Plant Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Cyclic Heat Stress On The Acute Inflammatory Response In Broilers, Alessandro J. Rocchi, Chrysta N. Beck, Jossie M. Santamaria, Gisela F. Erf

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Heat stress (HS) is a growing concern in broiler production. Little is known regarding the effect of HS on immune function. To examine the effects of HS on innate immunity, the local- and systemic-inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined in Cobb 500 male broiler chicks reared under thermoneutral (TN) or cyclic HS conditions. Beginning at four days of age, HS birds were subjected to 35 °C from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and TN temperatures from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. At 37 days of age, four groups of broilers were formed: LPS-TN (8 broilers), phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-TN (4 …

An Inclusive Playground For Infant And Toddler Development, Amanda M. Swartz, Jacquelyn D. Wiersma-Mosley, Donia Timby, Shelley Mcnally, Caitlyn Daniel

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The purpose of this project was to help children reach more developmental goals and to make outdoor play at the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center more inclusive for all children. Children gain many developmental goals from playing outside and being exposed to other environments as compared to just being inside the classroom. Outdoor play should be as inclusive as indoor play and offer many different activities and outlets, just as the indoor classroom does. The implementation of this service-learning creative project was to add more versatility to the outdoor area at the University of Arkansas Jean Tyson Child Development …

Nutrient Management Strategies To Control Broomsedge Infestation And Improve Yield And Quality Of Tall Fescue Hayfields, Junior I. Yasuoka, Dale Helwig, Wendie Powell, Jaymelynn K. Farney, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Bruno C. Pedreira

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A study in tall fescue hayfields infested with broomsedge and bluestem was conducted at four locations in southeast Kansas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium fertilization affect yield, forage quality, and broomsedge/bluestem control in tall fescue hayfields. This trial will be repeated in 2023.

Assessing The Influence Of Strategic Tillage On Crop Yields And Soil Properties In Dryland No-Tillage Systems, Mikaela A. Lawrence, Augustine K. Obour, John D. Holman, Logan M. Simon, Lucas A. Haag, Kraig L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Implementing strategic tillage (ST) in otherwise long-term no-till (NT) systems could control herbicide resistant weeds and increase profitability of crop production in semi-arid dryland cropping systems. For the purpose of this study, ST is defined as a single tillage event (once every 6-10 years) in an otherwise NT system to reduce density of herbicide tolerant grass weeds. However, there is little information on the long-term (>5 years) effects of ST on soil health parameters and crop yields. This study used long-term tillage and crop rotation plots established in 1976 at the Kansas State University Agriculture Research Center in Hays, …

Depth Of Moist Soil At Planting Affected Grain Sorghum Response To Nitrogen Fertilizer, Augustine K. Obour, John D. Holman, Yared Assefa Mulisa

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The depth of moist soil before planting is a critical factor for grain crop production in dryland cropping systems. We investigated depth of moist soil at planting and nitrogen (N) fertilizer application effects on continuous grain sorghum yields on a Crete silt loam soil over 32 years in western Kansas. Treatments were four N rates (0, 20, 40, and 60 lb/a) in a randomized complete block design with four replications and depth of moist soil at planting determined with a Paul Brown moisture probe. Grain sorghum yield response to N fertilizer application was -0.10, 14.4, 29.3, and 36.5 lb of …

Determining The Effectiveness Of Rosemary Essential Oil On The Shelf Life Of Ground Beef Under Different Lighting Conditions, Jordan T. Looper, Kelly R. Vierck

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This study determined the effectiveness of rosemary extract on the shelf life of ground beef patties under different retail display conditions. Ground beef patties were produced from an 85%:15% blend (lean:fat). Patties were formed from batches of control or amended with rosemary extract. Patties were individually packaged using overwrap. Groups were assigned into one of two lighting groups (3000K and 3500K). Patties were placed in a simulated retail display for 5 d under continuous lighting and rotated once a day. Lipid oxidation and color samples were taken each day. Relating to lipid oxidation, there was no three-way interaction between display …

