Agriculture Commons^™

Practical Challenges Of Using Sunn Hemp As A Cover Crop In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Qulina Rai

Theses and Dissertations

Sunn hemp (Crotalaria junceae) is an emerging cover crop with many reported benefits such as nitrogen fixation, carbon sequestration, and suppression of weeds and nematodes. Relatively little is known about appropriate ways to inoculate sunn hemp ensuring nitrogen fixation, and diseases that affect sunn hemp within the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

Four sticking agents, peanut oil, jaggery, gum arabic, and water used to aid inoculation of Bradyrhizobium japonicum in sunn hemp was checked on nodulation. Water treatment was least effective. Peanut oil and jaggery treatment showed better performance in overall total nodules, and active nodules. Gum …

Intercropping Corn And Soybean: Profitability Of Different Agronomic Management Techniques, Raeann Lyn Huffman

Theses and Dissertations

Intercropping is the practice of growing multiple crops together in the same field. This is not commonly implemented in Midwest agriculture - instead, current monoculture practices have garnered attention because of the negative environmental impacts of monoculture farming. For this study, corn and soybean were intercropped in a production agriculture setting to investigate the benefits to the producer and the environment. Intercropping corn and soybean crops may reduce the need for added nitrogen (N) fertilizer, saving money on inputs and potential loss of N from the farm to the environment. Soybeans within the system may utilize less of the soil …

Egyptian Women’S Agriculture Contribution; Assessment Of The Gender Gap For Sustainable Development, Noha El Khorazaty

Theses and Dissertations

Women’s contribution to the agriculture sector in developing countries is undeniable, yet they do not have equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive. Sustainable development entails inclusive and effective management of natural resources, this entails gender equity in agriculture. Bridging the gender gap in agriculture far exceeds the benefits of the individual. According to the latest estimates bridging the yield gap in agricultural productivity could possibly decrease the numbers of undernourished people in the world by around 100 – 140 million people. Sustainable agriculture development and gender equity necessitate policy interventions targeting the gender …

Developing Methods To Survey, Collect, Process, And Screen Endemic Entomopathogenic Fungi Against The Asian Citrus Psyllid In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Jonathan Cisneros

Theses and Dissertations

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vectors “Candidatus Liberibacter spp.”, the causative agent of Citrus Greening Disease. Managing ACP is imperative given the continuous increase in HLB positive trees. An aspect of integrated pest management (IPM) is the use of entomopathogenic fungi for the biological control of D. citri.

In order to identify endemic entomopathogenic fungi actively infecting D. citri, ACP were collected from local residential areas, surface sterilized, and plated on a semi-selective agar medium. Collection of over 9,300 samples from 278 sites throughout the LRGV led to the positive identification of …

Incorporation Of Native Plants For Biodiversity Conservation In South Texas Agroecosystems, Kaitlynn M. Lavallee

Theses and Dissertations

I address the concerning disconnect between food production and regenerative ecological principles. First, understanding the foundational processes of seed-dormancy and germination are essential for successful restoration efforts using native species. We examine four common seed treatments (aerated hydroprime, acid scarification, cold stratification, sand scarification) on twelve commercially available species native to south Texas. Pappophorum bicolor Fourn. (pink pappusgrass) was sown in the field with the aerated hydroprime treatment, D. virgatus (Willd.) B.L. Turner (prostrate bundleflower) was planted after sand scarification treatment, and Ratibida columnifera (Nutt.) Woot. & Standl. (Mexican hat) was seeded without treatment. Small-scale field trials were conducted to …

Native Plant Allelopathy: A Potential Approach To Limit Invasive Grass Encroachment In Thorn Forest Restoration, Emily A. Mullins

Theses and Dissertations

Less than 5% of the Tamaulipan thorn forest remains in the United States. For this reason, there have been many attempts at restoration of this ecosystem. Oftentimes these attempts are unsuccessful due to the high prevalence of invasive African grasses that outcompete the seedlings. In an effort to improve the efficacy of these restoration efforts, native plant allelopathy has been examined for its ability to exclude invasive guineagrass. Native species were surveyed and selected species were tested for allelopathy in laboratory bioassays. The species that exhibited allelopathy in the laboratory were then evaluated in pot experiments for their ability to …

