Alcorn State University’s Center for Conservation Research hosted a free training workshop, offering farmers and enthusiasts valuable insights into innovative growing methods, including clonal propagation techniques. The event, held at the university’s conservation research site, featured hands-on learning opportunities for growing muscadine grapes, organic turmeric, and methods to enhance the nutrient content of blueberries.
The annual workshop, led by Dr. Girish Panicker, director of the Center for Conservation Research, and his team, aims to equip farmers with the proper methods for establishing vineyards and nursery businesses.
“This practical training will help farmers establish large organic vineyards and even nurseries by effectively utilizing the limited number of mother plants,” said Panicker. “This technique is applied to produce healthy plants identical in genotype with the mother plant, and is valuable for producing a relatively small number of plants of good size with minimum propagation facilities. At our workshops, the farmers master this useful technique, which allows for the production of large-sized and well-rooted plants in a short time.”
Among the attendees was Nicole Jackson, a psychometrist from Ruleville, Mississippi, whose farm is located in Drew, Mississippi. Jackson, who does not have a farming background, is a returning participant and ag grant recipient.
“I came to see Dr. Panicker and learn all about turmeric and blueberries in muscadines and how to propagate muscadines,” Jackson said. She first attended the workshop in 2018. This year, she participated as a grant recipient with plans to establish an agroforestry center featuring muscadines and blueberries, with a focus on organic growing practices.
Jackson highly recommends events like this and partnering with Alcorn State University, praising Dr. Panicker as “a wealth of knowledge”. “He knows about everything, and he’s been able to help me navigate the process of creating the agroforestry system,” she stated, adding that he is knowledgeable about growing muscadines and soil health. “He is a great resource, and I’m just blessed to be able to work with Dr. Panicker”.
Jackson encouraged others to pursue farming if they feel called to it, regardless of experience. “If God puts the desire in your heart to farm, even if you don’t know what you’re doing or how to do it, just step out on faith and just go for it,” she advised. She shared her personal journey, explaining how divine guidance led her to Dr. Panicker and the world of farming.
The workshop provided attendees with crucial knowledge on clonal propagation, a method for producing a large plant in a short time. This technique is particularly valuable for generating a relatively small number of good-sized plants with minimal propagation facilities, especially when outdoor stock plant space is not limited. It ensures the production of plants genetically identical to the mother plant, offering significant economic benefits due to the high value of vegetatively propagated cultivars.
For more information, contact Dr. Girish K.S. Panicker, director, at (601) 877-6598 or [email protected], or Amanda O’Quinn, administrative assistant, at [email protected].
