Agriculture Commons^™

Biomethane Production From Distillery Wastewater, Zachary Christman

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

Distillery wastewater treatment is a great ecological problem, for example, India produces 2.7 billion liters of alcohol that results in 40 billion liters of wastewater. However, this material can be seen as a resource since 11 million cubic meters of biogas at 60% methane could be produced in addition to cleaning the water. The distillery has two options of what to do with the biogas. The first is to use the biogas to fuel the distillery making the production plant more energy efficient and removing some of the need to buy natural gas. The other is to upgrade the biogas …

Nebline, June 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Understanding How Climate Change Affects Nebraska and Agriculture

Are You Drinking or Eating Enough Dairy Foods for the Health Benefits?

Recipe of the Month

Floods and Trees: Helping Trees Recover

Pretty Things That Pollinate

Perennial Plants for Pollinators

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Pollinator Week: June 17–23

Upcoming Early Childhood Trainings

Nebraska Early Development Network

HEART OF 4-H Volunteer: Glenda Willnerd

JUNE 15 DEADLINE: 4-H Member Online Enrollment; Youth for the Quality Care of Animals Requirements for ANY Livestock Exhibitor; 4-H Projects Updated; Volunteer Online Enrollment; 4-H/FFA Animal IDs

4-H Sewing Help

4-H Clover Kids Animal Showmanship Change …

Introduction To Sorghum Paper Production, Zachary Christman

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

Sorghum is a tall grass used for many commercial products such as fodder and syrup. The 10 to 15 feet stalk of the plant has lower lignin than wood and provides a fiber length of 2.31 mm in the outer covering and 1.38 mm for the leaf. Sorghum fiber makes a high quality, strong paper suitable for printing, packaging and paperboard.

Dna Barcoding Of Pratylenchus From Agroecosystems In The Northern Great Plains Of North America, Mehmet Ozbayrak

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

Pratylenchus species are among the most common plant parasitic nematodes in the Great Plains Region. The objectives of this study were to barcode Pratylenchus specimens for species identification in the Great Plains region using mitochondrial CO1 DNA barcode. In order to (1) determine species boundaries, (2) assess the host associations of barcoded Pratylenchus, (3) to determine the distribution patterns across the Great Plains Region and, (4) to evaluate the species status of P. scribneri and P. hexincisus by a multivariate morphological analysis of haplotype groups identified by DNA barcoding. Soil samples, primarily associated with eight major crops, were collected …

Establishment Of Perennial Legumes With An Annual Warm-Season Grass As A Companion Crop, Martina N. La Vallie

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

The yields of perennial forage legumes are often hindered during the establishment year due to slow germination rates and weed competition. This study was conducted to determine if sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor x S. bicolor var. sudanese) is a compatible annual companion crop for increased forage production, weed suppression, and legume establishment. In 2016, sorghum-sudangrass was paired with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ‘Ranger’), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), Illinois bundleflower [Desmanthus illinoensis (Michx.) MacMill. ex B.L. Rob. & Fernald], purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata Michx.). We studied effects of a …

Nebline, May 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

25 Years of Earth Wellness Festival: A Generation of Students Have Learned Value of Environmental Resources

Malcolm 4th Graders Learn About Healthy Choices

Recipe of the Month

2019 Cash Rent Survey

Bagworm Control in Windbreaks

Choosing the Best Bug Spray to Protect Your Family From Mosquitoes and Ticks

2019 Herb of the Year

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

Children and Mindful Eating

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Susan Martin

Babysitting Training, June 18

4-H Announcements for 4-H'ers and Volunteers

Clover College

Upcoming Landscape Workshops

Extension News: New Domestic Water and Wastewater Extension Associate

Extension News: Two New Interns …

Use Of Annual Forage Mixtures In Crop/Livestock Production Systems In Nebraska, Nathan Paul Pflueger

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

Success of integrating annual forages into crop and livestock systems throughout Nebraska may be variable depending on field location, field/forage crop management, and precipitation. There are many different warm- and cool-season annual forage species available for integrating crop and livestock systems at different times of the year. Mixtures of cereal species, such as oats (Avena sativa)) and spring peas (Pisum sativum)), are often used to optimize forage quantity and forage quality. Our two-year, three location study across Nebraska’s precipitation gradient suggested that forage quantity and quality may vary by location due to different precipitation amounts received …

Effect Of Soil-Applied Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase Inhibitor Herbicides On Soybean Seedling Disease, Nicholas J. Arneson

