Digital Commons Network^™

Perennializing Marginal Croplands: Going Back To The Future To Mitigate Climate Change With Resilient Biobased Feedstocks, Salvador Ramirez Ii, Marty R. Schmer, Virginia L. Jin, Robert B. Mitchell, Catherine E. Stewart, Jay Parsons, Daren D. Redfearn, John J. Quinn, Gary E. Varvel, Kenneth P. Vogel, Ronald F. Follett

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Managing annual row crops on marginally productive croplands can be environmentally unsustainable and result in variable economic returns. Incorporating perennial bioenergy feedstocks into marginally productive cropland can engender ecosystem services and enhance climate resiliency while also diversifying farm incomes. We use one of the oldest bioenergy-specific field experiments in North America to evaluate economically and environmentally sustainable management practices for growing perennial grasses on marginal cropland. This long-term field trial called 9804 was established in 1998 in eastern Nebraska and compared the productivity and sustainability of corn (Zea mays L.)—both corn grain and corn stover—and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum …

Reducing Scope 3 Emissions By Investing In Regenerative Agriculture In Supply Chains, Stephanie Cain

Master's Theses

The agricultural industry has an opportunity to shift to a more sustainable practice that helps restore vital topsoil, improve water quality, reduce environmental impact, and sequester atmospheric carbon into the vast soil carbon pool. However, to implement these practices at considerable scale, agricultural producers require access to resources and capital they rarely have and can be difficult to acquire. As a company, investing in regenerative agriculture in supply chains can lead to reduced Scope 3 emissions, more resilient supply chains, and better marketability as an investment fund, an employer, and a brand. Insetting regenerative agriculture can protect supply chains against …

Morphological And Physiological Responses Of A Halophyte (Atriplex Halimus) To The Effect Of Heavy Metal Case Of Cadmium, Abderrezzeq Chebout, Hana Souahi, Zahia Kadi, Rania Gacem

Journal of Bioresource Management

Today, cadmium (Cd) contamination challenges the environmental quality and food security. This experiment was realized to study the morphological and physiological response of the halophyte species Atriplex halimus L to cadmium toxicity by applying different concentrations of Cd (0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000 ppm) on the plant A.halimus for two weeks after 60 days of seeding. The morphological parameters and physiological wish evaluated the stem length (SL), root length (RL), leaf area (LA), chlorophylls (a, b, t and carotenoids), and the relative water content (RWC). The results show a decrease in stem elongation, (11.333 ± 3.512 cm in Cd treatments …

Effects Of The Inclusion Of Rice Hull Derived Bio-Oil On Wood Pellet Production, Tyler E. Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

Wood pellet production has become an advancing industry for the sake of reducing greenhouse emissions into the atmosphere especially, in European Union countries. Researchers and industry executives seek new methods and materials to improve the pelletization process. Rice hulls or husks has the potential to aid in wood pelletization as they possess high calorific values. This study focuses on using rice hull derived bio-oil from pyrolysis, which will also decrease ash content, as an additive to aid in the wood pelletization process. Using two groups of rice hull derived bio-oil as an additive in wood pelletization: Group 1 uses heavy …

Economic Feasibility Of Sub-Surfaced Poultry Litter, James Timothy Stults

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Livestock producers routinely spread fertilizer or broadcast poultry litter to improve forage production. With poultry litter widely available across the Southeastern United States and a cheaper source of plant nutrition than fertilizer when proximal to application sites, the novel application of litter below the soil surface, while costly, allows for greater nutrient retention than broadcasting. Since quantifying costs and benefits of sub-surface litter application (SSLA) is complex, we develop and present a spreadsheet tool for automated comparison between SSLA, fertilizer, and broadcasted litter for user-specific scenarios involving equipment choices (new, used, custom), desired nutrient needs for crops grown, litter nutrient …

Developing Metrics For Novel Value-Added Products: The Case Of Hemp In Vermont, Jane M. Kolodinsky, Heather M. Darby, Steven Kostell, Tyler Mark, Eric D. Roy, Eric Bishop Von Wettberg, Hannah Lacasse, Giovanna Sassi, Weiwei Wang

USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Center

Vermont Farm to Plate 2020 identifies hemp as one of ten emergent agricultural products critical for Vermont’s future and has made recommendations for investments in hemp research, education, feasibility, and innovation programs. These investments are essential to develop niche food, feed, fiber, and industrial products, professionals, and markets that go “beyond CBD” (VFP, 2020).

This project develops indicators for an important, value added budding crop in Vermont: hemp. For the purposes of this white paper, indicators are “a way to measure, indicate or point to with more or less exactness,” or “something used to show the condition of a system” …

Effect Of Foliar Spray Application Of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles On Quantitative, Nutritional, And Physiological Parameters Of Foxtail Millet (Setaria Italica L.) Under Field Conditions, Marek Kolenčík, Dávid Ernst, Matej Komár, Martin Šebesta, Martin Urík, Edmund Dobročka, Ivan Černý, Ramakanth Illa, Raghavendra Kanike, Qian Yu, Huan Feng, Denisa Orlová, Gabriela Kratošová

