Life Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Sediment Particle Size And Temperature On Fecal Bacteria Mortality Rates And The Fecal Coliform/Fecal Streptococci Ratio, J. M. Howell, Mark S. Coyne, P. L. Cornelius

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Extended survival of fecal bacteria in sediment can obscure the source and extent of fecal contamination in agricultural settings. The variability in fecal coliform/fecal streptococci (FC/FS) ratios with time and discrepancies between observable fecal sources and measured FC/FS ratios in shallow surface water from agricultural watersheds may be explained by examining FC and FS mortality rates in response to ambient temperature and sediment particle size. We measured FC and FS mortality rates at three different temperatures and in three feces-amended sediments with different particle size in a laboratory study. In controlled conditions, using physiological saline to reduce cell death by …

Cellular Basis Of Decreased Immune Responses To Pneumococcal Vaccines In Aged Mice, Manju Garg, Wei Luo, Alan M. Kaplan, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Previously, model systems were developed in our laboratory to study murine immune responses to the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine Pnu-Imune, both in vivo and in vitro (M. Garg and B. Subbarao, Infect. Immun. 60:2329-2336, 1992; M. Garg, A. M. Kaplan, and S. Bondada, J. Immunol. 152: 1589-1596, 1994). Using these systems, we found that aged mice did not respond to the vaccine in vivo or in vitro. Cell separation studies showed that the unresponsiveness of the aged spleen cells to the vaccine was not due to an intrinsic B-cell defect or to T-cell-mediated immunosuppression but resulted from an accessory cell …

Formulation Enhanced Transport Of A Soil Applied Herbicide, V. P. Evangelou, Louis M. Mcdonald, Sandra Prima

KWRRI Research Reports

Because pesticides are applied as formulated particles and the affinity of the active ingredient for the formulation is higher than for the bulk water, we hypothesized that a formulation complex could affect active ingredient transport. Our objectives were to investigate the nature and extent of surfactant-atrazine-clay/oxide surface interactions. When atrazine and an anionic surfactant were dried onto plain or Fe-coated sand and leached, atrazine concentrations in the initial leachate were lower in the Fe-coated sand treatment. This was likely due to an electrostatic attraction between the sand and surfactant. When a nonionic surfactant was used, atrazine concentration in the initial …

Metal-Resistance Genetically Engineered Bacteria, Sylvia Daunert, Donna Scott, Sridhar Ramanathan

KWRRI Research Reports

Bacterial-based electrochemical and optical sensing systems that respond in a highly selective and sensitive manner to antimonite and arsenite have been developed. This was accomplished by using genetically engineered bacteria bearing one of two plasmids constructed for our studies. The first plasmid, pBGD23, contains the operator/promoter region (O/P) and the gene of the ArsR protein from the ars operon upstream from the β-galactosidase gene. In the absence of antimonite/arsenite, ArsR binds to the 0/P site and prevents the transcription of the genes for ArsR and β-galactosidase, thus blocking expression of these proteins. When antimonite or arsenite is present in the …

Oxidation Proof Silicate Surface Coating On Iron Sulfides, V. P. Evangelou

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Patents

The present method induces an oxidation-proof ferric silicate coating on iron sulfide such as pyrite and marcasite. The method includes the steps of placing the pyrite to be treated in a reaction vessel and leaching the pyrite with a coating composition including water, an oxidizing agent and a silicate coating agent. Examples of oxidizing agents include hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite and mixtures thereof. The silicate coating agent may be sodium metasilicate. In order to ensure the formation of the stable coating, the leaching is performed at a pH of 4-6 and more preferably 5. Additionally, the oxidizing agent …

Differential Black Walnut Growth On A Recommended Soil Map Unit: Investigation Of Related Soil Chemical And Physical Properties, David C. Ditsch, Jeff Stringer, D. Mcintosh

Agronomy Notes

Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is one of the best known and most valuable trees in Kentucky. However, due to its high value, the species has been aggressively harvested from natural stands, creating a limited supply of quality black walnut trees. Many landowners recognize this as an investment opportunity and have placed small tracts of unused land into black walnut production.

