College of Agriculture and Human Sciences
March 2017 Vol.2 No.2
Prairie View, TX
4-H Stirs Youth
Heroes 4-Health in New Braunfels page 8
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Events2017
Upcoming
April 3 – 7, 2017
Cooperative Extension Program ( CEP ) State Training Conference Texas
Outlook on Agriculture Radio Show Thursday 1pm ET HBCU Radio – Sirius XM Ch. 142 Sunday 10:30AM CST KPVU – 91.3 FM www.pvamu.edu/ outlookonag
With hosts LaRachelle Smith & Maurice Perkins
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is published by Prairie View A&M University College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, Department of Marketing Communications & Information Technology Interim Dean and Director of Land-Grant Programs JAMES PALMER Ph.D. Director of Marketing, Communications & iT LaRachelle Smith Editor and Media & Publications Coordinator Maurice Perkins Photographer/Graphic Designer Michael Thomas Contributing Photographers Maurice Perkins Johnathan Williams
APRIL 12 – 12:00 PM
TOTAL YOU WELLNESS SERIES: INTRODUCTION A TASTE OF AFRICAN HERITAGE PVAMU Main Campus – Recreation Center
Contributing Writers Maurice Perkins Kelley Redmon Ali Fares, Ph.D. Kwaku Addo, Ph.D. Jakari Bates Contributing Proofreader Kelley Redmon
This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the EvansAllen 1890 Research Formula Program and the 1890 Extension Formula Program project under Section 1444 and Section 1445. The contents are solely the responsibility of the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA or NIFA. Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, PVAMU or the Tri-Ag editor.
News, story ideas and comments should be sent to:
250 E.M. Norris St. | P.O. Box 519, MS 2001 Prairie View, TX 77446 cahscomm@pvamu.edu
April 28, 2017
Agricultural Field Day ( Ag Field Day )
This publication available electronically www.pvamu.edu/cahs/e-publications
www.pvamu.edu/cahs
Governor Bill & Vara Daniel Farm, PVAMU
Upcoming Events Be sure to complete your Program Planning Approval Form at least 6 months in advance to have your program/event included here.
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Current Locations Prospective Locations
Ladies with Pride
Introduced to a Divine Mission The Ladies with Pride organization has been on campus since July 10, 2016 and completed their summer program on August 11. Doris Morgan-Bloom, College of Agriculture and Human Sciences Instructor, enthusiastically reminded the organization that “We do not have to look, practice, or smell like what we have been through.” She assured the 166 women attendees that life could be “hard and unfair, and we will make unwise decisions and mistakes, but we can always make a better decision and change the directions of our lives.” Comprised of future nurses, licensed therapists, psychologists, lawyers, teachers, architects, and engineers, the group was given additional words of wisdom: “Confidence is an ‘I-can attitude.’ It feels good, and is an ‘I-believe-in-myself’ attitude.” Morgan-Bloom shared that Ladies with Pride will exemplify positive self-esteem, flexibility to take charge of life, and pride stemming from growing from mistakes without fear of rejection. While Morgan-Bloom shared many examples, she ended by emphasizing to the participants that each should repeat this daily: “I am of infinite value with my divine mission, which I will strive to fulfill.” Kwaku Addo, Ph.D.
“We do not have to look, practice, or smell like what we have been through.” Doris Morgan-Bloom
Mentorship & Accountability Presented at National Conference in New Mexico
The 9th Annual Mentoring Conference was held at the University of New Mexico featuring proposals that critically and innovatively analyzed different types of developmental relationships and how networking through various disciplines may contribute to the long-term success and prosperity of an individual. Each year the conference hosts networkers and speakers from institutions nationwide to engage in hands-on workshops and career enriching networking opportunities. This year, LaRachelle Smith, co-advisor and principal investigator for the Student Leadership Apprentice Program (SLAP) research project, which targets students enrolled and working in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, presented a discussion at the conference entitled, “Accountability, Growth and Excellence: Mentoring Through the AGEs.” The talk was inspired by the current 10 student cohort of apprentices and the core concepts of the SLAP that create a research-based framework to deliver the C5E skills needed for future success: Communication, Collaboration, Conflict Management, Creativity, Critical Thinking and Ethics. The presentation also touched on the topic of reverse mentorship. For the first time in history, four generations of employee have converged in the workplace at the same time. Bridging the generational gap for the continuity of professional growth among such diverse perspectives is one of the goals of C5E skill enhancement. James Palmer, Ph.D.
