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Evaluation Of Acetochlor And Other Very-Long-Chain Fatty Acid-Inhibiting Herbicides In Arkansas Rice, Michael E. Fogleman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of herbicide resistance and lack of effective management options for controlling problematic weeds such as barnyardgrass and weedy rice in Arkansas rice production has led to exploration of alternative herbicide sites of action (SOA). Very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA)-inhibiting herbicides are not currently labeled for use in U.S. rice production but have been used with success in other row crops and in rice production in Asia. Based on preliminary research, rice tolerance and weed control were evaluated following various application timings and rates of acetochlor and pethoxamid, in addition to several other VLCFA-inhibiting herbicides. Rice tolerance to acetochlor was …

Skeleton Weed Program: Annual Report To Grain Growers 2017/2018, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Management Committee (GSHIMC) believes the current program is delivering the best value for the funding provided and is achieving the Project Outcomes of eradication (where possible), management (on infested sites), and limiting the spread of Skeleton weed across the cereal growing districts.

There has been a significant increase in the infested area of Skeleton weed in 2017/18. Most of this increase was in the eastern zone where wet conditions favoured Skeleton weed in late 2017.

Many landholders in these areas also had difficulty achieving “long term” control over summer and infested areas needed monitoring …

Lekking Behavior Of A Sharp-Tailed Grouse In South-Central Nebraska, Kelsey C. King, Andrew J. Caven, Keith Geluso

The Prairie Naturalist

Sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus; STGR) occur throughout much of the northern Great Plains, and historically were suspected to have ranged as far south as Kansas (Connelly et al. 1998). Sharp-tailed grouse were the dominant grouse in Nebraska 200 years ago, but early settlers and their associated agricultural practices extirpated STGR from much of their former range, including Kansas and southern Nebraska (Sisson 1976, Johnsgard 2016). During the period of initial land conversion, the greater prairie-chicken (T. cupido; GRPC) filled the void, benefiting from small plots of cropland providing winter forage, and outcompeting the STGR (Johnsgard and Wood 1968, Svedarsky et …

A Short Narrative For Writing For The Prairie Naturalist, Christopher N. Jacques

The Prairie Naturalist

The abstract should be written upon completion of the paper. A well-written abstract is a single short (≤1 line/page of text), concise, and includes 1) an introductory sentence justifying why the study was conducted, 2) a statement of the principal objectives or hypotheses tested during the study, 3) a brief description of pertinent methods, 4) a summary of significant results, 5) a punchy conclusion, and 6) management implications (i.e., utility of results explaining how, when, where, and by whom data or interpretations can be applied; Krausman and Cox 2017). Keep in mind that abstracts are read more than authors than …

The Prairie Naturalist: The Journal Of The Great Plains Natural Science Society Volume 50 No. 1

The Prairie Naturalist

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 EDITOR’S NOTE

RESEARCH ARTICLES

3 Spatiotemporal Distribution of Waterfowl Disease Outbreaks in Kansas, USA Thomas A. Becker, Adam A. Ahlers, Shane Hesting, and David A. Haukos

14 Wild Turkey Occupancy in a Prairie Landscape Joshua C. Courlas and R. Scott Lutz

24 Age and Growth of Cottonwood Trees along the Missouri River, North Dakota Jonathan M. Friedman, Fisher R. Ankeny, and Marshall Wolf

NOTES

34 Hoary Bat Impaled on Barbed Wire Fence

37 Lekking Behavior of a Sharp-Tailed Grouse in South-Central Nebraska

BOOK REVIEWS

40 Force of Nature: George Fell, Founder of The Natural Areas Movement. …

Age And Growth Of Cottonwood Trees Along The Missouri River, North Dakota, Jonathan M. Friedman, Fisher R. Ankney, J. Marshall Wolf

The Prairie Naturalist

The relict plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera) forest along the Missouri River between Lakes Sakakawea and Oahe includes trees as large as two meters in diameter. We cored 24 of these trees to determine their age and suitability for flow reconstruction. Because most of the trees were rotten in the center, we developed a method to estimate the date of the center ring that accounts for the increase in ring width toward the center. Estimated center ring dates were as early as 1806. Cottonwood growth at a dry site was correlated with April–August flow prior to construction of Lake …

