Life Sciences Commons^™

Soil Additives And Alternative Crops For Drought Defense In The Intermountain West, Tina M. Sullivan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Western U.S. looks for water optimization and conservation as agriculture is the largest water diverter, and resources are pressured by urban growth, winter snowpack instability, and drought persistence. Agricultural producers have several potential options to optimize water use with different investments associated with them. Options with varying levels of risks and known management practices include alternative crops, soil wetting agents, and crop biologicals.

An alternative crop that grew incredibly fast in popularity was industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) despite limited agronomic knowledge for best management practices. Field trials occurred (2020-2022) near Logan, UT to test a total of …

The Interactions Between Drought Tolerant Corn Hybrids And Plant Water-Stress On Weeds And Their Host Capability For Spider Mites, Mercy Adhiambo Odemba

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

With climate change, it is predicted that more frequent high temperatures and drought severity will lead to an increase in damage caused by pests that thrive under these conditions. Spider mite outbreaks, for example, are associated with plant waterstress and there is evidence that some weeds are more resilient and adapted to drought than some crops, leading to major concerns for the management of these two pest types. Weeds directly compete with crops for limited resources, but what is unclear is which weeds harbor spider mites and whether they exacerbate the impact of spider mites on corn crops under water-stressed …

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. …

4r Nitrogen And Water Optimization Combinations For Intermountain West Field Crops, Tina Sullivan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The concept of 4R (right source, rate, placement, and timing) management needs little introduction due to the surplus of nutrient studies in the literature for most cultivated crops. However, few studies have looked at these practices in the Intermountain West with nitrogen use, and fewer looked at 4R irrigation management. A survey was conducted to explore the interactions of nitrogen and irrigation management, test sensitivity to supply and price changes of nitrogen and irrigation for Utah and Idaho growers of small grains, corn, and potatoes, and determine the current adoption of precision agriculture options and identify the opportunities to improve. …

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 …

Trends In Us Crop Yields & Water Use, Britta L. Schumacher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over half the land in the US is dedicated to agriculture, with the vast majority of all cropland cultivated in corn, wheat, or soybean. Despite continuing advances in agricultural technologies, and consistent yield growth over the twentieth century, research suggests that environmental change is already impacting agricultural yield and future changes are sure to exacerbate challenges to agricultural production. It follows that the future of US agriculture depends on the evolution of the changing climate, the relationship between crop yields and the environment, on-farm management and adaptations, the ecosystems that support agriculture, the political and economic incentives that shape what …

Effects Of Wi-Fi-Enabled Smart Irrigation Controllers On Water Use And Plant Health Of Residential Landscapes In The Intermountain West, Shane R. Evans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Residential and commercial landscapes provide home and business owners with several benefits. These benefits range from improved air quality and flood control to the reduction of noise and breakdown of organic chemicals. However, these landscapes are routinely overwatered which can lead to plant disease, nutrient pollution, and large amounts of water being wasted. Utah State University, in conjunction with the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (CWEL), the Utah Division of Natural Resources and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, conducted an experiment to determine if Wi-Fi-enabled smart irrigation controllers conserve water as compared to average residential irrigation amounts and manually programmed …

Examination And Empirical Forecast Of Wheat Yield In Northwest India Based On Climate And Socio-Economic Factors, Avik Mukherjee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study summarizes the findings of research organized in two parts. The first part includes the impact of climate and socio-economic factors that affected wheat yield in northwest India during the 2000s. The second part focused on the forecast of average wheat yield for the two highest wheat producing states Punjab and Haryana.

Initial study focused on the impact of climate factors on wheat yield in northwest India. It has been found that above normal temperature coupled with water shortage i.e. irregular irrigation and low soil moisture contributed to the prolonged yield reduction during 2002-2010.

Next, we reviewed the socio-economic …

Understanding Wetlands And Irrigation In The Little Snake River Basin, Wyoming, Lindsey Washkoviak

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

The Little Snake River Basin (LSRB) is a managed basin in South-central Wyoming located within the Colorado River watershed facing severe water shortages. There is increased pressure on water resource managers and agricultural producers to adopt water efficiency practices that could negatively affect wetland resources. However, studies have begun to quantify the importance of irrigation for recharging groundwater, maintaining late season instream flows, and maintaining and creating wetlands that provide wildlife habitat and ecosystem services.

