Crop Sciences Newsletter #122, April 6, 2007

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

...Congratulations to Dean Riechers  who received the Outstanding Young Scientist Award at the December 2006 meeting of the North Central Weed Science Society meeting.

...Congratulations to Terry Niblack, who was elected to serve on the U-C Faculty Senate. She will serve for one year beginning in August 2007.

...Congratulations to Jerald Pataky, who was elected to serve as the Crop Sciences representative to the ACES Faculty Executive Committee for the 2007-2009 term.

...Congratulations to Steve Moose, who was appointed interim Director of the Physiological and Molecular Plant Biology Program for the remainder of the academic year 2006-2007, or until a permanent Director is appointed.

...Congratulations to Andrew Bowman, who received the Stanley R. Levy ExCel Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs each year to students from all campus units who have demonstrated academic distinction and will assume a leadership position within a registered student organization for the 2007-08 academic year.

FUNDING RECEIVED

...The Illinois Soybean Association funded the following projects:Brian Diers received $5,440 for "Increase Seed of Eight Aphid Resistant Experimental Lines in Chile This Winter and in 1/2 Acre Increases Next Summer"; Wayne Pedersen (for Carl Bradley) $10,870 for "Integrated Crop Management for the Control of Late Season Foliar Diseases and Asian Soybean Rust on Soybeans"; Les Domier and Glen Hartman $17,132 for "Determine the Incidence and Distribution of Aphid-transmitted Viruses in Illinois Soybean Fields"; Glen Hartman, Curt Hill and Roger Bowen $13,138 for "Effect of Fungicide Application on Incidence of Green Stem Disorder"; Aaron Hager $30,000 for "Herbicide Strategies for Weed Management in Conventional (non Roundup Ready) Soybean"; and, Pat Tranel $25,000 for "Resistance of PPO-Inhibiting Herbicides in Common Ragweed".

...The Illinois Soybean Association also funded several joint ventures. Carl Bradley ($70,000), Les Domier ($16,756), Darin Eastburn ($7,500), Glen Hartman ($113,390), Vera Lozovaya ($13,750), and Kevin Steffey ($88,704) received funding for the Plant Pathology/Entomology Managed Research Area. Funding was received by Brian Diers ($20,000), Kris Lambert ($26,000), and Terry Niblack ($204,000) for the Soybean Cyst Nematode Managed Research Area. Emerson Nafziger received $38,724 for the Varietal Information Program for Soybeans. The Weeds Managed Research Area funds were awarded to Aaron Hager ($43,500), Emerson Nafziger ($24,000), Dawn Refsell ($20,000), Dean Riechers ($13,500), Bill Simmons ($17,000) and Pat Tranel ($72,000).

...The Illinois Department of Agriculture granted funding to Mohammad Babadoost ($25,000) for the project "Biocontrol of Internal Discoloration of Horseradish Root"; German Bollero ($24,880) for "Transition to Organic Systems: How to Improve the Use of Winter Cover Crops to Enhance Nitrogen Cycling and Reduce Nitrate Leaching"; and, Ben Tracy ($7,200) for "Demonstration of a Farming System that Integrates Beef Cattle and Grain Crops: A Model of Sustainable Agriculture in Illinois".

...The United Soybean Board funding grants were awarded to: Brian Diers ($58,706) for the project "Coordination of Regional Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) Tests"; Curt Hill ($55,447) for "Inheritance of Resistance, Map Location, and Genetic Relationships of Multiple Sources of Resistance to the Soybean Aphid"; and, Kris Lambert and Terry Niblack ($72,500) for "Genomic Analysis of Soybean Cyst Nematode Virulence".

...Glen Hartman received $27,038 from CFAR for the project "Pioneering Bionanosensing for Use as a Decision Support Tool for Soybean Disease Management"; and, $32,106 from the Soybean Disease Biotechnology Center for "Soybean Research, IL 06-09". Lila Vodkin and Jack Widholm received $18,000 from the Illinois Missouri Biotechnology Alliance for "Exploring the Mechanisms of Soybean Oil Deposition and Increasing Oil Content Through Genetic Engineering". Lane Rayburn received $6,203 from the Campus Research Board for "The Role of Endoreduplication on Fruit Development in Pumpkin". Curt Hill received $19,500 from the National Central Soybean Research Program for the project "Managing Frogeye Leaf Spot and Charcola Rot in the North Central Region".

DATES TO REMEMBER

April 10, Gamma Sigma Delta Banquet; 5:30 p.m.; LIAC Heritage Room

April 13, ACES Honors Symposium; 12:00-1:00 p.m.: KCPA; 1:00-5:00 p.m.: LFC

April 20, ACES Faculty Meeting; 3:00-5:00 p.m.; LIAC Heritage Room

April 22, ACES Student Awards Banquet 12:00 noon; Hawthorne Suites

April 23, College of ACES and Paul A. Funk Recognition Awards Program, Reception: 5:30 p.m., General Lounge, Dinner: 6:00 p.m., Illini Union A-B-C

May 13, UI Commencement

UPCOMING CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA & WORKSHOPS

...The American Society for Horticultural Science 2007 Annual Conference will be held at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona, July 16-19, 2007.

GRAD STUDENT BULLETIN BOARD

...Extended Thesis Office hours for the May deposit period begin Monday April 16^th. Hours will be 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. through May 4^th.

...Useful Links For Graduate Student

• Assistantship Clearinghouse
• Events and Deadlines
• Fellowship Opportunities
• Graduate Handbook
• Guide to Graduate Life at Illinois
• Past Grad Links
• Thesis Handbook

PERSONALS

...My friends in Crop Sciences, Thank you for the wonderful photo of Crop Sciences, the many thoughtful gifts, and the heartfelt wishes. I will miss everyone but will return to keep the friendships that mean so much to me. Thank you for my first 6 years here--then welcoming me back for almost 3 more years. Thanks! Sue Panepinto

...To The Department of Crop Sciences: My family would like to thank the Department for the beautiful plant that was sent when our Mother passed away in January. Also I would like to thank all the people that sent food, cards, flowers or was just in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. This ache in my heart, I know, will lessen as time goes on, but the memories will last a life time and so will my gratitude to my many friends who were there when I needed them. Thanks again. Kris Ritter and The Bartell Family.

...To thank you for your kindness and sympathy at a time when it was deeply appreciated. Thank you for the card and flowers and for thinking of us through this hard time. Love, Rufus Jean & family.

...Thank you for the flowers for Dad's service. His career at the U of I meant so much to him, we really appreciated all of the support and kind words. He really enjoyed everyone at Crop Sciences. Thank you again, Brian, Chris & Susan & families, Clarence & Mary Lou Plotner (the family of Mike Plotner)

PUBLICATIONS

...Plant Breeding Reviews, Volume 29 edited by Jules Janick is dedicated to Professor Emeritus Theodore Hymowitz. Dr. Reid Palmer of USDA/Iowa State wrote the dedicatory chapter.