Digital Commons Network^™

Industrial Hemp As A Resource For Birds In Agroecosystems: Human–Wildlife Conflict Or Conservation Opportunity?, Emily A. Kotten, Iona Hennessy, Bryan M. Kluever, Zachary T. Brym, Bradley F. Blackwell, Lee A. Humberg, Page E. Klug

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; hemp) is an emerging crop in the United States with little known about bird use or the potential for birds to become an agricultural pest. We identified birds associated with hemp fields, using repeated visits to oilseed plots in North Dakota, USA (n = 6) and cannabinoid (CBD) plots in Florida, USA (n = 4) from August to November 2020. We did not control for plot area or density; our observations were descriptive only. We observed 10 species in hemp, 12 species flying over hemp, and 11 species both foraging in and …

Manipulating Species Diversity: Environmental Impacts In Row Crop, Livestock, And Grassland Agroecosystems, Alayna A. Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The diversity of living species in an agroecosystem affects both natural resources and agricultural production efficiency. The rise of managed plant monocultures has allowed agricultural yields to increase over time. However, simplifying agroecosystems affects the capacity of the system to sustainably provide clean air, water, and productive soils essential for continued food and fiber production. This dissertation manipulates species diversity in row crop and forage agroecosystems prevalent in the Eastern United States and tracks the associated environmental and agricultural production consequences.

In row crop agroecosystems, increasing plant diversity with winter cover crops has been suggested as a strategy to increase …

Carbon-Sensitive Pedotransfer Functions For Plant Available Water, Dianna K. Bagnall, Cristine L.S. Morgan, Michael Cope, Gregory M. Bean, Shannon Cappellazzi, Kelsey Greub, Daniel Liptzin, Charlotte L. Norris, Elizabeth Rieke, Paul Tracy, Ezra Aberle, Amanda Ashworth, Oscar Bañuelos Tavarez, Andy Bary, R. Louis Baumhardt, Alberto Borbón Gracia, Daniel Brainard, Jameson Brennan, Dolores Briones Reyes, Darren Bruhjell, Cameron Carlyle, James Crawford, Cody Creech, Steven Culman, William Deen, Curtis Dell, Justin Derner, Thomas Ducey, Sjoerd Willem Duiker, Miles Dyck, Benjamin Ellert, Martin Entz, Avelino Espinosa Solorio, Steven J. Fonte, Simon Fonteyne, Ann Marie Fortuna, Jamie Foster, Lisa Fultz, Audrey V. Gamble, Charles Geddes

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Currently accepted pedotransfer functions show negligible effect of management-induced changes to soil organic carbon (SOC) on plant available water holding capacity (θAWHC), while some studies show the ability to substantially increase θAWHC through management. The Soil Health Institute's North America Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements measured water content at field capacity using intact soil cores across 124 long-term research sites that contained increases in SOC as a result of management treatments such as reduced tillage and cover cropping. Pedotransfer functions were created for volumetric water content at field capacity (θFC) and permanent wilting point (θPWP). New pedotransfer functions had …

Impact Of Harvest On Switchgrass Leaf Microbial Communities, Esther Singer, Elizabeth M. Carpenter, Jason Bonnette, Tanja Woyke, Thomas E. Juenger

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Switchgrass is a promising feedstock for biofuel production, with potential for leveraging its native microbial community to increase productivity and resilience to environmental stress. Here, we characterized the bacterial, archaeal and fungal diversity of the leaf microbial community associated with four switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) genotypes, subjected to two harvest treatments (annual harvest and unharvested control), and two fertilization levels (fertilized and unfertilized control), based on 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region amplicon sequencing. Leaf surface and leaf endosphere bacterial communities were significantly different with Alphaproteobacteria enriched in the leaf surface and Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli enriched in the …

The Relationship Between Food Retailers And Distributors, Madison Seigler, Julia Anderson, Aidan Morton, Cassandra Williams, Victoria Bloomgren, Jacob Tutty

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Our understanding of the science of anthropogenic climate change and its immediate and indirect impacts has grown within the last decade.Alongside anincrease in concern for the inequities within the industrialized food system, climate change is impacting agriculture and the communities that depend on it in myriad ways. These challenges have catalyzed investment in sustainable agriculture, “eat local” food movements, and rethinking of all aspects of food systems, including consumers, producers, retailers, and distributors. The body of literature on food systems primarily focuses on the connection between consumers and retailers; however, there is a notable absence of literature on the relationships …

Cenchrus Americanus - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus). Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus) is a robust annual grass used for both animal feed and for human consumption. It most likely originates from Sahelian Africa where it has been domesticated for more than 4,000 years. Pearl millet is an important staple food in hot, semi-arid regions of Africa and India due …

Leucaena Leucocephala - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Leucaena leucocephala. Leucaena is a tropical legume, originating from Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. It is a long-lived shrub or small tree (usually 5-10m, rarely to 20m) which is used for multiple purposes around the world including: firewood, timber, paper pulp, human food, green manure, shade, erosion control and forage.

