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Toward Optimizing Fruit Production In Utah Soils: Apple Salt Tolerance Screening And Tart Cherry Fertility Management, Kaitlin Dabbs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Fruit production in Utah can be challenging due to local climate and soil conditions. Tart cherries and apples are major fruit crops in Utah, and improvements to these cropping systems would be beneficial for farmers and local consumers. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate desired improvements for these crops. The first study looked for salt tolerance in ten new apple rootstocks. Salty soils can be found throughout the state limiting the land suitable for apple production. When grown in salty soils apple trees often have reduced growth and production potential. A specialized drip irrigation system was constructed in a greenhouse …

Mapping The Water Quality Of Jamaica Bay, New York (1996-2024): Principal Component Analysis And K-Means Clustering, Sneha Srivastava

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Jamaica Bay, located along the southeastern coast of New York City, acts as a biodiverse estuary of wetlands, meadows, and salt marsh islands. The purpose of this study is to analyze the water quality conditions of the region over time, comparing locations around the bay to identify hyperlocal features that influence larger trends in the hydrological system. Ten variables were used as water quality indicators, including total Kjeldahl nitrogen, salinity, pH, Secchi disk depth, and total phosphorus, among others, across five stations in the bay, between 1994 and 2024. After data cleaning and standardization methods were applied, principal component analysis …

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 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 …

Land-Use Transitions And Carbon Emissions Of Aquaculture Expansion In The Brazilian Amazon, Felipe S. Pacheco, Sebastian A. Heilpern, Rafael M. Almeida, Suresh A. Sethi, Marcela Miranda, Nicholas Ray, Laura Greenstreet, Joshua Fan, Brendan H. Rappazzo, Marcelo Gomes Da Silva

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Accounting for land-use change underlying food sector expansion is critical for conserving ecosystem integrity. This challenge is particularly acute in the Amazon, where the conversion of forests for food production is pronounced and has broad implications for global biodiversity and the cycling of water and carbon. Here, we analyze land-use transitions associated with aquaculture development in the Brazilian Amazon. We found that a 450-fold increase in aquaculture pond area from 1985 to 2022 occurred primarily on pasturelands (87%) but also included wetland conversion (4%) and deforestation (5%). Notably, continued growth can be sustained within already altered landscapes: In Rondônia, the …

Effects Of Ab Mix Hydroponic Solution And Ameliorant Mixtures On Cayenne Pepper Growth And Yield In An Inceptisols, Tien Turmuktini, Betty Natalie Fitriatin, Tualar Simarmata, Firda Widayanti, Nuryanti, Lia Amalia, Elly Roosma Ria, Linlin Parlinah

Jurnal Kultivasi

Cayenne pepper (Capsicum frustescens L.) cultivation faces several problems, including acidic pH and inadequate nutrient management. These problems can be addressed by using a mixture of various ameliorants and AB mix nutrient solutions. This study aimed to determine the effect of ameliorant mixture dosage and AB mix solution concentration on soil chemical properties, growth, and yield of cayenne pepper. The experiment used a randomized block design, consisting of two factors: nutrient solution concentration and ameliorant dosage. The factor of nutrient solution concentration consisted of four levels, i.e., 700, 1000, 1300, and 1600 ppm, while the factor of ameliorant dosage also …

Understanding The Long-Term Patterns Of Change Of A Tidal Marsh In Mission Bay, San Diego, California, Carrie A. Shuster, Theresa Sinicrope Talley Ph.D., Drew Talley Ph.D., Zhi-Yong Yin Ph.D., Kellie Uyeda Ph.D.

