Campuses:
SOURCE Fall 2011 | University of Minnesota | Extension | Jeff Coulter | Extension agronomist | Wet Spring: Long-term research drives planting recommendations | Pg. 9
Pawlisch, Melissa, Dept: Regional Sustainable Development Partnership - Statewide, Sponsor: Minnesota Department of Commerce, Title: CERTS Core Funding 2011-2012, Award Type: New Amount: $371,552.00
Muehlbauer, Gary, Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Sponsor: University of California, Riverside (Prime: U.S. Department of Agriculture), Title: Advancing the Barley Genome, Award Type: No-cost Extension, Amount: $0 (Total to date: $95,218.00)
U grant backs not-so-nutty idea to make hazelnuts pay as crop. St. Paul Pioneer Press, 10/18/11. The University of Minnesota was awarded a $904,000 USDA grant Friday to develop "a viable bush-type hazelnut industry in the Upper Midwest." Professor Don Wyse said hazelnuts are a long-standing subject of university research and among a group of plants viewed as "the next generation of crops for the Minnesota landscape." The university is scouting for perennials that can generate farm income and help the environment with a "continuous living cover on the landscape."
Gary J. Muehlbauer was recognized as an ASA/CSSA Fellow award recipient at special awards ceremonies held during the 2011 ASA CSSA SSSA International Meetings, Oct. 16-19, San Antonio, TX.
FRONTIERS IN APS: BORLAUG MEMORIAL LECTURE | Monday, October 10 | Lecture 2:00 pm | 105 Cargill Building | Reception 3:00pm | Cargill Atrium | Lecturer: Dr. Monty Jones | Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa and a plant breeder | 2004 World Food Prize Laureate | The Applied Plant Sciences Graduate Student Association | Sponsored by Syngenta
The UMN-tptMN documentary "Saving Wheat- Rusts Never Sleep" was broadcast on tptLIFE and tptMN several times during October. For information on upcoming broadcasts and quick access to viewing your programs online, visit your program's unique program page at tpt. This is a great link to share!
Recent Grant Awardee, PI: Wiersma, Jochum, Dept: Northwest ROC, Crookston, Sponsor: American Malting Barley Association, Title: Determining the optimum window for planting winter barley, Award Type: New, Amount: $5,600.00
Recent Grant Awardee, PI: Orf, James, Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture; National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Title: Improving Soybean and Dry Bean Varieties and Rhizobia for Organic Systems, Award Type: New, Amount: $380,923.00
Recent Grant Awardee, PI: Muehlbauer, Gary, Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Sponsor: Cornell University (Prime: National Science Foundation), Title: Functional Genomics of the Maize Shoot Apical Meristem, Award Type: Incremental Funding, Amount: $184,782.00 (To date: $803,759.00)
Recent Grant Awardee, PI: Muehlbauer, Gary, Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Sponsor: University of California, Riverside (Prime: U.S. Department of Agriculture), Title: Advancing the Barley Genome, Award Type: No-cost Extension, Amount $0 (To date: $95,218.00)
Recent Grant Awardee, PI: Fernandez, Adria, Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Sponsor: Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (Prime: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture), Title: SARE: Profiling Microbial Communities, Award Type: No-cost Extension, Amount: $9,999.00
Gary Muehlbauer of the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics has been named a fellow of both the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society.
Yield and Harvest Considerations for Frost Damaged Corn by Jeff Coulter, Extension Corn Agronomist, September 15, 2011. Much of Minnesota's corn crop was damaged by frost this morning. For corn, a killing freeze occurs when temperatures are 32 F for 4 hours or 28 F for minutes. A frost or killing freeze can still occur when temperatures are above 32 F, especially in low and unprotected areas when there is no wind. This article discusses the effects of frost damage on corn yield, moisture, and quality of grain and silage. Handling and storage of a frost-damaged corn is also covered. Minnesota Crop News
Frost and Freezing Temperature Effects on Soybeans, by Seth Naeve and Dave Nicolai, University of Minnesota Extension. A hard frost occurred early Thursday morning (Sept 15th) across much of central and southern Minnesota. The complete effects of this frost or freeze event may not be known for some time. However, most soybean and corn fields have not reached physiological maturity. Yield and quality in these fields were likely affected. Minnesota Crop News
From Buenos Aires to Lima: The U tests out adventure learning. Professor Paul Porter and four students will bike from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Lima, Peru, crossing the Andes Mountains twice and camping in local communities or remote, unpopulated areas along the way. The students are taking the class “Food & Agriculture from Buenos Aires to Lima at 10 mph.” Paul Porter and the students will blog about the food and agriculture they find on the South American landscape. The class will also include history, culture, politics and other topics along the way as they relate to food and agriculture. The bike tour begins Sept. 25 and lasts 80 days, about 65 of which are riding days. The group will travel 6,550 kilometers, or 4,070 miles, in total. Porter and the students will return to the classroom Dec. 21. MNDaily
