Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Biofuels From Crop Residue: Soil Organic Carbon And Climate Impacts In The Us And India, Adam J. Liska

Adam Liska Papers

Soil organic carbon (SOC) levels are the balance of carbon inputs from plant material and loss from oxidation to CO₂ (SOC = I_C - kC_oc) SOC tends to decrease as atmospheric temperature increases.

In the US, SOC levels are highest in the north central region (Iowa) where maize & soybean are grown at high yields.

In the US, gross energy yield of biofuel production can be increased by using both maize grain & maize residue.

Are the US results relevant for India if crop residues are used for biofuels?

India’s estimated biomass production & potential in …

Runoff Water Quality Characteristics Following Swine Slurry Application Under Broadcast And Injected Conditions, Nicole R. Schuster, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Lisa M. Durso, John E. Gilley, Xu Li, David B. Marx, Amy M. Schmidt, Daniel D. Snow

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study was conducted to measure the effects of swine slurry application method, time following slurry application, and runoff rate on selected water quality characteristics. Slurry from a commercial swine operation was broadcast or injected on field plots at a rate required to meet annual nitrogen requirements for corn. Rainfall simulation tests were conducted at five varying periods following slurry application. During each study period, three simulated rainfall events, separated by 24 h intervals, were applied for 30 min duration at an intensity of approximately 70 mm h^-1. Following the third rainfall simulation event, inflow was applied at …

Large Co2 And Ch4 Emissions From Polygonal Tundra During Spring Thaw In Northern Alaska, Naama Raz-Yaseef, Margaret S. Torn, Yuxin Wu, David P. Billesbach, Anna K. Liljedahl, Timothy J. Kneafsey, Vladimir E. Romanovsky, David R. Cook, Stan D. Wullschleger

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The few prethaw observations of tundra carbon fluxes suggest that there may be large spring releases, but little is known about the scale and underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon. To address these questions, we combined ecosystem eddy flux measurements from two towers near Barrow, Alaska, with mechanistic soil-core thawing experiment. During a 2 week period prior to snowmelt in 2014, large fluxes were measured, reducing net summer uptake of CO₂ by 46% and adding 6% to cumulative CH₄ emissions. Emission pulses were linked to unique rain-on-snow events enhancing soil cracking. Controlled laboratory experiment revealed that as surface ice …

Multiple Drivers Of Seasonal Change In Pri: Implications For Photosynthesis 1. Leaf Level, Anatoly A. Gitelson, John A. Gamon, Alexei E. Solovchenko

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The goal of this study was to explore the relationships between the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) at the leaf level and pigment pools, focusing on the constitutive role of pigments in influencing PRI over seasonal or ontogenetic time frames. The purpose was to re-evaluate the role of PRI as an indicator of seasonally shifting pigment (chlorophyll, carotenoid and anthocyanin) contents, and hence photosynthetic activity, across a range of tree and crop species. We studied natural vegetation — three tree species (maple, chestnut and beech) and two managed irrigated and rain-fed crop species (maize and soybean), contrasting in photosynthetic pathway and …

Multiple Drivers Of Seasonal Change In Pri: Implications For Photosynthesis 2. Stand Level, Anatoly A. Gitelson, John A. Gamon, Alexei E. Solovchenko

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The goal of this study was to explore the relationships between stand-level photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and canopy structure/ pigment pools, as well as light use efficiency (LUE) of photosynthetically active vegetation focusing on seasonal or ontogenetic time frames. PRI was originally designed as a means of assessing the xanthophyll cycle and LUE over short (e.g. diurnal) time frames, and few studies have explored the drivers of PRI over longer, seasonal time frames, particularly in crops having different photosynthetic pathways or canopy structures. Consequently, our purpose was to understand and quantify the drivers of PRI responses over seasonal time scales …

Soil Water Content Monitoring For Irrigation Management: A Geostatistical Analysis, J. Burdette Barker, Trenton E. Franz, Derek M. Heeren, Christopher M.U. Neale, Joe D. Luck

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

With the increasing attention to site-specific or variable rate irrigation management, it is helpful to reconsider the quantity and placement of soil water monitoring locations in this context. Volumetric soil water content (θ_v) was monitored using a neutron probe (NP) at 72 locations in a center pivot irrigated field in eastern Nebraska. Variance reduction and temporal stability analyses were performed on θ_v from shallow (∼top 46 cm) and full profile (∼122 cm) readings for four monitoring cycles in the 2015 growing season and 2016 preseason. Eleven additional cycles were included for a subset of the data for …

