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Contribution Of Grassland Science To The Development Of Forage Production And Future Perspectives For Grassland Farming In Japan, H Oizumi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The utilization of grassland in Japan dates to fairy old times, but its real improvement in terms of industry did not start until the termination of the World War II. As the climatic conditions in Japan differ very much from those of European coutries, the style of grassland farming in Japan is somewhat different from that of Europe. The improvement of grassland farming in Japan after the World War II was divided into four stages, according to the tendency of the number of cattle and the acreage of forage crops. The Japanese Society of Grassland Science was established in 1954. …

Prospects For Increasing Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In Temperate Grasslands, P/ Roger Ball, J R. Crush

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The contribution of some basic plant disciplines, principally physiology and histology, to the improvement of pasture yield and quality is discussed. Studies of temperate pasture grasses have identified several sources of loss of potential yield and have provided selection criteria for increasing yield. Integration of this physiological research with studies of forage consumption on the same pastures is proving a valuable inter- disciplinary approach to defining management options for maximising pasture and/or animal productivity. In tropical grasses, research towards increasing total dry matter yield is perhaps unwarranted but there is need for more co-operative studies involving plant and animal scientists …

Turning Waste Into Fertilizer: Aloe Vera Leaf Shavings Improve Plant Growth And Support Soil Fertility In Organic Systems, Isaiah Edward Jaramillo, Carine Cocco, James Jihoon Kang, Chu-Lin Cheng, Engil Pereira

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Aloe vera industry discards large amounts of outer leaf tissue (“shavings”), creating an opportunity to repurpose this byproduct as a sustainable fertilizer. This study evaluated whether aloe shavings can serve as a plant-based alternative to compost in organic Aloe vera production. A field trial in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas tested three treatments: aloe shavings (applied to supply 39 kg N ha−1), organic compost (39 kg N ha−1), and a non-fertilized control. Laboratory incubations further assessed nitrogen mineralization and microbial respiration. Aloe shavings significantly enhanced vegetative growth: leaf number increased from 5.7 to 12.3 leaves per plant …

Chemical Analyses Of Soil Samples, Johan Du Toit, Shantell Garrett

Browse all Datasets

Results of chemical analyses of soil collected in the foothills of the Henry Mountains, south-central Utah, in the fall of 2020.

Tillage Legacy, Grasses And Soil Texture Shape Soil Organic Carbon Recovery In Semi-Arid Woodland, Samantha Colunga, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Engil Pereira

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil degradation from intensive tillage poses a critical barrier to carbon sequestration, particularly in semi-arid regions where low rainfall limits ecosystem recovery. As climate change expands arid zones globally, understanding the long-term potential for soil organic carbon (SOC) recovery in degraded lands becomes increasingly urgent. Here, we analyze reforested chronosequences (4–36 years post-abandonment) in formerly cultivated subtropical thornscrub woodlands to assess SOC dynamics across gradients of soil texture and degradation. We introduce a novel degradation index (DI), integrating SOC deficit and grass dominance, to evaluate how invasive grasses, commonly overlooked in restoration metrics, impede nitrogen (N2)-fixing tree establishment and, consequently, …

Correlation Of Radon Gas Concentrations And Associated Radiological Risks In Soil Using Ssntds With Gis And Spss At Najaf Governorate, Iraq, Rafal Mohamed Abdulsada, Lubna A. Alasadi

Al-Bahir

All human beings are affected by soil directly or indirectly. This study focuses on the effect of radon gas and related radiological risks using SSNTDs, specifically CR-39 detectors, in eighty secondary schools in Najaf and Kufa cities, Najaf Governorate, Iraq. As we recognize the importance of soil and its strong connection to humans, the study focused on areas where public and private schools were built, where students are present, and the potential for radiation risks to affect students' health. The results show that the average concentrations of C, C_Rn were 64.329±59.149 Bq / m³ and 3150.699±2897.036 Bq / …

Warming Induces Unexpectedly High Soil Respiration In A Wet Tropical Forest, Tana E. Wood, Colin Tucker, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, M. Isabel Loza, Iana F. Grullón-Penkova, Molly A. Cavaleri, Christine S. O'Connell, Sasha C. Reed

