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4A

ALABAMA
AGRICULTURAL
EXPERIMENT
STATION
4 +
Administrative Officers
William V. Muse,
President
Paul E Parks, Provost
C. Michael Moriarty,
Vice President for
Research
Lowell T. Frobish, Director
David H. Teem,
Associate Director
Russell B. Muntifering,
Associate Director
Patrick D. Green,
Assistant Director
James R. Roberson,
Assistant Director
This report was
produced by the Office of
Research Information:
James R. Roberson, Editor
and Assistant Director
Catherine L. Smith,
Associate Editor
Robert A. Hearn,
Associate Editor
Teresa E. Rodriguez,
Art Designer
The information contained
herein is available to all
regardless of race, color, sex,
or national origin.
Alabama Agricultural Research for the 21st 
Century
Environmental & Water Quality
Economic & Social Issues
Plant Systems
Processing & Value Added
Markets & Marketing
Animal Systems
Renewable Natural Resources
Landscape & Ecosystem Processes
Integrated Pest Management
Food Safety, Quality, Nutrition, & Health
1994 Director's Research Awards
1994 Financial Report
Contents
1
2
5
7
10
12
14
17
20
22
24
27
28
Iltural Research for the 21st: Cel
6r Water auality
Icial Issues
~111P A~~P~

99 1 9 9 1
he mission of the Alabama Agricul-
tural Experiment Station (AAES) is to 
conduct re-
search to enhance the economic 
viability of agri-
culture, forestry, and related industries; 
promote en-
vironmentally compatible and socially 
responsible
use of Alabama's resources; and 
improve quality of
life for Alabama's citizens. The broad scope 
of this
mission makes it imperative that 
research priori-
ties be established. Prioritizing AAES 
efforts re-
quires the analysis 
of current research 
and the de-
IICI-l -ss-"l~l
velopment of a plan to achieve estab-
lished goals.
To meet these needs, the Experiment
station established a task force to examine
the role, scope, mission, resources, 
and op-
portunities of AAES. A faculty advisory
committee reviewed task force recommen-
dations and is developing a strategic 
plan
for the AAES. Tables presented on pages 4,
6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 21, 23, and 26 depict 
an
inventory of current research activities,
which will aid in strategic planning.
Ten major research priorities emerged
from the strategic planning process: 
Environmental
and Water Quality; Animal Systems; 
Integrated Pest
Management; Landscape and Ecosystem 
Processes;
Food Safety, Quality, Nutrition, and 
Health; Markets
and Marketing; Natural Resources; 
Plant Systems;
Processing and Value Added; and Economic 
and So-
cial Issues. Within each of these 
program areas, there
are numerous research thrusts. There 
is overlap among
the areas, which illustrates the need 
for an integrated/
systems approach to solving the complex 
problems
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 
1994 Annual Report
facing Alabama. This plan will serve as a blueprint to
guide current and future research efforts. It 
is to be a
dynamic plan that responds to changing needs, 
tak-
ing into account clientele and faculty input.
Before any rational decision or plan can be
developed to address the objectives 
of the plan, cur-
rent research efforts in each program area 
must be
assessed. Therefore, the first goal outlined 
in the stra-
tegic plan was to inventory current research, 
a task
that was completed in 1993-94. Approximately 
250
AAES projects were categorized into 
the 10 pro-
gram areas. We found that almost 100 scientist-
years and more than $25 million 
were devoted to
these wide-ranging efforts in 1993-94. 
Examples of
research in these areas, as well as summaries 
of the
overall research effort, are presented 
in this year's
annual report.
This initial step in the strategic plan will 
al-
low the AAES in 1995 to take fair, rational 
steps to-
ward meeting Alabama's needs in the 21st 
century.
Lowell T. Frobish,
Director of AAES
- -11 ~ ~-~:F4~96ap*B~t~~B~ak~~~*Y 8d
niromncintal quality has becmc an in-
creasingly serious problem as our population has grown
and natural resource consumption has increased. Sustained
productivity of Alabama's agricultural, forestry, and other
natural-resource dependent industries will be limited with-
out immediate and ongoing efforts to maintain quality re-
sources. AAES researchers are confronting a number of
major environmental problems facing Alabama: water
quality degradation, soil erosion, wildlife habitat destruc-
tion, solid waste disposal, non-point source pollution by
pesticides or nitrates, and other related threats.
AW Environmentally sound disposal of animal
wastes from poultry and livestock operations is an
increasing problem as these industries grow in Ala-
bama. In one of the first studies of its kind, research-
ers are studying the effects of swine waste lagoon ef-
fluent on wetland plants. In one study, researchers
studied the effectiveness of examining leaf chlorophyll
content as an indicator of wetlands plant inhibition
due to increasing ammonia concentration. Poorly
growing plants indicate problems with overall wet-
land health. The study showed some ammonia effects
on some plant species as measured by biomass pro-
duction, but unfortunately it also showed that lect
chlorophyll is not a good indicator of problems caused
by ammonia. This use of artificial constructed wet-
lands was a novel attempt to measure the effect o,
effluent using a nondestructive, simple, and instant:-
neous measurement technique.
40 Sveral AAES prijects seek to develol
valuable, environmentally safe uses for the more
than two million tons of broiler 
litter - feather,
excrement, feed, and bedding material produced
each year in Alabama's billion-dollar poultry in-
dustry. In one study, horticulture researchers used
composted broiler litter as a partial substitute 1or
peat moss in soilless potting media for ornamentil
plants. Three years of greenhouse studies showed
that poinsettias, some perennials, and some annual
bedding plants can be successfully grown in a me-
dia containing less than 50 percent broiler litter
compost. Another phase of the study showed that
there is a high degree of consumer acceptance for
an indoor potting mix containing litter compost.
Other AAES studies examined the proper agro-
nomic use of poultry litter. 
In one such experiment,
litter-treated peanut plots had higher yields than
plots receiving traditional phosphorous and potas-
sium fertilizers. The study demonstrated that broiler
litter provides some growth benefits, aside from fer-
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
ousands of these Citronelle ponds exist throughout 
the Lower Coastal Plain, providing much-needed 
habitts for ducks and other
-is. However, few of the wetlands remain unaffected 
by humankind's activities. AAES researchers are 
working to orotect these
III Prasvslen.
l Ii i um, but furthcr rscarchs 
is a qtiried to Jctcr-
mine the exact nature of these benefits. 
These ex-
periments demonstrate that poultry 
litter can be a
valuable resource, instead of an 
environmental bur-
den, if used properly.
Protectig Alabama's landscape
ecuires that researchers 
first assess exist-
ing! environmental quality and then 
de-
vclop appropriate means of mitigating
, potential problems. in one such 
effort,
AAES wildlife specialists are studying
shallow, dish-shaped depressions 
called
Citronelle Ponds, thousands of 
which ex-
ist throughout the Lower Coastal Plain.
Wood ducks, herons, egrets, 
and other
hinds find these ponds to be their only
I cmaining habitat 
in areas largely 
con-
crted to row crops ot even-aged 
pine
'i ands. These ponds are among 
the least
known wetlands on the continent. 
Over
7,000 such depressions 
have been lo-
cated over the past three 
years, 3,000 of
\\hicI arc in Baldwin County. 
Few Citronelle
Ponds remain in anything 
resembling their origi-
nal state. Studies of the 
few remaining relatively
undisturbed examples of this 
habitat may enable
researchers to find ways 
to rehabilitate many of
these damaged wetlands.
#/ It is estimated that 10 percent ot 
the ntion'
water flows through Alabama. 
AAES researchers are
working to protect this valuable 
resource. Many in-
vestigations are aimed at protecting 
water quality from
potentially harmful practices. 