Wild Turkey Occupancy In A Prairie Landscape, Joshua C. Courlas, R. Scott Lutz

The Prairie Naturalist

We investigated wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) distribution in prairie landscapes in North Dakota using occupancy modeling in two stages. In 2012, we extensively surveyed ecoregions across the state and in 2013, intensively surveyed the ecoregion with the highest probability of occupancy. Occupancy models from the statewide survey indicated wild turkeys were sparse in ecoregions with primarily agricultural landscapes, were found associated with wooded riparian cover, and found most frequently in the Missouri River Plateau ecoregion. In the Missouri River Plateau, our occupancy models identified that an additive model including mean patch area of cropland fields and spatial aggregation of forest …

Book Reviews: Force Of Nature: George Fell, Founder Of The Natural Areas Movement. Arthur Melville Pearson., James R. Herkert

The Prairie Naturalist

Arthur Melville Pearson’s Force of Nature is a book that tells two very interesting and intertwined stories. One is a story of how perseverance and determination can drive an individual to accomplish great things. And the other is a story of how the modern day natural areas movement came to be. Fortunately for those interested in conservation and natural areas protection, those two stories were combined in the life of George Fell (1916-1994). In Fell’s home state of Illinois, where his impact is widely known, his name is synonymous with conservation. In other places where his impact is less well …

Spatiotemporal Distribution Of Waterfowl Disease Outbreaks In Kansas, Usa, Thomas A. Becker, Adam A. Ahlers, Shane Hesting, David A. Haukos

The Prairie Naturalist

Causes and impacts of disease outbreaks in wild bird populations are rarely studied beyond documentation of large epizootic events. In Kansas, USA, a central disease surveillance and reporting protocol currently does not exist within the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, which has led to a lack of available knowledge of disease occurrences that could be used to predict and manage future outbreaks. We compiled historic records of documented waterbird disease outbreaks in Kansas from 1967–2014 and related the frequency of outbreaks with light geese (Ross’s goose [Anser rossii]; Snow goose [A. caerulescens]) populations from 1970–2014. We found 32 …

Mitigating Bioiversity Loss Of Native Plants, Jamie Ana Grigonis

Student Theses 2015-Present

Growing up harvesting from my own vegetable garden and going from nursery to nursery with my mother, it has been extremely evident that plant biodiversity is more than just privet along driveways and carnations in window boxes. Plant biodiversity is often overlooked but crucial to having a healthy and thriving environment. Without certain plants, our ecosystems will crumble and this needs to be addressed now while it’s still at a level we can grow from. In my internship I am working alongside the director of the Thain Family Forest at the New York Botanical Gardens in order to get a …

Influence Of Multispecies Interference Of Common Ragweed (Ambrosia Artemisiifolia L.) And Common Waterhemp (Amaranthus Rudis Sauer) On Soybean [Glycine Max (L.) Merr.] Growth And Yield Under Variable Water Supply In Nebraska, Koffi Badou Jeremie Kouame

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) and common waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis Sauer) are two problematic weeds for soybean producers in the United States. Both weeds have evolved resistance to many herbicides, including glyphosate. It is therefore essential to understand how these weeds in mixture impact soybean growth and yield and also how they deplete soil moisture in rainfed and irrigated cropping systems. The objectives of this research were to: (i) understand the influence of variable water supply on soybean yield loss in mixture with ragweed and waterhemp, (ii) quantify the influence of variable water supply on soybean growth in …

Combinations Of Allelopathic Crop Extracts Reduce Digitaria Spp. And Setaria Faberi Seed Germination, Peter Apicella, Karl Guillard

Honors Scholar Theses

Allelopathic cover crops contain compounds that deter other types of plant seeds from germinating or inhibiting established plants’ growth. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus, SF), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, BW), sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum × drummondii [Nees ex. Steud.] Millsp. & Chase, SSG), and winter rye (Secale cereale) are all known allelopathic cover crops. However, there is little information about the use of these allelopathic cover crops used together and their combined impact on weed seed germination. Laboratory bioassays were conducted to determine the effect of the aforementioned cover crops alone and in combinations in reducing the …

