Agriculture Commons^™

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 …

Simulating Southern Rust Damage In Corn Through Defoliation, Michael Keith Shannon

LSU Master's Theses

The importance of leaf area to corn for grain production beginning at silking is well documented. However, being able to predict yield loss due to defoliators such as foliar plant diseases and insects that progressively increase in defoliation over time has been difficult to quantify. To address this issue, a leaf removal study was conducted at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Center located near Alexandria, Louisiana in 2017 and 2018. Two hybrids, differing in relative maturity were evaluated in this study. An early maturing hybrid (108 days in 2017 and 107 days in 2018) and a later maturing hybrid …

Microbial Degradation Of Urea Oligomers: Potential Slow Release Nitrogen Fertilizers, Maddy Bygd

Departmental Honors Projects

Urea is the most commonly used nitrogen compound in fertilizers across the world. It provides the most nitrogen at the lowest cost. However, with the size and solubility of this compound, it is easily washed out of the soil. This results in the need to continuously add fertilizer to fields, creating adverse effects on the environment due to nitrogen runoff and leading to increased expenses for farmers. Triuret, a urea oligomer, is a compound with promising potential for use as a nitrogen source, providing a slower release of nitrogen into the soil. It is hypothesized that this compound can be …

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 …

Corn Response To Wastewater-Recycled Phosphorus Fertilizers, Shane R. Ylagan, Kristofor R. Brye

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The ability to recycle phosphorus (P) from wastewaters could provide a sustainable, continuous source of P that might also help protect surface water quality from P enrichment. The mineral struvite (MgNH4PO4 · 6H2O) is an understudied material that can be created from P- and nitrogen (N)-containing wastewater and has been shown to have agricultural fertilizer value. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of electrochemically precipitated struvite (ECST), chemically precipitated struvite (Crystal Green; CG), diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), rock phosphate (RP), and triple superphosphate (TSP) on corn (Zea mays) response in a greenhouse pot study. …

2020 Weed Science Research Report – Blue Section, Ndsu Weed Science, Dept. Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Weed Science Reports

The Weed Science team at North Dakota State University conduct field research in the State of North Dakota. This specific document reports on field research conducted in 2020. It includes work on corn, soybean and the management of several weeds in North Dakota.

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 …

Statistical And Machine Learning Methods Evaluated For Incorporating Soil And Weather Into Corn Nitrogen Recommendations, Curtis J. Ransom, Newell R. Kitchen, James J. Camberato, Paul R. Carter, Richard B. Ferguson, Fabian G. Fernandez, David W. Franzen, Carrie A. M. Laboski, D. Brenton Myers, Emerson D. Nafziger, John E. Sawyer, John F. Shanahan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendation tools could be improved for estimating corn (Zea mays L.) N needs by incorporating site-specific soil and weather information. However, an evaluation of analytical methods is needed to determine the success of incorporating this information. The objectives of this research were to evaluate statistical and machine learning (ML) algorithms for utilizing soil and weather information for improving corn N recommendation tools. Eight algorithms [stepwise, ridge regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso), elastic net regression, principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares regression (PLSR), decision tree, and random forest] were evaluated using a dataset …

2019 Weed Science Research Report – Blue Section, Ndsu Weed Science, Dept. Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Weed Science Reports

The Weed Science team at North Dakota State University conduct field research in the State of North Dakota. This specific document reports on field research conducted in 2019. It includes work on several corn, soybean and the management of several weeds in North Dakota.

Comparing Strip Trials Of Chicken Litter, Compost, Hog Manure, And Wet Cattle Manure On Soil Fertility, Tanner Douma, Emily Hummel, Wendi Jo Vande Voort

Student Work

Utilizing agriculture animal and biodegradable waste can reduce the input costs of fertilizers while enhancing the soil. This comparative study focuses on the nutrient values soil receives from agricultural waste. The central objective was, “Due to the historical over-application of manure leading to environmental concerns, a comparative study of soil fertility and economic viability of manures and compost are analyzed in a one-year study”. On an 18.7 acre corn plot, 11 strips were applied with four different manure types, which were randomized, during the 2017 growing season. Chicken litter, compost, hog manure, wet cattle manure, and control strips were replicated …

Effects Of Enhanced Efficiency Nitrogen Fertilizers On Agronomic Parameters And Loss Pathways In The Subtropical Mississippi Delta Region, Scott Michael Pensky

LSU Master's Theses

Minimizing nitrogen (N) loss is critical for improving N use efficiency (NUE) in crop production and reducing its effects on the environment. Management practices such as seasonal application timing of N fertilizers and the addition of enhanced efficiency N fertilizers (EENFs) were investigated for the high N requirement of the two most common cereal crops globally, corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), in the subtropical climate of Louisiana. Field research was established during the 2016 and 2017 seasons at the LSU Agricultural Center’s Dean Lee and Central research stations to examine the effect of different EENFs and …

