Agriculture Commons^™

First Draft Genome Of Thecaphora Frezii, Causal Agent Of Peanut Smut Disease, Renee S. Arias, Cinthia Conforto, Valerie A. Orner, Edgardo J. Carloni, Juan H. Soave, Alicia N. Massa, Marshall C. Lamb, Nelson Bernardi-Lima, Alejandro M. Rago

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

Objectives: The fungal pathogen Thecaphora frezii Carranza & Lindquist causes peanut smut, a severe disease currently endemic in Argentina. To study the ecology of T. frezii and to understand the mechanisms of smut resistance in peanut plants, it is crucial to know the genetics of this pathogen. The objective of this work was to isolate the pathogen and generate the first draft genome of T. frezii that will be the basis for analyzing its potential genetic diversity and its interaction with peanut cultivars. Our research group is working to identify peanut germplasm with smut resistance and to understand the genetics …

The Financial Implications Of Specialization, Diversification, Or Alternative Enterprises On Small Farms: Evidence From Tennessee, Aditya R. Khanal, Renu Ojha

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

In response to survival challenges, small farms in the United States undertake decisions to minimize downside risk or maximize gross revenue. Using primary survey data of small farms in Tennessee, we examined farmers’ strategic decisions on specialization or other forms of diversification and estimated the impacts of these decisions on farm financial performance. We found that farmer’s age, farmland holdings, use of a smartphone in farm-related activities, and off-farm work significantly influenced these strategic decisions. Our multinomial endogenous switching regression estimates suggested that small farms could attain significantly higher performance, around 45% higher gross farm income and a 30% higher …

The Casnr L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter: Learning Innovation Network For K-12 Schools, Volume 2, Edition 11, December 2023, Bailey Feit, Tammy Mittelstet

CASNR L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter

The purpose of this L.I.N.K.S. newsletter is to provide a monthly update of opportunities and resources for K-12 schools to connect with the University of Nebraska's CASNR Food, Energy, Water, and Societal Systems (FEWS²) programs and partners.

Included in this edition:

New engage in the range curriculum, World Wildlife Fund

The CASNR Change Maker Competition

Data Driven 2024: 4-H Statistics Field day

UNL CASNR six interest areas

Focus on Department of Food Science and Technology, Center for Grassland Studies, and Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Career spotlight: forest ranger, range management, US conservation specialist, environmental lobbyist, food chemist, nutritionist, nonprofit fund …

Evaluation Of Forage Nutritive Value And Dry Matter Yield Of Stockpiled Tall Fescue Across Plant Hardiness Zones 7 And 8, Malerie Elizabeth Fancher

Masters Theses

Pastures in Tennessee comprise mainly tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.], a cool-season perennial grass. Tennessee producers feed hay for an average of 143 days per year, there is interest in utilizing stockpiling to extend the grazing season. Although this practice has been proven to reduce hay needs (Freeman et al., 2019), it is vital to maintain up-to-date recommendations using data from across the southeastern US to inform nutritional management decisions. The objective of this study is to determine the nutritive value and dry matter yield of stockpiled tall fescue across plant hardiness zones 7 and 8. Fourteen farms …

Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Radiometric Calibration: A Comparison Of Autoexposure And Fixed‐Exposure Images, G. Cody Bagnall, John Alex Thomasson, Chenghai Yang, Tianyi Wang, Xiongzhe Han, Chao Sima, Anjin Chang

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Remote sensing with uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) is increasingly being used in agriculture to provide data on the physical characteristics of plants under field conditions. Data accuracy is critical for decision making with a high degree of confidence. In this work, we compared two multispectral camera calibration methods for image data collected with a UAV: (1) an autoexposure method that relies on a single calibration panel and a post hoc calibration, and (2) a fixed-exposure system that uses three in-field gray calibration panels using the empirical line calibration method. Both methods were compared to reflectance data from (a) four ground …

Increasing Racial Diversity In The North American Plant Phenotyping Network Through Conference Participation Support, David Lebauer, Alexander Bucksch, Jennifer Clarke, Jesse Potts, Sonali Roy

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

A key goal of the North American Plant Phenotyping Network (NAPPN) annual conference is to cultivate a new generation of scientists from diverse backgrounds. As part of their effort to diversify the plant phenomics research community, NAPPN acquired funding to cover all attendance costs for participants from historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) for the 2022 annual meeting. Seven award recipients represented the first attendees from HBCUs in the conference's 6-year history. In this commentary, we report on the impact of the conference awards, including lessons learned, and the future of the award.

