Agriculture Commons^™

Field Research Report: Results From The Enreec Vri Field For The 2021, 2022, And 2023 Crop Seasons, Derek M. Heeren, Ali T. Mohammed, Eric Wilkening, Christopher M. U. Neale, Alan L. Boldt, Ankit Chandra, Precious Nneka Amori, Ivo Z. Goncalves, Yeyin Shi, Guillermo R. Balboa

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

Long-term irrigation management research has been conducted from 2014 to 2023 for corn and soybean at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension, and Education Center (ENREEC) Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) Field located in subhumid east-central Nebraska (in the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District). The objective of this report was to present the overall results from the VRI Field for 2021 to 2023. Across the three growing seasons, there were the following irrigation treatments: Best Management Practice (BMP), 50% BMP, 125% BMP, rainfed, Spatial ET Modeling Interface (SETMI), SDD1, SDD2, machine-learning-based Cyber-Physical System (CPS), a student team recommended rate, and industry …

Perennializing Marginal Croplands: Going Back To The Future To Mitigate Climate Change With Resilient Biobased Feedstocks, Salvador Ramirez Ii, Marty R. Schmer, Virginia L. Jin, Robert B. Mitchell, Catherine E. Stewart, Jay Parsons, Daren D. Redfearn, John J. Quinn, Gary E. Varvel, Kenneth P. Vogel, Ronald F. Follett

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Managing annual row crops on marginally productive croplands can be environmentally unsustainable and result in variable economic returns. Incorporating perennial bioenergy feedstocks into marginally productive cropland can engender ecosystem services and enhance climate resiliency while also diversifying farm incomes. We use one of the oldest bioenergy-specific field experiments in North America to evaluate economically and environmentally sustainable management practices for growing perennial grasses on marginal cropland. This long-term field trial called 9804 was established in 1998 in eastern Nebraska and compared the productivity and sustainability of corn (Zea mays L.)—both corn grain and corn stover—and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum …

Did Cover Crop Or Animal Manure Ameliorate Corn Residue Removal Effects On Soil Mechanical Properties After 10 Years?, Hans W. Klopp, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Michael Sindelar, Virginia L. Jin, Marty R. Schmer, Richard B. Ferguson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Crop residue removal may negatively affect soil mechanical properties, which are key components of soil quality. To evaluate potential long-term effects, we assessed the 10-yr impact of corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal (59 % of non-grain biomass annually) on surface soil mechanical properties (0–20 cm). We also evaluated whether adding carbon (C) amendments, such as using a winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop or surface-applying cattle manure (24 Mg ha− 1 biannually) can ameliorate the effects of crop residue removal. This long-term study was under irrigated no-till continuous corn on a silt loam soil in south-central …

Evaluating Drill Interseeded Cover Crop Establishment And Nitrogen Impact In Irrigated Corn, Victor De Sousa Ferreira

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

The adoption of cover crops as a strategy to improve soil health and cropping systems sustainability is on the rise in the United States. PRE herbicides with soil residual activity are widely applied in corn production systems to prevent early season weed development, crop-weed competition, and yield loss. When preemergence herbicides are applied in the field, the active ingredients remain in the soil rhizosphere for a period of time, killing weed seedlings as they emerge. However, PRE herbicides can also impact the establishment of interseeded cover crops. Greenhouse bioassay was conducted to evaluate the preemergence herbicide carry-over potential to interseeded …

Leveraging Important Covariate Groups For Corn Yield Prediction, Britta L. Schumacher, Emily K. Burchfield, Brennan Bean, Matt A. Yost

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Accurate yield information empowers farmers to adapt, their governments to adopt timely agricultural and food policy interventions, and the markets they supply to prepare for production shifts. Unfortunately, the most representative yield data in the US, provided by the US Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) Surveys, are spatiotemporally patchy and inconsistent. This paper builds a more complete data product by examining the spatiotemporal efficacy of random forests (RF) in predicting county-level yields of corn – the most widely cultivated crop in the US. To meet our objective, we compare RF cross-validated prediction accuracy using several combinations of …

Intensifying A Crop–Fallow System: Impacts On Soil Properties, Crop Yields, And Economics, S. J. Ruis, S. Stepanovic, Humberto Blanco-Canqui