For example, natural
surface water can be polluted by 
excess nutrients -
carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous 
- contained in
the outflow from fish ponds after rainfall 
and when
ponds are drained to harvest fish. AAES 
researchers
have developed techniques to confront 
this problem
that are comparatively inexpensive, 
simple, and do
not require complicated wastewater 
treatment fa-
cilities. One example of research in 
this area is the
use ot constructed artificial wetlands 
through which
pond effluents can pass and be purified 
by natural
processes. Researchers found that an 18-inch-deep
wetland about 10-20 percent as big as the pond 
area
can provide excellent treatment of 
effluent after two
to three days, assuming that ponds 
are managed to
reduce effluent volume. Companion 
research devel-
oped methods to improve pond 
water quality man-
agement, feeding practices, pond discharge control,
and other strategies to prevent 
pond effluent from
harming surface water quality.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment 
Station 1994 Annual Report
1994 EFFORT IN ENVIRONMENTAL
AND WATER QUALITY RESEARCH
Thrust area Number of
scientists
Protection of drinking 25
water
Reduction, recycling, 28
reuse, and disposal
of wastes
Protection of air, soil, and 12
water
Safe use and disposal 8
of pesticides
Impacts of environmental 12
regulations
Scientist
years
3.60
Funding
$ 874,165
4.47 1,378,133
0.69
0.37
1.20
f In another study of the environmental effects
of agriculture, agronomists addressed the concern that
machine traffic in turfgrass sod production could af-
fect water and nutrient flow relationships in such a
way as to harm the environment. Results of the three-
year field study showed no significant effect of traffic
on water content or on nitrogen distribution through
the soil profile of sod production fields. But the more
important finding may be the concentration of nitro-
gen found in the soil below the growing grass. Nitrate
nitrogen in the soil solution was below 10 parts per
million at depths greater than 20 centimeters. This
means that the applied nitrogen fertilizer is being in-
tercepted and used by developing
turfgrass and does not present a serious
threat to groundwater.
93,213
V+ Pesticide use is an increasing
100,001 
cnvironmental 
concern, but 
refined
methods of pest control can often alle-
117,214
viate the need for heavy use of agricul-
tural chemicals. When a major peanut
disease, tomato-spotted 
wilt virus,
spread to Alabama from Texas, producer response was
multiple sprays of insecticide 
to control thrips, small,
winged insects that spread the disease by feeding on
seedlings. Unnecessary or excess insecticide use is not
only bad for the environment, but it destroys benefi-
cial insects. Entomologists and plant pathologists
found that virus transmission occurs so rapidly, thrips
can transmit the disease before they die from pesti-
cide exposure. Researchers found that altering plant-
ing date and cultivar selection were more effective
control measures than pesticide applications. Delay-
ing planting by two to three weeks allows producers
to avoid the window of greatest thrip activity and vi-
rus infection. The Southern Runner cultivar was
found to be most resistant to the virus. So far, tomato-
spotted wilt has not reached the epidemic 
proportions
seen in Texas, and the AAES-developed management
strategy could prevent 
it from doing so.
Assessing the social and 
economic impacts
of environmental regulations is another important
area of AAES environmental 
studies. In one project,
agricultural economists use a computer model called
AGSIM to estimate the economic consequences of
farm program, conservation, and pesticide policies.
One conservation policy analyzed was the Conserva-
tion Reserve Program (CRP), which took 
35.4 mil-
lion acres of land out of production from 1986-92 in
the U.S. CRP land will be 
eligible for return to crop
production in 1996, and an estimated 20.3 million
acres now in reserve across the nation are expected
to come back into use. According to AGSIM, return
of this land to production will decrease annual net
crop income by about $3 billion, increase livestock
annual net income about $1 billion, and save U.S.
consumers about $4 billion a year. 
Taxpayer expense
for crop deficiency payments will increase by about
$1 billion in 1996 and about $300 million by 2008.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual 
Report
*sII - Jrb
labama's most important resource is the
peopie who drive the state's economy and society. I)espite
the great potential of this human resource, there still re-
main many eConomiC and social issues that must be ad-
dressed for Alabama to advance. Problems related to edu-
cation, poverty, rural [roperty, environmeital awareness,
health care, community and economic development, indi-
vidual and family well-being, and urban and rural aes-
thetics are high p~riorities in AAES research.
AW Vitality of small town life depends largely
on the vitality of rural retailing, and understand-
ing rural economic conditions is essential. Con-
sumer affairs researchers studied six sites in Ala-
bama, each representative of a specific economic
environment. At each site, researchers examined
three sets of factors that affect rural retailing
environmental factors, merchant practices, and
consumer behavior - with the objective ot un-
derstanding iiteractions amongi the factors. Re-
searchers identified five retail mix options at the
sites: office park, rural services hub, specialty ser-
vice center, recreational focus, and shopping-as-
entertainment. Consumers were
surveyed to determine how they
viewed local stores, compared to
shopping alternatives; what way
the preferred mix of retail stores at
each site; and what were the most
valued attributes of "anchor stores"
(highly preferred outlets). Sur'cex
findings varied from site to site. A
survey of business practices re-
vealed little variation among the
sites. Researchers are now inter-
prering the data to determine hows
this information can be used in an
often-overlooked area of rural eco-
nomic development: retail stores in
a iun' iii ii-onc usinss istrict.
Buirt1 1 i ctN use anJ en-
viroimental awareness are impor-
tant issues in maintaining the
Children ore Alabmo's most precious notral
resource. Mory AAES studies focus on improving
the heolth cl well beinr of tomorrow's leaders
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1 994 Annual Report
Ii
I
:tt
.s--
,yam
1994 EFFORT IN ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL ISSUES RESEARCH
Thrust area Number of
scientists
Economic and 4
community development
Environmental awareness 9
Individual and 12
family well-being
Urban and rural 10
aesthetics
Pest and disease 14
management
Scientist
years
0.28
0.64
3.44
1.06
1.06
sustainability of Alabama's resources. In a study
related to these issues, AAES forestry researchers
examined the environmental attitudes and prac-
tices of nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) own-
ers. Forest regeneration, waterway protection, and
other measures of site condition were determined
by field inspection at recently clear-cut NIPF tracts
in west-central Alabama. Owners who were satis-
fied with a timber harvest were more inclined to
regenerate harvested stands. Most owners appeared
knowledgeable about the status of their forests and
had taken steps to regenerate 
the land. In contrast,
few owners recognized the need for best manage-
ment practices (BMPs) to protect adjacent water-
ways, and fewer still had implemented adequate
Funding
$ 60,020
68,207
354,368
96,035
BMPs. Despite this lack of action to
protect water quality, surveys re-
vealed that Southern NIPF owners
share the general public's strong en-
vironmental concerns.
201,874
%#0 A study by AAES family
and child development researchers
indicated that Alabama could soon face a crisis
in the delivery of pre- and postnatal medical care
in rural areas. Thirty of 67 counties were found
to be without the services of obstetricians and
pediatricians. Results further indicated that
while many of the state's obstetricians and pe-
diatricians considered discontinuing their ser-
vices, the closing practices were offset by the
opening of new practices. However, the vast of
majority of new practices were to be opened in
more urban areas. In a survey of obstetric and
pediatric patients, more than 
25 percent said
they would not be able to find health care of
equal quality if their physicians left the area.
The distance traveled to receive these services
is greater for rural residents, and if further ser-
vices are lost, many may find it difficult to re-
place them.
%* Healthy ornamental plants are important
in enhancing the aesthetics of urban and rural
areas. In landscape settings, disease resistance
is an efficient, cost-effective, and environmen-
tally friendly tool in managing diseases of woody
ornamentals. Horticulture researchers are
screening crabapple, dogwood, 
indian hawthorn,
and crapemyrtle for their reaction to common
diseases. In 1993-94 fireblight was the predomi-
nant disease in crabapple, but 
of 60 crabapple
cultivars studied, only Coral 
Burst and Jacki
exhibited no symptoms. In a severe outbreak of
powdery mildew in 1994, only two of 25 flower-
ing dogwood selections were free of disease -
Cherokee Brave and Dwarf White. Few or no
symptoms of Entosporium leaf spot were seen on
15 of 21 indian hawthorn cultivars. 
Of 45
crapemyrtle cultivars, 17 were free of powdery
mildew symptoms.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
o remain compeutive with other 
'
states and countries, Alabama agriculture 
must -
adapt new technology and pursue new 
markets
to increase the profitability of plant production
systems. Forest p~roducrs, agronomic row crops, i.
horticultural and specialty crops, 
and forages for
livestock production are the mainstay 
of the
plant-based portion of Alabama's economy. 
