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Progress Report On Effects Of Contour Banking On Surface Runoff At The Berkshire Valley Experimental Catchment (Near Moora) 1961-82, K J. Bligh

Resource management technical reports

The time lag prior to peak runoff following rains of comparable high intensity increased by approximately 80 per cent in the largest event after the construction of contour banks. Although 80 per cent more runoff also occurred because the catchment was wetter and had been cultivated for three years in a row, the peak rate of runoff increased by only approximately 20 per cent. That the peak rate was not increased by 80 per cent, may be primarily attirbuted to the effect of the contour banks.

Does No-Till Change Soil Management Practices?, Robert L. Blevins

Soil Science News and Views

Successful no-tilling requires a different approach to soil management practices. Since continuous no-tillage systems leave residues on the soil surface without mechanically mixing them into the plow layer and since lime and fertilizer are surface-applied, no-tilled soils have biological, chemical and physical properties contrasting with those of a plowed soil. For any crop production system to be widely accepted and used it must provide and maintain desirable physical properties of the soil, control erosion and replace nutrients removed by crops and other losses. This can be accomplished in a no-till system if proper management is used.

Soil Ph: What It Is, How It Is Measured, Why It Is Important, John H. Grove

Soil Science News and Views

Soil pH is related to the hydrogen ion (H⁺) activity of the soil-water system. The chemical definition of pH is as follows: pH=-log (H⁺). In other words, for a pH drop of 1 unit (e. g. from pH 6 to pH 5) there will be a ten~fold increase in H⁺ activity in the soil solution. If pH 1 rises by 1 unit, only one-tenth as much acidity will be present in solution. As such, pH is only a measure of the active acidity in the soil water solution bathing plant roots. This fraction of total …

Liming Tobacco Soils, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Control of soil acidity by liming is very important in successful tobacco culture. Adding lime to an acid soil increases the availability of nearly all plant nutrient elements, increases the efficiency of added fertilizers, and prevents the toxic effects of high concentrations of soluble aluminum, manganese, and iron. It is a natural tendency for most Kentucky soils to become acid with time due to losses of bases (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium) from soil by rainfall, However, tobacco soils possess certain unique problems that warrant careful monitoring of soil pH every two to three years.

Atrazine Degradation, Sorption And Bioconcentration In Water Systems, Duane C. Wolf, Ramon L. Jackson

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The herbicide atrazine is used extensively to control broadleaf and grass weeds in such crops as sorghum and corn. A small portion of the atrazine may be lost from the area of application by surface runoff and could enter a stream or lake. The objective of this study was to evaluate atrazine degradation, sorption, and bioconcentration in watersediment systems. The results indicated that sediments with lower pH values and higher organic matter levels adsorbed higher levels of atrazine than sediments with neutral pH values and lower organic matter levels. Microbial decomposition of the herbicide was slow under the conditions of …

Fall Fertilization Programs, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

Achieving recommended fertility levels for the next season's crop is important enough that it should not be subject to all the uncertainties of spring weather. Fall offers more time for careful planning of fertilizer and lime requirements based on good soil tests. Fields are generally in good condition to support application equipment without creating excessive soil compaction.

Seasonal And Yearly Fluctuations Of Soil Tests, Lloyd W. Murdock

Soil Science News and Views

One of the most important management tasks of a good farmer is taking a good soil sample. The recommendations based on these samples will help determine yield and profitability. A number of factors have an effect on the soil test results.

An Ecological Analysis Of Relic Diatoms In Sediments Of Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead, David Ross Hetzel

Publications (WR)

Relic diatoms in sediments of the inner Las Vegas Bay, near the Las Vegas Wash sewage inflow, were examined in order to assess historic trophic conditions in this area of Lake Mead. Diatom sedimentation rates and ratios of Araphidineae/Centrales (A/C) diatom groups were determined from sediment cores collected in the old wash channel 1.5 km from the sewage inflow (station 2), in a small cove 1.5 km further downstream (station 3) and in an adjacent embayment off Gypsum Wash (station 4). Diatom sedimentation rates generally increased from the bottom to the top of each core, but pronounced minima existed at …

Nebraska's Platte River: A Graphic Analysis Of Flows, Ray Bentall

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

WSP-53

Groundwater Levels In Nebraska, 1981, Martin S. Johnson, Darryll T. Pederson

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Fertilization Of Double-Crop Soybeans, Grant W. Thomas

Soil Science News and Views

The improvement of minimum-and no-tillage methods has helped increase the double-cropped acreage of soybeans in Kentucky to about 700,000 acres. Similar increases have been observed in our neighboring states. Most double-cropped soybeans in Kentucky follow winter wheat harvested for grain. Thus, they are at a disadvantage if the wheat leaves the soybean crop with a nutrient-deficient soil.