Effect Of Boron Fertilization On Alfalfa, Monroe Rasnake, Garry D. Lacefield

Agronomy Notes

The need for boron (B) fertilization of alfalfa has been known for many years. An annual application of 1.5 to 2.0 ·pounds of elemental B per acre on alfalfa has been the general recommendation of the University of Kentucky's, Department of Agronomy for at least 20 years. Most states surrounding Kentucky have similar recommendations; however, some indicate that B needs to be applied only once every two years. There has been very little recent research to verify the need for B on alfalfa.

Als Resistant Smooth Pigweed In Western Kentucky, R. E. Schmenk, Michael Barrett, William W. Witt

Agronomy Notes

Pigweeds The pigweed, or Amaranthus, family contains some of the most commonly occurring weeds of midwest agriculture. Species from this family that occur in Kentucky include smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus, most common), tumble pigweed, prostrate pigweed, spiny amaranth,Palmer amaranth,common waterhemp, and tall waterhemp. Research has shown that some pigweed species respond differently to various herbicides, therefore, proper identification is necessary to achieve acceptable control. Pigweed identification in early stages of seedling growth can be difficult because the distinguishing physical characteristics do not appear until plants are mature or have produced seed. Also, some pigweed species may cross-pollinate to …

Vegetative Filter Strip Design For Grassed Areas Treated With Animal Manures, Dwayne R. Edwards, Tommy C. Daniel, Philip A. Moore Jr.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Vegetative filter strips (VFS) are a low-cost management option that have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing runoff transport of fertilizer constituents applied to grassed areas (pasture or meadow). Runoff quality studies involving fertilizers applied to grassed areas suggest that VFS can be designed by assuming that (1) only infiltration is responsible for pollutant removal, (2) the first post-application runoff event is most important from a water quality perspective (enabling a design event approach), and (3) no pollutant build-up that degrades VFS performance will occur. The purpose of this study was to develop a VFS design algorithm for grassed …

Poultry Litter-Treated Length Effects On Quality Of Runoff From Fescue Plots, Dwayne R. Edwards, Philip A. Moore Jr., Tommy C. Daniel, Puneet Srivastava

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Using experimental data and/or mathematical simulation models to identify practices that reduce pollution from manure-treated areas is sometimes perceived as limited by the unknown validity of extrapolating plot-scale data to larger areas and by uncertainties in modeling transport of various pollutants. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of length of manure treatment on runoff concentrations of poultry litter constituents and to define the modes of transport (particulate versus soluble) for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), carbon (C), and solids. Poultry litter was applied to three 1.5- x 18.3-m fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plots with runoff collection …

Quality Of Runoff From Four Northwest Arkansas Pasture Fields Treated With Organic And Inorganic Fertilizer, Dwayne R. Edwards, Tommy C. Daniel, John F. Murdoch, Philip A. Moore Jr.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Long-term land application of animal manures, even at agronomic rates, can promote accumulation of soil phosphorus (P) which can, in turn, contribute to increased P loadings to downstream waters. The objective of this study was to assess the soil and runoff effects of replacing animal manure as a soil amendment with inorganic fertilizer (ammonium nitrate, NH₄NO₃) on fields that had been treated previously with animal manures. Runoff from two pairs of small fields (0.57 to 1.46 ha) was sampled from September 1991 to April 1994. All fields had been treated previously with animal manures; after runoff …

Performance Of Vegetative Filter Strips With Varying Pollutant Source And Filter Strip Lengths, Puneet Srivastava, Dwayne R. Edwards, Tommy C. Daniel, Philip A. Moore Jr., Thomas A. Costello

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Vegetative filter strips (VFS) can reduce runoff losses of pollutants such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from land areas treated with fertilizers. While VFS effectiveness is considered to depend on lengths of pollutant source and VFS areas, there is little experimental evidence of this dependence, particularly when the pollutant source is manure-treated pasture. This study assessed the effects of pollutant source area (fescue pasture treated with poultry litter) length and VFS (fescue pasture) length on VFS removal of nitrate N (NO₃-N), ammonia N (NH₃-N), total Kjeldahl N (TKN), ortho-P (PO₄-P), total P (TP), …

Simulation Of Runoff Transport Of Animal Manure Constituents, Yang Wang, Dwayne R. Edwards, Tommy C. Daniel, H. Don Scott