Discerning Competitive Vs. Facilitative Relationships Of Weeds On Forest Restoration Efforts At La Sal Del Rey, Tx, Mylen A. Arias

Theses and Dissertations

Dryland ecosystems need effective restoration strategies to address severe degradation. It is often assumed that voluntary forb weeds either compete with or have no effect on native seedlings. In contrast, theory and empirical work suggest a potential facilitative role for such forb weeds. We conducted a manipulative weed exclusion experiment at a semi-arid site in South Texas targeted for large scale forest restoration and subsequently dominated by early successional forb weeds to discern the net effect of these weeds on the growth and survival of target thornscrub tree and shrub seedlings. Overall, weed presence did not significantly affect seedling mortality …

Big Data On Midwest Farms: Assessment Of Use, Concerns, And Challenges, Frederick Adomako

Theses and Dissertations

Farming is undergoing a digital revolution (Bronson & Knezevic, 2016). The advent of plant genetics, chemical inputs, and more recently guidance systems have transformed the industry into one that is increasingly technology-intense and data-rich (Stubbs, 2016). Concerns are being raised including big agricultural companies’ control of a data trove that presents privacy and business risks to farmers who do not want to share their operational data with competitors or the government (Singh & Kaskey, 2014). An overwhelming majority of agricultural producers believe farm data belongs to them (Banham, 2014). This belief of ownership has resulted in much discussion of developing …

Examining The Efficacy Of Cover Crops As An Integrated Pest Management Tool In Organic Farms In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Lili M. Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) consists of a mix in subtropical and costal habitats, a combination that provides a favorable environment for the animals and plants that inhabit it. This is a problem for organic farmers as they refrain from using synthetic chemicals and therefore led them to seek other methods of dealing with insect herbivory. Of the many alternative methods available, we looked specifically at integrated pest management methods (IPM) to determine their efficacy in reducing insect herbivory among cash crops. Chapter II discusses an experiment performed in an organic farm in Edinburg, Texas consisting of a two-year …

Aquatic Stage Mosquito Biocontrol: Effects Of Entomopathogenic Fungi Blastospores And Conidia On Aedes Aegypti Pupae, Ricardo Alberto Ramirez Garcia Rojas

Theses and Dissertations

Fungal entomopathogens present an opportunity to produce mosquito controls on-site, from remote locations to developing communities. Locally produced biopesticides have the potential to empower communities to develop internal disease vector control initiatives to protect local public health. We tested the effectiveness of the conidia solution and blastospore solution of Metarhizium anisopliae E9, Metarhizium anisopliae E1037, Isaria fumosorosea A97, and Isaria fumosorosea 9901 in controlling Aedes aegypti pupae. We observed that entomopathogenic fungi liquid blastospore solution induce mortality in Aedes aegypti pupae at a significantly greater rate than conidia solution and control treatment.

However, further analysis of testing methods used in …

Exploring Plant-Plant Interactions And Nutrient Manipulation As Strategies For Thorn Scrub And Thorn Forest Restoration, Edgar D. Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

Restoration of thorn scrub and thorn forest communities in South Texas is hindered by harsh environmental conditions and hypercompetitive invasive grasses. The success of thorn scrub/thorn forest restoration efforts depends on increasing seedling survival and growth by reducing stress after transplantation. Four experiments evaluated initial effects of plant-plant interactions and nutrient manipulation on thorn forest restoration. High density planting along with the use of nurse plants look promising; survival was generally higher under these conditions and growth was unaffected or in the case of high-density planting, promoted. Nutrient sequestration by sorghum had little effect on seedling performance and cover of …

The Application Of Advanced Technologies For Agriculture And Rangeland Management, Matthew D. Kutugata

