IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED AUGUST 31, 2005:

1. BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM HAS NEW DIRECTOR
2. FREE DROUGHT PLANNING WORKSHOP
3. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROFESSOR RECEIVES TOP AWARD
4. NEW RESEARCH ON WASP-RESISTANT APHIDS
5. IN MEMORIAM: JOHN S. NIEDERHAUSER
6. RESEARCH FRONTIERS IN NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES
7. VOLUNTEER TRAINING OFFERED ON CONSUMER TOPICS
8. VAN LEEUWEN JOINS FACULTY AT OFFICE OF ARID LANDS
9. UPDATE ON BOOJUM TREE REMOVED FROM UA CAMPUS
10. UNUSUAL BACTERIUM AND TEQUILA WASTE PRODUCT COULD YIELD AFFORDABLE BIOPLAST

1 BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM HAS NEW DIRECTOR

Mark Bierner, the new director of the arboretum, says visitors should have an instant and positive reaction to the 320-acre State Park facility near Superior, Ariz., from the moment they turn into the parking area.

"I want our guests to have an outstanding time during their visit and to leave BTA feeling as if they have had a truly exceptional experience. Management expert Peter Drucker says that the true product of the not-for-profit organization is a changed human being. I agree."

Bierner, a botanist and lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, was chosen to lead Boyce Thompson Arboretum after a nationwide search. Most recently, he has been researching cutting-edge plant genetics at UT, where he published several taxonomic revisions, created a new botany course (Plants, Environment, and Human Affairs), and helped with the initial organization of the university's Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.

The Arboretum is a 320-acre Arizona State Park criss-crossed by more than two miles of paths and trails that meander through gardens of desert plants from throughout the world. It is also a research-oriented affiliate of UA's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The Arboretum, which just celebrated its 75th anniversary, is explored by about 85,000 visitors each year.

Paul Wolterbeek, Boyce Thompson Arboretum

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/9.11.html

2 FREE DROUGHT PLANNING WORKSHOP

SAHRA - Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas, CLIMAS -Climate Assessment for the Southwest and Arizona Cooperative Extension are sponsoring a drought and water supply planning workshop on Wednesday, September 21 from 1-5:30 pm at the Radison Woodlands Hotel, Flagstaff.

Topics for the workshop include using drought history and forecasting in drought planning, with addition information on ocean/atmospheric controls, potential effects of climate change, and integrating drought planning with water supply planning.

The workshop is part of the 18th Annual AHS Symposium: "Conservation& Innovation in Water Management" being held from September 21-24, 2005. You do not have to register for the AHS Symposium to participate in this workshop.

Kathy Jacobs, Water Resources Research Center

To learn more:
http://www.azhydrosoc.org/symposium_registration05.html

3 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROFESSOR RECEIVES TOP AWARD

Billye Foster, an associate professor in the CALS Department of Agricultural Education, is being honored with the H.O. Sargent Diversity Award for a Nonmember from FFA for supporting activities that promote diversity within agricultural education and FFA.

The award will be presented at the National FFA Convention, October 27, 2005 in Louisville, Kentucky. Foster is the only national winner of this award. The Monsanto Company sponsors the honor as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.

Foster's Desert Roses Newsletter (cals.arizona.edu/desert_roses/) is internationally recognized as a voice for all women in agriculture. In her current role as Assistant to the Dean for Diversity, she coordinates all diversity activities for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

"Dr. Foster is without doubt the leading expert in the nation on diversity issues within colleges of agriculture," says Jack Elliot, head, Department of Agricultural Education. "The University of Arizona is a better place because of Dr. Foster's influence on diversity activities within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences."

Jack Elliot, Department of Agricultural Education

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/aed/faculty_staff/foster.htm

4 NEW RESEARCH ON WASP-RESISTANT APHIDS

Pea aphids are often under attack by wasps seeking to lay their eggs inside aphids, turning them into an all-you-can-eat buffet for the larval wasps. The aphids vary in their resistance to the wasps, which scientists had chalked up to genetic differences between aphids.

But it's not in their genes at all -- the wasp-resistant aphids owe their lives to the symbiotic bacteria carried inside them, according to new research. Figuring out what makes insects resistant to natural enemies is important to farmers. Pea aphids can be agricultural pests on plants in the pea family, including lentils and peas. The new finding suggests why some lineages of aphids readily succumb to the wasps and others don't.

"This work shows the difference can be attributed to the symbionts [the symbiotic bacteria], not to the aphid genotype," said Kerry Oliver, a postdoctoral research associate in The University of Arizona's department of entomology and a member of UA's Center for Insect Science.