Carmen Fernholz discusses his use of alfalfa mulch as a soil nutrient source during a field day at his Madison, Minn., farm. By Carol Stender: Agri News
Project AgGrad. Six international CFANS Doctoral alumni were honored at the AgGrad Silver Anniversary Celebration on August 26 at the McNamara Alumni Center. Project AgGrad is a partnership between the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and the University of Minnesota. Students from developing countries study production agriculture and upon completion of a Doctoral degree in agriculture they return to their home nations to develop sustainable food production and distribution. The honored alumni in the photo are: (back row, left to right) Kingsley Ayisi ('91, '94 Agronomy) from South Africa, Jenipher Bisikwa ('01 Agronomy, '05 Applied Plant Sciences) from Uganda, Toi Tsilo ('06, '09 Applied Plant Sciences) from South Africa, (front row, left to right) Cathrine Ziyomo from Zimbabwe, and Tsitsi Ndowora ('94, '98 Plant Pathology) from Zimbabwe. Also honored but not pictured was Gbadedo Olaoye ('90 Plant Breeding) from Nigeria. Alumni News
Congratulations to Roger Caspers ('93 Agronomy) from the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics. Roger will receive the Faculty/Staff Volunteer of the Year award. Roger has been a long-time contributor to the CFANS Alumni Society's annual Golf Scramble for Scholarships, and has served as chair of the CFANS Department Council of Alumni Relations and on the planning committee for collegiate homecoming activities. U of M Alumni & Friends: Alumni News
U Idea Continues Fighting Hunger. At a time when famine in Africa has put a spotlight on world hunger, who knew that a University of Minnesota program has been quietly sowing the seeds for a remedy for 25 years? In 1983, an agriculture professor by the name of Ron Phillips had an idea: Sponsor students from developing countries to come to the U to study food production at the graduate level. Once they finished, they'd go back to their native countries and use what they learned to help improve food production. Phillips' idea was endorsed by the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, a partner with the U on the project. So in 1986, Project AgGrad was born. Cathrine Ziyomo is the latest student to enter the program. She started in 2008 and hopes to complete her Ph.D. next summer. Star Tribune
Recent Grant Awardee | PI(s): Jordan, Nicholas | Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics | Sponsor: National Science Foundation | Title: Understanding the Importance of Weak-Tie Networks in Complex Human-Environment Systems: Ecosocial Feedback in Multifunctional Agriculture | Award Type: No-cost Extension | Amount: $0 (To date: $924,273.00)
Recent Grant Awardee | PI(s): Smith, Kevin | Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics | Sponsor: American Malting Barley Association | Title: Barley Improvement - University of Minnesota | Award Type: No-cost Extension | Amount: $0 (To date: $60,000.00)
Recent Grant Awardee | PI(s): Vance, Carroll | Dept: Agronomy and Plant Genetics | Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service | Title: Acquisition of Goods and Services Establishment FY 2011 | Award Type: Incremental Funding | Amount: $60,788.32 (To date: $90,893.00)
PI(s): Wiersma, Jochum |Dept: Northwest ROC, Crookston |Sponsor: Oregon State University (Prime: U.S. Department of Energy) |Title: Regional Biomass Feedstock Partnership - Cereal Crop |Award Type: New | Amount: $11,999.00
New U of M president comes to Farmfest by Carol Stender. University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler had been on the job just 32 days when he stopped at Farmfest last week. Agriculture is a significant part of the university's mission, he told the crowd. The Morrill Act, which established the land grant university system, was enacted 149 years ago. "There have been many significant advances in agriculture since then," he said. "The next 150 years will be just as productive." AGRINEWS
Good Question: What’s Worse: Drought Or Soggy Summer? After a cool dry spring: the skies opened and haven’t let up. While much of the country is covered in drought conditions, Minnesota has been far wetter than normal. So, which is worse: a summer drought or a soggy summer?… “I personally think it’s a slam dunk the drought is far worse,” said Jeff Gunsolus, an agronomist with the University of Minnesota Extension Service. To watch: WCCO-TV
Invasive plant found in St. Paul campus garden by Hedera Porter. Invasive Black Swallow-wort plant has been identified on the grounds of the St. Paul campus. The black swallow-wort could choke native plants if it’s not destroyed. Minnesota Daily