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Intensifying crop–fallow systems could address increased weed control costs, increased land or rental costs, reduced crop diversity, and degraded soil properties in water-limited environments. One strategy to intensify such systems could be the insertion of a short-season crop during fallow. But, how this strategy affects soils, crop production, and farm economics needs further research. Thus, we studied the impacts of replacing fallow in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L)–corn (Zea mays L.)–fallow system with a short-season spring crop [field pea (Pisum sativum L.)] on crop yields and economics from 2015 to 2019 and 5-yr cumulative effects on …

A Glass Bead Semi-Hydroponic System For Intact Maize Root Exudate Analysis And Phenotyping, Martha G. Lopez-Guerrero, Peng Wang, Felicia Phares, Daniel P. Schachtman, Sophie Alvarez, Karin V. Van Dijk

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: Although there have been numerous studies describing plant growth systems for root exudate collection, a common limitation is that these systems require disruption of the plant root system to facilitate exudate collection. Here, we present a newly designed semi-hydroponic system that uses glass beads as solid support to simulate soil impedance, which combined with drip irrigation, facilitates growth of healthy maize plants, collection and analysis of root exudates, and phenotyping of the roots with minimal growth disturbance or root damage. Results: This system was used to collect root exudates from seven maize genotypes using water or 1 mM CaCl2, …

Guide To Drought Tolerance Of Utah Field Crops, Matt Yost, Tina Sullivan, Dakota Boren, Luree Johnson, Melanie Mills, Earl Creech, Boyd Kitchen, Randall Violett

All Current Publications

Crop variety selection is one of the most important choices on the farm. Crop genetics determine a significant portion of the yield potential and resource use efficiency. Crop types and genetics that use water more efficiently will become increasingly important as water becomes scarcer. Throughout Utah and the Western United States, water availability is decreasing due to various factors, including reduced snowpack and rapid urban growth. Alfalfa, other hay, small grains, and corn are grown on more acres than any other crops in Utah and much of the Intermountain West. These crops all have varieties, hybrids, and cultivars with the …

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Research Studies 2021, Victor Ford, Jason Kelley, Nathan Mckinney Ii

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2021 edition of the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Research Studies Series includes research results on topics pertaining to corn and grain sorghum production, including weed, disease, and insect management; economics; sustainability; irrigation; post-harvest drying; soil fertility; mycotoxins; cover crop management; and research verification program results. Our objective is to capture and broadly distribute the results of research projects funded by the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Board. The intended audience includes producers and their advisors, current investigators, and future researchers. The Series serves as a citable archive of research results.

Early Corn Stand Count Of Different Cropping Systems Using Uav-Imagery And Deep Learning, Chin Nee Vong, Lance S. Conway, Jianfeng Zhou, Newell R. Kitchen, Kenneth A. Sudduth

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Optimum plant stand density and uniformity is vital in order to maximize corn (Zea mays L.) yield potential. Assessment of stand density can occur shortly after seedlings begin to emerge, allowing for timely replant decisions. The conventional methods for evaluating an early plant stand rely on manual measurement and visual observation, which are time consuming, subjective because of the small sampling areas used, and unable to capture field-scale spatial variability. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based imaging system for estimating early corn stand count in three cropping systems (CS) with different tillage and …

Techniques To Improve The Volume, Texture And Nutritional Quality Of Gluten Free Bread, Zachary Christman

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

This article highlights the use of soy flour to improve the protein and fiber of gluten free bread. Also, the use of an extrusion process on soybean and corn flour blends improves the volume and texture of the bread. A full listing of the ingredients and method for production of higher quality gluten free bread is included.

Assessment Of Grain Safety In Developing Nations, Jose R. Mendoza

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grains are the most widely consumed foods worldwide, with maize (Zea mays) being frequently consumed in developing countries where it feeds approximately 900 million people under the poverty line of 2 USD per day. While grain handling practices are acceptable in most developed nations, many developing nations still face challenges such as inadequate field management, drying, and storage. Faulty grain handling along with unavoidably humid climates result in recurrent fungal growth and spoilage, which compromises both the end-quality and safety of the harvest. This becomes particularly problematic where there is little awareness about health risks associated with poor …

Characterizing Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Associations In Corn Inoculated With Soil From Till Or No-Till Farmlands, Catherine Defouw

