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Low Soil Nitrogen And Moisture Limit The Expansion Of The Invasive Grass, Megathyrsus Maximus (Guinea Grass) In Semi-Arid Soils, E. Penelope Holland, Vanessa Thomas, Pushpa G. Soti

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The goal of this study was to predict the range expansion potential of an invasive forage grass, Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus). We collected rhizosphere soil samples of M. maximus and coexisting species from 150 different locations and analysed them for soil properties. We estimated the probability of M. maximus presence as a function of soil moisture, organic matter, pH, salinity, total N, and CN ratio using logistic regression. Presence of M. maximus was associated with higher soil moisture, higher organic matter, pH, and nitrogen, but lower salinity and CN ratio. Soil nitrogen and moisture …

Determining The Effects Of Elevated Carbon Dioxide On Soil Acidification, Cation Depletion, And Soil Inorganic Carbon And Mapping Soil Carbons Using Artificial Intelligence, Jannatul Ferdush

Theses and Dissertations

Soil carbon is the largest sink and source of the global carbon cycle and is disturbed by several natural, anthropogenic, and environmental factors. The global increase of atmospheric CO₂ affects soil carbon cycling through varied biogeochemical processes. The first chapter is a compilation of current information on potential factors triggering soil acidification and weathering mechanisms under elevated CO₂ and their consequences on soil inorganic carbon (SIC) pool and quality. Soil water content and precipitation were critical factors influencing elevated CO₂ effects on the SIC pool. The second chapter examines a detailed column experiment in which six soils …

Investigations Of The Potential For Irrigated Agriculture On The Bonaparte Plains: Hydrogeology, Aquifer Properties And Groundwater Chemistry, Don Bennett, Paul Raper, Robert Paul, Tim Pope, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

‘Cockatoo Sands’ is a common name for the Cockatoo Sands family of soils (comprising red to yellowish-red sands, sandy earths, and loamy earths) that have formed from quartz sandstone colluviums in relatively isolated patches throughout the East Kimberley region of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Cockatoo Sands are recognised as potentially suitable for irrigated agriculture because they are generally well drained and not subject to waterlogging or inundation. These characteristics allow them to be cultivated and prepared for planting various crops during the wet and dry seasons of northern Australia.

Expanding agricultural production onto the Cockatoo Sands around Kununurra …

A Cross-Scale Nexus: Microbial Functional Genes In Tandem With Molecular-Level Nitrogen Fluxes And Implications For Field-Scale Biogeochemical Processes, Srusti Maddala

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) biogeochemical cycling entails close networking between soil nutrients, plant species and resulting microbial communities, and abiotic factors such as temperature, moisture, and pH. To better understand transformations of N in soil microsites, which are known to be rich in N-cycling behavior, the microdialysis technique was employed to generate in situ data on temporal alterations of N during wetting-drying conditions in both the field and laboratory. The objectives were to 1) determine the lifespan of the microdialysis technique in field conditions, 2) evaluate the ability of the method to yield N fluxes that would be differential between the two …

Assessment Of Nitrogen-Based Fertilizer Transport And Microbial Activities In Sandy Soil Profiles In South Texas, Gladys De La Rosa

Theses and Dissertations

Conventional farming is a common practice in Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) and the application of nitrogen fertilizer is essential for plant growth and support. However, managing the rate of nitrogen that is applied can benefit farmers financially and reduce nitrate leaching that can have an adverse effect on the local environment and aquatic systems, e.g., rivers and estuaries. Sandy soils are more vulnerable to water infiltration due to the large proportion of macropores. This study aims to (i) assess how nitrate from a variety of fertilizers (i.e., synthetic and organic) distributes on the top 60 cm layer of a …

Urban Soil Chemical And Nutrient Management Issues Facing Emerging Small Grower Enterprises In Utah, Frank E. Oliver

