Agriculture

The fruit of a fig is composed of both flowers and seeds. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

The fruit of a fig is composed of both flowers and seeds. (Photos by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Louisiana fig trees: History, care, best varieties

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, July 12, 2024
July in Louisiana marks many celebrations, one of which is fig harvest season. Figs (Ficus carica), native to the Middle East and western Asia, have become naturalized in North America and are widely planted in Louisiana home gardens due to their ease of cultivation and nutritional value.
Attendees of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station’s 115th annual field day view a demonstration of a spray drone.

Attendees of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station’s 115th annual field day view a demonstration of a spray drone.

Rice farmers gather for annual field day at AgCenter station

Harlan Kirgan
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
For the 115th year, farmers gathered June 25 for the LSU AgCenter’s annual rice field day, where they heard updates on researchers’ efforts to breed higher-yielding varieties, develop pest management strategies and encourage beneficial agronomic practices.
From left, are Raquella and Clint Manuel, YF&R Excellence in Agriculture winners, and Stephen Austin, CEO, Louisiana Land Bank. (Submitted photo)

From left, are Raquella and Clint Manuel, YF&R Excellence in Agriculture winners, and Stephen Austin, CEO, Louisiana Land Bank. (Submitted photo)

Evangeline Parish couple win Excellence in Agriculture Award

Harlan Kirgan
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
A couple from Evangeline Parish is this year’s recipient of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture award. Clint and Raquella Manuel took the top prize at the 102nd annual convention held in New Orleans.
The LSU AgCenter’s new Avoyelles sweet potato variety features a lighter-colored skin and a creamy texture. It’s an early-maturing variety that offers root-knot nematode resistance. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

The LSU AgCenter’s new Avoyelles sweet potato variety features a lighter-colored skin and a creamy texture. It’s an early-maturing variety that offers root-knot nematode resistance. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

AgCenter pays tribute to Avoyelles Parish sweet potato industry

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, June 28, 2024
It can be harvested up to 30 days sooner than other sweet potatoes. It is a high yielder and tastes great, though its skin is a shade lighter than the sweet potatoes many Louisianans are accustomed to.
Drooping leaves on this azalea show symptoms of root rot. (Photo by Page Langlois/LSU AgCenter)

Drooping leaves on this azalea show symptoms of root rot. (Photo by Page Langlois/LSU AgCenter)

What’s killing your plants may surprise you

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, June 28, 2024
One of the most common causes of plant death is water — more specifically, too much or too little water. You might be surprised to learn it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference. Watering correctly is a fundamental aspect of caring for both indoor and outdoor plants and trees.

Eliminate Red Fire Ants without using chemicals

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, June 14, 2024
There are about 200 different species of fire ants, one is considered invasive and aggressive. Red Fire Ants were accidentally brought to the USA by a ship from South America in the 1920s. Today they often are transported in baled hay or during floods as whole colonies can float during flooding.
Containers 10 gallons and larger are great for production of vegetables.

Containers 10 gallons and larger are great for production of vegetables.

Tiny gardens, big harvests: Growing vegetables in small spaces

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, June 14, 2024
As land becomes more urbanized and shrinking lot sizes limit outdoor space, growing a garden may feel like an out-of-reach fantasy to many people. Urban and suburban dwellers need not despair, however.
Mike Stout, Christine Gambino and Laila Santos look over a rice research plot at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station near Crowley. The three work in the LSU AgCenter’s Department of Entomology and are working on insect pest management strategies as part of the Climate Resilient Innovations for Sustainable Production for Rice project. Photo by Craig Gautreaux/LSU AgCenter

Mike Stout, Christine Gambino and Laila Santos look over a rice research plot at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station near Crowley. The three work in the LSU AgCenter’s Department of Entomology and are working on insect pest management strategies as part of the Climate Resilient Innovations for Sustainable Production for Rice project. Photo by Craig Gautreaux/LSU AgCenter

AgCenter project aims at making rice more sustainable, profitable

(not verified)
Friday, June 7, 2024
Its full name is Climate Resilient Innovations for Sustainable Production of Rice, but it’s mostly known by the acronym CRISP Rice. The goal of this project being undertaken by scientists with the LSU AgCenter is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of rice production in the southern U.S.
While the Asian longhorned tick has yet to be sighted in Louisiana, LSU AgCenter entomologist Kristen Healy would like the public to remain vigilant in keeping an eye out for this and other species. To better understand where certain species live, Healy and her team have developed the website geaux-ticks.org, where people can send in photos or specimens of ticks they may encounter.

While the Asian longhorned tick has yet to be sighted in Louisiana, LSU AgCenter entomologist Kristen Healy would like the public to remain vigilant in keeping an eye out for this and other species. To better understand where certain species live, Healy and her team have developed the website geaux-ticks.org, where people can send in photos or specimens of ticks they may encounter.

Tick talk: AgCenter entomologist seeks input from public via new website

Harlan Kirgan
Friday, May 31, 2024
With summer comes outdoor activities and the possibility of encountering ticks and the diseases they carry. To determine which species may be common to a particular location in Louisiana, an LSU AgCenter researcher and her team have developed an online tool to assist in locating the bloodsuckers.