A Systems Modeling Approach To Forecast Corn Economic Optimum Nitrogen Rate, Laila A. Puntel, John E. Sawyer, Daniel W. Barker, Peter J. Thorburn, Michael J. Castellano, Kenneth J. Moore, Andy Vanloocke, Emily A. Heaton, Sotirios V. Archontoulis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Historically crop models have been used to evaluate crop yield responses to nitrogen (N) rates after harvest when it is too late for the farmers to make in-season adjustments. We hypothesize that the use of a crop model as an in-season forecast tool will improve current N decision-making. To explore this, we used the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) calibrated with long-term experimental data for central Iowa, USA (16-years in continuous corn and 15-years in soybean-corn rotation) combined with actual weather data up to a specific crop stage and historical weather data thereafter. The objectives were to: (1) evaluate the …

Impaired Phloem Loading In Zmsweet13a,B,C Sucrose Transporter Triple Knock-Out Mutants In Zea Mays, Margaret Bezrutczyk, Thomas Hartwig, Marc Horschman, Si Nian Char, Jinliang Yang, Bing Yang, Wolf B. Frommer, Davide Sosso

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Crop yield is critical for human nutrition, yet the underlying machinery that ultimately determines yield potential is still not understood. Crop productivity under ideal conditions is determined by the efficiency with which plants intercept light, convert it into chemical energy, translocate photosynthates and convert these to storage products in harvestable organs (Zhu et al., 2010). In many crops, sucrose is the primary form for translocation inside the conduit (i.e. the phloem). A combination of SWEETmediated efflux from phloem parenchyma and subsequent secondary active sucrose import by SUT sucrose/H+ symporters is thought to create the driving force for pressure gradient-driven …

Jaggers, Katie Thompson (Fa 1107), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1107. Paper titled “Methods of Corn Production in an Edmonson Co[unty] Community” in which Katie Jaggers Charts the history of corn harvesting by traditional means, such as using mules, shovels, wagons, and A-harrows, up through the current practice of employing highly-tech machinery. Paper is based on information collected by Jaggers from two brothers, Edgar and Harry Thompson, who resided in Lindseyville, Kentucky. Collection also includes color photos and descriptions of traditional farming machinery.

Preserving Corn, Heidi Leblanc, Charlotte Brennand, Paige Wray

All Current Publications

Corn is not only a favorite vegetable, but it is also the source of corn starch, cornmeal, corn oil, corn syrup, bourbon, and laundry starch.

2017 Weed Science Research Report – Blue Section, Ndsu Weed Science, Dept. Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Weed Science Reports

The Weed Science team at North Dakota State University conduct field research in the State of North Dakota. This specific document reports on field research conducted in 2017. It includes work on corn, soybean and the management of several weeds in North Dakota.

Field-Observed Angles Of Repose For Stored Grain In The United States, Rumela Bhadra, Mark E. Casada, Sidney A. Thompson, Josephine M. Boac, Ronaldo G. Maghirang, Michael D. Montross, Aaron P. Turner, Samuel G. Mcneill

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Bulk grain angle of repose (AoR) is a key parameter for inventorying grain, predicting flow characteristics, and designing bins and grain handling systems. The AoR is defined for two cases, piling (dynamic) or emptying (static), and usually varies with grain type. The objective of this study was to measure piling angles of repose for corn, sorghum, barley, soybeans, oats, and hard red winter (HRW) wheat in steel and concrete bins in the United States. Angles were measured in 182 bins and 7 outdoor piles. The piling AoR for corn ranged from 15.7° to 30.2° (median of 20.4° and standard deviation …

Evaluating The Long Term Effects Of Continuous Broiler Litter Applications On Residual Soil Fertility And Yields Of Corn And Soybean Crops, And A Side Experiment Studying The Residual Copper Fertilization Effects On These Crops, Jesse Lee Gray Mr.

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The increasing cost of commercial fertilizers and the availability of animal waste that has high nutrient content have led to producers utilizing animal waste such as poultry litter in their fertility programs. This increased use has raised concerns as to what are the optimum rates to apply to meet crop needs and how will long term use at high rates of litter effect soil test levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. The objective of this study was to address these concerns. This study has been ongoing since 1997 with treatments of zero to seven tons of litter …

Performance Of The Producer Accumulator In Corn And Soybean Commodity Markets, Chad Te Slaa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research quantifies risk reduction and performance of the producer accumulator contract in corn and soybean markets. To quantify performance, we use three alternative theoretical pricing models to estimate historical producer accumulator contract specifications in corn and soybean markets. We then compare the performance of the producer accumulator to eight alternative agricultural marketing strategy portfolios that are also used in new generation grain contracts. The performance measures we compare are: average bushel price that would be received by the producer, daily portfolio risk, and the Sharpe ratio. The period we examine performance was between 2008 and 2017. We investigate performance …

