The Biology of Fungi

Chuck Zimmerman

Fungi like to move around and so does this conference where you can learn all about them.

The British Mycological Society, in association with Elsevier, the world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information, today announced the final programme for the 9th Mycological Congress IMC9: The Biology of Fungi. This congress takes place every 4 years at a different venue around the world.

Taking place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, a comprehensive programme encompasses the latest research in all areas of fungal biology. More than 300 oral presentations are arranged within 45 thematic symposia and supplemented by over 1000 posters, optional special interest group meetings, field trips and an exhibition. A complementary public exhibition, entitled ‘From Another Kingdom’, will be hosted at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh during the Congress and later into Autumn 2010.

Fungal biology has never been as important in our everyday lives as it is today because of the commercial importance for biotechnology, medicine and the food industry. Fungi also provide a model for studying the eukaryotic mode of life. Further, fungi are crucial to the functioning of the ecosystems of our planet because of the role they play in decomposition and nutrient cycling. New areas of research will be reviewed within the following five main themes of the congress: Cell biology, biochemistry and physiology; Environment, ecology and interactions; Evolution, biodiversity and systematics; Fungal pathogenesis and disease control; Genomics, genetics and molecular biology.

International

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Darlington dairy producer, Jay Stauffacher, has been re-elected to a sixth term as chairman of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Connie Seefeldt, Coleman, was re-elected vice chairperson, and Ed Jasurda, Phillips, was re-elected Secretary.
  • David Macedo – city councilman, 2006 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion and veteran California marketman – is Livestock Marketing Association’s president for 2010-2012.
  • Pfizer Animal Health has launched a new online resource offering technical and actionable information on mastitis management and milk quality.
  • Massey Ferguson introduces the new RK Series rotary rake in three models, each designed to help hay producers optimize hay quality.
    Zimfo Bytes

    The Context Network Gets New Partners

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Mark and Mark have become Partners with The Context Network. Both Mark Nelson and Mark Holland were Senior Associates.

    Context Managing Partner, Blake Sieker said, “Context is very pleased to announce the advancement of Mark Holland and Mark Nelson to Partners. Their contributions and expertise as Senior Associates have proven their commitment to consulting excellence. The actionable solutions and solid, strategic results they provide have had a profound and indelible positive influence on our clients, our industry and on The Context Network. We are confident their contributions will bring continued growth and business success to our clients.”

    Agribusiness

    The Trials and Errors of Lab Work

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Zachary Larson, Borlaug Summer Intern, is on location at Nanjing Agricultural University and providing us with updates this summer of his trip. Here’s his latest. You can also find a photo album he’s got started here: Borlaug Summer Intern Photo Album. The internship is being sponsored by the Iowa State University Plant Sciences Institute.

    My lab work here in the wheat lab has been a bit of a trial and error experience, but I take this as an experience every person who wants to get involved in a research setting must undergo before they can actually conduct a research task proficiently.

    For the last few weeks I have been solely working on helping my friend Wang Jia do his lab work, and understand his research. He is trying to detect the genetic differences between a variety of wheat, and a species of grass that shows a serious resistance against a variety of wheat disease. To do this, he first has to run hundreds of PCRs and Page Gels in order to get enough data to find the genetic differences. Read More

    Education, International, University

    USDA Says Ask The Expert

    Chuck Zimmerman

    If you have questions, USDA has answers. They just launched a new portal to Ask The Expert.

    . . . a knowledge-based search engine that optimizes customer experience while conserving taxpayer dollars. This intuitive tool relies on self-service to deliver reliable and relevant information 24/7, greatly reducing wait time and USDA resources associated with the previous system.

    USDA

    Web Browser Compatibility

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Since so many of you have become more web savvy than you used to be I thought I’d point out a growing problem that I’ve been seeing lately. It’s website browser compatibility. Have you ever looked at your website in a browser other than the one you use? I highly recommend it and you may be very surprised at what you find. Does your web developer do this? You should make sure.

    Why? Well if you look at this graphic which shows AgWired visitors for the last month by type of browser they use you can see a top ten list. That’s right. Ten different browsers and there are actually more. So not everyone is using Internet Explorer or Firefox. And although Internet Explorer (IE) is the biggest you need to realize that there are multiple versions of IE. There’s IE6, IE7, IE8 and a test version of IE9. Google Analytics isn’t breaking them out here. Your website could look different in each of them if it isn’t properly coded. And besides the browsers you have to also consider the operating system of your computer. What version of Window are you using or Mac OS? It makes a difference.