Effects Of Sewage Sludge Treatments On Plant Nutrients, Heavy Metals And Tall Fescue(Festuca Arundinacea Schreb.), Ali̇ Riza Ongun, Mahmut Tepeci̇k, Hüseyi̇n Hüsnü Kayikçioğlu, Sezai̇ Deli̇bacak, Tanay Bi̇ri̇şçi̇, Erden Aktaş, Ayşe Kalayci Önaç, Gökhan Balik

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of anaerobically stabilized sewage sludge (SS) converted into 90% dryness granules at different doses of control, 3% SS, 6% SS, and 9% SS on elemental composition of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and physicochemical properties of soil. Color measurements were made with the CIE L* a* b* method unit; the highest color (4.10) and the highest coating score (5.7) were calculated for the 6% SS treatment. The highest biomass (9.11 g) was obtained from the 3% SS and the lowest (7.67 g) from the 9% SS dose. Plant height measurements were listed as follows: …

Impact Of Ultrasound On Postharvest Physiology And Bioactive Compounds Of Sweet Basilduring Short-Term Storage, Ali Ibrahim Sale, Apiradee Uthairatanakij, Natta Laohakunjit, Pongphen Jitareerat, Nattapon Kaisangsri

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Sweet basil is a perishable green herb that has a short shelf life after harvest. Techniques to extend its shelf life and prolong its storability may be commercially beneficial. In this study, the impact of different ultrasound powers on the postharvest quality and bioactive compounds of sweet basil during storage was investigated. The sampled basil leaves were immersed in an ultrasonic bath (40 kHz) at 200 or 400 W for 3 min at ambient temperature (28 ℃). The control samples were treated with tap water. All of the treatments were packed in a basket covered with a polyethylene sheet and …

Lignin Recovery From Hazelnut Shells, Özcan Gezen, Aleyna Fi̇li̇zfi̇danoğlu, Çağlar Özgener, İrem Deni̇z

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The main goal of this work was to study alkaline pretreatment of hazelnut shells (HSs) by utilization of NaOH and Ca(OH)2 with or without glycerol. The highest lignin recovery was obtained for NaOH-glycerol-pretreated HSs. This research also determined the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis where xylanase and cellulase were added to the pretreated residue. The highest amount of lignin of 63.2% was achieved when NaOH was used with glycerol in the pretreatment process. These findings revealed that the NaOH-catalyzed glycerol pretreatment applied in this study has great capability to be used in industrial applications.

The Effects Of Different Seeding Rates On Nitrogen Acquisition In Pea–Wheat Intercropping, Aybegün Ton, Erik Steen Jensen

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Intercropping may improve the use of environmental resources in low-input agricultural systems compared to sole crops and it is possible that risk may be reduced in intercropping, leading to more stable yields and weed control. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of seeding rate of a normal leafed cultivar and a semileafless pea cultivar (Pisum sativum L.) grown as sole crops, cultivar mixture, and in double and triple intercrops with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on competitive dynamics, yield and use of nitrogen sources from soil, and symbiotic N2 fixation. A randomized complete blocks experiment …

Tree Rings Of Quercus Ilex L. And Their Relationships With Some Wood Anatomical Featuresand Growing Site Conditions In Türkiye, Ünal Akkemi̇k, Hati̇ce Yilmaz, Orhan Sevgi̇, Hakan Çeli̇k, Osman Yalçin Yilmaz, Ece Sevgi̇, Sena Genç, Ferdi̇ Akarsu, Özgür Hüseyi̇n Doğan

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Quercus ilex (Holm oak) presents itself as trees up to 14–15 m tall in suitable growing site conditions and as shrubs in unsuitable areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between tree-ring widths of Q. ilex and vessel features, tree diameters, climate, and site conditions throughout Türkiye. A total of 1020 cores from 510 trees were collected from 102 sampled sites throughout Türkiye. After using standard dendroclimatology methods, all tree-ring analyses were performed on these chronologies. As a result, tree-ring boundaries were found to be less visible in Türkiye, like in other Mediterranean areas. Mean sensitivity …

Genetic Diversity And Population Structure Analysis Of Grapevine Germplasm Of Theaegean Region (Türkiye) By Ssr Markers, Canan Yüksel Özmen, Funda Baydu, Nahi̇d Hazrati̇, Tamer Uysal, Ahmet Semi̇h Yaşasin, Cengi̇z Özer, Burcu Peli̇n Büyük, Yilmaz Boz, Bariş Özünlü, Ali̇ Ergül

