Digital Commons Network^™

Industrial Hemp Forage Potential, Swarup Podder, John H. Fike, B. Wilson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) has been a valuable species for humans throughout history due to its adaptability and diverse uses. Farmers are interested in hemp as a forage and feedstuff due to its unique nutritional properties and fast summer production. Moreover, the presence of cannabinoids in leaf and bud tissues may provide pharmacological benefits to animal health, productivity, and product quality under different regulatory frameworks. This study examined two hemp cultivars, Grandi and Joey, solely as forage crops, and samples were taken at different growth stages in Blacksburg, VA, USA, in 2021. The highest biomass production of 1.41 tons per …

Differential Responses Of Yield And Shoot Traits Of Five Tropical Grasses To N And Distance To Trees In Silvopastoral Systems, L. S. Pontes, Emilio A. Laca

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Light intensity and nitrogen (N) availability are important factors influencing the growth of C₄ forage species. Trade-offs may occur in the adaptive responses of species to shading and N inputs, and functional shoot traits can help to explain the consequences of these responses for species performance. Our objective was to gain understanding of the mechanisms between traits of five C₄ perennial grasses determining above-ground dry matter yield (DMY) when both resources, light and N, vary. Forage grasses were grown in six shading conditions (full sunlight vs. five positions between Eucalyptus dunnii rows) with two N levels (0 vs. …

Integrating Grazing With 2,4-D And Florpyrauxifen To Control Broadleaf Weeds And Maintain Red Clover Productivity In Grass-Legume Pastures, M. J. Renz, G. M. Imhoff

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In grass-legume pastures, 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifen-benzyl controls broadleaf weeds but red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is eliminated. Grazing within a week prior to herbicide application is likely to reduce leaf surface area and may reduce red clover injury and maintain productivity. Experiments were conducted in 2020 and in 2021 to determine if red clover could be productive when 560 g ae ha-1 2,4-D-amine + 6.3 g ae ha^-1 of florpyrauxifen-benzyl with 1% v/v methylated seed oil applied in the spring was grazed before or after herbicide application. Grazing timings occurred 6, 4, or 2 days prior to herbicide …

Plant Breeding Perspectives For Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) Success In Warm Climates, Esteban F. Rios, M. Murad Andrade, C. C. Fernandes Filho, P. Sipowicz, A. Biswas, R. Ulbricht, D. Basigalup, E. C. Brummer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate change can have major impacts on adaptation of forage species to agroecosystems around the world. The ability of breeders to select for traits that impart adaptability to climate resilience will be critical for the future of grasslands. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most important perennial forage legume in the world because of its relatively high yield and nutritional value. In Florida, nondormant cultivars were developed for improved adaptation to the state’s subtropical agroecosystem (‘Florida 66’, ‘Florida 77’, and ‘Florida 99’); however, these cultivars are not commercially available. Breeding efforts are underway to develop new nondormant alfalfa adapted …

Accuracy And Precision Of Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (Nirs) Versus Wet Chemistry In Forage Analysis, U. K. Saha, R. J. Kern-Lunbery

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Near Infra-red Spectroscopy (NIRS) is an attractive option for forage analysis. NIRS is less labor intensive, nondestructive, rapid, environmentally friendly and provides accurate and precise results. However, many nutritionists are quick to brush off NIRS, citing ‘poor accuracy’. We evaluated the accuracy and precision of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of 33 National Forage Testing Association (NFTA) proficiency test (PT) alfalfa hay samples analyzed by NIRS in 7 NIRS Forage and Feed Testing Consortium (NIRSC) member laboratories. The reference method averages (RMA), used to evaluate the NIRS results, were based …

Evaluation Of Different Genotypes Of Teosinte (Euchlaena Mexicana) For Herbage And Seed Production In Nepal, S. Sanjyal, John G. Hampton, P. Rolston, S. Marahatta