    I’ve seen this browser compatibility problem with all kinds of websites and companies lately even including my bank where I do online banking. Now, even when we upgrade to a new version of our website software we have to fix all kinds of little bugs that pop up depending on which browser you’re using. It’s a pain in the you know what! But it’s reality. BTW. We find the most problems with IE and its various versions. And if I go back just 2 years ago IE was at 70% and of course there was no Chrome.

    Internet

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • Rabobank recently appointed David C. Nelson as Global Strategist, Animal Protein Grains and Oilseeds for the Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group based in Chicago.
    • The newly released Soybean Cyst Nematode Management Guide, produced by the North Central Soybean Research Program and the Plant Health Initiative, is a comprehensive guide to SCN and how to manage it.
    • Agriculture Future of America is excited to announce that the 2010 AFA Leaders Conference will be held Nov. 4-7, 2010, in Kansas City, Mo.
    • Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson presented Osborne Industries with the 2010 Kansas Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award.
      Zimfo Bytes

      New Research Shows BASF Headline Yield Advantage

      Cindy Zimmerman

      A new research summary shows that BASF Headline® fungicide effectively controls a broad spectrum of corn and soybean diseases, provides Plant Health benefits, and maximizes crop yields.

      basfThe Headline Fungicide Yield Research Summary demonstrates that the BASF fungicide provides corn growers approximately a 3 bu/A yield advantage over other available fungicides.

      “Growers are constantly weighing the practices and inputs they use for successfully growing a crop and maintaining their business,” said Nick Fassler, BASF Technical Market Manager. “BASF conducts this exhaustive research so growers can be assured that selecting Headline will help them meet their operational goals.”

      The results of the report are based on a summary of university small plot trials, seed company hybrid evaluations and large scale, on-farm side-by-side comparisons of Headline from 2004 to 2009. Headline was applied with a 6 oz/A use rate in all tests. Compared to untreated checks, research shows a 13.5 bu/A average yield increase and 12.2, 16.9 and 19.4 bu/A yield improvements under conditions of low, moderate and high disease pressure, respectively, in corn. In soybeans, an overall 3.5 – 5.5 bu/A yield increase was demonstrated, along with a 7.3 bu/A yield advantage in East and Southeast soybean trials.

      In addition, due to the hot, muggy weather this year, BASF is giving growers more time to take advantage of the Headline Advantage by extending a $50 per gallon grower incentive on Headline® fungicide through August 15. More info is available at headlineadvantage.com.

      BASF, Corn

      Alltech Games Day

      Chuck Zimmerman

      Here’s one way to get your employees excited about an upcoming promotion. Create your own holiday.

      It’s official. Alltech has named July 9th “Alltech Games Day.” In anticipation of the largest sporting event to come to the United States since the 2002 Winter Olympics, Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, has announced that all 120 Alltech offices located worldwide will be celebrating a day of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

      Twenty-three hundred employees from around the globe will celebrate Alltech Games Day by dressing in Games apparel and buttons. Along with having a dress down day at the office, each employee will take one hour out of their work day to call and invite customers, friends and family to the Games.  That time is equal to more than 287 work days worth of time spent on inviting contacts.

      Alltech

      NAFB Foundation Scholarship Recipients

      Chuck Zimmerman

      National Association of Farm BroadcastingThe National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Foundation just announced their 2010 scholarship recipients.

      The Foundation is pleased to announce the 2010 selections:
      Taylor James, Kansas State University, Glenn Kummerow Scholarship, $5,000
      Denise Donley, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, $4,000
      Julie Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, $4,000

      The NAFB Foundation Board of Directors would like to congratulate these students. In addition to their scholarship, they will each receive a trip to Kansas City for the 2010 NAFB Annual convention, funded by the Foundation. These scholarships and other projects that sustain the future and prosperity of the ag and rural broadcasting industry, would not be possible without the NAFB Foundation Boosters and supporters. Thank you to everyone who supports the NAFB Foundation.

      For more information on the NAFB Foundation, or to pledge your support, visit www.nafbfoundation.com.

      NAFB