Non-Target-Site Based Tolerance To Herbicides In Amaranthus Palmeri, Reiofeli Algodon Salas-Perez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Palmer amaranth, one of the most aggressive and damaging broadleaf weeds in the USA, has evolved resistance to multiple herbicide modes of action. The overall objective of this research was to elucidate the mechanisms by which Palmer amaranth adapt to herbicide selection stress. This research aimed (1) to evaluate the efficacy of fomesafen, glufosinate, glyphosate and trifloxysulfuron to Amaranthus populations; (2) identify candidate genes for endowing tolerance to glufosinate; (3) investigate the involvement of non-target-site resistance (NTSR) mechanism in an ALS-resistant population; and (4) to examine the molecular basis of resistance to PPO inhibitors in Palmer amaranth populations from Arkansas. …

Exploring Alternative Giant Salvinia (Salvinia Molesta D.S. Mitchell) Management Strategies, Bradley T. Sartain

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dense infestations of the free-floating aquatic fern giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitchell) have been expanding across the southeastern United States for over two decades. Although herbicide programs have provided relief to giant salvinia infested areas, morphology and growth characteristics make management difficult. A series of mesocosm trials were conducted to explore alternative management strategies for giant salvinia. Evaluation of non-registered aquatic herbicides showed that rates of sulfometuron and metsulfuron controlled giant salvinia and provided a 98 to 100% biomass reduction. An outdoor mesocosm trial evaluated potential glyphosate resistance in giant salvinia in select water bodies throughout Louisiana. Differences …

Weed Presence Altered Biotic Stress And Light Signaling In Maize Even When Weeds Were Removed Early In The Critical Weed‐Free Period, David P. Horvath, Stephanie Bruggeman, Janet Moriles-Miller, James V. Anderson, Munevver Dogramaci, Brian E. Scheffler, Alvaro G. Hernandez, Michael E. Foley, Sharon Clay

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Weed presence early in the life cycle of maize (typically, from emergence through the 8 to 12 leaf growth stage) can reduce crop growth and yield and is known as the critical weed‐free period (CWFP). Even if weeds are removed during or just after the CWFP, crop growth and yield often are not recoverable. We compared transcriptome responses of field‐grown hybrid maize at V8 in two consecutive years among plants grown under weed‐free and two weed‐stressed conditions (weeds removed at V4 or present through V8) using RNAseq analysis techniques. Compared with weed‐free plant responses, physiological differences at V8 were identified …

Determining Growth Characteristics And Control Programs For Nealley's Sprangletop (Leptochloa Nealleyi Vasey), Trace Buck

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Research was conducted at the LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research and Extension center near Alexandria, La in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate the growth characteristics and control of Nealley’s sprangletop. Nealley’s sprangletop is a relatively new weed with little research available to understand its growth habit and effective control strategies.

Nealley’s sprangletop undergoes a more drastic height increase of 212 to 742 mm, 4 to 6 WAE than Amazon sprangletop 377 to 612 mm in the same time frame. Averaged across harvest interval tiller and leaf number of Nealley’s sprangletop was approximately 50 and 40% less than Amazon sprangletop. …

Reducing The Risk Of Invasive Pathogens To Wildlife Health In The United States, Edward E. Clark Jr., Marshall Meyers, David Eldon Starling, Brent Stewart, Nathan Stone, Gary Tabor, Jeffrey S. White

National Invasive Species Council

Call to Action

In keeping with action items 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 of the 2016–2018 National Invasive Species Council (NISC) Management Plan, the Wildlife Health Task Team of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) was charged with: 1) identifying the major areas of vulnerability to native wildlife from the introduction and spread of invasive pathogens, and 2) making recommendations to address these vulnerabilities, including through potential changes in statute, regulation, policy, or practice of the relevant agencies.

Gene Flow From Single And Stacked Herbicide-Resistant Rice (Oryza Sativa): Modeling Occurrence Of Multiple Herbicide-Resistant Weedy Rice, Joseph Dauer, Andrew Hulting, Dale Carlson, Luke Mankin, John Harden, Carol Mallory-Smith

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background: Provisia™ rice (PV), a non-genetically engineered (GE) quizalofop-resistant rice, will provide growers with an additional option for weed management to use in conjunction with Clearfield® rice (CL) production. Modeling compared the impact of stacking resistance traits versus single traits in rice on introgression of the resistance trait to weedy rice (also called red rice). Common weed management practices were applied to 2-, 3- and 4-year crop rotations, and resistant and multiple-resistant weedy rice seeds, seedlings and mature plants were tracked for 15 years.