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Knowledge of both soil quality and contamination has become increasingly important with the growth of urban agriculture in Utah and the United States as whole. Land is also a common limiting factor in urban agriculture, so it is important to maximize yield and net returns. In order to meet these demands, three studies were conducted across key urban agriculture sites along the Wasatch Front: 1) an urban soil survey to assess soil contamination, 2) an urban soil survey to evaluate macronutrient and salinity levels, and 3) a nitrogen fertilizer management trial for dahlia (Dahlia pinnata), a cut flower …

Optimization Techniques For Soil Organic Carbon Prediction Using Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy, Minerva J. Dorantes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Resource-efficient techniques for accurate soil carbon estimation are necessary to satisfy the increasing demand for spatiotemporal data. In the last thirty years, mid-infrared (MIR) soil spectroscopy has developed as an accurate, rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive technique for soil organic carbon (SOC) analysis. In soil spectroscopy, a calibration model relates spectral data to a corresponding measured soil property and is subsequently used to predict this value from new spectral data. Various optimization techniques have been used to improve the statistical performance of calibrations; however, there is little consensus on the conditions that make these techniques effective. The objectives of this research …

Evaluation Of Factors That Contribute To Injury To Quizalofop-Resistant Rice From Quizalofop Applied Postemergence, Navdeep Godara

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Quizalofop-resistant rice technology allows for over-the-top applications of quizalofop, an acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase-inhibiting herbicide. However, quizalofop caused significant injury to quizalofop-resistant rice in some Arkansas fields during the first year of commercialization. Experiments evaluated the effect of early-season soil moisture and nitrogen availability; pre-exposure to low rates of glyphosate and imazethapyr; planting date; and environmental conditions including, soil moisture content, air temperature, and light intensity on quizalofop-resistant rice tolerance to quizalofop applications. All experiments assessed sequential quizalofop applications made to 2-leaf followed by 5-leaf stage of rice. Sequential quizalofop applications alone and with surface irrigation or nitrogen application at the …

Geoenvironmental Implications On Food Sovereignty - Meskwaki Settlement, Tama County, Iowa, Lindsey Hubbell, Chad Heinzel Ph.D., Christina Blackcloud, Luke Kapayou, Avis Bear-Bass

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

Native American culture demonstrates a spiritual relationship to food, land, and Earth. As opposed to European traditions valuing private property and exploiting the Earth for profit, Native American tradition believes the Earth is owned by no one; food and nourishment from it are a gift for all to take only as needed. The Meskwaki Nation originated around the Great Lakes but was removed to Tama County, Iowa. It is derived from the words “Meskwa” meaning “red” and “aki” meaning “Earth”. This Red Earth nation has initiated a Food Sovereignty program to pass along traditional growing and food preparation practices to …

Wetland Soil Development Along Salinity And Hydrogeomorphic Gradients In Active And Inactive Deltaic Basins Of Coastal Louisiana, Amanda Fontenot

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal wetlands provide an abundance of ecosystem services that benefit society, such as essential habitat for commercial species, storm protection, nutrient cycling, and carbon storage. Louisiana faces rapid rates of relative sea level rise (natural subsidence and eustatic sea levels) that threaten wetland survival, which are amplified by a reduction of riverine sediment input. An important determining factor of marsh survival is the formation of wetland platform elevation, known as vertical accretion, which is determined by several processes including sediment deposition & erosion, below ground biomass (BGB) productivity, decomposition of organic matter, shallow & deep subsidence, and soil compaction. Feldspar …

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Research Studies 2021, Victor Ford, Jason Kelley, Nathan Mckinney Ii

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2021 edition of the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Research Studies Series includes research results on topics pertaining to corn and grain sorghum production, including weed, disease, and insect management; economics; sustainability; irrigation; post-harvest drying; soil fertility; mycotoxins; cover crop management; and research verification program results. Our objective is to capture and broadly distribute the results of research projects funded by the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Board. The intended audience includes producers and their advisors, current investigators, and future researchers. The Series serves as a citable archive of research results.