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

Seedling disease is one the most economically important diseases of soybean in the United States. It is commonly caused by Fusarium spp., Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium spp., and Phytophthora sojae, alone, or together as a disease complex. Fungicide seed treatments continue to provide the most consistent management of seedling diseases. Soil-applied protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitor herbicides are used preemergence in soybean production to manage several broadleaf weeds. Applications of PPO-inhibitors can result in phytotoxic injury to soybean when environmental conditions are not favorable for soybean growth. These environmental conditions can favor seedling disease development as well. In this thesis, two …

Genome-Wide Association Studies In Maize And Sorghum, Preston Hurst

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

Genome-wide association studies are used to identify genetic variants associated with a particular phenotype. GWAS has been used in a variety of taxa, from humans, to fish to plants . The present analysis is focused on two species important to the human species: maize and sorghum. A GWAS in maize was carried out on the modification of the Ga1-s allele. The Ga1 locus has long been studied as being involved in a unilateral crossing barrier . However, it has long been suspected that the locus is modified by background genetic factors . GWAS was used to observe candidates for this …

Co2 Flux And C Balance Due To The Replacement Of Bare Soil With Agro-Ecological Service Crops In Mediterranean Environment, Emanuele Radicetti, O. Adewale Osipitan, Ali Reza Safahani Langeroodi, Sara Marinari, Roberto Mancinelli

Haskell Agricultural Laboratory (Northeast Research and Extension Center)

Intensive agriculture practices often results in decomposition of organic matter, thus causing soil CO₂ emissions. Agro-ecological service crop could be profitably cultivated to improve soil characteristics and reduce CO₂ emissions under Mediterranean environment. Two-year field trials were conducted in central Italy. The treatments were three agro-ecological service crops (hairy vetch, oat, and oilseed rape) and a no-service cover. Plant development, soil characteristics, and CO₂ emissions were measured. Oat and oilseed rape showed a rapid growth, while hairy vetch started to grow rapidly only after the cold period. Soil CO₂ emissions trend was similar among the agro-ecological …

Nebline, April 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Two Extension Programs Help Grow Lincoln’s Healthy Environment

Double Up Food Bucks

Choose Healthy Here

Focus on Moving More in April

Recipe of the Month

Field Conditions and Planting

Beneficial Fungi and Tree Health

Response to Bed Bugs: Panic vs. Reasonable Actions

Cleaning Up After Rodents

2019 Perennial Plant of the Year

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

Laugh Out Loud — Developing Humor in Children

Upcoming Early Childhood Trainings

HEART OF 4-H-Megan Starner

Kiwanis Karnival, April 12

Horse Bits

Teen Council 4-H’ers Are True Leaders at 4-H Lock-In

New in 4-H at Super Fair

Youth for the Quality …

Nebline, March 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Emerald ash borer in Lancaster County: What to do now

Eat more dark-green veggies for St. Patrick’s Day and beyond

Recipe of the Month

Ag Estate Planning Workshop, March 5

Farmland Rent Meeting, March 14

Dicamba training, March 12

Early spring pest control for evergreen trees

Dropping like flies

Spring bird behaviors can be fascinating

2019 vegetable All-America Selections winners

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

Addressing implicit bias

Upcoming early childhood trainings

Lincoln Early Childhood Conference

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Lois Muhlbach

4-H Achievement Celebration

Pick-A-Pig club first meeting, March 17

Rabbit Show, April 27

4-H camps …

Nutrient Management Suggestions For Corn, Charles A. Shapiro, Richard Ferguson, Charles S. Wortmann, Bijesh Maharjan, Brian T. Krienke

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Fertilizer nutrient requirements for corn are based on expected yield and soil nutrient availability. The preplant nitrogen (N) recommendation equation, with adjustment for fertilizer cost and time of application, is retained from the previous edition of this publication. Suggestions for in-season nitrogen decisions are briefly outlined. The major change is providing a phosphorus (P) recommendation based on yield history with an implied intent to build and maintain soil test P above the critical level, which has not changed.

