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College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

News Stories - Page 104

Trap-jaw ants show remarkable diversity in the length of the jaw and how wide it opens. CAES News
Evolution of the fastest jaws in nature: function before form in miniature trap-jaw ants 03/02/21 Maria M. Lameiras
Trap-jaw ants are famous for having one of the natural world’s fastest movements, and a new study led by a University of Georgia graduate shows that the core mechanism that allows this speedy movement evolved multiple times within a single ant genus, leading to the spectacular diversification of mandible shape each time.
Eric Cohen walks through his family's pecan orchard at Pecan Ridge Plantation outside of Bainbridge. The Cohens cleaned up downed pecan trees and planted new ones after the destruction of Hurricane Michael in 2018. CAES News
Georgia’s agriculture industry is weathering the storms — with the help of UGA support 03/02/21 Paige Parvin
It’s been a rough three years for Georgia pecan farmers, whose cash crop has been battered by a hurricane, a fungal tree disease, and a global pandemic — all in relatively rapid succession.
Blake Ertzberger, a financial planning major and student service provider in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences, gets instruction from Joan Koonce, a FACS professor and UGA Extension financial planning specialist, as part of the VITA program at UGA. CAES News
UGA students offering free tax prep services through VITA program 02/26/21 Cal Powell
University of Georgia students are again helping Georgia taxpayers by offering free tax preparation services through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Postharvest blueberries were tested under blue light to determine whether the light affected fruit quality or disease development. CAES News
UGA researchers investigate blue light to increase blueberry quality and fight disease 02/25/21 Isabella Kerbers
The COVID-19 crisis has put supply chain issues at the forefront of food production and packaging concerns. Researchers at the University of Georgia investigated a potential solution for extending the shelf life of blueberries by exposing blueberries to blue light during storage.
Al Pearson, a member of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Board, and his wife, Mary Pearson, established the Dr. Maurice E. “Butch” Ferree Scholarship to support students majoring in horticulture in honor of Ferree, who retired in 1998 after 24 years with UGA Extension. CAES News
New horticulture scholarship honors professional tie that led to lifelong friendship 02/25/21 Maria M. Lameiras
As a peach and pecan producer in central Georgia, Al Pearson relied on the expert advice provided by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. In addition to the valuable counsel provided by Extension peach expert Maurice E. “Butch” Ferree, Pearson gained something unexpected: a lifelong friend.
Watermelon research at the UGA-Tifton campus. CAES News
New rapid test for watermelon disease 02/24/21 Josh Paine
Fusarium wilt, caused by a soilborne fungus, is one of the most damaging diseases of watermelons worldwide. Since it was discovered in 1894, it’s been a battle for producers to manage through crop rotation and chemical fungicides.
UGA Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) agents Leslie Weaver (left) and Carrie Vanderver produce the bi-weekly podcast Two Agents and the FACS to deliver "reliable, relatable and research-based" information to listeners. CAES News
UGA Extension podcast offers useful tips, entertaining conversations 02/23/21 Maria M. Lameiras
Listening to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents Leslie Weaver and Carrie Vanderver on their new podcast, Two Agents and the FACS, is like sitting around chatting with friends — with the added benefit of learning something along the way.
Pink Lady apples hang from a tree at the University of Georgia - Mountain Research and Education Center in Blairsville, Ga. CAES News
Celebrate Georgia’s Arbor Day with fruit trees 02/17/21 Becky Griffin
Nationally, Americans recognize Arbor Day in April. However, Georgia celebrates Arbor Day on the third Friday of February each year because this is a better time to plant trees, giving roots time to grow before the heat and drought of our summer months.
Using hypothesis-driven data mining, a UGA research team led by Xiangyu Deng of UGA’s Center for Food Safety, analyzed over 30,000 genomes of Salmonella Enteritidis obtained from global sources and the international trade of live poultry over five decades. CAES News
Naturally occurring compound could address poultry welfare and production issues 02/15/21 Claire Marie Coleman
Chicken is one of the most widely eaten proteins in the world. The poultry industry contributes more than $41.8 billion to Georgia’s economy each year. The U.S. alone consumes 8 billion chickens per year and approximately 250 eggs per capita. With the help of modern breeding techniques, there has been a drastic increase in meat yield and egg production to help meet this high demand.