October 2003

Welcome to Purdue Agriculture Report, an e-newsletter about research and Extension in the Purdue University College of Agriculture.

Purdue Agriculture: The place to go for diverse careers
By Victor Lechtenberg, Dean of Agriculture

What do a labor attorney, a science librarian, a quality-control engineer and a resident physician have in common? They all began their career preparations by earning a degree in Purdue University’s College of Agriculture.

The College of Agriculture is as much about science and business as it is about animals and crops.

Students from rural, urban and suburban backgrounds all find a home in Purdue Agriculture. From environmental sciences to pre-medicine and from business to engineering, we offer more than 45 majors in a variety of disciplines.

And for those who seek more traditional careers in agriculture, the job market is great. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 50,000 new college graduates are needed each year to fill jobs in the food, agricultural and natural resources system.

Right now, we are looking for volunteers to help recruit students to Purdue Agriculture. For more information about our scouting program, contact Mary Welch welchma@purdue.edu in the Office of Academic Programs at 1-888-EXT-INFO toll free.

Related Link: GO in Ag

Purdue receives $1 million grant for agricultural innovation

Purdue University will receive a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create an agricultural innovation center in Indiana. The award will assist farmers and rural businesses in developing value-added agricultural ventures.

The grant is part of a multi-state $10 million award. Centers will be established in 10 states to aid in developing value-added businesses that promote greater use of agricultural commodities.

"We think it’s important to assess the technological and commercial viability of any new venture, and that is what we will focus on with this center, " said Michael Boehlje, professor of agricultural economics who will help oversee the Indiana Agricultural Innovation and Commercialization Center. "We plan to create assessment tools for entrepreneurs to use in developing their businesses." read more

Purdue food scientists improve testing of health supplements

Purdue University researchers have discovered a faster, less expensive method to test the quality and purity of dietary supplement oils, such as flax seed, borage seed and grape seed oil, often touted as cures for many human maladies.

The research results are published in the September issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and on the journal's Web site.

"This study brings analytical chemistry, food science, nutritional sciences and consumer interest together," said Lisa Mauer, assistant professor of food science. "Consumers want the salad dressing brand they buy to taste the same every time." read more

Market Choices Web site links biotech corn growers to elevators

Farmers harvesting biotech corn hybrids this fall need to know which elevators are buying what they're selling. A new Web site developed in cooperation with Purdue University helps producers find markets for transgenic grain.

The Market Choices home page provides information and resources for farmers with biotech corn, as well as elevators that purchase the grain, said Dirk Maier, a Purdue Cooperative Extension Service agricultural engineer.

Where farmers sell insect- and herbicide-resistant transgenic corn is important because some of the hybrids are not accepted in all countries, Maier said. read more

Purdue research plots new field in plant genomics

First, there was genomics, or the study of all the genes found in an organism. Then there was proteomics — the study of all the proteins produced by these genes. Now, a Purdue University researcher and his collaborators have developed a new field called "ionomics," or the study of how genes regulate all the ions in a cell.

This research holds the promise of leading to mineral-efficient plants that need little fertilizer, crops with better nutritional value for humans and plants that may remove contamination from the soil.

David Salt, associate professor of plant molecular physiology and primary investigator on the research project, defines the ionome as the collection of all the mineral ions that function in a cell.

"All the ions in a cell play critical roles," Salt says. "Ions energize biological membranes, they play a key role in enzyme activity, they regulate the transmission of signals in the cell and the transport of materials throughout the cell. We want to understand how the cell, in turn, regulates those ions." read more

Silo gas a deadly hazard on the farm

Silos, a necessity on many farms, can be dangerous, especially when deadly gasses build up inside, said Gail Deboy, a Purdue University Cooperative Extension agriculture safety specialist.

Last October a Michigan farmer died from exposure to silo gas after entering a silo three days after it was filled. Deboy said farmers can combat the dangers of silo gas by taking precautions.

"The greatest amount of silo gas occurs one to three days after crops, especially corn, have been put into the silo," Deboy said. read more

Gone batty: Fall best time to evict unwanted bats

Fall is the best time to send an eviction notice to the bats living in the attic, according to a wildlife biologist.

While old buildings often serve as a place of business and as a historical repository, they also can house bat colonies with members numbering in the hundreds.

"We find that many historic buildings have a bat colony in the attic," said Judy Loven, a U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service wildlife biologist.

Bats can enter through broken windows, unprotected louvers or vents, eaves, loose flashing, and other places. Once inside, bats become a health risk. Bats are the No. 1 transmitters of rabies to humans in Indiana. read more

Wright Center to house forest research and natural retreat

Forestry research at Purdue University is ready to grow to new heights, thanks to the opening of the $4 million John S. Wright Forestry Center at Martell Forest, located nine miles west of campus.

Named for John Shepherd Wright, Purdue benefactor and member of the class of 1892, the center includes teaching and research laboratories, office space for faculty and students, two greenhouses, two walk-in coolers for storing large plant specimens and a 120-person conference facility. The 17,000-square-foot center will be used as a field lab, teaching resource and meeting place for faculty, staff and students in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources as well as other departments on campus. read more

Upcoming Events

Oct. 7 — Purdue Agriculture Career Fair
Oct. 10 — 50th anniversary, Indiana Council for Economic Education

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