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CALS NewsLine from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

CALS NewsLine for College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

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 October 28, 2009 :

  1. 30TH ANNUAL DEAN'S 'ALMOST WORLD FAMOUS' BURRITO BREAKFAST, AUCTION NOV 7
  2. RESEARCH MAY HELP PLANTS, HUMANS SURVIVE STRESS, DISEASE
  3. CALS GRADUATE STUDENT PRESENTS RESEARCH TO CONGRESS
  4. WESTERN ALFALFA AND FORAGE CONFERENCE IN RENO NV DECEMBER 2-4
  5. CALS PUBLICATIONS: OCTOBER
  6. TRY THE MEDICINAL PLANTS WALK AT THE UA CAMPUS ARBORETUM
  7. CALS IN THE NEWS: OCTOBER

1 30TH ANNUAL DEAN'S 'ALMOST WORLD FAMOUS' BURRITO BREAKFAST, AUCTION NOV 7

It's time to Bear Down and Bid Up! Start UA Homecoming Day off right on November 7 at the 30th annual "Dean's Almost World Famous Burrito Breakfast" and Alumni Auction put on by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Start the morning off in the UA's Student Union North Ballroom at 8:00 a.m. with a silent auction and a delicious burrito breakfast served by CALS faculty.

The exciting live auction will begin at 9:15 a.m. The new men's basketball coach, Sean Miller, is scheduled to be in attendance. Admission is free and proceeds provide support for the student scholarships, club activities and alumni activities in support of CALS.

Live auction items include UA basketball weekends, theater tickets, tours, golf packages, handmade furniture, an antique (1897) seed planter, beautiful framed paintings and drawings, gorgeous handmade Christmas wreaths, bronze sculpture, UA spirit packages, restaurant gift cards and food items, accommodations in Arizona and California, and much more.

For more information see the website below, or contact Joanne Gonzalez-Edaer in the CALS Alumni Development Office at jmg@ag.arizona.edu for further information.
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/alumni/2008BB%20Recap.htm

2 RESEARCH MAY HELP PLANTS, HUMANS SURVIVE STRESS, DISEASE

A University of Arizona researcher's work on gene expression could help protect plants from stresses like heat and drought, and even help people survive diseases like cancer.

A new technology to analyze gene expression at the level of different cell types offers new insights in the ways that plants and animals react to the environment and how they change when they are diseased, said David W. Galbraith, a UA plant sciences professor and member of the BIO5 Institute.

Galbraith is a co-author of a paper on the topic that will appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "What we recognize as a specific part of a plant, such as a leaf or a root, in fact is made up from many different types of cells," Galbraith said.

In leaves, some cells are for photosynthesis, some are for transporting sugar and some are to externally protect the plant, he said. The techniques Galbraith and his collaborator, Julia Bailey-Serres at the University of California, Riverside, developed allow researchers to find out how these different cell types function.

"When you apply stress to a plant, the numbers and identities of proteins being produced change dramatically. Stress can be drought, salt or heat," Galbraith said. "Now we can tell within specific cell types how the plants react.

"In this paper, we focus on the core machinery of the cells, called ribosomes, that manufacture proteins. We now can tell you exactly which proteins are being made in different cell types," he said.

"It is important to have the right scientific measurement tools to understand what is going on. Using these tools will allow us to have a greater understanding of how these cell types are different from one another. Our goal has been to develop these tools, and this paper describes one of them."

Read more from the October 27 UANews article at the link below.
David Galbraith, School of Plant Sciences and BIO5 Institute, galbraith@arizona.edu
To learn more: http://uanews.org/node/28210

3 CALS GRADUATE STUDENT PRESENTS RESEARCH TO CONGRESS

A University of Arizona graduate student's work was one of 28 research projects selected nationally to be presented on Capitol Hill.

UA doctoral entomology student Shannon Heuberger grew up in Oregon near farming areas, which resulted in her developing an interest in agriculture. Growing tired of flipping burgers as a high school student, she pursued a summer internship with the U.S. Department of Agriculture at an entomology laboratory that jump started a career in the study of agricultural gene flow and its environmental consequences.

Heuberger works in the laboratory of professor of entomology Yves Carriere in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and has developed a method for documenting and understanding unwanted gene flow between genetically engineered pest resistant crops and non-pest resistant crops, with an eye toward developing containment strategies.

She presented her work in September during the 2009 United States Environmental Protection Agency's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Graduate Fellowship Conference and had the opportunity to educate policymakers and show congress the results of their funding.