Development Of A Nitrogen Recommendation Tool For Corn Considering Static And Dynamic Variables, Laila A. Puntel, Agustin Pagani, Sotirios V. Archontoulis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Many soil and weather variables can affect the economical optimum nitrogen (N) rate (EONR) for maize. We classified 54 potential factors as dynamic (change rapidly over time, e.g. soil water) and static (change slowly over time, e.g. soil organic matter) and explored their relative importance on EONR and yield prediction by analyzing a dataset with 51 N trials from Central-West region of Argentina. Across trials, the average EONR was 113 ± 83 kg N ha⁻¹ and the average optimum yield was 12.3 ± 2.2 Mg ha⁻¹, which is roughly 50% higher than the current N rates used …

Improving The Distribution And Use Of Biogas By Conversion To Methanol, Zachary Christman

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

In this technology review, the process of turning an average biogas into methanol will be presented. The purpose is to find a better method of transporting the energy contained within biogas so that it may be used in industry as a value added product. The first step is removal of hydrogen sulfide, a corrosive chemical that can breakdown mechanical parts. The second step is carbon capture and conversion of the biogas into hydrogen. The final step is the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into methanol using a copper catalyst and an alcohol co-catalyst.

Nebline, February 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

EFNEP celebrates 50 years of nutrition education

Tips to lower your risk for heart disease

Recipe of the Month

Pesticide applicator trainings

Successful Farmer Series runs through Feb. 8

Nut Orchard Seminar, Feb. 21

ProHort Lawn & Landscape Update

More than drugs and tobacco: Drugstore and cigarette beetles

Now’s the time to get birdhouses ready for spring

2019 flower All-America Selections

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

What’s going on in the world of early childhood?

Upcoming early childhood trainings

HEART OF 4-H Volunteer Award: Travis Hodtwalker

Meet 2018–2019 4-H Teen Council

IT’S TIME TO RE-ENROLL IN 4-H!

Seeking …

Assessing The Value Of Grazed Corn Residue For Crop And Cattle Producers, Daren Redfearn, Jay Parsons, Mary Drewnoski, Marty Schmer, Rob Mitchell, James Macdonald, Jaymelynn Farney, Alexander Smart

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Integrated crop–livestock systems have included grazing perennial grasses during the spring and summer and corn (Zea mays L.) residues during the winter. Our objectives were to identify opportunities for expanded corn residue use through grazing and provide an economic assessment for value-added grazing. We estimated the economic value to the crop sector through grazing leased corn residue at over $95 million for Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, and North Dakota under current management. Additionally, gross economic value to the livestock sector in these states was estimated at greater than $191 million. Advantages for increased grazing use of corn residue include …

Utilizing Trait Networks And Structural Equation Models As Tools To Interpret Multi‑Trait Genome‑Wide Association Studies, Mehdi Momen, Malachy T. Campbell, Harkamal Walia, Gota Morota

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: Plant breeders seek to develop cultivars with maximal agronomic value, which is often assessed using numerous, often genetically correlated traits. As intervention on one trait will affect the value of another, breeding decisions should consider the relationships among traits in the context of putative causal structures (i.e., trait networks). While multi-trait genome-wide association studies (MTM-GWAS) can infer putative genetic signals at the multivariate scale, standard MTM-GWAS does not accommodate the network structure of phenotypes, and therefore does not address how the traits are interrelated. We extended the scope of MTM-GWAS by incorporating trait network structures into GWAS using structural …

Joint Use Of Genome, Pedigree, And Their Interaction With Environment For Predicting The Performance Of Wheat Lines In New Environments, Réka Howard, Daniel Gianola, Osval Montesinos-Lopez, Philomin Juliana, Ravi Singh, Jesse Poland, Sandesh Shrestha, Paulino Pérez-Rodriguez, José Crossa, Diego Jarquin

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Genome-enabled prediction plays an essential role in wheat breeding because it has the potential to increase the rate of genetic gain relative to traditional phenotypic and pedigree-based selection. Since the performance of wheat lines is highly influenced by environmental stimuli, it is important to accurately model the environment and its interaction with genetic factors in prediction models. Arguably, multi-environmental best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) may deliver better prediction performance than single-environment genomic BLUP. We evaluated pedigree and genome-based prediction using 35,403 wheat lines from the Global Wheat Breeding Program of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). We implemented …

Rapid Metabolism Increases The Level Of 2,4-D Resistance At High Temperature In Common Waterhemp (Amaranthus Tuberculatus), Chandrima Shyam, Amit J. Jhala, Greg Kruger, Mithila Jugulam