Theses

Coastal marshes are among California’s most productive ecosystems and the most impacted, having been extensively modified by dredging, filling, and urban development. This thesis investigates over a century of change for a marsh in Northern Mission Bay, San Diego, California using ecological and spatial analyses.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the environmental history and current land use of the Northern Mission Bay marsh, tracing changes from pre-contact Indigenous stewardship through colonial and modern urban development. It also introduces a restoration plant palette derived from historical and contemporary species occurrences, ecological functions, and documented cultural uses. By integrating ethnobotanical knowledge …

Land Condition Standards For The Western Australian Nullarbor Pastoral Region, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Wayne J. Fletcher

Natural resources published reports

This report outlines the quantitative land condition standards that define acceptable pastoral land condition for the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor, to meet the regulatory requirements of the Land Administration Act 1997 and the Soil and Land Conservation Act 1945.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is developing regional-level pastoral land condition standards for Western Australia as a critical component of the Framework for sustainable pastoral management – revised edition (Fletcher 2022), the purpose of which is to address the Office of the Auditor General’s recommendations to improve the management of pastoral lands in WA …

The Effect Of Addition Of Formic Acid, With Or Without Formalin, On The Conservation Quality, Digestibility, Nutritive Value, And Nitrogen Balance Of Direct-Cut Silage, C Demarquilly, Elisabeth Grenet, J P. Dulphy

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

From 34 standing crops of grasses or legumes, 93 direct-cut silages were prepared: 33 without additive, 37 with formic acid (3.5 or 5 1/t), 10 with formic acid and 1.5 1/t formalin, 15 with formic acid and 3.5 to 5 1/t formalin. The conservation quality of the silages was improved by the addition of formic acid and even further by the mixture of formic acid and formalin. Silage digestibility is similar to that of the corresponding green forage, but the addi­tion of formalin considerably reduces protein digestibility (by 2 to 8 points). The voluntary intake of silage is lower than …

The Effects Of Mixtures Of Formalin And Acid On Silage Fermentation, Robert F. Wilson, Roger J. Wilkins

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Three experiments are described in which herbages were ensiled in test-tube silos without additive or after the addition of mixtures containing formalin with formic, sulphuric or phosphoric acid in order to restrict fermen­tation in the silo. Silages containing less than 5 % of the dry matter as fermentation acids and with low contents of ammonia were pro­duced with mixtures containing either 0.1 % of the fresh crop weight as formaldehyde with 10 meq of formic or sulphuric acid/ 100 g of crop or with 0.2 % of formaldehyde with 5 meq of either acid. Phosphoric acid was less effective than …

Effect Of Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum And Cobalt On Develop­ Ment, Yield And Hay Quality Of Lucerne, B Miskovic, P Eric, M Pantovic

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of zinc, copper, molybdenum and cobalt exerted on the development, yield and quality of various cultivated plants is favourable in many ways. Our studies of their application in the nutrition of luceme in a pot experiment and field trials on chernozem soil were carried out to determine the effect of the above micro­elements on the yield, development and quality of lucerne hay, when applied togeµier with NPK fertilizers. The results of our experiments have shown that the application of these microelements, especially of zinc and copper, together with NPK fertilizers resulted in considerable increase of lucerne hay yields …

Influence Of Mineral Fertilization On The Quality Of Meadow Grasses, A Klesnil, F Turek

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of different rates of nitrogen fertili­zation combined with PK on the quality of 6 important meadow grasses (Dactylis glomerata, Poa pratensis, Holcus lanatus, Trisetum jla­vescens, Alopecurus pratensis, and Deschampsia caespitosa) was studied from 1973 to 1975. Complete NPK nutrition at rates of I 00 and 100 + 50 kg N/ha distinctly increased the di­gestible crude protein content in the tested grasses, especially in the first cut (in Dactylis glomerata by 44-56 %, in Poa pratensis by 54 %, and in Trisetum jlavescens by 35 %). Application of 50 kg N/ha after the first cut produced maximum increase of …

Experiments About The Nutrition Of Grassland Ecosystems With Respect To Different Times Of Npk Application, Eduard Halva, Josef Lesak

