Digital Commons Network^™

Reducing The Risk Of Bloat, Patty Scharko

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Bloat refers to excessive accumulation of gas in the rumen. Bloat results when an animal can not eructate or "belch up" gases produced in the process of rumen fermentation. The gas may be in the free form or may be mixed with rumen contents in the form of froth. It occurs both on pasture and in feedlots and can be a major cause of death in cattle wherever intensive farming is practiced. Additional losses can include decreased milk production and reduced rate of gain. Although legumes may increase the opportunity for bloat to occur, fear of bloat should not keep …

Grazing Alfalfa: Is It Right For You?, Jimmy C. Henning

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Grazing alfalfa can be a very profitable and valuable practice for many Kentucky farmers. How do you know if this practice will work for you? First, you must be able to grow alfalfa. Second, you must address the concerns that are specific to grazing alfalfa.

Establishing Alfalfa Using No-Till Techniques, Gary Bates

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

There have been many changes in agriculture over the fast 50 years. One of the greatest has been the use of no-tiff planting methods. The development of drill and herbicides has made no-till seedings as successful as seeding into prepared land.

Am-Pm Cutting Of Alfalfa, Garry D. Lacefield, Michael Collins, Jimmy C. Henning

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Over the past twenty years of this Conference we have spent considerable time discussing "Alfalfa Harvest Management." We have discussed the importance of stage of maturity and its impact on quality on many occasions. We have presented research on many aspects of hay and haylage management. An overall theme for all the discussions has been "harvest for quality," with emphasis on saving the leaves during the entire harvesting process. Our recommendations have, are, and will continue to be centered around those management practices that will result in the greatest opportunity for preserving alfalfa quality from standing crop to feeding. This …

Can We Follow Alfalfa With Alfalfa?, Monroe Rasnake

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The question of how soon alfalfa can safely be reseeded following an old stand of alfalfa has been debated for many years. It has been a topic of the Kentucky Alfalfa Conference on at least two other occasions (Rasnake, 1995; Rasnake 1999). Recent research has attempted to determine what causes the problem, how it is affected by soil conditions, and whether the problem can be reduced through plant breeding. This paper will review some of the research.

Foreword [2001], Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is the front matter of the proceedings.

Profitable Canola Production In The Great Southern And Lakes District, Paul Carmody, Ashley Herbert

Bulletins 4000 -

The Canola industry has rapidly grown with a 10 fold increase in area sown in Western Australia over the four years from 1996-99.

The driving force behind this increase in area can be attributed to the successful adoption of weed control technology in Triazine Tolerant Canola.

By knowing the model of the limiting factors, which are usually; weed control, fertiliser practices, blackleg management, variety selection, seeding dates, seeding depths, insect control and swathing, we can make the right decisions and achieve the targeted profit.

To produce yield to potential, all factors need to be optimised, otherwise yields will be decreased …

A Strategic Marketing Analysis Of The Western Australian Olive Industry, Francis D'Emden

Horticulture published reports

A recent survey of Western Australian olive growers has revealed the rapid expansion of the State's Olive Industry, with at least 1.7 million olive trees to be planted in the next two to four years in Western Australia. NSW and SA are currently the dominant producers with around 64% of olive trees planted in those States.

This analysis concentrates on the olive oil market, as most groves have been planted to varieties suited to olive oil production. Approximately 4% of trees are table varieties, most of which have been planted amongst groves of predominantly oil or dual-purpose varieties.

Western Australia …

Prediction Of Rice Texture From Starch Profiles Measured Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, Hazel Fromm, J. F. Meullenet

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Starch determines a large proportion of the textural properties of cooked rice. The amylose: amylopectin ratio plays a significant role in the functionality of native starch. In this study a medium-grain rice cultivar, ‘Bengal’, was used for starch structure characterization using high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). This cultivar is characterized by having lower amylose content (15% to 20%) than long grain cultivars and being sticky when cooked, similar to short-grain cultivars. Rice samples were harvested in 1999 from five locations around Arkansas at state verification trials where cultural practices are closely monitored. Samples of this cultivar stored at a specified …

Improvements In Turfgrass Color And Density Resulting From Comprehensive Soil Diagnostics, Matt Cordell, Jonathan Davis, David E. Longer

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

There are roughly 220 golf courses in Arkansas, and as many as 50% of these courses were constructed using common bermudagrass fairways. Although resilient, common bermudagrass loses density and quality over time. In this experiment physical and chemical properties of the soil were analyzed to determine the causes of decline in turf quality observed on several fairways of a local golf course. Once a particular fairway was selected for study and preliminary soil sampling conducted, GS+, a geostatistical computer program, was used to map the location of certain chemical deficiencies. A moderate to severe Mg deficiency was detected throughout the …

