News Stories - Page 35

UGArden welcomes Ty Brooks as its farm director. CAES News
Brooks named UGArden farm director
UGArden, UGA's student-run community farm, welcomes Ty Brooks as its new farm director. An Athens native, Brooks is a Double Dawg with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology and a master’s degree in agricultural and environmental education. During his time as a graduate student, Brooks also pursued his certificate in organic agriculture, which brought him to UGArden for the first time.
Cool spring temperatures have increased the incidence of the Asian Bush Mosquito, Aedes japonicus, which thrives in cool temperatures, however the species is not typically an aggressive of a biter, so its populations are not as noticeable. CAES News
Cool spring slows mosquito development across Southeast
Whether it was Punxsutawney Phil or the Old Farmer’s Almanac, somebody got it right because, after a relatively mild winter, it’s been a cool spring across the Southeast. Even as summer approaches, these cool temperatures have provided some relief on both the air conditioning bill and the mosquito front.
Spelman Workshop Resized Cropped 3 CAES News
CAES partners with Spelman College to build diversity in sustainable food systems
For Jennifer Jo Thompson, finding solutions to meet the increasing global demands for healthy, affordable and accessible food requires an un-siloed approach in higher education and leadership. Through a collaborative project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Higher Education Challenge Grant, Thompson is leading UGA’s Sustainable Food Systems Initiative in a collaborative project with the Food Studies Program at Spelman College.
Maya Dubos, a third-year hospitality and food industry management major, works in Dogwood Hall inside the Georgia Center where she spends her internship serving student-athletes. (Shannah Montgomery) CAES News
UGA prepares workforce for Georgia’s second largest industry
Hospitality and tourism are a major economic driver in Georgia, and the University of Georgia is working in several key areas to support and expand that industry. The hospitality and tourism industry is Georgia’s second-largest economic contributor (after agriculture) and employs more than 400,000 residents.
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Diez-Gonzalez elected to the American Academy of Microbiology
Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, director of the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety, has been elected as a fellow into the prestigious American Academy of Microbiology. Diez-Gonzalez was one of 65 new fellows admitted in the Class of 2023 out of a nomination pool of 148.
Cotton being harvested and loaded into truck. CAES News
Georgia growers riding high on cotton boom during 2022 season
Georgia cotton growers are starting the 2023 season with a boost from near-record-breaking yields last year. The United States Department of Agriculture released final yield data in late May, confirming the second-highest yields on record, as forecasted by University of Georgia cotton experts in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
CAES researchers and UGA Extension agents hope their research findings will provide updated guidelines for producers to improve precooling efficiency and reduce postharvest food losses. CAES News
CAES researchers find simple solution to keep produce fresh, fight food waste
Consumers hold high standards for fresh food, which farmers aim to meet, but hot summer temperatures and long-haul deliveries can degrade quality even before produce makes it into stores. In a collaborative study, Angelos Deltsidis, assistant professor of horticulture in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, teamed up with UGA Cooperative Extension agents to improve upon a decades-old method of precooling to increase efficiency and reduce postharvest losses along the value chain.
The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) of the dogbane family produces a number of alkaloids of medical interest. Analyses at the cellular level enabled the discovery of genes for the biosynthesis of the two most important natural products from the plant, vincristine and vinblastine, which are used in cancer treatments. (Photo by Angela Overmeyer, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology) CAES News
Analysis of single plant cells provides insights into natural product biosynthesis
An international team of researchers from the University of Georgia and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany have discovered a promising strategy to decode the metabolic pathways for plant compounds important in medical treatments, according to a new study published in Nature Chemical Biology.
Chatham County senior 4-H wildlife judging team members Derek Wangai, Jason Allman, Jacob Allman and Hayaat Labaran achieved Master 4-H'er status with their first place win. CAES News
Chatham County senior 4-H'ers take first in state wildlife judging
Chatham County’s senior 4-H team won first place at the Georgia 4-H State Wildlife Judging contest at Rock Eagle 4-H Center on April 29, earning Master 4-H’er status for team members Jacob Allman, Derek Wangai, Jason Allman and Hayaat Labaran.