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Tropical forests are a dominant regulator of the global carbon cycle, exchanging more carbon dioxide with the atmosphere than any other terrestrial biome. Climate models predict unprecedented climatic warming in tropical regions in the coming decades; however, in situ field warming studies are severely lacking in tropical forests. Here we present results from an in situ warming experiment in Puerto Rico, where soil respiration responses to ⁺4 ^oC warming were assessed half-hourly for a year. Soil respiration rates were 42-204% higher in warmed relative to ambient plots, representing some of the highest soil respiration rates reported for any …

Maize Yield Stability Under Organic And Conventional Farming Systems In Sub-Humid Agro-Ecozones Of Central Kenya, Milka Kiboi, David Bautze, Felix Matheri, Amritbir Riar, Andreas Fliessbach

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the main staple crop and is important to the food security and livelihoods of people globally. We evaluated the effects of organic and conventional farming systems on maize grain yield and temporal yield stability under different external input levels in a long-term experiment (2007–2022) at two sites in Kenya. We implemented four farming systems: organic high (Org-High), conventional high (Conv-High), organic low (Org-Low), and conventional low (Conv-Low) in a randomized complete block design. Growth indicators for maize, height, stem diameter, and grain yield were higher in high input systems, but grain yield stability was not. …

Effect Of Seasonal Variability In Methane Emissions And Iron Redox Chemistry At Terrestrial-Aquatic Interfaces, Hermes C. Ruiz

Master's Theses

Methane (CH₄) emissions at terrestrial–aquatic interfaces (TAIs) are significant contributors to the global carbon budget, yet the mechanisms driving methanogenesis remain poorly understood. Limited data exist on how seasonal variations and redox processes influence CH₄ fluxes in these dynamic ecosystems. This study addressed two questions: (1) How are CH₄ fluxes in riverine floodplains and adjacent hillslopes impacted by seasonal variations? (2) What roles do metal redox processes (e.g., iron (Fe)) play in regulating methanogenesis?

In-situ CH₄ flux and solid-phase Fe speciation were quantified in East River, CO, under flooded and drained conditions. Groundwater chemistry, gas flux, and soil physical properties …

New Precipitation Is Scarce In Deep Soils: Findings From 47 Forest Plots Spanning Switzerland, Emily I. Burt, Scott T. Allen, Sabine Braun, Simon Tresch, James W. Kirchner, Gregory R. Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

As precipitation infiltrates into soils, it can recharge them, displace previously stored waters, or bypass already-filled pores. Using 3,697 δ2H and δ18O measurements of water collected nearly monthly over >3 years in 47 forest plots across Switzerland, we present a systematic investigation of the controls on mobile soil water transport. We quantified the lags and damping of water as it percolates downward using young water fraction analysis (Fyw), and the fractions of soil water composed by precipitation that fell within the previous month (new water fractions, Fnew). The Fnew of water sampled in surface soils ranged …

Enhancing Sustainable Rice Production Through Organic Plus Fertilizer In Irrigated Paddy Fields, Oviyanti Mulyani, Emma Trinurani Sofyan, Ania Citraresmini, Benny Joy, Anne Yuliana Husen

Jurnal Kultivasi

Sustainable rice farming is increasingly threatened by declining soil fertility, excessive reliance on chemical fertilizers, and environmental degradation from intensive agricultural practices. There is an urgent need for innovative organic fertilizer products that combine organic materials with macro and micronutrient enhancements to restore soil health effectively. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of organic plus fertilizer (OPF) as a sustainable soil amendment to improve soil nutrient status, increase paddy productivity, and enhance overall soil health. The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with nine treatments: one recommended OPF dose, six combinations of NPK (75 – 100%) …

Effect Of Eco-Enzyme Application On Soil Nutrient And Plant Productivity Of Green Mustard-Peanut In Inceptisol, Idris Abd Rachman, Buhari Umasugi, Krishna Aji, Nurul Fahira A Hakim, Adnan Sofyan, Asrul Dedy Ali Hasan