In the U.S., 50 percent of corn and cotton crops are pest resistant genetically modified organisms that contain the DNA from other species. Traditionally cotton has been one of the most pesticide intensive crops and in Arizona the cotton industry relies heavily on pest resistant genetically modified cotton that prevents pest feeding of the crop.

"In high school I began working on farms with farmers and learning about challenges they face. I learned that pest management is one of the huge problems facing farmers today. Farmers need more options, more effective ways to control pests in their fields and also more sustainable ways to protect their fields," Heuberger said.

Read more from the October 4 issue of UANews at the link below.
Yves Carriere, Department of Entomology, ycarrier@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more: http://uanews.org/node/27798

4 WESTERN ALFALFA AND FORAGE CONFERENCE IN RENO NV DECEMBER 2-4

Dismal prices, sluggish sales, high production costs and challenging weather conditions have left alfalfa farmers with little to no profit in 2009, prompting a focus on "Improving Your Odds of Profitability" at this year's Western Alfalfa and Forage Conference, Dec. 2-4, in Reno, Nev.

"To salvage profitability though these tough times, alfalfa growers, pest control advisers, crop consultants and the industry as a whole are scrambling for every trick in the book," said UC Cooperative Extension field crops farm advisor Steve Orloff, the conference program chair. "It's more important now than ever for producers and others in the alfalfa industry to gather the latest research and market information at this annual gathering."

The conference is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension services of six Western states: California, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona and Washington. Presentations specifically tailored to improving industry profitability include:

  • Reducing inputs to improve profits: Good idea or bad idea?
  • Adapting cutting management to market conditions
  • Marketing your hay in a low-price year
  • Surviving difficult times: Lessons learned from those who have and have not

In addition, the conference will cover a wide range of topics related to alfalfa and forage crop production, economics, pest management and irrigation. Other issues to be addressed include: industry trends, bioenergy crops, alternative forage crops such as teff, water and drought issues, alfalfa advances being made with biotechnology, and a special session on innovations from the alfalfa industry.

See the link below for registration information and a full agenda.
Mike Ottman, School of Plant Sciences, mottman@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more: http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/+symposium/2009/

5 CALS PUBLICATIONS: OCTOBER

WILDLIFE 101

Watching wildlife in action can be fun, educational, and relaxing. Because wildlife has very basic needs, it is relatively easy to increase wildlife viewing opportunities on your property. Wildlife needs suitable habitat to survive. As people build homes, roads, fences, and commercial developments, suitable habitat for wildlife becomes fragmented. But no matter how much land you have, you can create habitat on your property and provide a refuge for wildlife. By providing the basic components of habitat, you will enhance your wildlife experience and improve the health of the natural community around you. Habitat is made up of four components: food, water, shelter, and space.

Read more from "Wildlife 101," an Arizona Cooperative Extension publication that covers simple ways to attract wildlife while still "keeping wildlife wild." Download your copy at http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/natresources/az1481a.

This publication is part of a series of recent released bulletins on wildlife. Each full-color publication is 2-3 pages long. Other titles include:

Cori Dolan, cdolan@ag.arizona.edu and R. William Mannan, mannan@ag.arizona.edu, School of Natural Resources and the Environment

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO MANAGE PESTS IN YOUR SCHOOL

Numerous studies and surveys over recent years have documented deficiencies in pest management in schools including unnecessary and sometimes hazardous pesticide use and uncontrolled pest problems. On-site evaluations of more than 29 school systems in more than 14 states indicated that nearly half were violating legal requirements or formal district policies related to pest management.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a much more effective alternative to scheduled applications of chemical pesticides. Children's special vulnerability to pesticides includes both increased opportunity for exposure and increased susceptibility compared to adults (National Academy Press, 1993). IPM practices reduce student exposure to both pests and pesticides (Gouge et al., 2006).

Arizona Cooperative Extension's revised bulletin--"Integrated Pest Management: The Most Effective Way to Manage Pests in Your School!"--aims to create awareness of the need to establish Integrated Pest Management in all U.S. schools. Prepared in collaboration with five universities and three agencies, the guide covers the definition of school IPM and explains how the method works in combating pests without exposing children to pesticides that can trigger asthma attacks and other problems. The publication includes a link to a Pest Management Strategic Plan that defines standards appropriate for a child's learning environment.