Theses and Dissertations

This project demonstrates two applications of remote sensing in agricultural and rangeland environments. In the first, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) equipped with a multi-spectral sensor was used to estimate canopy cover across four different cover crop trials at four time periods. In the second, a local database of stationary camera trap images of wildlife was used to train a convolutional neural network to automatically catalogue images by identifying the animal in those images. Both projects aimed to provide an example of how remote sensing platforms and machine learning techniques can facilitate the rapid collection and processing of large-scale field …

Building Food Democracy In The Rio Grande Valley: Exploring The Relationship Between Civic Agriculture And Civic Engagement, Allison P. Kaika

Theses and Dissertations

Civic engagement is an important indicator of social capital in a community. The foundation of a strong democracy is dependent on citizens willingness and ability to engage. To further understand these drivers of social network building, this study utilizes the theory of civic agriculture to measure the impact of food procurement systems on civic engagement. A survey of over 400 residents in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas measures how involvement in local food systems impacts a participants’ contribution to and perception of his or her community, while considering important third factor variables that also influence food procurement …

Landscape Performance Of Annual Bedding Plants Following Foliar Application Of Silicon And Titanium, Vania Maria Pereira

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. floriculture industry was estimated at $4.77 billion in 2018 with annual bedding plants representing the main segment valued at $1.46 billion dollars. Silicon (Si) and titanium (Ti) are beneficial nutrients which can improve growth and quality of greenhouse horticultural crops when applied exogenously. Information is lacking as to whether Si and Ti enhancement during greenhouse production increases bedding plant performance in the outdoor landscape. Therefore, this study examined landscape performance of four annual bedding plant species treated with foliar applications of Si and Ti during greenhouse production over two growing seasons. Plant species were selected based on U.S. …

Comparing Novel And Traditional Sampling Methodologies To Analyze The Population Status Of The Rio Grande Cooter (Pseudemys Gorzugi), Amy P. Bogolin

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande Cooter, Pseudemys gorzugi, is an understudied aquatic turtle species of conservation concern in the Rio Grande, Pecos, and Devils river systems. Traditional sampling methodologies for aquatic turtle species face numerous challenges, but novel sampling methodologies, such as drone-based surveys and environmental DNA analysis, may address these issues. This study compared novel sampling methodologies to traditional sampling methodologies in mean detections and identifications of aquatic turtle species, developed and implemented an environmental DNA assay to detect P. gorzugi, and characterized P. gorzugi habitat. Following an introductory chapter, each task is addressed by chapter and formatted to …

Comparing Outdoor Vertical Hydroponic Farming Systems And Conventional Hydroponic Farming Systems With A Focus On Efficiency, Itohan A. Edokpolo

Theses and Dissertations

Combining hydroponics and vertical farming creates unique growing system that reduces the need for excessive water and land usage to grow more food. The main critique of this system is the high cost of setup, run and the potential drawbacks of shading on plant productivity. Five species were grown in three hydroponic designs known as horizontal, vertical and a-frame. The designs were compared in terms of productivity, space and energy. Results showed variability in plant productivity in the designs can be attributed to other factors other than light. Differences in species performance were seen in response to different factors. Horizontal …

Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (Amf) On Growth And Herbivore Defenses In Sorghum Sudangrass (Sorghum X Drummondii), Jasleen Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 2: In this chapter we have examined the role of trichomes in plant stress biology, reviewed the studies on herbivore X trichome interactions, and their role in plant defences. Ultimately, we have proposed new areas of research for future work.

