Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of Private And Public Lab Fertilizer Recommendation Impacts On Field Crop Production And Soil Test Results, Megan Baker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

There are many sources that farmers utilize to determine fertilizer needs for crops such as private and public labs, crop advisors, and fertilizer dealers. In many cases, these sources provide recommendations for a specific crop that can vary greatly, which can lead to large differences in cost. An experiment was established in 2021 with 12 sites across the state of Utah in alfalfa, small grains, and corn to test and compare fertilizer recommendations from five labs. The recommendations tested were from two public labs (Utah State University and the University of Idaho) and three commercial labs located in the Western …

Practical Improvements For Pivot And Surface Irrigation, Jonathan A. Holt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Irrigation is critical to meeting global food and fiber demands. Optimizing agricultural irrigation may help sustain production levels, while reducing its demand for water. This research evaluated precision sprinklers and drip irrigation for pivots, five pivot track mitigation tools, three scientific irrigation scheduling (SIS) methods, sensors for surface irrigation cutoff, and automating surface systems to implement surge irrigation. With pivots and surface irrigation being the most common methods for irrigation in the West, small improvements from these tools could result in significant water savings.

Low energy precision application (LEPA) sprinklers and mobile drip irrigation (MDI) were tested on two pivots. …

Assessing Within-Field Variation In Alfalfa Leaf Area Index Using Uav Visible Vegetation Indices, Keegan Hammond, Ruth Kerry, Ryan R. Jensen, Ross Spackman, April Hulet, Bryan G. Hopkins, Matt A. Yost, Austin P. Hopkins, Neil C. Hansen

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

This study examines the use of leaf area index (LAI) to inform variable-rate irrigation (VRI) for irrigated alfalfa (Medicago sativa). LAI is useful for predicting zone-specific evapotranspiration (ET_c). One approach toward estimating LAI is to utilize the relationship between LAI and visible vegetation indices (VVIs) using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. This research has three objectives: (1) to measure and describe the within-field variation in LAI and canopy height for an irrigated alfalfa field, (2) to evaluate the relationships between the alfalfa LAI and various VVIs with and without field average canopy height, and (3) to …

Guide To Drought Tolerance Of Utah Field Crops, Matt Yost, Tina Sullivan, Dakota Boren, Luree Johnson, Melanie Mills, Earl Creech, Boyd Kitchen, Randall Violett

All Current Publications

Crop variety selection is one of the most important choices on the farm. Crop genetics determine a significant portion of the yield potential and resource use efficiency. Crop types and genetics that use water more efficiently will become increasingly important as water becomes scarcer. Throughout Utah and the Western United States, water availability is decreasing due to various factors, including reduced snowpack and rapid urban growth. Alfalfa, other hay, small grains, and corn are grown on more acres than any other crops in Utah and much of the Intermountain West. These crops all have varieties, hybrids, and cultivars with the …

Effects Of Providing Novel Feedstuffs To Livestock On Production And Skeletal Muscle Growth, Laura A. Motsinger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As the population increases and available land for food production decreases, it is necessary for livestock producers to continually work towards increasing livestock production efficiency. In livestock operations, feed accounts for the majority of input costs associated with raising livestock. As such, it is necessary to improve growth and production of livestock animals, while also optimizing feed utilization. Different feedstuffs can be included in the diet of livestock animals to maximize growth and production. However, the effects of some of these novel feedstuffs on growth and production of livestock animals has not been elucidated. As such, we investigated the effects …

Alfanet: A Database Of Alfalfa-Bacterial Stem Blight Protein–Protein Interactions Revealing The Molecular Features Of The Disease-Causing Bacteria, Raghav Kataria, Rakesh Kaundal

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Alfalfa has emerged as one of the most important forage crops, owing to its wide adaptation and high biomass production worldwide. In the last decade, the emergence of bacterial stem blight (caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae ALF3) in alfalfa has caused around 50% yield losses in the United States. Studies are being conducted to decipher the roles of the key genes and pathways regulating the disease, but due to the sparse knowledge about the infection mechanisms of Pseudomonas, the development of resistant cultivars is hampered. The database alfaNET is an attempt to assist researchers by providing comprehensive Pseudomonas proteome …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Showed Little Effect On First- And Second-Year Corn Yield And Quality Following Alfalfa, Bailey Brent Shaffer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Silage corn (Zea mays L.) following alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a common crop rotation in Utah and southern Idaho. This is done, in part, to take advantage of residual nitrogen (N) fixed by bacteria that work in symbiosis with the roots of alfalfa. After alfalfa is terminated, much of the N that was fixed by the plant is released into the soil and becomes available for use by the rotational crop. This reduces the amount of N fertilizer that growers need to apply. The Utah Fertilizer Guide currently recommends an N credit to a rotational crop following …