Through plant
breeding, development of new production 
technology, de-
sign of improved management practices, 
and basic studies
of plant g)wth, reproduction , and health, 
AAES research-
ers strive to make the state's Iplant-related 
industries even
stronger
In 1993, eight Alabama nurseries 
grew ap-
proximately 10 percent of the entire 
U.S. tree seed-
ling crop. Many of these seetlings 
xere grown using
management strategies developet in 
AAES research.
For example, most managers 
keep their seetbeds rela-
tively weed free by using herbicide 
prescriptions de-
veloped in the forest nirsery 
program. Over the past
decade, Alabama nurseries have 
saved more than $1
million in weed control costs by 
using these herbi-
I A~AES efforts to
/b Q evelop new crop
vareties and to
improve manage
tt i'i mnent end culturol
re ices for existing
crops wil hove a
,w. A. motor impact on
Alaborne s economy.
cide management regimes. Recent research 
has helped
distinguish important seedling 
attributes. Research-
ers found that large seedlings 
compete better with
weeds than regular-size "nursery-run" 
seedlings. Data
suggest that spending a fe more 
dollars on high-qual-
itx seedlings is more beneficial 
than applyingt herbi-
ciies to help regular seedlings 
compete against weeds.
In some cases, use of water soluble 
herbicides in pine
plantations could be avoided 
by planting seedlings
better able to compete against 
weeds.
For more than a century, AAES 
researchers
Ilve conducted soil fertility 
studies to meet the needs
of Alabama crop producers. In recent research,
agronomists determined the 
calcium requirement for
peanuts, but also found that a high 
concentration of
Alabama Agricultural Experiment 
Station 1994 Annual Report
this nutrient helps control a 
major food safety prob-
lem associated with the crop. 
Experiments were con-
ducted to learn the effect of soil 
calcium concentra-
tion on Aspergillus flavus infection 
and aflatoxin con-
centration in peanuts. A. flavus 
is a type of fungus
that produces aflatoxin. As concentrations 
of seed cal-
cium and soil calcium increased, 
incitence of the fun-
gus tecreased. Germination percentages 
decreased
with decreasing seet ant soil calcium concentrations,
as xelI. The ability to determine 
potential germina-
tion baset on seed analysis 
gives farmers another tool
in deciting the suitability of the 
crop to be sold as
seed or as a food product.
For many tiecades Southeastern farmers 
re-
lied tn legumes in crop rotations to 
improve soil fer-
tility, but the axailability of inexpensive 
chemical fer-
tilizers contributet to a tecline in their 
use. In recent
years, there is renewed interest in 
using legumes to
boost protuction, reduce costs, 
and protect the envi-
ronment. AAES researchers, in 
cotperation with the
Soil Conservation Service Plant Materials Center,
have released t'o new legume 
cultiv ars - AU
7
~L --- ------- sl--_---~--
1994 EFFORT IN PLANT SYSTEMS RESEARCH
Thrust area Number of
scientists
Plant breeding 12
Mechanisms of plant 22
growth and reproduction
Plant health and 28
production
Best management 33
practices
Plant/soil interactions 22
New production 17
technologies
New markets for
plant products
Scientist
years
1.88
3.53
5.02
4.91
1.85
3.18
0.12
GroundCover, a caley pea; and AU EarlyCover, an
early-flowering hairy vetch that are well adapted
to Alabama. In addition to their role in increasing
soil fertility, GroundCover and EarlyCover are valu-
able as high-protein forage crops and as winter cover
crops to reduce soil erosion. Both varieties will be
available for the 1995 tall planting season.
40 Progress also has been made in overcoming
constraints to producing and using varieties of win-
ter-type, sweet xhite ltpin as an alternative winter
cover crop. Research conducted from 1989-94 con-
centrated on identifying problems and management
practices for successful lupin cultivation. Tests showed
Funding
$ 979,275
1,101.945
thait ltipin lhas proi C i> a gr een ma-
,187,538
nre, silage, and grain crop for the
,599,679 Southeast. Alabama is a grain-deficit
state, so lupins could prove to be a
472,282 valuable new livestock feed source.
746,364 Farmers also could benefit by having
a new winter cover crop that enriches
8,826 
the soil witb 
little producer 
input.
Cultivar choice and seeding date were
tound to be primary production vari-
ables for maximum yield. Top grain yields exceeded
3,900 pounds per acre. Novel alternative double-crop-
ping systems using lupin with grain sorghum or with
a new hybrid grain-type pearl millet show great prom-
ise. Future research will include refinement of pro-
duction practices, long-term rotations, breeding of
adapted cultivars, disease and pest management, ani-
ma utilization, and opening market channels.
AAES plant systems research also has a
str ong imapact on fruit production. 
For example,
horticulture researchers have developed better
methods for producing high-density apple orchards
that can produce early and sustained yields of quality
triit ith a iedit (
tion of manage x /
ment input rc-
quirements. Rc
searchers giafted" T
various combin -
tions of four
dwarf and thie e
semidwarf types -
of apple trees to
produce 
Red and 
(jolden Delicio~u
apples. The late-
est per-acre yieldl :i?
were produced
when a six-inch 
-
interstem of the
dwarf variety EM26 was grafted onto rootstock of
the semidwarf variety MM106. This combination
of varieties produced 30 percent more fruit than
the semidwarf rootstock MM 106 alone and 22 per-
cent more than the dwarf EM26 alone. This hy-
brid apple tree also is smaller than the dwarf vari-
eties, an advantage that allows the trees to be har-
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
-,r
A
-5I-
... blueberry bee, many
. 1 commercial growers and
. ' 
. home owners would 
pro-
duce few, if any, blueber-
ties. In good weather,
r ~ ; ? researchers estimnated
_ ?a = that 
the lifetime forag
ing activity of each fe
male blueberry bee pro-
vested without ladders and alleviates the expense duces five gallons 
ot blueberries worth $60 at mid-
of trellising and annual pruning. season prices. This 
has been the first study in the
Southeast to show the importance of 
native, soli-
W In other fruit-related research, studies con- taryt-nesting bees to 
regional agriculture and only
tinued on a type of bee that AAES entomologists one of a few to compare 
pollination efficiencies of
proved to be a requisite pollinator of rabbiteye blue- native bees with 
managed honey bees on crops re-
berries in Alabama. Without the Southeastern quiring bees 
tor pollination. Honey bees proved to
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
About 65 percent of Alobomo's
land surfoce is covered in forest
forming the bosis for on industry
valued at more than $1 bil/on. As
forest production shifts away from
the Pocific Northwest this industry
s expected to grow even lorger
throughout the Sourheost
Sustained, eonoii rise of fhe
state's forest resorces is a ina of
gool of he AAES.
~c~
r ,i~i~
2:
r;
be ineffective pollinators of rabbiteye blueberries.
Studies continue on the blueberry bee's basic bi-
ology, management potential, alternate nectar hosts
when rabbiteye is still in bud, and geographical dis-
tribution.
Studie, to support Alabama's oirnamnental
horticulture industry represent another major area of
AAES plant systems research. In one ongoing inves-
tigation, researchers are evaluating chemicals that re-
duce labor expenses in nursery crop production, while
enhancing product quality and marketability. Chemi-
cal plant growth regulators reduce the need for prun-
ing ornamental plants by promoting compactness or
increased branching, both of which enhance plant
quality. Researchers have evaluated the use of about
12 chemicals on bedding plants, pot crops, herba-
ceous/woody ornamentals, and foliage plants. The
chemicals inhibit growth, contnl sprouting, promote
flower development and grow th, or increase branch-
ing. The studies have yielded results on the best ap-
plication rates and methods, as well as describing the
positive and negative effects of the chemicals.
alue added may be defined as any activity
which increases the value (r usefulness of raw food and
fiber materials or partially proCessed products. Farming
and forestry are at the base of the food and fiber value-
added seCtor. Finding new and better uses for Alabama's
raw food and timber products is the goal of many AAES
researchers, whose efforts could multiply the value of many
of the state's natural resources.
Alf Agricultural engineers are involved in sev-
eral projects that are making Alabama's forest pod-
ucts more valuable and more environmentally friendly.
Efforts to develop timber bridge systems are opening
new markets for the state's Southern pine lumber and
manufactured composite wood products, while less-
ening the environmental impact of forest harvesting
activities. Researchers have designed two types of
portable timber bridges to be used as temporary stream-
crossing structures. The bridges, which are made of
glued-laminated (glularn) timber beams, have per-
formed successfully under log truck and forestry equip-
ment traffic. Because the bridges can be installed and
removed with a minimal amount 
of site disturbance,
they are an environmentally friendily
option for temporary stream crossings.