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For CAHS juniors Regan Johnson and Kendric Jones, the college experience means broadening one's academic awareness but also being part of an organized voice for the student body’s academic, social and cultural well being at PVAMU. Serving as liaison between students, faculty, administrators, both were elected to the University’s Student Government Association (SGA). Johnson, a human science major, and Jones, an agriculture major, are bridging the gap between the traditional perception about agriculturalists as farmers and the reality of what students studying in the field of agriculture set for themselves as ambitious goals. They understand and help their classmates embrace the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences as the arm of the University that supports the land-grant mission and the critical role the agriculture industry plays in the economy. Jones, SGA comptroller, says, “Being an agricultural major concentrating in economics has really helped me in my position because it allows me to enhance my knowledge in financial operations and teach people how to break down a budget.” Johnson, an aspiring dentist, is excited to expand students’ ability to enact change to all aspects of the campus and make every PV student feel like they’re part of SGA.
Studentsuccess
CAHS Juniors Lead in SGA
Kelley Redmon
Students Submit 25 Abstracts for Pathways Research Symposium Twenty-five PVAMU students mentored by Cooperative Agriculture Research Center (CARC) Researchers submitted abstracts for oral and poster presentations for the Texas A&M University System 13th Annual Pathways Student Research Symposium to be held November 3-4 on campus. Submissions covered topics related to gene expressions and early embryo development in goats. Another submission focused on how to quantify the fat globule sizes in goat and bovine milk. Four submissions focus on predicting crop water management under current and future climate changes across Texas; projection of climate extremes in the Brazos watershed; the relationship between weather factors and crop yield; and the influence of rain on water and energy balances. Other student research included: gene marker discovery and the origin of sweet potatoes; fatty acid composition of virgin coconut oil (cocos nucifera l) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (gcms); response of greenhouse grown Egyptian spinach to three fertilizer rates; evaluating okra varieties for small acreage production; disease control in organic strawberries; and phyla dulcis: shikimic acid herb. CARC’s Research Scientists support PVAMU students as part of their own research activities addressing the needs of limited resource communities. During last year’s symposium hosted by Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, PVAMU’s agriculture major Michelle Mbia took first place in the Poster Presentation Agriculture Discipline area. Ali Fares, Ph.D.
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College of Agriculture and Human Sciences
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Cooperative
at work CARC-CEP-Team Visit to a Flood-Prone Farm in Somerville, Burleson County
Billy Lawton, Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Leader at the Cooperative Extension Program (CEP), and Dr. Ripendra Awal, Research Scientist, and PostDoctoral Researcher Haimanote Bayabil, both from the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC), visited a flood-prone farm in Somerville, Burleson County, on September 13, 2016. The team discussed flooding and drainage issues on the farm with the owner who indicated that his farm frequently floods after heavy rainfall. The team observed that the farm is located at a lower elevation compared to surrounding areas and lacks a drainage outlet. In addition, lack of appropriate drainage ditches along nearby roads bordering the farm was also discussed as a contributing factor for the frequent flooding of the farm. CARC’s scientists started working on developing a drainage map for the farm using the national digital elevation model (10 m resolution), available for that area.family and the community. Ali Fares, Ph.D.
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Extension program Williams Assumes Role as Chair of the Association of Extension Administrators
Carolyn J. Williams, Associate Administrator with the Cooperative Extension Program, has assumed the role of Chair of the Association of Extension Administrators (AEA) effective November 2016. The Association of Extension Administrators represents the interests of 19 1890 Land-Grant Universities and Tuskegee University on matters pertaining to organization and policy, programs, goals and strategies, legislative and budgetary concerns pertaining to 1890 Extension. Williams, a 1977 (B.S. Home Economics Education) & 1991 (M.S. Home Economics Education) graduate from the College of Agriculture & Human Sciences, has enjoyed a career with the Extension Program of USDA for 39 years. The Chair assures that all rules and regulations of the Association are followed with respect to the affairs of the organization, and all orders and resolutions of the body are accomplished. She will preside at all meetings of the AEA and serve as the AEA representative on committees commensurate with the policies of the Association of Public and Land-Grant University’s (APLU) Board on Agriculture Assembly. The AEA Chair appoints chairs and members of all standing and ad hoc committees as necessary and serves as ex officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. In her role as Chair of AEA, Williams will also serve a two-year term on the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) Program Committee. The purpose of ECOP is to give guidance to issues of importance to the Cooperative Extension Section (CES) of the APLU Board of Agriculture Assembly. ECOP is the representative leadership and governing body of Cooperative Extension, the nationwide transformational education system operating through land-grant universities in partnership with federal, state, and local governments. ECOP focuses on four core themes: 1) Build partnerships and acquire resources; 2) Increase strategic marketing and communications; 3) Enhance leadership and professional development, and 4) Strengthen organizational functioning. Williams was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the 1890 Universities Foundation. James Palmer, Ph.D.
