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| This Week's Titles: |
| College
Scientists Help Communities Get Stronger |
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Protect Horses From Serious
Diseases |
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| College
Scientists Study Controlled Burn Smoke |
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| Concerns
About Another Summer Drought |
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| Georgia's
Oilseed Project On Schedule |
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| College
Scientists Help Communities Get Stronger |
1:44 |
College scientists are helping
world communities get stronger by learning about plant diseases. |
History tells us plant
diseases have contributed to massive human migrations. The most
classic case was the potato disease that caused a major agriculture
disaster in Ireland in 1845. As freer global trade forces the
world into closer contact, plant diseases will continue to play
a major role. Ron Walcott, a scientist with the University of
Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
says at some time, in some way, plant diseases have affected
almost everyone in the world. The American Chestnut tree was
also a victim. "But with the introduction of the chestnut blight,
which is thought to be of Asian origin, the entire population
of chestnut has been decimated in a very short period of time
and now we have very few American chestnut stands remaining
due to the introduction of this pathogen." Ron Walcott with
the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who
adds the Florida citrus industry continues to battle the disease
citrus canker. The research focuses on the understanding, causes
and prevention of seed-borne diseases, because the most efficient
way diseases can travel is through seed. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Protect
Horses From Serious Diseases |
1:46 |
Horse owners need to protect
their horses from two deadly diseases. |
Last year several horses
in the state were infected with the West Nile Virus after receiving
bites from infected mosquitoes. But in 2003 more horses could
get sick with the West Nile Virus, or Encephalomyelitis, also
known as sleeping sickness, because of an increase in the mosquito
population. Gary Heusner, an animal scientist with the University
of Georgia Extension Service says there is no cure for these
two diseases, once the animals are infected. "Once they get
it there's really no major treatment because it is a virus and
you have to just hope that it doesn't get fatal whereas Eastern
equine encephalomyelitis, EEE has about an eighty percent mortality
rate which that's the one that we're really concerned about."
Gary Heusner with the College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences. The university scientist recommends horses in Central
and South Georgia receive two boosters to their vaccinations
every year for both the West Nile Virus, and Eastern equine
encephalomyelitis, while horses in North Georgia receive one
booster every year, to protect the animals from these serious
diseases. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| College
Scientists Study Controlled Burn Smoke |
1:39 |
College scientists are working
to learn more about the effects of smoke from prescribed burns. |
Across Georgia, prescribed
fires are set to burn away dead vegetation and wood, to keep
forests clean and beautiful. But nobody can say how smoke from
these fires affects people in homes downwind from them. Luke
Naeher, a scientist with the University of Georgia's College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says the research
also involves learning more about health problems caused by
smokey conditions. "For a parallel study we looked at the relationship
between respiratory function as measured by a spirometer, to
see, to test how well firefighters breathe in terms of how much
they were able to breathe in and how fast they were able to
breathe it out." Luke Naeher with the College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. The university scientist is also
monitoring carbon monoxide and particulate levels downwind from
a burn. Results will help scientists learn how forest-fire smoke
affects people up to six miles way. Foresters conducting burns
will also learn how to do a better job managing the smoke, so
it won't drift over a busy highway or expressway, and reduce
visibility. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Concerns
About Another Summer Drought |
1:47 |
Many people want to know if
the state faces another hot, dry summer. |
Since the late nineties,
summers in Georgia have featured scorched crops and restrictions
on watering, thanks to a long, hard drought. But heavy rains
in February and March brought soil moisture levels up to good
levels across the entire state. Soil moisture is higher in North
Georgia, due to heavy rains in early May. As we move closer
to summer, the state climatologist and professor of engineering
at the University of Georgia says long range outlooks for the
summer months in Georgia should not be taken seriously. He adds
several weeks of hot, dry weather does not mean the state is
in another drought. "It is not unusual in Georgia to have a
two to three week period during the summer with little or no
rainfall and with temperatures in the mid to upper nineties.
While this typical dry spell is not unusual it would not be
proper to refer to it as a drought." David Stooksbury with the
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds
during May Georgia enters the summertime weather pattern, with
most of the precipitation coming from scattered afternoon thunderstorms.
Since most of these scattered thunderstorms hit or miss most
areas of the state, summer rainfall patterns remain hard to
predict. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Georgia's
Oilseed Project On Schedule |
1:43 |
Georgia's oilseed project continues
to move ahead on schedule. |
Last summer, the newly
formed Farmers Oilseed Cooperative Incorporated made the decision
to build its crushing facility near Claxton, in Evans County.
The facility will be used to crush canola and other alternative
crops farmers will grow. Since canola oil is in high demand,
farmers have a chance to make a good profit growing canola,
and other alternative crops. Georgia Shumaker, an agricultural
economist with the University of Georgia Extension Service says
farmers throughout Georgia are still positive about the Oilseed
Cooperative. "I get questions regularly about the status of
it. I believe farmers are going to get behind this, stock sale
when it's offered and purchase enough stock to make it a buyable
venture." George Shumaker with the College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences, who predicts farmers across the state
will have a chance to purchase stock in the Farmers Oilseed
Cooperative beginning sometime this summer. Members of the board
of directors are still hopeful construction on the new crushing
facility can begin sometime in 2004. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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