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Plant Sciences

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Theses/Dissertations

Organic

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Compost And Cover Crop Effects In Dryland Organic Wheat, Michael D. Deakin May 2021

Compost And Cover Crop Effects In Dryland Organic Wheat, Michael D. Deakin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Producers of dryland organic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the western USA struggle to maintain adequate soil fertility due to the high cost of organic fertilizers and concerns over moisture use of cover crops. Low soil fertility results in decreased wheat yield and quality, and increased year-to-year variability in yield and quality based on weather. This study was conducted to measure the effects of, and interactions between, cover crop mixes and a one-time compost application on soil health and winter wheat yield and quality. The study was located on three adjacent certified organic wheat farms near Snowville, UT, each …


Soil Health, Phosphorus And Carbon Dynamics In Response To A One-Time Compost Application And Cover Crops In Organic Dryland Winter Wheat, Idowu Ademola Atoloye Dec 2020

Soil Health, Phosphorus And Carbon Dynamics In Response To A One-Time Compost Application And Cover Crops In Organic Dryland Winter Wheat, Idowu Ademola Atoloye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Organic dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) growers in the U.S. are faced with high interannual variability in yields. This is related to the low annual precipitation and low soil fertility on the cultivated soils. Improving soil health is the key to increasing and maintaining crop yields. In this study, we compared the effects of different rates (0, 12.5, 25 and 50 Mg DW ha-1 compost and 2 Mg ha manure-1) of large quantities of steer manure compost and the inclusion of cover crops versus fallow on soil health and on carbon and phosphorus dynamics in …


Untangling The Economic And Social Impediments To Producer Adoption Of Organic Wheat, Donya L. Ralph-Quarnstrom May 2019

Untangling The Economic And Social Impediments To Producer Adoption Of Organic Wheat, Donya L. Ralph-Quarnstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Consumer demand for organic products has shown double-digit growth in recent years encouraging the development of a wider range of goods (Greene, 2017). Americans with an annual household income under $30,000 actively purchase organic foods at nearly the same rate as households with over $75,000 in annual incomes, 42% versus 49% (Greene et al., 2017). Previous research observed the adoption of organic farming practices on a combination of different grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products from across the globe. However, this is the first study to examine the adoption of organic wheat in the Western U.S. By addressing …


Increasing The Sustainability Of Utah Farms By Incorporating Quinoa As A Novel Crop And Protecting Soil Health, Kristine R. Buckland May 2016

Increasing The Sustainability Of Utah Farms By Incorporating Quinoa As A Novel Crop And Protecting Soil Health, Kristine R. Buckland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Most of the western United States faces increasing water shortages in the coming years, that will present a major challenge for maintaining sustainable farms. Incorporating an alternative crop that is well adapted to projected changes in climate could be a successful approach to increasing the sustainability of farms in the region. Quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa Willd., may be an ideal alternative crop to meet the demands of the Intermountain West. Before widespread adoption of this novel crop can occur, best management strategies need to be documented. This paper provides research on cropping systems, irrigation rates, and weed competition with quinoa. Additionally, …


Determining Compost Carryover For Optimal Use In An Organic Corn Squash Rotation, Davey J.R. Olsen May 2012

Determining Compost Carryover For Optimal Use In An Organic Corn Squash Rotation, Davey J.R. Olsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In 2008–2011 a graduate project was undertaken by Davey Olsen under the supervision of Utah State University (USU) Plant, Soils and Climate professors, Drs. Jennifer Reeve, Dan Drost, and Astrid Jacobson. The project investigated a new way of measuring the benefits of applying compost to organically certified horticultural crops. In particular, the carryover of these benefits in the three years following a one-time application was studied. A field trial at the USU Organic Farm modeled the carryover of nitrogen and phosphorus in a corn and squash rotation, while laboratory analysis investigated aspects of nitrogen availability and compost decomposition over time. …


A Study Of Amino Acid, Protein, Organic Acid And Carbohydrate Changes Occurring During Germination Of Peach Seeds, Lee Chao May 1966

A Study Of Amino Acid, Protein, Organic Acid And Carbohydrate Changes Occurring During Germination Of Peach Seeds, Lee Chao

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Conditions required for seed germination are different among species. Some seed of tropical and subtropical plants may germinate before the maturation of their fleshy fruit, e.g. papaya species, while seed from most deciduous trees have a period of after-ripening before germination. The after-ripening period, also referred to as rest or dormancy has also been observed in some vegetable crops and ornamental flowers.