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Do Pasture And Crop Management Practices Affect Silt Loam Soil?, Kelley R. Turner, Iin Handayani

Scholars Week

Agricultural management systems control soil quality in varying degrees. Information on the effect of farming systems on silt loam soil in Kentucky is still limited. This study evaluated the effect of different farm management systems (pasture vs crop production) on selected soil quality indicators in Western Kentucky. There were six agricultural fields used for this study. Two rotational cattle fields, one horse pasture using stall waste as fertilizer, one horse pasture using traditional fertilizer, a rotational soybean field and a monoculture corn field. Four disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were collected from the topsoil of each field (total of 24 …

Aginnovation South: Strategic Roadmap Initiatives (2020-2026), Gary A. Thompson

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report documents the major organizational initiatives undertaken by agInnovation South between 2020 and 2026. Rather than serving as a chronology of meetings or annual activities, it highlights the initiatives, partnerships, and collaborative efforts that strengthened the association and expanded regional research capacity across the Southern Land-grant system. Many began as conversations among the membership, matured through strategic planning and engagement, and ultimately resulted in partnerships, multistate projects, professional networks, organizational resources, and new opportunities for collaboration. The report is intended to preserve institutional knowledge while providing context for future leaders and members as they build upon these efforts.

Enhancing Salinity Tolerance In Black Soybean Genotypes Through Synergistic Rhizobacterial Inoculation, Fairus Hisanah Hibatullah

Scholars Week

Soil salinity is a major environmental constraint that limits soybean productivity by disrupting plant growth, nutrient uptake, and biological nitrogen fixation. Beneficial microorganisms have emerged as a sustainable approach to improve crop tolerance to saline conditions. This study aimed to identify the most salt-tolerant black soybean phenotype and evaluate the individual and combined effects of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (SNFB) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) under salinity stress. This study consisted of two stages, the first identified the most salt-tolerant black soybean phenotype (BS 87, BS 99, and BS 114), and the second evaluated the effects of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, plant …

Abundance And Richness Of Wild Bees On Organically Managed Lavender Farms, Joseph S. Wilson, Nicolas Landel, Maxence Sarie, Tyler M. Wilson, Jacob Young, Lindsey Topham Wilson, Matthew L. Forister

Biology Faculty Publications

Wild bees are important pollinators in agricultural systems, yet patterns of wild bee abundance and diversity in commercial lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) fields remain poorly characterized. We conducted a preliminary, observational assessment of wild bee abundance and species richness across organically managed lavender fields, including both certified organic and non-certified fields following organic practices, in Provence, France, between 2022 and 2024. Standardized 15-min collections were used to compare wild bee and managed honey bee activity during 66 sampling events, while additional non-standardized collections were used to characterize and qualitatively compare the taxa present in the different field settings. Wild …

From Signals To Sinks: Integrating Nutrient Signaling And Root Architectural Traits To Enhance Sink Strength And Drought Adaptation In Sweetpotato, Marissa B. Barbosa

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In sweetpotato, successful storage root (SR) initiation requires the establishment of sink strength in competent ARs capable of attracting and utilizing photoassimilates. Sucrose synthase (SuSy), a key enzyme involved in sucrose cleavage and carbon partitioning, is recognized as a marker of sink strength in competent ARs; however, the signals regulating its induction during SR initiation remain unclear. This work tested the hypothesis that declining phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) availability enhance sink strength in competent ARs through increased SuSy activity and investigated root system architecture (RSA) traits associated with adaptation to episodic drought. Greenhouse experiments evaluated SuSy responses …

Bathurst Burr And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Bathurst burr (Xanthium spinosum) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant, requirements land owners/occupiers must adhere to, control methods, and how to search, detect, and report it.

Bathurst burr is a summer growing annual shrubby plant originating in South America. In south west Australia, some mature plants survive well into winter, with the result that burrs may be found for most of the year. The weed spreads entirely by burrs, which are usually carried by people or animals, attached to clothes, fur, or other fibre by their hooked spines. They may …

Noogoora Burr And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Noogoora burr, also known as cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements that land owners/occupiers must adhere to and control methods.

