Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

 

 

At a Glance

 

JOHN F. ANDERSON, Director

Louis A Magnarelli, Vice-Director

Established – 1875

Statutory authority – CGS 22-79 – 22-118

Central office – 123 Huntington Street,

      New Haven, CT 06511

Number of employees – 97

Recurring operating expenses:

      General Fund - $5,286,103

      Federal Funds - $2,644,461

      Other - $274,816

Organizational structure – Administration, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry & Genetics, Entomology, Forestry & Horticulture, Plant Pathology & Ecology, Soil & Water, and Valley Laboratory.

 

Mission

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is chartered by the General Assembly to investigate plants and their pests, insects, soil and water; to analyze food, pesticides, fertilizers and other products for state departments; to identify ticks to species, and to test ticks feeding on humans for the spirochetes that cause Lyme disease.  The Station’s motto is “Putting Science to Work for Society”

 

Statutory Responsibility

     The Station carries out research as determined by the Station’s Board of Control or as requested by the General Assembly; conducts analyses as required by any state agency; tests ticks for the Lyme disease agent upon request of a state or municipal health officer or for scientific research purposes; oversees official control, suppression or extermination of insects or diseases which are or threaten to become serious pests of plants; inspects for diseases of honey bees and registers beekeepers; surveys towns for gypsy moths; inspects and certifies nurseries and registers dealers of nursery stock; and reports findings verbally or by correspondence, lectures, or published matter.

     The Station provides timely answers to both routine and difficult but important agricultural, forestry, environmental, consumer protection, environmental health, or homeowner questions through reporting the findings of research, analyses and services to citizens, small and large businesses, municipalities, state departments and the scientific community. 

 

Public Service

     The Station serves citizens, large and small businesses, municipalities, and the scientific community within its area of expertise.  Citizens bring or mail samples or call with questions to New Haven or Windsor.  Station scientists make farm or house calls when difficult or unique problems arise.  State agencies, such as the Departments of Consumer Protection, Agriculture, Revenue Services, and Environmental Protection, send specific samples for appropriate chemical, biological or microscopic analysis.

     New testing procedures are investigated as new types of samples are received and techniques are improved as circumstances warrant.  Scientific research at the Experiment Station involves identifying a problem, investigating existing knowledge, and designing experiments that will elicit new knowledge that will solve the problem or enhance Connecticut’s economy or well being.

     Specific examples include the following:

·         A Station scientist produced a Tick Management Handbook as part of the Connecticut community-based Lyme disease prevention projects in cooperation with The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Westport Weston Health District, Torrington Area Health District, and Ledge Light Health District.  This is an integrated guide for homeowners, pest control operators, and public health officials for the prevention of tick-associated diseases.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station funded this color-illustrated book.

·         Conifer trees are important in Connecticut forests, nurseries, Christmas tree plantations, and homeowner landscapes.  Station and US Forest Service entomologists published a color-illustrated book of the identity and ecology of caterpillars feeding on conifers in Northeastern United States.  This book will be extremely useful to foresters, educators, students, and conservationists.

·         Sudden Oak Death, a newly recognized disease caused by a fungus-like organism was first detected in central California in 1995, but this or a similar agent also occurs in Oregon, Washington State, British Columbia, and parts of Europe.  This disease affects more than 50 species of plants, including oak trees and a variety of woody ornamentals, such as rhododendron and viburnum.  During March of 2004, potentially infected camellia plants were shipped from California by mail to 112 Connecticut Residents.  Scientists and regulatory personnel at the Station contacted these residents to check on the condition of these plants.  Surveys of nurseries and forest plots were conducted, and plants entering the state from west coast nurseries were inspected.  Diseased leaf tissues were tested by DNA analyses and culture methods at the Station.  There was no evidence of Sudden Oak Death in Connecticut.

·         Agricultural and natural resource organizations hold meetings in the Station’s Donald F. Jones Auditorium in New Haven, a newly renovated Sears Roebuck-catalog cottage in Hamden, and the Gordon S. Taylor Conference Room in Windsor.  The Valley Laboratory holds a meeting for tobacco growers in the spring and summer open houses for nurserymen and Christmas tree growers. The Station holds two major annual events:  Plant Science Day at Lockwood Farm in August and Plant Science Day in the Spring in the Jones Auditorium in New Haven.  The Station had displays at the “Big E”, the annual “Ag Day at the Capitol”, and at many other events.  The Station also provides speakers to agricultural and environmental organizations and community groups upon request.  Groups of students often receive presentations on the Station’s work during visits to laboratories or during talks at their schools.  Three gardens are maintained in New Haven, Hamden, and Windsor for the public, businesses, the agricultural community, and students.

 

Improvements/Achievements 2003-04

     The Experiment Station trapped, identified, and tested mosquitoes for West Nile virus (WNV) as part of the statewide Mosquito Management Program, which also includes the Departments of Environmental Protection, Public Health, Agriculture, and the University of Connecticut Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science.  Mosquitoes were collected from June to mid October at 91 regular sites on a ten-day rotation and at additional sites as needed.  All mosquitoes were identified by species, placed into pools of no more than 50 of one species from one location per date, and tested for viruses.  A total of 717,283 mosquitoes representing 38 species were tested from 1999 – 2003.  West Nile virus was isolated from 17 species.  Culex pipiens, Culex salinarius, Culex restuans, Culiseta melanura, and Aedes vexans were implicated as the most likely vectors based upon isolation data.