Validation Of A Diagnostic Marker For Primocane-Fruiting In Blackberry, Isabella Vaughn, Alexander Silva, Carmen Johns, Lacy Nelson, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Typical blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus) have perennial crowns and roots and biennial canes. The first-year canes (primocanes) are usually vegetative, while second-year canes (floricanes) produce fruit. Primocane-fruiting blackberries produce fruit on first-year canes and are desirable to growers because they potentially allow for a longer harvest season in temperate regions and enable production in tropical areas where no natural chill hours are accumulated. The development of molecular markers for desirable traits can potentially increase efficiency in blackberry breeding. However, to date, there are no diagnostic molecular markers for economically important traits in blackberries. Primocane-fruiting is recessively inherited, and tetraploid blackberries …

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Dean, Jean-Francois Meullenet

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 24 2023, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Temporal, Phenotypic, And Quantitative Characterization Of Thyroid Infiltrating Mononuclear Cells During Development Of Spontaneous Autoimmune Thyroiditis In Obese Strain Chickens, Katelyn M. Clark, Chrysta N. Beck, Gisela F. Erf

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The Obese strain (OS) of chickens spontaneously develops autoimmune thyroiditis (SAT) and is a well-established biomedical model for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in humans. Both conditions are characterized by the infiltration of thyroid glands with mononuclear immune cells resulting in the destruction of thyroid tissue and impairment of the thyroid’s endocrinological functions. Past studies described immune cell infiltration in thyroids of the OS chickens, but the time-course, cell composition, and relative amounts of the various immune cells infiltrating the thyroids have not been well defined. In this project, frozen and stored thyroid glands that were previously collected at 1, 4, 7, 14, …

Previous Crop Impacts Winter Wheat Sowing Dates, Available Water At Sowing, And Grain Yield, L. M. Simão, A. Patrignani, S. Cominelli, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Cropping systems choices can directly affect the sowing date for winter wheat, which is among the most important variables that determine attainable yields in the U.S. Central Great Plains. Our objective was to investigate the effect of the previous crop on winter wheat grain yield through the modulation of sowing date and its impact on plant available water at sowing, and temperatures during the critical period for yield determination. A no-tillage rainfed field experiment was established in 2019 at Ashland Bottoms, KS. Winter wheat was sown either after summer fallow, full-season soybean, double-cropped soybean, or corn—thus, resulting in a range …

2021 Kansas State University Industrial Hemp Dual-Purpose Variety And Planting Date Trials, Kraig Roozeboom, Jason Griffin, Andrew Euler, Ike Bahr, Brian Owuoche

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Hemp is a broad term used to describe the many varieties ofCannabis sativaL. that produce less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The crop is globally significant, but only recently was allowed to be grown again in the United States. There are many uses for industrial hemp, and the market for industrial hemp is rapidly growing as more states are legalizing its production. The market for industrial hemp exceeded $205 million in 2020 and could surpass $310 million by 2028 (Global Market Insights Inc., 2020). The main components of the industrial hemp market are oil, seeds, and fiber. Varieties have …

Biomass And Nutrient Accumulation By Dual-Purpose Hemp And Concurrent Soil Profile Water Depletion At Manhattan, Ks, In 2021, Kraig Roozeboom, Jason Griffin, Lucas Haag, Gerard Kluitenberg, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, Michael Shelton, Tami Myers, Clint Wilson, Andrew Euler, Ike Bahr, Brian Owuoche

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Hemp has garnered interest as a potential crop that is not constrained by the typical food, feed, and fuel market channels. Although hemp varieties are available for the production of either grain, fiber, or both (dual-purpose: both grain and fiber) markets, little research-based information is available on hemp growth and water use in Kansas environments. In 2019, Kansas State University researchers began conducting experi­ments to characterize hemp growth, nutrient uptake, and soil water depletion at three locations representing the precipitation gradient across Kansas. In 2021, one fiber and one grain variety were evaluated with and without fertilizer nitrogen. Soil water …

Climate Long-Term Trends Impacting Wheat Production Systems In Kansas, Octavia M.M. Tavares, Fábio Marin, Romulo Lollato, Bruno C. Pedreira

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Winter wheat production is of major importance in Kansas. The purpose of the study was to verify the evidence of climate change in a long-term weather data series from Wellington and Parsons, KS, to understand whether climate change has been affecting yield production.

