Alcorn
State
University's
Extension/Research
Demonstration
Farm
and
Technology
Transfer
Center
began
in the
Spring
of
1995
with
forty-five
(45)
acres
of
land
leased
from
North
Bolivar
County
Development
Corporation.
The
Center
is
located
in the
heart
of the
Mississippi
Delta
(illustration
#1).
The
Center
is
within
a two
hours
drive
of two
major
market
centers;
Jackson,
MS and
Memphis,
TN and
is
within
one
mile
of
U.S.
Highway
61
North.
Intermediate
size
markets
would
include
Greenville,
MS,
Greenwood,
MS,
and
Lake
Village,
AR.
Other
lesser
markets
would
include
Clarksdale,
MS,
Cleveland,
MS,
Grenada,
MS,
and a
number
of
surrounding
towns.
Alcorn
State
University
campus
located
in
Alcorn
State,
MS, is
approximately
a
three
hour
drive
south.
The
Center
is
proud
to be
the
first
off-campus
agricultural
educational
facility
in
Alcorn's
history
to be
devoted
to
demonstration
and
research
for
small
limited
resource
farmers.
Most
importantly, the
Center
is
surrounded
by thousands
of
farmers
with
interest
in
alternative
horticulture
crops
for
the
purpose
of
enhancing
their
farm
income.
OBJECTIVES
- The
objectives
of the
Demonstration
Research
and
Technology
Transfer
Center
at
Mound
Bayou
are:
(1)
to
teach
small
farmers
the
latest
technology
available
in
alternative
agricultural
enterprises,
(2)
to
improve
the
economic
well-being
and
quality
of
life
of
small
farmers
in
Mound
Bayou
and
the
surrounding
towns,
and
(3)
to
conduct
Research
and
Demonstrations
in
alternative
agricultural
enterprises,
value-added
processing,
and
marketing
strategies
in the
Mississippi
Delta.
Methods
of
achieving
goals:
1)
seminars
and
extension
agents
training
program,
2)
spring/fall
field
days
and
tours,
3)
train
the
trainer,
and
4)
research
and
demonstrations.
SOIL
TYPES
AND
DESCRIPTIONS
- The
Demonstration
Research and
Technology
Transfer Center
has at least
seven (7)
-
different soil
types which
range from poor
to good for
grain and seed
crop production. These soils are
as follows:
1)
Dexter
- silt
loam
(DA2),
normal
level
phase)
2)
Dexter
silt
loam
(db),
gently
sloping
phase
3)
Dunlee
silt
loam
(dh),
nearly
level
phase
4)
Foresdale
silt
loam (Fa)
nearly
level
phase
5)
Foresdale
silt
clay
loam
(Fe)
nearly
level
phase,
and
6)
Pearson
silk
loam
(Pa)
nearly
level
phase,
and
7)
Dowling
soils
(Dd)
overwash
phase.
- These
range
of
different
soil
types
make
the
Center
an
excellent
location
for conducting research
and
demonstration
on
alternative
horticulture
crops
in the
Mississippi
Delta
region.
The
Center
has
placed
special
emphasis
on
sweet
potato
research/demonstration
for
limited
resource
farmers
in the
Mississippi
Delta.
Hence,
workshops
on
various
aspects
of
sweet potato
production
are
conducted
at the
Center
with
participation
from
local
farmers, USDA/ARS
Research
Station
at
Stoneville
and
Mississippi
State
Cooperative
Extension Service.
Research
on
sweet
potatoes
being
conducted
at the
station
consists
of the
following:
- a.
Variety
trials
from
USDA/ARS
Charleston,
South
Carolina,
North
Carolina
State
-
University,
Mississippi
State
University,
and
Louisiana
State
University
are
being
evaluated for
yield,
quality,
maturity,
and
plant
(slip)
production
efficiency.
-
- b.
Remote
Sensing
utilizing
spatial
imagines
to
enhance
profitability
of
sweet
potatoes.
The following
factors
were
evaluated:
soil,
moisture,
texture,
ph,
drainage,
nutritional
status, yield
quality,
plant
population,
insect
and
disease
population.
-
- c.
Herbicide/Insect
Studies
to
determine
the
most
cost
effective
and
effective
method
of controlling
weeds
and
insects.
Other
Research
Studies
Include:
- a)
Studies
will
be
conducted
at
the
Center
to
evaluate
the
adaptability
and
yield
potential of
some
genetically
modified
crops.
-
- b)
The
use of
honey
bees
to
increase
or
enhance
pollination
in
vegetable
crops.
Demonstration
and
research
are
also
being
conducted
each
year
at the
Center
on cultural, varietal,
and
fertility
trials
on
such
vegetables
as
cabbage,
greens,
broccoli,
squash, butterbeans,
peas,
cucumber,
and
tomatoes.
-
- Field
Day
- During
the
fall
of
each
year
the
Annual
Vegetable
Field
Day
and
Sweet
Potato
Jamboree
is
held.
Participants
for
field
day
include
local
farmers,
high
school
students,
and
other
state
and
local
governmental
officials.
