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The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture ANNUAL REPORTING FORM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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James Wills, Jr., Professor and Coordinator Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science Annual Performance Period: January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006 A. SUMMARY AND IMPACTS. 1. Summary. Provide an overall summary (500 words or less) of your accomplishments during the reporting period. My program efforts are centered in two different areas of responsibility. As state extension specialist for farm machinery, several programs related to farm machinery are on going and new areas are added each year. Farm machinery programs include (1) proper application of agricultural chemicals such as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Proper and responsible use of agricultural chemicals is the responsibility of the applicator. Proper machinery components, sprayer design and calibration are essential to safe and efficient application. Workshops and classes on sprayer design, components and nozzle selection are well attended by producers as well as extension agents and industry representatives. (2) Conservation tillage is another area which requires substantial time to conduct programs and workshops to insure efficient and applicable use of no-till machinery. I developed a no-till transplanter several years ago which is used by many tobacco and vegetable producers for no-till crop production across the state. Programs to demonstrate no-till production in several counties allow non-users an opportunity to see first-hand what production practices are involved in no-till production. I have participated in annual meetings of the Southern Conservation Tillage Conference (SERAIEG-20) for several years and have presented a paper at the meeting two years. (3) State producers grow an average of four million tons of hay annually. The total value of this crop is approximately $220 million. The 2003 year experienced wet conditions in many parts of the state during the peak hay production periods and yield on most hay crops was above average. Selection, operation and maintenance of hay production machinery is important to producers to maximize hay harvested for livestock production. Our programs explain the different types of machinery and how to select the best equipment for specific production systems. Our programs on proper hay storage methods have increased the number of growers using proper storage by about 12 percent each year. (4) Small-engine powered lawn and garden equipment is found in increasing numbers across the state. Proper selection, maintenance and operation of this equipment is important to owners of this equipment. Our programs teach owners how to use and care for this equipment to prolong equipment life and make efficient use of the equipment. As Coordinator for the Vegetable Initiative program, I work with over 30 researchers and extension professionals to make timely and useful production information available to growers and potential growers. With a potential decrease in income from burley tobacco from $271 million in 1992 to $90 million in 2001, many tobacco producers are looking at fruit and vegetable crops as an alternative to burley tobacco. Our research programs evaluate new varieties of vegetable crops, evaluate crop protection chemicals, fertility programs, irrigation systems, frost protection systems, new production methods such as hydroponic production of tomatoes in greenhouses (added two research houses at Tobacco Experiment Station in 2001 with eight new additional houses installed to date), new production practices such as colored plastic mulches, biodegradable plastic mulches and marketing systems for vegetable crops. We are also looking at new crops for state producers such as blueberries (accelerated interest in 2005 and 2006 as a result of demo plots at four research stations), strawberries ( field day at Crossville in 2004,2005 and greenhouse research in Knoxville in 2006), blackberries, greenhouse cucumbers and greenhouse peppers and raddicio. These crops have sales and profit potential for state growers, but refinement of production inputs and cultural systems are necessary to maximize profits and yields from these crops. Extension demonstration programs in several counties permit growers to see new crops, new varieties and new production systems under local conditions and weather. Seeing is believing! Without many of these research and demonstration programs, producers would not undertake the personal and financial risk to try many of these crops. Publications and progress reports produced on an annual basis give producers timely information for planning and growing vegetable crops. 2. Impacts. List up to three significant impacts of your program. Impact statements should be one to three sentences and should be written in a way that would be meaningful to the public. (1) Hay Storage programs statewide have saved growers an estimated $13 million in 2006. (2) 442 attendees at master gardener classes have saved an average of $65 dollars on each machine owned on engine maintenance and repairs based on surveys taken at meetings. Total savings of $ 28,730 (3) Vegetable initiative programs and demonstrations have helped increase revenues from commercial vegetable crops by more than $12 million over previous year. A total of 63 new producers have started production in 2006. (4) $600,000 grant from USDA for IFAFS program was received for four year period starting in 2001. Funding has resulted in installation of two new greenhouses on Knoxville experiment station that have expedited and enhanced research and demonstrations on greenhouse production of greenhouse tomatoes. Five crops of Trust tomatoes grown in years 2002 (one crop), 2003 (two crops), 2004 (one crop), 2005(one crop), have provided significant data on tomato yields and quality. Data collected indicate good profit potential for growers with Spring crops and poor profit potential with Fall crops. Last two crops in 2004 and 2005 have researched biological controls to eliminate or reduce pesticide applications for insect and disease control. In 2006-2007, 1400 strawberry plants are being evaluated for grenhouse potential and variety selection based on flavor and yield. Grant has enhanced cooperation between Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina programs and facilitated vegetable research and extension programs