CALS NewsLine is dedicated to helping you learn more about our programs and activities. Subscription information is at the end of this newsletter.
IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED February 28, 2007:
- NEW PLANT VIRUS THREATENS TOMATO PRODUCTION
- NEWSLETTER ON WATER ISSUES RETURNS TO PRINT
- IN MEMORIAM: THEO WATSON, RETIRED UA ENTOMOLOGY PROFESSOR
- TIMING ESSENTIAL WHEN PRUNING FROST-DAMAGED PLANTS
- ETHANOL PRODUCTION IN ARIZONA
- SOUTHWEST AG SUMMIT IN YUMA MARCH 8
- CASSAVA CHOSEN FOR GENOME SEQUENCING
- WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE AND RIPARIAN AREAS APRIL 11-13
- TUCSON "PROJECT WET" SPRING WORKSHOPS
- ARIZONA HAY ACREAGE INCREASES
- FOOD SAFETY PUBLICATION AVAILABLE
1 NEW PLANT VIRUS THREATENS TOMATO PRODUCTION
A new plant virus identified in fall 2006 in Arizona threatens not only home gardens, but also the commercial tomato industry in the state. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, also known as TYLCV, was found in two home gardens in the Phoenix area.
A new plant virus identified in fall 2006 in Arizona threatens not only home gardens, but also the commercial tomato industry in the state. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, also known as TYLCV, was found in two home gardens in the Phoenix area.
Judith K. Brown, Plant Sciences, jbrown@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://uanews.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UANews.woa/2/wa/CALSArticle?ArticleID=13597
2 NEWSLETTER ON WATER ISSUES RETURNS TO PRINT
The Arroyo series of newsletters published by the UA Water Resources Research Center will begin to flow again with an edition focusing on artificial recharge. The last issue was published in May 2002.
Arroyo is written with a wide readership in mind, in a nontechnical, nonacademic style, to appeal to the interested citizens as well as water professionals. Issues addressed by Arroyo in the past have included rural water affairs, watershed management, aquaculture and constructed wetlands. The goal is to provide a readable review of an important water issue.
Arroyo will continue as an occasional publication, with editions published as resources become available and appropriate topics are identified. The latest issue will be mailed to subscribers on the WRRC mailing list. Extra copies are available for educational purposes.
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/janfeb07/vapors.html
3 IN MEMORIAM: THEO WATSON, RETIRED UA ENTOMOLOGY PROFESSOR
Theo Watson, a former professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, passed away on February 2, 2007. He retired as professor emeritus in 1995 after a tenure of 29 years.
Those wishing to celebrate Watson's life are invited to join the family on March 1, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church, at North Campbell Avenue and River Road in Tucson.
To view the obituary from the Arizona Daily Star, please go to the link below.
To learn more:
http://www.legacy.com/tucson/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=86370784
4 TIMING ESSENTIAL WHEN PRUNING FROST-DAMAGED PLANTS
Subtropical plants in the desert have taken a real cold-weather beating with the unexpected snow and subfreezing temperatures.
So what can be done now to help these frozen plants recover?
First, and most important, don't cut off cold-damaged leaves and stems on trees and shrubs. They may be unsightly, but if another cold snap occurs, those frozen leaves and stems will provide just a bit of extra cover to protect any undamaged growth below. In addition, cutting back cold-damaged parts now means that the plant will die back even further if freezing temperatures return.
On the other hand, flowers and other herbaceous plants such as geraniums, impatiens, begonias, aloes and other soft-stemmed plants should have any frozen and wilted stems removed. If left on, these damaged plant portions will rot, and this decay is likely to spread to undamaged portions of the plant.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/166042.php
John Begeman, Pima County Cooperative Extension, jbegeman@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/18.10.html
5 ETHANOL PRODUCTION IN ARIZONA
About 16,500 acres of corn was grown in Cochise County and a small portion of southern Graham County in 2005. In 2006, only 40 percent of that acreage was grown, said Robert Call, University of Arizona Cochise County Cooperative Extension horticulture agent.
"Lots of the crop circles that were previously corn were left idle last year because of the cost to grow the corn," said Claire Owen, Ag Day Chair and one of the original Southeastern Arizona Ag Day committee members 28 years ago. "Corn needs water, and it's been too dry. It was just too expensive to water and pay all the bills."
To read the full story from Arizona Range News go to the link below.