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Runoff losses of land-applied animal manure constituents can adversely affect the quality of downstream waters. Reliable mathematical simulation models can help estimate runoff losses of animal manure constituents and identify management measures to reduce these losses. The objective of this study was to develop and calibrate an event-based simulation model to describe the runoff transport of solids (soil and manure particles) and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from areas treated with animal manure. The resulting model, consisting of linked hydrology, soil/manure transport, and nutrient transport components, is process-oriented and uses measurable parameters to the greatest degree possible. The three components of …

A Direct, Approximate Solution To The Modified Green-Ampt Infiltration Equation, Puneet Srivastava, Thomas A. Costello, Dwayne R. Edwards

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Accurately predicting the rainfall-runoff process is of vital importance for water quality models as well as for correct design of various types of hydraulic structures. This article presents a method of describing the cumulative infiltration process as an explicit function of time using an approximation to the modified Green-Ampt equation given by Mein and Larson (1971). The resulting equation is helpful in predicting cumulative infiltration and therefore infiltration capacity for computer simulation models. The proposed method takes about 50% less time than the usual iterative technique for the same degree of accuracy. The maximum error due to approximation was 1% …

Development Of A Biologically Based Aerobic Composting Simulation Model, Dennis P. Stombaugh, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A relatively simple dynamic model based on microbial process kinetics has been developed for aerobic composting. Differential equations describing microbial, substrate, and oxygen concentrations, as well as moisture and temperature profiles have been derived as a function of vessel size and aeration rate. Microbial biomass growth was described using Monod growth kinetics as a function of degradable substrate concentration, oxygen concentration, moisture content, and compost temperature. Facility and fan operating costs have been included to permit economic optimization of the process. Predicted results demonstrated the ability of the model to quantify and describe the influence of multiple interacting factors (temperature, …

Minimum Ventilation For Modern Broiler Facilities, Richard S. Gates, Douglas G. Overhults, Shuhui H. Zhang

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

New functions for whole-house broiler heat production as a function of bird age using modern straight run broiler growth rates are presented and compared to values in the literature. The approximations are based on field measurements of environmental conditions in modern broiler housing, using a technique that matches predicted to actual fuel use to estimate partitioning between latent and sensible heat. Development of a program utilizing these approximations to compute ventilation and heating requirements for temperature and humidity control in broiler housing is described. The program utilizes steady-state heat and moisture balances commonly used for design purposes, with hourly or …

Application Of Simplified Phosphorus Transport Models To Pasture Fields In Northwest Arkansas, Dwayne R. Edwards, C. T. Haan, Andrew N. Sharpley, John F. Murdoch, Tommy C. Daniel, Philip A. Moore Jr.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Runoff transport of phosphorus (P) is often predicted from simple equations with parameters determined from data applicable primarily to row-cropped and fallow cover conditions. The applicability, accuracy, and precision of such P transport prediction equations under pasture situations are less well defined. The objectives of this study were to determine parameters of simplified runoff P transport equations for pasture fields and to assess the accuracy and precision of the equations. Runoff, sediment yield, soluble P transport, and particulate P transport data were collected from four pasture fields in northwestern Arkansas. Runoff event enrichment ratios and extraction coefficients were computed, and …

Evaluation Of The Crop Growth Component Of The Root Zone Water Quality Model For Corn In Ohio, Sue E. Nokes, Feliks M. Landa, Jon D. Hanson

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) is a computer model developed to simulate water, chemical, and biological processes in the root zone of agricultural management systems. As of this writing RZWQM is in the beta-testing phase of development. This article reports on a parameterization and evaluation study performed in Ohio on field corn for the crop growth component of RZWQM. The generic crop growth model in RZWQM had not previously been parameterized or tested on field corn. This article reports the results of such a study. One year of data was used to calibrate RZWQM, and two additional years …

Comparison Of Daily Water Table Depth Prediction By Four Simulation Models, Eric D. Desmond, Andrew D. Ward, Norman R. Fausey, Stephen R. Workman

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The Agricultural Drainage And Pesticide Transport (ADAPT) model was compared to the water management simulation models DRAINMOD, SWATREN, and PREFLO. SWATREN and PREFLO are one-dimensional finite-difference models while ADAPT and DRAINMOD are one-dimensional mass balance models. ADAPT, an extension of the computer model GLEAMS, also provides chemical transport information. All four models were tested against field data from Aurora, North Carolina. Observed water table depth data were collected during 1973 through 1977 from a water table management field experiment with three subsurface drain spacing treatments of 7.5, 15, and 30 m.

