Mistletoe - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Hanging mistletoe over the doorway is a tradition associated with Christmas around the world. Well, this hemi-parasitic plant dates back much farther than Christianity and Christmas. Photo by Stephanie Berghaeuser.







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Poinsettia - The Myth That Will Not Die

The poinsettia, a native of Mexico, is a much-maligned plant.  Every holiday there are those who will warn that the poinsettia is highly toxic.  It's a reputation that isn't deserved, and one that this colorful, Christmas plant can't shake. Photo by D. Pfleiderer





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Holiday Weight Gain is Slight, But May Last a Lifetime

The feasting season is full of calorie rich goodies like eggnog, cakes, cookies, pies and candy.  With all these delicious tidbits within reach it's easy to believe that we add a lot of pounds during the winter holidays.  Well, there's good news, and there's bad news. Photo by Mike Lorenzo

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Use It or Lose It - Strength Training Vital for Healthy Aging

It's said that aging is not for the faint of heart. It's also not great for couch potatoes. To avoid becoming weak and frail as you age, you need to break out the weights and put your muscles to work. Photo by: Roger Meissen









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MU Food Scientists Develop Faster, More Accurate Test for Salmonella

In early November, there was a recall of 290,000 eggs from an Ohio facility because of Salmonella contamination. Food producers and suppliers willingly perform recalls, but a recall is a business nightmare because it damages a company's reputation and causes serious fiscal injury.  For this reason, a quick and accurate test for Salmonella is vital.  Now, a University of Missouri researcher has created a Salmonella test that is both fast and precise.

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Learning How Plants Protect Themselves from Disease

Just like weapons escalation between warring nations, plants and disease organisms are in a continuous battle. The winner thrives, the loser struggles. Plants have an innate immune system that responds to disease by creating resistance proteins. You can think of them as little soldiers that march in to prevent disease from causing damage. Sometimes, however, a plant's immune system can overreact.  Thanks to a University of Missouri researcher, we are one step closer to understanding how plants regulate their immune system.
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Strong Farm Prices are Translating into Increased Farm Equipment Sales

While the U.S. economy continues to struggle there is one bright spot, farm commodity prices are booming. This, in turn, means a jump in farm equipment sales. Just like any good CEO, farmers are taking record profits and re-investing in their business. Photo by Igor Spanholi






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