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MAES Scientists Bring Living Roof to Campus

At the end of May, Clayton Rugh, MAES crop and soil sciences researcher, and Brad Rowe, MAES horticultural researcher, helped MSU go greener – they oversaw the installation of a vegetative green roof on a portion of the Plant and Soil Sciences Building.

It’s much like the green roof that Rugh and Rowe helped design for the Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge Complex in 2000. On a specially developed base, they laid 200-pound rolls of sedum that will grow into a living, flowering carpet. At 10.6 acres, the Ford green roof is one of the country’s largest and is being closely monitored by the researchers.

Such a roof requires less maintenance than shingles or asphalt sealant and it doesn’t need to be mowed or weeded.

The green portion of the MSU roof will be about 3,500 square feet; the rest was left covered with conventional materials for research purposes.

“The green roof is an ecologically beneficial technology,” Rugh explained.

The cutting-edge technology offers urban areas an attractive way to:

• Reduce airborne pollution.
• Reduce storm water runoff, a major problem in dense urban areas, by more than 60 percent.
• Moderate temperatures for both the building that sports the roof and those around it, reducing the so-called urban heat island effect.
• Reduce noise.
• Increase roof durability and longevity.

"Green roofs look great, but if this were just purely aesthetic, it wouldn’t fly," Rugh said. “These additional benefits of green roofs will recoup their cost and pay for them.”

The new roof planting at MSU – on the southern two-story section of the building over the horticulture preparation area and Sparty’s Flowers floral shop – will be an effective on-campus lab, visible from the main building.

The living roof system is composed of a 2-inch layered base that drains water, holds roots and nourishes the sedum without conventional soil. The system doesn’t wash away or create dust and is comparatively lightweight.

The plants do the rest. Rowe said the mixed varieties of sedum endure extreme heat and cold and can survive more than 88 days without watering. Sedum’s hardiness and ability to grow in the minimalist root system makes it triumph over weeds.

Green roofs are a concept embraced for years in Germany, where some 12 percent of flat roofs are green. Xero Flor America, L.L.C., the company that donated a portion of the supplies for the MSU project, is a Lansing-based green roof provider founded by the German developer of the Ford system.

Rugh said that the green roof concept is still new in the United States. Existing American flat roofs must be modified to convert to green, and green roofs are initially more expensive, but over time, energy savings, storm water runoff reduction and other benefits make them cost effective.

The MSU Office of the Vice President of Operations is funding the project. Terry Link, director of the MSU Office of Campus Sustainability, said that studies here can help determine if these approaches can save money, as well as make more aesthetically pleasing vistas for people looking down from above.

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Clarksville Horticultural Experiment Station Hosts Organic Apple Field Day

Research on organic apple orchard establishment and management will be featured at the MSU Organic Apple Field Day from 1 to 4 p.m. June 17 at the Clarksville Horticultural Experiment Station in Clarksville.

A 5-acre certified organic apple orchard of 2,500 trees was established five years ago at the field research station. It includes three apple cultivars with different susceptibility to disease.

The field day will feature presentations and discussion on three of the major areas being studied at the orchard:

• Building soil quality, fertility and biological diversity is essential in organic production systems. Alfalfa hay mulch, compost and clover are primary orchard nutrient sources. Routine soil sampling has documented changes in nutrient availability and in quantities of soil bacteria and fungi as the length of time in organic management increases.
• Research on orchard floor and tree management in the organic orchard has results applicable to all orchards. Comparing three rootstocks and three vegetation management systems (mulch, flaming, Swiss sandwich) shows differences in tree growth and fertility.
• Disease and insect management concerns in the orchard have focused on apple scab, fire blight, codling moth and plum curculio. Management strategies including trapping, attractants, organic approved sprays and plant diversity are being tested in the orchard.

Other aspects of organic apple production -- including orchard management education, certification, marketing and economics -- also will be discussed at the field day.

Participants should arrive at the station by 1 p.m. All field day participants will receive a printed copy of research results. The field day is free, but participants must register by June 14.

To register, call Sandy Allen at 517-355-5191, ext. 339, or e-mail her at allens@msu.edu.

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Field Demonstrations, Commercial and Educational Exhibits Highlight 25th Ag Expo

On-site demonstrations featuring new technologies, farm equipment and management strategies, and hundreds of commercial and educational exhibits are among the featured attractions at the 25th annual Ag Expo, July 20-22 at Michigan State University.

This year’s event also includes field demonstrations focused on deep tillage and hay production. Producers will also have the opportunity to earn restricted-use pesticide applicator credits.

To make Ag Expo more accessible to more visitors, the show hours on July 21 (Wednesday) have been extended from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“Ag Expo provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase both commercial agriculture and outstanding educational programs from across the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources,” said Kirk Heinze, Ag Expo director. “This 25th anniversary year, especially, we’ll have the opportunity to celebrate Expo’s proud past while looking ahead to the exciting future of the college, the university and Michigan’s agricultural industry.”