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Teosinte is highly admired by the Nepalese farmers as a summer forage crop. It is also an important crop for milking animals in the tropical world where dairy husbandry is practiced. The only Sirsa cultivar of teosinte currently grown in Nepal takes 8 to 9 months from sowing to seed harvesting, which makes growing this crop difficult for farmers with small land holdings wanting to establish winter crops. Therefore, a diversity study on eighteen teosinte accessions was conducted in CRBD design. Seventeen teosinte accessions imported from CYMMIT Mexico and one locally grown Sirsa were evaluated in order to identify if …

Effects Of Insecticide And Tolerant Alfalfa Cultivars On Potato Leafhopper (Empoasca Fabae) Populations And Forage Yields In Quebec (Canada), Philippe Seguin, X. Shi, J. Saguez, Huguette Martel, A. Claessens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The potato leafhopper [PLH, Empoasca fabae (Harris)], which affects several crops including alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), is a recurrent problem in several regions of Quebec. The objective was to evaluate alfalfa management tools in order to reduce yield losses caused by this pest. An experiment was conducted at two sites in Quebec over three field seasons to evaluate the impact of insecticide applications and the use of PLHtolerant cultivars on forage yield and PLH populations. Foliar insecticide applications in the seeding year reduced PLH populations but generally failed to impact alfalfa yields compared to untreated alfalfa. However, in one …

Addition Of Red Clover Or Birdsfoot Trefoil In Alfalfa-Based Mixtures To Improve The Forage Energy To Protein Balance, Philippe Seguin, Gaëtan F. Tremblay, M. Thériault, X. Godin, Shabtai Bittman, D. Hunt, J. Hakl, Gilles Bélanger, M.-N. Thivierge, Annick Bertrand, A. Claessens

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The low ratio of sugars (S) to crude proteins (CP) in alfalfa (AL, Medicago sativa L.) leads to inefficient use of nitrogen by ruminants. The objective was to determine if adding red clover (RC, Trifolium pratense L.) or birdsfoot trefoil (BT, Lotus corniculatus L.) with or without a grass species to AL improved the forage S/CP ratio. Treatments were 100% AL (control) or AL-based mixtures with RC or BT in three proportions (75, 50, or 25% of seeded legumes) with either no grass or with timothy (Phleum pratense L.) or tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus Schreb. Dumort.), resulting in …

Yield Potential Of Co4 Napier Hybrid Bajra (Pennisetum Perpureum Schumach.) Fodder Crop Under Irrigated Conditions In India, Om Singh, Ayushi Singh, Ananya Singh, Anita Singh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A field trial on Co₄ was conducted at ICAR-IVRI, Izatnagar during 2013-14 to 2017-18 to study the effect of harvesting season/time on green, dry matter yield and morphological parameters. Data shows that yield of Co₄ was increased from first year 2013-14 to third year 2015-16 and decreased in fourth year of plantation of crop. Regrowth of ratoon crop was good as it was in first year crop, it may be concluded that crop can be grown upto 5-6 years. The crop yield of first year and second year as par with fifth year. Maximum green fodder yield 307.7 …

Concentration And Bioactivity Of Condensed Tannins And Total Phenolics Of Lespedeza Species From A Germplasm Collection, Thomas H. Terrill, V. Smith, B. Morning, E. M. Courson, James P. Muir, N. M. Cherry, J. B. Morris

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Interest in ‘AU-Grazer’ sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) as an anti-parasitic bioactive forage has been growing in the United States, but the concentration and bioactivity of tannins and other phenolics from additional accessions of L. cuneata, as well as other Lespedeza species, have not been evaluated. A study was completed to determine the concentration of extractable condensed tannins (ECT), total CT (TCT), total phenolics (TP), and protein-precipitable phenolics (PPP) of 32 accessions of L. cuneata and 16 additional Lespedeza species from a germplasm collection. The plants were established in small pots in a greenhouse and then transplanted into …

Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation And Cover Crop On Soil Carbon Dynamics And Microbial Communities In A Mediterranean Lemon Orchard., Anna Rodriguez-Paiatsyka