Wheat And Grain Sorghum Sequencing For Three Crops In Four-Year Rotations, Lucas A. Haag, Dewayne Bond, Amanda Burnett, Jeffrey Slattery, Alan Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 1996, an effort began to quantify soil water storage, crop water use, and crop productivity on dryland systems in western Kansas. Research on 4-year crop rotations with wheat and grain sorghum was initiated at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS. Rotations were wheatwheat- sorghum-fallow (WWSF), wheat-sorghum-sorghum-fallow (WSSF), and continuous wheat (WW). Soil water at wheat planting averaged about 9.1 in. following sorghum, which is about 3.8 in. more than the average for the second wheat crop in a WWSF rotation. Soil water at sorghum planting was only about 1.5 in. less for the second sorghum crop compared with …

Effects Of Prescribed-Fire Timing On Stocker Cattle Performance, Forage Biomass Accumulation, And Native Plant Species Composition, Z. M. Duncan, A. J. Tajchman, J. Lemmon, W. R. Hollenbeck, D. A. Blasi, K. C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective of this experiment was to document the effects of prescribed-fire timing on stocker cattle performance, forage biomass accumulation, soil cover, and plant species composition in the Kansas Flint Hills.

Study Description:A total of 1,416 yearling stocker cattle were assigned to one of three prescribed-burn treatments: spring (April 9 ± 5.1 days), summer (August 23 ± 4.9 days), or fall (September 29 ± 8.7 days) over a 4-year period. Calves were grazed from May to August for 90 days. Individual body weights were recorded at the beginning and end of the grazing season. Native plant composition and …

Effect Of Corn Type And Form Of Supplement On Grazing Steers – Year 2, Jaymelynn K. Farney, Harley Allen, Larissa Muniz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Eighty stocker steers were grazed on bromegrass from the end of May to the middle of August and were provided five different feeds while on grass during the summer. Treatments evaluated included (1) mineral only; (2) free-choice supplementation in the form of liquid feed (MIX30) or (3) block format (Mintrate 40 Red); and hand-fed supplements of 60% corn:40% dried distillers grains at 0.5% of body weight on a dry matter basis offered daily where the corn was either an (4) isoline corn (ISO; parent genetic line) or (5) Enogen feed corn (ENO; includes alpha-amylase gene). Steers were weighed every 28 …

Weaning Method Evaluation For Beef Cattle, Jaymelynn K. Farney

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Weaning is a stressful event for calves. Various management practices have been suggested to reduce weaning stress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate three different weaning management practices on calf gains at weaning. Eighty-eight bull and heifer calves were assigned to one of three weaning treatments at two research locations. The weaning management options were abrupt weaning, fence-line weaning, and use of a nose-flap weaning device. Calves were weighed at the start of the measurement period and then two weeks later after weaning was completed. Calves that were weaned using the nose-flap method had significantly lower gains than …

Early Soybean Planting In A Water-Limited Growing Season, Sylvia R.G. Moraes, Bruno C. Pedreira, Vaishalai Sharda, Rodrigo B. Onofre, Gretchen F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Appropriate management, with a longer growing season during reproductive growth stages, can increase biomass and yield in soybean. Our objective was to determine the impact of three planting dates, two seed populations, and three maturity groups on grain yield in southeast Kansas. However, due to the severe drought in 2022, with a total rainfall of 18.84 inches during the soybean growing season (55% lower than the 10-yr average), the growing conditions were very limited, resulting in an average yield of 1.7 bu/a.

Wheat Variety Test Results For South Central Kansas - 2022, Jeffrey Seiler, Randy Hein, Ryan Flaming, Jennifer Carr, Romulo Lollato, Bruno C. Pedreira

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

South central Kansas is the highest producing wheat region in Kansas. This report summarizes the results of winter wheat variety tests for 2021-2022 in six locations.