Ag Expo visitors will also have the opportunity to take a shuttle bus to Dairy Days at the MSU pavilion each day and the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation’s home lawn care field day on July 22.

Dairy Days features a dairy breed show and youth activities; the field day will offer homeowners tips for establishing lawns and controlling pests such as grubs and moles.

On the main Ag Expo site, visitors can meet MSU educators from agronomists and agricultural engineers to foresters, veterinarians and animal scientists. They will be on hand to discuss their work and share information on various aspects of farm business management and production, new Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station research and MSU Extension programs.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 20, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 21 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 22. All Ag Expo events and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free.

For more information, call 1-800-366-7055 or visit www.agexpo.msu.edu.

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Emerald Ash Borer Web Site Introduced

To provide Michigan residents with the most up-to-date information on the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation and control methods, the EAB task force has created a Web site at http://emeraldashborer.info/.

The site is a collaborative effort of the USDA Forest Service, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to provide comprehensive, accurate and timely information on the emerald ash borer to the site's visitors. Support from the USDA Forest Service and the MDA enabled creation of the site, which is administered through MSU.

MAES forest entomology scientist Deb McCullough and MAES entomology scientist Dave Smitley both serve on the EAB task force and are conducting research on controlling the pest.

The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic wood-boring beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. Since its discovery, it has:

• Killed more than 6 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan.
• Forced a quarantine in 13 counties that prohibits movement of ash trees and ash materials.
• Spread to outlying areas in the state by way of ash products (firewood, tree nursery stock) being transported unknowingly.

A concerted effort to stop EAB in Michigan has been launched by state and federal officials.

• Research is being conducted to understand the beetle's life cycle and find ways to stop the beetle from spreading.
• The latest information on insecticide evaluations can help homeowners, arborists and landscapers decide if and how they can treat trees for EAB.
• Eradication efforts by the Michigan Department of Agriculture are now in place to stop the beetle's spread.

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MAES Scientists Part of Team Receiving Homeland Security Grant

A diverse group of MSU researchers, including several MAES scientists, from areas such as food safety, packaging and supply chain management will use a federal grant to help develop ways to protect the nation’s food supply from accidental or deliberate contamination or terrorist attack.

MSU is sharing a three-year, $15 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for improving agrosecurity. MSU is expected to receive about $1 million for each of three years.

Leading the effort is the University of Minnesota, which has been designated one of three Homeland Security Centers of Excellence. MSU is a major partner working with Minnesota.

“MSU is in a unique position, and we bring a lot to the table,” said Edward Mather, deputy director of the MSU-based National Food Safety and Toxicology Center. “Not only do we have strong programs in food safety but we have nationally renowned expertise in fields such as supply chain management, diagnostics, packaging and criminal justice.”

Key to the application of new technologies is the use of supply chain management principles developed by a group led by David Closs, a professor in MSU’s Department of Supply Chain Management.

“The supply chain management research will help identify those areas most vulnerable and in need of diagnostic application and mitigation, a best practice guide from farm to fork,” Closs said. Assisting Closs will be Edmund McGarrell, director of the MSU School of Criminal Justice; Cheri Speier, associate professor of accounting and information systems; and Daniel Lynch, assistant professor of marketing and supply chain management.

Wilson Rumbeiha, associate professor of pathology and diagnostic investigation, and Evangelyn Alocilja, MAES biosystems engineering scientist, are leading a team that is developing biosensors, devices that could be on the frontline of the fight against agroterrorism.

“The idea is to have devices that can be used on site that provide rapid detection of select agents,” Rumbeiha said. “These can range from anything from botulism to anthrax.”

Robert Clarke, MAES packaging researcher, is working on radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Similar to UPC codes, these tags are an electronic information-gathering method.

“RFID tags can be used to track packages as they move through the supply chain,” Clarke said. “RFID also allows tracing packages backwards for recalls or routing information. Also, it can add a level of supply-chain security through packaging to reduce theft, tampering, misplacement of goods or mis-shipping.”

Other MSU professors involved in the packaging project include Susan Selke, acting director of the MSU School of Packaging; Diana Twede, associate professor of packaging; and Bruce Harte, professor of packaging.

“In addition to research, the DHS is keenly interested in education and outreach,” Mather said. “These are additional areas where MSU will contribute through its online and resident graduate programs as well as its extension and executive training programs.”

The University Center for Post-Harvest Food Protection and Defense at the University of Minnesota will address agrosecurity issues related to postharvest food protection. The other Homeland Security Centers of Excellence are focused on foreign animal defense and risk analysis.

For more information on the Department of Homeland Security grants, visit the Web at www.dhs.gov/.

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Project to Promote "Smart Growth"

Michigan State University’s Travel, Tourism and Recreation Resource Center is teaming with Planning and Zoning Center, Inc., of Lansing, to investigate how land development professionals can increase the implementation of what’s known as “smart growth” principles in Michigan.

