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Changes In Corn Residue Quality Throughout The Grazing Period And Effect Of Supplementation Of Calves Grazing Corn Residue, Amanda J. Burken

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Corn residue is an abundant feed source in Nebraska that can be utilized as an alternative winter feed. Calves were backgrounded on corn residue in order to determine gain and estimate forage intake when supplemented with distillers grains (DGS). Calves grazing the non-irrigated field gained more (1.03 kg/calf daily) when compared to those grazing the irrigated field (0.90 kg/calf daily; P < 0.01). In year 1, a quadratic effect for intake of DGS was present (P < 0.01) while year 2 observed a linear effect for increasing level of DGS (P < 0.01). The nutritional quality of corn residue was evaluated over time in order to determine changes in blade/sheath, cob, husk/shank and stem. Minimal changes in DM of the forage components occurred was grain reached 15.5% moisture. Digestibility of the blade/sheath declined linearly over time (P < 0.01) while the husk remained constant (P = 0.40). Cob digestibility decreased quadratically (P < 0.01) throughout the sampling period with few changes once grain reached 15.5% moisture. Differences observed in the digestibility of the blade/sheath were attributed to the effects of weathering. A third set of trials was conducted to evaluate the effects of by-product supplementation of calves grazing irrigated corn residue and supplemented with DGS or continuous access to lick tubs. The DGS treatment gained more (0.62 kg/calf daily) than the lick tub treatment (0.38 kg/calf daily; P < 0.01). Calves offered DGS consumed more supplement as a percentage of BW (0.52%) when compared with calves offered lick tubs (0.36%; P < 0.01) on a DM basis. Calves supplemented with DGS had a higher supplement efficiency (46.3% to 42.9%, DM basis) although no differences were present between treatments (P = 0.49). When analyzed on an OM basis, however, calves offered lick tubs had a numerically higher supplement efficiency (50.4%) in comparison to calves …

The Effects Of Poultry Litter Biochar And Water Source On Radish Growth And Nutrition, Julia Marie Allen

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many row-crop fields today have declined in soil fertility due to poor management practices and overuse of pesticides. Under these conditions, plant nutrient uptake can be sub-optimal. There are several soil amendments that can be used to improve soil quality and plant growth such as traditional fertilizers and manure applications. This study focused on the addition of biochar to the soil and the use of structured water to enhance plant growth. Biochar is a nutrient rich product that is produced by pyrolysis of organic feedstocks and contains high rates of carbon. Previous studies which focused on biochar have shown an …

Alkaline Hydrolyzable-Nitrogen, Seeding Date, And Clay-Fixed Ammonium As Potential Indicators Of Rice Response To Nitrogen Fertilization In Arkansas, Anthony Michael Fulford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Several potential indicators of rice (Oryza sativa L.) response to nitrogen (N) fertilization include the soils alkaline hydrolyzableN (AHN) concentration, seeding date, and the soils clayfixed NH₄N content. Three studies were conducted to: (1) correlate AHN, determined using Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) or Nitrogen Soil Test for Rice (NSTaR), to plant parameters of interest and develop a fertilizer N rate calibration curve capable of predicting the 95% relative grain yield (RGY) fertilizer N rate for rice grown on clayey soils; (2) evaluate the influence of seeding date and N fertilization on rice plant growth and grain …

Carbohydrate Metabolism And The Trehalose Biosynthetic Pathway In Maize Kernels Grown In Vitro Under Sucrose Starvation Stress, Samuel W. Bledsoe

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Drought is an increasing issue that many farmers encounter especially in hot arid climates with little rainfall. High temperatures and inadequate rainfall at certain stages in crop development can have disastrous consequences to yield. In maize, drought occurring near or during the flowering stage often causes significant kernel abortion that greatly impacts potential yield. The trehalose biosynthetic pathway has recently been found to be important in plant metabolism in response to stress in higher order plants. Trehalose is currently known throughout the plant and animal kingdoms as an osmoprotectant, high energy fuel source, structural component, and involved in pathogen response. …

