This year, the USDA is expecting about 46 million pounds of apples, the highest mark in 10 years. "There will be lots of apples and they'll be big," said Jon Clements, UMass Fruit Extension program. (Worcester Business Journal 9/18/17)
News from the Media
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Apple Crop Expected to Reach 10-Year High, UMass Extension Comments
September 18, 2017 -
Learning Garden in Springfield Helped by UMass
September 11, 2017Nutrition educator, Amanda McCabe, at UMass Extension in Amherst, cooked with young students, using recipes that incorporated veggies students are growing in Springfield at Square One. (MassLive 9/6/17)
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Caterpillars Have Defoliated Nearly One-third of State’s Forests, UMass Entomologist Elkinton Comments
August 31, 2017Nearly a third of the forest canopy across Massachusetts has been consumed this year by a plague of gypsy moth caterpillars, whose insatiable appetite for leaves can ultimately kill trees. Joseph Elkinton, an entomologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, adds predictions. (Globe 8/30/17)
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UMass Amherst Study of Bee Health Finds No Natural Medicine in Once-promising Compound
August 29, 2017AMHERST, Mass. – A new study of possible self-medicating behavior in bumble bees conducted by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst reports that a once-promising finding was not supported by further experiments and analysis. (AgriMarketing, 8/29/17; Science Codex, Laboratory Equipment, Seed Quest, 8/28/17; News Office release, 8/28/17)
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UMass Lab Analyzes Ticks to Identify Pathogens
August 29, 2017Microbiologist Stephen Rich's laboratory team at UMass Amhest tests ticks that have crawled across, bitten or otherwise come into human contact. Within three business days of mailing in a tick as part of the Send a Tick to College program, people get a list of any pathogens the ticks carry. (Cape Cod Times 8/26/17)
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Wes Autio Comments on Central Massachusetts Juicy Peach Crop
August 24, 2017Wesley Autio, director of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and professor of pomology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said moisture, sun and temperature have been ideal this summer for peaches and apples. (Telegram 8/23/17)
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Jon Clements, UMass Extension, Comments on Alternative Specialty Crops
August 23, 2017Jon Clements, UMass Extension, comments on alternative specialty crops small farmers should consider growing. He says table grapes are in demand and consumers like the idea of picking their own grapes. (Growing Produce 8/22/17)
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Black Fungus on Norway Maple Trees
August 21, 2017Richard W. Harper, UMass Extension, environmental conservation, says black marks appearing on the leaves of Norway maples trees indicate there is a fungus causing the so-called tar spots. Nicholas J. Brazee, UMass Extension, indicates the spots may be due to a condition called anthracnose. (Globe8/18/17, Western Mass News8/17/17)
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Late Blight Threatens Mass.Tomato Crops
August 17, 2017The UMass Extension Plant Diagnostics Lab confirmed a case of late blight in tomato crops in Hampshire County last month. UMass Professor of Plant Pathology Robert Wick said the disease has been recurrent in New England since a major outbreak in 2009. (NEPR 8/16/17)
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Cranberries May Benefit Gut Bacteria
August 17, 2017Lead researcher, David Sela, nutritional microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, describes a role cranberries may play in promoting the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria. ( Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 9/17, ProHealth 8/6/17)
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Biogeographer Studies Wildfire Risk Related to Invasive Grasses
August 15, 2017Invasive plant expert Bethany Bradley plans to create the first comprehensive assessment of how more than two dozen non-native, invasive grasses may alter fire patterns and carbon storage across ecosystems in the contiguous United States. (EurekAlert! 8/15/17)
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Boutt to Study Hydrological Cycle in Franklin and Hampshire Counties
August 9, 2017The University of Massachusetts Amherst received a grant from the state to help waterways and habitats in Franklin and Hampshire counties. David Boutt, associate professor of geoscience, UMass Amherst, will study water samples to understand impacts of drought. Boutt is looking for samples from wells and streams across the region. To contribute a sample, call 413-545-2724, or email dboutt@geo.umass.edu (Gazette 8/8/17)
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4-H Horse Clubs and Beyond
August 7, 2017Leadership skills, community service outreach and more taught through the 4-H Horse Calvary Club. (Country Folks 8/4/17)
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Turf Research Field Day Held
July 27, 2017More than two hundred people gathered at UMass’ South Deerfield research campus for a “Turf Research Field Day.” UMass turf professor Michelle DeCosta discusses turf benefits with TV22.
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Poisonous Weeds and Plants in Western Mass.
July 18, 2017UMass Extension weed specialist Randy Prostak interviewed by TV22 in spot on poisonous plants and insects. TV22 Springfield, 7/18/2017
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Unlocking Genetic Secrets of Flower Diversity
July 12, 2017Madelaine Bartlett, a biologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is hoping to unlock the genetic secrets of flowering plants — information that could be used to grow better crops. (Globe 7/12/17)
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Gypsy Moths Defoliation Almost Over Observes UMass Professor Elkinton
July 3, 2017This summer, you may have noticed that many trees and shrubs are being defoliated by gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) caterpillars. The good news, sort of, is that this year’s defoliation is almost at an end. (Daily Hampshire Gazette 6/29/17)
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Subsidy for Cape Tick Testing Runs Out
June 26, 2017A subsidized program that allowed Cape Codders to have ticks tested at a university laboratory for a fraction of the cost has exhausted its funding. Residents of Barnstable County now have to pay full price to have ticks evaluated for pathogens at the laboratory of Dr. Stephen Rich at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. (Cape Cod Times 6/24/17)
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Garlic Mustard Threatens Native Plants, UMass Assistant Professor Comments
June 26, 2017Garlic mustard may look innocuous, but the plant exudes a chemical that kills fungi needed by tree seedlings and other forest plants to survive, according to researcher Kristina Stinson at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.(Globe 6/22/17)
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Dressings, Dips, Sauces Come Under Scrutiny by UMass Food Scientist
June 26, 2017AMHERST — University of Massachusetts Amherst food scientist David Julian McClements will lead a team that has received a three-year, $444,550 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study the possibility that eating food nanoemulsions found in dressings, dips or sauces might increase the amount of pesticides absorbed from co-ingested fruits and vegetables, thus increasing risk of adverse health effects. (Recorder 6/22/17; News Office (6/19/17)