Centrosema Pascuorum - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Centro (Centrosema pascuorum). Centro is a warm season, annual herbaceous legume native to drier regions of South and Central America (Clements and Williams 1980). It has a twining growth habit with relatively fine stems up to 2m long. The leaves are trifoliate and the leaflets are long (50–100mm) and narrow (5–10mm wide), which can give …

Digitaria Milanjiana - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Finger grass (Digitaria milanjiana). Finger grass is a subtropical to tropical perennial grass native to a wide range in Africa from South Africa to Ethiopia (Cook et al. 2020). It is now cultivated in Africa, Asia (Malaysia; Thailand; Vietnam), Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland), the Caribbean and in the Pacific (Fiji). Finger grass is a highly …

Urochloa Mosambicensis - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Sabi grass (Urochloa mosambicensis). Sabi grass is a creeping, tropical, perennial grass of variable size and growth habit usually with short stolons or tufted and sometimes rooting and branching from the lower nodes. Sabi grass is native to central and southern Africa (i.e. Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland). …

Remote Sensing For Quantifying C3 And C4 Grass Ratios In Pastures, Jordyn Alyssa Bush

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The following studies investigate the accuracy and practicality of exploiting the color dichotomy present between C₃ and C₄ grass species to estimate their respective proportions from drone or camera captured imagery. Understanding the proportions of C₃ and C₄ grasses in pastures is vital to sound decision making for livestock production. The ability to monitor these proportions remotely will also allow for large scale monitoring as well as detection of changes in botanical composition over time and in response to weather events, management, or climate change. A free green canopy cover (GCC) analyzing software, Canopeo, was used …

Library Use For Agricultural Research By Undergraduate Students Of The Faculty Of Agriculture, Forestry And Wildlife Resources Management, University Of Calabar, Nigeria, Friday O. Idiku, Oliver Effiong Ntui, Dorathy Aje Iyamah, Love Eyo Abu, Dorcas Okaja Ochang

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study investigated the use of the University of Calabar library for agricultural research by students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management. The general objective of the study was to determine the use of the University of Calabar library for agricultural research by students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management. The specific objectives include to identify the number of students of the Faculty of Agriculture who registered with the University of Calabar library for the 2020/2021 academic session, identify the purpose of library use by students, assess the material and electronic resources …

Temporal Changes In The Nutrient Content Of Cattle Dung In The Nebraska Sandhills Ecosystem, Amanda Shine, Martha Mamo, Gandura O. Abagandura, Walter Schacht, Jerry Volesky

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Dung excreted by cattle composes a significant portion of the nutrient inputs in a grazed ecosystem and can have wide-ranging effects on soil properties and vegetation. However, little research has been conducted on the nutrient dynamics of excreted dung in situ that has not been disturbed prior to field sampling. In this study, we analyzed 294 dung pats (1–24 days old) collected from a Nebraska Sandhills meadow to determine water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC), water-extractable nitrogen (WEN), water-extractable phosphorus (WEP), and percent dry matter (DM) changes over time. In addition, we investigated if sample handling - frozen storage – and the …

Charles A. Francis, Abstracts And Publications [1969--2022], December 2022, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Contents

I. Journal articles (218), p.1

II. Book reviews (60), p. 18

III. Published abstracts (213), p. 23

IV. Books (23), p. 40

V. Chapters in books (81), p. 42

VI. Symposium or workshop proceedings (127), p. 50

VII. Symposia or extension publications edited (31), p. 62

VIII. Miscellaneous (522), p. 65

Modeling The Evolution Of Herbicide Resistance In Weed Species With A Complex Life Cycle, K. Harrison Holmes, John L. Lindquist, Richard Rebarber, Rodrigo Werle, Melinda K. Yerka, Brigitte Tenhumberg

Brigitte Tenhumberg Papers

A growing number of weed species have evolved resistance to herbicides in recent years, which causes an immense financial burden to farmers. An increasingly popular method of weed control is the adoption of crops that are resistant to specific herbicides, which allows farmers to apply the herbicide during the growing season without harming the crop. If such crops are planted in the presence of closely related weed species, it is possible that resistance genes could transfer from the crop species to feral populations of the wild species via gene flow and become stably introgressed under ongoing selective pressure by the …

An Evaluation Of Eragrostis Tef For Future Cultivar Development, Eric Wayne Luteyn

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The many benefits of utilizing teff (Eragrostis tef) as small grain is well documented in journal publications. Over time the domestication of this species has become essential to the diets of the local population and the livestock living in the African highlands. Current research points to a high diversity of trait characteristics found in many teff populations and the potential utilization of these traits to increase desirable characteristics in both grain and forage varieties. With the overarching goal of adding to what is already known about teff, this study evaluates the different traits that are of interest to …