Use Of Molybdenum For Soybean Production, Monroe Rasnake

Soil Science News and Views

Molybdenum (Mo) is a micronutrient that is required by soybeans in very small amounts. As little as 0.5 parts per million of Mo in soybean tissue is sufficient for normal growth. Compare this with a phosphorus sufficiency level of about 2,000 parts per million. However, even though only small amounts are needed, a Mo deficiency can drastically reduce yields of soybeans.

Genesis Of A Vertisol And An Associated Palexeroll In Northern Utah, Robert C. Graham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The genetic relationship between a Vertisol and an associated Mollisol with an argillic horizon was studied. These soils are taxadjuncts of the Hawkins and Ostler series, respectively. They occur in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah and have similar parent materials, altitudes, and slope percentages. Ostler soils have a dense cover of Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) and occur preferentially on north aspects. Mule's ear (Wyethia amplexicaulis) is the dominant vegetation on Hawkins soils, which are most frequent on south aspects. Erosion is prevalent on Hawkins soils because the mule's ear does not adequately cover the soil …

You Can Make Money Producing And Marketing Alfalfa In The 80'S, David C. Petritz

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

We are today, as we were during most of the 70's, concerned with the future of the forage enterprise and the livestock species that depend on it. Will they survive an environment in which the emphasis is on grain exports? Will they survive in an environment in which consumers are not able (but hopefully willing) to pay prices for red meats which are profitable for all segments of the livestock industry? Will they survive in the 80's when real interest rates will be relatively high?

Marketing Alternatives For Kentucky Alfalfa: Needs, Challenges And Opportunities, J. Kenneth Evans

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

There are unquestionable needs for more high quality alfalfa in the Southeastern U.S. From these needs arise the challenge and opportunities for those who are researching, informing, teaching, and even promoting alfalfa. Likewise, there are income opportunities for those who own resources which could be used in producing and marketing alfalfa. This paper will discuss some of the factors which should be considered in hay marketing, i.e., (1) a dependable supply of hay; (2) producing high quality hay; and (3) planning to supply the highest quality hay to the highest priced market.

Hay - The National And International Traveler, Harry D. Gates Jr.

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Prior to 1883, packing, shipping and hauling hay was an irregular business. There was no established custom to govern, and every transaction was typical of the parties engaged in it.

The hay crop had become the leading agricultural product in value, and its importance commercially was appreciated. The amount of hay leaving the farm had steadily increased, but trade environment did not offer much encouragement for businessmen of regular methods, or the capitalist to embark in the business, and it was apparent to every thinking person that for the proper development of so important an industry it was necessary in …

Development Of Local Hay Association, Roger Sparrow, Eric Hinton, J. H. Ragland

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The need for a Hay marketing "system" had been obvious to hay sellers and agricultural leaders in Larue County for some time. Five or six hay producers had been selling mainly alfalfa hay to truckers, who would transport the hay to a buyer and reap the profit. Hay was mostly sold by the bale and at a low price. Because of the land and soil type, Larue County had a good potential to produce alfalfa as a cash crop. The development of this potential was being limited by an unreliable and unprofitable market. Given these conditions, the development of a …

Alfalfa From The Consumer Standpoint, John Williams

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Traditionally, horsemen in this part of the United States have fed grass hay mixed with good red clover hay to their horses in training as well as their horses on the farm. Knowing that legume hay is high in protein, horsemen found this is a good source of the needed protein for their animals no matter what activity they were engaged in. A few problems were found with clover hay. First of all, it was usually dusty and, if not made under ideal circumstances, the hay was dark and in some cases moldy. The hay could never be purchased in …

Innovations In Hay Harvesting And Storing, V. L. Lectenberg, D. A. Holt

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Haymaking in the humid parts of the U.S. is the most risky operation that farmers engage in. Standing hay is extremely high in moisture and must be dried to at least 25% moisture less before it can be stored without spoilage. Most farmers rely on natural field drying processes to cure their hay. Natural drying is often slowed by high relative humidity. Rainfall frequently occurs before the hay has dried which further slows the drying process and can result in serious nutrient and yield losses. Haymaking is also a labor-intensive farming operation and, until recently, involved a large amount of …

Breaking The Alfalfa Yield Barrier, J. Paul Mueller

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

During the past one-hundred or so years, alfalfa production has spread and flourished in the United States. It has contributed to progress in many phases of the livestock industry.

No-Till Establishement Of Alfalfa, Harlan E. White, Dale D. Wolf

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The no-till concept has been widely accepted in Virginia for corn and soybean production. However, alfalfa is still commonly established by plowing and tilling the soil into a fine seedbed. Each year many tons of productive topsoil is eroded by rainfall on those prepared seedbeds. The resulting gullies remain in the hayfield for the life of the stand to damage equipment and "rattle the teeth" of the operator.

