Digital Commons Network^™

Switchgrass For Biomass Feedstock In The Usa, Matt Sanderson, Paul Adler, Akwasi Boateng, Michael Casler, Gautam Sarath

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

Switchgrass has received much study for biomass feedstock production and conversion through research funded by the US-DOE and USDA during the past two decades. We have an improved understanding of the adaptation of existing cultivars and new cultivars with yield and adaptation improvements are now appearing. We also have a good understanding of the agronomics of switchgrass production, mainly from its use as a forage crop. There remain several constraints to switchgrass use in bioenergy cropping systems, including reliable establishment methods to obtain productive stands in the first year, targeted fertilization and nutrient management techniques to efficiently use nitrogen fertilizer, …

Intsormil’S Global Impact: A Revolution In West African Sorghum Production, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

Sorghum and pearl millet are the staple grains for millions of people around the world, especially those residing in the semiarid margins of agricultural sustainability. For this reason, INTSORMIL has been working in the semiarid regions of Africa and Central America where it has been helping sorghum and millet farmers achieve the status of surplus grain production and the economic, social and health benefits thus provided. What impact has INTSORMIL had on the lives of these sorghum and millet farmers?

To determine the global impact of the USAID funded INTSORMIL program, Battelle, an independent agency, was chosen to conduct an …

Bovine Immune Response To Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia Coli O157:H7, Mark A. Hoffman, Christian Menge, Thomas A. Casey, William Laegreid, Brad T. Bosworth, Evelyn A. Dean-Nystrom

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

Although cattle develop humoral immune responses to Shiga-toxigenic (Stx⁺) Escherichia coli O157:H7, infections often result in long-term shedding of these human pathogenic bacteria. The objective of this study was to compare humoral and cellular immune responses to Stx⁺ and Stx^- E. coli O157:H7. Three groups of calves were inoculated intrarumenally, twice in a 3-week interval, with different strains of E. coli: a Stx2- producing E. coli O157:H7 strain (Stx2⁺O157), a Shiga toxin-negative E. coli O157:H7 strain (Stx^-O157), or a nonpathogenic E. coli strain (control). Fecal shedding of Stx2⁺O157 was …

Agronomic And Quality Effects In Winter Wheat Of A Gene Conditioning Resistance To Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus, L. A. Divis, R. A. Graybosch, C. J. Peterson, P. Stephen Baenziger, G. L. Hein, B. B. Beecher, T. J. Martin

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

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is one of the most important diseases limiting winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in the western Great Plains of North America. There is no known effective WSMV resistance within the primary gene pool of wheat. However, a resistance gene (Wsm1) has been transferred to wheat from a perennial relative, intermediate wheat-grass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & DR Dewey]. Nebraska-adapted winter wheat lines carrying Wsm1 were used to characterize the effects of this alien introgression on agronomic and quality traits. Sister-lines from six breeding populations were evaluated under virus-free conditions, …

The Circuitous Path To The Comparison Of Simulated Values From Crop Models With Field Observations, Albert Weiss, Wally Wilhelm

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

The Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge has been a fixture in dissemination of crop simulation models and the concepts and data upon which they are built since the inception of computers and computer modeling in the mid-20th century. To quantify the performance of a crop simulation model, model outputs are compared with observed values using statistical measures of bias, i.e. the difference between simulated and observed values. While applying these statistical measures is unambiguous for the experienced user, the same cannot always be said of determining the observed or simulated values. For example, differences in accessing crop development can be …

University Research Program Sees Drop In Funding, Zach Pluhacek

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

A program headquartered at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that uses science to assist economically stressed nations will receive $9 million throughout five years through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The agreement, announced Friday morning by the UNL Office of Research and Graduate Studies, will significantly decrease the annual funding the International Sorghum and Millet Collaborative Research Support Program, or INTSORMIL, has received in recent years.

Sorghum Flour In The El Salvador Baking Industry, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

The El Salvador baking industry is dependent on imported wheat which results in a loss of valuable foreign exchange. In response, CENTA (Centro Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria y Forestal) scientists with support from INTSORMIL have produced sorghum varieties which have the physical and chemical qualities making them suitable for flour which can be used as a partial substitute for wheat flour in the baking industry, thus decreasing the cost of baked goods. CENTA food technician, Fidelia Herrera pioneered the use of sorghum flour in El Salvador and began helping village bakers utilize sorghum flour back in the 70’s.