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Experiments carried out during the years 1971 to 1973 have shown that a uniform system of the nutrition of grassland associations cannot be introduced into all production areas and all types of forage crops represented in Czechoslo­vakia. In relation to the complexity of the studied problems and to the diversity of soil and climatic conditions in the production areas, it is necessary to propose the adequate systems of nutrition after several series of experiments or to base them on empirical experience drawn from the studied production area. The testing of different times of application of identical nutrient rates (150 kg …

Problems Of Nitrogen Nutrition Of Medicago Sativa L. With Respect To Rhizobia, Eduard Halva, Josef Lesak

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of increasing rates of nitrogen (80, 140, 200, 260, and 320 kg/ha) on the yields of above-ground biomass and nutrients in alfalfa was studied in 1974 and 1975. Applica­tion of nitrogen increased dry matter and crude protein production in relation to the unfertilized control, but the yield increase was statistically insignificant. Further it was shown that increasing rates of nitrogen had a negative effect on the number and weight of rhizobia. A close negative cor­relation of high significance ( estimated by the t-test) was found between the rates of nitrogen and the number of rhizobia. The experiments conducted …

Some Remarks Concerning The Theory Of Nutrition And Biology Of Grass Stands, A Korab

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The growth rate and yielding capacity of grasses, expressed as kg crude protein/ha per unit of time, are dependent upon the plants' capacity to take up and utilize nitrogen. This character is specific in individual grass species and has been found to be more or less heredi­tarily determined and relatively coincident in different sites. These assumptions and inter­relations have been utilized for determining the yield indices to express not only the rela­tive yielding capacity of major cultivated grasses but also their requirements in terms of effective nitrogen nutrition. The principle of determining effective doses of nitrogen using the index method …

The Intensification Of Grass Production Through Nitrogen Fertilization, And The Nitrate Problem, Klau Ebert, Henrich Koriath, Gunter Rinno

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Two-year pot and five-year field tests with increasing nitrogen doses revealed an increase in the nitrate content of forage grasses. In the pot tests the content of 0.25 % N03-N in the dry matter, which is safe in animal nutrition, had by far been exceeded. In the field tests the· nitrate content increased more slowly for the average of the tests and did not reach this limit when giving 140 to 240 kg N/ha. In single cases this value had, however, already been reached when giving 100 kg N/ha. By selecting grass species with a lesser tendency to nitrate accumulation, …

Yield And Nutritive Value Of Forage Plants As Influenced By Stage Of Plant Development At Harvest, Khindrek Older, Ants Linnutaya, Yulo Oll

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Field experiments were conducted for the pur­pose of studying yield formation in six single­crop sown grass species and two clover/grass mixtures, as well as the. chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of the forage as in­fluenced by the stage of plant development at the time of harvest. Highest dry matter yields were obtained from two-cut use with harvesting in flower. Highest digestible dry matter levels were obtained from three-cut use in the stage of shooting. Highest protein levels were recorded in the context of four-cut use in the heading stage. Digestible nutrients were high in the tillering and shoot­ing stages. …

Forage-Animal Systems For Economic Calf Production, R E. Blaser, R C. Hammes Jr, J P. Fontenot, H T. Bryant

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Nine forage-cow-calf systems with constant ,stocking but variable grazing pressures to pro­vide for changing nutritional needs of beef cows, and continuous high calf nutrition with creep grazing gave similar high weaning weights of autumn and winter calves for all-year grazing vs. hay feeding and for 2 stocking rates. The all-fescue systems lowered calf weights. Nine forage-cow-calf systems with constant ,stocking but variable grazing pressures to pro­vide for changing nutritional needs of beef cows, and continuous high calf nutrition with creep grazing gave similar high weaning weights of autumn and winter calves for all-year grazing vs. hay feeding and for 2 …