Studies To Characterize Heavy Metal Content And Migration From Recycled Polyethyleneterephthalate, Michael John-Ross Whitt

Master's Theses

Packaging Materials account for 31% of the world’s municipal solid waste. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are pushing for the increased use of recycled thermoplastic materials. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a commonly recycled thermoplastic which is used to package ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables. Most recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) packaging materials contain heavy metal catalysts, the most common being antimony. The recent increased use of recycled plastic materials has been suspected as the source of increased human heavy metal exposure. In this study, cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead and antimony …

Functional Genomics And Microbiome Profiling Of The Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora Glabripennis) Reveal Insights Into The Digestive Physiology And Nutritional Ecology Of Wood Feeding Beetles, Erin D. Scully, Scott M. Geib, John E. Carlson, Ming Tien, Duane Mckenna, Kelli Hoover

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: Wood-feeding beetles harbor an ecologically rich and taxonomically diverse assemblage of gut microbes that appear to promote survival in woody tissue, which is devoid of nitrogen and essential nutrients. Nevertheless, the contributions of these apparent symbionts to digestive physiology and nutritional ecology remain uncharacterized in most beetle lineages.

Results: Through parallel transcriptome profiling of beetle- and microbial- derived mRNAs, we demonstrate that the midgut microbiome of the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis), a member of the beetle family Cerambycidae, is enriched in biosynthetic pathways for the synthesis of essential amino acids, vitamins, and sterols. Consequently, the midgut …

Short-Term Effects Of Poultry Litter Or Woodchip Biochar Amendment In A Temperate Zone Agronomic System, Katy Elizabeth Brantley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biochar, a charcoal product produced by the anaerobic thermal decomposition of biomass, can provide agronomic benefits when soil applied. However, research is lacking in temperate region soils investigating specific biochar products and their effects on agronomically important crops. A greenhouse study utilizing poultry litter biochar and a field study utilizing pine woodchip biochar were conducted to observe the effects of biochar application to Northwest Arkansas soils on corn growth and nutrient availability. A third experiment investigated poultry litter and pine woodchip biochar influences on soil water retention. In all three experiments, biochar was applied at three rates (0, 5, and …

Potential For Optical Sensor-Based Nitrogen Fertilization In Grain Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor L. Moench) In Arkansas, Kamil H. Rosales Rodriguez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ground-based active-optical (GBAO) crop sensors have become an effective tool to improve nitrogen (N) use efficiency and to predict yield early in the growing season, particularly for grass crops. Commercially available canopy sensors calculate the normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) by emitting light in the red and near infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The NDVI is used to evaluate vigor status and to estimate yield potential. However, few studies have been conducted to compare the performance of commercially available sensors. Therefore, a study was conducted using the most common crop canopy sensors: i) N-Tech's GreenSeeker^TM (GS), ii) Holland …

The Response Of Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) To Slow Release Foliar Fertilization And The Effect Of Environment On Absorption, James Matthews Burke

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In cotton production, nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient and the demand is substantial. Foliar-N fertilization is regarded as an effective and environmentally sound method of supplying cotton with N during times of deficiency and high demand. In response to the potential benefits of the foliar-N fertilization of cotton, a myriad of foliar-N based fertilizers have been created; each with their own individual chemical technology and constitution. Experiments were performed with the objectives of examining the effects of the slow-release foliar-N fertilizer, Nitamin® (1) on the growth and development of field-grown cotton, (2) on uptake under various environmental conditions, …

Winter Field Pea As A Leguminous Cover Crop In Corn Production, Matthew Carroll Marsh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leguminous cover crops, which fix nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere and add to the N content of the soil, have the potential to replace or partially replace commercial nitrogen fertilizers. In this experiment, field pea (Pisum arvense) was used as the leguminous cover crop in a conventional tilled corn (Zea mays) production system. In a 2-yr experiment (2008 and 2009), conducted at two locations in Arkansas, field pea was planted on half the field in the fall and allowed to grow until late April to early May. Field pea biomass was recorded, N content of biomass determined and then the …