Jurnal Kultivasi

Appropriate land management has a long-term impact on soil performance and is believed to improve soil fertility. This study investigated the effect of eco-enzymes on soil nutrients and plant productivity of green mustard-peanut in inceptisol. The research was conducted from February to April 2025. The experiment used a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of 5 treatments and replicated 3 times, so that there were 15 units, including N0 = without Eco-enzyme, N1 = Eco-enzyme 2cc/L. N2= Eco-enzyme 4cc/L, N3= Eco-enzyme 6cc/L, and N4= Eco-enzyme 8cc/L. The commodities used were green mustard (Brassica juncea L) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea Linn). Soil …

Growth And Yield Of Curly Red Chili (Capsicum Annum L.) In Response To Mulching And Chicken Manure Application In The Erosion-Prone Area Of Loto, Ternate Island, Tri Mulya Hartati, Lily Ishak, Krishna Aji, Chumidach Roini

Jurnal Kultivasi

Information on soil resources in volcanic landscapes presents a high potential for agricultural land development, but its development is always faced with the potential for continuous land degradation. This study aims to reduce the rate of land degradation through the application of vegetative conservation in erosion-prone Loto agrotourism area, Ternate Island. The research location is focused on erosion-prone areas. The research consisted of a soil resource inventory and a vegetative conservation application. The vegetative conservation application method used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) pattern, composed of 2 factors. The first factor is mulching, namely: no mulching (M0) and mulching (M1), …

Post-Drought Growth Recovery Of Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Under Different Techniques And Doses Of Biofertilizer Applications, Nabila Ragil Wiharti, Intan Ratna Dewi Anjarsari, Yudithia Maxiselly

Jurnal Kultivasi

Drought stress is a major limiting factor affecting the growth, yield, and quality of tea (Camellia sinensis). The present study aimed to analyze the success of post-drought growth recovery of tea in response to different techniques and doses of biofertilizer applications. Field experiments were conducted from January to August 2024 in the experimental garden of the Research Institute for Tea and Cinchona, Gambung Blok A8, Bandung. This work was arranged in a split-plot design, consisting of a main plot with two biofertilizer application techniques (foliar feeding and soil drenching) and subplots with four levels of biofertilizer dosage (control (B1), 15 …

Soil Ethics In Practice: Harvesting Conservation Choices Among Puerto Rican Coffee Farmers, Patricia Marie Cordero-Irizarry

Theses and Dissertations

Coffee farming in Puerto Rico has declined over recent decades, partly due to deteriorating soil quality. However, the decision-making process behind farmers’ adoption of soil conservation practices remains unclear, particularly the overlooked role of soil ethics, which emphasizes the moral principles guiding human relationships with the soil. This mixed-methods study examined coffee farmers’ adoption of soil conservation practices by integrating the Values-Beliefs-Norms (VBN) theory and a newly developed Soil Ethics Survey (SES) instrument for the quantitative component, while using Decision-Making Theory and Social Cognitive Theory to qualitatively explore how farmers’ experiences and reflections shape their soil ethics. Quantitative findings revealed …

Farm Management Practice For The Prevention Of Soil Erosion In The Carnarvon Horticultural Area, Kehinde O. Erinle

Horticulture research reports

The Carnarvon horticultural area has suffered considerable erosion damage following flooding of the Gascoyne River.

The purpose of this report is to describe the factors that contribute to soil erosion in the Carnarvon horticultural area (Section 1), provide guidelines for good soil management (Sections 2) and provide floodway hazard classes and associated soil management recommendations (Section 3).

This report:

• Provides detailed information on soil management for intensive irrigated cropping.
• Details cropping alternatives to better manage the soil erosion risk.
• Identifies appropriate plants for soil stabilisation in a range of situations.
• Promotes the concept of property management plans.
• Takes account of …

Soil Carbon Storage And Its Relation To Abiotic And Biotic Factors In The Boise Foothills, Richie William Holder

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Terrestrial soil sequesters a significant amount of carbon (C), and changes to this pool can impact atmospheric CO2 concentrations and climate change. Thus, it is crucial to understand the drivers of the size of this pool. Changes in plant community composition in semi-arid ecosystems can impact soil C storage. However, little is known about the impact of plant functional type on the quantity and distribution of soil C on a landscape scale relevant to ecosystem management. I conducted a study in the City of Boise’s Open Space Reserves located north of Boise, Idaho to evaluate how plant functional type affects …