Fuel Consumption Models For Tractor Test Reports, Michael F. Kocher, Bryan J. Smith, Roger M. Hoy, Jeffrey C. Woldstad, Santosh Pitla

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Five models for estimating fuel consumption for agricultural tractors with partial drawbar loads were compared. Data were collected from eight John Deere tractors, JD 7230R (e23), 7250R (e23), 7270R (e23), 7290R (e23), 8320R (16 speed), 7290R (IVT), 8345RT (IVT), 8370R (IVT), on the drawbar test track at the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab. The tractors were tested with seven load levels per speed at three different travel speeds as close as possible to 7.5, 10, and 13 km h-1. The IVT tractors were operated in auto mode, and the geared tractors were shifted up three gears and throttled back to the …

A Novel Diffuse Fraction-Based Two-Leaf Light Use Efficiency Model: An Application Quantifying Photosynthetic Seasonality Across 20 Ameriflux Flux Tower Sites, Hao Yan, Shao-Qiang Wang, Kai-Liang Yu, Bin Wang, Qin Yu, Gil Bohrer, Dave P. Billesbach, Rosvel Bracho, Faiz Rahman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

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Diffuse radiation can increase canopy light use efficiency (LUE). This creates the need to differentiate the effects of direct and diffuse radiation when simulating terrestrial gross primary production (GPP). Here, we present a novel GPP model, the diffuse-fraction-based two-leaf model (DTEC), which includes the leaf response to direct and diffuse radiation, and treats maximum LUE for shaded leaves (ε_msh defined as a power function of the diffuse fraction (D_f)) and sunlit leaves (ε_msu defined as a constant) separately. An Amazonian rainforest site (KM67) was used to calibrate the model by simulating the linear relationship between …

Field Characterization Of Field Capacity And Root Zone Available Water Capacity For Variable Rate Irrigation, Tsz Him Lo, Derek M. Heeren, Luciano Mateos, Joe D. Luck, Derrel L. Martin, Keith A. Miller, J. Burdette Barker, Tim M. Shaver

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Accurate spatial characterization of field capacity (FC) and root zone available water capacity (R) can enhance site-specific management practices—such as variable rate irrigation—to lower input costs, reduce contaminant leaching, and/or improve crop yield. Measuring the volumetric water content after wet soils drain following substantial precipitation can provide a field estimate of FC. The average FC (FC_a) for the managed root zone was determined at thirty-two locations in a topographically variable field in south central Nebraska. The difference between FC and permanent wilting point estimates—computed using a pedotransfer function—yielded values for R for the observation locations. Sampling locations were …

Nebraska Public Water Supply Program Summary Report 2017

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality: Reports

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program under the authority of the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Under the SDWA and the 1986 Amendments, EPA sets national limits on contaminant levels in drinking water to ensure that the water is safe for human consumption. These limits are known as Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels (MRDLs). For some regulations, EPA establishes treatment techniques in lieu of an MCL to control unacceptable levels of contaminants in water.

2017 Nebraska Groundwater Quality Monitoring Report

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality: Reports

The 2001 Nebraska Legislature passed LB329 (Neb. Rev. Stat. §46-1304) which, in part, directed the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) to report on groundwater quality monitoring in Nebraska. Reports have been issued annually since December 2001. The text of the statute applicable to this report follows: “The Department of Environmental Quality shall prepare a report outlining the extent of ground water quality monitoring conducted by natural resources districts during the preceding calendar year. The department shall analyze the data collected for the purpose of determining whether or not ground water quality is degrading or improving and shall present the …

Performance Of Seed Treatments And In-Furrow At-Plant Insecticides For Protection Against Cry3bb1-Resistant Western Corn Rootworm, 2015, Jonas Victor De Macedo,, Kayla A. Mollet, Julie A. Peterson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The western corn rootworm is an important pest of corn that can compromise yield by feeding on plant roots during its larval stage. WCRW management has been complicated by the development of resistance in some regions, including Nebraska, to transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) traits, particularly the protein Cry3Bb1, which confers cross-resistance to mCry3A. A field trial was established to evaluate the efficacy of neonicotinoid seed treatments in combination with in-furrow insecticides on a corn hybrid expressing mCry3A Bt proteins against corn rootworm in an area with a history of rootworm resistance. The trial was conducted in a farmer’s field in …

Pumping Plant Performance, Derrel L. Martin, William Kranz, Suat Irmak, Daran Rudnick, Chuck Burr, Steve Melvin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Irrigation accounts for a large portion of the energy used in Nebraska agriculture. This paper describes a method to estimate the cost of pumping water and compares the amount of energy used by a properly designed and well-maintained pumping plant, represented by the Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria (NPPPC). The results can help determine the feasibility of repairing the pumping plant. Methods to compare energy sources are also presented. We recommend that you periodically arrange with a well drilling company to test the efficiency of your pump. Worksheets for pumping plant performance are included in the appendix.

