Plant Sciences Commons^™

Creating Initial Digital Soil Properties Map Of Afghanistan, Shams R. Rahmani

Open Access Theses

Afghanistan is a country with a population of more than 31 million people and is located in south central Asia. The total arable land in the country is 12%, 5% is irrigated and the remaining 7% is rainfed. Due to the lack of available soil information, poor farming practices and land management planning severely affect the yield of agriculture products. In order to ensure sustainable agriculture and prevent land degradation problems, understanding spatial variability of soil is crucial. The overall objective of this research study was to use digital soil mapping techniques to identify the soil resources and generate a …

Liquid Swine Manure Application Timing And Instincttm Impacts On Net Soil Nitrogen Mineralization And Corn Yield, Min Xu

Open Access Theses

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most expensive variable input costs for corn production. Optimized manure management is essential to ensure maximum crop N utilization and to reduce the risk of N loss. A field study was conducted in central Indiana from 2011-2013 to assess liquid swine ( Sus scrofa L.) manure N availability when applied at different times or co-applied with InstinctTM , a microencapsulated form of nitrapyrin. Soil inorganic N contents, soil N mineralization, corn yield, grain N content, whole plant N concentrations of corn at the V6 growth stage, and ear leaf N concentrations of corn at …

Assessing Positional Accuracy And Correcting Point Data For Digital Soil Mapping At Varying Scales, Minerva J. Dorantes

Open Access Theses

Accuracy, timeliness, and the effect of scale of soil maps are rarely assessed. The recent increase in the use of GIS technologies and modelling software in natural resources and land management, has increased the demand for soil information at a finer resolution worldwide. Most of the world's developing countries rely on soils information at a scale that is too coarse for practical planning, and have obstacles impeding collection of new data, such as civil war and a lack of collection resources. The United States has an exhaustive collection of soils data at a fine scale. However, its location information is …

Evaluating Contaminants Of Emerging Concern In Commercial Biosolid-Based Fertilizers, John Hemmerling, Michael L. Mashtare, Linda S. Lee

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The production and popularity of commercially available biosolid-based fertilizers are increasing because of their economic, environmental, and plant nutrition benefits, particularly in urban and suburban areas. Because biosolid-based fertilizers are derived from waste water treatment plant residuals, we hypothesized that there is the potential for micropollutants to persist in these products. Their presence would be of particular concern due to their potential impact on human and ecological health and risk of bioaccumulation. This study involves quantifying contaminants of emerging concern in three biosolid-based fertilizers, and 2 non-biosolid-based fertilizers, a composted animal manure and an organic compost. Our extraction method employed …

Management Of Root Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne Incognita ) In Indiana Soybeans, David Edgardo Perla Martinez

Open Access Theses

The aim of this project was to evaluate different strategies for management of Root Knot Nematode (RKN) on soybean and tomato in Indiana. Seed treatments were evaluated under field and greenhouse conditions, but no effect on RKN populations was observed. Soybean lines evaluated for resistance to RKN under greenhouse conditions showed that six lines may be resistant to RKN. Four different commercial mustard cover crops were evaluated for their bio-fumigant impact on RKN populations in the production of tomato. Euruca sativa, Cv. Nemat was a poor host of RKN. A positive impact on the vigor of the tomato plants followed …

Ems Induced Mutations In Dhurrin Metabolism And Their Impacts On Sorghum Growth And Development, Jenae Lavon Skelton

Open Access Theses

Sorghum is the fifth most important grain crop in the world. It is a staple food, feed, and silage crop in many developing countries in the semi-arid tropics. One factor that can impact sorghum forage quality is dhurrin content. Dhurrin is a cyanogenic glucoside naturally produced in the plant. When tissues containing dhurrin are crushed, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is released during dhurrin decomposition. HCN is toxic to humans and livestock. While there is natural genetic diversity for the concentration of dhurrin within sorghum lines, there have been no naturally occurring dhurrin-free genotypes identified to date. ^ We have identified ethyl …

Agronomic And Genetic Characterization Of Aluminum Tolerance In A Recombinant Inbred Population Of Sorghum [Sorghum Bicolor (L.) Moench], Amanda Christine Easterly

Open Access Theses

Acid soils are estimated to cover up to 30% of arable soils globally and lead to significant limitations on agricultural productivity, primarily through aluminum toxicity. In sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], significant genetic variation exists for tolerance to phytotoxic species of aluminum; tolerance is conferred through the exudation of citrate at the root tip, binding aluminum in the soil rhizosphere. A gene in the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family is the primary tolerance locus in sorghum. The purpose of this research was to evaluate a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of sorghum segregating for SbMATE to establish …

Managing Swine Manure In Double-Crop Soybean, Donald Joseph Graper

Open Access Theses

Animal production, especially swine (Sus scrofa domesticus ) and poultry, has increased in the United States prompting the need to manage the larger volume of manure beyond land applications to supply nitrogen (N) for corn (Zea mays ) production. Applying swine manure to soybean (Glycine max ) has been shown to increase grain yield due to N supply. The goal of this research was to determine if swine manure applications to double-crop soybean following wheat can limit manure N loading to the soil by extending management options, increase soybean biomass and grain production, and increase N removal …