Control Of Soil-Borne Disease Of Soybean, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Christopher R. Little, Xiaomao Lin, Sylvia R.G. Moraes

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil-borne diseases are a significant cause of reduction in crop yield. Alternative management of soils can enhance the natural disease-controlling organisms in the soil. This study explores the impact of alternative production methods on a primary soybean disease, charcoal rot, caused by the fungusMacrophomina phaseolina. Treatments that could potentially enhance or control the disease were implemented, and soil tests were conducted for nutrient and disease presence. Manure increased the nutrient levels in the soil, as expected, but did not impact the disease control. Solarization increased the temperature within the plots, and increased the number of colony forming units …

Critical Soil Health Parameters To Improve Crop Production, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Bruno C. Pedreira, Carlos B. Pires

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil health is a critical determinant of plant performance. This manuscript describes how the physical, chemical, and biological components within the soil interact to create good soil health. Soil structure is important to provide support for plants, nutrient and water cycling, decreased compaction, and more efficient carbon storage. Measurements of soil properties are presented that can be done in the field on any soil.

Improving Resilience Of Corn To Weather Through Improved Fertilizer Efficiency, Na Huang, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Xiaomao Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Fertilization is a critical management tool to improve crop productivity. Corn requires more N fertilizer than some other crops, but the fertility needs of the crop vary based on the growing environment. In this study, we used a modeling approach to examine the historical record and delineate the interaction between fertilizer and weather on the sensitivity of corn yield to climate in southeastern Kansas. Providing optimal fertilizer can improve corn yield. However, too much fertilizer can be expensive and wasteful. This study demonstrated that the climate resilience of corn is moderated by how much fertilizer is applied. The model results …

Yield And Forage Quality On Native Meadows As Affected By Burn And Fertilization Management, Junior I. Yasuoka, Dale Helwig, Walter H. Fick, Bruno C. Pedreira

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Native meadows are widely used by producers in southeast Kansas. However, there are few studies about management practices to improve agronomic performance in southeast Kansas. This study evaluated the spring burn effect combined with the application of lime, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on yield and forage quality in native meadows. Yield and forage quality on native meadows were not affected by lime application, or P and K fertilization in the first year of the study. However, N fertilization increased yield, crude protein, and total digestible nutrients when associated with spring burn.

Evaluating The Impact Of Long-Term Phosphorus Placement On Corn And Soybean Rotation Under Minimum Tillage System, Gustavo A. Roa, Dorivar A. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Phosphorus (P) management is typically done with a focus on the long term, given its impact on soil fertility. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term P placement on corn and soybean yields under a minimum tillage system in Kansas. Long-term research trials were established in Scandia (irrigated field) and Ottawa (rainfed) in 2006. Fertilizer treatments were applied annually to corn, including broadcast, deep-band, and starter/deep-band at 40 lb/a of P₂O₅, with a control having no phosphorus fertilizer. Corn and soybean responded significantly to P fertilizer at both locations (compared …

Chloride Fertilization’S Impacts On Kansas Winter Wheat Grain Yield During 2021-2022, Luiz O. Pradella, Jorge R. Soler, Romulo P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Previous work suggests that wheat can respond to chloride fertility in Kansas and other regions, but this response depends on Cl availability and the wheat variety. In this study, we aimed to identify and quantify the effects of chloride fertilizer application in different areas and winter wheat varieties across Kansas. Sixteen field experiments were conducted during the 2021–2022 growing season. All experiments were conducted in a split-plot design with Cl fertility levels as whole plot (0 or 20 lb Cl/a) and wheat variety as subplots, with either three or four replicates. One protocol evaluated 24 winter wheat varieties in three …

Field Evaluations Of Nitrogen-Fixing Products In Grain Sorghum, Kraig L. Roozeboom, Lucas A. Haag, Will Davis, Dorivar A. Ruiz Diaz, Charles W. Rice

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the largest input expenses for grain crops. Biological prod­ucts are currently available that contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria to supply nitrogen to a crop throughout the growing season. Pivot Bio PROVEN (developed for corn), RETURN (developed for sorghum) and experimental product versions were evaluated in grain sorghum at Manhattan, KS, in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Products were compared with an untreated check at five rates of nitrogen fertilizer. Products were applied at planting in-furrow in a volume of five gallons of water solution per acre. Crop response was characterized by several in-season parameters plus grain parameters and …

Annual Summary Of Weather Data For Parsons - 2022, Matthew Sittel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This report includes the annual summary of precipitation and temperatures from 2022 at the research locations represented in the 2023 Southeast Research and Extension Center Agricultural Research Report.