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

Many crops have mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF) associations that positively affect plant and soil health. AMF likely mitigates agricultural problems like topsoil depletion and compaction from tilling. The literature review on AMF associations under different practices showed the need for more studies. This project studied an AMF community's impact on soil quality and plant health in conventional till(CT) and no-till(NT) managed corn and soybean plants. Data was gathered from these fields in West MI, using field soil to inoculate greenhouse plants in normal/drought conditions. Three types of data were collected for each case: 1)AMF community via spore type and presence, …

Influence Of Cover Crop Management Practices On Rainfed Corn Production In Semi-Arid Western Nebraska, Alexandre Tonon Rosa

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

With the increased cover crop (CC) popularity, producers of semi-arid regions of western Nebraska are questioning whether they could successfully incorporate CC into their rainfed winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-corn (Zea mays L.)-fallow rotations. The major concern is that CCs may deplete soil water affecting the subsequent crop. Therefore, three studies were established under rainfed conditions of western Nebraska to access the effects of CCs on soil water, soil compaction, nutrient cycling, weed demographics, residue coverage, and subsequent corn yield. The first study evaluated the influence of CC planting and termination times prior to corn establishment. …

Developing A Method To Contain The Feeding Of The Wheat Curl Mite (Aceria Tosichella Keifer), Pierce Leef, Gary Hein

UCARE Research Products

To better understand the ecology and epidemiology of the wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella Keifer) as a vector of wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), it is necessary to develop a method to confine the microscopic mites and their infection to specific areas of their host plants, particularly wheat and corn. In this study, corn was the plant of interest. The device developed for this mite-confining method was made by removing the lens of a phone camera lens clip and gluing a 2.5 cm x 4.5 cm piece of wood to the other arm of the clip. Clips were utilized by …

Corn Cropping Systems To Improve Economic And Environmental Health, Heather Darby, Lindsey Ruhl, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, UVM Extension’s Northwest Crops & Soils Program continued a multi-year trial at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT to assess the impact of corn cropping systems on overall health and productivity of the crop and soil. Management choices involving crop rotation, tillage, nutrient management, and cover crops also make differences in the long term. Yields are important and they affect the bottom line immediately and obviously. Growing corn with practices that enhance soil quality and crop yields improves farm resiliency to both economics and the environment. This project evaluated yield and soil health effects of five different corn …

Sare Interseeding Cover Crops In Corn Silage Cropping Systems, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With increasing focus on minimizing environmental impacts from agriculture, farmers are looking for strategies that are good for farm and environmental viability. Cover cropping is one strategy that has been promoted to help farms improve soil health and minimize soil and nutrient losses to the environment. However, with a short growing season it is often difficult to get an adequate cover cropping following corn silage harvest. Therefore, farmers are interested in using interseeding techniques to establish cover crops into an actively growing corn crop. Being successful with this practice will likely require changes to other aspects of the cropping system …

Vermont Organic Silage Corn Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted an organic silage corn variety trial in 2020 to provide unbiased performance comparisons of commercially available varieties. To determine varieties that are best suited to this production system and our region’s climate, we evaluated 9 commercially available organic corn silage varieties. It is important to remember that the data presented are from a replicated research trial from only one location in Vermont and represent only one season. Crop performance data from additional tests in different locations and over several years should be compared before making varietal selections.

Integrating Cover Crops And Manure Into Corn Silage Cropping Systems, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Lindsey Ruhl

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With increasing focus on managing environmental impacts from agriculture, farmers are looking for ways to manage nutrients efficiently on their farms without sacrificing crop productivity. Cover cropping and no-till crop production are strategies that have been promoted as methods that help retain nutrients on farms and minimize losses to the environment. However, integrating these practices into the cropping system requires changes to other aspects of the system. For instance, manure management becomes more difficult when using no-till production methods as the timing or method of application may need to be altered to fit appropriately into the new production system. Farmers …

Vermont Non-Gmo Corn Silage Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Ivy Luke, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated yield and quality of six non-GMO corn silage varieties at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. To successfully transition to growing non-GMO corn, farmers are looking for more information on non-GMO varieties that are available and perform well in our region. While the information presented can begin to describe the yield and quality performance of these non-GMO corn silage varieties in this region, it is important to note that the data represent results from only one season and one location.