     The Station has found that the isolation of West Nile virus from mosquitoes is a sensitive indicator of virus activity that is associated with the risk of human infection.  The incidence of human cases closely parallels the number of virus isolations made from mosquitoes.  The high-risk period extends from early August through September.  The principal foci of activity have been in densely populated residential communities in coastal Fairfield and New Haven counties and the greater Hartford area.  Hot dry summers may lead to highly concentrated areas of virus activity in urban centers.  Wet summers with increased mosquito abundance may result in more widespread activity statewide.

     Station studies have shown Culex pipiens to be the most important vector of West Nile virus in Connecticut.  These studies also revealed that far greater numbers of this mosquito, including infected ones, are captured in tree canopies than near the ground.  These discoveries are important in (1) helping us understand the epidemiology of West Nile virus, (2) improving our ability to detect the virus in communities by placing traps in trees, and (3) improving mosquito control by demonstrating that sprays also need to be directed into tree canopies.

     A Station scientist determined that cutting the vine above the soil and directly treating the cut with glyphosate or triclopyr herbicides could effectively control the widespread and damaging invasive weed known as Asiatic bittersweet.

     Hemlock woolly adelgid is a serious invasive pest from Asia, which is threatening native hemlocks from Maine to Georgia.  Station scientists have documented that severe extended winters or abnormal fluctuations in winter temperatures may kill relatively high numbers of adelgids, which results in subsequent hemlock recovery.  The past two winters have resulted in 80-90 percent winter mortality of the adelgid.  Regional winter mortality estimates throughout the state have helped homeowners to economize in their decisions to treat for adelgid infestations.

     A Station scientist has demonstrated that the insecticide Merit (imidacloprid) is highly effective in controlling hemlock woolly adelgid in ornamental plantings and managed forest plots.  He has determined that a soil drench application is both less expensive and more effective than trunk injection.  Control resulting from a single application has lasted for more than a year.

     Tobacco blue mold has resulted in tens of millions of dollars in losses in shade tobacco over the last six-seven years. A Station scientist identified genetic plant resistance and incorporated resistance genes into Connecticut cigar wrapper types of tobacco plants.  Advanced lines are being field tested by growers this summer.  The use of resistant cultivars will reduce both losses due to disease and the need to apply preventative fungicides for blue mold control.

     The New Crops Program at the Station was expanded to evaluate several cultivars of Japanese plum and pawpaws with plantings now coming into production.  Connecticut growers need alternative fruits to diversify their retail businesses.

     Layering and then plowing leaves under the fields by farmers, called sheet composting, provides municipalities a way to dispose of leaf collections.  Experiments at the Station indicate that vegetable production is not adversely affected by this use of uncomposted leaf material.

 

Information Reported as Required by State Statute

     The Experiment Station performed chemical, seed, soil, fertilizer, pesticide, animal feed, and tick tests; answered inquiries, conducted plant, nursery, and bee inspections and surveyed for the gypsy moth as listed below.

 

Service or Test Number                                                                                                         2003 - 2004

                Inquiries answered (all departments)                                                                             25,802

                Field visits and diagnostic tests                                                                                           364

 

Soil Tests Completed

                New Haven and Windsor                                                                                                   9,809

 

Samples Tested

                Department of Agriculture                                                                                                    270

                Department of Consumer Protection                                                                                   521

                Department of Environmental Protection                                                                            148

                Department of Revenue Services                                                                                         519

                Station Departments, Municipal Health Departments                                                      100

                Seed Samples Tested (vegetable, lawn, field crop)                                                           369

                Plant Samples Tested (incl. test for CP)                                                                           3,650

 

Nursery and Seed Inspections

                Greenhouse plants                                                                                                               1,830

                Nursery stock containers and bare root                                                                        55,415

                Perennial plants                                                                                                               227,289

                Nurseries inspected                                                                                                                338

                Nursery inspections                                                                                                               934

                Tobacco (bales, boxes, bundles, and cartons)                                                                             71,340

                Homeowner plants moving out of state                                                                              555

                Seed (pounds)                                                                                                                             1

                Acres of nursery stock inspected                                                                                     7,488

 

Gypsy Moth Survey

                Forest acres surveyed for gypsy moth by air                                                     1.8 million

 

Bee Inspection

                Beekeepers registered                                                                                                            436

                Bee hives examined for mites and foulbrood                                                                      630

 

Tick Identification and Testing

                Ticks identified                                                                                                                     5,208

                Ticks tested for spirochetes                                                                                               4,679

                Ticks infected with spirochetes                                                                                         1,716

 

Mosquito Testing

Mosquitoes trapped, identified, and tested for EEE and West Nile virus                            255,334

Number of trapping sites                                                                                                                         91

 

     The Experiment Station reaffirms its continuing policy of commitment to affirmative action and equal opportunity employment as immediate and necessary objectives and relies solely on merit and accomplishment in all aspects of the employment process and research programs.  Two minority Postdoctoral Research Scientists and five minority summer research assistants were hired.  One other female was hired for Service/Maintenance in New Haven.  Minority college students with a strong interest in science are hired and trained as research assistants.  In collaboration with the Sound School in New Haven, grant funding was received from the USDA which permitted the employment and training of high school students in agricultural sciences.  The Experiment Station continues to comply with diversity training requirements.  The Agency’s goals in awarding contracts to small businesses and minority business enterprises were met and exceeded.  The Experiment Station’s affirmative action plan was filed on schedule and was approved by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.