Chapter 3: In this chapter, we examined whether AMF has cascading effects on insect community dynamics through attraction/repulsion of beneficial and damaging insects using Sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum x drummondii), either inoculated with commercial AMF mix or left as control in lab and field experiments. Our results suggest positive effects of AMF on plant growth, and a lower initial incidence of …

Increased Usage Of Cash Rent: Factors Influencing Illinois Farmland Leases Over The Past Two Decades, Jacob Styan

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, cash rent leases have become increasingly popular amongst farm landowners in Illinois. Since 1995, Illinois has seen a 44% rise in cash rent lease usage in Northern Illinois, a 105% increase in Southern Illinois, and a 117% increase in Central Illinois for acres enrolled in the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association, which helps operators make farm management decisions. The rise in cash rent lease usage has been attributed to many factors such as crop yields, commodity prices, crop revenue, commodity payments, and crop insurance. This study aims to determine which factors are the most pivotal in …

Viability Of Wetland Crops For Use In Treatment Wetlands: Nitrogen Removal From Water And Production Of Food, Andrew Denson Corder

Theses and Dissertations

Treatment wetlands are used to treat wastewater from a variety of sources, but their functionality depends on the macrophytes present therein. To better understand the viability of wetland macrophytes both as sources of food and as agents of nitrogen removal from wastewater, this study quantified plant growth, food production, and nitrogen removal capacity of three common wetland crops as well as three locally dominant graminoid species in a variety of relevant ecological contexts. All six plant species and a control were grown over a ten-week period in three related experiments: (1) under three moisture regimes, (2) with or without competition …

Investigating The Potential Of Weeds As Host Reservoir For Plant Parasitic Nematodes In South Texas, Habraham F. Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Presence and geographical distributions of three damaging nematode pest (R. reniformis, M. incognita, T. semipentrans) have been recorded in the LRGV. With year-round growing seasons, weed pest are a real problem for many LRGV growers. With some growers leaving the field fallow until planting season, these places can serve as potential host reservoirs for plant parasitic nematodes (PPN). This study examined the potential of weeds as host reservoirs for plant parasitic nematodes in the LRGV. Results demonstrated the presence of 5 of the 12 economically important plant parasitic nematode genus and demonstrated a difference in distribution of nematodes …

Contributions Of Historical Ecology To Ecological Services Assessments In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Texas, Julianna Katherine Schaefer Kurpis

Theses and Dissertations

Historic and current anthropogenic land-use activities affect ecological functions and ecosystem services quality. The clearing of native Tamaulipan thorn forest and riparian forests for agricultural use and expansion followed by rapid urbanization and population growth resulted in profound ecological impacts to the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), Texas. The goals of this study are 1) document trends in land use change and vegetation health in the LRGV 2) evaluate and demonstrate the application of the Ecosystem Services Identification & Inventory Tool (ESII Tool) for collecting ecological data and measuring percent ecological performance and 3) use historical ecology indicators to compare …

Investigating Limitations To Nitrogen Fixation By Leguminous Cover Crops In South Texas, Stephanie L. Kasper

Theses and Dissertations

Many farms use leguminous cover crops as a nutrient management strategy to reduce their need for nitrogen fertilizer. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) depends on a symbiotic relationship between legumes and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Under certain conditions despite inoculation with appropriate rhizobial strains, this symbiosis fails to form. Such failure was observed in a 14-acre winter cover crop trial in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas when three legume species (forage pea, crimson clover, and hairy vetch) produced no signs of nodulation and nitrogen fixation. This study examined nitrogen, phosphorus, moisture, micronutrients and biotic interference as potential causes for the failure and …

Impact Of Selected Financial Measures On The Term Debt Repayment Ability Of Illinois Grain Farms, Samuel Awortwe Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A clear and accurate assessment of the financial performance of a farm business is an important component of financial management at any time but becomes even more crucial in periods of economic downturn in the farm sector. Farmers continue to increase their debt even though the prices of commodities are low, and the prices of inputs are high (Krapf, Raab, & Zwilling, 2017). In addition, high family living expenses can also place financial pressure on farms (Scott, 2016). This study focused on identifying and estimating the impact of key factors which included financial measures and family living expenses on the …

Mississippi River Basin Initiative At Bayou Meto And Bayou Bartholomew Watersheds, Tomekia White