Moving Integrated Weed Management From Low Level To A Truly Integrated And Highly Specific Weed Management System Using Advanced Technologies, S. L. Young, S. K. Pitla, F. K. Van Evert, J. K. Schueller, F. J. Pierce

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Integrated weed management (IWM) is one of the most commonly referred to approaches for sustainable and effective weed control in agriculture, yet it is not widely practiced, likely because current IWM systems fail to meet performance expectations of growers. The effectiveness and value of IWM systems should increase with increasing application specificity and true integration made possible with contemporary advances in technology, information systems and decision support. IWM systems can be classified based on their degree of application specificity and level of integration of tactics. In the application specificity pathway, a tactic is applied at a range of scales, from …

Optical Probing Of Gastrocnemius In Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease Characterizes Myopathic Biochemical Alterations And Correlates With Stage Of Disease, Ryan A. Becker, Kim Cluff, Nithyanandhi Duraisamy, Hootan Mehraein, Hussam Farhoud, Tracie Collins, George P. Casale, Iraklis I. Pipinos, Jeyamkondan Subbiah

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition caused by atherosclerotic blockages in the arteries supplying the lower limbs and is characterized by ischemia of the leg, progressive myopathy, and increased risk of limb loss. The affected leg muscles undergo significant changes of their biochemistry and metabolism including variations in the levels of many key proteins, lipids, and nucleotides. The mechanisms behind these changes are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to correlate the severity of the PAD disease stage and associated hemodynamic limitation (determined by the ankle brachial index, ABI) in the legs of the patients with alterations …

A Comprehensive Dosimetric Study On Switching From A Type-B To A Type-C Dose Algorithm For Modern Lung Sbrt, Christina Zhou, Nathan Bennion, Rongtao Ma, Xiaoying Liang, Shuo Wang, Kristina Zvolanek, Megan Hyun, Xiaobo Li, Sumin Zhou, Weining Zhen, Chi Lin, Andrew Wahl, Dandan Zheng

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Background: Type-C dose algorithms provide more accurate dosimetry for lung SBRT treatment planning. However, because current dosimetric protocols were developed based on conventional algorithms, its applicability for the new generation algorithms needs to be determined. Previous studies on this issue used small sample sizes and reached discordant conclusions. Our study assessed dose calculation of a Type-C algorithm with current dosimetric protocols in a large patient cohort, in order to demonstrate the dosimetric impacts and necessary treatment planning steps of switching from a Type-B to a Type-C dose algorithm for lung SBRT planning.

Methods: Fifty-two lung SBRT patients were included, each …

Creation Of An Injectable In Situ Gelling Native Extracellular Matrix For Nucleus Pulposus Tissue Engineering, Rebecca A. Wachs, Ella N. Hoogenboezem, Hammad I. Huda, Shangjing Xin, Stacy L. Porvasnik, Christine E. Schmidt

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Background Context: Disc degeneration is the leading cause of low back pain and is often characterized by a loss of disc height, resulting from cleavage of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) present in the nucleus pulposus. Intact CSPGs are critical to water retention and maintenance of the nucleus osmotic pressure. Decellularization of healthy nucleus pulposus tissue has the potential to serve as an ideal matrix for tissue engineering of the disc because of the presence of native disc proteins and CSPGs. Injectable in situ gelling matrices are the most viable therapeutic option to prevent damage to the anulus fibrosus and future …

Tractor Power Take-Off Torque Measurement And Data Acquisition System, James Bw Roeber, Santosh Pitla, Roger M. Hoy, Joe D. Luck, Michael F. Kocher

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

With the mechanization of agricultural operations, agricultural machinery management has become an extensive research field. Sizing tractors and implements to provide the most efficient power transfer has become an ongoing process with advances in technology. Utilization of the rotational power transferred through gear trains from the tractor engine to the power take-off (PTO) shaft is one of the most efficient methods of power transfer to an implement. This research used commercially available torque sensors that were installed on a tractor PTO shaft for measuring the torque delivered to an implement. The torque sensor was calibrated using the Nebraska Tractor Test …