Native to western United States of America. Locally abundant in parts of the Kimberley, especially near water courses. Occasionally found in the South West region of WA.

Performance Of Dual-Form Terminalia Catappa Organic Fertilizers On Sweet Corn Yield And Economic Viability In Tropical Highlands, Stefina Liana Sari, Eso Solihin, Rahmat Budiarto

Jurnal Kultivasi

Recycling underutilized plant biomass into organic fertilizers underpins low-input cropping strategies, but liquid and solid formulations derived from a common feedstock have seldom been evaluated side by side under field conditions. This study aimed to (i) characterize the physicochemical properties and safety profile of a liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) and a crumb-type organic fertilizer (COF) co-produced from Terminalia catappa leaf compost, (ii) compare their effects on sweet corn growth and yield, (iii) determine relative agronomic effectiveness (RAE), and (iv) evaluate economic feasibility of the most promising organic–inorganic combinations. We produced LOF and COF through aerobic composting of Terminalia catappa leaves …

Metabolic Dynamics Of Secondary Metabolites In Arabica Coffee (Coffea Arabica): From Biosynthesis To Post-Harvest Transformations, Kamilrashid Hadi Dwitama, Yudithia Maxiselly, Cucu Suherman, Santi Rosniawaty

Jurnal Kultivasi

Coffee (Coffea arabica) is a globally significant beverage whose sensory profile and physiological effects derive from a complex matrix of secondary metabolites. This review presents a comprehensive "lifecycle" perspective of three pivotal classes: the alkaloid caffeine, phenolic chlorogenic acids (CGA), and the diterpenoids cafestol and kahweol. Here, 'lifecycle' defines a metabolite's continuous biochemical trajectory, tracking its genetic origin and ecological function in the plant through structural modifications during fermentation, drying, storage, and roasting. These classes are highlighted because they serve as the primary drivers of bitterness, acidity, and health bioactivities with fundamentally distinct transformational pathways. Following a systematic methodology, this …

The Effectiveness Of Bacillus-Coated Npk Fertilizer On Broccoli Growth, Nutrient Status, Rhizosphere Bacillus Population, Yield, And Flower Quality, Betty Natalie Fitriatin, Rara Rahmatika Risanti, Reginawanti Hindersah, Fasa Aditya Hanindipto, Gita Bina Nugraha

Jurnal Kultivasi

Efforts to increase the availability of macronutrients in soil have relied on inorganic fertilization, particularly NPK fertilizers. However, global challenges in the fertilizer raw material supply chain, including price fluctuations and availability, are driving the need for more efficient and sustainable fertilizer alternatives. The field experiment was conducted in Baruajak, Lembang District, West Java, Indonesia, to evaluate the effectiveness of Bacillus-coated NPK fertilizer on broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) growth, nutrient status, rhizosphere Bacillus population, yield, and flower quality. The experiment used a randomized complete block design with 15 fertilizer treatments and three replications. Treatments consisted of two coated NPK …

The Effect Of Silica-Enriched Rice Husk Biochar And Npk Fertilizer On Soil Total Nitrogen, Nitrogen Uptake, And Yield Of Lowland Rice, Emma Trinurani Sofyan, Oviyanti Mulyani, Ania Citraresmini, Meddy Rachmadi, Kharmelia Sandra Livia

Jurnal Kultivasi

Rice production in Indonesia increasingly relies on agricultural intensification, which can accelerate soil degradation and reduce fertilizer-use efficiency. Therefore, sustainable soil management is needed to maintain soil fertility. Silica-enriched rice husk biochar (biochar-silica) is a promising soil amendment because it improves soil properties and nutrient retention. This study evaluated the effects of biochar-silica and NPK fertilization on soil total nitrogen, nitrogen uptake, and yield of lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.). The experiment was conducted from September 2025 to January 2026 using a two-factor randomized block design with nine treatment combinations and three replications. The treatment consisted of three levels of …

The Effects Of Melatonin And Potassium Fertilizer On Fruit Yield And Quality Of ‘Haruhi’ Strawberry Under Two Light Conditions, Ghaida Marsha Nurizqia, Farida, Reginawanti Hindersah, Kenji Endo, Rahmat Budiarto, Syariful Mubarok

