provides an introduction and brief overview of the project to a general audience.
The information is available on the RiceCAP website at http://www.ricecap.uark.edu/outreach_downloads.htm. The podcast was produced by the RiceCAP Outreach team from several participating institutions.
Text and video are by Ken Korth, Rick Cartwright, Jim Correll and Terri Phelan with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture; Sally Leong with the USDA Agricultural Research Service at the University of Wisconsin; and Peggy Lemaux and Barbara Alonso at the University of California-Berkeley. In addition to being available via the website, the entire audio and photographic package can be used as a dynamic educational tool at meetings and other outreach venues.
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July 24. Rohwer Research Station Field Day and Building Dedication.
August 6. Turfgrass Field Day at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Hwy. 112, Fayetteville.
August 7. Crops Field Day at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, Marianna.
August 13. Crops Field Day at the Rice Research and Extension Center, Stuttgart.
(Date to be announced). Southern Pea Field Day at the Vegetable Substation, Alma.
September 18. Forestry and Wildlife Field Day at the Southwest Research and Extension Center, Hope.
October 18. Forestry and Wildlife Field Day at the Pine Tree Branch Station, Colt.
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4. Plant Doctor is 'In'
The plant pathology and entomology graduate student clubs are staffing a Plant Diagnostic Booth at the Fayetteville Farmers Market. Plant diseases are being diagnosed the first and third Saturday of each month, and insect issues are being addressed the second and fourth Saturdays. The public is invited to bring samples that show plant symptoms.
AAES and Bumpers College Web sites:
http://aaes.uark.edu/
http://bumperscollege.uark.edu/