Life Sciences Commons^™

Yield And Nutritive Quality Of Fresh And Ensiled Reduced Lignin Alfalfa In Monoculture And Diculture With Novel Tall Fescue, Morgan Boss

All Theses

The objectives of this research were to: (1) evaluate the yield, nutritional value, and digestibility of fresh and ensiled reduced lignin alfalfa (RLA; Medicago sativa L.) in monoculture and when mixed with novel endophyte-infected tall fescue (F; Festuca arundinacea) in comparison to a conventional alfalfa (CA) cultivar; and (2) evaluate ensiled samples under varying DM concentrations; with or without inoculant. A trial was prepared as a randomized complete block design with 4 replicates per treatment. Treatments included reduced lignin alfalfa (RLA), conventional alfalfa (CA) and tall fescue (F) plots as well as RLA/F and CA/F plots. Plots were harvested on …

Utilizing The Land-Based Learning Model For The Clemson Agricultural Safety, Growing Safe Tigers Program, Maryann Lovern

All Theses

The Clemson Agricultural Safety, Growing Safe Tigers program was developed in 2019 with the goal of increasing the awareness of agricultural safety in South Carolina. By utilizing the land-based learning model, a need for agricultural safety education was identified through incident surveillance strategies. Agricultural incidents were quantified using AgInjuryNews.org and recommendations were made for the program to provide more tailored information to the four regions of South Carolina, based on the primary cause of incident for each region.

Educators’ understanding of place and interconnected systems was determined pertaining to agricultural safety to provide a baseline for how agricultural education teachers …

An Agricultural Literacy Assessment Of Social Studies Teachers In South Carolina, Walker Reid

All Theses

Studies in the career development of youth identify middle school as the optimum time for career exploration, as it advances young adolescents’ self-awareness, knowledge of prospective careers, and goal setting. In South Carolina (SC), only 5% (13 of 248) of public middle schools provide agricultural education. The purpose of this study is to measure any increase in agricultural awareness and literacy of South Carolina 8^th-grade social studies teachers participating in a five-day study tour (SOCIAL tour) through mixed method procedures. A pre and post-tour survey given to participants indicated a significant increase in knowledge and perception of agriculture …

Comparing The Economic Efficiency Of Payment Structures To Subsidize On-Farm Greenhouse Gas Abatement In Iowa, David Mansfield

All Theses

Abating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the agricultural sector can help
combat climate change and meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agree-
ment. The agricultural sector can sequester soil organic carbon and, by adopt-
ing conservation-driven land-use decisions, such as reducing or stopping tillage,
increase carbon storage in soil and reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.
This thesis will compare the cost of achieving different levels of GHG emis-
sions reduction through payments based on: 1) region averages for GHG emis-
sions by crop and practice, without considering additionality, 2) region averages
for GHG emissions by crop and practice …

Laser Inscribed Graphene Aptasensor For Detection Of Apple Stem Pitting Virus, Yifan Tang

All Theses

Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) is a latent RNA virus that could cause significant loss to apple production; early-stage field diagnosis could reduce the economic loss caused by ASPV infection. Biosensor is a promising user-friendly detection tool that could transduce biological or chemical interactions into electric signals. Among various types of biosensors, aptasensor, which use aptamers as recognition elements show potential as a high throughput, in-field test. The goal of this thesis is to develop an electrochemical aptasensor testing system for ASPV detection. The quality control study of laser inscribed graphene (LIG) based working electrode of the biosensor was conducted …

An Economic Impact And Investment Analysis Of Armillaria Root Rot In The United States Peach Industry, Gracie Herrin

All Theses

Peach production in the United States has decreased over the last decade due to increased disease prevalence. Armillaria root rot (ARR) is a lethal root fungus that affects many stone fruits, including peaches, often leading to rapid decline/death of trees and abandonment of orchards. This thesis is divided into four chapters which focus on answering four key questions that, to the best of my knowledge, have not been addressed in previous industry research.