Critical P, K And S Concentrations In Soil And Shoot Samples For Optimal Tedera Productivity And Nodulation, Daniel Real, Richard G. Bennett, Nazanin K. Nazeri, David M. Weaver

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Tedera is a forage legume that can provide out-of-season green feed in Mediterranean climates. To date, growers have had no comprehensive soil nutrition guidelines to optimise tedera production. We undertook field and glasshouse studies to understand tedera’s macronutrient requirements. Three field experiments were sown with tedera cv. Lanza® at Cunderdin, Dandaragan and Three Springs in Western Australia. These experiments evaluated seven levels of phosphorus (P) (0–30 kg ha−1) and potassium (K) (0–80 kg ha−1) and two combined treatments with P and K. Glasshouse pot experiments were conducted using tedera cultivars Lanza® and Palma and lucerne cultivar SARDI Grazer. Ten concentrations …

Legacy Lead In Urban Garden Soils: Communicating Risk And Limiting Exposure, Anna Paltseva, Zhongqi Cheng, Murray Mcbride, Maha Deeb, Sara Perl Egendorf, Peter M. Groffman

Advanced Science Research Center

Lead (Pb) exposure has long been recognized as a hazard to human health. Urban garden soils often contain elevated levels of Pb, mainly from legacy sources, which is a main barrier for urban gardening. The capacity of gardeners to access, understand, and act on scientific data related to soil contamination is also variable. This synthesis paper briefly summarizes the current scientific knowledge on soil Pb in urban gardens. Our objective is to produce clear recommendations about assessing actual risks and limiting exposure. First, we synthesize the nature and extent of soil contamination with Pb, and then describe how the bioavailability …

Utilizing Novel Field And Data Exploration Methods To Explore Hot Moments In High-Frequency Soil Nitrous Oxide Emissions Data: Opportunities And Challenges, Christine S. O'Connell, Tyler L. Anthony, Melanie A. Mayes, Tibisay Pérez, Debjani Sihi, Whendee L. Silver

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Soil nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions are an important driver of climate change and are a major mechanism of labile nitrogen (N) loss from terrestrial ecosystems. Evidence increasingly suggests that locations on the landscape that experience biogeochemical fluxes disproportionate to the surrounding matrix (hot spots) and time periods that show disproportionately high fluxes relative to the background (hot moments) strongly influence landscape-scale soil N₂O emissions. However, substantial uncertainties remain regarding how to measure and model where and when these extreme soil N₂O fluxes occur. High-frequency datasets of soil N₂O fluxes are newly possible …

The Current State Of Community Engagement In Urban Soil Pollution Science, Nicole Fernández-Viña, Yujuan Chen, Kirsten Schwarz

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Environmental burdens disproportionately impact the health of communities of color and low-income communities. Contemporary and legacy industry and land development may pollute soils with pesticides, petroleum products, and trace metals that can directly and indirectly impact the health of frontline communities. Past efforts to study environmental injustice have often excluded those most impacted, created distrust of researchers and other experts among frontline communities, and resulted in little to no structural change. Prevailing research methods value formal knowledge systems, while often dismissing the knowledge of those most harmed by environmental hazards. Community science has emerged as a process of doing science …

A Method For Phenotyping Roots Of Large Plants, Brian Rinehart, Hanna J. Poffenbarger, Daniel Lau, David H. Mcnear

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Linking root traits to plant functions can enable crop improvement for yield and ecosystem functions. However, plant breeding efforts targeting belowground traits are limited by appropriate phenotyping methods for large root systems. While advances have been made allowing for imaging large in situ root systems, many of these methods are inaccessible due to expensive technology requirements. The aim of this work was to develop a plant phenotyping platform and analysis method suitable for assessing root traits of large, intact root systems. With the use of a purpose-built imaging table and automated photo capture system, machine learning-based image segmentation, and off-the-shelf …

