Life Sciences Commons^™

Wisteria In The Garden, Michael Caron, Taun Beddes, Gabriela Judd

All Current Publications

Wisteria is a vigorous, cold-hardy, long-lived, true climbing/twining vine best known for large panicles of beautiful spring blooming flowers. This fact sheet describes varieties, how to grow, and pruning and training.

Brand Comparison For Electric Programmable Pressure Cookers, Susan Haws, Teresa Hunsaker, Debra Proctor, Ellen Serfustini, Karin Allen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet shows results of a brand comparisons for four different electric programmable pressure cookers. Cuisinart, Deni, Fagor, and Nesco were tested using five different foods, at four different altitudes.

Safety Guide For The Adventurous Outdoor Hiker, Lori Bailey, Cindy Nelson

All Current Publications

This tri-fold brochure gives safety tips for hikers, especially 4-H youth.

The Role Of Fire In Aspen Ecology And Restoration, Douglas J. Shinneman, Kevin D. Krasnow, Susan K. Mcilroy

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen is generally considered to be a fire-adapted species because it regenerates prolifically after fire, and it can be replaced by more shade-tolerant tree species in the absence of fire. As early-successional aspen stands transition to greater conifer-dominance, they become increasingly fire prone, until fire returns, and aspen again temporarily dominate. While this disturbance-succession cycle is critical to the persistence of aspen on many landscapes, some aspen stands persist on the landscape without fire. The complex role of fire is an important consideration for developing conservation and restoration strategies intended to sustain aspen.

Gardening In Sandy Soils, Katie Wagner, Michael R. Kuhns, Grant Cardon

All Current Publications

This fact sheet covers the basics of clay, silt and sand soils with an emphasis on gardening in soils with a high sand content. It includes information on the composition of sandy soils, gardening tips for managing sandy soils, and the types of plants that grow best in sandy soils.

Gardening In Clay Soils, Katie Wagner, Michael R. Kuhns, Grant Cardon

All Current Publications

This fact sheet covers the basics of clay, silt and sand soils with an emphasis on gardening in soils with a high clay content. It includes information on the composition of clay soils, gardening tips for managing clay soils, and the types of plants that grow best in clay soils.

Ornamental Grasses In The Landscape, A Guide For The Intermountain West, Jaydee Gunnell, Jerry L. Goodspeed, Richard M. Anderson

All Current Publications

This publication illustrates basic identifying structures and features of grasses in general, as well as key taxonomic characteristics that horticulturists use in classifying the different species. It also covers how to use ornamental grasses in landscape settings and highlights some of the commonly grown ornamental species that are adapted to the Intermountain West.

Zebra Chip Disease Of Potato, Claudie Nischwitz, Shawn Olsen, Ron Patterson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes Zebra Chip disease of potatoes, including symptoms, disease cycle, and how to manage it.

Vegetable Irrigation: Squash And Pumpkin, Tiffany Maughan, Dan Drost, L. Niel Allen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses the basic principles of irrigation systems, whether furrow, sprinkler or drip, that will help ensure proper irrigation of squash and pumpkin.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils And Trans Fats Information For Consumers, Karin Allen

All Current Publications

Companies have been given until June 2018 to remove PHOs from the foods they produce, or to petition the FDA to allow specific uses for trans fats. The FDA has not banned trans fats. But what does that mean? And how will it change the foods we eat? To help consumers understand the FDA's actions, this fact sheet looks at three questions: What is trans fat? What are PHOs? What will replace PHOs?

Irrigation Of Safflower In Northern Utah, L. Niel Allen, J. Earl Creech, Michael G. Pace, Clark E. Israelsen

All Current Publications

Most safflower in northern Utah and southern Idaho is grown under dryland conditions; however, irrigated safflower can provide higher yields and increase net returns. Two perceived concerns with irrigated safflower are an increase the severity of Alternaria leaf spot disease and delayed maturity in the fall. The results of studies to determine impact of irrigation on safflower yield and Alternaria leaf spot disease are presented in this fact sheet..

Candidatus Liberibacter Of Pepper, Claudia Nischwitz

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes Candidatus Liberibacter which infects pepper plants.

Variation In Trembling Aspen And White Spruce Wood Quality Grown In Mixed And Single Species Stands In The Boreal Mixedwood Forest, Francis De Araujo, James F. Hart, Shawn D. Mansfield

Aspen Bibliography

The Canadian boreal forest is largely represented by mixed wood forests of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx). In this study, a total of 300 trees originating from three sites composed of trembling aspen and white spruce with varying compositions were investigated for wood quality traits: one site was composed mainly of aspen, one mainly of spruce and a third was a mixed site. Four wood quality traits were examined: wood density, microfibril angle (MFA), fibre characteristics, and cell wall chemistry. Social classes were also determined for each site in an attempt …

Farm Newsletter, Usu Student Organic Farm

USU Student Organic Farm Newsletter

As we warm up from the cold season, expect the variety in the shares in increase. For the first few weeks there will be cold hardy plants such as leafy greens and some herbs. By next spring you will be craving our thick dark green spinach! Check out the recipe for ideas of how to use all these fabulous greens in your meals!