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The Aegean region makes a prominent contribution to Turkish viticulture. The region, which includes important grape culture centers such as Manisa, Denizli, and İzmir, has extremely favorable conditions for the cultivation of seedless grapes as well as table and wine grape varieties. In this region, which possesses rich grapevine genetic diversity together with its area and production potential, it is seen that there is variety confusion caused by different nomenclature and intravariety variations. In addition, some old grape varieties that are not used in cultivation are at risk of disappearing. In order to address these problems, the viticulture potentials of …

Cereal–Vegetable Intercropping: Hindrances And Strategies To Increase Intercropping, Iqra Zaki̇r, Ahmad Abdul Wahab, Tahira Abbas, Sakeena Tul-Ain Haider, Sobia Irum, Samreen Sabir, Sajjad Hussain, Shakeel Ahmad

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Climate change is the major factor that affects crop yield and productivity in the long term. The changing climate scenario is now impacting farmers’ lands and their outcomes in both developed and developing countries. The intercropping of crop species or varieties that have high arable capability is a promising technique for increasing crop production without increasing agricultural inputs. In intercropping, the selection of varieties, optimum sowing time, method of plant arrangement, and sowing proportion are required to make the design suitable for an intercropping system. Intercropping is one of the most highlighted agronomic practices helping to improve soil health (structure, …

Village-Level Processing Of Pangi (Pangium Edule Reinw.) Seeds By The Obu Manuvu Improves The Edibility And Level Of Some Nutritional Factors [Research Note], Rovi Gem E. Villame-Gayagas, Jennifer P. Fronteras, Maria Christna D. Nacar, Aaron P. Lorilla, Pedro A. Alviola Iv

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

Pangi (Pangium edule Reinw) seed is known to be a poisonous material. However, it becomes safe for consumption after processing. This study determined the effect of village-level processing by the Obu Manuvu community of Marilog District, Davao City, Philippines on the antinutrient and nutritional composition of Pangi seeds. Processing methods involved washing with running water for about 15 s, boiling in water for 30 min, and soaking in flowing water in a nearby river overnight. Results showed that after processing, the levels of antinutrients such as cyanogenic glycosides and oxalates were reduced significantly (p < 0.05) by 99.15% and 78.23%, respectively. Further, the tannin content was also significantly reduced by 96.15%. The crude fat content significantly increased (p < 0.05) by about 54%. Crude ash and fiber decreased, while protein did not change significantly (p < 0.05). Minerals such as calcium and zinc increased (p < 0.05) by 221.43% and 64.39%, respectively while the iron and manganese levels remained unaffected. Findings of the study suggested that the processing method by the Obu Manuvu effectively reduces the level of antinutrients, thereby improving the edibility and safety of Pangi seeds. Further, the processing method improves the level of some nutrients, specifically crude fat, calcium, and zinc.

2020-2021 Field Seasons Of Maize Gxe Project Within The Genomes To Fields Initiative, Dayane Cristina Lima, Alejandro Castro Aviles, Ryan Timothy Alpers, Alden Perkins, Dylan L. Schoemaker, Martin Costa, Kathryn J. Michel, Shawn Kaeppler, David Ertl, Maria Cinta Romay, Joseph L. Gage, James Holland, Timothy Beissinger, Martin Bohn, Edward Buckler, Jode Edwards, Sherry Flint-Garcia, Michael A. Gore, Candice N. Hirsch, Joseph E. Knoll, John Mckay, Richard Minyo, Seth C. Murray, James Schnable, Rajandeep S. Sekhon, Maninder P. Singh, Erin E. Sparks, Peter Thomison, Addie Thompson, Mitchell Tuinstra, Jason Wallace, Jacob D. Washburn, Teclemariam Weldekidan, Wenwei Xu, Natalia De Leon

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Objectives: This release note describes the Maize GxE project datasets within the Genomes to Fields (G2F) Initiative. The Maize GxE project aims to understand genotype by environment (GxE) interactions and use the information collected to improve resource allocation efficiency and increase genotype predictability and stability, particularly in scenarios of variable environmental patterns. Hybrids and inbreds are evaluated across multiple environments and phenotypic, genotypic, environmental, and metadata information are made publicly available. Data description: The datasets include phenotypic data of the hybrids and inbreds evaluated in 30 locations across the US and one location in Germany in 2020 and 2021, soil …