Factors Influencing Tree Growth In A Bottomland Hardwood Along The Green River In Kentucky, Caleb Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In bottomland hardwood forests, large fluctuations in moisture availability can lead to stress from both flooded and drought conditions. These forests can have a complex species composition with different water use and drought strategies. The bottomlands in which these species co-occur can have a complex spatial distribution of alluvial sediments due to the meandering and migration of river or stream channels, which may impact the hydrology, nutrient dynamics, and productivity. At Western Kentucky University's Green River Preserve, approximately 9 ha of bottomland hardwood forest were planted in 2006. Although these hardwoods have received equal amounts of sunlight, rainfall, and wind, …

Fate And Transport Of Toxoplasma Gondii Oocysts In Saturated Porous Media: Effects Of Electrolytes And Natural Organic Matter, Christian Pullano

All Theses

Toxoplasma gondii is a pathogenic microorganism that is currently a threat to public health. Understanding the fate and transport of T. gondii through the soil and groundwater is vital in determining the risk it poses to water resources and human health. The physico-chemical interactions between the groundwater and the bio colloid within an aquifer will dictate its mobility and its ability to infect humans. This research examines how various naturally occurring groundwater chemistries containing organic compounds and monovalent and divalent salt solutions will alter the fate and transport of T. gondii. Solutions containing various concentrations of humic acid, fulvic …

Characterization Of Water Flow And Solute Transport Driven By Preferential Flow In Soil Vadose Zone, Abdullah Al Mamun

All Dissertations

The vadose zone acts as a buffer zone between the ground surface and the aquifers underneath and controls the transmission of infiltrating water and contaminants, for example, pesticides and chemical spills. Therefore, understanding the flow and transport processes that dominate the vadose zone is important. Macropores are ubiquitous and particularly found in abundance in the vadose zone. These macropores facilitate preferential flow, through which water travels rapidly deep into the soil, bypassing most of the porous matrix. Preferential flow and transport have environmental significance as their processes impact hydrology, ecology, agriculture, subsurface contamination, and waste management sectors. Thus, the overall …

Using Thermal Units To Predict Biomass Accumulation And Total Nitrogen Uptake For Cover Crops In Arkansas, Mila Victório Pessotto

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Including cover crops in agricultural production systems is an important management practice. Cover cropping can improve soil health, increase plant-available nitrogen (N), provide surface residue to prevent erosional soil loss, increase water infiltration, and increase weed suppression. Cover crops growth can be predicted using thermal days or growing degree days [GDD] similar to commodity crops such as corn (Zea mays L.) or rice (Oryza sativa). Growing degree day calculations are a well-known tool to predict crop growth stage or development stage and can be adapted for use in any plant species, including cover crops. Identifying and developing the relationship between …

Evaluating Alternative Ebullition Models For Predicting Peatland Methane Emission And Its Pathways Via Data–Model Fusion, Shuang Ma, Lifen Jiang, Rachel M. Wilson, Jeff P. Chanton, Scott Bridgham, Shuli Niu, Colleen M. Iversen, Avni Malhotra, Jiang Jiang, Xingjie Lu, Jason Keller, Xiaofeng Xu, Daniel M. Ricciuto, Paul J. Hanson, Yiqi Luo

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding the dynamics of peatland methane (CH₄) emissions and quantifying sources of uncertainty in estimating peatland CH₄ emissions are critical for mitigating climate change. The relative contributions of CH₄ emission pathways through ebullition, plant-mediated transport, and diffusion, together with their different transport rates and vulnerability to oxidation, determine the quantity of CH₄ to be oxidized before leaving the soil. Notwithstanding their importance, the relative contributions of the emission pathways are highly uncertain. In particular, the ebullition process is more uncertain and can lead to large uncertainties in modeled CH₄ emissions. To improve model simulations …

