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I.                MEETINGS, PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

August…Dr. Ben LaFrentz, Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit, Auburn, AL, attended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquaculture Drug Approval Coordination Workshop held at the Univerity of Wisconsin in LaCrosse.  Following the workshop, Dr. LaFrentz presented a paper entitled, “Development of a Reproducible Challenge Model to Investigate the Virulence of Flavobacterium Columnare Genomovars in Rainbow Trout,” at the American Fisheries Society, Fish Health Section Meeting.

August…Dr. Julia Pridgeon of the Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit, Auburn, AL, attended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Aquaculture Drug Approval Coordination Workshop and the American Fisheries Society, Fish Health Section Meeting held at the University of Wisconsin, in LaCrosse.  Dr. Pridgeon presented a seminar entitled, “2009 West Alabama Isolates of Aeromonas Hydrophila:  Molecular Identification and Putative Virulence Factors” to students and faculty at Kentucky State University, Aquaculture Research Center in Frankfort, KY.  She also visited with Dr. Brian Shepherd at the USDA, ARS, Dairy and Aquaculture Research Center in Madison, WI, to discuss future collaborations in pathogens affecting yellow perch.

July 6-12…Dr. Ted S. Kornecki, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, Auburn, AL, attended the 2012 International Conference of Agricultural Engineering in Valencia, Spain. He made a presentation of his research results entitled, “A Powered Roller/Crimper for Walk-Behind Tractors to Terminate Cover Crops in Conservation Agriculture.”  Dr. Kornecki interacted with various scientists from around the world to exchange research ideas and problems to be addressed and solved, including the development of equipment for small farms. Dr. Kornecki was invited by the organizing committee to moderate a scientific session, Conservation Tillage II, during which researchers from Great Britain, Germany, Israel, and Spain presented results from site specific conservation tillage of their field experiments. 

August 4-9…Dr. Hamed K. Abbas, Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, attended 2012 APS Annual Meeting, Providence, RI.  He presented a poster entitled, “Detection of Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus Flavus Contamination of Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Nutmeat (Copra) using Ammonia Treatment,” and served as vice chair of the Mycotoxins Committee.

July 17…Drs. James Rodgers and Chris Delhom, Cotton Structure & Quality Research Unit, New Orleans, LA, attended and gave an invited presentation at the 2012 Southern Cotton Ginners Association (SCGA) Summer Meeting in New Orleans, LA.  The presentation was entitled, “Agricultural Research on Cotton:  Future Strategies, Keys to Industry Competitiveness.”

July 15-17…Dr. Gillian Eggleston, Commodity Utilization Research Unit, New Orleans, LA, recently attended the Biennial Session of the International Commission for Uniform Methods in Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA) held at Cambridge University, England.  Dr. Eggleston gave a presentation entitled, “The Need For and Development of a Method to Measure Carry-Over Amylase Activity in Sugars.”  This method was accepted as a “Tentative” ICUMSA method that will now undergo international validation trials for raw and refined sugars.  She also gave a presentation entitled, “An ICUMSA Method to Measure the Activity of Commercial Amylases at the Factory and Refinery.”  This method was also accepted as “Tentative” with the expectation of becoming an “Official Method” in three months time.

July 18…Dr. Gillian Eggleston attended a meeting of the Scientific Committee of the European Society of Sugar Technologists (ESST) also in Cambridge, UK and gave an invited presentation entitled, “Why Haze Dextran is a Misnomer, and the Need for Changes.”

July…During the month of July, scientists from the Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA, were invited to make presentations at five LSU Cooperative Extension Service Sugarcane Field Days.  Dr. Bill White updated growers on the insect situation in Louisiana sugarcane and Mr. Edwis Dufrene discussed sugarcane varieties at the Field Day in Assumption Parish.  Mr. Dufrene also discussed sugarcane variety characteristics at the consolidated field day for St. Martin, Lafayette, and St. Landry Parishes and the Field Day at the LSU Sugar Research Station in St. Gabriel.  Dr. Ryan Viator gave presentations at Field Days in Assumption and Lafourche Parishes and the consolidated Field Day for St. Mary, Vermillion, and Iberia Parishes in which he discussed sugarcane cultural practices.   Dr. Mike Grisham gave a presentation on the introduction of sugarcane orange rust into Louisiana and the current status of orange and brown rust development and control at the consolidated Field Day for St. Mary, Vermillion, and Iberia Parishes.