To learn more about the Cooperative Extension Program, visit the CAHS website at www.pvamu.edu/CEP. The Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University is funded by the National Institute for Food & Agriculture (NIFA) through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The 1890 Extension Formula Program supports extension education programs that respond to the changing needs of limited resource clientele and underserved populations.
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n August 19-21, 2016, youth, adult volunteers, and staff gathered in New Braunfels, TX to celebrate the success of the 2015-2016 Heroes 4-Health grant funded initiative. This time was also used to plan for the 2016-17 implementation of the National 4-H and WalMart supported grant.
Heroes Empowers Twenty-eight summit attendees (17 youth, 5 volunteers and 6 staff) traveled from Brazos, Dallas, Cameron, and Cass Counties to participate. The 3-day state-wide culmination summit included team building activities, and program planning workshops. Adult volunteers and youth engaged in a food challenge activity that exposed everyone to a popular 4-H competition. All participants were provided the opportunity to move out of their comfort zones and overcome fears while being encouraged by the T Bar M facilitators and fellow attendees on the high ropes course and through various teambuilding sessions. County Agents Arvitta Scott and Cynthia Pierfax facilitated workshops sessions on program planning, writing impact statements, and providing recognition. Brazos County Youth Ambassadors led the group in a Saturday morning yoga session. Cass County Youth Ambassador Ally Stanford shared her favorite ice breaker and led an impromptu teaching session. Although initially shy, the Cameron County youth ambassadors were very vocal in the program planning sessions, providing key comments on their county level implementation. Dallas County youth enthusiastically participated in everything on the agenda. For some youth, this was the first time out of their county of residence.
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The closing ceremony included county specific and summit wide recognitions. For attending and fully participating, everyone received a Heroes 4-Health yoga mat, 4-H journal, weekly/monthly planner, and the official 2016-17 Heroes 4-Health polo style shirt. All attendees agreed that the State Wide Summit should become an annual event held at T Bar M to celebrate success and renew Heroes 4 Health implementation commitments for years to come.
4-Health Youth
Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) Cooperative Extension (CEP) 4-H and Youth Development program has been a recipient of 4-H Healthy Living grant funding consecutively since 2013. The Heroes 4-Health grant funding goal is to empower youth to positively impact their community through educational programs that raise awareness of everyday healthy living practices in nutrition and physical activity. The CEP 4-H and Youth Development unit is under the direction of Program Leader, Rukeia Draw-Hood. The Heroes 4-Health Principal Investigator is Health Coordinator, Dawn E. Burton. James Palmer, Ph.D.