Evaluating Alternative Ebullition Models For Predicting Peatland Methane Emission And Its Pathways Via Data–Model Fusion, Shuang Ma, Lifen Jiang, Rachel M. Wilson, Jeff P. Chanton, Scott Bridgham, Shuli Niu, Colleen M. Iversen, Avni Malhotra, Jiang Jiang, Xingjie Lu, Yuanyuan Huang, Jason Keller, Xiaofeng Xu, Daniel M. Ricciuto, Paul J. Hanson, Yiqi Luo

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding the dynamics of peatland methane (CH4) emissions and quantifying sources of uncertainty in estimating peatland CH4 emissions are critical for mitigating climate change. The relative contributions of CH4 emission pathways through ebullition, plant-mediated transport, and diffusion, together with their different transport rates and vulnerability to oxidation, determine the quantity of CH4 to be oxidized before leaving the soil. Notwithstanding their importance, the relative contributions of the emission pathways are highly uncertain. In particular, the ebullition process is more uncertain and can lead to large uncertainties in modeled CH4 emissions. To improve model simulations of CH4 emission and its pathways, …

P-Flux: A Phosphorus Budget Dataset Spanning Diverse Agricultural Production Systems In The United States And Canada, M. R. Williams, P. Welikhe, J. Bos, K. King, M. Akland, D. J. Augustine, C. Baffaut, E. G. Beck, A. Bierer, D. D. Bosch, Elizabeth H. Boughton, C. B. Brandani, E. Brooks, Anthony R. Buda, M. Cavigelli, J. Faulkner, G. Feyereisen, A. Fortunato, B. Lee, Jason M. Unrine

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Peningkatan Hasil Tiga Varietas Bawang Merah Asal Biji Dengan Pemanfaatan Pupuk Organik Ikan Di Dataran Tinggi Basah, Bina Karo, Agustina Erlinda Marpaung, Susilawati Barus, Rina Christina Hutabarat, Rasiska Tarigan

Jurnal Kultivasi

Salah satu cara untuk meningkatkan produktivitas tanaman bawang merah pada musim hujan yaitu dengan penggunaan bahan tanaman yang sehat melalui penggunaan benih true shallot seeds (TSS), karena secara umum penggunaan umbi bawang merah sebagai bahan perbanyakan tidak efektif di musim hujan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dosis dan jenis pupuk organik ikan yang dapat meningkatkan produksi tiga varietas bawang merah asal TSS di dataran tinggi basah. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan mulai bulan Mei – September 2018 di Instalasi Penelitian dan Pengkajian Teknologi Pertanian (IP2TP) Berastagi, Kabupaten Karo, pada ketinggian tempat 1340 meter dengan jenis tanah Andisol. Rancangan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan …

Morfologi Dan Kandungan Flavonoid Total Bunga Telang Di Berbagai Ketinggian Tempat Tumbuh Berbeda, Hawari, Bambang Pujiasmanto, Eddy Triharyanto

Jurnal Kultivasi

Bunga telang (Clitoria ternatea L) merupakan salah satu tanaman leguminoceae yang memiliki manfaat farmakologis, namun sebagian besar pemanenannya berasal dari alam dan belum dibudidayakan secara luas. Oleh karena itu, perlu diadakan suatu penelitian spesifik terkait morfologi dan kandungan flavonoid bunga telang untuk dijadikan tanaman budidaya serta mengkaji kesesuaian lingkungan untuk budidayanya. Tujuan riset ini untuk mengkaji karakter morfologi dan kandungan flavonoid bunga telang di berbagai ketinggian. Survei dilaksanakan di lokasi berbeda, yaitu dataran rendah (Karangasem, Jeyengan, dan Purwosari) dan dataran tinggi Ngargoyoso, mulai bulan Februari sampai April 2021. Lokasi survei dipilih dengan metode acak memihak (purpose random sampling) melalui pendekatan …

Pemilihan Teknik Aplikasi Dan Dosis Pupuk Hayati Pelarut Kalium Untuk Meningkatkan Serapan Kalium Dan Pertumbuhan Tanaman Jagung Pada Tanah Inceptisols, Diyan Herdiyantoro, Tualar Simarmata, Mieke Rochimi Setiawati, Nenny Nurlaeny, Benny Joy, Mahfud Arifin, Jajang Sauman Hamdani, Iin Handayani