A Simple Guide For Describing Soils, 2nd Edition, Angela Stuart-Street, Nicolyn Short Dr, Paul Galloway, Noel R. Schoknecht

Natural resources published reports

Soils are enormously diverse and can be very confusing to understand and talk about. This simple guide for describing soils helps to identify the most important parts of a soil profile and provide an easy way to understand and explain what you see. It gives you a step-by-step guide of what soil properties to describe and how to describe them, along with the tools to make basic soil classifications. The soil descriptors help you to identify the soil type and aid in assigning a simple and standardised name to the soil. While this guide is designed to link with a …

Impacts Of 4r Nitrogen Management And Water Optimization On Soil Health, Kamaldeep Kamaldeep

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Farmers in Utah and Idaho are facing growing challenges due to high fertilizer costs, limited irrigation water, and pressure to improve long-term soil health. To better understand current practices and grower attitudes, a survey was conducted in 2020 targeting 5,000 producers of small grains, corn, and potatoes. Although the response rate was low, 146 growers representing over 25,000 hectares of cropland participated. Survey results showed that most growers are open to improving nitrogen and irrigation practices and care about their soil health, even if not all are fully using 4R or precision agriculture methods.

This thesis includes two field studies …

Cotton Yield And Tissue-Potassium Response To Potassium Fertilization, Maria Paula Ramos Do Prado

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Potassium (K) deficiency is a common yield-limiting factor in cotton (Gossypium hirsu tum L.) production across the U.S. Cotton Belt. Adequate fertilizer-K management is paramount to ensure optimum plant growth and development, minimizing yield losses. Currently, fertilizer K recommendations for cotton in Arkansas are derived from expected yield responses of other crops, with no calibrated fertilizer-K rates or critical tissue-K concentrations defined to maxim ize crop yield. Our research objectives were i) to investigate cotton yield response and fiber qual ity to K fertilization on soils with different K availability; ii) to correlate relative yield with tis sue-K concentrations at …

The Effect Of Cellulolytic Enzyme Preparations As In Vitro Improvement For Forage Digestibility, G Bertin, Ph Hellings

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The systematic study of commercial preparations of fungal cellulases has been undertaken with the aim of determining the principal components and the contribution of each to the digestion of the plant cell wall. These enzymes, normally have three fold role-silage preservative by hydrolysing the cellulosic wall of plant material, cellulases make available fermentable sugars to the lactic bacteria. -Improvement of digestibility we can increase gain by 1 % of the dry matter in forage. - Improvement of intake if the animal digests more quickly his gut will empty more rapidly thus making it available sooner for a new intake of …

Effect Of Cellulase Preparation On Fermentation Of Silage, E No, Y Harasawa, A Ataku, N Narasaki, T Sueyoshi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effects of cellulase preparation (Meicelase) on silage fermentation were studied using the first cutting alfalfa and timothy. In one-liter laboratory silos with Meicelase of 0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0:8% of the fresh grasses, the fermentative quality was examined throughout a 30 day ensilage period. The amount of the lactic acid in the silage with the Meicelase was considerably greater than the control silage with no additive. In addition, the pH of that silage was low and the content of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) was high. However, the differences in the amount of Meicelase applied had no effects in the …

Effects Of Sample Drying Method On Estimates Of Nutritive Value Value, S Uchida, H Hayashi, T Horigome

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The influence of different drying methods for the sample used for analysis on the estimates of the nutritive value of silage was investigated. The silages and hay were made from the same grass and fed to three wethers to determine digestibilities. The samples for analytical use of silages and hay fed, and feces excreted, were prepared by three drying techniques of freeze drying (F), oven drying at 60 C (L) and oven drying at 100 C (H) and then each dried sample was ground in a Wiley mill to pass a 0.5 mm screen. The residual moisture in prepared samples …

Effect Of Lactic Acid Bacteria On Silage Fermentation, Ph Hellings, G Bertin, M Vanbelle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Inoculants were tested to determine their suitability for use as silage aids. Studies carried out in laboratory indicated (1) that the minimum inoculum should be at least 105 viable organisms per gram of fresh fodder and (2) of all bacterial strains tested, only the Lactobacillus and, specifically, L. casei improved storage characteristics. But the efficiency of an inoculant was subordinated to the fermentable sugars content of the crops. In this respect, alfalfa and second cut grass had the lowest potential for ensilage. Energy was supplied as a mixture of milled barley and amylolytic complex. The influence of a 1: 1: …