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Plant-associated fungi such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have the potential to sequester carbon (C), improve soil aggregation, and promote plant health. Due to multiple benefits of AMF to plant and soil health, AMF has gained much attention leading to a rapidly expanding market in mycorrhizal bio-stimulants intended to improve crop yield, root development, and soil health in horticultural crops, including citrus. However, there is limited information on how to inoculate a mature citrus orchard, and how inoculation of a mature orchard with AMF affects C sequestration. In this study, we planted a cover crop inoculated with AMF in a …

Assessing The Evaporation Method For Soil-Water Retention Curve Development And Comparison Of Soil-Water Characteristics Across Different Tillage Practices In A Furrow-Irrigated Corn (Zea Mays L.) System, Jeferson Prass Pimentel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The thesis comprises three studies. The first study in this thesis (Chapter I) focused on a six-year corn field experiment to assess the influence of conservation agricultural practices on soil properties and their long-term effects on water-use efficiency and yield. Non-tillage management did not significantly reduce soil bulk density compared to conventional tillage, as no differences were observed between non-tillage and tillage systems throughout the 6-year experiment. There was no difference in total water-use efficiency among soil management practices in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Even though in one year of the study, a significant 24 kg ha-1 mm-1 improvement …

Full Issue, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Bayesian Strategies For Propensity Score Estimation In Causal Inference., Uthpala I. Wanigasekara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Causal inference is a method used in various fields to draw causal conclusions based on data. It involves using assumptions, study designs, and estimation strategies to minimize the impact of confounding variables. Propensity scores are used to estimate outcome effects, through matching methods, stratification, weighting methods, and the Covariate Balancing Propensity Score method. However, they can be sensitive to estimation techniques and can lead to unstable findings. Researchers have proposed integrating weighing with regression adjustment in parametric models to improve causal inference validity. The first project focuses on Bayesian joint and two-stage methods for propensity score analysis. Propensity score modeling …

Causal Inference For The Effect Of Continuous Treatment On Time-To-Event Outcomes And Mediation Analysis On Health Disparities In Observational Studies., Triparna Poddar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation comprises two projects related to causal inference based on observational data. In healthcare research, where abundant observational data such as claims data and electronic records are available, researchers often aim to study the treatment effect and the pathway of that effect. However, estimating treatment effects in observational data presents challenges due to confounding factors. The first project focuses on estimating continuous treatment effects for survival outcomes, while the second concentrates on mediation analysis, allowing the exploration of the pathway of the causal effect. Both projects involve addressing confounding variables. In the first project, I investigate estimation of the …

Changes In Physico-Chemical Properties Of A Sandy Loam Soil Depending On The Particle Size Of Hazelnut Shell-Derived Biochar, Damla Bender Özenç, Ceyhan Tarakçioğlu, Funda Irmak Yilmaz, Selahattin AygüN

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study evaluated the effects of hazelnut shell-derived biochar particle sizes on the soil’s physical and chemical properties, and on various nutrient contents present in the sandy loamy soils. For this purpose, an incubation experiment in the plastic high tunnel has been performed under sixteen treatments (control-only soil), and at four incubation times (30, 60, 90, and 120 d), by using three different biochar sizes (≤ 1, 1 - 2, and 2 - 4 mm). The addition of 1 - 2 and 2 - 4 mm biochar during the incubation time decreased the bulk density in the soil by 26%. …

The Effect Of Amf-Cacao Association On Varying Physicochemical, Nutrient, And Biological Soil Parameters In An Agroforest System, Diana P. Paguntalan, Nelly S. Aggangan, Inocencio E. Buot Jr.

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

The increasing interest in sustainable methods in agroforestry directs the attention of many to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for their role in maintaining or improving overall plant health and nutrition of many plants including cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) trees. The effects of different treatments of AMF and other soil amendments applied singly or in combination on physicochemical properties, nutrient levels, spore count, and rhizosphere microbial counts, were investigated and compared across different sampling periods of varying climatological conditions in an agroforest system. Results showed that there was a significant effect on the N content using the different treatments. The …

Assessing The Morphological And Physiological Traits Of Smooth Brome Pastures Under Long Term Grazing And Nutrient Enrichment In Eastern Nebraska, Hassan Shehab