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Fungicides Applied To Creeping Bentgrass, Kurt Ronald Hockemeyer

Open Access Theses

Turf managers often rely on fungicides to limit damage caused by root diseases. Since fungicides do not move basipetally, they are effective only when fungitoxic concentrations are delivered to the rhizosphere. This research focused on the distribution of modern fungicides in verdure, thatch, sand, and roots of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L. var. palustris (Huds.) Farw.) maintained as a putting green. Fungicides (azoxystrobin (methyl (E)-2-[2-[6-(2-cyanophenoxy)pyrimidin-4-yloxy]phenyl]-3-methoxyacrylate), propiconazole (1,2,4-Triazole, 1-((2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-propyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)methyl), pyraclostrobin (carbamic acid, [2-[[[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]oxy]methyl]phenyl]methoxy-,methyl ester), and thiophanate-methyl (dimethyl 4,4'-o-phenylenebis[3-thioallophanate]) were applied to replicate field plots in a water volume of 815 L ha-1. Plots were sampled over time (0, 3, 7, 10, …

Fact Or Fiction: Random Mating In Field Populations Of Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Leconte) Emerging On Bt And Refuge Corn Plants, Steven Joel Smith

Open Access Theses

The western corn rootworm, or WCR, (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) is the most significant pest of field corn (Zea mays) in the United States, and has recently expanded its range into Europe. Since 2004, hybrid corn containing Bt toxins targeting the corn rootworm complex have been heavily adopted and are now the primary control measure for this pest in North American corn production. ^ The evolution of resistance is an ongoing concern, and to ensure Bt products will retain their usefulness, insect resistance management (IRM) tactics using various refuge structures have been adopted. One of the key …

Application And Timing Effects Of Qoi And Dmi Fungicides And A Foliar Fertilizer On Overall Plant Health And Grain Yield In Corn, Jason Phillip Geis

Open Access Theses

The use of fungicides on corn has recently increased as a result of higher grain market prices, changes in cropping practices, higher disease incidence and severity, and the availability and marketing claims of new fungicides. Some of the marketed potential "plant health(TM)" benefits include improved tolerance to drought and heat, improved N utilization, and increased stalk strength. Previous studies have displayed delayed canopy senescence, changes in water use efficiency, and reduced ozone damage in controlled environments. Foliar fertilization has also increased in popularity in recent years due to an increase in grain prices, manufacturer claims, and product availability.

Large-scale field …

Effects Of Wheat Grain Moisture: Quality, Germination, And Relationship To Accumulated Growing Degree Days, Kirsten Thomas

Open Access Theses

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a cereal crop of global importance. As global demand increases, it is essential to increase the quality and efficiency of crop production. Harvesting wheat early provides an opportunity for increased grain quality, and it may also allow the grower to double-crop soybean ( Glycine max L.) after wheat more effectively. Our objectives were to determine if harvesting grain early, at high moisture would, 1) increase milling and baking quality and 2) improve germination potential. As a result of these objectives, we will develop a model to predict dry-down of wheat. Five soft red …

Quantifying Subsurface Hydrology Effects On Chemical Transport In Agriculture Drainage Ditches Using A 20 Meter Flume, Colton Eugene Yoder

Open Access Theses

Agriculture drainage ditches serve as the veins of the Midwestern agricultural landscapes. The transport of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in these ditches affects both local and downstream ecosystems. Although much research has already been conducted on chemical transport in streams and drainage ditches, as well as through drainage tiles, there has not been sufficient research on the effects of subsurface hydrology on nutrient storage and interactions between the stream water and the hyporheic zone. In this study, a 20-meter flume was filled with ditch sediment from Marshall Ditch at Purdue University's Agronomy Center for Research and Education in West Lafayette, …

Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences (Isee) – Mapping A New Approach To Teaching And Learning Soil Science, Bedrich Benes, Ronald J. Glotzbach, Hansoo Kim, Kavin M. Nataraja, Nicole Kong, Ann M. Bessenbacher, John G. Graveel, George E. Van Scoyoc, Phillip R. Owens, Wilella D. Burgess, Omolola A. Adedokun, Jia Liu, Benjamin D. Branch, Marianne S. Bracke, Minerva Dorantes

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The purpose of the Integrating Spatial Educational Experiences project is to develop the ability of our students to use digital maps: (1) to learn how and why soils and landscapes vary spatially at scales ranging from fields, to counties, states, and globally and (2) to learn how the spatial distribution of soils and landscapes impacts the distributions of land use, and environmental and ecosystem services across various scales. Our immediate audience is undergraduate students in soil, crop, natural resource, and environmental science curricula in colleges and universities, but the products created by this project will have broader uses for outreach …

Systems Evaluation Of Shallow Anhydrous Ammonia Placements, Rates, And Timing On Maize Plant Uniformity, Yield And N Use Efficiency, Péter Kovács

Open Access Dissertations

Farmers face increasing expectations from society to be more environmentally conscious and energy efficient with their fertilizer management practices during maize (Zea mays L.) production. With the advent of precision guidance systems, maize farmers in various tillage systems have more options in pre-plant nutrient banding relative to the intended crop rows or throughout the entire growing season. Field studies were conducted between 2010 and 2012 near West Lafayette, IN to identify best management practices to enhance maize plant uniformity, yield and nitrogen (N) efficiencies.

