IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED SEPTEMBER 29, 2005:

1. MEDICINAL HERB RESEARCH AT THE UA
2. ARIZONA HIGHLANDS GARDEN CONFERENCE
3. DESERT LANDSCAPING CD-ROM
4. BROWN BAG SEMINAR ON PHOENIX WATER PLANNING AND SALINITY
5. RUSS TRONSTAD RECEIVES CALS EXTENSION FACULTY OF THE YEAR AWARD
6. FIELD DAY AT MARICOPA AGRICULTURAL CENTER
7. VIRTUAL WATER UNIVERSITY
8. BIO5 DIRECTOR RECEIVES NIH DIRECTOR'S PIONEER AWARD
9. UA/CALS HOMECOMING EVENTS
10. 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE
11. NEW TURF DISEASE ON GOLF COURSES
12. INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM RECEIVES VALLEY FORWARD AWARD

1 MEDICINAL HERB RESEARCH AT THE UA

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is conducting greenhouse research on medicinal plants, including ginger and turmeric. The following story, written by Larry Copenhaver, appeared in the August 30 issue of the Tucson Citizen:

High atop a parking garage at the University of Arizona, a researcher is conducting experiments with two aromatic culinary herbs that might provide a medicine for people suffering from arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

"We are looking at ginger and turmeric," said David R. Gang, assistant professor of plant sciences in the UA College of Agriculture [and Life Sciences], working under a five-year National Science Foundation grant. "We have several different lines in the 300 plants there."

"What my lab is trying to do is figure out how these plants make the compounds that are responsible for these medicinal and flavor properties the plants have," he said. Read more at:

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/5.32.html

2 ARIZONA HIGHLANDS GARDEN CONFERENCE

Solutions to the particular problems faced by gardeners at high elevations will be discussed at the Arizona Highlands Garden Conference 2005. It will be held October 3-4 at Trinity Heights Methodist Church in Flagstaff.

Highlights include sessions on high-elevation native landscapes, growing aspens, container gardening and Hopi and Navajo cultural traditions associated with gardening.

The conference is organized by master gardeners from Coconino, Yavapai, Navajo and Gila counties. Pre-conference garden tours are also available.

The cost for two days is $90. One-day attendance is available for $45.

Jeff Schalau, Yavapai County Cooperative Extension

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/ahgc/conference2005.html

3 DESERT LANDSCAPING CD-ROM

The Desert Landscaping Multimedia CD-ROM, Version 2, developed by The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), is now available.

The target audience includes anyone interested in desert gardening--from the week-end gardener to the landscape professional.

This is a tool to enable gardeners to design a landscape using appropriate low-water-use vegetation to meet various landscape preferences and needs. By identifying plants that have desired characteristics to meet specific landscape conditions users can custom design their landscape. Additional gardening information includes insect control and fertilization practices.

Highlights include interactive plant selector; landscape tips; clickable landscapes; plant group comparisons; full-screen photos; review of plant books; full information about size and growth rate, soil and sun requirements, irrigation needs, place of plant origin, wildife interactions; plant trivia questionnaire and a reference tool for obtaining various plant information.

The $30 CD-ROM is available from CALSmart (http://cals.arizona.edu/calsmart) or directly from the Water Resources Research Center, 350 North Campbell Ave., Tucson.

Joe Gelt, Water Resources Research Center

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/azwater/publications/cd/

4 BROWN BAG SEMINAR ON PHOENIX WATER PLANNING AND SALINITY

A brown bag seminar on Phoenix water planning and salinity issues will be held Friday, October 14, from Noon until 1:30 p.m.

The primary focus of the presentation will be the "Phoenix Water Resources Plan". Over the past year, the city has been updating this 50-year plan to better address the uncertainties of growth and drought impacts.

Phoenix developed a "Drought Simulation Model" to assess various shortage and growth scenarios on the city's ability to meet demands over an extended period. The plan evaluation work is complete and the document is currently being drafted.

A related issue is the impact of high salinity source waters on the overall water resource picture in the region. For the past four years a collaborative effort known as the Central Arizona Salinity Study (CASS) has been studying the degree of the "salinity problem" and identify potential solutions. As a part of this study, the potential utilization of brackish groundwater as a municipal source is also being assessed. The second phase of CASS is expected to be complete this year.