Residual Effects Of Nitrogen Fertilization On Soil Nitrogen Pools And Corn Growth, Meghan E. Moser

Open Access Theses

Given the dynamic nature of soil nitrogen (N), inorganic N fertilization to corn (Zea mays L.) has potential to alter N pool balance by creating an accumulation or depletion of soil N. Current corn N recommendations in the common corn-soybean rotation of Indiana strive to find the best N rate that maximizes producer profit. Increasing our understanding of soil N will inform producers if they should adjust fertilizer rates for corn to influence maintenance of organic N and Carbon. Our objective was to determine residual N effects from fertilized corn in a corn-soybean rotation by measuring (1) soil N …

Nitrogen Application Decision-Making Under Climate Risk In The U.S. Corn Belt, Benjamin M. Gramig, Raymond Massey, Seong Do Yun

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the most important inputs to corn production and farmers manage their crop by deciding how much to apply, when to apply it and how to apply it to maximize their yields and resulting profit. There is risk inherent in crop fertility manage- ment because once nitrogen is applied to the soil it is no longer immobile and cropland is subject to loss of this costly input under different weather conditions. Days suitable for field work, a farm’s machinery set, and weather conditions determine when field prepara- tion and planting activities are completed each year. This …

From Milpas To The Market: A Study On The Use Of Metal Silos For Safer And Better Storage Of Guatemalan Maize, José Rodrigo Mendoza

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

This project aimed to implement the use of metal silos to improve quality and safety of maize consumed by inhabitants of the highlands of Guatemala. This manuscript includes a literature review of the maize production chain in Guatemala, a survey about agricultural practices used in the region of study, as well as a characterization of the analyzed maize regarding its mycoflora, nutritional composition, and insect infestation. To better understand the current situation regarding agricultural practices and maize consumption, a survey was carried out. Sample consisted of 280 families representing 14 rural communities distributed in the townships of Todos Santos and …

A Brief History Of Corn: Looking Back To Move Forward, Jon Derek Pruitt

Doctor of Plant Health Program: Dissertations and Student Research

Maize was domesticated from teosinte in Mexico some 7,000 to 10,000 years ago and quickly spread through the Americas. It has become one of the most important crops at a local and global level. Two types, Northern Flint corn and Southern Dent corns provided the basis of the genetic background of modern maize hybrids. The development of hybrids, first double-cross and later single-cross hybrids, along with a transition to high input farming provided huge yield increases, which have continued to improve with improving technology.

Increase in maize production also caused a rise in Western corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera …

Automated Mini-Channel Platform For Studying Plant Root Environments, Kevin F. Kreis

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Plants are crucial to our lives; they provide us with building materials, oxygen, and food. A season’s crop yield can be significantly affected by local environmental factors. Farming practices currently focus on using fertilizer, pesticides, monitoring water availability, and genetic modification of the plant to increase crop yield. Improving fundamental understanding of plant root interactions with their local soil environment, or rhizosphere, will help improve crop yield. Studying such interactions is challenging because roots are underground, making it difficult to observe interactions and to manipulate the local soil environment.

The goal of this thesis is to develop an automated mini-channel …

Error Analysis Of Stored Grain Inventory Determination, Aaron P. Turner, Michael D. Montross, Joshua J. Jackson, Samuel G. Mcneill, Mark E. Casada, Josephine M. Boac, Rumela Bhadra, Ronaldo G. Maghirang, Sidney A. Thompson

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Estimation of the quantity of stored grain is important for crop insurance, financial statements, and inventory control. Traditionally, the height of grain has been measured using weighted tape measures, and the volume is subsequently computed using standard geometric shapes (cylinders and cones) along with visual correction of the grain surface. Field measurements by four trained USDA Farm Service Agency and crop insurance agents on older farm-sized bins (8.2 to 11.0 m, or 27 to 36 ft, in diameter) resulted in standard deviations between 0.02 and 0.30 m for the equivalent height when the grain surface was not level. The largest …

Evaluation Of Effects Of Water-Saving Superabsorbent Polymer On Corn (Zea Mays L.)Yield And Phosphorus Fertilizer Efficiency, Adem Güneş, Nurgül Kitir, Meti̇n Turan, Erdal Elkoca, Ertan Yildirim, Nazmi̇ye Avci

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

There is growing interest in using a reduced rate of mineral fertilizer along with water-saving superabsorbent polymer (WSAP) for field crop production in arid and semiarid regions of the world. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of hydrogel applications on the phosphorus fertilizer efficiency parameter, yield, and selected physiological properties of corn (Zea mays L.) grown at different levels of water deficiency in greenhouse conditions. The experimental design consisted of 3 completely randomized blocks in a factorial arrangement, with 9 hydrogel doses (0%, 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.04%, 0.08%, 0.12%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%), 4 phosphorus fertilizer …