Current Disease Problems In Alfalfa, William C. Nesmith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa is attacked by many fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes which USDA estimates reduces hay yields by 24% annually in the U.S. Even greater losses occur in Kentucky. However, it is the diseases of the root and crown which cause the greatest damage because they limit the number of years a stand can remain productive.

Quality Alfalfa Seed Production In The West, Vern L. Marble

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa seed production in the western United States has become a specialized business, and can no longer be considered as a "catch crop" to be harvested along with a hay production program in historical production areas in the Plains and Rocky Mountain states which produced approximately 80 percent of all of the seed produced in the late 1940's and early 1950's. In 1981 the seven western states of California (47.8 percent), Idaho (12.2 percent), Nevada (8.7 percent), Washington (7.7 percent), Oregon (4.2 percent), Montana (4.5 percent), and Utah (3.2 percent) produced 87.5 percent of the total 1981 production of 117 …

Preliminary Groundwater Investigations In Relation To Soil Salinity At Fitzgerald, Western Australia, C J. Henschke

Resource management technical reports

This study investigated soil salinity problems in relation to new land releases at Fitzgerald near the south coast of Western Australia. Fairly widely spaced set of bores was established to compare the groundwater hydrology regimes beneath cleared and virgin land. A large storage of soluble salts (over 100 kgm-2 in some profiles) was measured in the pallid zone clays under both cleared and virgin land conditions. Seasonal fresh to brackish perched watertables were found to overlie highly saline deep waterbles at a number of valley sites on land which has been cleared for agriculture during the past 15 years. Salinity …

Nitrogen Value From Plowing A Sod, M. Scott Smith

Soil Science News and Views

With economic conditions as they are, crop producers need to effectively use all the resources available to them. To help offset high N fertilizer prices, one resource that may be used to significantly reduce production costs is the organic N accumulated in and on soils. When crops are planted into a tilled sod the requirement for added N fertilizer will usually be less than on land previously in row crops. The following discussion considers the processes and factors determining the quantity and availability of N in a sod, and offers some guidelines for estimating the N value of a sod.

Band Vs. Broadcast Application Of Fertilizer, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

Current fertilizer prices coupled with other increased production costs have renewed interest in band applications of fertilizer as a means of lowering fertilizer costs while maintaining crop yields. Fortunately, much basic soil fertilizer research has been conducted over the years which provides an understanding of the relative merits of band and broadcast placement. The following discussion outlines the basic considerations involved in deciding which of these two placement methods may be more economically useful for specific crop production systems. To better understand these considerations, certain principles related to adding fertilizer to the soil should be kept in mind. These are …

Rapid Method Of Estimating The Phosphorous Sorption Capacity Of Soils, A, G.F. Griffin

Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station

No abstract provided.

Summary Of Experimental Results 1982., M J. Barbetti

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Cercospora disease of sub-clover fungicidal control of cercospora disease on sub-clover. 82M04, 82M05. Aim: To determine the efficacy of several fungicides in controlling Cercospora disease of subterranean clover. 82AL19, 82BU2. Aim: To test the effectiveness of various seed treatments for controlling seed-borne and soil-borne damping-off and root rot causing fungi so as to allow successful stand establishment in root rot affected areas. Rapeseed, yield losses from white leaf spot. 82MT4. Aim: To determine the yield losses from white leaf spot and grey stem (Pseudocercosporella capsellae) on a range of rapeseed varieties.Rapeseed effect of fungicides on white leaf spot of rapeseed. …

Medic Inoculation Experiments., D. L. Chatel

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Inoculation trials conducted at Merredin Research Station and Merredin Research Station lease block. 1. To test the field effectiveness of promising strains of Rhizobium meliloti and to compare them with standard strains. 2. To examine the performance in subsequent years of R. meliloti as colonizers of acid soils. The new strains included in this experiment represent promising isolates from acid soils in Sardinia. Their ability to persist will be determined by second and third year nodulation assessments. 3. To compare the performance of Medicago murex with previously used medic hosts under acid conditions. 4. To assess the effect of lime …

Seed Ecology Of Weeds. Control Of Calotropis And Parkinsonia. Calotropis/Buffel Grass Interactions., A H. Cheam

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Emergence of weed seedlings from different soil depths, 82 MT 49, 82 NR 12, 82 c 37. Longevity of buried weed seeds, 82 MT 50, 82 NR 13, 82 c 38. Emergence of weed seedlings in relation to soil type and cultivation. Date of planting study with selected weed species. Chemical control of calotropis, 81 KU 2, 81 KU 3. Chemical control of Parkinsonia, 81 PH 2, 81 PH 3.