Characteristics Of Award-Winning Children’S Books About Agriculture: An Analysis Of Content, And The Perspectives Of Authors, Illustrators, And Publishers, Addison L. Beckham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this two-article qualitative study was to characterize children's literature about agriculture and to describe the perceptions of authors and illustrators who are responsible for writing and designing these successful publications. This will result in the ability of organizations like Feeding Minds Press to provide writers, illustrators, and publishers with effective strategies and techniques to improve the accuracy and overall quality of children’s literature about agriculture. Few parameters exist for authors of children’s books about agriculture (Biser, 2007). These parameters are necessary to ensure the quality and accuracy of these educational efforts (Serafini, 2012). Though Feeding Minds Press …

Editorial: Amaranthus: Naturally Stress-Resistant Resources For Improved Agriculture And Human Health, Volume Ii, Matthew W. Blair, Chance Riggins, Ana Paulina Barba De La Rosa

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Social Media Impacts On Arkansas Consumer Perceptions Of Gmos, Elizabeth R. Berner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study builds upon previous consumer perceptions of GMOs studies. A need existed to determine what, if any, effects social media messages about GMOs had on consumer perceptions in Arkansas. The study utilized a qualitative approach with three focus groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive code. Participants were found to have a general understanding of GMOs, though discussion about what a GMO product was took an uncertain tone. Most participants did not consider GMOs as a factor when purchasing products. Rather participants considered characteristics such as price, quality, and convenience. Participants did not believe the infographics had changed their opinions …

Growth, Yield, And Photosynthetic Dry Matter Remobilization Response Of Barley To Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (Pgpr) And Nitrogen, Abazar Abbasi, Shahram Mehri, Hossein Solimanzadeh, Saeid Alipour

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

A two-year factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replicates was carried out on barley cultivar LB-IRAN at the research farm of the Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran, during the cropping years of 2019–2021, in order to survey the impact of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and nitrogen fertilizer on growth, yield, and remobilization of photosynthetic dry matter in barley. The first factor included five nitrogen levels: 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, 100 kg/ha net nitrogen; the second factor contained grain inoculations with four bacteria: no inoculation (control), Azotobacter chroococcum race 5, Azospirillum lipoferum race of, and …

Analysis Of The Potential Of Rice And Corn In Supporting Food Availability, Luh Pastiniasih, Ketut Sumantra, Ni Putu Pandawani, Putu Edi Yastika

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

A region’s agricultural sector plays a strategic role in fulfilling its food needs with ideal nutrition. The potential of cereal commodities, specifically rice and corn, was identified based on the production level and competitiveness by district in Buleleng Regency, Indonesia. The regency’s potential to provide and support food security was also determined through a quantitative descriptive analysis of the Location Quotient (LQ), Shift Share Analysis (SSA), Localization Coefficients, and Levels of Food Availability by utilizing secondary data on cereal commodity production and population numbers over the course of 10 yr (2012–2021). Results showed that Sawan, Seririt, and Sukasada districts were …

Solar Cooking Solutions For Haiti, Isaac Mergner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on enhancing the efficiency of solar cooking through the use of solar cookers and heat retention boxes. The research involved testing various cooking vessels and lids in a solar cooking experiment, with a specific focus on the performance of different materials and their heat retention capabilities. The experiment aimed to increase the efficiency of solar cookers, which are popular in developing nations due to their relatively low cost. The findings indicate that the combination of a solar cooker and a heat retention box can significantly improve the cooking process, particularly in areas with limited access to cooking …

Growth Rates, Morphology, And Potential For Mariculture Of The Southern Population Of Crassostrea Virginica In The Lower Laguna Madre, Texas, Jerad Lee Fuelling

Theses and Dissertations

The Eastern Oyster also known as Crassostrea virginica, is an important resource here in the United States. Historically, this species has been overfished, poorly managed, and plagued by disease. Oyster mariculture is a growing industry here in the United States and is a sustainable solution to producing oysters. Texas has become the last coastal state to legalize oyster mariculture which means there is now a vast coastline with many unique bay systems that are open to this industry. One bay system that is particularly unique is the Lower Laguna Madre which is a hypersaline lagoon. Little is known about …

Arkansas Soybean Research Studies 2022, Jeremy Ross

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Arkansas is the leading soybean-producing state in the mid-southern United States. Arkansas ranked 11th in soybean production in 2022 when compared to the other soybean-producing states in the U.S. The state represented 3.04% of the total U.S. soybean production and 3.64% of the total acres planted in soybean in 2022. The 2022 state soybean average yield was 52.0 bushels per acre, tying the previous state yield record of 52 bushels per acre set in 2021. The top five soybean-producing counties in 2022 were Mississippi, Crittenden, Phillips, Poinsett, and Arkansas (Table 1). These five counties accounted for over 35.7% of the …

Navigating Leadership Pathways: Learning Module Development, Alana Skogen

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

Navigating Leadership Pathways is an innovative learning initiative designed to address the challenges and barriers faced by women in their pursuit of mid to high-level leadership positions. Comprising three self-paced modules, this project delves into the intricate landscape of gender bias, second-generation biases, and cultural norms that hinder women's progression in the workplace. Drawing on extensive research and real-world insights, each module provides a dynamic and interactive learning experience.