Both the standard error of estimate and the average …

Preliminary Maturity Group Ii Soybean Variety Trials, Colleen C. Steele, Larry J. Grabau

Agronomy Notes

On-farm research with early maturing soybean varieties in Kentucky in both 1993 and 1994 has indicated that Maturity Group (MG) II varieties yield competitively with our traditional MG IV varieties. In those tests, four MG II varieties were compared with a single, high yielding MG IV variety (Asgrow A4715) over a range of planting dates on a total of 27 farms across both years. Asgrow A4715 averaged 43 bu/A, while the best MG II variety (Jack) averaged 39 bu/A. Such on-farm strip tests are valuable for comparing varieties under true production conditions. However, strip tests can effectively compare only a …

Early Maturing Varieties And Soybean Cyst Nematodes: Will This "Marriage" Work?, Colleen C. Steele, Larry J. Grabau

Agronomy Notes

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is widely distributed in Kentucky's soybean growing areas. The use of SCN-resistant varieties has long been a recommended production practice for infested fields. However, continuous use of such varieties can result in a shift to a race of SCN which is able to vigorously attack previously resistant varieties. For his reason, many states have long recommended that producers periodically grow a crop of SCN-susceptible soybeans within a crop rotation when SCN populations are too low to cause yield reductions. In Kentucky, the UK Plant Pathology Department recommends a four year rotation in SCN-infested fields [PPA3; "Wanted: …

Influence Of Dibble Shape And Depth On The Germination And Seedling Establishment Of Burley Tobacco In The Float System, Robert C. Pearce, M. Cui, Lowell P. Bush

Agronomy Notes

Direct seeding of pelleted tobacco seed into the float transplant system has become common in Kentucky. Direct seeding reduces labor compared to the plug and transfer method, but it increases the risk involved and requires more management by the producer. Uniform germination, and ultimately a high percentage of useable transplants are the keys to success with direct seeding.

Cultivar Selection, Seed Stratification And Surface Cover Effects On Switchgrass Establishment On Coal Mine Spoil, David C. Ditsch, Michael Collins, T. P. Demond, Timothy D. Phillips

Agronomy Notes

Surface mining in the Appalachian region of Kentucky often involves steep slopes and spoil limitations for revegetation not encountered in other reclamation situations. Herbaceous species (mono cultures or mixtures) provide quick cover required in revegetation of mined land for control of erosion as well as promoting soil development, improving wildlife habitat, and livestock production through hay and pasture production as well as a potential use as renewable energy for cofiring with high sulfur coal. However, due to the many challenging chemical and physical characteristics of mine spoil, selection of adaptable herbaceous species should be carefully considered.

Fish Lateral Line Neurophysiological And Neurobehavioral Responses As A Sensitive Water Quality Monitoring System, Hong Y. Yan

KWRRI Research Reports

Cadmium is a heavy metal ion that can cause deleterious effects on aquatic animals. This study uses both electrophysiological recordings from lateral line nerves and videotaping of schooling behavior to investigate the effects of cadmium exposure on fish. The fathead minnows were exposed to cadmium at a concentration of 450 μg/1 over a 24-hr period. Extracellular recording with a silver hook electrode was used to record compound action potentials from the lateral lines of control and experimental fish. After a short time exposure (24 hr) to cadmium ions, all of the electrophysiological activities of the lateral line nerves were suppressed. …

Potential For Crop Residue To Restrict Herbicide Movement In Surface From Water Corn And Soybean Fields, William W. Witt

KWRRI Research Reports

As no-tillage and other conservation tillage practices continue to increase, it is important to have knowledge of herbicide adsorption on crop residue with regard to the potential for the herbicide to be removed from the residue and move with runoff water from the field into nearby surface waters. Previous research had compared herbicide adsorption to various residues, but it was difficult to make comparisons among these studies because the residues were from different crops or the amount of residue decomposition was different. The amount of "weathering" or "aging" of the residue at the time of herbicide treatment could alter the …