The second chapter determines the magnitude of ARR disease prevalence in the United States and producers’ maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for a theoretical ARR-resistant rootstock. Results …

Framing The Needs Of School-Based Agricultural Education Teachers To Meet Twenty-First Century Programs Demands, Kayla Marsh

All Theses

Teacher attrition is a historic problem that globally is considered to be an educational crisis. SBAE is not exempt from this crisis with teacher shortages dating back to the passing of the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917. For the past three decades, researchers have studied this phenomenon to better understand the needs of SBAE teachers in order to increase recruitment and retention as well as improve work-life balance.

While several needs are recurring current efforts are not resulting in actionable change for SBAE teachers. To gain perspectives on the problem, qualitative interviews were conducted with SBAE teachers as well as an …

Pasture Biomass Estimation Using Crop Surface Modeling And Vegetation Indices, Brendan Macinnis

All Theses

Biomass estimations are a critical function of any grazing or haylage system. Determination of ideal harvesting or grazing times help optimize the quality and quantity of above-ground biomass (AGB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Alfalfa and Tall Fescue biomass estimations. Using a DJI Mavic Pro, RGB and NDVI images were taken and used to create orthomosaic images. Structure-from-motion (SfM) techniques were used to developed digital elevation models to evaluate the change in canopy height (∆H) between pre- and post-harvests. Change in canopy height (∆H) was shown to provide the …

Unraveling The Genetic Architecture Of Somatic Embryogenesis In Upland Cotton, Adam M. Canal

All Theses

Somatic embryogenesis is the de novo development of asexual embryos because of the plasticity of the plant cell. In tissue culture, the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of dedifferentiated callus tissues can be reprogrammed to transdifferentiate into developed, polarized embryos, which can ultimately regenerate into whole plants. Although this rarely occurs in nature, scientists have exploited this process for decades to regenerate whole plants following gene transformation or for micropropagation. While some species are amenable to in vitro regeneration, upland cotton is particularly recalcitrant, with regenerative potential being confined to only several genotypes. The lack of elite, regenerable genotypes greatly restricts …

An Almost Ideal Demand System Analysis Of Orange And Grapefruit Beverage Consumption In The United States, Catrice Taylor

All Theses

This thesis estimates a demand system for natural fruit juices and flavored citrus drinks. Consumption and price data from the Florida Department of Citrus is used to estimate a Linear Approximate Almost Ideal Demand System for natural fruit and fruit juice drink elasticities. The monthly data covers the period from October 2004 to June 2014. Elasticities show orange juice does not have a substitute among the other beverages. 100% orange juice and grapefruit juice are compliments, although other studies have found them to be substitutes.

Evaluation Of 2,4-D And Dicamba Based Herbicide Programs For Weed Control In Tolerant Soybean, Dwayne Joseph

All Theses

Weeds are the most limiting factor on soybean yields in South Carolina. With their early emergence and rapid growth, weeds compete with crops for resources. The recent evolution of herbicide resistant weeds has made it increasingly difficult for growers to actively control weeds in fields. Glyphosate and ALS-resistant Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) biotypes have spread rapidly throughout South Carolina, especially in areas where resistance management isn't practiced. In the near future, soybean varieties will be introduced with tolerance to 2,4-D (Dow AgroSciences) and dicamba (Monsanto Company). Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted at Edisto Research and Education Center …

Chemical Control Of Rootstock Regrowth In Grafted Watermelon And Its Effects On Plant Growth And Development, Shawna Daley

All Theses

High, year-round demand, increased production intensity without crop rotation, and the loss of Methyl Bromide as a soil fumigant, results in unfavorable soil conditions with increased soil pathogen populations for growing watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb) Matsum and Nakai]. Grafting watermelon onto resistant rootstocks provides successful control of soil-borne pathogens, and could increase yield and fruit quality; however, the high production costs, especially from labor, involved in grafted transplant production, has prevented the adoption of grafted watermelon use in the United States. Much of the labor is required for meristematic regrowth control, which can cause abortion of the scion and competition …

An Examination Of The Feasiblity Of A Food Hub For The Pee Dee Region, Emily Purcell

