Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
Encyclopedia
Texas AgriLife Research is the agricultural and life sciences research agency of Texas
and a part of the Texas A&M University System
. Formerly named Texas Agricultural Research Service, the agency's name was changed January 1, 2008 as part of a rebranding of Texas A&M AgriLife
(formerly Texas A&M Agriculture).
The agricultural experiment station
division is headquartered at Texas A&M's flagship campus in College Station
, Texas
. Texas AgriLife Research serves all 254 Texas counties and operates 15 research centers throughout the state.
Texas AgriLife Research specialists in beef cattle have produced the world's largest set of gene-mapping resources for beef cattle and have cloned what is believed to be the first animal—a calf—specifically cloned for disease resistance.
, which provided funding for agricultural experiment stations in each state. This led to the founding of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in 1887 at Texas A.M.C. This new organization was given the task of conducting research in all aspects of crop
and livestock
operations.
In 1948, Texas A&M formed the Texas A&M University System
, incorporating Texas AgriLife Research and six related agencies which are still part of the system today. In 2007, Dr. Elsa Murano
, who was overseeing Texas A&M Agriculture as a whole, hired a consulting firm to evaluate the name of Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, as well as other Texas A&M Agriculture organizations. On January 1, 2008, Experiment Stations's name was changed to Texas AgriLife Research. Murano felt that "AgriLife" better reflected the agency's foundational message that "agriculture is life", while Research better reflected what the organization did.
, a bovine disease spread by tick
s that threatened the state's cattle industry. In the 1920s, it conducted the first known studies on the crossbreeding of cattle, which went on to become a national practice still in use by the cattle industry. In 1931, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station developed the first mechanical cotton stripper, a machine that would become widely adopted by cotton farmers within a decade. The organization is a world leader in sorghum
research, having begun with its developing the first known sorghum
hybrid in 1955. In the 50s it also again came to the aid of the cattle industry by developing techniques for destroying screwworms which were plaguing cattle in Texas and Central America.
It also developed the 1015Y onion
, opening the way for Texas to become the leading producer of fresh market onions in America. It helped produce a mild jalapeño
pepper, increasing the sales of salsa
, and BetaSweet carrots which having higher levels of beta carotene. Its animal researchers helped produced gene mapping
resources for cattle, and lead to the cloning of the first calf
.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and a part of the Texas A&M University System
Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the United States. Through a statewide network of eleven universities, eight state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the Texas A&M System educates over 100,000 students, conducts more than $600...
. Formerly named Texas Agricultural Research Service, the agency's name was changed January 1, 2008 as part of a rebranding of Texas A&M AgriLife
Texas A&M AgriLife
Texas A&M AgriLife is the collective name of five related agencies within the Texas A&M University System:* Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences* Texas AgriLife Research* Texas AgriLife Extension Service* Texas Forest Service...
(formerly Texas A&M Agriculture).
The agricultural experiment station
Agricultural experiment station
An agricultural experiment station is a research center that conducts scientific investigations to solve problems and suggest improvements in the food and agriculture industry...
division is headquartered at Texas A&M's flagship campus in College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Texas AgriLife Research serves all 254 Texas counties and operates 15 research centers throughout the state.
Texas AgriLife Research specialists in beef cattle have produced the world's largest set of gene-mapping resources for beef cattle and have cloned what is believed to be the first animal—a calf—specifically cloned for disease resistance.
History
The history of Texas AgriLife Research began with the founding of Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (referred to as Texas A.M.C. for short) in 1871, the state's first public institute of higher education. Initially, the university did not offer any agricultural classes, leading to protests by farmer groups and much of college's leadership being replaced. Despite the new curriculum in agriculture and engineering, the college's enrollment continued to drop. The land-grant colleges around the country were struggling. With the ample land available in the West, most farmers had little incentive to adopt intensive farming methods and other advanced agricultural technologies. As with Texas A.M.C., the agricultural colleges were being criticized for not actually giving their students the training that would enable them to return to their family farms, and instead the graduates were leaving the farm life all together. For most observers, however, the biggest issue was that there was no solid agricultural research on which to base the practical teaching being attempted, so the fill this need Congress passed the Hatch Experiment Station Act of 1887Hatch Act of 1887
The Hatch Act of 1887 gave federal funds, initially of $15,000 each, to state land-grant colleges in order to create a series of agricultural experiment stations, as well as pass along new information, especially in the areas of soil minerals and plant growth...