Forage And Feedstuff Analysis With Infrared Reflectance Spectro/Computer System1, J S. Shenk, K H. Norris, R F. Barnes, G W. Fissel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An infrared reflectance spectro/computer sys­tem (IRSCS) has been established at The Pennsylvania State University to evaluate the nutritional quality of forage and feedstuffs. Studies with alfalfa forage clearly show that the reflectance spectral curve of the forage is a composite curve consisting of various chemical constituents in the forage such as water, protein and cellulose. Chemical constituents are not measured directly by IRSCS but calibration prediction equations are developed from sam­ples with known chemical constituents and animal response data. After this is completed, forage samples can be analyzed for multiple chemical constituents and animal responses in less than 2 minutes. …

The Evaluation Of Relationships Between Ecological Factors And Production On Permanent Grassland, Vladimir Krajovic

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

On 42 sites in 10 districts of the Carpathian region of the CSSR, relationships were exam­ined between grassland production and region­al, climatic (precipitation, temperature, solar radiation), and soil conditions (soil type, pH, S, 'r, V, C0., nutrients, and clay fraction). To this, five variants of fertilization were used (0; PK; 120 kg N/ha + PK, 240 kg N/ha + PK; 480 kg N/ha + PK). None of the natural ecofactors is generally characteristic enough for determining an opti­mal production. But the nutrition and the utilization of grass stands are important under each condition. Therefore, a system of differ­entiated grassland management …

Flood Adaptation And Productivity Of Savanna Grasses, E Gonzalez Jimenez, A Escobar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Savannas subjected to seasonal flooding occupy· vast areas of the Tropics. Above-ground bio­mass values for Venezuelan flooded savannas are high and related to the longer availability of water. C3 plants colonized the waterlogged unit and showed the highest productivity and nutritive value. This natural system permits a prolonged grazing season. These first results show the great potential for animal production of this ecosystem, stressing the need for coor­dinated research efforts in order to gain a better understanding of it.

Influence Of Plant Nutrition And Method Of Utilization On The Accumulation And Decomposition Of Root Matter In Meadow Soils, Yan Liyv, Rikhard Toomre

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Root matter formation of forage plants de­pends primarily on soil fertility. In fertile soils and under intensive fertilization less root matter is formed than in soils of low fertility. The decomposition of root matter as influenced by microbiological processes was found to be more intensive under grazing than under mow­ing. The application of high rates of nitrogen fertilizer (more than 200 kg N/ha) over longer periods is likely to cause undesirable changes in the relationship between forage plants and soil microorganisms, this resulting in yield decline and in lower efficiency of the fertilizers applied.

Synergistic Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi And Foliar Nitrogen–Phosphorus Application On Maize Productivity Under Irrigated And Rainfed Conditions, Mst. Lailatul Ferdows, Saima Biswas, Mizanur Rahman, F. M.Jamil Uddin, Md. Nayan, Aporna Tabassum Api, Mohaiminul Islam, Nadia Islam, Swapan Kumar Paul, Md. Harun Rashid

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University to evaluate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation and foliar supplementation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on the performance of maize (Zea mays L.) under irrigated and rainfed conditions. The experiment followed a randomised complete block design with two levels of AMF (inoculated and non-inoculated) and four foliar treatments (no N and P, N only, P only, and combined N + P). The recommended dose of fertiliser (RDF) was applied as a soil application to all treatments. AMF inoculation significantly increased grain yield …

New Problems And Results Of Grass Breeding In The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Frantisek Bures

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Turf grass species are among the topics of forage grass breeding in Czechoslovakia at present. Breeding goals, however, are highly differentiat­ed, and testing methods have to be adjusted to that diversity of purposes. Agrostis tenuis Sibth., 'Golf variety, is a perennial turf grass which forms short stolons. Tiller formation has been 263/dm2 on average over several years. Its colour is deep green, and the grass is unpretentious in terms of nutrition and soil. Mean root expansibility is 6.9 per cent, mean tensile strength 3,249 kg/cm2, and aver­age compressive strength 112,768 gcm/cm3. Frequent deep mowing is well tolerated. Variety 'K 7' …