In the LSRB there are 11,636 acres of wetlands; 56% of which overlap with irrigation. Conversion to more efficient irrigation could reduce water availability to …

Water Decision-Making Under Uncertainty, Augustina Yaa Oye Odame

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation is made up of three separate studies under the unifying theme of “Water Decision-Making under Uncertainty.” The first study analyzed a farmer’s decision to invest in a more efficient irrigation system given uncertainty about future water supplies and his post-investment efficiency. It found the price at which farmers would no longer produce to be a bigger consideration in irrigation investment than previously thought. It also found support for a careful identification and consideration of all significant sources of uncertainty in order to create better policy incentives for irrigation technology investments.

The second study extended the first to allow …

The Effect Of Irrigation Diversions On The Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium Williamsoni) Population In The Big Lost River, Patrick Allen Kennedy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Management agencies documented a decline in the mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) population on the Big Lost River, and unscreened diversions were recognized as a potential factor for this decline. Research suggests the Big Lost River mountain whitefish population is genetically unique, and it has been petitioned for protection under the Endangered Species Act. In 2007, a basin-wide synopsis of diversions was conducted to describe relative entrainment and identify diversions that entrained the most mountain whitefish. This larger scaled synopsis facilitated a more precise assessment of entrainment by a subset of diversions in 2008. In 2008, the volume that …

Alfalfa Production As Related To Irrigation Scheduling: An Economic Perspective, Craig L. Israelsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study analyzed the economics of irrigation scheduling for alfalfa hay in the Cache Valley, Utah area. Yield, evapotranspiration (ET) and irrigation drainage loss, along with the costs and returns per acre attributable to irrigation scheduling, were simulated through the use of a computerized plant growth model. The model created yearly "irrigation schedules" for alfalfa hay based on actual climatic, soil and plant characteristic data from the Utah State University Greenville Experiment Station. The model calculated the irrigation schedules based on a soil-water balance equation which never allowed the available soil water to go below the crop stress point.

The …

An Evaluation Of Using In-Field Evaporation Pans To Schedule Irrigation On Potatoes, Michael J. Tremblay

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research project was undertaken to determine if an evaporation pan would accurately predict evapotranspiration when placed in an actual irrigated field situation. Two potato fields in Southern Idaho with different micro-climates and soil types were used in this study. The in-field evaporation pan method was compared with the gravimetric method and the Jensen-Haise and modified-Penman climatic methods. Yield and quality responses were evaluated by varying the amount of sprinkler-applied water so that three distinct moisture regimes were evaluated. It was also necessary to evaluate recent crop coefficient (K_c) curves on potatoes to see if the K_{c …}

Determining A Crop Production Function For Corn As Influenced By Irrigation And Salinity Levels, Timothy E. Sullivan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Production functions were generated for dry matter and grain yields of corn, A continuous variable plot design replicated four times was established in the spring of 1974 in Vernal, Utah. Each replication included ten salt treatments and twenty irrigation levels. The salt treatments resulted in an average root zone salinity ranging from 2 . 7 to 14.9 mmhos/cm. Irrigation levels ranged from 4.2 to 45.0cm of water applied. Dry matter (Kg/ha) yield showed an 83 percent reduction over the range of salt applied and a 52 percent reduction over the range of water applied. Grain yield declined 96 and 64 …

Comparison Of Tensiometer And Climatological Methods For Estimating Soil Moisture Depletion And Scheduling Irrigation For Potatoes, Thayne B. Wiser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this thesis was to compare the tensiometer and climatic methods of scheduling irrigation of potatoes under field conditions. Tensiometers were placed in a 160 acre field to maintain the crop within the optimum moisture range and schedule irrigations. An automatic solid set system was used to apply water to the potato crop. Instrumentation was used to determine daily input for the climatological method. Daily evapotranspiration (Et) was computed and Et (tensiometer) was compared with Et (climatic). The results showed total variation of the climatic method from the tensiometer method of .62 inches or less than 5 per …

Irrigation And Non-Irrigation Alternatives For Reducing Sugar Cane Transportation Costs In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Lee M. Bailey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The major objective of this study was to investigate various alternatives for lowering the cost of transporting sugar cane in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. These alternatives included both irrigation and non-irrigation possibilities. Production costs for sugar cane were determined by using studies completed by the USAID-Utah State University study team, budget studies of Senor Carlos Castro of the Guabira' sugar cane mill in Santa Cruz and a study undertaken by Senor Enrique Gomez, a graduate student at Utah State University.