in all three states. (5) Blueberry research program begun in 1999 has generated tremendous interest and requests for information on blueberry production. Blueberry research plots at Spring Hill, Springfield and Crossville were harvested for the first time in 2003 and data was collected again in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Harvest data averages for all three locations showed yields on rabbiteye variety exceeded yields on high bush variety by a factor of three or more. Yields on black plastic and black plus organic mulch had much higher yields than all other treatments tested. A field day program on blueberry production in Crossville in August 2005 was attended by over 55 people interested in blueberry production. Research work was initiated with Tennessee State University (1890 school) in 2004. Six varieties of grapes (120 total plants) and nine varieties of blackberries (240 plants) were planted in 2004 with nine varieties of blueberries planted in 2005. We continue to maintain and use these research plantings to allow TSU to conduct field day presentations and small farmer programs with these crops and to collect research data on growth rates, yields, quality and differences between varieties. B. PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS (EXTENSION, RESEARCH AND TEACHING). As applicable, list title, names of participants (PIs, Leaders, Co-PIs, Co-leaders, Collaborators etc.), project number, sponsor, your role ( leader/co-leader/collaborator) and your percent effort on the project as stated in the project description or document. Research (1) Collection of Baseline Environmental Data for Animal Agriculture Research, James B. Wills, Leader, Gary Honea, Steve Oliver, Mark Radosevich, Tim Prather, Neal Eash, Tom Ammons, Forbes Walker, Hatch project TN329, leader, 30% Extension (1) Demonstration of Alternative Crop Solutions for Tennessee Producers, James B. Wills, Leader,20%, Gary Honea, David Lockwood. C. INSTRUCTION, TEACHING AND EXTENSION EDUCATION. Detail credit and non-credit instruction and teaching activities. 1. College credit instruction. List courses in which you were an instructor or guest lecturer during the current calendar year. Include special topics, independent study and internship courses. Provide course number and title, your involvement, semester(s), credit hours and number of students. Please append a summary of teaching evaluations (student and/or peer) if this information is available.
2. Formal continuing education (certification programs, seminar series, in-service training, field days, faculty and/or staff training, journal club, etc.). Provide descriptive title of activity, your involvement, number of participants or students involved, number and duration of each session.
3. Extension presentations and workshops. Indicate title, type, and scope of presentation; number of times presented; attendance estimates. Include evidence of effectiveness (e.g. evaluation summaries) where applicable.
4. Public addresses to lay audiences (TV/radio presentations, service groups, etc.). Indicate title, type, scope of presentation; number of times presented; attendance estimates. Include evidence of effectiveness (e.g. evaluation summaries) where applicable.
5. Presentations at professional meetings, without published abstracts. List presenter, co-authors (if any), title, date and name of meeting (list scientific oral or poster presentations having published abstracts or proceedings at D5). 6. Student mentoring. Fill in the boxes to indicate number of students in each category.
7. Student or commodity club activities (e.g. club advisor, team competitions, honor or professional societies, etc.). List the club or group; your role with the club or group; and the activities, honors or awards received by this group under your mentorship. 8. Other instructional and teaching activities. D. PUBLICATIONS. List only publications that were published during the annual reporting period (for #8, submitted during reporting period). Format citations as typical and appropriate for outlet. If a co-author(s) is a student or was working under your direct supervision, place an asterisk after that person's name. 1. Refereed articles or refereed reviews appearing in peer-reviewed professional journals. 2. Book chapters or books. 3. Bulletins, reports, circulars, pamphlets, factsheets. Wills, Jr., J. B., G. S. Honea, and Kockwood, D.. 2006. A Six Year Summary of Blueberry Research in Tennessee. 4. Popular press, trade, UTIA magazine or newsletter articles. 5. Abstracts from scientific or discipline meetings, papers from conference proceedings, etc. 6. Theses/Dissertations completed by students that you directed. 7. Other publications. 8. Articles submitted during the reporting period that are in review, in press or rejected. Please do not list articles in preparation. E. FUNDING. Format each entry as a citation, include as applicable: investigators (with percent effort shown on grant or contract document), title, source/agency. 1. Grant and contract proposals submitted but not awarded during this reporting period. Indicate date of submission and status (still pending, rejected). 2. Grants and contracts awarded during this reporting period. List inclusive period of support (start and end dates) and total amount of award. 3. Grants and contracts awarded in past years that continued into this reporting period. List inclusive period of support (start and end dates) and total amount of award. 4. Gifts. List recipients, donor, items or amount donated and dollar equivalent received during the reporting period. 5. Grant reports submitted. List authors, title, to whom submitted, date submitted. 6. Other (e.g. sales, royalties). F. OTHER CREATIVE ACTIVITIES.
G. SERVICE. List client outreach activities (both public and private sectors) and professional service.
H. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (meetings, workshops, classes, trips, etc.). List the event or activity, sponsor, duration of event and your role. I. PERSONNEL SUPERVISION. List the postdoctoral fellows, research associates, research assistants, technicians, extension associates, extension assistants, graduate assistants, undergraduate students, clerical personnel or others that you supervised during the year.
J. HONORS AND AWARDS. List honors and awards received during reporting period, including the name of the organization presenting the award. Webster Pendergrass Award for Outstanding Service, presented by UT Institute of Agriculture | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||