Copies are available at http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/az1234.pdf.
Dawn Gouge, Maricopa Agricultural Center, dhgouge@ag.arizona.edu

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE 4-H EXPERIENCE

Mastery, belonging, independence and generosity: These four elements form the basis of successful 4-H Youth Development programs. A new series of 4-H guides provides research based information to youth development professionals, volunteers, and youth on the subject of the four essential elements of positive youth development.

Use these publications to discover how research supports the ideas behind each element and then utilize the pull-out sections to generate planning sessions and activity options to address program specific positive youth development objectives or goals.

Titles in the series:

Kimberly Gressley, gressley@ag.arizona.edu; Lani Hall, lhall@ag.arizona.edu, Amy Parrot, aparrot@ag.arizona.edu; Darcy Tessman, dtessman@ag.arizona.edu, Arizona 4-H Youth Development

WATER FACTS: HOME WATER TREATMENT OPTIONS

Today, homeowners have access to several water treatment systems to help control minerals and contaminants and to disinfect their water. Nearly half of the homes in the U.S. have some type of water treatment device.

Mistrust of public water utilities, uncertainty over water quality standards, concerns about general health issues and limited understanding about home water treatment systems have all played a role in this increasing demand for home water treatment systems. Private well owners also need to provide safe drinking water for their families and have to make decisions as to how to treat their own water sources to meet this need.

However, choosing a water treatment system is no easy task. Depending of the volume of water and degree of contamination, the homeowner should consider professional assistance in selecting and installing water treatment systems. The process of selection is often confounded by incomplete or misleading information about water quality, treatment options, and costs.

A new Arizona Cooperative Extension bulletin outlines the major water treatment options available to homeowners, including particle and microfiltration, activated carbon filter, reverse osmosis, distillation, ion exchange--water softening, and water disinfection methods. The four-page "Water Facts: Home Water Treatment Options" can be downloaded at http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az1498.pdf.

Janick F. Artiola, Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, jartiola@ag.arizona.edu;
Kathryn L. Farrell-Poe, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, kittfp@ag.arizona.edu; and
Kristine Uhlman, Water Resources Research Center, kuhlman@ag.arizona.edu

6 TRY THE MEDICINAL PLANTS WALK AT THE UA CAMPUS ARBORETUM

Student Judy Bevier wondered if the UA's many tree species had been studied for pharmacological uses. After she took a Medicinal Plants class, (PL S 480) from Dr. Gunitilaka, she decided to investigate. With funding from a generous Campus Arboretum donor, Judy worked all last school year searching for research efforts involving tree species. After sifting through scores of articles, she created a route through a section of the UA campus that contained useful trees. The UA Arboretum has printed hard copies of the map with details on tree medicinal properties. Obtain a copy at the UA Arboretum office in historic Herring Hall.

Or find it on the Campus Arboretum's web site: http://arboretum.arizona.edu. Look under "Maps and Walks" along the left side of the page. General information on the arboretum is at http://arboretum.arizona.edu/visit.html.

Read more from the Fall 2009 issue of the Campus Arboretum newsletter at the link below.
Elizabeth Davison, UA Campus Arboretum, edavison@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more: http://arboretum.arizona.edu/newsletters/arboretumNewsletterFall09.pdf

7 CALS IN THE NEWS: OCTOBER

TELLING PEOPLE WHAT NOT TO EAT ISN'T THE ANSWER

There's a movement afoot to get financially struggling families to eat healthier. Arizona recently changed what items could be purchased under the nutrition program for women, infants and children, or WIC, and last week the state's top health official went to Washington in an effort to persuade the federal government to restrict what can be bought with food stamps.

However, in addition to telling people what they shouldn't do with their taxpayer-funded food dollars, we believe government also has a responsibility to tell them what they should do by better educating WIC and food-stamp recipients.

One only needs to read a few stories about state and national obesity rates to realize that many Americans are eating too much and exercising too little.

It seems to us that the educational aspect of nutrition is either ignored or left to the small print. For example, it's one thing to get people to buy beans and rice in bulk, but what if they don't know how to prepare beans and rice from scratch? And how do you get people to buy healthier food when they don't know how to interpret a nutrition label?

State and federal officials must do more to emphasize the nutrition- education programs available to the public.

We were somewhat surprised to learn that Arizona spends $8 million to $10 million a year on nutrition education. In fact, the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Education coordinator, Scottie Misner, is based at the University of Arizona.

Misner oversees extension programs in seven counties--including Pima, Maricopa, Pinal, Cochise and Santa Cruz--aimed at teaching children and adults how to make healthier food choices.