Finally their ability to be 
reused ane I
times makes them a cost-effective alter-
native to the traditional fords and cut
verts. Although the primary application 
of these portable bridges is on forest road,
and skid trails, they can also be used in
highway construction where a bridge m
being replaced or where a bridge has been
xvi'sbedI out by flooding.
Sawlog quantity and quality i
slowly declining as numbers of large tree-
decrease. Forestry researchers are id
dressing this problem, while also find-
ing valuable uses for low-grade hard-
woods. The larger and longer membei,
needed for floor and roof framing are becoming less
available and more expensive. Using low-grade
hardwood trees once considered only a nuisance
in the forest industry, AAES researchers developed
and are testing composite structural I-beams. The
I-beams, which use finger-jointed sections ot solid
wood or laminated veneer lumber connected by
thinner panels of compressed wood flakes, are
lighter and possibly stronger than conventional
solid beams. Current studies are designed to col-
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
-
1994 EFFORT IN PROCESSING
AND VALUE-ADDED RESEARCH
Thrust area
a:,uble new uses for Alabomos forest products,
,c, lessen the impact of forest harvesting 
activities
V6/ In the area of value-added food
products, research continued 
in 1994
on AU Lean low-fat ground beef and
fresh pork sausage patties. Recent 
stud-
lect information needed to improve 
I-beam design
and to better understand long-term 
I-beam perfor-
mance and structural reliability 
under changing en-
vironments. Auburn is recognized 
as the leading
institution for wood composite 
I-beam research.
ies concentrated on the storage 
stabil-
ity of AU Lean products. Low-fat 
ground beef pat-
ties were formulated to contain 
lactate, in addi-
ti on to the food additive 
carrageenan that gives
AU Lean its sensory properties. 
Carrageenan- based
patties were more juicy 
and tender and higher 
in
beef flavor intensity, as compared 
to low-fat all-
B~eef patties with no additives. Bacterial 
growth in
the AU Lean patties was 
reduced through the use
of lactate with no deleterious 
effects on the sen-
sory properties of the 
product. The objective 
of
another study was to evaluate 
lower value beef cuts
for the manufacture of 
low-fat ground beef. After
24 weeks of frozen storage, 
AU Lean patties using
the alterative lean raw 
materials had equal 
or im-
proved eating quality 
compared to commercially
manufactured 20 percent 
fat all-beef patties.
Number of
scientists
Scientist Funding
years
0.11 $ 21,120
1.45
1.62
0.06
296,980
400,948
18,189
W+/ in other food technology 
research, poultry
scientists found that altering 
the diets of commer-
cial broilers can extend 
the shelf life of poultry
products. By using a 
diet high in the
monounsaturated fatty acid 
oleic acid as contrib-
uted by a genetically modified 
fat in corn, research-
ers were able to decrease 
the growth of the natural
bacteria that cause the 
taste and odor problems
associated with spoilage. 
Researchers also found
that this alteration in carcass 
fat has an additive
effect with packaging. When 
wrapped in a "gas-
impermeable film" that restricts 
the flow of oxy-
gen, shelf life of poultry 
meat could be extended
even further.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment 
Station 1994 Annual Report
Status of the value-
added sector
Operational and technical
efficiency of the
value-added sector
Product quality and
market feasibility
Human resources in the
value-added sectors
5~
arkets for Alabama commodities re-
quire careful study if the state 
is to benefit from changes
in the many forces that shape 
national and interna-
tional markets. 
Information is required 
on trade laws,
governmental policies, new technology, 
consumer pref-
erences, comparative advantage, 
and other factors. Re-
search also is needed to strengthen 
established markets
and identify new markets for Alabama 
commodities.
AAES scientists are addressing 
these issues as they re-
late to the state's diverse agricultural, 
forestry, and
manufacturing products.
\f AAES agricultural economists 
are perform-
ing a series of studies to determine 
the effects of ge-
neric advertising of cotton, catfish, 
and dairy prod-
ucts. One study focuses on a promotional 
program that
the cotton industry conducts to encourage 
foreign
countries to use more U.S.-produced 
cotton in their
spinning and weaving industries. 
Research found that
the major beneficiary of this 
program is the Ameri-
can taxpayer. According to the 
study, a $10 million
increase in foreign promotions 
would reduce cotton
deficiency payments by $66 million.
%+0 In the area of defining new markets for Ala-
bama products, AAES consumer affairs 
researchers
are studying Mexican buyer behavior and 
consumer
preferences for apparel. Mexico 
already is a major
importer of Alabama apparel products, and as th it
country's $20 billion apparel market is expected 
to
increase about 15 percent 
a year, continued export
growth is promising. In a preliminary study, Mexican
retail buyers rated quality as the most 
important cloth-
ing attribute, followed closely by style and 
price. Al-
though price is important 
to Mexican buyers, they
often buy the higher priced merchandise 
because it is
less expensive in the U.S. than 
comparable quality
elsewhere. Image and 
brand name are extremely 
im-
portant to Mexican consumers, 
who are willing to
spend a larger amount of their 
income on high-qual-
ity apparel than their U.S. counterparts.
%+0 Another major AAES research focus con-
cerns the effects of government 
policies on produc-
tion and marketing of products. 
In one study, econo-
mists examined the best strategy 
for minimizing the
risk of farming. Researchers found 
that a North Ala-
bama corn producer 
can best minimize 
risk by Farm
Program participation, combined with 
the yield pro-
tection offered by Multiple 
Peril Crop Insurance.
Also, farmers who have the necessary production
volume and can afford it should 
consider protect-
ing themselves against price 
drops by participat-
ing in the commodity futures market. In short,
Alabama Agricultural 
Experiment Station 
1994 Annual Report
-- -------------- - --- - r
.,
I~ j9r~ a ~ ri~~
Thrust area
TuXile and apparel manufacturing is
one of Alaboma s leading industries
Developing new markets for these
products is a significant part of the
AAES mission.
and the U.S. One study
found that promotion and
adoption of low-fat ground
beef products by the industry
could lead to more produc-
tion of forage-based slaugh-
ter cattle in the South. Re-
,earchers found that there
Retail market strategies
Advantage of
Alabama products
Institutional programs
and markets
Effects of government
policies
Potential of new products
Forecasting consumer
demand
Generic advertising and
merchandising
I' $r'~"~1
Sss
,z.i
there is much crop producers can do to protect
themselves against losses, but active participation
in planning and marketing is required.
Economists have developed a programming
model that can be used to quickly evaluate national
policy issues affecting the beef industry in Alabama
may be significant growth potential for
the Southern beef industry, given timely
and effective investment to promote
adoption of low-fat ground beef technol-
ogy and products. Another study found
that an efficient slaughter facility 
is a key factor in
increasing finished cattle production in Alabama.
* Other economists are using computer
analysis to determine the effects of the 
Boll Wee-
vil Eradication Program, which is jointly funded
by USDA and cotton producers. Researchers 
found
that program increased cotton yields by approxi-
mately 100 pounds per acre in South Alabama,
where the program has been in effect since 1987.
These increased yields were significant enough to
induce farmers to shift a great deal more acreage
from wheat and soybeans into cotton. Research also
showed that under the 1990 Farm Bill, producers
face little financial risk in expanding cotton pro-
duction. Results indicate that the private costs 
are
completely covered through program benefits.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual 
Report
1994 EFFORT IN MARKETS
AND MARKETING RESEARCH
N umber of
cientists
12
9
8
Scientist
years
1.76
0.70
0.76
1.50
i;
Funding
$166,925
51,042
48,465
154,455
151,567
149,336
151,137
0.94
0.74
0.99
L 11- ..
~ I
i.s~i ~ '
I
--
T.
_
nimal systems research has tremendous
potential for positive impact on agriculture in Alabama.
Improvements in production efficiency, management prac-
tices, animal health, and other areas are crucial to the
continued growth of the state's 
poultry, beef, dairy, swine,
and aquaculture industries. Current AAES animal sys-
tems research ranges from basic studies to reveal essential
life-supporting mechanisms to efforts to develop applied
technology to increase the efficiency of nutrient produc-
tion from animal sources.