Ensilage Of Alfalfa Press-Cake. A Kinetic Model For Ph, Acidity And Nitrogen Evolution, G Amdrich, L Lencioni, R Florentini, G Anelli

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A kinetic model to describe the time evolution of pH, acidity, metabolizable nitrogen and k1 • B, ( a function related to the bacteria concentration) during ensilage of alfalfa press-cake is suggested. The basic hypotheses of the model are given together with the related differential and integral equations. The kinetic model has been tested using experimental data obtained from two samples of alfalfa press-cake respectively ensiled with and without acid addition. The correlation coefficients obtained indicate the reliability of the suggested model.

Ensilage Of Alfalfa Press-Cake, G Anelli, G Andrich, M Contini, L Lencioni

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Istituto Industrie Agrarie of the University of Pisa has developed a wet green crop fractionation process which involves the ensilage of the press-cake. This note reports some experimental results on the alfalfa press-cake ensiled with or without addition of acid. The evolution of silages was evaluated through organoleptic and chemical parameters. The good behaviour· during the ensilage shows that alfalfa press-cake is suitable to be ensiled even without previous acidification.

Coagulation Of Sheep Milk Added With Alfalfa Juice And Protein Concentrate, L Lencioni, R Florentini, A M. Pisanelli, C Galoppini

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This note reports some experimental results on the preparation of food-grade products obtained by enzyme coagulation of sheep milk added with alfalfa juice, decolourized whole protein concentrate and cytoplasmic protein concentrate. Working conditions are reported together with the yields, chemical composition and organoleptic properties of the coagula. Products obtained from milk supplemented with low alfalfa juice (��5% dry basis) or protein concentrates (;;;;:10% dry basis) show a good acceptability. The ripening greatly reduces grass flavour and taste.

Effect Of Remaining Brown Juice In Wet Protein Curd On The Quality Of Leaf Protein After Drying, Y S. Cho, J K. Kim, T Horigome, S Uchifa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The influence of remaining brown juice ( deproteinised juice) in wet protein curd on the quality of resulting leaf protein was examined. Freshly cut Italian ryegrass and red clover were fractionated into protein curd, brown juice and pressed cake. Various leaf proteins were prepared by drying the protein curds retaining different amounts of brown juice at 65°C followed by acetone-washing, and by immediate acetone-washing of the protein curd. Casein-brown juice mixtures at the ratio of 1 :3 and 1: 6 were also prepared. The crude protein content of the dry matter in brown juice was very low, 9. 9% for …

The Nutritive Value Of Mixtures Of White Leaf Protein And Other Food Proteins, R Carlsson, P Hanczakowski

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The nutritive value of white leaf proteins were studied, as food supplements. The protein was obtained by heat­fractionation ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) or by de-pigmentation (Medicago sativa L. ). The leaf protein was substituting 50% of the protein in a diet, where the remaining 50% came from wheat gluten, soya bean meal, bone-meat meal, fish meal, skim milk or whey. The nutritive value was estimated by the Thomas-Mitchell nitrogen balance method. The proximate chemical composition of the food protein products, and their amino acid composition were analysed. In every mixture but the one with gluten the biological value was higher …

Effect Of Contamination By Aspergillus Flavus On The Nutritive Value Of Leaf Protein Concentrate Of Leucaena Leucocphala During Storage, H T. Ostrowski-Meissner, I Komang, W Supratman, I Barchia, S Cacang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Leaf protein concentrate extracted from tree legume Leucaena leucocephala cultivar Cunningham (LLP) was stored under humid tropical conditions (24-28°C and 84-92% rh) in the form of wet cake during a 10 day period. Samples of LLP were taken every second day for chemical analyses and protein quality assays. The effect of storage on dried LLP was also assessed against two control proteins: peanut meal (PNM) and fish meal (FM), either free of aflatoxins or infected by the aflatoxigenic fungus Aspergi_llus flavus to the level 280 mcg aflatoxin B1 equivalent/kg. Storage of wet LLP under such conditions resulted in infestation by …