Browse General Agriculture Stories - Page 8

The quest for the perfect pumpkin each fall doesn’t start at the local patch. In fact, it starts up to 10 years prior for researchers like University of Georgia plant geneticist Cecilia McGregor. McGregor leads breeding efforts in the selective pumpkin variety called the ‘Orange Bulldog’, following the retirement of the program’s founder, horticulturist George Boyhan.

In September, 14 members of the 2021 class of Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry (AGL) had the opportunity to hone their skills in advocacy and communication by attending a national agriculture policy institute in Washington, D.C., where they engaged with a variety of stakeholders in agriculture and forestry.

University of Georgia student, Nallely Lepiz-Madrigal, from Americus, Georgia, has been selected as one of six delegates to represent the United States at Bayer’s 5th bi-annual Youth Ag Summit on November 16-17.

When you look into your garden or backyard, be careful not to ignore your black walnut (Juglans nigra) tree. Lurking inside its leaves, fruits and roots is a pesticide made to control competition.

Georgia 4-H’ers participated in the 2022 State Forestry Field Day on Sept. 25 at the Henry Walker Tree Farm in Jacksonville, Georgia. The state contest consists of five stations: insect and disease identification, volume estimation, compass and pacing, tree identification, and site evaluation.

With the harvest season in full swing, October brings the welcome return of two of the largest events of the year for the agricultural and environmental science communities: the Georgia National Fair and the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo.

The use of cover crops has risen among both traditional and organic producers for a variety of reasons — to control erosion, choke out weeds, improve soil health and enhance water availability. Now research by University of Georgia scientists is examining which cover crops also may provide important habitat for predatory insects that could help control disease- and damage-causing pests in cotton.

When it comes to taking care of a lawn — whether at home or on a golf course — proper watering makes the difference between a beautiful landscape and a muddy mess. Knowing when and where to water turfgrass can be a tricky process, but thanks to a group of researchers at the University of Georgia and Rutgers University, lawn irrigation could soon be much easier to handle.

For more than 20 years, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has encouraged students to explore an important, yet often overlooked, side of Georgia’s leading industry. Since its creation in 1997, the Congressional Agricultural Fellowship has offered 123 students a firsthand look into the world of agricultural policy by placing them in legislative offices located in our nation’s capital. Each summer, a handful of CAES students move to Delta Hall in Washington, D.C., to represent the college and serve as agricultural liaisons in Georgia’s congressional offices.

More than 25 Georgia 4-H youth participated in the 2021 State Land Judging contest at the University of Georgia’s C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park in Camila, Georgia. Four counties from across the state brought teams to compete.