To test …

Harina De Sorgo En La Industria Panificadora De El Salvador, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

La industria panificadora de El Salvador depende de las importaciones de trigo, lo cual ocasiona una pérdida considerable de divisas. En respuesta a esto, los investigadores del Centro Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria y Forestal (CENTA) con ayuda del INTSORMIL han venido produciendo variedades de sorgo con cualidades físicas y químicas adecuadas para sustituir parcialmente la harina de trigo, reduciendo de esta manera los costos de producción de las panaderías. La Señora Fidelia Herrera, técnologa del CENTA fue la primera en tomar el liderazgo sobre la necesidad del uso de la harina de sorgo en El Salvador, al ayudar durante los …

Grazing Management Effects On Sediment And Phosphorus In Surface Runoff, Matthew M. Haan, James R. Russell, Wendy J. Powers, John L. Kovar, Jamie L. Benning

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

Sediment and phosphorus (P) in runoff from pastures are potential non–point-source pollutants in surface waters that may be influenced by surface cover, sward height, treading damage, surface slope, soil moisture, and soil P. The objectives of the current study were to quantify sediment and total P loads in runoff produced during simulated rainfall from pastures and to evaluate their relationships with the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and sward. Five forage management treatments— ungrazed (U), hay harvest/fall stockpile grazing (HS), continuous stocking to a sward height of 5 cm (5C), and rotational stocking to sward heights of 5 …

Convergence Of Agriculture And Energy: Implications For Research And Policy, Kenneth Cassman, Vernon Eidman, Eugene Simpson, Larry Berger, Robert Loomis, Marie Walsh, Todd A. Peterson, Edward Runge

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

Access to an adequate energy supply at reasonable cost is crucial for sustained economic growth. Unfortunately, oil prices and the need to import from politically unstable countries lowers the reliability of the U.S. energy supply and hinders economic development. Although biofuels have been identified as an important component of the national strategy to decrease U.S. dependence on imported oil, the ability to sustain a rapid expansion of biofuel production capacity raises new research and policy issues. This document seeks to identify the most critical of these issues to help inform the policy development process. The goal is to enhance the …

Comparison Of Heat Tolerance Of Feedlot Heifers Of Different Breeds, T. M. Brown-Brandl, J. A. Nienaber, Roger A. Eigenberg, Terry L. Mader, J. L. Morrow, J. W. Dailey

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

Heat stress in cattle causes decreases in feed intake and feed efficiency; in extreme cases, it can cause death. These losses amount to millions of dollars each year. A study was designed to determine severity of heat stress among four breeds of cattle. Throughout two summers, 256 feedlot heifers of four different breeds were observed. Respiration rates, panting scores, and surface temperatures were taken twice each day on 10 animals/breed for several weeks during the summers of 2002 and 2003. Twenty-four-hour behavior measurements were recorded for four heat-stress and four thermoneutral days. Results showed during the afternoon, Angus cattle (black) …

Heat Stress Risk Factors Of Feedlot Heifers, T. M. Brown-Brandl, Roger A. Eigenberg, J. A. Nienaber

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

Heat stress in cattle results in millions of dollars in lost revenue each year due to production losses, and in extreme cases, death. Death losses are more likely to result from animals vulnerable to heat stress. A study was conducted to determine risk factors for heat stress in feedlot heifers. Over two consecutive summers, a total of 256 feedlot heifers (32/ breed/ year) of four breeds were observed. As a measure of stress, respiration rates and panting scores were taken twice daily (morning and afternoon) on a random sample of 10 heifers/ breed. Weights, condition scores, and temperament scores were …

Heat Stress Risk Factors Of Feedlot Heifers, Tami M. Brown-Brandl, Roger A. Eigenberg, John A. Nienaber

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

Heat stress in cattle results in millions of dollars in lost revenue each year due to production losses, and in extreme cases, death. Death losses are more likely to result from animals vulnerable to heat stress. A study was conducted to determine risk factors for heat stress in feedlot heifers. Over two consecutive summers, a total of 256 feedlot heifers (32/ breed/ year) of four breeds were observed. As a measure of stress, respiration rates and panting scores were taken twice daily (morning and afternoon) on a random sample of 10 heifers/ breed. Weights, condition scores, and temperament scores were …

Panadería “Pan Rey,” El Salvador Prueba Harina De Sorgo, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

Pan Rey, una panadería grande y comercializada en Quezaltepeque, El Salvador C. A. viene experimentando con la harina de sorgo como substituto de la harina de trigo, y en colaboración con el Laboratorio de Tecnología de Alimentos del CENTA (Centro Nacional de Tecnología agropecuaria) con el fín de promover el uso de la harina de sorgo en las panaderías grandes. Muchas de las panaderías pequeñas del sector rural, como la panadería de Clemencia Barrera en San Rafael Cedros, El Salvador (ver Reporte No.5 de INTSORMIL), han substituido la harina de trigo por la de sorgo durante muchos años. Sin embargo, …