Al In one recent study, AAES animal scientists
developed methods for using ultrasound to determine
a bull's genetic quality at an early age. The traditional
method of determining the genetic merit of sires and
dams is to slaughter the animals' offspring and mea-
sure the carcass traits. However, this means that a bull
will be at least 39 months old before its first progeny
are tested, a factor that does not facilitate rapid ge-
netic progress. Real-time ultrasound technology, on
the other hand, is a nondestructive means of quanti-
fying ribeye area and backfat thickness in live ani-
mals. Researchers showed that ultrasound can be used
?t
to accurately measure
these characteristics in
yearling breeding stock, a
finding that may elimi-
nate the need for exten-
sive and expensive prog-
eny testing.
I
1
AW Other animal
scientists are seeking al-
ternative methods of in-
creasing the production
of lean meat through
nutritional regulation of
gene expression in beel
cattle. Researchers con-
cluded that dietary protein affects the expression
of the gene that controls production of "insulin-
like growth factor-I" (IGF-I), a hormone that con-
trols skeletal development and muscle protein de-
velopment during growth. Furthermore, they
showed that feeding excess protein increased
growth, but it was due to fat denosition and not
k' -
muscling or altered IGF-I gene expression. Al-
though this type of production system is desirable
under the current USDA grading system, it would
not be economically profitable in a value-based
marketing system wherein a producer is rewarded
for the production of lean beef.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual 
Report
)C~
I
_
'3
ar
1994 EFFORT IN ANIMAL 
SYSTEMS RESEARCH
Thrust area
irasound to determ-ine a yearling 
bull's potential
)r producing high quality offspring.
the most effective feeding strategy 
for
improving both cow and calf 
perfor-
mance. Unfortunately, the cost 
of mo-
lasses supplementation outweighs the
Number of
scientists
Growth, development, 34
and reproduction
Animal performance 36
and health
Environmental conditions 37
and management practices
Integrated systems to 7
produce high-quality,
socially acceptable food
Scientist
years
7.29
Funding
$3,549,611
41
%& Animal scientists also made 
an initial step
toward improving nutritional management 
of the cow/
calf herd. All cow/calf operations 
depend on forage
as the main source of nutrients, 
but Alabama's forage
base is of low quality from August 
through weaning
time in October. Supplementation 
with molasses-
based products during this period 
was shown to be
improved weight gains. Future 
research will seek to
control molasses consumption 
by limiting its access
to calves only.
f Studies by animal health 
researchers may help
minimize the effects of disease 
on calf losses or body
weight losses, thus enhancing 
livestock performance.
In one study, researchers found 
that growth hormone
secretion is inhibited by cortisol, 
a hormone released
in response to stress and disease. 
Although cortisol is
a normal portion of an animal's 
response to disease,
long-term exposure inhibits growth. In another study,
calves pretreated with an 
estrogen-progesterone
growth implant were 
significantly protected 
against
the effects of subsequent infection 
with coccidiosis;
the calves had fewer days 
of fever, less severe diar-
rhea, and lost less weight.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment 
Station 1994 Annual Report
%* Alabama produces nearly one billion 
broil-
ers annually with a gross value 
of about $1.5 billion.
AAES poultry scientists have developed 
guidelines
to help producers conserve energy 
in broiler produc-
tion. For instance, researchers 
found that gas used in
heating can be reduced an average 
of 20.5 percent by
using double layers of plastic 
curtains, as compared to
single curtains, on poultry house 
sidewalls. Another
study indicated that using 
ceiling fans in poultry
houses reduces total energy needs by 
about 8.3 per-
cent. Ventilation is needed in poultry 
houses to re-
move moisture, but it also removes 
heated air. Gas
savings of approximately 
19 percent were realized
when ventilation was controlled 
by a microprocessor
system to remove 50-60 percent 
of the moisture at a
high rate during the warmest 
seven to nine hours of
15
-
6.54 1,798,310
5.94 1,853,805
0.25 98,280
' c
.II
- '
4
,iarT, -p
the day, with remaining moisture removed 
by venti-
lating at a lower rate during the other 
15-17 hours.
Alabama is the second leading channel 
cat-
fish producer in the U.S. with an annual 
harvest val-
tied at about $50 million. Most catfish 
are raised in
shallow, flat-bottom ponds that are easily 
seined to
harvest fish. However, fish farming is 
restricted in
watershed ponds, which are deep and have 
irregular
bottoms and sides, requiring pond drainage 
to remove
fish. This process is mote difficult and 
nutrient-laden
drainage can harm the environient. AAES 
fisheries
Alabama is the seconci leading channe catfish 
producer in the U.S.
with an annual harvest valued at about $50 mill/on. 
This industry has
the potential to grow even larger tharks to AAES 
research.
researchers investigated methods 
to raise catfish in
impounded water, including alternative 
harvesting
methods. Two alternatives involve 
raising catfish in
floating enclosures, either cages or 
in-pond raceways
t hat allow the collection and removal of solid 
wastes.
These high-density culture systems 
can cause prob-
lems related to fish overcrowding but 
permit easy har-
vest without draining ponds and 
releasing nutrient-
rich effluent. Researchers discovered 
the factors re-
quired to maximize the usefulness of these 
systems
while minimizing their potential drawbacks. 
The cagc
method proved almost equal to 
growing catfish in
ponds in terms of fish survival, feed 
conversion, and
harvest weight; fish sirvival was lower 
in the raceway
system, but other factors were similar. 
Best produc-
tion was from selected strains of Kansas, 
Marion, and
Auburn channel catfish.
%+0 Sport fishing also plays a vital 
role in
Alabama's economy. With expenditures 
exceeding
$600 million a year, sport fishing 
ranks third in the
state in terms of dollars generated in natural-resource-
related activities. However, other recreational 
activi-
ties often conflict with fishing on the state's lakes 
and
reservoirs. Lake managers are faced with the 
dilemma
of providing for multiple uses. For 
example, high Iev-
els of aquatic plants hinder boating 
and swimming,
but bass anglers generally prefer to fish areas that 
have
plants. Fisheries researchers compared 
eight years of
fishing tournament data to levels of 
aquatic plant
coverage in reservoirs on the Tennessee 
River. An-
glers tended to catch more fish when 
plants were more
abundant, hut these fish were smaller 
compared to
periods when plant levels were lower. 
In another study,
researchers found that vegetated bays 
and protected
coves contained greater numbers 
of young bass than
vegetated areas in the open portion 
of the reservoir.
Thus, lake managers could control 
plant growth in
these mid-reservoir regions without 
sacrificing bass
nursery areas. Fisheries experts also 
discovered that
bass reproduction was lessened throughout 
the reser-
voir when rainfall amounts were high and the 
reser-
voir flushed very quickly during the 
spring spawning
and rearing season.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment 
Station 1994 Annual Report
labana has an abundance oif high-qual-
ity, diverse, and valuable natural resources that 
sustain
numerous industries, support wildlife habitat, protvide
recreation, and generally ensure the health and uell-be-
ing of the state's population. However, steps must be 
taken
to allow sustained use of these resources, to 
manage and
promote biological diversity, and to protect the 
qUality of
water and other resources. AAES 
researchers are lead-
ing efforts to ensure sustainable use of Alabama's water,
forests, wildlife, plants, soil, and other 
resources.
AAES fisheries experts are developing tech-
niques for rapidly assessing stream health. 
The sys-
tem is based on locating healthy streams in 
each eco-
logical region of the state. Fish and aquatic 
inverte-
brates arc collected from a relatively 
undisturbed
stream, counted, and identified to 
create a biological
index, or "bioindex." Using the bioindex, 
a reference
strcam can be compared to other 
streams in the same
region to identify polluted waterways. 
Despite the
difficulty of finding relatively undisturbed 
streams,
researchers have identitied at least one 
reference
Shrnp from the Glf of Mexio is one ofAlabama's many renewable
nt urai resources. Auburn marine fisheries reseorchers ore refining o
method for preicting commerciao brown shrimp harvets.
stream in most ecological regions of the 
state. Fur-
ther investigations are underway to learn more 
about
the biological communities of these relatively healthy
v~stems. Bioindices indicate that Alabama's streams
il11 most often polluted by excess quantities of nitrates
,111d phosphates and by accumulation of excess silt and
,aInd trom erosion.