All Theses

Horry County, the home of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, attracts a large level of spending by visitors who are helping to fuel growing demand for locally produced food. Regional growers are interested in meeting this demand but are limited by retail requirements with respect to lot size, timing, and quality (including food safety aspects such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification). A number of communities have turned to food hubs as a means of aggregating production by local growers and providing appropriate marketing functions, such as storage and meeting standards. Hence, food hubs can fill a gap between producers and …

Phenological Relationships Of Nesting Barn Swallows In A Swallow-Fly-Cattle System And Their Potential Role In Suppression Of Pest Flies In A Warming Climate, Claire Stuyck

All Theses

Conservation efforts for birds that provide ecosystem services in agricultural systems require management approaches that cross disciplines. This information is communicated through a variety of outlets but rarely in ways that interface effectively with normal management approaches. The disconnect between agriculture and wildlife conservation reduces the likelihood that ecosystem service benefits will be realized. One understudied ecosystem service provided by birds such as barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) is their role in suppression of flies that are pests to livestock. Climate change, however, may differentially affect flies that respond largely to temperature, and swallows that migrate and respond to photoperiod and …

Effects Of Late Planting Dates, Maturity Groups And Management Systems On Growth, Development And Yield Of Soybean In South Carolina, Mengxuan Hu

All Theses

Planting date plays a significant role in determining soybean growth, development and seed yield. The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effects of late planting date, management system, and maturity group on the growth, development and seed yield of maturity group VII and VIII soybean under dry land conditions in the Southeastern coastal plain of the United States. Plant growth and development, seed yield, yield components, and seed oil and protein concentrations were evaluated throughout the season. These experiments were conducted in South Carolina at the Edisto Research and Education Center near Blackville and the Pee Dee Research …

Temporal Aggregation And Treatment Of Zero Dependent Variables In The Estimation Of Food Demand Using Cross-Sectional Data, Kristyn Leffler

All Theses

This study analyzes U.S. consumers' demand for eight food commodity groups: Cereal and Bakery goods, Meat and Eggs, Dairy, Fruits and Vegetables, Nonalcoholic Beverages, Fats and Oils, Sugar and Sweets, and Miscellaneous goods. The estimation of the demand system of equations is carried out using the EASI demand model of Lewbel and Pendakur (2009) and five years of data (2002-2006) from the Nielsen Homescan program. Two different levels of temporal aggregation, monthly and the average month within a year, referred to as 'annual' were considered. Using the monthly data, I evaluated the performance of two econometric methods to account for …

Serving As Suppliers To Institutional Foodservices: Supply Chain Considerations Of Small And Medium Scale Specialty Crop Producers, Laura Westray

All Theses

Institutional foodservice, which includes schools, hospitals, and long-term care facilities, is an important food marketing channel. The centralized nature of the US food system effectively, and supply, logistic and other constraints, effectively precludes small and medium scale (SMS) specialty crop producers from serving as suppliers to these types of operations. Passage of The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and increasing public attention to food safety issues, further complicates this matter. While the FSMA Tester-Hagen Amendment provides regulatory exemptions for SME producers, it is likely that in the future food purchases on or behalf of institutions will require more stringent food …

Evaluating Nature Of Expenditures And Economic Impact Of Tourism Spending On Nature-Based Activities In South Carolina Coastal Economies, Alexis Imler

All Theses

The general goal of this study is to better understand South Carolina coastal tourism. The region of study includes the coastal counties of Horry, Charleston, and Beaufort (and Georgetown, Berkeley, Dorchester, and Jasper counties for the economic impact analysis). This study includes two types of analyses: a regression analysis of visitors' expenditures and an economic impact analysis of tourist spending.
The empirical visitors' expenditure models are specified using economic consumer demand theory. The regression analysis of the model is conducted using data from a tourist survey of 818 South Carolina visitors (conduced in fall 2008 and summer 2009). The activity …

Back To The Basics: What Does The Market Tell Us About Harvest Grain Basis, Matthew Fischer