Results: Two-year crop rotations resulted in resistant weedy rice after 2 years with abundant populations (exceeding …

Propelled Abrasive Grit For Weed Control In Organic Silage Corn, Mauricio Erazo-Barradas, Fran Forcella, Dan Humburg

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Weed management in organic farming requires many strategies to accomplish acceptable control and maintain crop yields. This 2-yr field study used air propelled abrasive grit for in-row weed control in organically certified silage corn (Zea mays L.). Corncob grit was applied as a single application at corn vegetative growth stages V1 (one true leaf; numbers correspond to number of true leaves at the corn vegetative stage), V3, or V5 (in 2013) and V3, V5, and V7 (in 2014) and in double and triple combinations at these stages. Between-row weed control was accomplished by flaming or cultivation after the last grit …

Mob Vs. Rotational Grazing: Impact On Forage Use And Artemisia Absinthium, Heidi Reed, Alexander Smart, David E. Clay, Michelle Ohrtman, Sharon A. Clay

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Short duration (≤24 h), high stocking density grazing systems (e.g., mob grazing) mimics historic prairie grazing patterns of American bison (Bison bison), and should minimize selective grazing. We compared mob [125 cow-calf pairs on either 0.65 ha for 12 h; or 1.3 ha for 24 h] vs. rotational [25 cow-calf pairs on 8.1 ha for 20 days starting in mid-May with or without 2,4-D application prior to grazing; and 15 days starting mid-April (no herbicide)] grazing systems based on forage utilization and impact to Artemisia absinthium (absinth wormwood) in a tall grass pasture of Eastern South Dakota. Grass …

Air-Propelled Organic Fertilizer Grits Can Be Used To Control Weeds And Provide Nitrogen, Michael Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weeds are one of the biggest challenges for organic growers because of the alternative weed control methods. Air-propelled abrasive grit management has been reported to control weed seedlings in corn and soybeans while maintaining yield. This research examined the weed control, corn and soybean yields, nitrogen mineralization, and nitrogen yield responses from grits. The grits used in this research included: Phytaboost Plant Food 7-1-2 (soybean meal), Sustane 8-2-4 and 4-6-4 (turkey litters), and two non-fertilizer grits: Agra Grit (walnut shells) and corn cob meal. Field studies were conducted from 2015 to 2017 in Aurora, SD, Beresford, SD and Morris, MN. …

Palmer Amaranth In South Dakota: Growth, Herbicidal Control, And Soybean Yield Loss, Brian Van De Stroet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Palmer amaranth is a growing concern in the United States. Previously thought to only be able to occupy the southern United States, this plant can now be found throughout the northern states as well. Infestations of Palmer amaranth can now be found in South Dakota and is raising many concerns. Palmer amaranth is characterized by large growth and can be highly competitive with many important crops. Soybean is an important crop in South Dakota, as well as the rest of the world, and has not escaped the detrimental aspects of an infestation of Palmer amaranth. The objectives of this study …

Interseeding Cover Crops To Suppress Weeds In Corn- Soybean Rotations In Kentucky, Victoria Leigh Stanton

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Cover crops are typically sown between cash crops and can suppress weed emergence and growth. If cover crops are sown after cash crop harvest the system is left susceptible to weed emergence while they establish. Interseeding cover crops into a standing cash crop may limit this bare period by allowing cover crops to become established, go into dormancy, and then revive around cash crop senescence. Studies were conducted in Princeton and Lexington, KY, to determine (i) which corn pre-emergent herbicides and mixtures of herbicide active ingredients commonly used by Kentucky growers would impact interseeded cover crop density and biomass, (ii) …

Comparison Of Soil-Applied And Postemergence Herbicides With Multiple Sites Of Herbicidal Activity On Two Populations Of Herbicide-Resistant Palmer Amaranth In Kentucky, Nicholas J. Fleitz

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

With the introduction of herbicide resistant Palmer amaranth into Kentucky during the past 10 years there has been an increasing concern for effective control measures in grain production. Field trials were performed in 2016 and 2017 near Barlow and Paris, KY to determine efficacy of chemical control programs targeting herbicide resistant Palmer amaranth. Percent visual control, effects on plant density and plant height were measured in 2016 to determine treatment effectiveness. Treatments containing four different sites of herbicide activity achieved an average of 98% control. Treatments containing only 3, 2 or 1 site of activity only achieved 64%, 45% and …