Chitosan-Zein Nano-In-Microparticles Capable Of Mediating In Vivo Transgene Expression Following Oral Delivery, Eric Farris, Deborah M. Brown, Amanda Ramer-Tait, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The oral route is an attractive delivery route for the administration of DNA-based therapeutics, specifically for applications in gene therapy and DNA vaccination. However, oral DNA delivery is complicated by the harsh and variable conditions encountered throughout gastrointestinal (GI) transit, leading to degradation of the delivery vector and DNA cargo, and subsequent inefficient delivery to target cells. In this work, we demonstrate the development and optimization of a hybrid-dual particulate delivery system consisting of two natural biomaterials, zein (ZN) and chitosan (CS), to mediate oral DNA delivery. Chitosan-Zein Nano-in-Microparticles (CS-ZN-NIMs), consisting of core Chitosan/DNA nanoparticles (CS/DNA NPs) prepared by ionic …

A Case Study Of Field-Scale Maize Irrigation Patterns In Western Nebraska: Implications For Water Managers And Recommendations For Hyper-Resolution Land Surface Modeling, Justin P. Gibson, Trenton E. Franz, Tiejun Wang, John Gates, Patricio Grassini, Haishun Yang, Dean E. Eisenhauer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

In many agricultural regions, the human use of water for irrigation is often ignored or poorly represented in land surface models (LSMs) and operational forecasts. Because irrigation increases soil moisture, feedback on the surface energy balance, rainfall recycling, and atmospheric dynamics is not represented and may lead to reduced model skill. In this work, we describe four plausible and relatively simple irrigation routines that can be coupled to the next generation of hyper-resolution LSMs operating at scales of 1 km or less. The irrigation output from the four routines (crop model, precipitation delayed, evapotranspiration replacement, and vadose zone model) is …

Crop Classification And Lai Estimation Using Original And Resolution-Reduced Images From Two Consumer-Grade Cameras, Jian Zhang, Chenghai Yang, Biquan Zhao, Huaibo Song, Wesley Clint Hoffmann, Yeyin Shi, Dongyan Zhang, Guozhong Zhang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Consumer-grade cameras are being increasingly used for remote sensing applications in recent years. However, the performance of this type of cameras has not been systematically tested and well documented in the literature. The objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of original and resolution-reduced images taken from two consumer-grade cameras, a RGB camera and a modified near-infrared (NIR) camera, for crop identification and leaf area index (LAI) estimation. Airborne RGB and NIR images taken over a 6.5-square-km cropping area were mosaicked and aligned to create a four-band mosaic with a spatial resolution of 0.4 m. The spatial resolution …

Nanoparticle For Targeting Brain Tumors And Delivery Of O6 - Benzylguanine, University Of Washington, Seattle

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nanoparticle having a crosslinked chitosan - polyethylene oxide oligomer copolymer coating to which O⁶ - benzylgua nine is covalently coupled , compositions that include the nanoparticle , and methods for using the nanoparticle to treat brain cancers .

Evaluation Of Valiantzas’ Simplified Forms Of The Fao-56 Penman-Monteith Reference Evapotranspiration Model In A Humid Climate, Koffi Djaman, Daran Rudnick, Valere C. Mel, Denis Mutiibwa, Lamine Diop, Mamadou Sall, Isa Kabenge, Ansoumana Bodian, Hossein Tabari, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The unavailability of some meteorological variables, especially solar radiation and wind speed, is the main constraint for reference evapotranspiration (ETo) estimation using the standard United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Penman–Monteith (FAO-PM) equation in most developing countries. The application of ETo methods with fewer input requirements is necessary under limited climatic data conditions. The FAO-PM method under limited data conditions and nine of Valiantzas’ equations were evaluated for daily ETo estimation in a humid climate in Uganda. The FAO-PM method with missing relative humidity data performed very well across Uganda, whereas using the long-term local wind speed average values …

Crop Canopy Sensor Orientation For Late Season Nitrogen Determination In Corn, T. M. Shaver, Greg Kruger, Daran Rudnick

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in irrigated corn production is of great importance to overall agricultural sustainability. Studies have shown that crop canopy sensors can aid in this pursuit as they allow for the determination of nitrogen (N) requirements in split applications later in the growing season. Fertigation can also increase NUE as many split applications can be conducted. If crop canopy sensors could be used to direct N fertigation rates, overall NUE may be increased even further. However, in some cases, N differences may need to be determined later in the growing season after corn has tasseled, which can …