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Climate change together with the increase in demands for food, feed, fuel, and fiber are becoming a threat to sustainability and resilience of agriculture and pasture lands. Bromus inermis (smooth bromegrass) dominates pastures for cattle grazing in Eastern Nebraska, US, where it is planted in monocultures, and is considered high quality forage because of its palatability and high nutritional value for cattle, especially under intensive management practices. Sustainable management of these pastures is key to long-term resilience. This study aims to assess the performance of smooth bromegrass pastures to the combined effects of long-term management practices (since 2005) of fertilization …

Letter From The Vice President Of Research And Innovation, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Multivariate Analysis Approach To Factor-Affected Tuberculosis Disease, Zuli Agustina Gultom, Farid Akbar Siregar, Mahardika Abdi Prawira Tanjung, Al-Hamidy Hazidar

Knowledge Engineering and Data Science

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by infection with the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Tuberculosis attack organ besides the lung, such as the pleura, lining of the brain, lining of the heart, lymph gland, bones, joint, skin, intestines, kidney, urinary tract, and genital. This disease is found in densely populated settlements with poor sanitation, lack of ventilation and sunlight and lack of rest. Moreover, the factors that will be analyzed in this research are Population Density (X1), Number of HIV/AIDS (X2), number of toddlers who experience nutrition (X3), Number of toddlers who experience BCG immunization (X4), number of toddlers who get exclusive …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic Response On Food Safety Violations Observed In Southern Nevada Food Establishments, Samantha Morales

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Food poisoning is a common term used to describe what is actually foodborne illness. Despite the fact these illnesses can become deadly, foodborne illnesses are endemic and common in the United States. Nonetheless, they are completely preventable simply by following proper food safety procedures. The Food and Drug Administration identified the most common foodborne pathogens responsible for most foodborne infections, as well as the five risk factor categories to target in order to decrease the risk of cases and outbreaks.

To ensure foodborne outbreaks and cases are prevented, health authorities are tasked with conducting routine inspections on permitted food establishments. …

Deficiency Of Acute-Phase Serum Amyloid A Exacerbates Sepsis-Induced Mortality And Lung Injury In Mice, Ailing Ji, Andrea C. Trumbauer, Victoria P. Noffsinger, Luke W. Meredith, Brittany Dong, Qian Wang, Ling Guo, Xiangan Li, Frederick C. De Beer, Nancy R. Webb, Lisa R. Tannock, Marlene E. Starr, Christopher M. Waters, Preetha Shridas

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a family of proteins, the plasma levels of which may increase >1000-fold in acute inflammatory states. We investigated the role of SAA in sepsis using mice deficient in all three acute-phase SAA isoforms (SAA-TKO). SAA deficiency significantly increased mortality rates in the three experimental sepsis mouse models: cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), cecal slurry (CS) injection, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatments. SAA-TKO mice had exacerbated lung pathology compared to wild-type (WT) mice after CLP. A bulk RNA sequencing performed on lung tissues excised 24 h after CLP indicated significant enrichment in the expression of genes associated …

Finding Peace With Puberty: The Importance Of Increasing Puberty-Related Dialogue In Athletics, Amber Borofsky

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Issue 38

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Single-Cell Dna Methylome And 3d Multi-Omic Atlas Of The Adult Mouse Brain, Hanqing Liu, Qiurui Zeng, Jingtian Zhou, Anna Bartlett, Bang-An Wang, Peter Berube, Wei Tian, Mia Kenworthy, Jordan Altshul, Joseph R Nery, Huaming Chen, Rosa G Castanon, Songpeng Zu, Yang Eric Li, Jacinta Lucero, Julia K Osteen, Antonio Pinto-Duarte, Jasper Lee, Jon Rink, Silvia Cho, Nora Emerson, Michael Nunn, Carolyn O'Connor, Zhanghao Wu, Ion Stoica, Zizhen Yao, Kimberly A Smith, Bosiljka Tasic, Chongyuan Luo, Jesse R Dixon, Hongkui Zeng, Bing Ren, M Margarita Behrens, Joseph R Ecker

