Agriculture Commons^™

An Examination Of Trends And Factors Influencing Teen Retention In 4-H Youth Development Program: A Case Study, Bethany R. Corona

LSU Master's Theses

Teen participation in 4-H has declined nationally in recent years, raising concerns about long-term program sustainability and youth engagement. Understanding the factors that influence teens’ decisions to remain involved in 4-H is critical for informing program design and delivery. Guided by the theory of planned behavior, this qualitative study explored teen perceptions of 4-H programming, youth voice, social influences, communication, and barriers to participation. Data were collected through two group interviews with teen 4-H members representing multiple parishes. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the constant comparative method through a three-phase coding process consisting of open, axial, …

Supplemental Bibliographic Details. From 2001 Mars Odyssey To Earth’S Climate Crisis: Integrating Gamma Spectroscopy, Martian Soil Simulants, And Plant Genomes For Agroecology, Anchored In Sri Lanka’S Mars-Context Serpentinites, Suniti Karunatillake, Maheshi Dassanayake, Carlos Gary Bicas

Planetary Science Lab

Bibliographic details follow to supplement hyperlinked citations in the multinational GANGOTRI-supporting project conceived by Karunatillake, Dassanayake, and Gary-Bicas

Uav Remote Sensing For Assessment Of Conservative Management Practices In Maize-Soybean Cropping System, Aakriti Poudel

LSU Master's Theses

Sustainable agriculture practices promote cover cropping, which enhances nutrient management and impacts subsequent crop productivity in field crop rotations. Precision agriculture technology, particularly Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing, enables a detailed evaluation of crop management. The studies were conducted in a maize-soybean rotation system with winter cover cropping and fallow management. The maize experiment investigated the effect of nitrogen application rates and cover cropping, using UAV-derived Normalized Difference Red-Edge (NDRE) to monitor crop performance. NDRE effectively captured the N response and the effect of cover cropping across growth stages, particularly during mid-season (55-81 DAP), where it showed a strong …

Examining Private Landowner And Stakeholder Attitudes, Perceptions, And Knowledge Of Prescribed Fire In Louisiana, Chloe E. Crawford

LSU Master's Theses

Periodic fire was a primary driver of ecosystems across the Southeastern United States for millennia; however, fire suppression policies have become pervasive in the United States and led to increased fuel loads in forests as well as reduced biodiversity and reduced disease resilience. Prescribed fire presents a risk mitigation strategy and land management tool whereby practitioners can apply fire to the landscape in a controlled manner, thus reaping the benefits of fire while minimizing the risks associated with fire. Land in Louisiana is primarily privately managed and owned, so state-level conservation goals cannot be met without private landowner participation. As …

Evaluation Of Host Resistance To Rotylenchulus Reniformis In Sweetpotato Germplasm, Timothy S. Miller

LSU Master's Theses

The reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) is an emerging plant-parasitic threat to sweetpotato production. Dissimilar from the galling caused by root-knot nematode infections, infections from the reniform nematode occur without visible damage to the root system. In the southern United States, heavily infested sweetpotato fields can lose up to 40% of their total yield. Growers rely heavily on fumigants and nematicides which provide inconsistent control and are not sustainable in the long-term. Past research has been more focused on the efficacy of chemicals than in the identification of host resistance or tolerance in sweetpotato germplasm. This study evaluated past …

Assessing Natural Resources Conservation Service (Nrcs) Impacts On Rice And Soybean Efficiency In The Mid-South, Ayodeji Samuel Ayiti

LSU Master's Theses

The study investigates how the Mid-South region of the U.S. rice and irrigated soybean production efficiency is influenced by (NRCS) incentives. To evaluate the effect of crop insurance, subsidies, and conservation incentives on lowering inefficiency, this study used a stochastic frontier model (SFA). The dataset covered the years 2010 – 2023, which allowed for a thorough evaluation of efficiency trends over time. While crop insurance programs reduce inefficiency in rice production, it shockingly increases inefficiency in soybean production, according to the study, which highlights the disparate effects of net support (insurance-subsidy).

The results show that while external factors like changes …

Weather Impacts On Specialty Fruit Wholesale Prices, Oladayo Daniel Oluleye

LSU Master's Theses

This article investigates the relationship between temperature and precipitation variability and wholesale specialty fruit prices in the United States. Using fixed-effects panel regression and a comprehensive dataset of monthly price observations across ten major U.S. wholesale markets (Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco) from 2000 to 2019, we examine how weather fluctuations affect wholesale market prices for five fruits including apples, avocados, grapes, oranges, and strawberries. Our analysis categorizes temperature into discrete bins representing the number of days per month within specific temperature ranges. The results show that extreme temperatures, particularly above …

Louisiana Agricultural Magazine, Spring 2025

Louisiana Agriculture

Growing fruits and pecans is a part of Louisiana’s agricultural heritage. Citrus trees have been planted here for three centuries, and the state is famous for strawberries. Pecans and mayhaws are native to the state, and they are beloved by Louisianans. Some of these fruits have become industries worth millions of dollars, while others have become popular for home production.