Integration Of Herbicide Programs With Cultural And Mechanical Practices For Managing Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) In Soybean (Glycine Max), Holden Bell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth is the most troublesome weed in Arkansas row crops, causing producers to rely heavily on multiple mechanisms of action to reduce selection pressure for further evolution of herbicide resistance and to successfully produce a profitable crop. It is critical for the sustainability of weed management not only to adequately control this weed but also to reduce the soil seedbank using both non-chemical and chemical practices. Studies were conducted to determine the effect of soybean row spacing, seeding rate, and herbicide program on Palmer amaranth emergence, survival, and seed production in soybean, the effect of drill-seeded soybean population …

Screening Diverse Soybean Germplasm For Water-Logging Tolerance, John Franklin Carlin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water-logging can be detrimental to soybean growth and development; effects range from chlorosis and stunting to yield loss and plant death. Soybean response to, and the effects of, water-logging are dependent on the growth-stage of the plant at the initiation of water-logging. The objectives of this study were to screen a diverse soybean germplasm collection for water-logging tolerance (WLT) at both the V5 and R1 growth stage and to develop a method to screen soybean for WLT in greenhouse. One hundred thirty five genotypes consisting of historical genotypes, PIs, drought and WLT tolerant breeding lines were screened for WLT in …

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 …

The Trehalose Pathway In Maize: Conservation And Gene Regulation In Response To The Diurnal Cycle And Extended Darkness, Clémence Henry, Samuel W. Bledsoe, Allison Siekman, Alec Kollman, Brian M. Waters, Regina Feil, Mark Stitt, L. Mark Lagrimini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Energy resources in plants are managed in continuously changing environments, such as changes occurring during the day/night cycle. Shading is an environmental disruption that decreases photosynthesis, compromises energy status, and impacts on crop productivity. The trehalose pathway plays a central but not well-defined role in maintaining energy balance. Here, we characterized the maize trehalose pathway genes and deciphered the impacts of the diurnal cycle and disruption of the day/night cycle on trehalose pathway gene expression and sugar metabolism. The maize genome encodes 14 trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) genes, 11 trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) genes, and one trehalase gene. Transcript abundance of most …

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 …

Nitrogen Management Practices And Colored Plastic Mulch Films Affecting Spider Mites And Aphids On Winter Strawberry In A High Tunnel, Kevin Philip Durden

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Off season high tunnel strawberry production has the potential to augment income for Arkansas fruit growers during an unproductive time of the year, however management guidelines do not exist. At the University of Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville, AR studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of four nitrogen (46-0-0 urea fertilizer) fertigation rates (0.75, 0.50, 0.25, 0.0 kg N/day/ha) and red or black colored plastic mulch films on densities of twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), numbers of parasitized cotton aphids, and fruit yield weight. Foliar and …

Identification Of Quantitative Trait Loci / Genes For Low-Stachyose And High-Sucrose Content In Soybean Seeds, Sandra Liliana Florez Palacios

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Seed carbohydrate content is an important aspect in breeding for food-grade soybeans commercialized in the soyfood market. Sucrose and stachyose are the primary carbohydrates in soybean seed. Sucrose affects the quality and taste of various soyfoods such as tofu, soymilk, and natto; however, consumption of soy-based products with high stachyose concentrations can cause diarrhea and flatulence. A mutant line (V99-5089) with high-sucrose and low-stachyose has been identified. The objectives of this research were: 1) to identify sucrose QTLs in a F2-derived mapping population; 2) to investigate the genetic relationship between two low-stachyose sources, V99-5089 and the germplasm line PI200508; and …

Summaries Of Arkansas Cotton Research 2013, Derrick M. Oosterhuis

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

B. R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research Studies 2013, R. J. Norman, K.A. K. Moldenhauer

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

Essays On Smallholder Farmers In Jamaica: Context-Specific Evidence For Food Security Policymaking, Deborah Evadne Brown

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three essays that examined the experiences and welfare of traditional food crop farmers in Western Jamaica. It systematically analyses the interplay between smallholder farmers and often overlooked variables in society. The study used qualitative interviewing, field observations and discourse analysis techniques to generate context-specific evidence for food security policymaking.