Rob Call, Cochise County Cooperative Extension, recall@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/18.9.html
6 SOUTHWEST AG SUMMIT IN YUMA MARCH 8
The first Annual Southwest Ag Summit will be held March 8 at the Yuma Civic and Convention Center in Yuma from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Featured speakers include former U.S. Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt, who will give a talk on "What I've Learned From the Presidents I've Known"; and Jim Gorny, senior vice president of food safety and technology for the United Fresh Produce Association, who will speak on food safety and security regulations.
Forums will be offered on advancements in production agriculture, food safety for vegetable producers, crop production, immigration reform, and innovations in machinery and equipment. Presenters include more than 25 industry professionals and university researchers.
Kurt Nolte, Yuma County Cooperative Extension, knolte@ag.arizona.edu.
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/crops/vegetables/quality/Ag%20Summit%20Program%20March_07.pdf
7 CASSAVA CHOSEN FOR GENOME SEQUENCING
The cassava, a root similar to a potato that is grown mainly in South America and Africa, has been chosen to have its genome sequenced by researchers, including a UA scientist, for humanitarian and energy purposes by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute.
The UA, which played a major role in sequencing the genome of rice, is providing one of the multi-institutional team's main researchers with a place to study the cassava genome in the newly opened BIO5 building.
See link below for the full story from the Arizona Daily Wildcat, the University of Arizona student newspaper.
Steven Rounsley, BIO5 Institute, rounsley@email.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/5.40.html
8 WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE AND RIPARIAN AREAS APRIL 11-13
A "Climate and Riparian Areas Workshop" featuring emerging research on climate and riparian area ecology will be held April 11-13 in Casa Grande, Arizona. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with scientists to help create practical tools for natural resource managers, decision-makers and practitioners. In addition, the workshop will serve as a forum for training, education and discussion regarding climate variation and its impacts on Arizona riparian areas.
"Climate and Riparian Areas Workshop: Connecting the Dots--Climate Change/Variability and Ecosystem Impacts in Southwestern Riparian Areas" will take place at the Hotel Casa Grande, 777 N. Pinal Avenue in Casa Grande.
Full agenda and registration information are available at the link below.
Chris Jones, Gila County Cooperative Extension, ckjones@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/gila/naturalresources/Riparianpage.html
9 TUCSON "PROJECT WET" SPRING WORKSHOPS
Arizona Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) workshops will be held in Tucson from March until June. Sponsored by Arizona Project WET, a program of the Water Resources Research Center and the Arizona Cooperative Extension, the workshops are designed for educators and agency personnel interested in learning about water.
Workshops will be held March 10, April 14 and June 18 and 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Designed to reach children, parents, educators and communities with water education, the curricula covers the properties of water, the water cycle, watersheds, ground water, water quality and water rights. The program promotes an understanding of the importance of water to all water users.
Project WET curricula are correlated to the Arizona Standards, developed and tested by teachers. Lessons aim to develop critical thinking and build an understanding of concepts through experiential learning. Workshop participants will receive copies of the nationally acclaimed teaching guides and materials.
Josie Tanner, Water Resources Research Center, josie@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/azwater/wet
10 ARIZONA HAY ACREAGE INCREASES
Thanks to the growing dairy industry plus the demand from feedlots and horses, Arizona hay acreage sprouted from about 165,000 acres in 1995 to about 260,000 acres in 2006. The 2005 crop was valued at $268 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The acreage increase is notable considering the overall loss of agricultural land to urbanization. The development is causing alfalfa growers more problems in moving equipment and with pesticide spraying limitations.
Maricopa County had the largest alfalfa acreage in Arizona, but urbanization in the Phoenix area shifted alfalfa production to other counties. Alfalfa acreage has increased in Pinal and La Paz counties.
Water costs have increased in central Arizona causing some growers to irrigate once instead of twice between cuttings especially on short cutting cycles.
To read the full article, go to the link below.
Mike Ottman, Department of Plant Sciences, mottman@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/media/archives/5.38.html
11 FOOD SAFETY PUBLICATION AVAILABLE
America's food supply is one of the safest in the world, with farmers, grocery stores, food retailers and manufacturers, preparing and selling food. However, these requirements end when the food goes into your shopping cart and reaches your kitchen.
There are thousands of types of bacteria which are naturally present in our environment. Some are beneficial; however there are certain bacteria which can cause foodborne illnesses. When people eat food contaminated with food-poisoning bacteria, they usually get sick within 4-48 hours.
Most bacteria that cause food poisoning don't grow at refrigerator temperatures. The best temperature for these bacteria is around 100 degrees F. These bacteria can't be seen, smelled or tasted.
Scottie Misner, Department of Nutritional Sciences, smisner@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/health/az9716.pdf
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.