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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Defining Management Strategies To Maximize Net Soil Carbon And Nitrogen Retention In Turfgrass Systems, Quincy D. Law
Defining Management Strategies To Maximize Net Soil Carbon And Nitrogen Retention In Turfgrass Systems, Quincy D. Law
Open Access Theses
Soil carbon (C) sequestration has been proposed as a method to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2 ). Managed turf areas are both a source and a sink for greenhouse gases (GHGs) including CO 2 , methane (CH4 ), and nitrous oxide (N2 O), among others. Management practices, including turfgrass selection and mowing, influence the amount of C and N stored in the soil, as well as the direct and indirect GHG emissions. Thus, the objective of this research was to determine how turfgrass selection (both species and cultivar) and mowing practices (such as frequency and grass clipping management) influence the …
Using Energy-Efficient Technologies To Produce Bedding Plants And Microgreens In Protected And Controlled Environments, Joshua R. Gerovac
Using Energy-Efficient Technologies To Produce Bedding Plants And Microgreens In Protected And Controlled Environments, Joshua R. Gerovac
Open Access Theses
Gerovac, Joshua R. M.S., Purdue University, December 2014. Using Energy-Efficient Technologies to Produce Bedding Plants and Microgreens in Protected and Controlled Environments. Major Professor: Roberto G. Lopez. Production of bedding plants in commercial greenhouses (GHs) located in northern latitudes begins in late winter and continues through late spring when low outdoor temperatures generally necessitate active heating to maintain temperatures suitable for growth and development. Meanwhile, year-round production of microgreens using multi-layer systems requires sole-source (SS) photosynthetic lighting for production. Energy used to provide active heating in commercial GHs or SS lighting in multi-layer systems is second only to labor as …
Biochar And Vermicompost Amendments In Vegetable Cropping Systems: Impacts On Soil Quality, Soil-Borne Pathogens And Crop Productivity, Nathan Lee Shoaf
Biochar And Vermicompost Amendments In Vegetable Cropping Systems: Impacts On Soil Quality, Soil-Borne Pathogens And Crop Productivity, Nathan Lee Shoaf
Open Access Theses
Amending soils with biochar and vermicompost has the potential to provide multiple benefits for specialty crops including pathogen suppression and increased crop productivity. Oomycete pathogens such as Phytophthora capsici can devastate crop fields and they are difficult to control presenting significant management challenges for Midwestern growers. Soils amended with a microbially-inoculated softwood biochar increased carrot root growth relative to the control and corn stover biochar in 2011, while the corn stover biochar also increased carrot root growth relative to the control, but only in two varieties. Neither biochar treatment influenced carrot growth in 2012. In greenhouse trials, vermicompost amendments provided …