Anhydrous ammonia (NH₃) placement during pre-plant application is of interest because of concerns …

Observation-Based Algorithm Development For Subsurface Hydrology In Northern Temperate Wetlands, Chun-Mei Chiu

Open Access Dissertations

This study investigates wetland subsurface hydrology, as well as biogeochemistry - which is strongly influenced by water and temperature dynamics - as these interactions are expected to be highly significant, yet remain poorly represented in current ecosystem and climate models.

Northern wetlands have received widespread public attention due to steadily increasing summer mean global temperatures, extreme precipitation events and higher rates of natural greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the significant impacts on them due to human activities. The goal of my graduate research has been to improve quantification of the role of subsurface hydrology in northern wetlands by using …

Measuring The Impacts Of Agricultural Input Subsidies In Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence From Malawi's Farm Input Subsidy Program, Gerald E. Shively, Jacob Ricker-Gilbert

Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI) Policy Briefs

Malawi, a small, land-locked country in south Eastern Africa has been at the forefront of the recent push to reestablish subsidies as a way of boosting agricultural production and improving food security, especially among the poor. Its programs have been widely observed, scrutinized, and emulated. This policy brief examines Malawi’s Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) and distills a set of key research findings drawn from research conducted recently at Purdue University.

Fate Of 17Α-Estradiol, 17Β-Estradiol, And Estrone In Agricultural Soils And Sediments, Michael L. Mashtare Jr

Open Access Dissertations

The shift to concentrated animal production facilities and increasing rural-urban migration has increased the localized land application of nearly 1 billion tons of manure and biosolids annually. Although these applications provide nutrients and contribute to soil tilth, they also serve as a source for an estimated 49 tons of the natural manure-borne estrogens, 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), 17β-estradiol (17β-E2), and estrone (E1). While these estrogens are critical to endocrine systems, the low concentrations observed in the environment can disrupt endocrine function in non-target organisms, e.g., altering secondary sex characteristics which can lead to changes in wildlife communities.

Research presented here focuses on …

Effects Of Selected Pesticides On Calico Scale And Its Natural Enemies, Carlos Roberto Quesada Machigua

Open Access Theses

Calico scale (Eulecanium cerasorum) is an exotic pest of shade and ornamental trees. It feeds on phloem sap, reduces tree vigor and can ultimately kill trees. We observed effects of four foliar applied (bifenthrin, pyriproxyfen, chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole) and two soil applied pesticides (dinotefuran, imidacloprid) on calico scales and their natural enemies on infested thornless honeylocust trees (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis) over three years. Bifenthrin, dinotefuran and cyantraniliprole provided the largest reductions in scale populations when they were applied to egg laying females on branches early in the season. In contrast, bifenthrin and pyriproxyfen provided the most …

A Land Data Assimilation System (Ldas) Based Dataset For Regional Agro-Climatic Assessments, Xing Liu

Open Access Theses

This study is part of a USDA sponsored project ----Useful to Usable (U2U): "Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers". The broader objective includes improving farm resilience and profitability in the U.S. Corn Belt region by transforming existing climate/weather data into usable knowledge and tools for the agricultural community.

The specific tasks of this research are: (1) Build a high-resolution (4 km, daily) agro-climatic dataset using a Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS). (2) Estimate regional corn yield across the Corn Belt with crop models and the agro-climatic dataset. (3) Evaluate the impacts of climate variability due to …

Slurry Seeding Cover Crops, Edwin Alexander Suarez

Open Access Theses

Cover crops improve soil quality through increased organic matter, biological activity, aggregate stability, water infiltration, and nutrient cycling. Slurry seeding, the co-application of cover crop seed and swine (Sus domesticus) manure, is a new practice that saves fuel, time and labor. High salinity and/or ammonia, among other components in swine manure, may reduce cover crop seed germination and limit the use of slurry seeding. Ten cover crop species were evaluated to compare the effects of swine manure components on cover crop seed germination. Seed germination percentages and rates were affected by swine manure but not by equivalent salinity levels established …

Innovative Approach To Active Learning, John G. Graveel, George E. Van Scoyoc

IMPACT Presentations

Presentation on a course redesign and project plan given at the American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, OH.

Information To Action: Providing Management Recommendations To Agricultural Users Affected By Drought, Bruce Erickson

2011 Symposium on Data-Driven Approaches to Droughts

Mitigating drought’s impact on agricultural production is a key part of any food security and economic stabilization plan. While most agricultural producers periodically experience abnormally dry periods that sometimes limit production, extreme or exceptional droughts may occur infrequently enough that management strategies are unfamiliar, outdated, or untested in a particular set of circumstances. While information to spatially delineate and characterize the effects of a drought is important, the real payoff comes from providing drought-affected individuals with recommendations on how to best manage their situation, and for them to actually adopt these practices. In crop production the ramifications are many: decisions …