Pan Rey Bakery, El Salvador Tests Sorghum Flour, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

Pan Rey, the “Bread King,” a large commercial bakery located at Quezaltepeque, El Salvador is testing sorghum flour as a substitute for wheat. The Pan Rey Bakery collaborates with the CENTA Food Technology Laboratory in a project to promote the use of sorghum flour in large bakeries. Many small, village level bakeries, such as the bakery of Clemencia Barrera in San Rafael Cedro, El Salvador (see INTSORMIL Report No. 5), have been using sorghum flour as a substitute for wheat for many years. However, use of sorghum flour on a large scale in the big commercial bakeries, such as Pan …

Intsormil Crsp: Sorghum, Millet And Other Grains Collaborative Research Support Program: Leader With Associates Cooperative Agreement No. Eep-A-00-06-0016-00; Award From The U.S. Agency For International Development To The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Joseph Schmidt

INTSORMIL Scientific Publications

Pursuant to the authority contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hereby awards to University of Nebraska - Lincoln (hereinafter referred to as the "Recipient"), the sum of $9,000,000.00 to provide support for a program in Sorghum, Millet, and Other Grains Collaborative Research Support Program as described in the Schedule of this award and in Attachment B, entitled "Program Description."

This Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreement is effective and obligation is made as of 09-30-2006 and shall apply to expenditures made by the Recipient in furtherance of program objectives during …

Harina De Sorgo Como Sustituto Del Trigo En Panaderías Rurales De El Salvador, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

El grano de sorgo está generando mucho interés en el escenario de la comida sana. Por que? La respuesta es muy sencilla: la harina de grano de sorgo, NO CONTIENE GLUTEN. Esto es muy importante para aquellas personas intolerantes al gluten (padecimiento celíaco). El sorgo contiene un alto contenido de antioxidantes (que ayudan a prevenir el cáncer) y fibra insoluble (lenta digestibilidad), con cantidades relativamente pequeñas de fibra soluble. La proteína y el almidón del endospermo del sorgo son digeridos más lentamente si se les compara con otros cereales. El bajo porcentaje de digestibilidad en los productos preparados a base …

Sorghum Flour As A Substitute For Wheat In El Salvador Village Bakeries, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

Grain sorghum is generating new excitement on the health food scene. Why? For one reason, flour milled from grain sorghum has NO GLUTEN! That’s important to those people with an intolerance to gluten-containing products (Celiac disease). Sorghum is high in antioxidants (cancer prevention) and insoluble fiber (slowly digested), with relatively small amounts of soluble fiber. The protein and starch in sorghum endosperm are more slowly digested than other cereals. The slower rate of digestibility of sorghum products may be beneficial to diabetics.

So how is sorghum flour used in baking? It can be substituted for wheat, rice or soybean flour …

Intsormil: International Expertise Benefits U.S. Sorghum And Pearl Millet Producers, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

While USAID is focused on international assistance and outreach, the Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSPs) also benefit farmers in the United States. By establishing strong relationships with national agricultural research systems in other nations, U.S. research collaborators gain access to knowledge and expertise in crops native to these countries. Thus, the CRSPs effectively operate as a two way street, extending U.S. scientific and research expertise to collaborating nations while receiving valuable insight and access to germplasm from other production environments for U.S. agricultural deployment.

INTSORMIL CRSP principal investigators, located at leading U.S. universities (Kansas State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Purdue, Texas …

Isolation Of An Active Lv1 Gene From Cattle Indicates That Tripartite Motif Protein-Mediated Innate Immunity To Retroviral Infection Is Widespread Among Mammals, Laura M.J. Ylinen, Zuzana Keckesova, Benjamin L.J. Webb, Robert J.M. Gifford, Timothy P.L. Smith, Greg J. Towers

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

Lv1/TRIM5α (tripartite motif 5α) has recently emerged as an important factor influencing species-specific permissivity to retroviral infection in a range of primates, including humans. Old World monkey TRIM5α blocks human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infectivity, and the human and New World monkey TRIM5α proteins are inactive against HIV-1 but active against divergent murine (N-tropic murine leukemia virus [MLV-N]) and simian (simian immunodeficiency virus from rhesus macaque [SIVmac]) retroviruses, respectively. Here we demonstrate antiviral activity of the first nonprimate TRIM protein, from cattle, active against divergent retroviruses, including HIV-1. The number of closely related human TRIM sequences makes assignment of …

