ASA-CSSA-SSSA | Crop Science Society of America

CSA News February

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:10:24 CST

The February issue of CSA News magazine is now online. Inside this issue:
Science—Sustainability: Learning the lessons of past civilizations
Special Section—Theses and dissertations, 2009-2010

Climate Change Impacts on Agricultural Crops

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:42:17 CST

Changes in temperature, CO2, and precipitation under the scenarios of climate change for the next 30 yr present a challenge to crop production. This comprehensive review, published in Agronomy Journal, focuses on the impact of temperature, CO2, and ozone on agronomic crops and the implications for crop production.

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Mott Award

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:45:59 CST

The Gerald O. Mott Meritorious Graduate Student Award in Crop Science recognizes top-notch graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in crop science disciplines. Crop Science Departments: the deadline to submit your Mott Award nomination to CSSA is Feb. 15. Learn more: Mott Award (pdf).

Understanding and Predicting Landslides

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:04:55 CST

Understanding how and why hillsides can deform and slide and predicting when they might do so are becoming more important as there is a increase in slope movement and failure caused by heavy rainfall events.

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Nutrient Bioassimilation with Oysters

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:38:45 CST

Using oyster aquaculture as a nutrient capture and removal system may be a viable auxiliary approach to bridge the gap when agricultural best management practices, such as conservation tillage, fails to meet targeted nutrient source reduction milestones. In some basins, substantial production of cultivated oysters could offset approximately 10 to 15% of the excess total nitrogen load.

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2011 Annual Meetings

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:40:52 CST

The 2011 Annual Meetings, "Fundamental for Life: Soil, Crop, & Environmental Sciences," will be held Oct. 16-19, 2011 in San Antonio, TX.

SSSA will celebrate their 75th Anniversary as part of the meetings
Discussion Forum: Continue scientific discussions and initiate topics all year long
Wondering what was presented in 2010? Abstracts, Recordings Online

Selecting Wheat Genotypes for Whole Grain Cookies

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:32:18 CST

Increased consumption of whole grain cereal products has many health benefits. Using an experimental whole grain flour-milling system, these researchers with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and The Ohio State Univ. evaluated soft-wheat winter wheat genotypes in whole-grain flour for use in cookies.

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Harvesting Corn Stover and Soil Quality

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:24:06 CST

Corn stover, left in fields after corn grain harvest, has been identified as a potential feedstock to help supply biofuel. However, harvesting excessive corn stover could reduce crops yields directly or indirectly by diminishing total total organic carbon levels until soil’s production capacity is threatened. This large-scale study is measuring the effects of harvesting corn stover across the eastern half of the United States.

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Optical Assessment of Dissolved Organic Carbon

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:01:37 CST

The implementation of stricter drinking-water quality regulations for disinfection by-products has highlighted the need to understand sources of organic matter to drinking-water intakes.

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have been investigating ways to more easily assess the amount and character of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater systems. A focus of their work is on the use of optical properties—absorbance and fluorescence—as proxies for DOC concentration, composition, source, and propensity to form DBPs. Optical measurements have the potential to be less expensive, faster, and more sensitive than laboratory chemical-based analyses.

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Stem Rust Resistance Gene Mapped

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:56:48 CST

The causal agent of wheat stem rust, produced large epidemics in North America and other parts of the world in the early 1950s. These epidemics were controlled by the deployment of stem rust resistance genes that have provided adequate resistance for the last several decades. Unfortunately, these genes are no longer effective against a new race of stem rust, Ug99, which was identified in Uganda in 1999.

The identification and mapping of new resistance genes effective against Ug99 is a high priority. Crop scientists have now mapped and characterized the stem rust resistance gene Sr35. This gene is effective against Ug99 and its derivatives, providing a useful tool to fight this new stem rust epidemic.

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