In a review of U. S. water lawx, AAES for-
estry and agricultulral economists 
concluded that
Alabama has a unique opportunity to implement
comprehensive water markets, which would lead
to more efficient use of water. Alabama is 
not now
hurdened with complex legislation regulating wa-
ter allocation. It is probably the only state still re-
lying on the basic riparian system, which allows
use of water to those adjacent to waterways. 
In most
states, extensive legislation defines one's 
rights to
use and transfer water rights for a tee. Alabama,
on the other hand, is in the position of being 
able
to organize and define a new market 
system with-
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 
1994 Annual Report
1
,r-
rte,.
r
^ 
ye -
-x -
; -~ s,, .t
.. c~chZ
1994 EFFORT IN NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH
Thrust area N
s
Impact of sustained
natural resource use
Management and
promotion of biodiversity
Political issues and
regulations affecting
sustainability
Use of Alabama's natural
resources
Water resources
Management of
natural resource systems
out becoming entangled
ter institutions.
umber of
cientists
33
17
7
32
16
32
Scientist
years
2.25
1.64
0.35
4.45
2.36
4.28
in complex existing wa-
%&4 Seafood from the Gulf of Mexico is another
of Alabama's vital natural resources. Shrimp are the
basis for the state's most valuable commercial fishery.
However, commercial brown shrimp harvests have
fluctuated greatly over the past 30 years. In an AAES
project, marine fisheries researchers used 19 years of
environmental data to develop a model to predict
annual abundance of shrimp. The model was 87 per-
cent accurate in predicting harvests in 1992; 81 per-
cent in 1993. Mobile River discharge, water tempera-
Funding
$840,921
230,929 ture, and other 
factors were compared
to shrimp harvests for 1975-93. High
27,375
river discharges were correlated with
low catches, while low discharges were
570,510 correlated with high catches. 
Environ-
mental conditions in the shallow bays
272,671
and marshes that serve as nursery ar-
752,268
eas for shrimp have a major effect on
the number of shrimp available for
harvest. High river discharge dilutes
the salt content of these areas, and low salinity is not
conducive to young shrimp survival. Wind direction
and velocity also affected shrimp production, but the
reason why is not clear. Future research will examine
how wind might affect production.
\3f Developing management strategies for eco-
nomically important wildlife is a major thrust in
AAES natural resources research. 
In one such study,
wildlife scientists are examining the many unexplored
aspects of wood duck biology to provide information
for better management of the birds. Wood ducks, the
most abundant species of duck breeding in Alabama,
inhabit wetlands throughout the year. In one recent
study, researchers found that the reproductive period
is as strenuous for male ducks as it is for females. Fe-
males spend days feeding in preparation for produc-
ing and incubating a clutch of eggs. Throughout the
process, males play an important role in breeding suc-
cess by guarding the female ducks and watching for
predators. Researchers found that the amount of fat
reserves used by breeding males was similar to that
reported for females during egg production. Since the
breeding season is an energy-demanding time for both
sexes, wetlands must provide adequate foods early in
the breeding season so birds can store the nutrients
needed for successful reproduction.
\4 The white-tailed deer is the most important
game species in North America; it is the basis for a
$600 million hunting industry in Alabama alone. A
multifaceted AAES research program addresses ques-
tions that are important to the proper management
of this valuable resource. In one study, researchers
found that vitamin and mineral supplements fed to
captive deer produced no effect 
in terms of body size,
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
The white-taied deer is the basis fora $600 milion "
hunting industry, making it one of the state's mosi 
-
volable natural resources. The AAES sponsors 
o
wide-ranging research program to improve
management of this economicaily importenr
species.
antler size, antler width, or number 
o
antler points. Previous research
showed that dietary protein was much
more important in deer growth and .
antler development. Another 
stud}
showed that white-railed fawns
weaned as early as 60 days survived
and grew at rates not significantly different 
from fawns
that remained with their dams.
Timber is one of Alabama's most important
natural resources. In the management of timber stands,
thinning provides an opportunity 
to improve overall
stand growth and use wood that would 
be lost to natu-
ral mortality. However, it is important 
to avoid dam-
aging roots by rutting or scarring trunks 
with machin-
ery. In efforts to improve thinning 
of Southern for-
ests, researchers found that forwarder 
systems have
much less impact on timber stands 
than skidder sys-
91
:'-
'"
I
/ c~~
I'I~L=n
x:
*r;
teins. In forwarder systems, trees are 
felled and pro-
cessed in the stump area. Limbs and 
tops are spread
around the stand, putting nutrients 
back in the soil.
Forwarders support payloads completely 
off the
ground, reducing ground disturbance. 
Plus, they carry
about 10 times as much wood 
as a skidder and thus
make fewer trips in the woods.
VA/A pine stand iust he tendedi 
mucoh as a home
garden or agronomic crop to insure 
optimum produc-
tion. Just as a gardener controls weeds, 
a forester must
control unwanted forest vegetation. 
Forestry research-
ers have determined that grasses and 
weeds are best
controlled in the spring immediately 
after planting
pine seedlings. Studies show that a single 
herbicide
application can reduce the time 
it rakes to grow a
marketable stand by up to six years. 
Control of in-
wanted hardwood stems is best done 
before pine seed-
lings are planted.
f Other forestry researchers have 
found that a
significant amount of lumber from 
certain Southern
pine plantations may not meet required 
standards for
strength and stiffness. Researchers 
examined the ef-
fects of stand age on the properties of lumber 
obtained
from 25- to 35-year-old plantation-grown 
loblolly
pines with an initial spacing of 8x8 feet. 
Results sug-
gest that much of the lumber produced 
from relatively
young plantations does not meet 
required standards.
Although these qualities improved with tree 
age, only
89 percent of luiber from 35-year-old 
trees met
strength requirements; 52 percent 
met stiffness re-
quirements. These results can serve 
as guidelines to
forest managers to manage pine plantations 
for lum-
ber and avoid product liabilities.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 
1994 Annual Report
4
labama's landscape contributes signifi-
cantly to our nation's production of plant fibers, wood
products, and food. In addition, many rare and endan-
gered species live in this region. Studies of biological diver-
sity, stability of plant and animal populations, species in-
teractions, and ecosystem structure and function are
needed to define and sustain healthy biological systems in
the state. AAES researchers are working to inventory
Alabama's flora and fauna, determine and quantify stress
factors that affect ecosystems, and study how global change
affects the local landscape.
W+ Alabama is home to 16 species of bats, some
of which are endangered. Thcre are several long-
term advantages to learning more about the ecol-
ogy of bats. Bats are amazingly efficient at control-
ling night-flying insects, such as mosquitoes and
other agricultural pests. The endangered gray bat
occurs in habitats along waterways adjacent to cot-
ton fields in North Alabama. These bats can be
vulnerable to chemical pesticides used to control in-
sects. Several gray bat colonies are located near im-
poundments of the Tennessee River in a region par-
ticipating in the USDA
Boll Weevil Eradication
Program. Using radio
transmitters, AAES zo-
ologists set out to deter-
mine if the bats' flight
paths from Indian Cave
in Limestone County and
Blowing Spring Cave in
Lauderdale County to
Wheeler Reservoir
placed them in danger
of exposure to insecti-
cides used against boll
weevils. Researchei,
found that gray bats in
this area spend most of their time foraging over
open water and little, if any, time over land where
they might come into contact with the pesticides.
40 Forests cover more than two-thirds of Ala-
bama and are an essential part of the state's ecologi-
cal, economical, and social fabric. Forest regenera-
tion after harvesting is the key to sustainable for-
estry. Auburn University is a leader in "artificial re-
generation," which involves preparing 
harvested sites,
growing seedliigs in special nurseries, planting seed-
lings, and cultural treatments for the first three years
after planting. Current research in this area focuses
on the environmental effects of artificial forest re-
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1 994 Annual Report
II
1994 EFFORT IN LANDSCAPE
AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES 
RESEARCH
Thrust area
ibima's skies each night,
cying a vital role in insect
ntrol. AAES scientists are
hering information to help
the n odnere cr y bat
"encirmioin svstemi. O)ne
important finding was
t hat key pesticides com-
monly used in seedling
nurseries do not move
Il rough the soil and
therefore do not pose a
risk to groundwater. Re-
lIted work showed the
cttectiveness of drainage
ditches and border areas
in nurseries to uptake
and transform excess nitrogen fertilizer. 