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

It has been shown that the foliar application of inorganic nano-materials on cereal plants during their growth cycle enhances the rate of plant productivity by providing a micro-nutrient source. We therefore studied the effects of foliarly applied ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Setaria italica L. foxtail millet’s quantitative, nutritional, and physiological parameters. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the ZnO NPs have an average particle size under 20 nm and dominant spherically shaped morphology. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry then confirmed ZnO NP homogeneity, and X-ray diffraction verified their high crystalline and wurtzite-structure symmetry. Although plant height, thousand grain weight, and grain …

Implementación Del Cultivo De Ñame (Dioscorea Alata) Como Alternativa Socioeconómica Y Productiva En El Municipio Del Carmen De Bolívar, Departamento De Bolívar, Óscar David García Fernández

Ingeniería Agronómica

El municipio de El Carmen de Bolívar cumple con las condiciones climáticas requeridas por el cultivo de ñame, cuyo producto es apetecido o posee una alta demanda a nivel local y regional ya que hace parte de la alimentación básica de la mayoría de las familias de la región caribe. Este cultivo también hace parte fundamental de la economía del municipio ya que es uno de los más establecidos y que también por el crecimiento en las exportaciones hacia países como Estados Unidos, Alemania y Costa Rica (ICA, 2009). Las variedades más implementadas en la región y con mayor comercio …

Recycled Waste Increased Tomato Production Under Field Conditions, Lusekelo J. Nkuwi

Posters-at-the-Capitol

As more municipal sewage sludge (SS) treatment districts turn to composting as a means of sludge stabilization and because of the rapid growth in the poultry industry, significant chicken manure (CM) and municipal SS generation will become available in increasing quantities. A field trial area was established at the University of Kentucky South Farm. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. Mountain spring) seedlings of 52 days old was planted in 30’ × 144’ beds of freshly tilled soil at eight inch row spacing on June, 2016. The entire study area contained 30 plots ( 3 replicates × 10 treatments). Each bed …

Growing South Dakota (Winter 2015), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

This issue includes the 2014 SDSU Agricultural Experiment Station Annual Report.

[Page] 2 AES Director’s Message
[Page] 3 Better Beans: Innovative Research Seeks To Increase Soybean’s Nitrogen-Fixing Ability
[Page] 6 Bioprocessing Adds Value: Researchers Turn Agricultural Residue Into Energy Storage Material
[Page] 8 Protecting Water Quality: Conservation Practices Minimize Erosion, Surface Runoff
[Page] 10 Balancing Ag & Wildlife: Cover Crop Food Plots Help Manage Deer Population
[Page] 11 Industry Insight: Beef Consumers Get Information From Websites, Social Media
[Page] 12 Evaluating Efficiency: Swine Nutritional Studies Underway; New Facility Will Allow For Expanded Research
[Page] 14 SDSU Hosts National Ag Leaders …

Field To Flight: A Techno-Economic Analysis Of Stover To Aviation Biofuels Supply Chain, Amanda C. Bittner

Open Access Theses

Greenhouse gas emissions have been a growing concern. The transportation sector contributes to one-third of GHG emissions in the United States from fossil fuel burning. The Renewable Fuel Standard set a requirement for 16 billion gallons (ethanol equivalent) of cellulosic biofuels to be used in the market. Aviation biofuels can help to meet both of these problems as well as improve U.S. energy security.

Investment in the biofuel industry carries a lot of risk. The biofuel industry is run by the private sector, but can be incentivized by government. Cellulosic biofuels carry even more risk than first generation biofuels, because …

Growing South Dakota (Summer 2014), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Extending Knowledge, Changing Lives: SDSU Extension Marks 100-Year Milestone
[Page] 5 Preparing for SDSU Extension’s Future
[Page] 5 SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences Administrative Team [Page] 6 Summer College News
[Page] 7 Profiles In Leadership: Joseph Cassady; Local Leadership Important For Ag’s Future
[Page] 8 Advancing Agriculture: SDSU Precision Ag Program Evolves, Expands [Page] 9 On The Front Line: ADRDL Leads Important Effort For Animal Health Diagnostics
[Page] 10 4-H Philanthropy: Supporters Continue Campaign For New 4-H Exhibit Hall [Page] 11 Growing Global Citizens: AgBio Courses Offer International Learning Opportunities
[Page] 12 Guidance For Gardeners: Several …

Spreading The Char: The Importance Of Local Compatibility In The Diffusion Of Biochar Systems To The Smallholder Agriculture Community Context, Laura C. V. Munoz

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis enters the context of smallholder agriculture communities in the developing world. It explores the potentials of biochar and what biochar systems could bring to the smallholder communities while simultaneously bringing environmental benefits. It then acknowledges the challenges of diffusion –the spreading of an unfamiliar innovation. It seeks to answer the question of what will make diffusion of biochar systems more successful in the smallholder context, fixating on the characteristic of compatibility as well as the role local community members can play in making a new biochar system more visible to the rest of the communities.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 15 2014, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Carbon Farming In Relation To Western Australian Agriculture, Robert Sudmeyer, Jackson Parker, Tanmoy Nath, Ananda Ghose

Bulletins 4000 -

Carbon farming activities need to return multiple economic and environmental co-benefits to be attractive to land managers. This bulletin summarises concepts underlying carbon farming, how Australia accounts for greenhouse gas emissions and the potential for Western Australian land managers to participate in, and benefit from, carbon farming.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 14 2013, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.