Research suggests that the urbanization of land in Michigan is occurring rapidly and that land is being consumed about eight times faster than the population is growing. “Smart growth” encourages a more sustainable approach to land use planning and development through the implementation of various principles that attempt to protect critical resources while allowing necessary growth.

According to the Michigan Land Use Leadership Council’s 2003 report, “Michigan’s Land, Michigan’s Future,” key principles for Michigan include development that includes walkable neighborhoods and mixed land uses; directing development toward existing communities while preserving open space, farmland, natural beauty and critical environmental areas; fostering distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place; making development decisions predictable, cost-effective and fair; encouraging community and stakeholder cooperation; providing a variety of transportation choices; and, creating a range of housing opportunities and choices.

The project involves surveying representatives of six land development professions – civil engineering, surveying, architecture, landscape architecture, planning and law – to document perceived impediments to implementing smart growth principles and to identify ways to overcome these impediments.

Preliminary research finds that development professionals perceive a number of key barriers to increased implementation of smart growth techniques. These include existing zoning practices and professional training that encourage the separation of compatible as well as incompatible land uses; individual jurisdiction planning that ignores regional issues; development so dependent on the automobile that it is difficult to design attractive, walkable communities; and local officials unwilling to deal with development trends that are changing the character of their communities and driving up the cost of providing services.

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MSU and MDEQ Form Environmental Research Partnership

MSU and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) have formed an environmental research partnership to address Michigan's critical environmental issues. The two organizations signed an agreement in April forming the Partnership for Environmental Excellence and Research (PEER).

The partnership will provide a framework for developing an environmental research agenda for Michigan that protects the health and integrity of the state's ecosystems. The MDEQ will identify important and emerging environmental issues that may be effectively addressed by MSU expertise in environmental and geospatial systems research. The immense research capacity of MSU can then be applied to state agency needs.

"MSU can be a tremendous partner to our department and its environmental work," said Steven Chester, MDEQ director. "We hope to improve our access to scientific information to enhance our capacity for a sound scientific basis for decision making. The partnership is another opportunity for us to stretch our resources."

The partnership will facilitate state agency access to MSU environmental research, data and analysis. Broad public distribution of research data and analysis will also enhance public understanding of research in the environmental sciences and its application to environmental policy-making.

“This partnership is important to the university's environmental research agenda,” said Tom Dietz, MAES-affiliated scientist and director of the MSU Environmental Science and Policy Program. “The partnership also provides a vital connection for strategic communication of important environmental research data to MDEQ staff members, policy-makers, legislators and citizens, as well as opportunities for feedback from the users of our research data and information.”

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First 2004 West Nile Case Found in Saginaw County Bird

Michigan saw a sharp drop in human cases of West Nile virus last year. Now, with the season's first bird death from the disease, experts say there is no way to tell how bad this year's human outbreak will be.

In mid-May, health officials confirmed a case of the mosquito-borne virus in a dead crow found in Saginaw County's Tittabawassee Township.

“Because we cannot predict the impact it [West Nile virus] will have on Michigan this year, it is crucial that we continue our efforts with virus surveillance, mosquito control activities and public education,” said state Department of Community Health director, Janet Olszewski, in a news release.

Birds are the main carriers of the disease, with mosquitos spreading the virus from crows, blue jays and ravens to humans and other mammals.

Human cases of West Nile peaked in 2002 in Michigan, when there were 644 reported infections and 51 deaths.

Cases plunged last year, with 19 reported infections and two deaths.

“We don't really understand why we didn't have more cases last year,” said MAES entomologist Rich Merritt, who also is chairperson of the Department of Entomology.

People might assume that wet weather would increase the risk of the disease and dry conditions would reduce risk. They would be wrong, Merritt said. Hot, dry weather can contribute to the disease because the types of mosquitoes that commonly carry the virus thrive in stagnant water in sewer drains, he said.

Early spring is usually when West Nile and other mosquito-borne diseases appear in Michigan.

“Preventing exposure to mosquitos in the months ahead will be important,” said Matthew Boulton, the state health department's chief medical executive. “Since West Nile virus is spread to humans and horses almost exclusively through the bite of an infected mosquito, people need to take measures that reduce the chance of receiving mosquito bites.”

Authorities encourage people to avoid the outdoors in the morning and evening, when mosquitoes are active, and to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.

Regular draining of standing water in bird baths, pet dishes and horse troughs discourages mosquito breeding. Use of insect repellents containing DEET reduces exposure to the disease as well.

For most people, a West Nile infection is usually not a problem, officials say. However, those older than 55 and those with weakened immune systems should take extra precautions to avoid mosquitoes.

Most mosquito bites do not lead to West Nile infections. And even if a mosquito is carrying the virus, most of the people it bites will not show symptoms of the disease.

About 30 percent of infected people report flu-like symptoms such as fever, weakness, headache and stiffness. Only about one in 150 infected people becomes seriously ill with the central nervous system infections encephalitis or meningitis.