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CAHS on a Mission to be Involved on Mars Communications Specialist Kelley A. Redmon participated in an event called “Mission to Mars, What Will It Take?” Thursday, September 15, 2016, benefitting Space Center Houston’s Youth STEM Academies. This event held at NASA and River Oaks Country Club allowed Redmon to discuss the impact agriculture has on space exploration as well as provide a platform for the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center (CARC) scientists and Cooperative Extension Program (CEP agents to examine research and outreach possibilities. Redmon interacted with panelists and astronaut Ellen Ochoa, Director of the Johnson Space Center and first Latina female in outer space. The event focused on developing pathways to reach, encourage and inspire underserved and underrepresented youth regarding educational opportunities and sustainability of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As the panelists discussed filling technology- and science-based jobs of the future and making the STEM industry diverse, Ochoa spoke of living microorganisms on Mars. A focus on agriculture expands knowledge of in-space plant growth and the impact gardening will have on astronauts in space isolation. Given Johnson Space Center and Space Center Houston’s enthusiasm to educate the underserved and underrepresented public, CAHS academicians, researchers and agents could collaborate on NASA projects. Kelley A. Redmon
houston: Problem solved 10
College of Agriculture and Human Sciences
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NASA and 4-H Partner to Spark Passion in Space and STEM 4-H National Headquarters in conjunction with NASA provided an opportunity for Texas 4-Her’s from the Cooperative Extension Program (CEP) in Dallas and Harris counties to participate in events with Astronaut Peggy Whitson (an Iowa 4-H Alum). Whitson will be leading the team made up of Tomas Pesquet from France and Oleg Novitskiy from Russia on the upcoming mission to the International Space Station. On August 30, 2016, Community Youth Development Leadership 4-H (Dallas County) and Tiger Botz 4-H (Harris County) traveled to NASA and had lunch with former 4-Her’s who are now NASA engineers. They also participated in the media day press conference, during which the 4-H delegation was acknowledged and were provided an opportunity to ask questions of the astronauts. Once the press conference was over, Ashley Chavez from Harris County and Fatima Flores from Dallas County had an opportunity to interview Mrs. Whitson. The Cooperative Extension Program also provided a day of STEM education for students from Hartsfield Elementary who visited Space Center Houston. There they learned about the history of the space program and about the effects that space travel can have on the human body. Students ended the day with a visit to see Rocket Park which houses the Saturn V rocket. James Palmer, Ph.D.
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foreignAlliances
International Visitor Receives Hands-On Training In Reproductive Technologies
Nickola Metodiev, a visiting scientist from Bulgaria sponsored by The Norman E. Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, visited the International Goat Research Center to receive hands-on training in reproductive technologies. He was accompanied by Carey Satterfield, Associate Professor of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. Associate Director and International Training Coordinator for The Borlaug Institute G.M. “Mike” McWhorter shared that there will be additional opportunities “to work together particularly since small ruminant animals are so important to the agricultural production schemes of so many developing countries.” James Palmer, Ph.D.
Five CAHS Undergraduates Share Research and Study Abroad Experiences in Seminar Series Raymond Thomas, Michelle Mbia, Cayla Steemer, Jessica Watts, and Tiffany Latin gave presentations at the CAHS Research Seminar Series on Thursday, October 20, 2016. Thomas and Latin shared their experiences on their summer study abroad trip to Namibia. Mbia gave a summary of the research study she has been conducting under the supervision of Peter Ampim, Research Scientist, on the response of greenhouse grown Egyptian spinach to three fertilizer rates. Findings of the study will further be fine-tuned and later shared with crop growers around Houston and other metropolitan areas in Texas. Under the supervision of Laura Carson, Research Scientist, and other faculty members across campus, Steemer has been looking at annotations associated with domesticated and endangered animals. Using their experimental method, they hope to unlock new ways to research using bioinformatics. Watts, who has been working with Shaye Lewis, Research Scientist, shared the results of her study on identifying candidate genes and gene networks important for the establishment and maintenance of spermatogenesis in the goat testes. These presentations were received very well by the faculty and research scientists present. Students were very excited to share their experience both in research and travel abroad. CAHS students will continue to be more involved in research to strengthen their academic experience. These and other presentations presented during CAHS’ Seminar Series can be viewed at www.pvamu.edu/cahs. Ali Fares, Ph.D.
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group of researchers led by Dr. Richard W. Griffin, Professor and Research Scientist, is conducting the Saharan and Sahelian Red Dust Collection Project (SSRDCP). The SSRDCP seeks to determine whether red colored soils found on PVAMU’s farm originate from the Saharan or Sahelian regions of Africa. The project was developed during a field trip to the King Ranch in South Texas. A tour guide noted that a flock of cattle egrets in the area was directly descended from the original West African flock that was brought to the area by a hurricane in the 1800’s. The guide went on to say that all cattle egrets in the US are descended from that same flock. Griffin thought that if the winds were strong enough to carry a flock of egrets across the ocean surely they could carry dust from the desert. The dust storms happen two or three times a year in the late spring and summer. The sands, mostly from the Sahara Desert, are carried on strong winds about 5,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. These large clouds of dust are referred to as the Saharan Air Layer (SAL). According to the Weather Channel, the SAL typically travels about 5,000 to 15,000 feet above the Earth’s surface. The dust from the SAL can cause hazy skies and can trigger large, environmentally harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico.