Closing The Nutrient Loop Through An Innovative Organic Fertilizer Technology Field Tested For Corn, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Excess nutrients from agricultural, industrial, and wastewater runoff result in harmful algae blooms in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. Inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous can fuel the rapid growth of algae, which deprives the aquatic environment of oxygen and sunlight. This process, eutrophication, results in anoxic “dead zones” and threatens ecosystems and access to clean water.

In agriculture, this nutrient pollution can be controlled by implementing and improving practices that reduce runoff, such as building good soil structure and not over-fertilizing nitrogen and phosphorus using slow release fertilizers.

An Analysis Of Yield Variation Under Soil Conservation Practices, Andrew E. Anderson, W. Ashley Hammac, Diane E. Stott, Wallace E. Tyner

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Much attention has been paid to the effects of multiple soil conservation and soil health practices on the mean yield of the subsequent crop. Much less research has focused on the variability of crop yields over time or space. Yield stability reported in standard deviation, mean absolute deviation, or coefficient of variation can be an important measure of risk for producers. Risk reduction has economic value, and understanding the effect of tillage and other soil conservation practices on yield risk is relevant to farm financial management and crop insurance risk assessment. We used data from test plots in a corn …

Transforming Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) And Multispectral Sensor Into A Practical Decision Support System For Precision Nitrogen Management In Corn, Laura J. Thompson, Laila A. Puntel

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Determining the optimal nitrogen (N) rate in corn remains a critical issue, mainly due to unaccounted spatial (e.g., soil properties) and temporal (e.g., weather) variability. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with multispectral sensors may provide opportunities to improve N management by the timely informing of spatially variable, in-season N applications. Here, we developed a practical decision support system (DSS) to translate spatial field characteristics and normalized difference red edge (NDRE) values into an in-season N application recommendation. On-farm strip-trials were established at three sites over two years to compare farmer’s traditional N management to a split-application N management guided by …

Integration Of Cover Crops Into Midwest Corn-Soybean Cropping Systems And Potential For Weed Suppression, Joshua S. Wehrbein

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

Cover crops have potential to provide benefits to agricultural systems, such as improved soil productivity, nutrient scavenging, weed suppression, and livestock forage. There are several challenges associated with cover crop integration into traditional Midwest corn-soybean cropping systems. One of these challenges is timely establishment in the fall, which is limited by the relatively late harvest of corn and soybean. Cover crop effectiveness is related to the amount of biomass produced, thus maximizing the growth period in the fall is desired. To address this challenge, we evaluated the potential to utilize early-season soybean maturity groups (MGs) to allow for earlier soybean …

Utilizing Growing Degree Days For Corn Production, Dexton Lake, Matt Yost, Clark Israelsen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet explains the concepts and formulas in determining growing degree days.

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 …

Evaluation Of Stabilized Fertilizer And Crop Canopy Sensors As Next-Generation Nitrogen Management Technologies In Irrigated Corn, Leonardo Mendes Bastos

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

Nitrogen (N) is often the most limiting nutrient to corn. Once applied to the field, N can be lost through different pathways, which contributes to low N use efficiency (NUE) by plants. Increases in NUE and decreases in N losses can be potentially achieved by using management options that allow a better synchrony between N supply and demand, such as stabilized fertilizers, and spatially-variable sensor-derived in-season N application. Three studies were conducted in order to assess the effects of different stabilized fertilizers and crop canopy sensors on irrigated corn yield. The first study evaluated the effect of urease inhibitor on …

Vermont Organic Silage Corn Performance Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program conducted an organic silage corn variety trial in 2019 to provide unbiased performance comparisons of commercially available varieties. With the expansion of the organic dairy industry in our region there is increased interest in organic corn silage production. To determine varieties that are best suited to this production system and our region’s climate, we evaluated 11 commercially available organic corn silage varieties. It is important to remember that the data presented are from a replicated research trial from only one location in Vermont and represent only one season. Crop performance …

Long Season Corn Silage Performance Trials Summary, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Long season corn (96-110 day relative maturity) silage hybrids in Alburgh, VT

Planting Date: 05-13-19

Harvest Date: 10-02-19

Short Season Corn Silage Performance Trials Summary, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Short season corn (85-95 day relative maturity) silage hybrids in Alburgh, VT

Planting Date: 05-22-19

Harvest Date: 09-25-19