All Theses

Grain marketing in the United States is a complex system; therefore producers require information on grain markets to effectively manage risk. Futures markets provide the mechanism for price risk management based on the national supply and demand signals. However price risk is managed on the local level, therefore the relationship between local cash price and futures price, basis, must be understood.
The market forces which explain grain basis are the cost of storage and the transportation cost. The current body of research in grain basis uses the storage component of basis as the driving force. This approach is applicable to …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Production Process And Product Origin On Willingness To Pay For Shrimp, Addison Ellis

All Theses

The 2002 Farm Bill included a provision requiring various agricultural commodities to comply with country of origin labeling (COOL). Proponents of COOL argued that the policy would support U.S. producers and benefit U.S. consumers. This argument was based on the assumption that U.S. consumers prefer domestic products to imported products and hence the demand for U.S. products would increase following the implementation of COOL. However, analyzing the impact of COOL on shrimp, one of the first commodities covered the program, is complicated by recent trade disputes, concerns over the safety of farm raised products and potential stigma effects associated with …

Evaluation And Adjustment Of Usda Wasde Cotton Forecasts, David Tysinger

All Theses

The dynamic and volatile nature of agricultural markets causes individuals to rely on forecasts in their decision-making. WASDE cotton forecasts are shown to be especially volatile as cotton is one of the most trade dependent commodities in the world. Therefore, its evaluation requires us to look beyond U.S. WASDE categories and evaluate forecasts for China and the World.
This study will use data from monthly WASDE balance sheets for upland cotton for the U.S, China and World over 1985/1986 through 2008/2009 including unpublished price forecasts. The results of this study will provide information that can be used to improve the …

The Effects Of Decoupled Payments On Production Decisions Under Base Acreage And Yield Updating Uncertainty: An Investigation Of Agricultural Chemical Use, Janet Peckham

All Theses

When first introduced, decoupled payments were thought to have minimal impacts on current production decisions and input use. In order to comply with the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture requiring all World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries to reduce trade distorting agricultural policies, in 1996 U.S. agricultural policies began shifting away from coupled payments, based on current prices, production, or output, towards decoupled payments.
However, the literature has identified several mechanisms by which decoupled payments have the potential to distort production in the current period. First, risk averse producers may increase production due to insurance and wealth effects. Second, in …

Willingness To Pay For Locally Grown And Organically Produced Fruits And Vegetables In Dominica, Seraphine George

All Theses

ABSTRACT
With the intent of improving agricultural revenues and solidifying her place as an eco-tourism destination, it has been proposed that the island nation of The Commonwealth of Dominica convert all agricultural activities to organic production. To meet this challenge from the supply perspective, training of farmers in organic production practices has already begun. It remains, however, to quantify the potential demand for organically produced products. With this information in hand, appropriate producer support and marketing programs could be developed that would help to promote the production and consumption of Dominica‟s organic outputs and would propel Dominica toward its desired …

A Discounted Cash Flow Method Of Valuation For Single Trees And Urban Forests, Kristin Heffelfinger

All Theses

Urban foresters need a consistent method for valuing single trees with specific non-timber values. There are several accepted methods to accomplish this; comparison of results across the methods ensures consistency. Discounted cash flow analysis (DCF) is one of these methods, but many appraisers or others valuing urban tree are reluctant to use it because it requires complex calculations and assumptions. However, DCF has the advantage of accounting for the time value of money and certain intangible benefits presented by urban trees. Current models are adapted to specific locations and species; a general method for urban tree valuation has not been …

Effects Of Vegetation Structure On Fire Behavior And Wiregrass Seedling Establishment In Xeric Sandhills, Evelyn Wenk

All Theses

The xeric sandhills on Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge have a monospecific overstory of longleaf pine and an understory dominated by turkey oak and wiregrass. The understory vegetation is spatially heterogeneous within stands, with small patches dominated by either turkey oak or wiregrass, or lacking understory vegetation. I described the fuel complexes created by the variable vegetation structure, in terms of their chemical and physical properties, and used prescribed fire to test for differences in fire behavior among the vegetation types. In addition, I compared the effects of the vegetation structure and below-ground competition on the establishment of wiregrass.
Turkey …

Relationships Between Impervious Surfaces And Surface Water Quality In Hunnicutt Creek Watershed, Clemson, South Carolina, Swaros Dumrichob