This research is important because bacteria on the dust can survive the long journey across the Atlantic to the United States and the Caribbean Islands. Griffin stated, “There would be some impact on humans that have asthma conditions, allergies, and upper respiratory illnesses”. The SSRDCP at CARC is still underway and researchers are finding new information about the dust’s impact on soil and society in Southeast Texas. As Griffin explains, “This is one of the reasons we are interested in continuing this work. It has bioenvironmental and biomedical implications.” For more details about the SSRDCP and the SAL, contact Dr. Richard Griffin (rwgriffin@pvamu.edu). This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Evans-Allen 1890 Research Formula Program projects under Section 1445. Jakari Bates
Saharan Air Layer
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Ampim Participates in a Workshop on Organic Strawberry Production, High Tunnels Dr. Peter Ampim, Research Scientist, attended a two-day conference/ workshop on high tunnel and strawberry production organized by AgriLife Extension on October 12 and 13, 2016 in Fort Worth. The event’s first day covered a range of issues including new items on pesticide laws and regulation, high tunnel designs and construction, integrating aquaponics and high tunnels, integrated pest management and sustainable and organic production of fruits and vegetables. Ampim gave a presentation on “Sustainable Practices for Improving Soil Quality in High Tunnel Production” two years ago at this yearly conference. The second part of the conference on Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) was a workshop organized for strawberries growers in Texas including those collaborating with AgriLife Extension, Prairie View A&M University and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. These institutions have obtained a three-year grant from the SARE program to develop improved organic pest control practices for organic strawberry production. Hence, the workshop addressed several strawberry production issues including variety selection, sustainable soil management, cropping season extension, diseases, and challenges pertaining to strawberry production. In attendance were the project leaders from all the collaborating institutions and the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Ali Fares, Ph.D.
Research Scientists Present on Water Use Management and Remote Sensing Applications Drs. Ripendra Awal and Ram Ray, Research Scientists, presented in the 2016 AWRA Summer Specialty Conference: GIS and Water Resources IX, in Sacramento, CA, July 11-13, 2016. Awal presented on climate change and its potential impact on irrigation water requirements for four major crops (corn, cotton, winter wheat and sorghum) in the Texas High Plains. Ray presented research on the evaluation of and inter‐comparison of remotely sensed soil moisture from three different satellites (SMAP, AMSR-E, and SMOS) in Texas. Their participation was supported by the University’s 2016 Summer Mini-grant Program. James Palmer, Ph.D.
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Sweet Potato Breeding Program: It’s the Harvesting Season On October 20, Senior Cooperative Agricultural Research Center Research Scientist Ming Gao’s research group harvested their sweet potato hybrid lines, which are new purple-fleshed varieties. A total of 30 hybrid lines, which were selected from those obtained from hybridization in the previous two years, were grown in small blocks on the PVAMU farm to test their field performance and for their further selection. Two purple-fleshed and two orange-fleshed hybrids displayed strong field performance and have been selected for further variety trials next year. The purple-fleshed sweet potato is becoming increasingly popular with consumers in the U.S. for its vibrant purple color and nutritional value especially in terms of its anthocyanin content, which has demonstrated ability to protect against a myriad of human diseases. However, current purple-fleshed sweet potato varieties have an unfavorable texture, and are not quite suited for fresh consumption. Gao’s ongoing breeding effort is focused on a new purple-fleshed hybrid that has better texture and mouth feel when baked. Ali Fares, Ph.D.
Research Impacting
Texas Associate Director of Research Serves on ESCOP Diversity in Research Leadership Task Force Dr. Ali Fares, Associate Director of Research at the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center has been serving on the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy’s (ESCOP) Diversity in Research Leadership Task Force. This twelve member task force from 1862 and 1890 universities has been charged with exploring diversity in research leadership across the Land-grant university system to provide ideas and actions for consideration, and to supplement institutional, regional and national diversity and inclusion efforts. The focus is primarily on enhancing diversity among the Experiment Station Directors, Research Directors, and their associates and assistants. The task force presented preliminary information during the March 2016 ESCOP meeting and a final report for discussion at the July COPs meeting held in San Antonio, Texas. Further discussion will take place at the Joint Meeting of the Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Sections in September. James Palmer, Ph.D.
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Juan Avendaño, Agriculture, Senior Animal Science Student
College of Agriculture and Human Sciences
www.pvamu.edu/cahs
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COL LE GE OF AGR ICULTURE AND HUM AN SC I E NCE S