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IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED May 28, 2004:

1. VICKI CHANDLER NAMED DIRECTOR OF IBSB
2. FEDERAL RULES REGARDING BIOTECH CORN
3. THE EXTENSION INDIAN RESERVATION PROGRAM
4. DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR AWARD TO DENNIS RAY
5. RALPH PRICE RECEIVES PROVOST'S GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHING AWARD
6. SUMMER AG INSTITUTE
7. JOLT - TEEN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
8. THE WESTERN VEGETABLE QUALITY RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAM
9. NAME CHANGE - SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES
10. CACTI, OTHER SUCCULENTS AND UNUSUAL XEROPHYTES BOOKLET AVAILABLE
11. NEW CALS PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE
12. UPCOMING EVENTS

1 VICKI CHANDLER NAMED DIRECTOR OF IBSB

Vicki L. Chandler has been named director of the Institute for Biomedical Science and Biotechnology (IBSB). Chandler, a Regents' Professor in the UA's department of plant sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, has been serving as interim co-director of IBSB since 2002. Her research focuses on the genetic mechanisms controlling gene expression in different cell types and at particular times during the development of a complex multi-cellular organism.

The goal of IBSB, the UA's premiere project in the field of biomedical science and biotechnology, is to stimulate interdisciplinary collaborations throughout all areas of science and medicine that involve genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics. The research coordinated and stimulated by IBSB will be an important factor in the University of Arizona's implementation of the state's bioscience roadmap.

The institute's main offices and laboratories will be housed in the new Thomas W. Keating BioResearch Building, although IBSB programs will take place throughout the entire campus. IBSB receives state funding from Proposition 301 money and additional money from an endowment.

Vicki Chandler, Department of Plant Sciences

To learn more: http://www.ibsb.arizona.edu/

2 FEDERAL RULES REGARDING BIOTECH CORN

Biotech corn carrying a gene that confers protection from insects can pollinate corn plants as far as 100 feet away, according to new research. The gene, known as Bt, codes for a toxin that kills caterpillar pests, including European corn borer and corn earworm. These findings suggest that a wider "refuge" (non-Bt corn area) may be required to reduce pollen spread from Bt corn to corn fields that should be Bt-free.

The discovery is important because planting refuges of non-Bt corn, which is susceptible to insect attack, near Bt corn delays pest resistance to the Bt toxin. This research indicates a need to revise the current Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for interspersing non-Bt corn with Bt, or transgenic, corn.  

Bruce Tabashnik, Department of Entomology

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/11.10.html

3 THE EXTENSION INDIAN RESERVATION PROGRAM

Twenty-one Indian tribes and nations exist within the geographic boundaries of Arizona. The Extension Indian Reservation Program (EIRP) was authorized by the 1990 Farm Bill (P.L. 101-64). This measure directed that the "Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Extension Service, shall establish appropriate extension education programs on Indian reservations and tribal jurisdictions." The legislation specified consultation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Intertribal Agriculture Council, and the Southwest Indian Agriculture Association in establishing these extension programs.  

Extension Indian Reservation Program funding has enabled the University of Arizona to hire Cooperative Extension agents on six Arizona reservations. Agents currently serve the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT); the Hopi and San Carlos Apache Indian reservations; the Hualapai and Havasupai reservations (one agent for both); and The Navajo Nation (two agents).  

EIRP program funding allowed the University of Arizona to join with New Mexico State University and Utah State University in a consortium to hire and place two Cooperative Extension agents on The Navajo Nation in Shiprock, New Mexico and Window Rock, Arizona.  

The La Paz County Extension office is located on CRIT, the only Cooperative Extension Office in the United States that is on an Indian reservation. Currently there are requests and needs for at least 12 more Cooperative Extension agents to be placed on Arizona Indian reservations.

Joe Hiller, Native American Programs

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/nativeamerican/

4 DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR AWARD TO DENNIS RAY

Dennis Ray, a professor of both plant sciences and arid lands studies in the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, was recently recognized as a University Distinguished Professor

Ray is honored for his longstanding and continued record of excellent contributions to undergraduate teaching over more than two decades, not only in the classroom, but also through his involvement in the University-wide general education program.  

According to his colleagues, Ray has had a powerful and positive impact on the quality of the general education program and on academic advising. He has worked with faculty at all three Arizona universities and at Arizona's community colleges in the statewide articulation effort, and in the assessment of the quality of the University of Arizona's general education curriculum. 

"I've always been very committed to teaching," says Ray, whose research focuses on the development of new crops such as guayule, guar and lesquerella for arid and semi-arid regions. "I think the next generation of students needs to know how important plants are to us so they can make informed decisions. They need to know where their food comes from, who grows it, and how plants in general are important in our lives."  

Dennis Ray, Department of Plant Sciences

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/5.22.html

5 RALPH PRICE RECEIVES PROVOST'S GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHING AWARD

Since 1976, thousands of students have taken Ralph Price's nutritional sciences course, NATS 104: Food, Nutrition and You. Filled with multimedia presentations, hands-on projects, and practical information, it has become one of the most popular of the general education biological science Tier 1 classes at the University of Arizona, garnering consistently high ratings from students. 

Price, a professor in the nutritional sciences department of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is an honored recipient of the 2003 Provost's General Education Teaching Award. In his nomination packet, colleagues and students alike note his enthusiasm, organizational skills, knowledge and love of his subject, deep appreciation for undergraduate students, and dedication to mentoring others as a "teacher's teacher." He has won five other teaching awards. 