Jurnal Kultivasi

Salah satu strategi yang diterapkan pada pupuk hayati untuk menunjukkan efek positif pada tanaman yang diinokulasi adalah pemilihan teknik aplikasi dan dosis yang tepat, baik pada tanah, benih, atau kombinasi keduanya. Tujuan dari percobaan ini adalah mendapatkan teknik aplikasi dan dosis pupuk hayati pelarut K yang memberikan hasil terbaik terhadap penyerapan K dan pertumbuhan tanaman jagung (Zea mays L.) pada Inceptisols Jatinangor. Percobaan dilaksanakan pada November 2018-Januari 2019 di rumah kaca Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Padjadjaran. Percobaan menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok dengan 9 perlakuan dan 3 kali ulangan. Perlakuan terdiri dari tanpa perlakuan (kontrol), aplikasi pada benih 400 g.ha-1 dan 800 …

Cover Crops May Exacerbate Moisture Limitations On South Texas Dryland Farms, Stephanie Kasper, Faeqa Mohsin, Lindsey Richards, Alexis Racelis

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Cover crops are a sustainable management tool for mediating weed pressure, reducing soil erosion, and enhancing soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) levels. Yet, adoption rates across water-limited farms in Texas remain low, especially among producers without irrigation access, due to concerns that cover crop use of soil moisture will negatively impact subsequent cash crop yields. This three-year cover crop trial in a rain-fed sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) farm in Lyford, Texas, trialed different cover crop mixes and seeding rates and confirmed that cover cropping leads to significant soil moisture deficits and cash crop failure when rainfall is low …

Influence Of Soil And Foliar Application Of Fulvic Acid On Yield Parameters Of Organically Grown Bell Peppers (Capsicum Annuum L.) Under Open-Field Conditions In Tennessee, Pinkky Kanabar, Dilip Nandwani

Student Research

Due to increased demand for healthier fresh produce by consumers, growers are seeking for environmental friendlier techniques to improve sustainability and profitability in organic vegetable production. The use of fulvic acid biostimulant coupled with different mode of application can contribute to enhanced plant growth and high-quality yield. A field experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the organic farm of Tennessee State University in summer 2021. The influence of foliar and soil application of fulvic acid biostimulant on yield of organically grown bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) was investigated. Transplants were raised from organic …

Building Sustainable Rangeland Management Systems Through A One System Innovative Approach, Benedict C. Irwin, T. A. Ameha, M. Mangano, B. W. Solomon, T. Wood

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Working through a collaborative working partnership between the USAID Feed the Future Resilience in Pastoralist Areas (RiPA)1 program and Land Governance Activity (LGA)2 and selected technical partners, these new rangeland programs aim to build on significant breakthrough successes in rangeland management from their previous lowland programs3. These new lowlands pastoralist development programs have been purposely positioned by USAID to coordinate, collaborate and combine working activities focused on the continued improvement and strengthening of rangeland management systems in the lowlands of Ethiopia. In light of this positioning, it is proposed that the programs work together to build a comprehensive sustainable rangeland …

Sustainable Development And The Transformation Of Female Rural Labor: The Case Of Woman Cattle Ranchers In Uruguay, Virginia Courdin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Internationally, rural women are considered key to sustainable development. However, in the Uruguayan livestock sector, women’s work is largely unrecognized by public policy makers, causing younger women to migrate, and resulting in the "masculinization" of livestock husbandry. In Uruguay, extensive livestock production (range livestock) analysis has historically ignored the genuinely productive role that women play in rangelands, limiting the visibility of their action to reproductive activities while ignoring their importance in terms of income generation, herd management, networking, strategic planning, etc. Although family production integrates women, their work is often invisible, subsumed within domestic chores or seen as "helping" the …