This issue of Louisiana Agriculture focuses on the efforts of LSU AgCenter Extension experts working to foster home fruit production and support the fruit and pecan industry in Louisiana. Through their research and extension programs, they provide homeowners and commercial …

Variation In Response To Phosphorus Among Sweetpotato (Ipomoea Batatas L.) Cultivars, Jeffrey Cole Denis Gregorie

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth and is often a major limiting nutrient in agriculture. In sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas), studies on the role of P on storage root yield have been limited because of the lack of response and inconsistent results across cultivars and years. Growing evidence shows that current phosphate (Pi) fertilizer rates can be reduced while maintaining productivity. Newly published molecular evidence shows differential expression of phosphate starvation response genes among sweetpotato cultivars, further supporting the hypothesis of cultivar-specific Pi sensitivity. The research herein sought to characterize root system architecture and yield response to Pi …

Corn And Soybean Responses To Phosphorus And Potassium Application Timings And Methods And Fertilizer Sources, Abrar Bin Wahid

LSU Master's Theses

This research was driven by concerns over phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) losses from fall-applied fertilizers and the increasing marketing popularity of liquid-P and K fertilizers over traditional granular-dry forms. We evaluated corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield and tissue nutrient concentration responses to fertilizer-P and K application timings, methods, and sources across 9-13 site-years on silt-loam soils in Louisiana from 2020-2024. For timing and method study, five treatments were evaluated: a no fertilizer-P and/or K check, fall broadcast followed by rehipping the seedbed, spring broadcast without rehipping, spring broadcast with rehipping, and spring top-of-bed …

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Winter 2025, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

LSU AgCenter nutrition education programs have always aimed to support the health and well-being of Louisianans. Helping residents eat healthier, be more physically active and maintain a healthy weight are important parts of disease prevention. Building healthy, thriving communities across Louisiana can support reduced healthcare costs, improved workforce productivity and an enhanced quality of life for everyone in our state.

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Fall 2024

Louisiana Agriculture

Questions drive the science behind the LSU AgCenter. Researcher Erin Oberhaus wanted to find data to help educate Louisiana horse owners about the use of an important medication, and a water quality specialist wondered if noneconomic bodies of water, which include agricultural ponds, might help people generate electricity. The research projects that grew from their questions are detailed in this issue of Louisiana Agriculture.

Also in this issue, scientists share the results from important soybean studies, and the AgCenter farm to school team shares success stories from school gardens across the state.

Research is at the core of the LSU …

A Comparison Of Diploid And Triploid Eastern Oysters For Aquaculture Production Under Extreme Temperatures And Salinities, Joshua H. Kim

LSU Master's Theses

Off-bottom aquaculture of Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) is a nascent industry that is increasingly supported by the use of triploid oysters, which grow faster than diploids. Despite their growth advantage, elevated triploid mortality compared to diploids under high temperature, low salinity, or a combination of these conditions challenge consistent triploid production. Identifying the environmental thresholds at which differential triploid mortality occurs and predicting its economic impact are important to informing decision-making in oyster aquaculture. The goal of this thesis was to compare the biological and economic performance of diploid and triploid oysters under high temperature and low salinity conditions. …

The Impact Of Xenophobia On Agricultural Trade In South Africa, Maxwell Peprah Amponsem

LSU Master's Theses

The growing number of farm attacks and xenophobia is one of the most serious crime issues facing the South African government. This study examines the impact of xenophobia on agricultural trade, using port-level trade data and xenophobia incident records from 2010 to 2023. Utilizing fixed effects Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) specifications, I find a significant negative impact of xenophobia on agricultural exports, while non-agricultural trade remains unaffected. These findings highlight the need for targeted policy interventions to combat xenophobic violence and stabilize the agricultural sector, ensuring the continuity of South Africa's trade and economic growth.

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Summer 2024, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

When the first agricultural experiment stations were founded in Louisiana more than 130 years ago, researchers focused on ways to improve the lives of farmers across the state. They found the best methods for raising cash crops and livestock along with the fruits and vegetables grown to feed the average rural family. Today the LSU AgCenter maintains that long legacy of research and expands its scope.

This issue of Louisiana Agriculture acknowledges those who helped establish the system of research and extension that would grow into the AgCenter. In addition to these articles, the scientists and staff at the AgCenter …

Methods To Manage Survey Error Within Economic Contribution Analysis, Madison Jane Plaisance

LSU Master's Theses

The primary objective of this research was to employ strategical methodological approaches to assess the economic value of specific sub-sectors of the green industry within Louisiana. I specifically focused on addressing errors associated with utilizing survey data as the primary data source in such analyses and utilizing approaches such as post-survey stratification and bootstrapping techniques to mitigate these errors.