Estimating The Cost Of Invasive Species On U.S. Agriculture: The U.S. Soybean Market, D. J. Lee, C.S. Kim, G Schaible

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

Soybean production ranks among the largest agricultural cash crops in the U.S., second only to corn. U.S. soybean production topped 3 billion bushels in 2005 with sales of $17 billion. Approximately 58% of U.S. soybeans are grown in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and Nebraska. A small percentage of the U.S. soybean crop, 2%, goes to human consumption in the form of whole beans, soybean oil, and soybean meal products. A third of the crop, 1 billion bushels per year is exported annually to China, EU, Mexico, Japan, and Taiwan, and other countries. Most of the crop, 2 billion bushels, goes …

Creating New Markets For African Sorghum Farmers, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

Lack of international markets for locally grown cereals such as sorghum is a major constraint to economic development for West African farmers. Lack of international markets has traditionally resulted in price declines in normal and good weather years since consumers can only eat so much of a staple. Once consumers have enough of the staple, prices collapse, as there are no other markets. These price declines discourage farmers from using higher input levels and therefore achieving productivity gains. Hence, facilitating the growth of the food and feed processing industries for the basic staples is critical for the rapid economic growth …

Field Evaluation Of Herbicides On Rice 2005, Drew T. Ellis, Ronald E. Talbert, Marilyn R. Mcclelland

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Field studies to evaluate herbicides in rice weed management systems were conducted in 2005 at the Rice Research and Extension Center near Stuttgart, Arkansas. New herbicides, herbicide mixtures, and application timings were evaluated for weed control efficacy and rice tolerance. Results of these studies, in part, provide useful information to producers, fellow researchers, and the crop protection industry for the most effective, economical herbicide programs for successful rice production in Arkansas.

A Matter Of Balance: Conservation And Renewable Energy, Jane M.F. Johnson, Don Reicosky, Ray Allmaras, Dave Archer, Wallace Wilhelm

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

As communities and a country, we have a monumental task to solve the energy and global climate change problems, while maintaining our capacity to produce food, feed, and fiber for an ever increasing world population. The severity of these problems is exacerbated by the universal desire for an increased standard of living, which invariably translates to more energy use, greater demand for products, and higher quality diets (usually in the form of more fresh fruits and vegetables and more animal protein). Agriculture and forestry are in a unique position as we attempt solve these opposing problems in the most beneficial …

Comparing Climate-Change Mitigating Potentials Of Alternative Synthetic Liquid Fuel Technologies Using Biomass And Coal, Robert H. Williams, Eric D. Larson, Haiming Jin

Climate Change and the Future of the American West: Exploring the Legal and Policy Dimensions (Summer Conference, June 7-9)

Presenter: Robert H. Williams, Senior Research Scientist, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ.

19 pages (includes color illustrations).

Contains references.

Slides: Getting Onto A Path For Stabilizing Atmospheric Co2 At 450 Ppmv With “Near-At-Hand” Energy Technologies, Robert H. Williams

Climate Change and the Future of the American West: Exploring the Legal and Policy Dimensions (Summer Conference, June 7-9)

Presenter: Robert H. Williams, Senior Research Scientist, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ.

35 slides.

Slides: In The Nick Of Time: Pathways To A Post-2012 Climate Treaty Framework, Annie Petsonk

Climate Change and the Future of the American West: Exploring the Legal and Policy Dimensions (Summer Conference, June 7-9)

Presenter: Annie Petsonk, Environmental Defense, Washington, DC.

22 slides.

Slides: The Cdm Carbon Market And The Upcoming U.S. Market, Evan A. Evans

Climate Change and the Future of the American West: Exploring the Legal and Policy Dimensions (Summer Conference, June 7-9)

Presenter: Evan A. Evans, P.E., Vice President and Director of Engineering, Econergy International, Boulder, CO.

15 slides.

The Earth, Energy, And Agriculture, Tad W. Patzek

Climate Change and the Future of the American West: Exploring the Legal and Policy Dimensions (Summer Conference, June 7-9)

Presenter: Tad W. Patzek, Professor of Petroleum Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.

13 pages (includes some color illustrations).

Contains references.

Slides: Agriculture: Climate Change Problem, Solution, Or Both? And U.S. Agriculture And Climate Change: Challenge And Opportunity, David L. Carlson

Climate Change and the Future of the American West: Exploring the Legal and Policy Dimensions (Summer Conference, June 7-9)

Presenter: David L. Carlson, President, Resource Analysis, Inc., Denver, CO.

1 page and 19 slides.

Contains footnotes.