Kerry Oliver, Department of Entomology

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/11.14.html

5 IN MEMORIAM: JOHN S. NIEDERHAUSER

John S. Niederhauser, internationally renowned scientist and University of Arizona adjunct professor of plant pathology since 1985, died August 12 at age 88. He was a pioneer in international cooperation for the improvement of agricultural productivity.

Known throughout the world as "Mr. Potato" for developing potato varieties resistant to late blight disease, his work has impacted agricultural production in more than 60 countries.

Leland Pierson, Division of Plant Pathology

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/5.31.html

6 RESEARCH FRONTIERS IN NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES

The effects of nutrition on such diseases as cancer, diabetes and obesity will be the focus of a two-day conference sponsored by the CALS Department of Nutritional Sciences, the BIO5 Institute and the UA Cancer Center.

"Research Frontiers in Nutritional Sciences" will be held October 20-21 at the University Park Marriott, 880 E. Second St., Tucson.

The goals of the conference are to:
-Discuss novel interactive research approaches to the treatment and prevention of diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
-Develop and facilitate key collaborations and interdisciplinary interactions among scientists affiliated with Arizona universities, government agencies, and private industries.
-Provide a platform to showcase current research being conducted in Arizona.

Registration costs $75 before September 12 and $100 after; student fees are $25.

Linda Houtkouper, Department of Nutritional Sciences

To learn more:
http://nutrition.arizona.edu/nscconf/registration.phtml

7 VOLUNTEER TRAINING OFFERED ON CONSUMER TOPICS

Master Consumer Advisors (MCA) are specially trained volunteers who answer consumer telephone calls regarding financial management, food safety, food and nutrition, clothing/textile care, pest control and more.

In exchange for a committment of 36 hours of volunteer time, participants will receive 36 hours of research-based training that includes a manual. Instruction includes financial and house management, food and nutrition, food safety, food substitutions, food preservation and drying, clothing/textile care, home pest control and how to search for consumer resources on the Internet. There will be demonstrations, food tasting, and hands-on experiences.

The next MCA training will be held at the Pima County Cooperative Extension office, 4210 N. Campbell Ave. in Tucson. The program will be held on Wednesdays from September 14 through October 27 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Class size is limited to 12, the price is $55.00 and pre-registration is required. Call (520) 626-5161 for more information.

Linda Block, Pima County Cooperative Extension

8 VAN LEEUWEN JOINS FACULTY AT OFFICE OF ARID LANDS

In the southwestern United States, drought, wildfire and monsoon rainfall events can have a devastating impact on the sustainable use of natural resources.

Willem van Leeuwen has accepted a joint appointment with the UA Office of Arid Lands Studies (OALS) and Geography and Regional Development (GRD) as an assistant professor. Van Leeuwen will split his research and teaching between the two departments. His teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate and graduate courses in biogeography and field methods.

Van Leeuwen's research will focus on understanding ecosystem responses to and the effects of wildfire, water erosion and management activities. In addition to applying remote sensing and GIS techniques to problems of sustainable land use and land degradation, one of his long-term goals is to develop new drought and ecosystem monitoring products based on the integration of climate data and remotely sensed land surface temperature and biophysical data.

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/16.7.html

9 UPDATE ON BOOJUM TREE REMOVED FROM UA CAMPUS

In spite of the disturbing need to remove the largest boojum (Fouquieria columnaris) last spring University researchers have been able to learn a few things about how the unique plants grow and develop.

Dr. Mary Olsen, Extension Specialist in Plant Pathology, has determined that the boojum had been declining for some time, probably years, possibly due to sparse winter rains when they put on the most growth. She states that opportunistic bacteria may have contributed to softening of the tissue and decay at the base, and generous rains this winter may have aided the bacteria.

Libby Davison, Department of Plant Sciences

To learn more:
http://arboretum.arizona.edu

10 UNUSUAL BACTERIUM AND TEQUILA WASTE PRODUCT COULD YIELD AFFORDABLE BIOPLAST

Environmentally friendly bioplastics made from chemicals produced by microbes need to clear two obstacles before they can replace plastics made from oil.

First, researchers need to find inexpensive sources of carbon that the microbes can convert to bioplastic compounds. Second, engineers have to find a way of removing the compounds from the organisms and purifying them.

A University of Arizona graduate student is just finishing a thesis project that could solve the first problem.

Once that first problem is cracked, the second should fall fairly easily to some straightforward engineering, says the student's advisor, Mark Riley, associate professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE).

Luis Alva, an ABE master's student, has found that a recently discovered marine bacterium called Saccharophagus degradans 2-40 can degrade a tough, fibrous waste product generated during tequila manufacturing to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates: bioplastics.

Alva is working with one of Mexico's largest tequila makers, Tequila Herradura, which generates 45 tons of agave waste (bagasse) each day.

Mark Riley, Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/14.8.html

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