To achieve this aim, a group of green industry professionals and I selected sectors for analysis based on horticultural licenses issued by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF). Through collaboration with advisors from the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association …

Farmer's Adaptive Capacity And Adoption Of Strategies To Climate Change Among Mountain Communities In Nepal, Tanvir Hossain

LSU Master's Theses

Climate change presents significant challenges to agriculture worldwide, particularly where farming is central to livelihoods. This phenomenon has been linked to decreasing crop yields due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall, particularly affecting low-income countries with limited adaptive capabilities. Grasping how farmers perceive climate change is essential for developing effective adaptation strategies to lessen its adverse impacts. This study concentrated on investigating the perceptions and adaptive strategies employed by smallholder farmers in Nepal's Mustang district, utilizing primary data sources. Data from 131 randomly selected households were gathered through structured interviews, while focus group discussions provided qualitative insights into farmers' views …

Characteristics Influencing Enrollment Choices: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Factors That Influence Black Students' Decision To Enroll In College Of Agriculture Programs, Jennifer L. Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study aims to identify the barriers that affect Minority enrollment in agriculture, particularly focusing on increasing the enrollment of Black students. There is a significant concern regarding the gap between Black individuals and agriculture enrollment in post-secondary agriculture programs at land-grant institutions. The purpose of this mixed method phenomenology was to (1) identify factors that influence the decision of Black students to enroll in the College of Agriculture and (2) uncover the societal and economic influences that continue to serve as barriers to Black students’ enrolling in agriculture. The quantitative portion of the investigation utilized a web-based instrument structured …

Extreme Climate Events And Agricultural Commodity Markets, Mohammad Abir Chowdhury Shovon

LSU Master's Theses

This article investigates the impact of extreme climate events on U.S. agricultural commodity markets, specifically focusing on corn and soybeans. Using event study methods and a comprehensive dataset of 254 extreme climate events for corn as well as 250 extreme climate events for soybeans in top ten corn & soybeans producing states of the USA between 1995 and 2023, we examine how storms, floods, extreme temperatures, and droughts affect the abnormal returns of these commodities. Our findings indicate that 22.04% of climate events significantly impact corn returns and 21.20% of climate events have significant impact on soybeans returns. Notably, extreme …

Impact Of Early-Season Postemergence Co-Applications Of Foliar And Residual Herbicides On Crop Injury, Growth, And Yield In 2,4-D- And Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.), Logan N. Vallee

LSU Master's Theses

Studies were conducted in 2021 through 2023 at the LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research and Extension Center near Alexandria, LA to determine the sensitivity of 2,4-D- or dicamba- tolerant cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to an early season application of a Group 15 and foliar-only herbicides. Both studies were randomized complete block designs with a two-factorial arrangement of treatments with four replications. In the dicamba-tolerant cotton study, Factor A consisted of no foliar-herbicide, dicamba alone, glyphosate alone, or dicamba plus glyphosate. Factor B consisted of either no Group 15 residual herbicide, acetochlor, or S-metolachlor. In the 2,4-D- tolerant cotton …

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Spring 2024, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

Louisiana’s warm, subtropical climate allows producers to raise an array of crops and livestock. It also provides challenges. Tropical storm winds can lay down rice and cane crops. Ample rain can turn into crop-damaging floods. Last year, a drought struck the southeastern United States, leading to more than $100 million in losses for the cattle sector.

In these cases, LSU AgCenter specialists respond to individual producers’ needs. In each parish AgCenter Extension agents help connect producers with needed resources and become a conduit for the latest knowledge gleaned from scientists at AgCenter research stations across the state.

This issue of …

Halosulfuron Plus Prosulfuron And Propanil Interactions For Weed Control In Louisiana Rice Production, John A. Williams

LSU Master's Theses

A greenhouse study was conducted on November 18, and December 2, 2020 at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to evaluate the interaction between a pre-packaged mixture of halosulfuron plus prosulfuron mixed with propanil for alligatorweed control. Antagonism occurred when halosulfuron plus prosulfuron at 55 g ha-1 was mixed with propanil at 2,242 g ha-1 at all evaluation dates and antagonism was also observed with halosulfuron plus prosulfuron at 83 g ha-1 mixed with propanil at 2,242 g ha-1 at all evaluation dates except 14 DAT with observed controls of 69 to 77% compared with expected controls of 94 …

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Winter 2024, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

Research at the LSU AgCenter extends well beyond the farm gate. Across 150 acres at the Hammond Research Station, experts in landscape horticulture test the best ways to grow ornamental plants and trees. In Baton Rouge, researchers study how to protect homes in the path of a hurricane. Across the state the AgCenter Healthy Communities team works to empower food pantries and improve sidewalks and other pedestrian infrastructure in rural areas.

