Agriculture

August gardening means going slow

It’s August in Louisiana, and we don’t recommend doing much in the garden or, shall we say, not much in this heat. Right now, it’s enough of a chore to help our struggling plants survive. It’s best to stay on top of watering, preventing pests and removing weeds from garden beds.

Take-all patch creeping up in Louisiana lawns

Take-all patch, also known as take-all root rot, is causing problems in some Louisiana lawns. The fungus is frequently found in turfgrass roots without causing significant disease, said Raj Singh, LSU AgCenter plant doctor.

Louisiana rice harvest reaching half-way mark

The harvest for the 2020 rice crop in south Louisiana is nearing the halfway point, and the result is a big improvement over a string of bad to mediocre years.

Crawfish producers eligible for direct relief

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved his request to include crawfish in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

Crawfish concerns weighed in mosquito spraying decision

Police jurors wanted input from the public — specifically, from parish crawfish farmers — before they authorized aerial spraying for mosquitoes in Acadia. To that end, a public hearing was held Thursday night in the Community Room of the Cooperative Extension Office.

AgCenter gardening course reaches more than 35,000

It started as a way to address the number of telephone calls and emails that had increased to hundreds a day as people stayed home as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and had myriad questions as they started gardens — some for the first time.

Solution sought for virus that has devastated honeybees

In the fight against viruses that have devastated honeybee colonies in recent years, an LSU AgCenter researcher is eyeing a physiological pathway as a potential solution.

Row rice featured at virtual field day

Presentations for the virtual northeast Louisiana row rice field day were released July 27, providing farmers with the latest information from LSU AgCenter researchers. The complete event is available online at https://bit.ly/LSURowRice.

USDA expands Farmers.gov features to help manage conservation activities

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Louisiana has announced an application period for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetlands Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) in fiscal year 2021. Private landowners across the state are encouraged to apply.

Southern University to launch THC line of medical cannabis products

The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, part of the Southern University System, together with Ilera Holistic Healthcare (Ilera Holistic), today became the nation’s first historically Black university (HBCU) to launch its own THC medical cannabis products.