Ability to predict tractor fuel consumption is very useful for budgeting and management. The objective of this factsheet is to develop relationships using field measurements and Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory results to estimate tractor fuel consumption. Using these equations, farmers can estimate and compare the fuel consumption for different operating and loading conditions.

“Gear-up and throttle-down” (GUTD) is a fuel-saving practice that can be used for saving fuel when drawbar loads are lighter (<75 percent of rated power) and PTO (power takeoff) speed can be reduced.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s impact on Virginia, farmers and livestock producers must navigate the financial challenges of flood recovery, including tax implications. Disaster-related expenses, property losses, and relief programs can affect tax filings, with potential deductions and credits available to offset recovery costs. Understanding the tax treatment of damaged assets, federal disaster assistance, and potential deferrals on income from livestock sales is crucial for financial stability. This presentation provides an overview of key tax considerations after flooding, helping producers make informed decisions to maximize relief benefits and maintain long-term economic resilience.

Creating and maintaining community and school gardens has been identified as an effective strategy to increase healthy food awareness and consumption. Unfortunately, fresh fruits and vegetables have been linked to hundreds of outbreaks of foodborne illness in the U.S. since 1990. This document outlines the recommended agricultural practices for food safety in gardens.

Container-grown plants are constrained with regard to root growth, and are affected by factors including container size, substrate, weather, nutrition, and irrigation. Typical soilless substrates will hold less plant-available water than a typical field soil, making water management a critical component of any container-grown plant production system. A well-designed and managed irrigation system, which works in concert with the aforementioned factors, can provide the necessary quantity of water to support plant growth in an efficient manner.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are chemicals that are designed to affect plant growth and/or development (figure 1). They are applied for specific purposes to elicit specific plant responses. Although there is much scientific information on using PGRs in the greenhouse, it is not an exact science. Achieving the best results with PGRs is a combination of art and science — science tempered with a lot of trial and error and a good understanding of plant growth and development. good understanding of plant growth and development.

In 2023, PVQE included 34 genotypes: 5 commercial varieties, including ‘Bailey II’,’ Emery’, ‘NC 20’, ‘Sullivan’ and ‘Walton’; and 25 advanced breeding lines developed by the North Carolina State University peanut breeding program and 4 advanced breeding lines developed by the University of Florida (Table 1). All breeding lines have the ‘high oleic acid’ characteristic. Cultivars and lines were planted from May 9 through June 15 at four locations: Tidewater AREC in Suffolk, VA, Slade Farm near Williamston, Martin Co., NC, the Upper Coastal Plain Research Station (UCPRS) near Rocky Mount, NC, and the Edisto Research and Education Center (EREC) in Blackville, SC.