Spatial And Temporal Changes In Maize And Soybean Grain Yield, Precipitation Use Efficiency, And Crop Water Productivity In The U.S. Great Plains, Meetpal S. Kukal, S. Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Sustainable agricultural utilization of the limited water resources demands improvements in understanding the changes in crop water productivity (CWP) in space and time, which is often presented as a potential solution to relieve the growing pressure on fresh water resources. In addition, crop yield needs to be studied in relation to precipitation received annually and during the growing season for its contribution to reduce irrigation water requirements, which is quantified through precipitation use efficiency (PUE). Hence, systematic quantifications, mapping, and analyses of large-scale CWP and PUE levels are needed. This study aims to quantify long-term (1982-2013) information on grain yield, …

In Vitro Porcine Blastocyst Development In Three-Dimensional Alginate Hydrogels, Jeremy R. Miles, Taylor D. Laughlin, Catherine Sargus-Patino, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Appropriate embryonic and fetal development significantly impact pregnancy success and, therefore, the efficiency of swine production. The pre-implantation period of porcine pregnancy is characterized by several developmental hallmarks, which are initiated by the dramatic morphological change that occurs as pig blastocysts elongate from spherical to filamentous blastocysts. Deficiencies in blastocyst elongation contribute to approximately 20% of embryonic loss, and have a direct influence on within-litter birth weight variation. Although factors identified within the uterine environment may play a role in blastocyst elongation, little is known about the exact mechanisms by which porcine (or other species’) blastocysts initiate and progress through …

Laboratory And Full Boom-Based Investigation Of Nozzle Setup Error Effects On Flow, Pressure, And Spray Pattern Distribution, Shane H. Forney, Joe D. Luck, Michael F. Kocher, Santosh Pitla

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Pesticide application is an integral part of crop production, and ground-based agricultural boom sprayers are used extensively to apply pesticides to the crop canopy or soil surface across millions of acres in the United States. Efficient application is necessary to minimize costs and limit adverse environmental impacts. The goals of this study were to provide quantified measurements on the effects of nozzle setup errors on spray pattern uniformity and evaluate how laboratory patternator-based simulations would compare to measurements on a full spray boom. More specific objectives were to determine the effects of factors such as nozzle lateral angle, nozzle spacing, …

Tractor Power Take-Off Torque Measurement And Data Acquisition System, James B. W. Roeber, Santosh K. Pitla, R. M. Hoy, J. D. Luck, Michael F. Kocher

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

With the mechanization of agricultural operations, agricultural machinery management has become an extensive research field. Sizing tractors and implements to provide the most efficient power transfer has become an ongoing process with advances in technology. Utilization of the rotational power transferred through gear trains from the tractor engine to the power take-off (PTO) shaft is one of the most efficient methods of power transfer to an implement. This research used commercially available torque sensors that were installed on a tractor PTO shaft for measuring the torque delivered to an implement. The torque sensor was calibrated using the Nebraska Tractor Test …

Laboratory And Full Boom-Based Investigation Of Nozzle Setup Error Effects On Flow, Pressure, And Spray Pattern Distribution, S. H. Forney, J. D. Luck, Michael F. Kocher, Santosh K. Pitla

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Pesticide application is an integral part of crop production, and ground-based agricultural boom sprayers are used extensively to apply pesticides to the crop canopy or soil surface across millions of acres in the United States. Efficient application is necessary to minimize costs and limit adverse environmental impacts. The goals of this study were to provide quantified measurements on the effects of nozzle setup errors on spray pattern uniformity and evaluate how laboratory patternator-based simulations would compare to measurements on a full spray boom. More specific objectives were to determine the effects of factors such as nozzle lateral angle, nozzle spacing, …

Sugar Versus Lipid For Sustainable Biofuels, Yaşar Demirel

Yaşar Demirel Publications

Introduction

First‐generation biofuels, namely, ethanol and biodiesel, have led to far reaching impact on the peoples’ life world‐wide.[1] However, they inter-fere with the food supply chain and may not be sustainable although some of the biomass are converted to biofuels after those biomasses have met the human needs. Still, the first‐generation–based biofuels have proved that sugar and lipid platforms can be an answer to energy security and global warming concerns without the need for new infrastructure for feedstock delivery as well as for biomass‐to‐biofuel conversion tech-nologies. At the same time, we are discovering and assessing the long‐term environmental im-plications on …