Plant Production Systems
![A Canopy of Color](/media/images/research/research_106.jpg)
The process to develop a new crape myrtle cultivar takes a good bit of time. In the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, it begins at the McNeill Resea...
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![A Sweet Specialty](/media/images/research/research_112.jpg)
The economic impact of sweet potatoes in the state of Mississippi grew exponentially in 2015. Sweet potatoes stretched across 21,500 acres of Mississippi fields and generat...
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![A Window of Time](/media/images/research/research_108.jpg)
Timing is everything and for blueberry growers, the ability to harvest high-value fruit in the off season could reap financial rewards. Dr. Guihong Bi, plant and soil scien...
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![Feeding a Hungry World](/media/images/research/research_133.jpg)
The MAFES rice breeding program, which has been developing high-yielding cultivars for the Midsouth for more than 30 years, helps Mississippi rice producers feed the world....
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![Fresh Local Flavor](/media/images/research/research_202.jpg)
The U.S. is the largest importer and consumer of spices in volume and value according to the USDA. MAFES researchers are helping Mississippi's produce farmers diversify the...
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![From Row Crop to Runway](/media/images/research/research_111.jpg)
From the field to fabric, from row-crop to runway, cotton plays a pivotal role in dozens of industries. Scientists in the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment fr...
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![Fruit of the Vine](/media/images/research/research_124.jpg)
MAFES scientists, Dr. Eric Stafne and Dr. Sam Chang, are working to bring a sweet treat to Mississippi's farms. Fruits such as bunch grapes, muscadines, and blackberries, a...
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![Heed change, take root](/media/images/research/research_86.jpg)
The anticipated climate change will increasingly impact crop production and food security in the coming years. K. Raja Reddy, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experime...
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![In the Weeds](/media/images/research/research_113.jpg)
While palmer amaranth may look inconspicuous in its seedling stage, its impact on farmers is nothing short of shocking. In the absence of weed control, it could cause losse...
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![Irrigation innovation](/media/images/research/research_82.jpg)
MSU scientists research essential tools and best practices to improve irrigation in the field. Pipe Hole and Universal Crown Evaluation Tool, or PHAUCET, surge valves and s...
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![Let Go of My Legume](/media/images/research/research_132.jpg)
MAFES scientists, Dr. Te-Ming Paul Tseng, assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' plant and soil sciences department, and Dr. Marcus Lashley, a...
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![Outwitting Weeds](/media/images/research/research_205.jpg)
MAFES scientists are harnessing artificial intelligence for real-time integrated weed control. Drs. Wes Lowe, Daniel Chesser, and Brian Pieralisi conducted a study funded b...
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![Plenty of Ground to Cover](/media/images/research/research_114.jpg)
The idea that cover crops help aid in soil health is as old as the Mississippi hills. In fact, before commercial fertilizers were available, legume cover crops were a mains...
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![Researchers assess plant health for nitrogen prescription](/media/images/research/research_79.jpg)
Determining the right amount of nitrogen for crops can be a challenge for Mississippi producers. If there isn't enough nitrogen, yield is sacrificed, while an excess amount...
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![Researchers explore early corn planting](/media/images/research/research_81.jpg)
Timing counts for a lot when it comes to planting corn. That's why Mississippi State University scientists are researching the effects of planting date, plant population an...
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![Researchers use precision agriculture for weed control and more](/media/images/research/research_80.jpg)
MSU scientists utilize precision agriculture in weed control and herbicide drift research. As Jason Bond, MAFES associate research professor at MSU's Delta Research and Ext...
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![Ripples in the Pond](/media/images/research/research_209.jpg)
MAFES scientist Dr. Ganesh Karunakaran, associate wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture research professor, is the first to create a comprehensive economic impact model detai...
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![Risky Business](/media/images/research/research_203.jpg)
Approximately 17.4% of Mississippi's workforce is employed in agriculture. Two of the biggest agricultural commodities are soybeans and corn. New issues have emerged due to...
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![Smart Water](/media/images/research/research_116.jpg)
Water is essential. All crops require water and many of the crops in Mississippi depend on irrigation. A little more than half of Mississippi farmland and nearly all of the...
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![Sweet as Pie](/media/images/research/research_207.jpg)
Best management practices for blackberries are being investigated by MAFES scientists. Recognizing white drupelet disorder as an emerging issue in blackberries, Dr. Eric St...
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![Targeting Tomatoes](/media/images/research/research_109.jpg)
The most common garden vegetable is also a staple in research laboratories at Mississippi State. From herbicide tolerance to gene modification, tomatoes are being studied t...
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![The Buzz Surrounding Neonics](/media/images/research/research_110.jpg)
In the midSouth, early-season pest management is a significant challenge to farmers. For insects, relatively mild winters combined with long, productive growing seasons cre...
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![The Maze of Maize](/media/images/research/research_206.jpg)
Sulfur is a key macronutrient required to grow a healthy crop of corn. Dr. Jagmandeep Dhillon leads a team of MSU researchers to determine how nitrogen affects sulfur level...
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![The Need for Speed](/media/images/research/research_208.jpg)
Brought to the United States from China in the eighteenth century, the soybean occupies 75 million acres of U.S. land today. In Mississippi, soybeans are the number one row...
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![The Queen of Forages](/media/images/research/research_135.jpg)
Dr. Rocky Lemus and Dr. Brett Rushing have been working on three projects specifically designed to provide producers better management strategies for alfalfa. They are rese...
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![To till or not to till?](/media/images/research/research_115.jpg)
After four decades of research in corn, cotton, and soybeans, MAFES scientists have figured out a thing or two about conservation tillage. And research is helping north Mis...
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![Under Pressure](/media/images/research/research_204.jpg)
Insect pressure in the field has long been a problem for row crop producers. Additionally, insects can damage stored grain, which can be a huge nuisance for farmers and gra...
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![Unlocking Mysteries](/media/images/research/research_107.jpg)
In the world of turf science, mysterious brown spots provide a peek at the multitude of bacteria and fungi that live within our lawns. Dr. Maria Tomaso-Peterson, a MAFES re...
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![Where the Grass is Greener](/media/images/research/research_104.jpg)
Dr. Rocky Lemus is on a mission: to help Mississippi producers become better forage managers. To accomplish his mission, he and Joshua White, manager of the MAFES Official ...
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