Predicting Spatial-Temporal Patterns Of Diet Quality And Large Herbivore Performance Using Satellite Time Series, Sean P. Kearney, Lauren M. Porensky, David J. Augustine, Justin D. Derner, Feng Gao

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Adaptive management of large herbivores requires an understanding of how spatial-temporal fluctuations in forage biomass and quality influence animal performance. Advances in remote sensing have yielded information about the spatial-temporal dynamics of forage biomass, which in turn have informed rangeland management decisions such as stocking rate and paddock selection for free-ranging cattle. However, less is known about the spatial-temporal patterns of diet quality and their influence on large herbivore performance. This is due to infrequent concurrent ground observations of forage conditions with performance (e.g., mass gain), and previously limited satellite data at fine spatial and temporal scales. We combined multi-temporal …

Curriculum Development Of Agricultural Educators In South Dakota, Mercedes Lemke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum development is an essential component of teaching. Understanding how agriculture education teachers utilize, develop, and adapt content to curriculum can benefit teachers to spend less time on curriculum development. Recognizing the way agriculture education teachers use content in curriculum implementation will allow curriculum developers to create materials that can effectively be used by teachers. This study also looked at the affects of how COVID19 pandemic affected the way teachers locate and develop curriculum. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the way agriculture education instructor’s usage of content for curriculum development, implementation decisions and the affects of the …

Effect Of Essential Oils In The Control Of Fungal Diseases In Small Grains, Esneider Mahecha Bojaca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and oats (Avena sativa L.) are important crops due to their high consumption in our daily diet worldwide. They are the main food of consumption per capita due to the high amino-acid content as well of vitamins. However, grain production is limited due to the negative impact of the diseases that cause significant yield loss. Diseases in oats, such as crown rust caused by Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae (Pca), and in wheat such as Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum. Foliar diseases such as tan spot incited by the fungi …

Phomopsis Stem Canker Of Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.): Etiology And Epidemiological Conditions Affecting Endophytic Population Of Diaporthe Spp., And Fungicide Efficacy, Nabin Kumar Dangal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phomopsis stem canker (PSC), caused by species of Diaporthe, is a major disease of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in the U.S., which can cause yield loss over 40%. The disease prevalence increased since 2010 in the major sunflower producing U.S. states of Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Previous studies on the use of foliar fungicides in managing Phomopsis stem canker indicated mixed results on their efficacy in disease reduction and yield gain. Additionally, we do not have sufficient information on asymptomatic colonization by endophytic Diaporthe on sunflower tissue and how foliar fungicide and weather parameters affect the prevalence …

Study Of Root System Architectural Traits Of Oat And Response To Endophyte Inoculation And Drought Stress, Krishna Ghimire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oat is an important cereal crop grown worldwide. Oats have the potential to contribute to human health due to their unique nutritional attributes. Developing oat cultivars with efficient root systems able to extract heterogeneously distributed soil resources can help maintain yield under drought conditions and in nutrient poor soil. Various root traits determine the soil volume that is explored by the root system for resource acquisition. Knowledge about the genetic control of oat root traits and response to biotic and abiotic environmental factors is lacking. Identifying quantitative trait loci associated with root traits and understanding the response of roots to …

Keeping What You Sow: Intellectual Property Rights For Plant Breeders And Seed Growers, Paulina B. Jenney

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Over the last 150 years, the food system in the present-day United States has undergone a transformational restructuring, from a diversified, decentralized, network of farmers and seed growers, to one in which the majority of crop production is controlled by a few industrial corporations. The consolidation of power has been under-girded by the application of intellectual property rights (IPR)—especially utility patents—to plant varieties and genetic traits, which are leveraged to exclude small-scale seed growers from accessing quality germplasm. Patents and restrictive licensing agreements recapitulate colonial structures by appropriating common and traditionally community-held resources for profit, and by creating reliance on …

Policy Sustainability Issues: Case Study Of Cassava Farmers In Ikorodu. Lagos, Nigeria, Medinat Oluwatoyin Adetunji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inconsistency and lack of continuity of Nigeria's agricultural policies impact the cassava sector. Despite being the world's biggest producer, the country is yet to benefit from the advantage due to a lack of sustainable growth. The situation manifests in terms of low productivity, low production level, and poor income to the farmers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of the cassava farmers on cassava policies and the effect on their income and livelihoods in the Ikorodu local government of Lagos State. This qualitative study adopted a case study research design using participatory …

Observing Gravitropism In Brassica Rapa Roots, Trang Ly, Maya O'Callagham, Lan Poeschl, Adil Saeed, George Zorn