Intraspecific Genetic Variation, Population Structure, And Performance Of The Invasive Aquatic Macrophyte Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum Spicatum) In Waterbodies With And Without Histories Of Chemical Herbicide Treatment Across Michigan, Taylor Zallek

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Populations of invasive species are often subjected to novel selective forces in the form of anthropogenic control agents in their introduced ranges. These control agents, applied unevenly among populations within a species’ new range, can send invasive populations on drastically different evolutionary and ecological trajectories. In these studies, we aimed to see if different histories of chemical herbicide treatment are differentially influencing the genetic diversity, structure, and performance of populations of invasive watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum and M. spicatum x M. sibiricum hybrids) from waterbodies in the state of Michigan. We sampled ten waterbodies with different histories of herbicide treatment …

Managed Relocation: Reducing The Risk Of Biological Invasion, Edward E. Clark Jr., Dan Simberloff, Mark Schwartz, Brent Stewart, John Peter Thompson

National Invasive Species Council

Key Finding

Any organism that is relocated to a novel ecosystem has the potential to become an invasive species or spread “hitching” invasive species, or both. Managed Relocation is not congruent with Executive Order 13112 to the extent that it might facilitate “economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant health.” Consequently, the actions by federal agencies or those entities supported by federal funding to engage in managed relocation need to be addressed in a manner consistent with EO 13751 Section 3(3), which compels Agencies to:

Refrain from authorizing, funding, or implementing actions that are likely to …

Advanced Biotechnology Tools For Invasive Species Management, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Increasingly, genetic tools are being used to detect and solve pressing environmental, social, and health-related challenges. It is clear that investments in technology innovation can be game changing, as advances in biotechnology may provide new methods to protect the nation’s resources from the negative impacts of invasive species. The current toolbox of management options is recognizably insufficient to deal with many of the high-impact species that have been introduced. However, “surrendering” to these species is generally not a viable option from ecological, health, economic, socio-cultural, or political perspectives. Cost-efficient solutions to these “grand invasive species challenges” need to be found. …

A Swift Guide To Butterflies Of North America, Second Edition., Ann B. Swengel

The Prairie Naturalist

As soon as I got my hands on A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America, I immediately checked the species account for Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite). The prairie version of this species can be sufficiently different from the typically illustrated nominate subspecies such that it must be specifically explained as being distinct. This book passed my first test—describing details that were not only essential for identifying this fritillary species but also for realizing how similar its underside can be to our prairie specialty, the stunning Regal Fritillary (S. idalia).

Much of my research on butterflies occurs in grasslands. For …

Avian Diversity, Abundance, And Nest Success Among Managed Prairies And Agricultural Plots In Oklahoma And Texas, Phillip J. Leonard, Douglas R. Wood, Wayne E. Meyer

The Prairie Naturalist

Over the last 50 years, grassland birds experienced rapid declines due to habitat loss and degradation as a result of agricultural practices. Our objective was to document the diversity, abundance, and nest success of bird communities using managed prairie and agricultural plots at the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in southern Oklahoma and Hagerman NWR in northern Texas. From April 1 to July 15, 2013–2014, point count surveys, nest searches, nest monitoring, and vegetation sampling were conducted among three habitat treatments: managed prairie, unharvested wheat, and fallow agricultural plots. Species richness values for potential nesting species were higher in managed …

Severe Drought Impacts Female Pheasant Physiology In Southwest Nebraska, Jessica A. Laskowski, Gwen C. Bachman, Joseph J. Fontaine

The Prairie Naturalist

In 2012, Nebraska experienced one of the worst droughts since the 1930s, accompanied by abnormally high temperatures. We studied the impacts of the 2012 summer drought on female ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) body condition and baseline and stress-induced corticosterone concentrations (CORT). We hypothesized that drought conditions would reduce pheasant body condition, increase chronic stress resulting in elevated baseline CORT levels, and down-regulate pheasant stress response to acute stressors, resulting in reduced stress-induced CORT concentrations. In southwestern Nebraska, we captured female pheasants in 2012 (pre-drought) and 2013 (post-drought). Pheasants had poorer body condition after the drought. Although female CORT measures were …