The seminar will be held at the Sol Resnick Conference Room, Water Resources Research Center, 350 N. Campbell Ave. in Tucson. Bring your lunch.

Cas Sprout, Water Resources Research Center

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/AZWATER/announcements/annc.html

5 RUSS TRONSTAD RECEIVES CALS EXTENSION FACULTY OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Extension Faculty of the year award is presented annually to an outstanding faculty nominated by peers and selected by a committee composed of the elected chair of the county directors, the elected head of department heads and school directors, and a former faculty award winner.

This year Russ Tronstad, Department of Agricultural Economics (ARE) was selected. Tronstad said that he believes the collective effort of many individuals helped him receive this recognition. He also notes that throughout the state faculty, staff and clientele have worked hard with him to identify, develop, and deliver Extension Programs.

Tronstad's research interests include agricultural marketing, risk management, international trade, and operations research methods. Fruit and vegetable commodities, range livestock, and field crops are a part of his research and extension activities. Much of his work focuses on decision tools and aids that jointly consider production, marketing, and risk factors. He is currently Co-Editor of the Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

Jim Christenson, Arizona Cooperative Extension

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/arec/dept/faculty/tronstad.html

6 FIELD DAY AT MARICOPA AGRICULTURAL CENTER

The Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) Field Day will be Wednesday, October 5. MAC is a 2,100 acre College of Agriculture and Life Sciences research facility near Casa Grande.

This year's field day will include tours of the new Agricultural Research Service of the USDA which is in the final stages of construction.

This field day provides an opportunity to highlight and showcase the MAC facility, research and education capacities, current research and ongoing education programs, and very importantly an opportunity to educate the community regarding future plans for the development at MAC.

A poster session provides an opportunity for extensionists, researchers and companies to showcase their programs, projects and products. It will take place in the Faul Ag Village area.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Tours run from 8:45 = 10:00 a.m. and the symposion, "A New Era in Arid Land Research" runs from 10:30 a.m. until noon. A barbecue lunch will be served from noon until 1:00 p.m. MAC is located at 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road, Maricopa, AZ.

To register to present a poster visit the url below.

Bob Roth, Maricopa Agricultural Center

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/crops/counties/all/meetings/MACfieldday05/cottonfieldday05.html

7 VIRTUAL WATER UNIVERSITY

The following piece on the state's Virtual Water University is excerpted from an article that appeared in the September 23, 2005 print edition of the Phoenix Business Journal. A link to an electronic version of the entire article appears at the end of this entry:

The Arizona Virtual Water University has begun a number of projects aimed at water research and conservation, and is on the verge of hiring its first executive director.

Arizona's three state universities have united with a handful of government agencies to create what leaders hope can be a world-class center for water research, as well as spawn business ventures in support of that goal.

The Arizona Virtual Water University was proposed by Gov. Janet Napolitano earlier this year, and a leadership team representing the three universities and the Governor's Office is pursuing an executive director and building a business plan for the new venture.

Sharon Megdal, director of University of Arizona's Water Resources Research Center, said the state universities -- and UA in particular -- have a large pool of water expertise to draw from.

"We have about 325 people on our campus who are doing something with water," she said. "We cover just about every aspect of water here."

Megdal described the AVWU as an example of the whole becoming more than the sum of its parts. "We can do more and do it better by doing things collectively," she said.

Sharon Megdal, Water Resources Research Center

To learn more:
http://bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2005/09/26/story8.html

8 BIO5 DIRECTOR RECEIVES NIH DIRECTOR'S PIONEER AWARD

Vicki Chandler, University of Arizona (UA) Regents' Professor and director of the BIO5 Institute, has received the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Pioneer Award. The award, made to exceptionally creative scientists, will provide Chandler with approximately $4 million to support her research, which has the potential to lead to significant advances in human health. Chandler is the first researcher in Arizona to receive the highly competitive award and is one of only 13 recipients selected this year from 840 scientists.

Chandler studies plants as model systems to understand the mechanisms that regulate gene activity. Her ground-breaking research, funded by the National Science Foundation for the past 10 years, has uncovered new evidence about the mechanisms by which living organisms transmit genetic information. She has shown that Mendel's laws, discovered more than 150 years ago, do not account for all aspects of inheritance, which could explain why certain human diseases are inherited in ways that have long puzzled researchers.