Misner told us her programs have been underutilized in the past, but have been more popular in recent years. Still, she said there's room for growth. "I think we could double the size of our programs and the number of people who use them," Misner said.

Read more from this October 26 opinion piece from the Arizona Daily Star at http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/biz-opinions/314526
Scottie Misner, Department of Nutritional Sciences, misner@ag.arizona.edu

USING TREES TO CURB CLIMATE CHANGE NOT SO SIMPLE

Forests are fast becoming a great green hope for slowing climate change. The idea is simple: Forests suck up carbon dioxide and store it in wood and roots. So simply grow more forests, or save existing ones, and you curb climate change.

Climate planners are keen to create forest carbon banks, places designed to store carbon and keep it out of the atmosphere. Legislation pending in Congress would pay people to grow trees ^T and international negotiators want to do the same for the rest of the world.

But banking carbon in forests turns out to be something of a mystery. Listen to (or read) the rest of this October 23 National Public Radio interview that features CALS professor David Breshears at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114062725
David Breshears, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, daveb@email.arizona.edu

UA ENTOMOLOGIST DISCUSSES INSECT-RESISTANT PLANTS IN PBS INTERVIEW

A two-hour Public Television documentary this month will delve into the role of plants throughout human history. Michael Pollan will host the film, based on his 2001 book, "The Botany of Desire." Academy Award winner Francis McDormand is the narrator. The film also includes an interview with Bruce Tabashnik, a professor and head of the entomology department at the University of Arizona.

Pollan's film explores the human-plant relationship through four specific plants that reflect human desire for sweetness (apples), beauty (tulips), intoxication (marijuana) and control (potatoes).

The New Leaf potato was at the center of controversy years ago. That's because it was genetically modified to produce an insect-killing protein from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. The Bt protein in New Leaf potatoes kills larvae of the Colorado potato beetle. Food processors declined to buy New Leaf potatoes citing potential public backlash, and so the potato is no longer grown.

Tabashnik is an authority on the role of Bt in controlling the pink bollworm, a major cotton pest. He said that while he is not an expert on either potatoes or the Colorado potato beetle, it nevertheless is important that people understand the larger systems behind crop production and their impacts.

Read more from the October 23 edition of UANews at http://uanews.opi.arizona.edu/node/28174
Bruce Tabashnik, Department of Entomology, brucet@ag.arizona.edu

GERMS LURKING IN YOUR LAUNDRY?

You'd think the washing machine would be the cleanest place in the house - but is it?

In [the CBS News] continuing "Germ Warfare" series, "Early Show" consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen tested washing machines in homes and laundromats to see if they're actually as clean as people think.

What she found is that many washing machines are harboring high levels of bacteria and Coliform, a bad bacteria scientists count to determine the level of contamination. Scientists told Koeppen contamination levels in some of the washing machines were as high as a dirty diaper.

Experts suggested people wash their items separately to reduce contamination.

Dr. Chuck Gerba is a microbiologist at the University of Arizona who told CBS News, "That's why you never want to do your underwear with your handkerchiefs because your bacteria transfers back and forth. You'll be blowing your nose with what's in your underwear."

Read more from the October 22 edition of cbsnews.com at
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/22/earlyshow/contributors/susankoeppen/main5409778.shtml
Charles Gerba, Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, gerba@ag.arizona.edu

IN MEMORIAM: UA PROFESSOR EMERITUS SCOTT HATHORN JR.

Scott Hathorn Jr. was passionate about his careers as an aviator and, later, an agricultural economist at the University of Arizona. Hathorn, a UA professor emeritus who served as a farming consultant to the Tohono O'odham tribe from 1982 through 1991, died Aug. 13 at the age of 88.

After serving with the Tohono O'odham Tribe, Hathorn continued to serve Arizona's agriculture industry as an agricultural farm board member of the Ak-Chin Indian Community.

"Hathorn was a highly dedicated and respected professional, a stickler for accuracy and detail, and enjoyed a wide range of friends and professional colleagues," former UA extension cotton specialist Brooks Taylor wrote in a family tribute about Hathorn.

Read more from the October issue of Lo Que Pasa at http://lqp.arizona.edu/node/1988.

DAMAGE APPEARS SLIGHT IN KARTCHNER BREAK-IN

A break-in Sunday night at Kartchner Caverns State Park did not appear to have caused significant damage to the cave's fragile environment, a state parks spokeswoman said Tuesday night.