Factors Influencing Spatial Variability Of Soil Apparent Electrical Conductivity, D. E. Clay, J. Chang, D. D. Malo, C. G. Carlson, C. Reese, S. A. Clay, M. Ellsbury, B. Berg

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Soil apparent electrical conductivity (EC_a) can be used as a precision farming diagnostic tool more efficiently if the factors influencing EC_a spatial variability are understood. The objective of this study was to ascertain the causes of EC_a spatial variability in soils developed in an environment with between 50 and 65 cm of annual rainfall. Soils at the research sites were formed on calcareous glacial till parent materials deposited approximately 10,000 years ago. Soil samples (0–15 cm) collected from at least a 60 by 60 m grid in four fields were analyzed for Olsen phosphorus (P) and …

Remote Estimation Of Vegetation Fraction In Corn Canopies, D. Rundquist, Anatoly A. Gitelson, D. Derry, J. Ramirez, R. Stark, Galina P. Keydan

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The aim of the paper was to test two new techniques that make use of channels in the visible range of the spectrum only to estimate vegetation fraction in corn canopies. High spectral resolution radiometers were employed to measure spectral reflectance, and the information content of spectra was investigated. Radiances in spectral channels of MODIS and MERIS were used to calculate Visible Atmospherically Resistant Indices, VARI_green=(R_green- R_red)/(R_green+R_red-R_blue) and VARI₇₀₀=(R₇₀₀-1.7*R_red+0.7*R_blue)/(R₇₀₀+2.3*R_red-1.3*R_blue). The indices allowed for estimation …

Comparative Genetics Of Seven Plants Endemic To Florida’S Lake Wales Ridge, Eric S. Menges, Rebecca W. Dolan, Rebecca Yahr, Doria R. Gordan

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Here we submit that mathematical tools used in population viability analysis can be used in conjunction with floristic and faunistic surveys to predict changes in biogeographic range. We illustrate our point by summarizing the results of a demographic study of Lobelia boykinii. In this study we used deterministic and stochastic matrix models to estimate the growth rate and to predict the time to extinction for three populations growing in the Carolina bays. The stochastic model better discriminated among the fates of the three populations. It predicted extinction for two populations in the next 25 years but no extinction of the …

Buah-Buahan Malaysia, Awang Mohd Rafidi

Student Works (2000-2009)

Latihan llmiah merupakan satu kursus yang wajib bagi pejajar tahun akhir memenuhi Kepertuan Sarjana Muda Sains Komputer di Universiti Malaya. Menerusi kursus ini, pelajar perlu menyiapkan satu projek yang mana pelajar dapat mengadaptasikan apa yang telah dipelajari selama ini. Selain itu, pelajar juga mencari serta mempelajari sesuatu daripada projek yang dibangunkan. Sistem yang dibangunkan ini merupakan sistem berinformasi yang berbentuk stand alone mengenai buah-buahan tempatan di negara ini. Selaras dengan perkembangan komputeran teknologi maklumat, sistem yang akan saya bangunkan ini sememangnya dinantikan oleh para pengguna sekarang yang semestinya inginkan sumber maklumat dalam bentuk yang mudah lagi menarik. Sistem ini untuk …

Composting Of Feedlot And Dairy Manure: Compost Characteristics And Impact On Crop Yields, Galen E. Erickson, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Walker Luedtke, Mark Schroeder, Charles A. Francis, Gary Lesoing

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Since 1993, approximately 17,600 tons of beef feedlot and dairy compost have been spread on 1,100 acres. Crop yields were measured to determine the impact of a one-time compost application by using no-compost check strips in large-scale production fields. Adding compost to irrigated corn, irrigated soybeans, and dryland corn acres significantly increased yields, with four-year average increases of 2.3, 1.5, and 2.7%, respectively. For all crops measured, the response to compost was greatest the first year following application and declined linearly in subsequent years. The increased yield from compost application offsets spreading costs using average prices for crops.

