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Top Crops Stories
Scientists reflect on 25 years of no-till wheat research
No-till wheat research at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture has come a long way since a drill dropped seeds in the first test plot more than 25 years ago at UK's Research and Education Center in Princeton.
In the fall of 1983, many producers and industry professionals widely viewed no-till wheat as a risky endeavor. Over the years, it has provided many benefits to growers and the environment and catapulted UK to a national leader in the field.
UK wheat scientists Lloyd Murdock and Jim Herbek have been in the UK College of Agriculture since the beginning.
"In the early 80s, farmers were planting no-till corn and soybeans but were still using conventional tilling methods for wheat," said Murdock, UK soil scientist. "It made sense to plant no-till wheat and make this a complete no-till system."
Some wheat producers in far Western Kentucky began to express interest around that time, but they had a lot of concerns including yield losses, weed control and increased disease and insect pressure.
"No-till wheat was a totally new concept," Murdock said. "Nobody thought it would work, but those growers inspired us to begin research."
Herbek...
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UK is leader in $6 million study of medicinal plants
The University of Kentucky is the lead institute in a group of universities that received a $6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to study the molecular genetics and biochemical potential of medicinal plants.
"Our major goal is to capture the genetic blueprints of medicinal plants for the advancement of drug discovery and development...
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UK, KSU receive grant to train beginning farmers
Backed by a nearly $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Cooperative Extension will offer a comprehensive training program for beginning farmers and those who are thinking about taking up farming.
The Kentucky's whole farm management education program, A Common Field, is a two-year course offered in 20 areas of the state. It will include...
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Aiken, Wendroth become Fellows of national professional societies
Two professors in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture recently were named Fellows of two professional societies during the societies' annual meetings in Pittsburgh.
Glen Aiken, who is an agronomist and animal scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- Agricultural Research Service and adjunct professor in UK's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, was named a Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America.
Ole Wendroth, an associate professor in plant and soil sciences, became a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America. ...
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Waterlogged October wettest on record for some
There's no doubt October 2009 was a soggy month most agricultural producers would rather forget. The record rainfall made everything more complicated. From delayed harvests to tobacco curing problems, farmers were soaked to the bone. When the month finally ended and the numbers came together, it was official - it was the third wettest October on record for the state and the wettest for western parts of the state.
"After the Bluegrass state suffered through two years of drought, the climate pendulum swung back to wetter than normal conditions through October...
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Meetings help growers prepare for 2010 growing season
Planning for the coming growing season is an important but sometimes challenging task for producers of grain crops. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture specialists will offer their nonbiased advice to help growers wade through the decision-making process during a series of early bird meetings.
These meetings were previously scheduled for mid-November but were moved to December to include producers dealing with the late harvest.
The meetings will take place Dec. 14 at the Feed Mill Restaurant in Union County, Dec. 15 at the Christian County Cooperative...
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As harvest wraps up, curing concerns exist for burley, dark tobacco
With harvest nearing completion, high humidity levels caused by an exceptionally moist year could potentially cause curing problems for growers of burley and dark tobacco, said specialists with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
Much of the early-cured burley and dark air-cured crops are showing signs of houseburn or barn rot.
Andy Bailey, UK dark tobacco extension specialist, estimated that as much as two-thirds of the dark air-cured tobacco crop has at least small traces of the rot, which is also called "sweat." Barn rot can cause...
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Growers continue to face harvesting challenges from cool, wet summer
While the rains have stopped and harvest is progressing, Kentucky growers continue to deal with the ramifications of a cool, wet growing season.
The growing season came to a close the weekend of Oct. 17 with the season's first frost. While that may seem early, it was only slightly ahead of the state's average first frost date, said Michael Mathews, staff meteorologist in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
Fortunately, the majority of the state's corn was mature; however, only 75 percent of soybeans were mature, said Chad Lee, UK grain...
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Soggy weather slows state's harvest
Harvesting this year's crop is an uphill battle for the state's corn and soybean producers as frequent, heavy rains are keeping combines out of the fields for days at a time.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, 46 percent of Kentucky's corn crop was harvested as of Oct. 11. This is well behind the five-year average of 81 percent. The report said 18 percent of state's soybeans were harvested on Oct. 11, which is also behind the five-year average of 34 percent.
University of Kentucky Cooperative...
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Sweet Potato harvest looking good in east Kentucky
Two years ago on a visit to Canada, Sarah Fannin saw something she was sure would be a good fit for east Kentucky agriculture - sweet potatoes. The tuber has long been a cultural favorite in east Kentucky, with school children even eating the root raw as an afterschool snack. Turns out, her hunch was right.
Since Fannin is the University of Kentucky...
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