The Environment And Population Differences In Anjan Grass (Cenchrus Ciliaris) In Western India, S C. Pandeya

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cenchrus ciliaris (anjan or buffel grass) is a gregarious fodder species with high nutritive value. The species is an inhabitant of drier sandy areas throughout Africa, Canary Island, Madagascar and eastwards to India, where it mostly occurs in western parts of the country, constituting the States of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Hayana and the adjoining portions of Punjab, U ttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh ( called here in as Western India). In Western India, Cen­chrus ciliaris (Cc) variously dominates the nat­urally occurring grazing lands exhibiting great morphological variations with respect to habit. and spike characters. The ecoclimate of Western India is arid …

Potassium Fertilization Timing And Critical Stalk Potassium Concentration As Tools To Improve Corn Production, Gabriela Andrade Leite Mengez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Potassium (K) is a common yield-limiting nutrient in Mid-Southern U.S. corn (Zea mays L.) production, emphasizing the importance of effective diagnostic tools to support fertilizer decision-making. This study integrated two approaches to improve K management in irrigated corn systems: (i) evaluating K fertilization timing to identify in-season opportunities for correcting K deficiency, and (ii) developing a corn stalk-based diagnostic test to assess end-of-season K and nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) status and fertilizer adequacy. Seven (2024-2025) and eight (2023-2024) field trials were conducted across Arkansas for the K application timing and stalk testing studies, respectively. For the K timing study, fertilizer-K (112 kg …

An Emergent Seafood Nationalism Takes Hold In The United States, Owen Temby

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper introduces the concept of ‘seafood nationalism’ to describe how, since 2024–2025, the United States increasingly uses tariffs, trade remedies, food safety enforcement and origin-based rules to favour American seafood over foreign products. Federal actions include Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which directs agencies to address unfair trade practices, unsafe imports and to develop a coordinated seafood trade strategy. Additional measures include a tariff package imposing a 10% duty on nearly all seafood imports and 30% on seafood from China, as well as new anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on warm-water shrimp. This paper presents Gulf …

The Soil Crisis In Modern Food Systems: Rethinking Agricultural Land Use, Antonia Moure Richard

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Feeding a larger world while preserving the resource that makes agriculture possible—soil—poses a governance problem. By 2050, food systems must support 9.8 billion people even as prevailing practices continue to degrade soils that are non-renewable on human timescales. Technological fixes (e.g., vertical farming, hydroponics) may complement production, but they cannot substitute for soil at scale. The question that follows is simple: are current uses of soil compatible with the future needs of food systems? This article argues that without a shift in governance, short-run productivity gains are achieved by drawing down the soil asset, thereby undermining long-run food security and …

Optimizing The Use Of Grazed Dryland Pasture In Western Oregon, T E. Bedell

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

When they are properly fertilized, western Oregon dryland pastures of subterranean dover with grasses such as perennial rp:g:rass, tall fescue, and resident annuals produce total annual dry-matter yields averaging 6,500 kg/ha. Some sites are capable of over 9,000 kg/ha. Optimum use of this forage is complicated by its highly seasonal availability. Over 50 % of the total growth occurs from late April to mid-June. Only about 10% takes place during autumn-early winter, and virtually none occurs during summer. Research shows livestock weight gains from 300 to over 700 kg/ha can be expected depending upon pasture mixture and kind of grazing …

Diet Quality Considerations In The Design And Management Of Pastures In Seasonally Dry Tropics Of Australia, R L. Mccown, C J. Gardener

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Much of Australian tropical-pasture research in the last 20 years has been aimed at filling the "protein gap" of the dry season with a well-adapted legume. Several such legumes are now available, but their contribution to an improved nutritional regimen has been variable. This paper puts forward generalizations as to the contribution of pasture components to cattle nutrition and attempts to apply this information in devising regional strategies for pasture design and management. The contribution of a forage component is a function of (1) its nutritive value and (2) its relative acceptability. Three components emerge as both highly nutritious and …