UROP Posters

The objective of this experiment is to observe the effect of gravitropism on the orientation of Brassica rapa (B. rapa) roots. Specifically, amyloplasts that reside at the bottom of root tips act as gravity sensors. As plants are disturbed from upright orientation, roots automatically grow according to the downward pull of gravity. It is hypothesized that as the angle of rotation increases, the angle of root growth is inversely proportional. Five plants containing four seeds of B. rapa were grown over the course of 10 days. Each plates, aside from the control, were rotated once 90°, 80°, and 270° to …

Revisiting Participatory Rural Appraisal (Pra) Related Studies And Exploring Pra's Success Determinants: A Content Analysis, Raquel Garcia-Agustin

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) has shown that participation in development programs in poor communities can be empowering not only for the community members but also for the development workers. However, not all PRAs have seen successes especially in fulfilling their mission to encourage real participation. Hence, it is imperative to understand whether PRA has led to adequate understanding of indigenous perspective to call for action and the interest PRA serves. This analysis aims to provide critical insights and reflections from the experiences of previously conducted PRAs. It further aims to reveal whether PRAs were used effectively and successfully according to …

Foraging Behavior Of Honeybees Exposed To Mosquito Insecticides, Samantha Marie Diel

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The main aim of this study was to quantify the effects of mosquito insecticides on honey bee (Apis mellifera), foraging behavior, explicitly assessing the impacts of adult mosquito control practices on honey bee health. The extent to which honey bees are exposed to pyrethrum, pyrethrins, permethrin, and pyrethroids is unknown, as are their effects on honey bee health and vitality. This study sought to answer this question by exposing honey bees to D-Phenothrin with the addition of Piperonyl butoxide (PBO), one of many synthetic pyrethroids widely used against adult mosquitoes to control mosquito-borne diseases. Honey bees were exposed to …

Underwater: Science & Story In Aquatic Communities, Lena J. Beck

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

How do we manage fish species, and how do fish, in turn, impact us? This portfolio of three stories will explore some of the ways in which humans interact with aquatic landscapes. First, we’ll go to Flathead Lake in Montana, where invasive lake trout have all but decimated native trout species, and learn what the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are doing to address the issue. Then, we’ll examine stories of a legendary Big Fish in Alaska’s Lake Iliamna, and think about what it means to scientifically prove something as real. The last story looks at the aquaculture industry in …

Food Security Through Disaster Planning In Tanzania: How Agriculture-Based Disaster Preparedness Can Improve Food Security In Tanzania, Savannah A. Emerich

Masters Theses

In Tanzania, half the population lives below the poverty line and suffers from food insecurity. Of the population, women and children primarily suffer from malnutrition due to food insecurity. For Tanzania, the problem is so severe that some women do not name their newborns for weeks or months due to their unlikely survival. This problem worsens for those who have a significant reliance on agriculture and live in the nation’s rural areas. These rural communities face more traumatic burdens when floods and droughts destroy crops, fields, and tools and ruin livelihoods. A solution has not been implemented thus far due …

Minimum Dataset And Metadata Guidelines For Soil-Test Correlation And Calibration Research, Nathan A. Slaton, Sarah E. Lyons, Deanna L. Osmond, Sylvie M. Brouder, Steve W. Culman, Gerson L. Drescher, Luciano C. Gatiboni, John Hoben, Peter J.A. Kleinman, Joshua M. Mcgrath, Robert O. Miller, Austin Pearce, Amy L. Shober, John T. Spargo, Jeff J. Volenec

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil-test correlation and calibration data are essential to modern agriculture, and their continued relevance is underscored by the expansion of precision farming and the persistence of sustainable soil management priorities. In support of transparent, science-based fertilizer recommendations, we seek to establish a core set of required and recommended information for soil-test P and K correlation and calibration studies, a minimum dataset, building on previous research. The Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool (FRST) project team and collaborators are developing a national database that will support a soil-test-based nutrient management decision aid tool. The FRST team includes over 80 scientists from 37 land-grant …

Effect Of L-Theanine On Intestinal Immunity Of Rats Under Resistant Starch Feeding, Qu Qing-Yun, Xu Wei, Hu Yuan, Li Yin-Hua, Gong Zhi-Hua, Xiao Wen-Jun

Food and Machinery

Objective: This study aimed to explore the effect of L-theanine on intestinal immunity of rats under resistant starch feeding. Methods: Different doses of L-theanine [100, 300, 500 mg/（kg·d）] was performed for 28 days in 4-week-old SD male rats by filling the stomach once daily under resistant starch feeding, in order to investigate the regulation of resistant starch combined with L-theanine on intestinal immunity. Results: The results were shown as follows the medium and high dose groups of L-theanine significantly increased the weight of rats, and improved the activities of ileum SOD, GSH-Px with reducing the content of MDA under resistant …