MSPB Activities Supporting Mississippi Soybean Farming
T.S.BUFKIN SOYBEAN DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP
A strong public agricultural sector that teaches and trains future research scientists and provides an unbiased source and assessment of new technologies is a vital and necessary component of supporting Mississippi soybean farming. The MSPB created this fellowship to fund a qualified Ph.D. candidate who will conduct his/her research project in a soybean-related field under the tutelage of an MSU faculty member who is actively engaged in soybean research. This is an important step in promoting the training of qualified soybean researchers for the future.
LATE PLANTING RESEARCH
The MSPB was instrumental in initiating field studies by MAFES and MCES personnel to investigate the effect of ultra-late planting behind the flooding that occurred during the May-June period in portions of Mississippi. Planting dates, Maturity Groups used, reproductive stage dates, pest control actions, harvest date, and yield will be recorded and compiled into a permanent data base to provide information for future use. Results from these plantings will be posted in a permanent file on this website.
RAINOUT SHELTER/SEED DECAY RESEARCH
The MSPB recognizes the importance of finding solutions to the late-season seed decay problem that has plagued Mississippi soybean growers during the past decade and a half. In July, the MSPB voted to initiate a Request for Proposals (RFP) that contained a stipend of up to $50,000 for the purchase and construct of a rainout shelter. The rainout shelter will ensure that the conditions needed to document and assess this problem on a yearly basis without depending on the vagaries of natural weather can be generated and controlled. The successful conduct of the intended research should result in a quicker solution to this problem.
FALL 2011 SEED DECAY DOCUMENTATION
The conditions during and following Tropical Storm Lee in early September provide a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of an extended period of rainy, cloudy weather on quality of seed that were in susceptible stages for seed decay at that time. In the days following this weather event, the MSPB composed and forwarded an RFP to Mississippi soybean researchers with the intent of providing funding that will be needed to collect samples and have them graded for quality attributes that are used for determining dockage at the elevator. These data can be used to compare the quality of seed from affected and unaffected areas to determine if seed decay was promoted by this event or if earlier fungicide applications provided enough residual control to prevent serious damage.
RFP PROCESS
In October, the MSPB will be soliciting research projects for 2012. This year, the RFP contains a list of what are considered priority research areas and project content. This list was gleaned from survey responses submitted by farmers, extension and industry personnel, and researchers. Additional information used to generate this list was gained from visits to current research projects and with current project researchers this past August. The RFP will be posted on this website.
MSSOY.ORG
And finally, it is the Board’s hope that an increasing number of Mississippi soybean farmers will find and use this website. The Board’s intent is that this site becomes your premier source of information for supporting Mississippi soybean farming. The site is continually updated with articles and research results that give the latest and best information available for a particular subject.
As always, I welcome your comments, input, suggestions, and ideas to make the MSPB’s programs and processes better and more productive.
larryheatherly@bellsouth.net