Ralph Price, Department of Nutritional Sciences

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/17.16.html

6 SUMMER AG INSTITUTE

The Summer Agricultural Institute (SAI) is a five-day program designed to educate teachers about Arizona agriculture and food and fiber production and to help them incorporate that knowledge into their classrooms. SAI will be held June 7-11 this year. 

Thirty Arizona teachers are selected to participate in the workshops as well as in farm and agribusiness tours. Planned tour stops include Eurofresh tomato greenhouses, an ostrich farm, a cattle ranch, a retail nursery, a working dairy and a pasta plant. Teachers are hosted by a farm family for one night during the Institute.

Monica Pastor, Maricopa County 4-H Youth Development

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/agliteracy/summer-institute.html

7 JOLT - TEEN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

JOLT (Journey of Opportunities for Leaders of Tomorrow) is an Arizona Teen Leadership Camp, designed by teens for teens and sponsored through 4-H. The environment of JOLT promotes personal development, team building and self-confidence. Participants take part in activities that build trust, leadership and communication skills.

Conflict resolution skills and relationship building skills also are examined. JOLT will be held this year from June 14-18 at Camp Shadow Pines in Heber, Arizona. 

Bryan Chadd, 4-H Youth Development, Maricopa County 

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/4-h/teen.htm

8 THE WESTERN VEGETABLE QUALITY RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROGRAM

Water stress during the growing season is usually linked with depressed vegetable crop yields. As a consequence most growers try to avoid water stress in the field. 

Yet recent studies in the United Kingdom evaluating the effect of water stress on the quality and shelf life of vegetables suggest that in some cases, controlled water stress can produce beneficial effects during postharvest storage. These findings are being examined as they relate to growing vegetables in the arid Southwest. 

The Western Vegetable Quality research and extension program, based at the University of Arizona-Yuma Agricultural Center, is designed to further communication among academic and industry members in issues related to the quality of vegetables, specifically the production, handling and processing technology of vegetables commonly grown in the Sonoran Desert. 

Research efforts include studies on the physiological aspects that may affect quality of the final product at the pre-harvest or post-harvest levels. UA faculty are currently examining the use of micronutrients for improving vegetable quality; the effect of irrigation water scheduling on microbial quality; nutritional and chemical content of new varieties under different environmental conditions; the efficiency of plastic mulch systems, and other topics.  

Jorge Fonseca, Yuma Agricultural Center

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/crops/vegetables/quality/newsletter/2004/westveg0304
.html#two

9 NAME CHANGE - SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES

For three decades the School of Renewable Natural Resources has provided education to students regarding watershed issues, rangeland ecology, fisheries and other aspects of the natural environment. The School was established in 1974. 

In January, 2004, the Arizona Board of Regents approved the change of the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences School of Renewable Natural Resources to the School of Natural Resources (SNR).  

"The name change better aligns the school with its peer institutions across the U.S. that have similar undergraduate and graduate programs in natural resources disciplines," says Pat Reid, SNR director. The majority of these schools are simply named Natural Resources, rather than Renewable Natural Resources. Along with the new school name, the names of the majors and the degree will also be changed, with a collapse of all previous majors into one major of Natural Resources.

Pat Reid, School of Natural Resources

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/snr/

10 CACTI, OTHER SUCCULENTS AND UNUSUAL XEROPHYTES BOOKLET AVAILABLE

This pocket-sized field guide, published by the Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum, features 83 species of cacti and other succulent plants that can be found in southern Arizona. One or more color photographs illustrate each plant in its natural habitat, and many include close-up images of the flowers.  

The book is organized with related plants located on consecutive pages to facilitate identification. The text lists both scientific and common names. Information on habitat and distribution of each species is provided along with a brief, non-technical description, flowering times, interesting facts about the plants and useful tips on distinguishing similar species.

Matt Johnson, Desert Legume Program  

To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/adjunct/cactusorder.pdf

11 NEW CALS PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The following is a list of new publications available from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:  

• An Overview of Factors Determining How Milk is Priced at the Farm
• Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance and Food Safety: Trainer's Reference
• Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance and Food Safety: Youth Manual
• How to Bug Proof Your Home
• Measuring Water Flow in Surface Irrigation Ditches and Gated Pipe
• Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Four Corners Irrigation Workshop
• Range Management
• The BEST Exercise Program for Osteoporosis Prevention
• Western Profiles of Innovative Agricultural Marketing: Examples from Direct
  Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism Enterprises

CALSmart, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

To learn more: http://pubs1.cals.arizona.edu/search/newtitles.cfm

12 UPCOMING EVENTS

Safe Food 2010 Conference, July 27 and 28, Holiday Inn Select, 44th St. and Washington, Phoenix. The conference includes new research and technology, updates on current issues, food production tours and nationally known speakers. Contact Sharon Hoelscher Day, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/fcs/safefood.htm  

8th Women in Agriculture Conference, Aug. 6, Tucson. The conference is co-sponsored by the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the Arizona Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee. The theme is "Healthy, Wealthy and Wise," accentuating living healthy lives, learning a wealth of information and being financially wise in the management of the farm, ranch or dairy. Conference sessions will focus on minimizing stress on the farm family, farm safety techniques and food safety tips and information. Business related subjects such as financial planning, e-commerce, accounting, niche marketing and gaining a competitive edge will be featured. http://www.azfb.org/wiac.htm  

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