Theses and Dissertations

The quality and quantity of water in the Mississippi River Basin is of great national importance. As the production of agricultural crops increases in this area, it is very important that monitoring and data analysis plans be implemented aggressively. The National Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) has developed the Mississippi River Basin Initiative which includes Arkansas as one of 13 states that is participating in this initiative. To date, Arkansas is known as the number one producer of the nation’s rice, bait fish, sport fish, and feeder fish, number two in broiler production, number three in catfish and number six …

The Old Versus The New Equestrian Circus: Demonstrating And Promoting Equine Welfare, Veronica Painter

Theses and Dissertations

Circus is an art form that was originally considered as a humanitarian art, promoting equine welfare by shedding a new light on the horse and human relationship. During a time where horses were used for war, work, and transportation; fancy riding and liberty stood as the framework for a new togetherness between man and beast. The animal activist revolution centered on exotic animals in circus, yet the effects of these demanding pressures caused a major blow to the equestrian circus. This comparative study examines possible improvements to the industry in order to keep this art alive. Keeping up with eclectic …

Factors Affecting Illinois Legislators' Perceptions Of School-Based Agricultural Education, Perry William Harlow

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors contributing to Illinois General Assembly members’ perceptions of school-based agricultural education. Personal characteristics and multiple media sources were examined to determine if any of these factors affected their perception of school-based agricultural education. These factors included the population area of where the legislator grew up, the population area of the district the legislator represents, the geographical location of the legislator’s district, whether the legislator lived on a farm, and whether the legislator worked on a farm. The factors also included frequency of seeing information about school-based agricultural education on multiple media source including television, radio, newspaper, …

Effects Of Foliar Applied Titanium ( Ti ) On Quality And Nutrient Uptake Of Creeping Bentgrass ( Agrostis Stolonifera ) On Professional Golf Course Greens, Caleb Wepprecht

Theses and Dissertations

Golf course putting greens typically consist of creeping bentgrass on sandy soils. Creeping bentgrass is mowed at extremely short heights, limiting root growth and making it vulnerable to different pests. Sandy profiles make it difficult for creeping bentgrass to take up nutrients and water. Tytanit combines sulfur, magnesium, and titanium-ascorbate as a biostimulant to increase chlorophyll content within the plant, increase yields, and assist in fighting biotic and abiotic diseases such as diseases and drought. Previous studies have shown benefits in plant growth, but results have been inconsistent. No previously reported studies have been performed on turfgrass using Tytanit. Therefore, …

Developing Pennycress ( Thlaspi Arvense ) As A Biodiesel Feedstock Crop And Plant Model System, Michaela Mcginn

Theses and Dissertations

Thlapsi arvense L. (pennycress) is currently being developed as a profitable oilseed-producing winter annual cover crop with extreme cold tolerance and a rapid life cycle that can be grown on fallow farmland throughout the U.S. Midwest Corn Belt, controlling soil erosion and nutrient runoff while serving as an additional source of income for the American farmer without displacing food crops. The research comprising this dissertation demonstrates that pennycress can serve as a user-friendly model system highly similar to Arabidopsis thaliana, and is well-suited for both laboratory and field experimentation, being readily employable in existing growth facilities. After 10 generations of …

Effect Of Land Use Change On South Texas Bats, Katharine Leigh Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Bats were acoustically recorded in South Texas over the summer of 2017. Nine species of bats were recorded and identified.

Removal Of Lead And Arsenic From Aqueous Solution By Biochar Produced From Locally-Sourced Biomass, Sergio I. Mireles

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the effectiveness of four adsorbent materials, pyrolyzed corn stover, orange peel, pistachio shell, and magnetic biochar for their ability to adsorb lead (Pb) and arsenic (As III, As V) from aqueous solution. An increase in adsorption was seen as the pH of the solution increased from pH 2 to pH 6. Magnetic orange peel biochar with Fe3O4 particles precipitated on the surface of biochar was synthetized by co-precipitation and used for arsenic adsorption. Initial pH value had an influence on the adsorption behavior of As (III) and As (V). In the pH range of 2–6, As (V) …