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Common waterhemp emerges throughout the crop growing season in the Midwestern United States, and as a result, the seedlings are exposed to a wide range of temperature regimes. Typically, 2,4-D is used in the Midwest to control winter annual broad-leaf weeds before planting soybean and in an early post-emergence application in corn and sorghum; however, the evolution of 2,4-D-resistant common waterhemp in several Midwestern states may limit the use of 2.4-D for controlling this problem weed. Moreover, temperature is one of the crucial factors affecting weed control efficacy of 2,4-D. This research investigated the effect of temperature on efficacy of …

Nebline, January 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

2018 Extension highlights

Benefit to people

Teaching, growing and making a difference

36,520 youth engaged in 4-H programs

Extension’s volunteers worth nearly $700,000

New Year, new you: Nutrition tips to a healthier you

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Pesticide applicator 2019 training dates

Ag Estate and Succession Planning workshop, Jan. 23 & March 5

Successful Farmer Series

Upcoming green industry conferences

Extension’s 2019 Master Gardener trainings, two sites available

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

Sticky situation: Using glue boards to monitor pests

HEART OF 4-H Volunteer Award: Susan Bulling

IT’S TIME TO RE-ENROLL IN 4-H!

Meet 2018–2019 4-H Council …

Development Of Chlorophyll-Meter-Index-Based Dynamic Models For Evaluation Of High-Yield Japonica Rice Production In Yangtze River Reaches, Ke Zhang, Xiaojun Liu, Syed Tahir Ata-Ul-Karim, Songyang Li, Brian Krienke, Songyang Li, Qiang Cao, Yan Zhu, Weixing Cao, Yongchao Tian

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Accurate estimation of the nitrogen (N) spatial distribution of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is imperative when it is sought to maintain regional and global carbon balances. We systematically evaluated the normalized differences of the soil and plant analysis development (SPAD) index (the normalized difference SPAD indexes, NDSIs) between the upper (the first and second leaves from the top), and lower (the third and fourth leaves from the top) leaves of Japonica rice. Four multi-location, multi-N rate (0–390 kg ha^-1) field experiments were conducted using seven Japonica rice cultivars (9915, 27123, Wuxiangjing14, Wunyunjing19, Wunyunjing24, Liangyou9, and Yongyou8). Growth …

A Spatial Framework For Ex-Ante Impact Assessment Of Agricultural Technologies, José F. Andrade, Juan I. Rattalino Edreira, Andrew Farrow, Marloes P. Van Loon, Peter Q. Craufurd, Jairos Rurinda, Shamie Zingore, Jordan Chamberlin, Lieven Claessens, Julius Adewopo, Martin K. Van Ittersum, Kenneth G. Cassman, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Traditional agricultural research and extension relies on replicated field experiments, on-farm trials, and demonstration plots to evaluate and adapt agronomic technologies that aim to increase productivity, reduce risk, and protect the environment for a given biophysical and socio-economic context. To date, these efforts lack a generic and robust spatial framework for ex-ante assessment that: (i) provides strategic insight to guide decisions about the number and location of testing sites, (ii) define the target domain for scaling-out a given technology or technology package, and (iii) estimate potential impact from widespread adoption of the technology(ies) being evaluated. In this study, we developed …

Adaptation Of Photosynthesis To Water Deficit In The Reproductive Phase Of A Maize (Zea Mays L.) Inbred Line, H.F. Zheng, L.F. Xin, J.M. Guo, J. Mao, X.P. Han, L. Jia, B.Y. Zheng, C.G. Du, Roger W. Elmore, Q.H. Yang, R.X. Shao

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Photosynthesis is sensitive to water deficit (WD) stress. Maize (Zea mays L.) yield is vulnerable to water stress, especially if it occurs during the reproductive stage. In this study, the expression patterns of photosynthesis-related genes, together with photosynthetic gas-exchange and fluorescence parameters were investigated in a maize inbred line exposed to 50% of field water capacity (moderate WD) for 15 d after tassel emergence. The results demonstrated that WD down-regulated expression of psbA, psbB, psbC, psbP, psaA, psaB, and cab, especially at later periods of WD stress. Besides, with the increased WD stress, the steady decline in the value of …

Cover Crops And Corn Residue Removal: Impacts On Soil Hydraulic Properties And Their Relationships With Carbon, Michael Sindelar, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Virginia L. Jin, Richard B. Ferguson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Large-scale crop residue removal may negatively affect soil water dynamics. Integrating cover crop (CC) with crop residue management can be a strategy to offset potential adverse effects of residue removal. We studied: (i) the impact of corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal (56%) with and without the use of winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CC on soil hydraulic properties, (ii) whether CC would ameliorate residue removal effects on hydraulic properties, and (iii) relationships of hydraulic properties with soil organic C (SOC) and other properties under irrigated no-till continuous corn on a silt loam in south central Nebraska after …