, which provided funding for agricultural experiment stations in each state. This led to the founding of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in 1887 at Texas A.M.C. This new organization was given the task of conducting research in all aspects of crop
Crop
Crop may refer to:* Crop, a plant grown and harvested for agricultural use* Crop , part of the alimentary tract of some animals* Crop , a modified whip used in horseback riding or disciplining humans...
and livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
operations.
In 1948, Texas A&M formed the Texas A&M University System
Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the United States. Through a statewide network of eleven universities, eight state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the Texas A&M System educates over 100,000 students, conducts more than $600...
, incorporating Texas AgriLife Research and six related agencies which are still part of the system today. In 2007, Dr. Elsa Murano
Elsa Murano
Elsa Alina Murano was the 23rd President of Texas A&M University. On June 14, 2009, Murano resigned as president of the university, effective June 15, 2009....
, who was overseeing Texas A&M Agriculture as a whole, hired a consulting firm to evaluate the name of Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, as well as other Texas A&M Agriculture organizations. On January 1, 2008, Experiment Stations's name was changed to Texas AgriLife Research. Murano felt that "AgriLife" better reflected the agency's foundational message that "agriculture is life", while Research better reflected what the organization did.
Research highlights
Through its research, the organization helped eradicate Texas feverBabesia
Babesia is a protozoan parasite of the blood that causes a hemolytic disease known as Babesiosis. There are over 100 species of Babesia identified; however only a handful have been documented as pathogenic in humans....
, a bovine disease spread by tick
Tick
Ticks are small arachnids in the order Ixodida, along with mites, constitute the subclass Acarina. Ticks are ectoparasites , living by hematophagy on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians...
s that threatened the state's cattle industry. In the 1920s, it conducted the first known studies on the crossbreeding of cattle, which went on to become a national practice still in use by the cattle industry. In 1931, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station developed the first mechanical cotton stripper, a machine that would become widely adopted by cotton farmers within a decade. The organization is a world leader in sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
research, having begun with its developing the first known sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
hybrid in 1955. In the 50s it also again came to the aid of the cattle industry by developing techniques for destroying screwworms which were plaguing cattle in Texas and Central America.
It also developed the 1015Y onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
, opening the way for Texas to become the leading producer of fresh market onions in America. It helped produce a mild jalapeño
Jalapeño
The jalapeño is a medium-sized chili pepper that has a warm, burning sensation when eaten. A mature jalapeño fruit is 2–3½ inches long and is commonly picked and consumed while still green, but occasionally it is allowed to fully ripen and turn crimson red...
pepper, increasing the sales of salsa
Salsa (sauce)
Salsa may refer to any type of sauce. In American English, it usually refers to the spicy, often tomato based, hot sauces typical of Mexican and Central American cuisine, particularly those used as dips. In British English, the word typically refers to salsa cruda, which is common in Mexican ,...
, and BetaSweet carrots which having higher levels of beta carotene. Its animal researchers helped produced gene mapping
Gene mapping
Gene mapping, also called genome mapping, is the creation of a genetic map assigning DNA fragments to chromosomes.When a genome is first investigated, this map is nonexistent. The map improves with the scientific progress and is perfect when the genomic DNA sequencing of the species has been...
resources for cattle, and lead to the cloning of the first calf
Calf
Calves are the young of domestic cattle. Calves are reared to become adult cattle, or are slaughtered for their meat, called veal.-Terminology:...
.
Center Locations
- Amarillo
- Beaumont
- Corpus Christi
- Dallas
- El Paso
- Fort Stockton
- Lubbock
- Overton
- Pecos
- San Angelo
- Stephenville
- Temple
- Uvalde
- Vernon
- Weslaco