This issue of Louisiana Agriculture focuses on these topics along with new research on soil health and high-tech delivery systems for sugarcane ripening agents. Other articles focus on the …

The Impact Of Participation In 4-H Camp On The Connectedness To Nature Of Urban 4-H Members, Derek S. Landrum

LSU Master's Theses

Overnight summer camps are beneficial experiences that provide 4-H members from urbanized areas the chance to experience the outdoors and appreciate nature. Previous research shows that time in the outdoors can increase connection to nature. Furthermore, connection to nature is associated with adoption of pro‑environmental behavior, lowering of negative emotions, and positive general well-being. For this thesis, the researcher is interested in finding out if participation in 4-H summer camp has a significant effect on participant’s connection to nature as measured by the Children’s Environmental Perceptions Scale (CEPS) and the Inclusion of Nature in Self Scale (INS). Previous work has …

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Fall 2023, Lsu Agcenter

Louisiana Agriculture

Hemp has been cultivated for thousands of years. It was grown widely in the United States until the mid-1900s, when laws limited the growth of hemp and later banned it entirely. Since the 2018 Farm Bill removed legal barriers to growing the crop, Louisiana created a structure to regulate hemp farming in 2019.

Because little information existed about hemp in Louisiana, the LSU AgCenter created the Industrial Hemp Working Group to study the crop, create production practices and help growers interested in this ancient plant.

This issue of Louisiana Agriculture focuses on the work of these researchers and the growers …

Evaluation Of Organic And Synthetic Herbicides Applications On Indicators Of Soil Health And Weed Suppression In A Conventional Cropping System In Louisiana, Caitlin Denux

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Synthetic herbicides, with their varying modes of action, are well known for their efficiency in the suppression and control of weed species in U.S. agriculture. However, the consequences of using synthetic herbicides without attention to the surrounding environment can produce chemical run-off, changes in soil health and soil health conditions, and create herbicide-resistant weeds. These consequences have encouraged growers to find alternatives in their weed management programs. In this study, organic and synthetic herbicides were assessed on how well they performed in weed suppression surveys, and their potential effects on soil health indicators. Commonly used indicators include soil pH, β-glucosidase …

Black Experiences With Community Gardening In Southeast Louisiana, Kiarah Craft

LSU Master's Theses

Community gardens have been rising in popularity over the past few years (Mayers, 2023). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people across the United States have decided that it is crucial to grow their own food and develop sustainability within their community. Historically, Black communities have been underserved and ignored, especially in relation to food security and community safety (White, 2019, Penniman, 2018). The purpose of this study was to collect information about the effects of community-based gardening programs on Black people in Southeast Louisiana. Additionally, the researcher would like to gain knowledge regarding the reasons that Black people …

Integrating Cultivar Resistance And Entomopathogens For Pest Management Of Sweetpotato Weevil, Cylas Formicarius Elegantulus (Summers), Schyler M. Lee

LSU Master's Theses

Sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam, is the number one vegetable crop in Louisiana, producing 21,178 kg/ha in the year 2021. The sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers), is an economically important pest of sweetpotato. C. formicarius elegantulus females lay eggs into feeding holes on the storage root surface. Larvae then hatch and tunnel through the sweetpotato flesh where they complete their development. This cryptic-natured brentid can cause up to 100% yield loss when left unmanaged. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry mandates protocols to limit C. formicarius elegantulus spread (e.g., clean seed, pheromone trapping, and quarantines); however, scheduled chemical …

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Summer 2023

Louisiana Agriculture

Rice, alligators and sugarcane are quintessential Louisiana products, and LSU AgCenter researchers and extension agents devote themselves to helping the producers who grow them. Economists are finding ways to improve the market for alligators while specialists focus on innovation in the sugar industry and creating new varieties of rice.

AgCenter researchers also have an eye on the natural world. They are protecting the roseau cane that thrives on the coast and the ironwood trees of Guam. All these efforts are detailed in this issue of Louisiana Agriculture magazine.

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Spring 2023

Louisiana Agriculture

In this issue of Louisiana Agriculture, Carl Motsenbocker, the executive director of Seeds to Success, and Crystal Besse, the program director, explain how local food systems are seeing a resurgence. The Seeds to Success team details how the farm to school movement is assisting this growth. They also profile the people who work to make it possible — a teacher, farmers and an AgCenter Extension agent. In additional articles, researchers examine the economic benefits of farm to school programs as well as soil mixes for home gardeners and the media used by our consumer horticulture industry.