A Simple Performance-Based Index For Assessing Multiple Agroecosystem Functions, Mark A. Liebig, Gary E. Varvel, John W. Doran

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Evaluating the impact agricultural practices have on agroecosystem functions is essential to determine the sustainability of management systems. This paper presents an approach to determine the relative sustainability of agricultural practices. A simple ranking procedure using a relative scoring method is proposed to discriminate among treatments based on the status of crop and soil parameters within different agroecosystem functions. Summing scores across agroecosystem functions allows for the identification of agricultural practices that are performing optimally based on functions included in the procedure. An example, using data from a long-term cropping systems experiment in the western Corn Belt, found the indexing …

Measures Of Denitrification In Selected South Dakota Semi-Permanent Prairie Pothole Wetlands, Beverly S. Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wetlands are an integral part of agricultural systems in the prairie pothole regions of the North Central United States and Canadian Provinces. Little research has been done on denitrification in prairie potholes, and a better understanding of their denitrifying capability could aide in optimizing management practices near pothole areas. Most probable number (MPN) and denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA or Phase I) assays were conducted. Most probable number (MPN) measures were used to give an estimate of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA) and denitrifying populations present in the wetlands. This study involved 3 selected semi-permanent prairie pothole wetlands near Madison, …

Dis And Distributed Watershed Models I, Jurgen Garbrecht, Fred L. Ogden, Paul A. Debarry, David R. Maidment

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

The increasing proliferation of spatial data, geographic information systems (GIS), and models for hydrologic applications provide many new investigation opportunities but also present a number of challenges for the uninitiated water resources practitioner. This two-part paper is intended for the practicing engineer who wants to expand into the arena of spatial data and distributed watershed modeling. It provides an integrated overview of the multiple facets of data-GIS-modeling issues and a source of background information for selection and application of GIS in watershed modeling. This first paper addresses selected spatial data issues, data structures and projections, data sources, and information on …

Inventory Of Parks Division Lands For Threatened And Endangered Species Habitats And Exemplary Natural Communities, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Nebraska Natural Heritage Program is responsible for environmental review of state projects, including those on Parks division properties, to determine if they may impact state-listed threatened and endangered species. In addition, the Program maintains a statewide database on natural communities and rare and imperiled species. This information is used to inform conservation decision-making, including land management decisions, with a goal of conserving Nebraska’s flora and fauna, our natural legacy. The two main objectives of this inventory project were first to improve the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s knowledge of threatened and endangered species and their potential habitat on Parks …

Impact Of Solar Radiation Rainfall And Cannibalism On Disappearance Of Maize Stemborers In Kenya, M. J. Bonhof, W. A. Overholt

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The effect of solar radiation, rainfall and cannibalism on the disappearance of eggs and larvae of the cereal stemborer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) were studied. Disappearance and nonviability of egg batches was higher on plants exposed to solar radiation than on shaded plants. Significantly fewer small larvae were recovered from plants exposed to rainfall than from shielded plants. Cannibalism among larvae of the same size was not common except at high larval densities. Contrary to the common belief that disappearance is the result of prédation, these studies show that solar radiation and rainfall might also play an important role in the …

Burakin Focus Catchment Report, Mike Clarke

Natural resources published reports

The Burakin Focus Catchment Project was developed between farmers and Agriculture _ Western Australia. The project was designed to give farmers an understanding of the salinity processes occurring within the Catchment and suggestions on appropriate management.

Work began in the Catchment early in 1999 and was complete at the end of 2000. Intensive hydrological investigations formed the basis of the study, which was complemented by surface water control and revegetation strategies. Agronomic issues associated with sandplain soils were raised by the farmers at the initial meeting and this led to a soil survey to determine the pH status of the …

Farming Systems To Manage Salinity. Farmer Directed Research, Development And Extension. Research Results 2001, Richard Olive

Natural resources published reports

More and more of Western Australia's agnicultural lands are becoming saline. Currently it is estimated that about 18 milliion ha of land are affected to a greater or lesser degree by salinity causing production losses estimated at about $70 million a year.

Unless ways are found to halt and reverse the salinisation of land it is estimated that another 4.4 million ha could become saline over the next 50 years.

Grain growers and the Federal Government, through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). are investing $12 4 million in R&D across Australia to develop productive solutions to the salinity …

Gis And Distributed Watershed Models Ii, Fred L. Ogden, Jurgen Garbrecht, Paul A. Debarry, Lynn E. Johnson

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

This paper presents representative applications and models that can take advantage of spatially distributed data in a geographic information system (GIS) format for watershed analysis and hydrologic modeling purposes. The intention is to inform hydrologic engineers about the current capabilities of GIS, hydrologic analysis modules, and distributed hydrologic models, and to provide an initial guide on implementing GIS for hydrologic modeling. This paper also discusses key implementation issues for individuals and organizations that are considering making the transition to the use of GIS in hydrology. Widespread use of GIS modules and distributed watershed models is inevitable. The controlling factors are …

Food Webs, Risks Of Alien Enemies And Reform Of Biological Control, D. R. Strong, R.W. Pemberton