"There's a little bit, but no significant damage was found inside the caverns," said Ellen Bilbrey, a spokeswoman for Arizona State Parks.

Bilbrey said scientists spent much of Tuesday inspecting the limestone caverns near Benson. The underground trails remained open to tourists, she said. She said Gary Tenen, who along with Randy Tufts found the caverns in 1974, volunteered his time Tuesday to go through the caverns looking for damage.

Read more from this article that appeared in the October 14 issue of the Arizona Daily Star at http://azstarnet.com/metro/313199. The story includes an interview with Raina Maier, Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences.
Raina Maier, Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, rmaier@ag.arizona.edu

ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR JON CHOROVER

Jon Chorover is a professor of soil, water and environmental science and principal investigator for the "Critical Zone Observatory." He also serves joint appointments in the departments of Geosciences and Hydrology.

The Daily Wildcat sat down with Chorover to discuss his work on the development of a research base to study the effects of climate change on what is called the "critical zone."

Q. The National Science Foundation recently gave the UA a $4.35 million grant to study the critical zone. As the principal investigator on this project, what can you tell about the critical zone?

A. The critical zone is defined as the part of earth's surface that expands from the treetops to the bottom of the ground water or the lowest limit of groundwater. It's critical for providing us with clean water, because the zone can be considered as a filter in the hydrologic cycle. It filters water, weathers rock and provides nutrients to ecosystems. The zone essentially mediates the hydrologic cycle. It's the land portion of the cycle that controls the rate at which water is delivered from precipitations into aquifers or streams where society tends to harvest that water. It functions as a complex part of earth's structure critical for sustaining life on earth.

Read more from this October 6 Arizona Daily Wildcat article at
http://wildcat.arizona.edu/news/professor-jon-chorover-1.628713
Jon Chorover, Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, chorover@cals.arizona.edu

UA WATER ADVISER COMBINES KNOWLEDGE OF ISSUES, CONSENSUS-BUILDING SKILLS

When politicians, activists and academics get together to discuss Arizona water policy, there's no shortage of controversy and conflict. But everyone seems to agree on this: Sharon Megdal is a good person to have in the room.

And it isn't just because she directs the University of Arizona's Water Resources Research Center. It's because she combines knowledge of the issues with a human touch, they say.

"She's feisty, but she's also the person who brings in brownies to a meeting," said Madeline Kiser, a Tucson activist. "She reached out to me," Kiser said. "She knows what we need most is to gain common ground."

Megdal said water is too complex an issue not to involve as many voices as possible in the debate. "So many important public policy issues are related to water," Megdal said in an interview at her office. "I try to understand all the different aspects of it." And while her personal warmth may always be there, Megdal has no trouble delivering harsh assessments.

"I don't think we're doing enough regional or statewide water planning," Megdal said. "Leaders can avoid a water crisis by planning properly."

Read more from the October 5 issue of Capitol Times at
http://azcapitoltimes.com/blog/2009/10/05/ua-water-adviser-combines-knowledge-of-issues-consensus-building-skills/
Sharon Megdal, Water Resources Research Center, smegdal@cals.arizona.edu

KEYS TO CYSDV CONTROL

About three years have passed since researchers first found Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus (CYSDV) in melon fields across the low desert-growing areas of California, Arizona and Sonora, Mexico.

Since the discovery researchers have worked to develop best CYSDV management guidelines for growers using learned knowledge on the virus, vector and host plants. The virus, originally found in the Middle East, is vectored by the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci-B biotype.

CYSDV symptoms first appear as yellowing and brittleness in older melon leaves followed by a breakdown in the plant's nutritional transport system and the loss of vigor. The end result is smaller-sized melons with reduced brix content.

Researchers from the University of Arizona, the University of California, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the University of Sonora (Mexico) have worked closely to develop strategies to allow growers to remain in melon production despite the virus while maintaining profitability.

"Field sanitation including the removal of area wide overwintering plants and weeds and the plant residue following harvest are the most effective ways to minimize CYSDV in desert melon production," said John Palumbo, entomologist with the University of Arizona (UA).

Palumbo has conducted CYSDV-melon trials at the Yuma Agricultural Center (YAC) in Yuma, Ariz. since 2007.

Read more from the September 11 issue of Western Farm Press at
http://westernfarmpress.com/vegetables/cysdv-control-0911/index.html
John Palumbo, Yuma Agricultural Center, jpalumbo@ag.arizona.edu

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

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