Princeton, Kentucky
October 10, 2007
Members of the
University of Kentucky Wheat
Science Group were presented with the first CSREES Partnership
Award for Mission Integration today in Washington, D.C.
This is one of four new awards presented by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service to recognize outstanding contributions of
their partners in the land-grant universities and other
cooperating institutions and organizations.
The mission integration award is for implementation of a program
or project which incorporates, in a meaningful way, full
integration of research, education, and extension and exhibits
an understanding of the complementary nature of these three
functions.
“This honor reinforces our belief that, by all areas of the
College of Agriculture working together, we can provide the most
up-to-date information to our wheat producers, helping to
further enhance their economic viability,” said Lloyd Murdock,
group co-chair.
UK’s Wheat Science Group was established in 1997 and consists of
18 members from six departments within the College of
Agriculture. The members have varying research, extension and
instruction assignments. The group’s mission is to plan and
implement coordinated wheat research and extension/educational
functions.
“There can be no greater testimony to the effectiveness of the
wheat science program than receiving this national distinction,”
said Nancy Cox, associate dean for research and director of the
UK Agricultural Experiment Station. “The wheat science program
is the best at linking research with the real world. It is
especially gratifying that the beneficiaries of the program, the
producers, provided strong support to the Secretary of USDA for
this honor.”
Programs and activities are proactive when possible, but also
are developed in response to specific production situations and
needs. The group works closely with the Kentucky Small Grain
Growers Association, county agricultural extension agents, wheat
consultants and agribusinesses to determine short and long range
goals and to implement the group’s activities for maximum
benefit of Kentucky’s wheat producers.
No-tillage, ryegrass control, and head scab research and
extension programs have been major thrusts of the program, but
many other wheat topics have been addressed via coordinated
research and extension programs, activities and publications.
The two greatest successes of this group have been increased
yields and increased no-tillage acres. Wheat yields have
increased from the 40-bushel per acre range in the mid-1980s to
71 bushels per acre in 2006. The 2006 yield is the highest ever
produced by the state and the fifth highest in the United
States.
No-till wheat acres have increased from 15 percent in 1990 to
about 45 percent of today’s harvested acres. Also, soil quality
has improved. This resulted in a four to five percent increase
in yields of corn and soybean crops when planted following
no-tilled wheat versus tilled wheat, as measured by on-farm
trials.
UK College of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission,
reaches across the commonwealth with teaching, research and
extension to enhance the lives of Kentuckians.
By Laura Skillman |
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