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| This Week's Titles: |
| Cutting
Nitrogen Costs In Commercial Vegetable Production |
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West Nile Virus Cases Up
In 2007 |
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| Pumpkin
Supply Looks Good For The 2007 Halloween Season |
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| Shorter
Season Of Color In Mountains |
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| Research
On Weed Control In Blackberries |
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| Cutting
Nitrogen Costs In Commercial Vegetable Production |
1:35 |
Thanks to college scientists,
commercial vegetable growers may soon save money on their fertilizer
bill. |
For the past few years,
nitrogen prices have been soaring, making it more difficult
for farmers to make a profit. In 2006, scientists with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
started testing several nitrogen products on certain vegetable
crops. Results from this research has found cheaper nitrogen
products provided results that were similar to more expensive
nitrogen sources. "The source of nitrogen that we use on some
vegetable crops is not that important, in other words the type
of nitrogen fertilizer is not as critical factor as is the amount
of nitrogen that's being used. The bottom line can be that the
source of nitrogen you choose for the crop probably should be
based more on price than anything else." That was Terry Kelley
with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
This research indicates that the potential exists for commercial
vegetable producers to use cheaper, and more efficient forms
of nitrogen in high input vegetable production. Growers could
save as much as twenty percent on the amount of money they spend
for nitrogen fertilizer, in bell pepper fields. 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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| West
Nile Virus Cases Up In 2007 |
1:46 |
Warm, dry weather has also
been a factor causing an increase in cases of the West Nile
Virus this year. |
The West Nile Virus is carried
by the southern house mosquito. These mosquitoes breed in storm
drains, where polluted water is present. Elmer Gray, an entomologist
with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences says rainwater normally keeps storm drains
flushed out. But during a drought, the water remains inside
for a longer period of time, which creates ideal conditions
for these mosquitoes to breed, and spread this disease. He adds
these mosquitoes are especially fond of sewer systems in downtown
areas of large cities. "The number of West Nile cases are focused
in many of our older city areas, and this goes hand in hand
with the older storm drain systems where water lays in low parts,
they're not going to be perfectly level, all the water is not
going to drain. And there's going to be pockets where water
lays and the southern house mosquito likes to develop in those
areas." Elmer Gray with the College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences, who adds there have been thirty-eight confirmed cases
of the West Nile Virus in Georgia this year. This is up from
nine confirmed cases in 2006. The university scientist expects
populations of the southern house mosquito to begin decreasing,
when cool, less humid fall weather moves into the state. 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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| Pumpkin
Supply Looks Good For The 2007 Halloween Season |
1:27 |
There should be plenty of pumpkins
to help spook up the 2007 Halloween holiday season. |
October is the spook season,
when hundreds of pumpkins undergo a change, and become scary
jack-o-lanterns. Despite drought conditions in Georgia and the
Southeast, a horticulturist with the University of Georgia's
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says Georgian's
should have no problems finding the pumpkins they need in the
coming weeks. "Pumpkin crop, I think, will probably be pretty
adequate, it looks good, I think there will be plenty of pumpkins
for everybody to decorate their house, businesses with. We don't
grow a tremendous number of pumpkins in Georgia but we bring
in a lot of pumpkins from other states." That was Terry Kelley
with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
When consumers go to the grocery store or local market to purchase
their Halloween pumpkins, they may notice a slight increase
in prices from last year. The supply of large pumpkins may be
down this year, because of hot, dry conditions. Even if prices
move up a little, shoppers should be able to find a good supply
of affordable pumpkins for the 2007 Halloween season. 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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| Shorter
Season Of Color In Mountains |
1:27 |
This year's season of color
in the North Georgia mountains may be shorter than in previous
years. |
During October, people from
all over the state start planning a trip to North Georgia, so
they can watch the show of colors displayed by the mountains.
Scott Merkle, a forester with the University of Georgia's Warnell
School of Forestry and Natural Resources says those trees may
not hold their color as long this year, because of drought conditions
in mountain counties in North Georgia. "Where the drought's
had a real impact, some of the crowns have already thinned out
because a lot of these trees deal with the drought by going
ahead and dropping their leaves early like the yellow poplars.
On the other hand since there are areas where there has been
enough rain for the trees to hold on to their leaves, there's
probably going to be spots where there's still going to be very
good color." Scott Merkle with the Warnell School of Forestry
and Natural Resources. Despite a spotty, shorter outlook for
colors this fall, the university forester says Georgian's will
see plenty of colors when they travel to the mountains in the
coming weeks, and there should still be plenty of color in the
North Georgia mountains in late October, and early November.
John Harrell, University of Georgia's 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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| Research
On Weed Control In Blackberries |
1:36 |
A South Georgia county is taking
the fight to weeds in an effort to keep them out of blackberry
fields. |
Blackberry production continues
to increase in Lanier County. But growers are having a tough
fight with nutsedge. These include yellow and purple nutsedge.
Elvin Andrews, a county extension agent in Lanier County says
nutsedge that moves into a blackberry field could put the bushes
in a choke hold, and reduce yields. "They will completely choke
out a crop, in a row crop, and in blackberries, well they use
up all the fertilizer and the moisture that the blackberries
would be using too so yeah, they would reduce yields." Elvin
Andrews with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. Research has been conducted on two
herbicide products in blackberry fields in Lanier County. Results
indicate these chemicals can provide effective control of nutsedge,
with minimal blackberry injury. University scientists hope to
receive a full label for the use of these herbicides in blackberries
by 2009. 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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