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cytosine DNA methylation is essential in brain development and is implicated in various neurological disorders. Understanding DNA methylation diversity across the entire brain in a spatial context is fundamental for a complete molecular atlas of brain cell types and their gene regulatory landscapes. Here we used single-nucleus methylome sequencing (snmC-seq3) and multi-omic sequencing (snm3C-seq)1 technologies to generate 301,626 methylomes and 176,003 chromatin conformation–methylome joint profiles from 117 dissected regions throughout the adult mouse brain. Using iterative clustering and integrating with companion whole-brain transcriptome and chromatin accessibility datasets, we constructed a methylation-based cell taxonomy with 4,673 cell groups and 274 …

Reducing Inputs And Adding Value To Turfgrass Systems Through Clover Inclusion And Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Applications, Paige E. Boyle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Recently, the US has seen an expansion in the amount of turfgrass land cover (lawns, parks, roadsides, sports fields, and golf courses), as well as an interest in reducing fertilizer, water, and pesticide use in these grass systems. To help maintain quality and function while reducing resource inputs, two promising approaches have emerged: planting clover into lawns and applying plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

White clover and grass mixtures have been studied for their ability to cut down on fertilizer usage and provide a uniform, dark green lawn, but other clover types have not been as widely studied and may provide similar …

Activity Patterns Of Whiptail Lizards (Aspidoscelis) Found In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Guillermo Alvarez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Traditional lizard pitfall traps were modified to allow organisms to escape, while collecting valuable ecological data. Modified camera traps were capable of detecting the same species as traditional traps in a semi-arid environment, without posing the associated mortality risks. Pitfall-camera traps were used to sample the activity of the Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) and the Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi) in an urban wetland during four continuous years. Evaluations on activity pattern and the activity overlap between the two species revealed extensive overlap, with minor but significant seasonal shifts mediating coexistence. Traps were also effective at detecting other reptiles, invertebrates, …

The Evaluation Of Feed Additives On Reducing Enteric Methane Production From Cattle, Reba L. Colin

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

Environmental sustainability can be positively impacted by the inclusion of feed additives to reduce enteric methane production from cattle. Methane production can be affected by feed additives that either alter the rumen environment or act as methanogenesis inhibitors. A reduction in methane from cattle can contribute to meeting carbon neutrality.

A metabolism study was conducted to evaluate Alga 1.0, a product containing bromoform, fed to cattle to evaluate the effects on gas emissions. Treatments were (0, 69, or 103 g/d Alga 1.0) fed in a corn-based diet. Headbox-style indirect calorimeters were used to measure gas emissions. Feeding Alga 1.0 linearly …

Chemical Investigation Of Dichloromethane Extract Of Aloe Vera Peels: An Agricultural Waste, Nazmul Huda

Theses and Dissertations

Aloe barbadensis Miller, commonly called Aloe Vera, is a widely popular succulent plant species cultivated across subtropical regions worldwide from India to the Tex-Mex border. Besides its historical uses, Aloe juice has garnered attention as a potential remedy for various ailments, particularly in treating various skin conditions and facilitating wound recovery, including obesity, diabetes, hepatitis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. Regrettably, the agricultural practice following sap extraction involves discarding Aloe vera peels, constituting agricultural waste. As part of our continuous research on extraction, isolation, separation, and spectral characterization of value-added chemicals present in waste botanicals herein, …

Understanding The Interaction Of Environmental Contaminants With Polystyrene Nanoparticles And Dna Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy And Density Functional Theory, Saduni Arachchi

All Dissertations

The objective of the thesis is to study the effect of environmental pollutants on polystyrene nanoparticles and biomolecules. This is done in two different techniques, particularly NMR and density functional theory. In this thesis, we use a combination of 1H NMR, Saturation-Transfer Difference (STD) NMR and relaxation experiments to study the interactions, kinetics and dynamics of antibiotics with polystyrene nanoparticles. (PS NPs) Density functional theory (DFT) is used to study the binding of commonly used non-oxidative hair dyes to biomolecules (DNA and amino acids) and PS particles.