Innovative Water Management Using Advanced Irrigation Systems And Biochar, Jonathan A. Holt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two approaches to water optimization in agriculture are to increase soil water retention and improve the efficiency of irrigation. A soil amendment that has received attention for its ability to increase soil water retention is biochar, the remaining biomass after high C materials have been pyrolyzed (burned with limited oxygen and heat). Two studies were conducted at a total of 10 site-years in Utah from 2018 to 2020 to evaluate how wood biochar influences the productivity and crop quality of irrigated alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and wheat (Triticum L.), along with soil water tension. One study …

Seeding Rate, Herbicide, And Irrigation Effects On Spring-Seeded Oat-Alfalfa Companion Crops, Carson D. Roberts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Small grain companion crop seeding rate recommendations for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) establishment are dated and inconsistent, and how a small grain companion crop seeding rates should be adjusted at different moisture levels is unknown. A study was conducted to provide clarity about oat (Avena sativa L.) companion crop seeding rates that maximize weed suppression and forage yield and minimize the effect on alfalfa stand establishment. This experiment considered oat companion crop seeding rates at various irrigation levels. Companion crop treatments consisted of oats sown at 89, 45, 22, 10, and 0 (with and without herbicide) kg ha …

Translating -Omics Big Data: Comprehensive Understanding Of Host-Pathogen Interactions To Control Bacterial Blight In Alfalfa Using Computational Approaches, Raghav Kataria

Student Research Symposium

Plant infectious diseases are a major threat to the crops, owing to economic losses to the agriculture industry worldwide. Molecular interactions between the host and pathogen play a critical role in understanding the basis of pathogenesis. Majority of the Pseudomonas syringae strains are known to cause frost injury in plants, amongst which, P. syringae pv. syringae ALF3 is asserted to be a causal organism of bacterial stem blight in Medicago sativa (alfalfa). We elucidated the genome-scale host-pathogen interactions (HPIs) between alfalfa and P. syringae using two intense computational approaches: interolog (homology-based) and the domain-based method (based on 3D structure of …

Influence Of Forage Diversity And Condensed Tannins On Livestock Foraging Behavior, Production And Environmental Impact, Sebastian P. Lagrange

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Eating a combination of forages with different chemistries (i.e., nutrients, beneficial compounds such as tannins) may enhance ruminant nutrition and reduce environmental impacts relative to eating single forages. I explored the influence of offering sheep and cattle all possible combinations of tanniferous (i.e., plants with tannins; birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin) and non-tanniferous legumes (i.e., plants without tannins; alfalfa) or their monocultures on animal performance, behavior, and methane and nitrogen (N) emissions. Offering choices among these legumes to penned sheep improved intake and diet digestibility relative to feeding monocultures. Mixtures selected by sheep were better digested than mixtures containing equal parts of …

Response Of Glyphosate-Resistant Alfalfa To Glyphosate Application In The Intermountain West, Logan Chet Loveland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has been widely adopted in the Intermountain West United States, where alfalfa plays an important role in agriculture. Exceptional tolerance to glyphosate application has been a reported strength of this technology; however, growers have recently reported potential crop injury under certain environmental conditions. The purpose of this study was to document and characterize the injury, identify local conditions that may have contributed to crop injury, and determine best management practices for avoiding injury to GR alfalfa in the Intermountain West. The effects of glyphosate rate and application timing were investigated at 24 sites …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Guide For First-Year Small Grains Following Alfalfa, Matt Yost, Collin Pound, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, Jody Gale, Michael Pace, Boyd Kitchen, Steve Price, Kevin Heaton, Mark Nelson, Trent Wilde, Katie Russell

All Current Publications

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is one of the most expensive crop inputs. It is an essential nutrient for most crops and often increases yield more than any other nutrient. Small grains are no exception. Alfalfa is the dominant crop in Utah in terms of area and gross sales, and as a nitrogen-fixing legume, it does not require nitrogen fertilizer. When terminated, alfalfa usually leaves a lot of nitrogen in the soil for subsequent crops. The amount of nitrogen that it supplies to following crops has been termed the “alfalfa N credit.” In many cases, this credit can be up to 300 …

Considerations For Crop Rotation From Alfalfa To Corn, Earl Creech, Matt Yost, Grant Cardon, Corey Ransom, Jason Clark

All Current Publications

The importance of rotating out of a declining alfalfa stand is well established. As the alfalfa stand ages, forage yield and quality decline, while weed, insect, and disease pressures increase. Terminating the stand and growing one or more other crops for several (2–3) years allows a grower to press the reset button on a piece of ground. These years of growing another crop will result in more productive alfalfa when a new stand is planted again.

