Ultra-Low Gossypol Cottonseed Part of Cotton Incorporated Research Activities Cotton Incorporated-funded research into the suppression of gossypol in cottonseed is being reviewed by USDA-APHIS for a determination of non-regulated status for a specific type of ultra-low gossypol cottonseed (ULGCS) referred to as TAM66274. Cotton Incorporated has funded research at Texas A&M AgriLife Research of College Station on this technology because …
Experimental Crop Bed Design Survived Hurricane Irma
While producers and growers across Florida lost some, if not all, of their crops due to Hurricane Irma, a University of Florida researcher saw his experimental bedding survive the storm. “We were testing for flooding, and didn’t expect to have winds strong enough the effects of wind force on crops,” said Sanjay Shukla, UF/IFAS professor in the agricultural and biological …
Root Biologist Joins UF Fight Against Citrus Greening
An inventive fruit tree researcher has joined the University of Florida Indian River Research and Education Center. Lorenzo Rossi is the center’s first-ever root biology professor and will support the university’s statewide Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ commitment to restore Florida’s $9 billion citrus industry. “Healthy roots are essential for a healthy plant. Dr. Rossi’s root biology research will …
USDA/NIFA Announces Support for Biomass Genomics Research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Biological and Environmental Research, announce joint support for research in plant feedstock genomics for bioenergy. NIFA’s support is funded through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which aims to address challenges in food and agricultural …
Foliar Field Enhancements for Soybeans
Dr. Jim Dunphy, Soybean Extension Specialist with North Carolina State University, spoke at last week’s NC Commodities Conference, sharing his findings on Foliar Field Enhancement research covering the last several years. He says what he DIDN’T find may have been more important than what he DID find. Findings Dunphy is looking forward to learning the importance of uniform emergence on …
Gene Editing Holds Potential to Revolutionize Agriculture
Gene editing holds the potential to revolutionize agriculture, according to expert speakers at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2018 Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show. Addressing farmer and rancher attendees in separate workshops, the University of Florida’s Dr. Kevin Folta and Dr. Alison Van Eenanaam with the University of California, Davis, coupled their enthusiasm for the practical benefits gene editing …
USDA/NIFA Announces Support for Crop Breeding Research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announces support for Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) to speed the development of new crop varieties. Funding is made through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, which seeks to address challenges in food and agricultural sciences through research, extension, and education opportunities. EAGER is established …
Todd Campbell Receives 2017 Cotton Genetics Research Award
Dr. B. Todd Campbell, a research geneticist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center in Florence, S.C., is the recipient of the 2017 Cotton Genetics Research Award. The announcement was made during the 2018 Beltwide Cotton Improvement Conference, which convened as part of the National Cotton Council-coordinated 2018 Beltwide Cotton Conferences. In recognition, …
A Fair Fight for Florida Farmers
On the face of it, it’s not a fair fight. Farming in Florida is hard enough, but then the rules of that fight constantly change. New bugs and diseases raid crops. Volatile markets say plant now while the weather says plant later. Consumers keep changing their minds about what to eat. New plant varieties give farmers a fighting chance by …
Support for Organic Agriculture Research, Extension, and Education
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced the availability of $17.6 million in grants focused on organic agriculture research, education, and extension activities. These grants are funded through a competitive process by NIFA’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “America’s organic industry continues to be one of …