Evaluation Of Spray Pattern Uniformity Using Three Unique Analyses As Impacted By Nozzle, Pressure, And Pulse-Widthmodulation Duty Cycle, Thomas R. Butts, Joe D. Luck, Bradley K. Fritz, W. Clint Hoffmann, Greg R. Kruger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The increasing popularity of pulse-width modulation (PWM) sprayers requires that application interaction effects on spray pattern uniformity be completely understood to maintain a uniform overlap of spray, thereby reducing crop injury potential andmaximizing coverage on target pests. The objective of this researchwas to determine the impacts of nozzle type (venturi vs. non-venturi), boom pressure, and PWMduty cycle on spray pattern uniformity. Research was conducted using an indoor spray patternator located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, NE, USA. Coefficient of variation (CV), root mean square error (RMSE), and average percent error (APE) were used to characterize spray pattern …

Spatial Imaging And Screening For Regime Shifts, Daniel R. Uden, Dirac Twidwell, Craig R. Allen, Matthew O. Jones, David E. Naugle, Jeremy D. Maestas, Brady W. Allred

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Screening is a strategy for detecting undesirable change prior to manifestation of symptoms or adverse effects. Although the well-recognized utility of screening makes it commonplace in medicine, it has yet to be implemented in ecosystem management. Ecosystem management is in an era of diagnosis and treatment of undesirable change, and as a result, remains more reactive than proactive and unable to effectively deal with today’s plethora of non-stationary conditions. In this paper, we introduce spatial imaging-based screening to ecology. We link advancements in spatial resilience theory, data, and technological and computational capabilities and power to detect regime shifts (i.e., vegetation …

Predicting Longitudinal Traits Derived From High-Throughput Phenomics In Contrasting Environments Using Genomic Legendre Polynomials And B-Splines, Mehdi Momen, Malachy T. Campbell, Harkamal Walia, Gota Morota

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Recent advancements in phenomics coupled with increased output from sequencing technologies can create the platform needed to rapidly increase abiotic stress tolerance of crops, which increasingly face productivity challenges due to climate change. In particular, high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) enables researchers to generate large-scale data with temporal resolution. Recently, a random regression model (RRM) was used to model a longitudinal rice projected shoot area (PSA) dataset in an optimal growth environment. However, the utility of RRM is still unknown for phenotypic trajectories obtained from stress environments. Here, we sought to apply RRM to forecast the rice PSA in control and water-limited …

Estimating Percentages Of Fusarium-Damaged Kernels In Hard Wheat By Near-Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging, Stephen R. Delwiche, I. Torres Rodriguez, S. R. Rausch, R. A. Graybosch

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is among the most common fungal diseases affecting wheat, resulting in decreased yield, low-density kernels, and production of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, a compound toxic to humans and livestock. Human visual analysis of representative wheat samples has been the traditional method for FHB assessment in both official inspection and plant breeding operations. While not requiring specialized equipment, visual analysis is dependent on a trained and consistent workforce, such that in the absence of these aspects, biases may arise among inspectors and evaluation dates. This research was intended to avoid such pitfalls by using longer wavelength radiation than …

Assessing Precipitation, Evapotranspiration, And Ndvi As Controls Of U.S. Great Plains Plant Production, Maosi Chen, William J. Parton, Melannie D. Hartman, Stephen J. Del Grosso, William K. Smith, Alan K. Knapp, Susan Lutz, Justin D. Derner, Compton J. Tucker, Dennis S. Ojma, Jerry D. Volesky, Mitchell B. Stephenson, Walter H. Schacht, Wei Gao

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Productivity throughout the North American Great Plains grasslands is generally considered to be water limited, with the strength of this limitation increasing as precipitation decreases. We hypothesize that cumulative actual evapotranspiration water loss (AET) from April to July is the precipitation-related variable most correlated to aboveground net primary production (ANPP) in the U.S. Great Plains (GP). We tested this by evaluating the relationship of ANPP to AET, precipitation, and plant transpiration (Tr). We used multi-year ANPP data from five sites ranging from semiarid grasslands in Colorado and Wyoming to mesic grasslands in Nebraska and Kansas, mean annual NRCS ANPP, and …