Vicki Chandler, BIO5 Institute

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/3.2.html

9 UA/CALS HOMECOMING EVENTS

In addition to the big game, the UA's annual Homecoming festivities also include the following events, offered through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:

November 4, 2005

The Touchstone Energy AgCat Open--Randolph Golf Course. Registration and breakfast run from 6:30-7:15 a.m. The tournament starts at 7:30 a.m. Player spots and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact Dana Crudo, dcrudo@ag.arizona.edu, (520) 621-7190.

The Family and Consumer Sciences Council annual Norton School Homecoming Luncheon and Awards Ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Marriott University Park Hotel. The cost is $30 and reservations are required by October 15. The rendering of the school's new building design will be unveiled. Contact Shirley Jo Taylor, sjtaylor@ag.arizona.edu.

November 5, 2005

The Dean's Almost World Famous Burrito Breakfast and Silent Auction, 8:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m., Arizona Ball Room North, Memorial Student Union. Join more than 300 friends and alumni in cheering on the Wildcats and in raising financial support for students. For more information contact Jenny Henley, jhenley1@email.arizona.edu, (520) 621-7190.

The football game, Arizona vs. UCLA, begins at 4:00 p.m. For tickets, call 520-621-CATS

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/alumni/homecoming05/homecoming2005.htm

10 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE

"Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat" is a statewide 4-H community service project. This ninth annual event will take place in many communities throughout Arizona where 4-H clubs will each hold their own canned-food drive. This community service project is designed not only to help the less fortunate but also to teach youth to make a difference by using their well-bing to help others.

The food drive will be held in conjunction with the national "Make a Difference Day" on October 22. For the past eight years Arizona 4-H has participated by assisting the state's food banks in providing an early start on the rush for the holiday season. By providing youth with an opportunity to serve, it enables them to become contributors, problem-solvers and partners with adults in improving their community and society. The food collected goes immediately to a local food bank.

The "Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat" campaign runs from October 22 - November 5.

Lisa Lauxman, Arizona 4-H Youth Development

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/15.11.html

11 NEW TURF DISEASE ON GOLF COURSES

Rapid blight is a new disease of cool season turf grass on golf courses in Arizona. Early symptoms of disease include patches of turf that appear water soaked, slightly sunken and darker than healthy turf. Affected turf yellows and dies.

Small patches several inches across may enlarge rapidly to over a foot in diameter, coalesce and result in larger areas of dead turf. Mowing and foot traffic seem to increase disease incidence rapidly. In a few cases, entire plantings of cool season turf seedlings have been lost.

Mary Olsen, Division of Plant Pathology/Microbiology

To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/PLP/plpext/diseases/turf/coolseason/rapidblight.html

12 INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM RECEIVES VALLEY FORWARD AWARD

The Arizona Integrated Pest Management/Indoor Air Quality (IPM/IAQ) in Schools Coalition was given an "Award of Merit" in the Valley Forward Association's 25th annual Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA)program. The program is Arizona's oldest and largest environmental competition. There are 22 categories including: buildings and structures, site development and landscape, art in public places, environmental technologies, environmental education/communication, environmental stewardship and livable communities.

The IPM/IAQ in Schools Coalition is headed by University of Arizona urban entomologist Dawn Gouge, and includes a broad range of urban IPM experts and stakeholders from Arizona and across the nation. IPM/IAQ programs for schools provide the most efficient pest management with least exposure to pesticides at a cost that is comparable to most school's traditional calendar spray programs.

The coalition is participating in the development and pilot testing of an EPA "IPM Toolbox" for schools that is expected to have national distribution and impact.

Dawn Gouge, Maricopa Agricultural Center

To learn more:
http://epa.gov/iaq/

To find out about available CALS publications and upcoming events, go to http://cals.arizona.edu/ If you have questions or comments about NewsLine, send an email to newseditor@ag.arizona.edu. Previous issues can be viewed at http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/newsline/previous-issues.html

Let your colleagues know about CALS NewsLines. They (and you) can sign up to receive this free monthly electronic newsletter by visiting http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/newsline/ To remove your email address from the subscription list, send an email to: endnews@ag.arizona.edu The subject line should be: "drop from newsline". No text message is necessary.