Jurnal Kultivasi

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) ‘Haruhi’ is a subtropical plant that is being cultivated in Indonesia. High temperatures in tropical climates could decrease strawberry yield and fruit quality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of light, melatonin, potassium fertilizers, and their interactions on the yield and fruit quality of ‘Haruhi’ strawberry. This research was conducted from April to June 2024 at the Bale Tatanen, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran. A split-plot design was used, with lighting treatment as the main plot and melatonin and potassium fertilizer treatments as the subplot. Lighting treatments consisted of supplemental LED lighting …

The Effect Of Pre- And Post-Emergence Herbicide On Weeds And Rice Yield In The Direct Seeding System, Uum Umiyati, Denny Kurniadie, Fauzi

Jurnal Kultivasi

Indonesian rice production has been unable to fully meet national demand, partly due to weed competition, which can reduce rice yields by up to 80% if left uncontrolled. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-emergence herbicides containing pretilachlor (300 g/L) and post-emergence herbicides containing cyhalofop + ethoxysulfuron (330 g/L) for weed control in direct-seeded rice, and to determine the optimal dosage. Herbicides active ingredient is pretilachlor are a category of pre-emergence herbicides used in rice cultivation; these herbicides are systemic and are used to control sedges, grasses and broadleaf weeds. The cyhalofop + ethoxysulfuron herbicide is a post-emergence …

Aegic Blogposts - Grain Industry Productivity, Ross Kingwell

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) was an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2012 by the Western Australian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Its core mission was to increase the value and international competitiveness of Australia’s multibillion-dollar export grains industry. AEGIC ceased operation at the end of 2025.

Early in its history between 20 to 30 staff from the former Western Australian Department of Agriculture were seconded to AEGIC. Following the formation of DPIRD, AEGIC continued to receive substantial annual funding support from DPIRD.

This publication is a legacy document containing collated AEGIC blog posts …

Evaluating The Responses Of Organic Corn Systems To Interseeded Cover Crops, Seeding Rate, And Tillage, Luvina B. Madrid

All Dissertations

Cover crop interseeding offers a potential strategy to increase plant diversity and make better use of above- and belowground resource niches within organic corn production systems. Interseeded cover crops can support agroecosystem sustainability through aboveground biomass production as well as belowground processes mediated by roots, including soil structural improvement, nutrient cycling, biological activity, and carbon storage. However, the success of interseeding depends on selecting cover crop species and management practices that provide these benefits without competing with the crop for water, nutrients, and light. Research studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of interseeded cover crop species, seeding rate, and …

B.R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research Studies 2025, J. Hardke, X. Sha, N. Bateman

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Arkansas is the leading rice producer in the United States. The state represents 45.2% of total U.S. rice production and 45.7% of the total acres planted to rice in 2025. Rice cultural practices vary across the state and across the U.S. However, these practices are also dynamic and continue to evolve in response to changing political, environmental, and economic times. This survey was initiated in 2002 to monitor and record changes in the way Arkansas rice producers approach their livelihood. The survey was conducted by polling county extension agents in each of the counties in Arkansas that produce rice. Questions …

Summaries Of Arkansas Cotton Research 2025, Fred M. Bourland

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Planted cotton acreage in Arkansas decreased in 2025 to 520,000 acres compared to 650,000 planted acres in 2024. Arkansas producers harvested 515,000 acres, which was a decrease of 125,000 acres from the 640,000 acres harvested in 2024 (https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=Arkansas&year=2025). The 515,000 harvested acres ranked Arkansas third nationally, trailing only Texas and Georgia in harvested acres (https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/795725/cropan26.pdf). The average cotton yield, as reported by the USDA, was 1,239 lb lint/ac, which ranked fourth nationally, behind California, Louisiana, and Arizona. Arkansas farmers produced an estimated 1.329 million bales, which is a decrease from 1.788 million bales produced in 2024. This production still ranks …

The Influence Of Ecological Pest Management Practices On Pests And Natural Enemies Under A Cabbage–Garden Pea Rotational System In Central Kenya, Peter Nyakundi Mageto, Milka Kiboi, Monicah Mucheru-Muna, Felix Matheri