Factors Influencing Farmers' Utilization Of Auto-Guidance Technology In Northern Utah, Thomas A. Bleazard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Few studies have documented the use of auto-guidance technologies in the western United States. This study sought to discover farmers’ training preferences and what drives adoption of auto-guidance systems in northern Utah. A presentation of auto-guidance systems was made to crop school attendees. Afterwards an auto-guidance simulator was used to demonstrate to participants how these systems worked and let them engage in an experiential learning experience with laptops. A survey was administered to collect information on farmers’ training preferences and use of auto-guidance technologies. Results of the survey showed that farmers have a large interest in learning about auto-guidance technologies, …

Mitigation Of Medusahead (Taeniatherum Caput-Medusae) Through Grazing And Revegetation On The Channeled Scablands Of Eastern Washington, Clinton A. Stonecipher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A large portion of the historical steppe and shrub-steppe habitats in eastern Washington have been altered through biotic and abiotic processes resulting in the annual grass medusahead becoming a large component of the altered vegetation. Experiments were conducted to determine: 1) if supplementing cattle with protein would help increase utilization of medusahead, 2) the grass species that could establish in the region, and 3) if mechanical disturbance would aid in such revegetation efforts. Cattle grazing medusahead-infested rangeland increased consumption of medusahead after all forage matured due to a reduction in the quality of forage alternatives. Cattle supplemented with protein increased …

Economic Assessment Of Organic, Eco-Friendly, And Conventional Peach Production Methods In Northern Utah, Trevor D. Knudsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fruit producers in Northern Utah face several challenges to their production, urbanization, decreased availability of agricultural land, and competition from domestic producers and imports. As consumers are willing to pay premiums for foods differentiated by production method, such as eco-friendly and organic, conversion to these methods may increase the profitability of fruit growing operations.

This study found that consumers in Northern Utah are willing to pay a premium for peaches grown using organic and eco-friendly production practices over conventionally grown peaches. The study also found that of the three methods of peach production examined (conventional, eco-friendly, and organic), organic had …

Water Decision-Making Under Uncertainty, Augustina Yaa Oye Odame

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation is made up of three separate studies under the unifying theme of “Water Decision-Making under Uncertainty.” The first study analyzed a farmer’s decision to invest in a more efficient irrigation system given uncertainty about future water supplies and his post-investment efficiency. It found the price at which farmers would no longer produce to be a bigger consideration in irrigation investment than previously thought. It also found support for a careful identification and consideration of all significant sources of uncertainty in order to create better policy incentives for irrigation technology investments.

The second study extended the first to allow …

Gardening And Landscaping Practices For Nesting Native Bees, James H. Cane

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes simple landscaping and gardening practices that can provide essential nesting needs of native bees, including ground nesting, twig and stem nesting, and wood nesting.

Vegetable Irrigation: Sweet Pepper And Tomato, Tiffany Maughan, Dan Drost, L. Niel Allen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses basic principles that will help ensure proper irrigation of sweet pepper and tomato.

Disinfectants Against Avian Influenza Viruses, David D. Frame

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes disinfectants that can be used to fight against Avian influenza viruses, including the advantages, disadvantages and how to use.

Vegetable Irrigation: Onion, Tiffany Maughan, Dan Drost, L. Niel Allen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses the basic principles for properly irrigating onions.

Preventing Back Injury While Working In Agriculture, Rhonda Miller Ph.D., Anne Brown-Reither

Agriculture

This fact sheet describes sources of back pain for those working in agriculture, and suggests devices and equipment that can replace the need to do repetitive manual lifting that often causes back injuries.,

Raspberry Management For Utah, Tiffany Maughan, Brent Black

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides a general guide to raspberry production that can be adapted for both home use and for small-scale commercial production.

Signs Of Kidding And Care During And After Kids Are Born, C. Kim Chapman, Justen Smith

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes the various parts of the parturition (kidding) process and the basic signals which does usually exhibit for each three stages of the process.

Preventing Back Injury While Working In Agriculture, Rhonda Miller, Anne Brown-Reither

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes sources of back pain for those working in agriculture, and suggests devices and equipment that can replace the need to do repetitive manual lifting that often causes back injuries.,

Managing Ungulate Browsing For Sustainable Aspen, Samuel B. St. Clair, Paul C. Rogers, Michael R. Kuhns

Aspen Bibliography

In montane forests of the Intermountain West composition and function are often defined by what happens with quaking aspen. Aspen is a pioneer species that regenerates quickly following disturbance and then establishes ecological conditions under which the rest of the biological community develops. Quaking aspen forests have high biodiversity and provide ideal habitat for many animals. Aspen regeneration from root sprouts is highly palatable to wildlife and livestock. When browsing becomes chronic it leads to regeneration failure and eventual loss of aspen forests and associated species. Ironically, this can result in habitat and forage loss for wildlife and livestock. Here …

Building Resilience Into Quaking Aspen Management, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

Throughout the 20^th century, forest scientists and land managers were guided by principles of succession with regard to aspen forests. The historical model depicted aspen as a "pioneer species" that colonizes a site following disturbance and is eventually overtopped by conifers. Aspen systems are more diverse, however, than previously described. Not only are there distinctive seral and stable aspen, but variations within these types require appropriate management considerations (Rogers et al. 2014). We recommend a strategic approach to aspen resilience that builds upon traditional aspen ecology and incorporates knowledge of varying aspen functional types, effective monitoring, historical disturbance ecology, …

Recycling In Utah: Green Waste For Compost, Rebecca Mills, Craig Pearson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet is part of a series highlighting different recyclable commodities, and focuses on green waste recycling for compost.

The Optimal Cow Size For Intermountain Cow-Calf Operations, Jesse Russell, Dillon Feuz

All Current Publications

Research has shown that as a cow’s mature weight increases, feed efficiency decreases, as well as reproductive efficiency and other production factors. The purpose of this fact sheet is to illustrate the differences economically between three different cow weights (1,000 lbs., 1,200 lbs. and 1,400 lbs.) on three different resource bases.