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Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center was one of several Arkansas stops that a tour group recently made. Every year, a number of Purdue alumni, Indiana farmers and businessmen tour areas of the country to learn more about manufacturing and farming in those regions. This year, the group decided to take a tour of Arkansas and rice country.
On Friday morning, March 13, 2009, Don Freeman, Karen Moldenhauer and David Gealy were on hand to greet the forty-two visitors as they arrived at the Center. After the group was seated in the auditorium, Dr. Freeman presented an overview of the research conducted at the Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center. Dr. Moldenhauer spoke about the University of Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center and Dr. Gealy concluded the presentations with an overview of the research conducted at Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center.
The group was then taken on a tour of the genomics core facility at the center. Bob Fjellstrom, Aaron Jackson and Melissa Jia were on hand to explain how rice DNA is amplified for molecular marker analysis. They had an opportunity to view the equipment in motion as the liquid-handling robot set up PCR reactions, which were later used on a genetic analyzer. The core facility tour centered on the use of molecular markers and their application to crop breeding for disease resistance genes and other desirable traits.
After the tour was over, the Indiana visitors headed to DeWitt to tour the biofuel facility.
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Don Freeman presents an overview of research being conducted at the Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center |
Bob Fjellstrom explains how genomics technology is used to breed better rice varieties |
What do you do after a tornado knocks down all of your trees? The Holy Rosary Catholic Schoolin Stuttgart, Arkansashad to address this very question after the May 2008 tornado that devastated the area. Not only did the school sustain structural damage, but the playground was destroyed along with all of the large stately trees.
Dr. Helen Miller, a plant molecular biologist at Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, welcomed the opportunity to assist the school by replanting the trees and at the same time taught the children a practical science lesson on the biology of trees. On February 11, 2009, Dr. Miller, with the assistance of her lab technicians Eric Grunden and Kazuyo Ueda, presented a program to about 30 third- through sixth-grade students. A short introduction explained the basic requirements of a tree to grow big and tall: soil, water and fertilizer. The students learned about the environmental impact of trees by considering the placement of the new seedlings for optimum shading. Dr. Miller also discussed the importance of not planting trees too close to power lines and buildings.
And then the fun began! Each child planted at least one tree and provided the seedling with fertilizer, water, and a protective stake. Dr. Miller’s donation of fifty seedlings of pine, holly, mimosa, maple and oak were planted throughout the grounds. The Holy Rosary Catholic Schoolstudents will have the chance to watch with pride as the products of their labor grow in the coming years.
Rice Field Day - August 13th 2008
Presentation Posters\Handouts:
Yulin Jia, Molecular Plant Pathology Program
Georgia Eizenga, Cytogenetics Program
Wengui Yan
Helen Miller
David Gealy
Anna McClung
Bob Fjellstrom, Rice Genomics Program
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Last Modified: 04/08/2009
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