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Pest pressure is a major constraint on crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa, where smallholder farmers rely heavily on synthetic pesticides with potential environmental and health risks. Ecological pest management practices (EPMs) have been proposed as sustainable alternatives, although field-based evidence is limited. This study evaluated pest and natural-enemy responses to EPMs in a cabbage–garden pea rotation system over six years (2020–2025) in Central Kenya. Four treatments were assessed: homemade botanical extracts (Botanicals), coriander intercropping (Intercrop), botanical extracts combined with coriander intercropping (Botanicals + Intercrop), and a control. In cabbage, ecological treatments often recorded lower aphid and diamondback moth abundance and …

High Biochar Rate Improves Water Retention In Some Environmentally Sensitive Soils, Samundra Sigdel

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

Improving water retention and other hydraulic properties is key to managing soil water and sustaining crop production under fluctuating and extreme weather events. We assessed how wood biochar (836 g C kg^-1) applied at 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 Mg ha^-1 affected: i) soil hydraulic properties after 5 years and ii) corn and soybean yield, and biomass production of cereal rye cover crop (CC) and CC mix (cereal rye, radish, and winter pea) in sandy, sloping, and semi-arid soils in the central U.S. Great Plains over 6 years. Biochar affected field saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_{sat …}

Technological Behaviour Of Pellets Containing Dried Green Crop, Christian Furll

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pelleted dried green crop presents essential advantages compared to chaff and meal as processing forms. Normally, the solidity of the pellets does not exceed the values required by animal feeding. Abrasion resulting from turnover processes is at present too high, particularly for the discharge of bins. Belt conveyors, vibrating conveyors, and bucket elevators are suitable to convey pellets. Storage of pellets over long periods has to be done by respecting prescribed climate conditions. Zones with excessive portion of abraded par­ticles in the storing pile are a preferred cause for self-heating. Slit-type dosing units as well as dosing units equipped with …

Results Of Comparative Investigations Into The Chevving And Ruminating Activities Of The Dairy Cow Fed Dried Forage From Grass And Leguminous Crops, B Piatkowski, S Nagel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The chewing and ruminating activities were studied of dairy cows fed grass, alfalfa, and straw of different physical forms. An electronic­ally controlled measuring device was applied. When feeding 8 kg of grass hay (32 % crude fibre in dry matter), the ruminating time was 5: 24 and 1 :49 hours (20,712 and 6,982 ruminat­ing movements) for chopped and ground + pelleted forages, respectively. It declined from 1 : 49 to 0: 0 l hours (from 6,929 to 70 move­ments) when hot-air dried alfalfa (23 % crude fibre) was fed in chopped and ground + pelleted forms, respectively. The ruminating time …

Feed Efficiency In Dairy Cows Of Roughages Preserved And Treated In Different Ways, M Zausch, E Boldt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Trials were conducted with dairy cows to investigate the feed efficiency of grass-clover mixture (wilted silage, silage made of fresh material with addition of foDTiic acid, artifi­cially dried forage, pellets with varying portions of straw). The results obtained allow to draw the following conclusions:

As regards dry matter intake, digestibility, and feed efficiency, grass-dover for wilted silage should be wilted to give a OM content not exceeding 40 %.

Pelleting artificially dried grass-clover mix­ture and its use in mixed rations together with other separately pelleted components should be avoided.

The best feed efficiency is reached when dried grass-clover is converted …

The Influence Of Dried And Ensiled Grass On Rumen Fermen­Tation, J Voigt, B Piatkowski

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rumen-fistulated cows were used to study the influence of the forage preservation technique on rumen fermentation and holdup time of the feed in the rumen. Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) preserved as wilted silage or dried green crop was fed in the following variants: wilted silage alone; wilted silage + sugar beet + protein supplement; dried green crop alone; dried green crop + sugar beet + protein supplement. As compared with dried green crop, the shares of true protein and sugar in wilted silage were reduced from 9.8 • to 6.4 '.'I􀉧 and from 7.7 to 1.8 %in DM, respectively. In comparison …

Changes In Feeding Value Of Preserved Grass And Legumes By The Action Of High Temperatures, R Prym, F Weissbach

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

High temperatures acting on grass and legumes during preservation and storage, cause nutrient digestibility to deteriorate. Protein digestibility is likely to be most strongly affected. Digest­ibility measurements were performed on sheep to estimate the extent of heat damage suffered by dried green forage and silages. Various laboratory methods were applied for record­ing. such damage. The detennination of the acid-detergent insoluble crude protein portion proved a very suitable approach.