All Theses

Hunnicutt Creek watershed drains to the eastern edge of Clemson University campus. The landscape of this part of campus changes from a natural park like botanical garden to one dominated by academic buildings. The campus area has changed in time as well with increasing impervious areas such as roads, parking lots, roof tops and decreasing the amount of forested land leaded to the impairment of water quality in this creek. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relationships between water quality indicators and percent imperviousness at a watershed level. Eight sampling sites were assigned at each sub-watershed within …

Population Reconstruction Model To Analyze Harvest And Banding Data For Mourning Doves In South Carolina, Christopher Chumbley

All Theses

Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) call count indices for South Carolina indicate a negative trend over the past 42 years (1.2% decline per year, p < 0.05). Total harvest estimates in the state increased from 2003-2007. Banding data from doves banded in South Carolina and data from annual examinations of harvested mourning dove wings during 2003-2007 were collected and analyzed. Data sets used contained 6,600 banded doves and 21,240 harvested dove wings. Survival estimates from band recovery analyses for adult and juvenile doves were 0.44 (± 0.04 SE) and 0.35 (± 0.06 SE), respectively. Survival rates were constant from year to year while recovery rates differed annually for adults and juveniles. The average natural mortality estimates for adults and juveniles in the presence of hunting were 0.45 ± 0.122 and 0.47 ± 0.189, respectively, during the study period. The average harvest and kill rates for adults and juveniles were also estimated. Age-at-harvest ratios adapted from annual wing examinations during the harvest were used with recovery rates to derive estimates of annual productivity in the population. Linear regression analysis of productivity estimates found a significant decline in productivity during 2003-2007 (-0.21, p < 0.10). The average productivity estimate was 1.43 (± 0.33 SE) juveniles per adult and the estimated productivity required to maintain a stable population was 1.60 (± 0.30 SE). The effects of constant survival rates, varying hunting mortality estimates and declining productivity estimates were discussed in relation to breeding populations in rural areas of South Carolina.

Management Strategies To Improve Development Of Replacement Heifers Utilizing Tall Fescue-Based Systems, Margaret Miller

All Theses

Research was conducted to determine the effect of tall fescue and alternative management regimens on reproduction in replacement beef heifers. Angus _ Simmental heifers (n = 48; 318 ± 4.99 kg initial BW) stratified by weight and pubertal status were assigned to one of three replicated grazing treatments: (1) toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue (TF); (2) toxic endophyte-infected tall fescue with a soybean oil supplement (TFO); or (3) mixed winter annual species (cereal rye, annual ryegrass, crimson clover and hybrid turnip) (M). Tall fescue endophyte infection level was between 74 and 94%. Pastures were grazed from December 12 to April 24. …

Fuel Dynamics Across Southern Appalachian Landscapes, Horace Gambrell

All Theses

Although there have been several individual studies measuring hardwood fuels, across the central Hardwood Region and southern Appalachian Mountains, little is known of how hardwood fuels are distributed across the landscape. Understanding this distribution is essential for fire management planning. Previous studies suggest that the decay rate of litter and fine woody fuel is greater on mesic sites as compared to dryer sites. In the southern Appalachian Mountains, northeast facing slopes and protected bottoms are generally the more mesic sites, while southwest facing slopes and exposed ridge tops receive sunlight for longer periods and should be more xeric.
The objectives …

Laboratory Study Of Responses Of Anuran Amphibians To Roundup¨ Exposures: Experimental Design And Role Of Sediment, Latice Fuentes

All Theses

The contribution of incidental exposures of Roundup¨ herbicide to amphibian declines can be evaluated with carefully designed laboratory tests. Sensitive, sentinel species of larval anurans were exposed to two formulations: the original formulation of Roundup¨ and Roundup WeatherMax¨ in 96-hour acute, aqueous and water-sediment tests. An experimental design was developed that considered and held constant relevant laboratory conditions which produced precise, replicable data. Experimental design factors decreased variability and increased precision by considering and incorporating the following: 1) range-finding tests; 2) reference toxicity tests; 3) the relative sensitivity of the species tested; 4) differences in formulation; 5) the number of …