A cane registry commissioned by the National Sugar Cane Commission was used in conjunction with a least-cost transportation model in order …

Estimating Agricultural Production Functions From Experimental Data For Different Crops In Relation To Irrigation, Fertilization And Soil Management In Northern Utah, Subramaniuam Swami Nathan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Estimates of agricultural production functions from experimental data for four different crops in relation to six variable inputs are calculated by this study. There are four basic sections in the study. The first section covers the review of production function concepts and the procedures and problems that specifically pertain to this study. Also the importance of joint economic-agronomic research efforts, methodologies and applications of agricultural production functions are cited.

The second section includes the presentation data and postulated functional relationships in estimating production functions. Model building programs are used in developing three dimensional figures, which aid in the selection of …

The Capability Of The Utah State University Drainage Farm As An Irrigation And Drainage Demonstration Project, Mario Perez

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

There are in Cache County 20,000 acres of poorly drained land similar in many respects to the other wet lands of Utah, estimated to total a half million acres, which are mostly natural meadows. In order to turn those lands more productive either for forage or other crops, adequate management practices must be developed regarding control of the surface water, leaching, reduction of artesian pressure, and improved water application techniques.

Studies carried out at the Utah State University Drainage Farm, west of Logan, Utah, which is representative of those poorly drained lands, have already shown successful ways for these areas …

The Secondary Benefits Of Irrigation Water: An Economic Appraisal, Erik Bruce Godfrey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The secondary or external benefits of increasing the availability of water for irrigation and changing the allocation of an existing water supply was analyzed from a theoretical point of view.

"Input-output" models for Cache County, Utah, and for the state of Utah were used to indicate the intersectoral relationship of water used by agriculture and other sectors in each economy.

The indirect value of water used by agriculture in Cache County was estimated. A method that extended the procedure used in this thesis was proposed that could be used to estimate the value of water in ether sectors. A "water …

Irrigation Water Values In Cache County, Utah, Marlyn Fife

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In Utah all water, both on or below the ground surface, is considered public property. The right to use water is obtained by following certain subsiding procedures of appropriation through the office of the State Engineer. Any right to the use of water may be changed to some other beneficial use with the approval of the State Engineer; however, there must be no interference with other rights, unless proper compensation has been made.

Agriculture still uses most of the available water in Utah; However, farmers' needs for water are not exactly the same. When allocation per acre is the same …

Forage Yield And Chemical Composition Of An Orchardgrass-Bromegrass Pasture Mixture As Influenced By Clipping Frequency, Nitrogen Fertilization And Irrigation Regime, Vinayak G. Gawai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The influence of agronomic practices on forage production and chemical composition of an orchardgrass-bromegrass pasture mixture was studied at the Greenville Farm, Logan, Utah, during 1960-1964. The soil is a well drained Millville Silt loam that has about a one percent slope and occurs on an alluvial fan. It is high in potash, phosphorus and calcium and is alkaline having a pH of 7.9 to 8.2.

Analysis of the clipping frequency showed that the yield of forage from four harvests was greater than from five harvests. This difference was greater on plots receiving high rates of nitrogen fertilization, and frequent …

The Effect Of Time, Quantity, And Kind Of Irrigation On The Yield Of Sugar Beets, Delos Boyd Archibald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Investigations on factors affecting yield of sugar beets during the past two years at Newton and Garland, Utah, have shown two outstanding facts about irrigating sugar beets. First, the amount of water applied may not be as important as the time at which they receive it. Second, sugar beets should not be made to suffer for water in the early part of their growing season.

These observations suggest the need for further studies on method, time and quantity of irrigation. Further information on the most economical use of irrigation water for sugar beets would be of great value to the …

Principles Of Irrigation Farming As Developed By American Field Experiments, Prabh Dyall Sikka

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Irrigation is "the artificial application of water to the soil for the purpose of getting large and steady crop yields". It is supplementary to rainfall and the quantity of water applied and the time of application, therefore, must be determined by the character of the rainfall. Irrigation is usually practiced in those regions which have low rainfall as natural precipitation at such places is insufficient to meet the full water requirements of crops.