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| This Week's Titles: |
| Growing
Pumpkins In South Georgia |
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Hurricane Rita And Cotton
Market Prices |
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| Training
Important Before Applying Certain Fumigants |
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| Helping
Farmers Use Less Energy |
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| Helping
The Body Destroy Fat Cells |
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| Growing
Pumpkins In South Georgia |
1:34 |
People in the state, especially
South Georgia, may soon be able to grow their own pumpkins,
thanks to college research. |
Georgia grows some of it's
own pumpkins, especially in North Georgia. But most pumpkins
consumers see in stores during the fall are imported from other
regions. Growing pumpkins in South Georgia is difficult because
of diseases carried by insects. But scientists with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
have been working to develop a pumpkin that will fight off diseases
caused by viruses. "But has a higher level of virus resistance
and we've been selecting for a particular fruit shape that looks
like a jack-o-lantern and has that nice orange color, and will
be able to grow it in South Georgia during the fall when we
have these terrible virus problems." That was George Boyhan
with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
who adds the seed for the new pumpkin variety originally came
from Brazil. Research on the new variety is in the final stages,
so pumpkin lovers should be able to purchase seeds and grow
the new pumpkins in 2006. 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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| Hurricane
Rita And Cotton Market Prices |
1:27 |
The effects of Hurricane Rita
could push up market prices for cotton. |
Cotton farmers in Georgia
still remember damage they suffered last year from three hurricanes
in September. This year, farmers in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas,
and Mississippi are busy assessing the damage caused from Hurricane
Rita. Don Shurley, an agricultural economist with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
says there was the potential for heavy damage from Rita. "The
cotton in these areas is mostly eighty to ninety percent open.
Much less was open last season in the Southeast. As I said there's
potentially three plus million acres in this area that could
be impacted by high wind and heavy rainfall." Don Shurley with
the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. It will
take several weeks for growers and cotton scientists to get
a complete assessment of damage to the 2005 cotton crop. If
the damage is extensive, it could cause market prices to move
up three to five cents per pound. 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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| Training
Important Before Applying Certain Fumigants |
1:45 |
College scientists are helping
train farmers the proper way to use certain fumigants. |
Several years ago the popular
fumigant methyl bromide was phased out, because of environmental
concerns. Many growers are now more dependant on aluminum phosphide
fumigants, to control insects while grains, peanuts, and cottonseed
are stored. But an entomologist with the University of Georgia's
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says these
fumigants are extremely toxic to humans. "It is a solid but
it reacts very quickly with moisture in the air, and generates
a gas, and that gas is what is so dangerous, the inhalation
hazzard due to this product is very high and if you get in confined
space like a grain bin or a storage warehouse where this product
is being generated, then you can get in a very unsafe atmosphere
very quickly." That was Steve Brown with the College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. Last year around 175 pesticide applicators
took part in training sessions on proper use, storage, and transportation
of aluminum phosphide fumigants. They also learned about new
label requirements. Scientists are planning more training sessions
in 2006, so applicators won't put themselves in harms way when
applying these fumigants. 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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| Helping
Farmers Use Less Energy |
1:46 |
College scientists are working
to help farmers keep production levels high, while using less
energy. |
Script for radio release.
As farmers work and sweat to produce bumper crops, they also
burn a lot of fuel, and use a lot of electricity. They also
burn more money every year, as energy costs continue to soar.
Scientists with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences are testing ways farmers can reduce
water and energy usage while maintaining high production levels.
"Especially in curing crops and that kind of thing, we have
a program in peanut curing that looks at ways of doing that
job more efficiently. We also work a lot with the poultry industry
which is really big in Georgia and use a lot of energy to heat
poultry houses and ventilate poultry houses. We've got programs
that teach poultry companies as well as producers how to do
that more efficiently, how to choose the right equipment and
how to operate it more efficiently." That was John Worley with
the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Other
programs have been developed that include the efficient application
of fertilizers and pesticides, energy efficient dairies, as
well as energy conservation in row crop farming. Once farmers
received training, energy savings have occurred in electrical
usage, diesel, gasoline, and LP gas. Worley adds the estimated
savings would be the equivalent of seventy million kilowatt
hours of electricity, or about $3.5 million. 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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| Helping
The Body Destroy Fat Cells |
1:31 |
College scientists are testing
a program that could help the body destroy fat cells. |
Obesity has officially
reached the epidemic stage in the United States, and other countries.
Many people try techniques and diets to lose weight, only to
get discouraged, and eventually gain back the weight they lost.
Scientists with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences are conducting research on a safe,
natural technique called programmed cell death, that could help
win the battle of the bulge. The technique could also help reduce
problems with osteoporosis. "We've found a number of natural
products, compounds that we eat everyday in plant foods. We
found a number of those natural products can control the fat
cell number. So we are very optimistic about the effects it'll
have for obesity and osteoporosis treatment." That was Cass
Nelson Dooley with the College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences. Some of the components from plant foods being tested
are found in green and black tea, soybeans, and garlic. Early
results from the research indicate these compounds can land
several punches, and knock out a lot of fat cells. The compounds
could also help prevent obesity and osteoporosis. 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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