Soybean genetic treasure trove found in Swedish village. The first screening by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists of the American ancestors of soybeans for tolerance to ozone and other stresses had an eye-opening result: The world superstars of stress resistance hailed from a little village in far northern Sweden, called Fiskeby… Kent Burkey and Tommy Carter (ARS, Raleigh NC), and Jim Orf, a geneticist at the University of Minnesota at St. Paul, have crossed Fiskeby III with ozone-susceptible Mandarin Ottawa soybeans and developed 240 breeding lines from the offspring. Physorg
Rosemount Research and Outreach Center at UMore Park, Open House - Thursday, August 18, 4:00 to 8:00 pm. University of Minnesota scientist Gregg Johnson and Master Gardener Mike Gonzo are interviewed about UMore Park. Access to Democracy
Project Selected to Receive IREE Large Grant: Developing Intermediate Wheatgrass for Sustainable Co-Production of Fuel and Food. Project Lead: Don Wyse, Agronomy and Plant Genetics, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. Award: $695,000. Institute on the Environment
Wheat is the star at small grains plot tour by Carol Stender, cstender@agrinews.com. U of M small grains specialist Jochum Wiersma discussed varietal strengths and weaknesses during a small grains plot tour at the John and Jill Walkup farm near Fergus Falls. AGRI NEWS
Willows, native grasses part of biocontrol project by Janet Kubat Willette, jkubat@agrinews.com. Hybrid willows and native grasses growing in the middle of corn fields at Rosemount Research and Outreach Center could hold clues to biocontrol of pests as well as advancing bioenergy production… University of Minnesota associate professor Gregg Johnson and his colleagues didn't waste any time after being notified they had received the grant. AGRI NEWS
2011 Bush Fellow -- Michelle Vigen, Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)
Energy is a universal issue, but it is especially affecting us on a community level in terms of local economic resilience and environmental quality. Addressing local energy issues holds the additional opportunity for communities to gain more than energy resiliency or independence. I will work with communities to explore ways to raise awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency that not only save energy and the associated costs, but also provide distinct and tangible leadership-building and learning opportunities for communities. Approaching a problem, such as energy costs and its environmental consequences or other issues, with a community-based social marketing approach can address these problems while increasing the ability for communities to address future challenges.
Farmers have questions about nitrogen loss on area fields. We had less nitrogen loss earlier in the growing season due to cooler soil temperatures… According to Daniel Kaiser and Jeffrey Coulter, University of Minnesota Extension specialists, with all of the flooded soils and wet fields there are questions on denitrification and whether side-dress nitrogen should be applied. Hutchinson Leader
New research led by the University of Minnesota will help corn and soybean farmers across the country modify farming techniques to deal with climate change… The aim is to take farmers' already successful practices and find ways to refine them in anticipation of climatic changes such as stronger storms and longer droughts, said Nick Jordan, the U of M agronomy professor who is the project's principal investigator. GRAINNET
MINNESOTA INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE—"Farmstays: Diversifying your Farm Business Through Agritourism: A How-To Manual for Establishing a Farmstay in Minnesota," is a must-have for those considering starting a farmstay in Minnesota. The entire publication is available online. Email: MISA or (612) 625-8235 or (800) 909-MISA (6472).
Organic Risk Management—The Risk Management Guide for Organic Producers is a free online manual and website that will help famers understand the risks in organic production and make choices that minimize those risks. To learn more about this publication, please visit the website. Contact: Kristine Moncada or (612) 626-4906.
Orf, James H. 2011. Methods of Soybean Breeding, pp. 184-202. In J. Miladinovic, M. Hrustic, M. Vidic (eds), Soybean. Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad "Sojaprotein", Becej.
Morrell, PL and Clegg, MT. 2011. Hordeum in Wild Crop Relatives–Genomic and Breeding Resources: Legume Crops and Forages, edited by C. Kole, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Yung-Tsi Bolon, William J. Haun, Wayne W. Xu, David Grant, Minviluz G. Stacey, Rex T. Nelson, Daniel J. Gerhardt, Jeffrey A. Jeddeloh, Gary Stacey, Gary J. Muehlbauer, James H. Orf, Seth L. Naeve, Robert M. Stupar and Carroll P. Vance. 2011. Phenotypic and Genomic Analyses of a Fast Neutron Mutant Population Resource in Soybean. Plant Physiology, May 2011, Vol. 156, pp. 240-253, Plant Physiology. Cover design and photographs by Y. Bolon, B. Bucciarelli, R. Schirmer, J. Roessler, G. Bascur, and C. Vance.
Coulter, J.A., C.C. Sheaffer, M.J. Haar, D.L. Wyse, and J.H. Orf. 2011. Soybean cultivar response to planting date and seeding rate under organic management. Agron. J. 103:1223-1229.
Applied Plant Sciences (APS) Seminar Series
Theme: Sustainable Development of Multifunctional Landscapes: Land, Food, Human Health, and Energy
Mondays | 3:30pm | 306 Borlaug Hall | St. Paul Campus
