Kindergarteners visit PPCP

(May 4, 2016) Twenty-six kindergarten students from the LSU Lab School visited the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology to learn more about Louisiana agriculture on April 28.

 AgCenter “Plant Doctor” Raj Singh hosted the group, who he said knew a lot more about agriculture than he had anticipated.

 “They said they came to learn more about Louisiana agriculture and how different plant pathogens make crops sick,” Singh said.

 Singh was surprised at the amount of interest they showed in learning that plants can get sick too, and how plant pathologists help to keep them healthy.

 “They gained firsthand experience with rotten strawberries, sick tomatoes, diseased turfgrass and wood rotting fungi,” Singh said.

 “I was excited to learn how Louisiana farmers produce sugarcane, rice and cotton," said Jaanvi Singh.

 Hayes Kirpatrick said he didn’t realize that bugs could harm plants, while his classmate, Annadele Toups said she didn’t realize moths could grow so big.    

 "If there is more than one fungus then it's called a fungi," said Hudson Foy.

 Even at their young age, they were able to identify the damage that lightning can do to a tree, Singh said.

 "I can't believe that the tree by our school got struck by lightning,” Savannah Mitchell said. “It was near the new tree they planted to take its place." 

 The teachers who escorted the students were Kelly D. Kelly and Tabitha Dalgo. The student who attended included Kaya Arnaudov, Remy Babin, Denali Benton, Buck DeBliex, Hudson Foy, Lyla Gaudet, Macy Gendron, Olivia Howard, Hayes Kirkpatrick, Emma Kojis, Thomas Landry, Rachel Magee, Savannah Mitchell, Luke Moser, Emma Nevarez, Philippe Piachue, Hudson Rives, Riley Roedel, Stephen Saia, Thomas Sides, Jaanvi Singh, Theresa Singletary, Daniel Thompson, Annadele Toups, Rowan Willard and Beckett Wilson.