more... > Louisiana Agriculture Magazine > Past Issues > 2003 > Winter 2003   Summer 2003 Spring 2003   Fall 2003  more articles... Louisiana Agriculture Magazine Fall 2003 [Image: Cover Page] (Vol. 46, No. 4) This is a focus issue about biotechnology. Cryopreservation: A New Industry for Aquatic Species [Image: Cryopreservation] The aquaculture industry is looking increasingly to genetic improvement for gains in production. But improving the genetics of aquatic species can take a long time. With catfish, for instance, a male typically spawns with only one female each season. Even if genetically superior males and females could be identified, the process of developing breeding stock and improved lines could take a decade or more. Biotechnology Improves Strawberry Varieties Strawberries are one of the most popular fruit crops grown in the world. Per capita consumption of fresh strawberries in the United States has increased in the past 10 years and is predicted to continue to rise in the foreseeable future. Most U.S. commercial production of strawberries is in California where the arid climate and low disease pressure make ideal growing conditions. Vaccines To Protect People from Germ Warfare The bacterial genus Brucella includes six recognized species. They are characterized by the animals that they preferentially infect. Three of these bacteria were classified by the Centers for Disease Control as “agents of mass destruction” after the Sept. 11, 2001, tragic events in this country. They are B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis. Poultry Litter Fertilizer on Pasture, Silvopasture and Forest Soils [Image: Table 1] Poultry is the leading animal agricultural industry in Louisiana. The industry is concentrated in the hilly, northern Coastal Plain area where land is used mostly for pasture and timber production. Louisiana Agriculture Magazine Summer 2003 [Image: Cover Page] Vol. 46, No. 2 Cotton: The Fabric of Louisiana Agriculture [Image: Robert L. Hutchinson] For more than 100 years cotton has been the most important crop grown in northeast Louisiana. At one time cotton was grown all across the state, but over the years it has become concentrated in the northeast part because of more favorable environmental conditions and because other crops are preferred in south Louisiana. Scaring Away Birds with Boats [Image: scarebots] LSU AgCenter agricultural engineers Randy Price and Steven Hall are developing robotic boats that will keep winged predators out of commercial ponds. Improving Cucumber Yields Following Nematode-resistant Tomatoes [Image: Cucumbers] Root-knot nematode can cause significant losses in cucumber yield if not treated with nematicides. Considerable effort has been made to breed for nematode resistance in vegetable crops and was successful in tomatoes but not in cucumbers. Tomato cultivars resistant to root-knot nematodes have been developed and are an effective means of reducing tomato losses from this pest. Additional benefits include a residual effect that remains in the soil and protects following crops from nematode damage. Biotechnology for Herbicide, Disease Resistance in Rice [Image: Figure 1] Rice is one of Louisiana’s leading agricultural commodities, with nearly 532,000 acres planted in 2002, producing an average yield of 5,772 pounds per acre. The 2002 gross farm income reached $122.8 million, and value added in marketing, processing and transportation increased that amount to $159.6 million. Click for more information...