August 12-15…Drs. Pat Donald and Sally Stetina, Crop Genetics Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, attended the 51^st Annual Society of Nematologists meeting in Savannah, GA.  Dr. Stetina presented two posters, “Gossypium Accessions Resistant to Rotylenchulus reniformis Vary in Sensitivity to the Herbicide Fluometuron,” S. R. Stetina and W. T. Molin and “Glycine Accessions Evaluated for Resistance to Rotylenchulus reniformis,” S. R. Stetina, J. D. Ray, and J. R. Smith.  She also participated in the Executive Board Meeting as representative of the Nematology Newsletter. Dr.  Donald presented a poster entitled,”Effect of Broiler Litter Application to Soybean Crop Infested with Soybean Cyst Nematode,” P. A. Donald, P. B. Allen, D. D. Tyler, K. R. Sistani, H. Tewolde, and E. R. Walker at the Society of Nematologists meeting and was chair of the North Central Nematology Regional Committee NC 1197 meeting,  

August 7-8… Drs. Allen Torbert and Dexter Watts, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, Auburn, Al, attended the Fertilizer Industry-ARS Scientist meeting for Nitrogen Source vs N₂O Emissions in Fort Collins, CO.  The meeting discussed the results of the FAR project on the effects of N sources on N₂O emissions at seven ARS locations.  The meeting included presentations from invited Canadian Scientists and the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Watts made a presentation entitled, “N Source Effects on N₂O Emissions from Cotton with Supplemental Irrigation in A Humid Climate near Auburn.”

August 2…Dr. Allen Torbert, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, Auburn, Al, participated as a speaker in a webinar entitled, “Knowing Why, When and How to Use Gypsum - Research Evidence to Support Using Gypsum in Agricultural Production.”  The webinar was sponsored by the“No‑Till Farmer” magazine as is posted on their website.  Dr. Torbert also made a presentation entitled, “Agriculture Use of Gypsum Implications for Water Quality.”  

August 21…Dr. Allen Torbert, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, Auburn, Al, participated as an invited speaker at the “Midwest Soil Improvement Symposium: Research and Practical Insights into Using Gypsum” in Arcadia, IN.  This symposium was sponsored by Conservation Technology Information Center.  Dr. Torbert made a presentation entitled, “Research Activities for Use of Agricultural Gypsum.”  The Symposium was attended by about 200 Certified Crop Advisors, extension personnel, conservationists, researchers, and farm managers.

II.                Visitors

July 2012 – Dr. Julia Pridgeon of the Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit, Auburn, AL, was invited to visit the Pearl River Fisheries Institute in Guangzhou, China.  Dr. Pridgeon presented seminars for the employees and staff entitled, “Aeromonas Hydrophila Vaccination and Virulence” and “Attenuated Bacterial Vaccines in Warm Water Aquaculture.”  Dr. Pridgeon also visited fish farms and collected fish isolates as part of the joint cooperative work in a Non-funded Cooperative Agreement.

July 18, 2012…The Cotton Structure & Quality (CSQ) Research Unit, New Orleans, LA, hosted tours of the Southern Regional Research Center, (SRRC) cotton quality research and textile processing facilities at SRRC for attendees of the 2012 Southern Cotton Ginners Association (SCGA) Summer Meeting.  Fifty-four (54) SCGA attendees participated in the programs.  The tours covered CSQ research programs and the textile processing facilities (both miniature and full-scale textile processing).  Much interest was shown by the participants in the industry-focused research programs and in the move and installation of the updated textile processing operations from Clemson, SC, to SRRC.

August 14-15…Dr. James Haudenshield, Research Plant Pathologist at the USDA, ARS, National Soybean Research Center in Urbana, IL, visited Dr. Mike Grisham’s laboratory, Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA, (SRU) where he provided the staff with training in molecular detection of sugarcane rust disease pathogens.  Dr. Haudenshield worked with ARS scientists at SRU and the Sugarcane Field Station, Canal Point, FL, to monitor the long distance dispersal of orange rust between Florida and Louisiana.  Orange rust was first observed in Florida in 2007. Orange rust spores were detected in spore traps in Louisiana in 2010 but disease development was not observed until 2012.