Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) production historically has been limited in the southeastern United States because of the risk of early bolting and unacceptable bitterness. Small-scale vegetable growers may be able to include lettuce in their production through selection of bolt tolerant and nonbitter varieties. The objectives of this research were to evaluate earliness, bitterness, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, folate, β-carotene, and lutein content in 17 lettuce varieties. Significant difference were found among varieties for days to harvest (DTH) (47 DTH for `Epic' to 37 DTH for `Big Curly'). Observed DTH in this study was consistently 7 to 10 days less than commercial descriptions of the lettuce varieties, due to the use of transplants. Only `Slobolt' and `Greengo' bolted before reaching marketable size. Panelists found that the bitterness was acceptable for most varieties, but not for `Nancy,' `Big Curly,' and `Slobolt'. Significant differences among varieties were also found in vitamin E, ascorbic acid, folate, β-carotene, and lutein. `Redprize' and `Nevada' were the best varieties overall, while `Salinas 88 Supreme,' `Epic,' `Legacy,' `Big Curly,' `Slobolt,' and `Greengo' were unacceptable.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a potential cash crop for the southeastern United States for production of cooking oil or biodiesel. Two years (2006 and 2007) of experiments were conducted at each of five locations in Mississippi to evaluate the effect of planting date (April 20, May 20, and June 20), and hybrid (DKF3875, DKF2990, DKF3510, DKF3901, PR63M80, PR62A91, PR63A21, PR63M91, and PR64H41) on seed yield, oil content, and oil composition of sunflower. Seed oil concentration varied from 25 to 47%. The oleic acid concentration in the oil was greater than 85% for DKF3510 and PR64H41, above 65% for PR63M80 and PR63M91, and intermediate for the other hybrids. Total saturated fatty acids (TSFA) concentration in the oil (the sum of palmitic, stearic, arachidic, behenic, and lignoceric acids) ranged from 6.3 to 13.0%, with DKF3510, PR63M91, and PR64H41 having lower concentration of TSFA than the other hybrids. Mean seed yields ranged from 997 to 2096 kg ha −1 depending on location. Mean oil yields at the five locations ranged from 380 to 687 kg ha −1 , and calculated biodiesel production ranged from 304 to 550 kg ha −1. Seed and oil yields in this study suggest sunflower in Mississippi should be planted by the last week of May. Later planting (20 June) may significantly decrease both seed and oil yields in the non-irrigated system in Mississippi and in other areas of the southeastern United States with similar environmental conditions.

Using results of a socioeconomic survey of nurseries and greenhouses, Tobit regression analysis was used to estimate empirical models to measure the socioeconomic impact of automation or mechanization on annual gross sales, annual employment, and workers' earnings, safety, and retention. The survey was conducted among 87 randomly selected nurseries and greenhouses located in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, from Dec. 2003 to Mar. 2005. About 20% of all the identified major tasks were performed by workers in nurseries and greenhouses with some form of mechanization or automation. Regression results showed that nurseries and greenhouses that experienced higher levels of sales also demonstrated higher levels of automation or mechanization. The employment impact of automation or mechanization was neutral, indicating that any improvement in automation or mechanization did not necessarily lead to a reduction, but instead to a more efficient use of labor by nurseries and greenhouses. Improvements in automation or mechanization resulted in higher total workers' earnings reported by participating nurseries and greenhouses. Further Tobit regression results showed that automation or mechanization had neutral effects on the length of training period, workers' safety, and retention rates and enabled nurseries and greenhouses to hire less-skilled workers.

This paper summarizes opinions on the economic impacts of horticulture research and extension at the Mississippi State University, Coastal Research and Extension Center. More than 8400 horticulture producers, master gardeners, research and extension staff, and nonprofit organizations participated in horticulture events during the last five years. Qualitative assessments of horticulture research and extension performed by the faculty and staff were solicited during voluntary surveys.

An extensive monitoring and survey program in Mississippi was conducted from 2000 to 2004 to investigate the distribution of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Seventy-two towns from 22 counties in southern Mississippi were monitored with a total of 3914 traps that catch alates during the swarming season. In addition, 259 licensed pest management professionals in Mississippi were surveyed to determine the locations of termite infestations treated. The alates of C. formosanus were recovered in 12 counties with light traps, and termite infestations were documented in an additional 13 from data collected in the termite survey. Infestations of C. formosanus have been documented in urban, urban cluster, rural, and forested areas of Mississippi. However, the distribution in mean total capture of alates for 4 yr differed significantly among the four ecological areas with the highest percentage in forested areas (31%) and the lowest percentage in urban cluster areas (17%). Most of the infestations of C. formosanus were geographically distributed along the coastal areas of southern Mississippi from Gulfport to Pascagoula. The greatest total number of alates captured in light traps was documented in Pearl River County. Mass swarming of C. formosanus occurred primarily in May or June, depending on weather conditions. The number of documented counties with the evidence of large and widely dispersed swarms of C. formosanus in different ecological areas, and the increase in total annual alate captures from 2000 to 2003, suggest that this invasive termite species is now firmly established in Mississippi.