Module 1: Introduction to Gender Bias in Leadership

This module lays the foundation by exploring second-generation biases, leadership style differences between men and women, the glass ceiling, diversity, and inclusion. Participants …

Feed Value And Utilization Of Corn Residue: Implications For Cow Performance And Grazing Strategies, Kaylee E. Wheeler

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Two experiments were conducted to determine the correlation of corn residue feed value and utilization on cow performance and potential grazing strategies. A qualitative observation of corn residue grazing by 13 cattle herds across Nebraska was conducted over two years. Based on producer reported grain yields and stocking rates, it was found that these producers were generally not as aggressive as the recommended 1.2 animal unit months (AUM) for each 6,280 kg/ha (100 U.S. bushels/acre) of harvested grain. They stocked 17 to 101% of the recommendation and on average used 63% of the carrying capacity. Across herds, average body condition …

Costs Of Wind Erosion In The Northern Agricultural Region, Anne Bennett

Natural resources published reports

Summary

• To date, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) estimated opportunity cost of wind erosion for Western Australia’s (WA) agricultural region has only included the costs of forgone production income and therefore underestimates the broader costs of wind erosion events.
• This underestimation of costs was the impetus to create a case study to give an indication of the magnitude of the costs of wind erosion from agricultural land.
• Farmers in the Northern Agricultural Region (NAR) were contacted to seek information about the on-farm costs of wind erosion events that occurred in 2020. Seventeen farmers responded to the …

Western Australia’S Primary Industries: 2021-22 Economic Overview, D. Maharjan, S. Akbari, A.K. Abadi Ghadim, P. Mattingley, I. Wilkinson, J. Tan, J. Van Staden, M. Radhakrishnan

All other publications

The Western Australia’s Primary Industries: 2021-22 Economic Overview (WAPIEO) is developed by DPIRD in partnership with the Forest Products Commission.

The WAPIEO has a trade focus and provides a single source for consistent statistics and insights on observed industry trends.

Director General Statement

Western Australia’s primary industries sector is a significant contributor to the state’s economic diversification. Supported by strong international trading relationships, it is also a major export industry with around 60% of our agriculture, fisheries, forestry and food production exported to over 150 international markets.

The agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries are also significant contributors to our economy, …

Status Of The Western Australian Pastoral Rangelands 2023: Total Vegetative Cover And Cover Risk, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

Natural resources published reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) monitors and reports on the vegetation condition of pastoral rangelands in Western Australia. This 2023 short report uses remotely sensed total cover data available to the end of October 2023, rainfall data to the end of November 2023 and Stock Return data reported in 2022 (the most recent available) to determine cover risk. Cover risk at the land conservation district (LCD) level is an indicator of the likelihood of total cover declining to, or remaining at, low or very low levels. Total cover and cover risk may not be indicative of …

Assessing The Feasibility Of Implementing A Dairy Industry In Mauritius, Sophia Ultes

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mauritius faces food security and economic challenges due to its lack of a domestic dairy industry. To address this, the University of Arkansas partnered with the Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security to explore the possibility of establishing a dairy sector on the island.

Through surveys and interviews with locals, including restaurant owners and grocery store customers, we investigated the demand for fresh milk. We also studied factors like consumer preferences and production costs. Our research, conducted with IRB approval, aimed to understand if people are willing to buy locally produced milk.

During the summer, our team visited Mauritius …

Investigation Of Breeding Objectives And Indexes-In-Retrospect, Hunter F. Valasek

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis presents two projects that investigate the impacts of breeding objectives and indexes-in-retrospect within the beef cattle industry. The first project synthesized how changes due to planning horizon, breeding system, and sale endpoint in the economic breeding goal of cattle influence the relative emphasis of traits as well as the re-ranking of selection candidates. A total of three breeding systems that represent straightbred and crossbred cattle were used along with six planning horizons (2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 yrs.) for both a weaning and slaughter point of sale. The combination of these different breeding objective attributes resulted …