Growth And Nitrogen Retention Of Lambs Fed Alfalfa Dehy­Drated At Different Temperatures, H K. Goering

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Alfalfa was dried at four temperatures ranging from 60 to 180 °C in two experiments to evaluate the effect on composition, diet di­gestibility, and growth by lambs. In Experi­ment I, the alfalfa was supplemented with 0.6 % salt and pelleted. In Experiment 2, alfalfa was supplemented with 24.4 % starch, 18.5% straw, 6% cane molasses, 0.5% sodium phosphate, and 0.6 % salt so that total nitrogen intake was not in excess of the protein require­ment for growth of the lambs. Cell wall, acid­detergent fiber, lignin, acid-detergent insoluble nitrogen, and pepsin insoluble nitrogen in­creased in the alfalfa dried at 180 °C. …

Non-Mechanical Field Losses In Wilting Grasses As Influenced By Different Factors, G Rucker, O Knabe

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

When wilting grasses, non-mechanical field losses of different extent may occur. The main factors influencing the extent of losses were: water content at cutting time, drying rate, temperature, amount of rain, swath den­sity, and content of water-soluble carbohy­drates in the crop.

The Effect Of Mechanical, Thermal And Chemical Treatment On The Loss Of Water From Cut Leaves Of Grasses, Colin Edward Harris

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that cut grass -leaves have a high resistance to water loss, probably largely due to the imper­meability of the surface cuticle to water vapour. This resistance can be reduced and drying rate increased by thermal and mechanical treatment, and by exposure to the vapour of boiling petroleum ether. The effectiveness of formic acid and tri-n-butyl phosphate suggests the possibility of using chemicals to increase the drying rate of grass crops cut for hay and dried in the field.

Measures For Increasing The Efficiency Of Hot-Air Drying Of Forage, Siegfried Prufer, Gerd Neubert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the GDR, the drying of wilted green forage as well as of whole plants of cereals and grain maize considerably improves the effi­ciency of hot-air drying as a whole. The proc­essing of wilted crop and the inclusion of whole-plant drying in the drying pattern cause the throughput to increase by 30 to 50% and fuel consurnption per ton of dried crop to de­crease by up to 50 %, in comparison with drying of fresh green forage containing 15 to 18 % dry matter. Hot-air drying is particularly suitable for feed production along industrial lines. -Being but little dependent on …

Gdr Standard Plant For Producing Feed Pellets On Straw Basis, Gerheard Schmidt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Following the international trend, livestock production units are growing in size. Straw, a major feed reserve, must be effectively utilized to meet the growing roughage requirements, especially of ruminants. Therefore, in the GDR a standard feed pelleting plant (type GF A) was developed and put to commercial production. The various machines and equipment em­ployed in the different stages of the GFA pellet­ing technology are explained in detail. The use of that standard feed pelleting plant shows the advantages of processing straw for semi-finished and finished feeds.

The Efficiency Of Producing And Feeding Complete-Ration Feed Briquets Containing Forage Chop, G V. Blagoveshcheski, V M. Sokolov

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Production of forage chop from a clover­timothy mixture is efficient when harvesting the forage between the shooting of clover (35 to 40 cm stand height) and mid-flowering. For high-temperature drying, each vegetative stage of the plants requires a clearly defined regime. When establishing formulas for com­plete-ration feed briquets containing clover­timoihy chop harvested before clover budding, the protein/carbohydrate ratio must be bal­anced by supplementing the ration with 30 p.c. barley meal and 29 p.c. straw; when the mix­ture was harvested during budding, phos­phorus supplementation (one p.c. monocal­cium phosphate) is necessary, whilst the mix­ture harvested during flowering has to be supplemented with …