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

As ilwasions of alien species mount, biological control will become an increasingly important tool of conservation and agriculture. In an effort to understand indirect interactions in biological control, we review food web ecology in terms of resource competition, trophic cascades, intraguild predation, apparent competition, omnivory and a diverse set of tritrophic interactions. The most inclusive study suggests that food webs in biological control are simpler than in natural communities. Risks to non-target species created by biological control have been studied seriously for only about 20 years, and knowledge of these risks is incomplete. The greatest risks are known to be …

Innovative 15N Microplot Research Techniques To Study Nitrogen Use Efficiency Under Different Ecosystems, Ronald F. Follett

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

Use of labeled ¹⁵N techniques can help improve and refine knowledge required to understand the dynamics of the N cycle under agricultural systems. The examples reported in this paper illustrate that, with creativity and careful planning, use of ¹⁵N-enriched or depleted fertilizers can be used in many types of N experiments with various crops, cropping systems, and in many types of agroecosystems. The objective is to report examples of a wide range of field studies that researchers can hopefully draw upon to design and utilize N isotope techniques that accomplish the objectives for their own research. Examples of …

Investigations On The Environmental Significance And The Bioavailability Of Heavy Metals In Soils, Inaam Ali Abdallah Saad

Student Works (2000-2009)

Heavy metals contaminated soils pose a continuing and increasing threat to human health, the increased inputs of heavy metals from the widespread disposal of industrial wastes have created an Increased attention on the issue of their fate. bioavailability and environmental significance. These Investigations were carried mainly to study the solid - solution phase distribution, chemical speciation and plant uptake of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) in three contrasting soils amended with Cd, Pb. Ni and Zn nitrate sails at rates of 5-40 mmol/kg for incubation time varied between 3-15 month. Although heavy metal cations adsorbed to …

Crop Potassium Nutrition – Implications For Fertilizer Recommendations, Achim R. Dobermann

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

During the past 35 years, average corn yields in the North Central Region (NCR) have increased at a rate of 1.7 bu/acre per year, mainly due to the adoption of improved crop management technologies and genetic improvement of corn hybrids. Fertilizer K rates used on corn are typically within a range of 0 to 110 lb K₂O/acre, but average usage varies widely among states. Commercial fertilizer use rose sharply in the 1960s and 1970s, but corn yield increases since 1980 were achieved with stagnating fertilizer-N use and declining rates of P and K. Signs of emerging K deficiencies …

Research Needs Concerning Non-Target Impacts Of Biological Control Introductions, K.R. Hopper

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

Two workshops were held in 1999 on research needs concerning non-target impacts of biological control introductions. One took place on the Internet for 9 months, and the other in Montpellier, France, for 1 day. Altogether, over 200 researchers from over 30 countries participated, representing a wide variety of viewpoints on the issues involved. The deliberations of these workshops are summarized here. Both workshops highlighted the need for retrospective studies to: (i) identify cases of significant non-target impacts; (ii) explore mechanisms involved when such impacts are found; (iii) evaluate the reliability of host-range testing protocols; and (iv) determine whether and under …

Herba Online, Dol Bakri Zen Akmal

Student Works (2000-2009)

Sistem Herba Online merupakan satu sistem informasi dengan pangkalan data berasaskan web yang dibangunkan untuk membantu memperkembangkan pengetahuan rakyat Malaysia amnya tentang herba di Malaysia serta kepentingannya dalam kehidupan. Objektif utama sistem dibangunkan ialah selaku pemangkin meningkatkan pengetahuan pengguna dalam topik herba dengan memudahkan cara mencapai maklumat yang mereka inginkan. Sasaran pengguna bagu sistem ini ialah individu atau organisasi yang terlibat dalam pembelajaran, kajian, penghasilan, pemprosesan atau pemasaran tumbuhan-tumbuhan herba atau produk-produk yang dihasilkannya. Bab pertama laporan ini menceritakan secara ringkas pengenalan, objektif dan skop projek. Bab kedua merupakan hasil daripada kajian literasi yang telah dilakukan berkaitan dengan topik. Secara …

Habitat Management Strategies For The Control Of Cereal Stemborers And Striga In Maize In Kenya, Z. R. Khan, J. A. Pickett, L. Wadhams, F. Muyekho

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Maize is the principal food and cash crop for millions of people in the predominantly mixed crop-livestock farming systems in Kenya. Stemborers and striga (Striga hermonthica) are major constraints to increased maize production in eastern Africa. An intercropping and trap crop system has been developed, using a ‘push-pull’ strategy, for the control of stemborers in small scale maize farming systems. The ‘push-pull’ strategy involves trapping stemborers on highly susceptible trap plants (pull) and driving them away from the crop using repellent intercrops (push). Napier grass (Pennisetum piirpiirenm Schumach) and Sudan grass (Sorghum vulgare sudanense Stapf J are used as trap …