Plant-Air Partitioning Of Semivolatile Pesticides On Citrus And Alfalfa Leaves With Varied Temperature And Relative Humidity, Calvin Luu

Student Research Symposium

Many commercial pesticides fall into the category of semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs). SOCs can either volatilize into the air or deposit onto surfaces in the environment, depending on the temperature. One property that allows for a prediction of this behavior is the plant-air partition coefficient (Kplant-air). The Kplant-air describes the SOC's equilibrium that is formed between a plant surface and the air around after it lands on the plant. Differences in temperature, humidity, and the type of leaf due to different surface properties between species influences the Kplant-air. The objective of this study was to measure the Kplant-air values for …

Ten Reasons Why Alfalfa Is Highly Suitable For The West, Matt Yost, Niel Allen, Earl Creech, Dan Putnam, Jody Gale, Glenn Shewmaker

All Current Publications

This fact sheet gives ten key reasons why alfalfa is suitable in western regions.

Expression Systems For Synthetic Spider Silk Protein Production, Michaela R. Hugie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spider silk is a biodegradable and biocompatible natural material that is stronger than steel and more elastic than nylon. These properties make spider silk a desirable material for many commercial products, ranging from textiles to biomedical materials. Due to spiders’ cannibalistic and territorial nature it is impossible to farm them to produce spider silk at a high enough yield to meet product demands. Therefore, a bioengineered synthetic process is necessary to produce spider silk. Synthetic spider silk has been produced in bacteria, goats, yeast, plants, mammalian cells and silkworms, but none of these processes provided a commercially viable yield or …

The Alfalfa Insecticide Management (Aim) Toolkit: Linking Insecticide Fate Modelling With Alfalfa Pest And Beneficial Insect Toxicity Endpoints, Kimberly J. Hageman

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Tannin-Containing Legumes And Forage Diversity Influence Foraging Behavior, Diet Digestibility, And Nitrogen Excretion By Lambs, Sebastian Lagrange, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Diverse combinations of forages with different nutrient profiles and plant secondary compounds may improve intake and nutrient utilization by ruminants. We tested the influence of diverse dietary combinations of tannin- (sainfoin-Onobrichis viciifolia; birdsfoot trefoil-Lotus corniculatus) and non-tannin- (alfalfa-Medicago sativa L.) containing legumes on intake and diet digestibility in lambs. Freshly cut birdsfoot trefoil, alfalfa, and sainfoin were offered in ad libitum amounts to 42 lambs in individual pens assigned to 7 treatments (6 animals/treatment): 1) single forage species (sainfoin [SF], birdsfoot trefoil [BFT], and alfalfa [ALF]), 2) all possible …

Gas Production Kinetics And In Vitro Degradability Of Tannin-Containing Legumes, Alfalfa And Their Mixtures., Sebastian Lagrange, S. Lobón, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Student Research

The aim of this study was to determine in vitro ruminal degradability and gas production kinetics of sainfoin (Onobrichis viciifolia; SF), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus; BFT), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.; ALF) and their binary or trinary mixtures using the gas production technique. The proportions in the mixtures represented: (1) those selected by lambs in a free-choice experiment (70:30 and 50:35:15 ratios for binary and trinary combinations, respectively), or (2) equal proportions (50:50 or 33:33:33 ratios for binary or trinary mixtures, respectively). Organic matter digestibility was greater in ALF and BFT than in SF (0.791 and 0.796 vs …

Understanding The Biology Of Clover Root Curculio And Improving Their Management Using Biofumigation In Alfalfa, Steven J. Price

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Clover root curculio (CRC) is a pest of alfalfa where larvae feed belowground damaging alfalfa roots. Regional knowledge of CRC activity and biology is limited making the development of pest management strategies difficult. One potential management technique for soil-dwelling pests is the use of biofumigant containing cover crops. Biofumigation can affect the survival and behavior of pest insects. However, biofumigant crops have not been evaluated against CRC or as a rotational crop compatible with alfalfa. The goals of this research were to determine 1) phenology, population sizes, and root damage severity of CRC occurring in the Intermountain region and 2) …

Synthetic Spider Silk Sustainability Verification By Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Analysis, Alan Edlund

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Major ampullate spider silk represents a promising biomaterial with diverse commercial potential ranging from textiles to medical devices due to the excellent physical and thermal properties from the protein structure. Recent advancements in synthetic biology have facilitated the development of recombinant spider silk proteins from Escherichia coli (E. coli), alfalfa, and goats. This study specifically investigates the economic feasibility and environmental impact of synthetic spider silk manufacturing. Pilot scale data was used to validate an engineering process model that includes all of the required sub-processing steps for synthetic fiber manufacture: production, harvesting, purification, drying, and spinning. Modeling was constructed modularly …

The Potential For Reducing N Fertilizer Inputs For Corn Production In The First Year Following Alfalfa, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, James Barnhill, Jody Gale, Clark Israelsen, Boyd Kitchen, Mark Nelson, Mike Pace

All Current Publications

The objectives of the project reported in this fact sheet were to 1) examine current post-alfalfa N fertilizer credit guidelines and investigate the potential to further reduce N fertilizer rates (if possible) on first year corn after alfalfa across Utah, and 2) accordingly update the USU Extension corn management recommendations and promote grower awareness and adoption of the new guidelines.

