Science in Agriculture

Item #33181. "Apple Pest Controls Schools."

Researchers at NC State immediately following the war sought to continue wartime research and apply many of the same new scientific techniques to other crops. Agricultural research and extension emphasized agronomy, insect and plant pathology, and the development of new varieties and hybrid seeds. The university also began researching a more diverse array of crops than before the war, when efforts were primarily focused on cotton, tobacco, corn and wheat.

In the late 1940s, North Carolina State College began hosting several “schools” throughout the state that farmers could attend and hear the latest about agricultural research conducted by the university. For example, NC State held Apple Schools in Wilkesboro and Brushy Mountain, both in the North Carolina Mountains, and focused on the application of science to insect and disease control, as well as the development of new varieties best suited for North Carolina farms.[1] Peach School, located in the Sandhills, also focused on entomology and plant pathology.[2] For crops like apples and peaches, which can easily be damaged during harvesting, scientific research was particularly important since mechanization had less potential. Following the expanded concept of agriculture as “agribusiness,” a significant amount of research was also devoted to efficient processing and distribution of these crops.[3]

Scientific research was easier to extend to farmers in the postwar years because it was more affordable and did not require mechanized power. Farmers on farms of all shapes and sizes could apply the results of scientific research to their crops much more easily and affordably than they could mechanize.[4]Nevertheless, it became clear that in order to be competitive in the agriculture industry, mechanization as well as scientific advancements needed to be implemented.