A large-
scale study was recently initiated to 
examine how
water quality in small streams is affected 
by timber
harvesting followed by intensive site preparation.
f Alabama's vast forest resources 
could be
threatened by air pollution, even 
in areas believed to
searchers show that visible symptoms 
(d
ozone injury can be found on several trce
and shrub species in several 
national
forests in Alabama. Ozone is created
when hydrocarbons and nitrogen 
oxides from
manufacturing and automobile exhausts 
react in the
atmosphere. Of the three national 
forests surveyed
so far, the most injury has 
been found in the
Talladega National Forest near Birmingham. 
Al-
though symptoms have been detected in the 
field,
there is currently no evidence to indicate 
that
ozone is affecting the productivity 
of these forests.
A related study is underway using open-top 
chambers
(outdoor greenhouses) to determine 
if ozone can af-
fect the diversity and productivity 
of natural forest
communities. Preliminary results suggest 
that ozone
may reduce species diversity.
VA' Important species interactions 
occur at all
levels, above and below the soil. 
Most woody plants
establish a symbiotic relationship with specialized,
beneficial root-colonizing soil fungi, 
which extend
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 
1 994 Annual Report
Number of
scientists
13
16
6
Scientist
years
1.20
1.06
0.82
Funding
$225,975
173,242
134,427
the plants' ability to absorb nutrients 
and water or
perform other vital functions. AAES 
microbiolo-
gists have developed methods of genetically engi-
neering a mushroom-forming fungus associated
with pine root systems. This discovery 
will allow
researchers to improve the symbiotic benefits 
by
introducing new genes from a variety of sources 
into
the fungus. Candidates for such studies 
are genes
that improve the plant's ability to absorb nutrients,
help fight off pests that feed on roots, 
or confer
tolerance to dehydration or to high 
salt content of
soils. Successful genetic engineering 
of the fungi
could provide an alternative to more expensive 
and
environmentally unfriendly chemical 
methods for
controlling root disease.
21
Role of biological
diversity in ecology
Sustainability of
ecological systems
Effects of global change
on local ecosystems
mo iultiiral p~roduc~tivits, Oieu dramantic ally
this century due to increased use of chemical pesticides
and synthetic fertilizers. However, public concern in re-
cent years has led to governmental restr ictions on the re-
lease of new agricheicals and the use of existing ones.
While specific pesticides will continue to have a crucial
role in maintaining production and food safety, agricul-
ture will see increased integrated use of chemicals with
biological control and improved varieties, fertilization, ir-
rigation, and management practices.
VA/ In the early 1
98
0s, Auburn plant pathologisr s
began evaluating the bacteria Bacillus subtilis for con-
trolling seed and seedling diseases of peancts. Re-
searchers developed a system of mixing this bacte-
rium with fungicides on the seed surface to provide
seedling disease control. However, bacteria contin-
ued to colonize the plant long after the fungicides had
dissipated, thus protecting the tap root against invad-
ing soil fungi fat into the season. This biological con-
trol agent reduced disease and allowed plants to de-
velop greater root mass, benefits that translated into
significantly greater yields. Cotton producers have
been qluick to 
aIccp~t this reli-
tively inexpensive treatment. In
1994, almost tour million acres o1
cotton were treated with it. Based'
on AAES research, the registra-
tion of this product has been ex
panled to cover all large-seeded:
legumes. Its use 
on tomatoes,
small grains, corn, soybeans, and
other crops ik shoss in cific-I
cial potcnrinril..
%*Root-colonlizingi bactecii
have been isolated from cotton
fields throughout Alabama b
sampling roots of healthy surviv
ing plants in areas of seedling cis-
ease. These bacteria were screened tor potection
against fungal pathogens 
Pythium and Rhizoctonia,
which cause seedling damping-off disease. Research-
ers found that several of these bacteria reduce cotton
seedling disease levels. When 
used as a seed treatment,
two of these bacteria were found to protect cucumber
plants (which were used as an experimental model)
against several pathogens. The ability to induce mul-
tiple disease resistance is unique among all plant dis-
ease management strategies. Plus, fewer cicumber
beetles were found on plants treated with the bacte-
ria. Researchers also discovered that roots and stems
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
C -CI ----~ ~---C-
N r iI
1994 EFFORT IN
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT 
RESEARCH
Thrust area
AAES researchers have discovered a bacteraiay
prodcied protein (ilefi) that kills everal crap pests
Its impact on the tobacco bud worm, a major cottoa
pest, is shown in the inset photos: the caterpilr
above is a normal healthy /dworri, while the oin
be/ow was fed a diet cantaini 
the insecticO,
protein.
stalk borers (a major 
peanut pest). ,
t healthy plants are colonized internally by diverse
bacteria. Some of the bacteria isolated in this 
project
are being examined for product potential.
AAES entomologists bave discoeried a bac-
tcrially produced protein highly toxic 
to lesser corn-
well as several caterpillars that feed on
cotton and tomatoes. Studies are under way 
to ge-
netically engineer peanut plants that express 
the
gene responsible for producing the insecticidal 
pro-
tein. In a related investigation, researchers 
are
xvorking to engineer the gene into beneficial 
bac-
teria known to live on peanut and tomato 
plants.
The gencs for producing these toxic proteins 
were
isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), 
a member
of a common bacterial famiy that lives 
primarily
in the soil. BT toxins are very 
specific; they kill
the targeted pest without harming 
humans and
other organisms.
VA/ In other pest management research, 
plant
pathologists are developing methods 
of using agri-
cultural, industrial, and urban organic 
wastes to
improve soil fertility and replace 
pesticides used
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 
1 994 Annual Report
Number of
scientists
23
29
II
II
Scientist Funding
years
1.85 $ 674,087
3.10
1.12
1.11
1,057,069
362,677
216,940
to sterilize soils. Many materials have been 
tested
as soil amendments to control nematodes, 
soilborne
fungi, and other pests. For example, studies with 
a
mixture of chitinous crab shells, soybean 
meal, and
urea demonstrated the possibility 
of preparing for-
mulations to promote the growth of soilborne 
mi-
croorganisms that are harmtul to plant 
pests. In
other research, scientists showed that 
several in-
expensive, natural volatile compounds, 
known as
terpenes and terpenoids, have nematicidal 
proper-
ties at very low concentrations. Several 
of these
compounds stimulated fungi and bacteria 
antago-
nistic to the nematodes. Researchers are 
pursuing
the possibility of using these compounds 
in com-
bination with organic waste to provide 
long-term
suppression of plant parasitic nematodes 
and other
soilborne pathogens.
23
Development of new
biocontrol agents
Alternative pest control
Ecological effects of
biocontrol
Physiological and
molecular basis for
biocontrol
U Elll
A lthough the American food supply is
among the safest and most economical in the 
world, many
problems still p~ersist. Approximately 6.5 
million cases of
food-borne disease occur each year, mostly 
caused by bac-
teria and other microorganisms Chronic 
diseases account
for five of the 10 leading causes of death 
in the U.S. and
are now known to be related to dietary excesses 
or iibal-
ances. Consumer resistance toward excessive fat, 
choles-
terol, salt, calories, and chemical residues continues 
to
increase. Through the AU Food Technology 
Institute and
other units, AAES scientists are involved in 
a wide-rang-
ing research program to tackle these problems
___ Developing new methods of controlling 
food-
borne pathogens in meat products 
is a major AAES
research thrust. For example, poultry scientists 
are in-
vestigating ways to limit colonization of 
Salmonella
and other bacteria in chickens. In one study, research-
ers found that some lines can be selectively 
bred for
resistance to Salmonella, a finding that has 
sparked
efforts to identify commercial broiler lines 
that also
are resistant. Researchers also observed 
that Salmo-
nella originating from the male bird 
and from the
breeding environment can persist 
in the hen ov iduci
and ultimately contaminate hatching 
eggs. This con
tamination would then be a source 
of the pathogcn
in newly hatched chickens destined 
for production i
broiler meat. These findings verify that 
breeding i, .1
critical point at which food safety 
intervention steps
can be effectively applied. Another approach 
to con-
trolling Salmonella during live production 
is the con-
cept of "competitive exclusion," in which 
orally ad-
ministered beneficial bacteria prevent 
the pathogen
from colonizing the gastrointestinal 
tracts of chick
ens. A number of bacteria, which 
are commercially
available and easily applied under existing 
commerc
cial production practices, have been 
characterized.
