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NEREC Research Project List and Summaries

Resident Research and Extension Programs:

Dr. Fred Bourland (Cotton breeding, genetics and variety testing)

• Cotton Variety Testing

The primary goal of the Arkansas Cotton Variety Test is to provide unbiased data regarding the agronomic performance of cotton varieties and advanced breeding lines in the major cotton-growing areas of Arkansas.  This information helps seed companies establish marketing strategies and assists producers in choosing varieties to plant. These annual evaluations will then facilitate the inclusion of new, improved genetic material in Arkansas cotton production.  Adaptation of varieties is determined by evaluating the lines at four University of Arkansas research sites:  Northeast Research and Extension Center at Keiser, Judd Hill Foundation Cooperative Research Station near Trumann, the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station at Marianna, and the Southeast Branch Station at Rohwer.  Data are reported at www.ArkansasVarietyTesting.org and in hard copy.  The data include yield, lint percentage, plant height, open bolls, yield component variables, fiber properties, Verticillium wilt, leaf pubescence, and bract parameters.  Entries are also evaluated for response to tarnished plant bug in a separate test at Keiser.  All handling of seed, data and samples are done at Keiser.

• Cotton Breeding Program

The University of Arkansas Cotton Breeding Program attempts to develop cotton genotypes that are improved with respect to yield, host plant resistance, fiber quality, and adaptation to Arkansas environments.  Such genotypes would be expected to provide higher, more consistent yields with fewer inputs.  To maintain a strong breeding program, continued research is needed to develop techniques, which will identify genotypes with favorable genes, combine those genes into adapted lines, then select and test derived lines.  The Program is headquartered at Keiser, where laboratory (ginning, seed and fiber sampling, delinting, seed quality evaluation, seed storage, and seed packaging), greenhouse (evaluation and screens for disease resistance), early-generation population development (crossing, generation advance), field tests (progeny and strain evaluation) and seed increases are conducted.  Addition evaluation of progeny and strains are routinely conducted at Judd Hill, Marianna (Lon Mann Cotton Research Station) and Rohwer (Southeast Branch Station).  Advanced strains are also evaluated in various regional tests and are released to all public and private breeders as appropriate.

The agricultural economics program at the Northeast Research and Extension Center is comprised of three parts: 1) farm management and production economics, 2) agricultural markets and marketing, and 3) public policy analysis.  The program examines issues of concern to Delta producers concerning the production and marketing of cotton, soybean, rice, wheat, feed grains, beef cattle, irrigation management, and capital investments in equipment and machinery.

Specific objectives include:

Farm management

o Construction of production budgets for beef cows and calves and stocker cattle.

o Construction of production budgets and economic analysis of research verification programs for corn, cotton, grain sorghum, and wheat.

o Research into optimal irrigation timing and ownership periods for machinery and equipment.

• Product marketing

o Educational workshops held to increase stakeholder knowledge of various components of market prices e.g. trend, price cycles due to biology and other externalities, seasonal price components, and price basis elements.

o Short educational seminars and workshops to help increase knowledge of risk management through hedging and booking products using commodity futures, options, and other marketing instruments.

o Computer software developed to help producers optimize their product mix and marketing programs.

• Public policy analysis

o Analysis of the impact of proposed international trade agreements, domestic farm programs, and macro-changes on the agricultural environment through the use of economic models of the state, Mid-South, and Delta area.

• Development and evaluation of crop production systems

The University of Arkansas Cropping Systems Research Program attempts to improve current crop production systems and to investigate the feasibility of new and innovative crop production practices.  The program is headquartered at the Keiser location with additional testing sites at Marianna, Judd Hill, and cooperator locations throughout Northeast Arkansas.  Primary objectives include research into corn, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, soybean, wheat, and potential alternative crop production systems and to evaluate systems to reduce management inputs, stabilize yields, and maximize economic returns.

• Insect Pest Management

The University of Arkansas Pest Management Program focuses on improving management of insect pests through studies conducted at Keiser, Marianna, Judd Hill and various producer farms in NE Arkansas.  Studies focus on evaluating the efficacy of experimental as well as currently labeled insecticides.  The efficacy and economic returns of gmo's such as Bt crops are also evaluated.  Results are used to enhance University recommendations. 

• Apiculture

The hub of the commercial beekeeping industry in Arkansas is located in the NE delta.  Issues concerning pests of honey bees such as the varroa mite and small hive beetle are addressed through section 18's for products that are effective in managing these pests.

• Biofuel crops

o Switchgrass (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

o Sunflower (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

o Castor (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

• Corn

o Variety Testing (Mr. Don Dombek)

o Weed control (Dr. Dick Oliver)

o Fertility (Dr. Morteza Mozaffari)

o Insect control (Dr. Glenn Studebaker)

o Early-season corn hybrid evaluation (Drs. Daniel Stephenson and Larry Purcell)

o Row spacing and seeding rate (Drs. Jason Kelley and Daniel Stephenson)

• Cotton

o Breeding (Dr. Fred Bourland)

o Defoliation (Drs. Tom Barber and Daniel Stephenson)

o Fertility (Dr. Morteza Mozaffari)

o Insect management

o Tarnished plant bug (Dr. Glenn  Studebaker

o Bt cotton (Dr. Glenn Studebaker

o Seedling disease control (Dr. Craig Rothrock)

o Variety Testing (Dr. Fred Bourland)

o Weed management (Dr. Jason Norsworthy)

o Weed control (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

o Row spacing, seeding rate, and seeding configuration (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

• Rice

o N by variety

o Variety testing

o Furrow-irrigation rice (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

• Sorghum

o Irrigated and non-irrigated Variety Testing (Mr. Don Dombek)

• Soybean

o Breeding (Dr. Pengyin Chen)

o Variety Testing (Mr. Don Dombek)

o Disease Control (Dr. John Rupe)

o Physiology (Dr. Larry Purcell)

o Weed Control (Dr. L. R. Oliver)

o Row spacing and seeding rate (Drs. Daniel Stephenson and Jeremy Ross)

o Flood tolerance of soybean (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

•  Wheat

o Variety Testing (Dr. Robert Bacon)

o Breeding - evaluation of lines and strains (Dr. Robert Bacon)

• Cotton

o Breeding (Dr. Fred Bourland)

o Fertility (Dr. Morteza Mozaffari)

o Insect management

o Tarnished plant bug (Dr. Tina Gray Teague)

o Bt cotton (Dr. Glenn Studebaker

o Irrigation termination (Dr. Tina Gray Teague)

o Defoliation (Dr. Daniel Stephenson)

o Seedling disease control (Dr. Craig Rothrock)

o Variety Testing (Dr. Fred Bourland)

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Division of Agriculture
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