The first essay examined smallholder farmers' motives for farming. This formed the basis for a farmer typology that provides a portrait of the participants, and was used to inform findings in subsequent essays in this dissertation. The theory of planned behavior provided the conceptual grounding and …

Registration Of ‘Ci0947bmr’ Sorghum, O. R. Portillo, R. Clara-Valencia, J. Ramírez, R. Estebez, M. Hernández, A. Morán, R. Obando, N. Gutiérrez, R. Tinoco-Mora, N. De Gracia, D. Herrera, Luis Orlindo Tedeschi, W. L. Rooney

INTSORMIL Scientific Publications

The sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivar CI0947bmr (Reg. No. CV-137, PI 672153) was jointly developed and released by the Centro Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria y Forestal (CENTA) research program in El Salvador and the Texas A&M Agrilife Research sorghum breeding program in 2013. CI0947bmr is a brown midrib (bmr), dual-purpose sorghum selected for productivity in Central American environments. CI0947bmr was developed from a pedigree breeding program, and it was derived from a BC₁F₂ population of the pedigree B03292bmr/Tortillero//Tortillero. All generation advancement and selection were completed in San Andres, El Salvador. To confirm performance …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Functional Genomics Of Maize Endosperm Maturation And Protein Quality, Lingling Yuan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops and widely cultivated throughout the world. The study on maize kernel development including protein quality improvement is essential for removing dietary protein deficiency because of the lack of essential amino acids, especially lysine and tryptophan, in maize kernel. Quality Protein Maize (QPM) is a hard kernel variant of the high-lysine mutant, opaque-2. We created opaque QPM variants to identify opaque-2 modifier genes and to investigate deletion mutagenesis combined with Illumina sequencing as a maize functional genomics tool. A K0326Y-QPM deletion mutant, line 107, was null for the 27- and 50-kD …

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, …

Effect Of Sulfur Amendments On Yield And Quality In Alliums, Rebecca Brown, Noah Leclaire-Conway

University of Rhode Island Vegetable Production Research Reports

In conclusion, sulfur fertilization appears to offer little or no benefit for allium vegetables in Rhode Island. Variety differences were much greater than the fertility effects, and growers who are experiencing issues with yield and storage life are encouraged to consider switching to better varieties.

Palatability Of Teff Grass By Horses, Rachel R. Cummins

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Most forages commonly used to feed horses have potential detriments including blister beetles or excessive fiber concentrations. Teff grass (T), a warm-season annual forage, has the potential to be a good alternative for horses because of its lack of observed disorders. Our objective was to compare preference by horses for T harvested under different conditions with that of bermudagrass (B) harvested at two maturities. Six different forages were evaluated: T harvested at the late vegetative stage (TLV), at late bloom but that incurred 33 mm of rainfall between mowing and baling (TLBR), with caryopsis visible (TES), or at soft dough …

Relationship Between 1,3-Dichloropropene And Nitrogen Fertility In Cotton In The Presence Of Root-Knot And Reniform Nematodes, Amanda Michelle Greer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of soil fumigation for nematode management in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) has become increasingly popular in recent years in the absence of effective resistant cultivars. While soil fumigation is relatively expensive, lint yields have consistently been improved to make this practice profitable in fields with severe nematode pressure. Growers in southern Arkansas have observed changes in cotton growth patterns when severely infested fields are fumigated. The most noticeable change has been excessive (rank) growth resulting in an increased need for growth regulators, especially where the nitrogen fertilization exceeds standard recommendations. Field studies were conducted between 2007 and 2010 to …