These bacteria can reduce the spread 
of Salmonella
that typically occurs vhen birds are 
stressed.
Animal health researchers have tested 
sev-
eral compounds to contrl the protozoan 
parasite that
causes toxoplasmosis, a disease that 
can be deadly to
congenitally infected infants, young 
children, and
adilts with compromised immune 
systems.
Toxoplasmosis can be accuired by 
eating raw or in-
I A
ter-cooked pork or other meats that contain the 
in-
fective tissue cyst stage of the protozoa 
Toxoplasm
gondii. When treated with an experimental 
vaccine,
pigs did not develop toxoplasmosis 
when challenged
Alabama Agricultural Experiment 
Station 1 994 Annual Report
-- _II I
;c"
with virulent stages of tie i pairasite, and 
meat from
the pigs contained fewer infective cysts. 
Researchers
also identified a drug that is highly effective in pre-
venting toxoplasmosis in pigs. The drug can be used
II1
J
Convenient and accu-
Iire methods for detecting the
presence of bacteria in processed,
tarm-raised catfish products are
necessary to assure their safety and
.iality for consumers. AAES fish-
cries researchers developed a rinse
Iechnique for sampling catfish
products in the processing plant
i0 determine the amount of sur-
I ice bacteria they contain. The
technique is nondestructive, rime
ind labor efficient, and as etfec-
tive as the conventional sample
grinding piceduire. This procedure 
is currently being
used at the Fish Farming Center in Greensboro, 
Ala.,
to monitor bacterial quality of catfish 
from commer-
cial processing plants.
ood quality ond sifety research sponsored
the AAES benefits the food industry
irouhout Alobomoa
it low concentrations in feed and
v ill not cause adverse reactions.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 
1994 Annual Report
rrrrr~c'
~-L~---"--
b
*It
"r*f^-':'r
irr
%+ hile most consumers are concerned about
harmtul synthetic chemical residues in food prod-
ucts, few are aware that one of the most 
toxic sub-
stances known to man is produced by naturally
occurring fungi. This carcinogenic substance,
known as aflatoxin, is produced by the fungus As-
pergillus flavus, which is widespread and difficult
to control. Once these fungi have invaded plant
tissue, such as peanut seed, they can produce afla-
toxins. Minimizing aflatoxin contamination is
critical in order to continue to provide a safe food
supply. AAES plant pathologists and entomologists
discovered that larvae of the lesser cornstalk borer,
a major pest in peanuts, can carry these fungi into
developing peanut seed. Research indicates that
control of the lesser cornstalk borer reduces fungal
inVasion of peanut seed during crop growth, which
subsequently reduces aflatoxin contamination in
harvested peanuts. In other studies, researchers
identified bacteria that improve peanut pLant
stands, while protecting developing pods from in-
vasion by aflatoxigenic fungi.
1994 EFFORT IN 
FOOD SAFETY,
QUALITY, NUTRITION, AND HEALTH RESEARCH
Thrust area Number of
scientists
Nutritional quality 14
and human health
Post-harvest technologies 7
Novel products important 5
to Alabama
Food-borne pathogens 9
and toxins
Diet-related health status 3
of Alabamians
Food-borne disease I
surveillance
Scientist
years
2.85
0.81
0.21
0.77
0.69
0.02
\4 AAES researchers also are working to develop
products that meet consumer demands for leaner meat.
In one such project, animal scientists found that hor-
monal treatments may help produce leaner, more mus-
cular pigs. Researchers discovered that performance
and carcass composition benefits can be gained when
the growth hormone porcine somatotropin (pST) is
administered to pregnant gilts. In addition to improv-
ing efficiency of the pigs, this management strategy
also enhanced productivity of the sows. This project
was the first use of pST in a management scheme for
early-gestating gilts. If approved by the Food and Drug
Administration, the use of pST in swine production
should benefit consumers, producers, and packers.
Funding
$689,564
Nutritional quality and hu-
298,544
man health are the focus of other AAES
78,963
research programs. In one study, food
266,374 scientists 
compared trained, 
competitive
cyclists to a non-active control group in
121,557 an effort 
to determine whether 
a nor-
mal diet can support optimal health de-
1,743
spite high concentrations of exercise and
energy expenditure. Preliminary results
showed that the cyclists consumed about 50 percent
more vitamin C than the non-active group, but they
had almost identical blood and urine levels of vita-
min C. This finding could indicate a greater need for
vitamin C in highly active people. Another test indi-
cated that exercise and high-carbohydrate diets in-
crease the need for thiamin.
, f Each year in Alabama two to three infants
are born with the rare genetic disorder
phenylketonuria (PKU), a lifetime condition in which
the ability of the body to break down phenylalanine,
an amino acid in protein, is impaired. If 
not treated,
PKU results in severe mental retardation, but if diag-
nosed early and treated with a special diet, there are
no harmful effects. Medical foods, which are designed
to limit protein intake, provide these children with
the majority of their daily needs for protein, vitamins,
and minerals. One nutritional study investigated the
effects of medical foods or related diets on several as-
pects of nutrition and health 
status. Results docu-
mented lower concentrations of antibodies, which
help destroy foreign substances in the body, in chil-
dren with PKU. Further research is needed to deter-
mine whether this problem is related to the medical
diets. Intake of two essential minerals, selenium and
molybdenum, was found to be less than two-thirds of
the Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary In-
take for children with PKU. Iron intake by children
with PKU was two to three times higher than recom-
mendations. Yet, iron deficiency without anemia was
found in about a third of the children. The impact of
these findings may lead to reformulation of the medi-
cal foods and ultimately improve the health of in-
fants and children with PKU.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual Report
S - PI"IL~Lt~Ir A * *I
inners of the 1994 Ala-
bama Agricultural Experiment Station
Director's Research Awards vere Tom
Lovell, a professor cf fisheries and allied
aquacultures in the College of Agriculture;
and Greg Pettit, an associate professor of
family and child development in the
School of Human Sciences. The awards,
which were initiated in 1981, are given an-
nually to recognize outstanding career ac-
complishients within the AAES.
Lovell, who came to Auburn in
1969, is among the world's top scientists
in the study of nutrition of warm water
fish. He played a significant role in the
growth of Alabama's catfish industry 
with Senio
his efforts to develop low-cost, highly produc-
tive feeds. His documentation of the fish's 
in-
ability to synthesize Vitamin C led to a greater
understanding of several fish diseases. Lovell
also has won international acclaim for identify-
ing the source and cause of off-flavor in inten-
sively cultured fish and shrimp. In addition,
I
Lovell has been a leader in the development 
ot
Auhurn's international fisheries program, 
hav-
ing worked in or visited 26 countries.
Pettit, who joined the Auburn faculry 
in
1989, studies the way children enter and sus-
tain relationships with their peers. Peer rejec-
tion in early childhood is a primary risk 
factor
for psychological
, taladljustmflent
later in life. By
finding ways for
young children to
~ - X ~ become socially
s id~;lijustd, many
L iter probleis can
he avoided. Initial
gindings 
suggest
thiat parents play a
vital role in the
Jcvelopment of a
hild's social
kills. Much of
I hat influence
comes from children copying their parent's ac-
tions. Another leading factor is how parents
coach their children when the youngsters are
interacting with peers. Pettit has been awarded
nearly $2 million in extramural grants from the
National Institutes of Health.
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1994 Annual 
Report
L__ _~
r
i;""- :i:4
-" :':l_:-u~~
"~*-~
I
j Reene $6,65,704 1
$ 17,634,518
$20
15
10
5
0
-_-$4,3-05,77111- 
,O
Federal
$1,960,274
State Paid
Beeits
Interest/
Royalties
Contracts
& Grants
$4,111,077
Di2vJ~ z rykg.cs
Sir~Li
Auxiliary
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 1 994 Annual Report
Millions
$8,644,154
State
J :j J-; I-.,J