Managing The Spread Of Alfalfa Stem Nematodes Ditylenchus Dipsaci: The Relationship Between Crop Rotation And Pest Re-Emergence, Scott Jordan

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Alfalfa is a critical cash/rotation crop in the western region of the United States, where it is common to find crops affected by the alfalfa stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci). Understanding the spread dynamics associated with this pest would allow end-users to design better management programs and farming practices. This is of particular importance given that there are no nematicides available against alfalfa stem nematode and control strategies largely rely on crop rotation to non-host crops or by planting resistant varieties. I present a basic host-parasite model that describes the spread of the alfalfa stem nematode on alfalfa crops. With this …

The Effect Of Deposition From Static Rocket Tests On Immature Corn, Alfalfa, And Winter Wheat, Eric Curry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

ATK tests the performance of large solid rocket motors (SRMs) at their facility located in Promontory Point, Utah, USA. During these tests, an estimated 1.5 million kg (~3.3 million lbs.) of entrained soil and rocket exhaust are sent skyward in a cloud that can travel as far as 10-12 miles from the test site. As the cloud cools deposition known as Test Fire Soil (TFS) can settle on local crops. Farmers in the area have voiced concerns about the effects of TFS on their crops.

To address the concerns, I looked at the effect of a typical TFS deposition loading …

2015 Costs And Returns For Flood Irrigated Alfalfa, Box Elder County, Lyle Holmgren, Mike Pace

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Yield And Quality Of First-Year Corn Silage Following Alfalfa Stand Termination As Affected By Tillage, Herbicide, And Nitrogen Fertilizer, Jason Daniel Clark

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Glyphosate-containing herbicides such as Roundup® are a common and highly effective method to terminate alfalfa stands. With the development of glyphosate-resistant (Roundup Ready®) alfalfa, this tool is no longer an option. The purpose of this research was to determine the optimal termination methods to use when rotating from glyphosate-resistant alfalfa into silage corn. Studies were conducted in 2012 and 2013 in Cache Junction and Cornish, Utah using five different combinations of tillage type and timing (fall conventional till, spring conventional till, fall strip-till, spring strip-till, and no-till), four 2,4-D plus dicamba herbicide timings (fall, spring, in-crop, and a control), and …

The Sky Is Falling Ii: Impact Of Deposition Produced During The Static Testing Of Solid Rocket Motors On Corn And Alfalfa, William J. Doucette, Scout Mendenhall, Laurie S. Mcneill, Justin Heavilin

Reports

Tests of horizontally restrained rocket motors at the ATK facility in Promontory, Utah,USA result in the deposition of an estimated 1.5 million kg of entrained soil and combustion products (mainly aluminum oxide, gaseous hydrogen chloride and water) on the surrounding area. The deposition is referred to as test fire soil (TFS). Farmers observing TFS deposited on their crops expressed concerns regarding the impact of this material. To address these concerns, we exposed corn and alfalfa to TFS collected during a September 2009 test. The impact was evaluated by comparing the growth and tissue composition of controls relative to the treatments. …

An Evaluation Of Two Traps And Sets For Trapping The Plains Pocket Gopher, Stephen M. Vantassel, Andrew J. Tyre, Scott E. Hygnstrom

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We investigated the efficiency of DK-1 and Macabee® pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) traps placed in lateral tunnels in both open and closed tunnel sets in rangeland and nonirrigated alfalfa fields in Nebraska. We observed no statistical difference between the traps in capture efficiency when used in open, versus closed, tunnel sets. Trapping of pocket gophers was more effective in rangeland (probability of capture in a single tunnel system using 3 traps; 63%) than nonirrigated alfalfa fields (26%). We did not determine whether this variance was due to behavioral differences between Geomys bursarius and Geomys lutescens. We found …

Forage Yield And Quality Of Binary Grass-Legume Mixtures Of Tall Fescue, Orchardgrass, Meadow Brome, Alfalfa, Birdsfoot Trefoil, And Cicer Milkvetch, Steven R. Cox

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Managed pasture forms the foundation for much of the U.S. livestock iv production. Increased forage yield and quality can be achieved with nitrogen (N) fertilizer but increases the cost of pasture production. Rising prices of N have led to a return to the use of grass-legume pastures to reduce or replace commercial N fertilizer. There is a need to identify viable grass-legume mixtures and species planting ratios for the region of the Intermountain Western United States The purpose of this study was to identify grass-legume combinations and planting ratios that maximize forage production and forage quality in irrigated pastures. The …