Agriculture Commons^™

Low Protein Diet Strategy, S. Y. Liu, P. V. Chrystal, M. T. Kidd, M. Toghyani, S. P. Macelline, P. H. Selle

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Reduced crude protein (CP) diets can lower nitrogen excretion and improve litter quality, but their effectiveness varies depending on the grain type, with wheat-based diets often showing poorer broiler performance compared to maize or sorghum. The digestive dynamics and synchrony between NBAA and protein-bound amino acids, along with starch-to-protein ratios, influence feed efficiency and fat deposition, which remains a challenge in reduced CP diets. Optimizing amino acid supplementation and exploring alternative protein-rich ingredients may help improve outcomes, especially in regions with limited access to soybean meal.

Perspectives On Using Fats And Oils In Poultry Production, Brian J. Kerr

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

These proceedings describe lipid composition of fats and oils and outline fatty acid quality measurements. In addition, fat and oil energy composition and digestibility are presented. Finally, these proceedings describe ways to enhance lipid digestibility with emulsifiers and preventing lipid peroxidation with antioxidants.

Sustainable And Profitable Broiler Nutrition, Sergio R. Fernandez

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

These proceedings accompany a presentation on optimizing protein nutrition of broilers while minimizing environmental impacts of nitrogen excretion. The continual advancement of muscle development in modern broilers requires constant alignment of amino acid needs. These proceedings outline the importance and progression of feed grade amino acid supplementation in broiler nutrition.

Net Energy: The Precision Path To Sustainability, P. Srichana, A. C. Tay-Zar, M. Wongphatcharachai, C. Chanseyha

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Adaptation of the net energy system in broiler diets will increase least cost formulation flexibility. These proceedings outline a net energy system developed and implemented in practice. In addition to lower carbon and nitrogen inputs in dietary formulation, the net energy system reduced feed costs.

Nebline, January/February 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

2024 Extension Highlights

4-H Engaged 34,177 Youth

Nebraska Extension’s Strategic Direction

Reflflection, Growth and Whole-Person Wellness for 2025. Emily Gratopp

Recipe of the Month: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup, Emily Gratopp

Extension’s 2025 Master Gardener Volunteer Training Begins Soon

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Upcoming Green Industry Conferences

ProHort Lawn and Landscape Update

2025 Pesticide Applicator Trainings

Crop Production Clinics

Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Midwestern Farm Women

At Ag Literacy Festival, Students Learn How Agriculture Impacts Their Daily Lives

Managing Hard Water, Becky Schuerman

Don’t Let Fungus Gnats Bug You and Your Plants, Kait Chapman

2025 Lincoln …

The Effect Of Two Common Herbicides On The Growth And Development Of Two Anuran Species (Boreorana Sylvatica And Dryophytes Chrysoscelis), Jerica Eaton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Amphibian populations have been declining globally since the 1950s. Many species that have experienced declines are viewed as 'environmental indicators' that reveal habitat degradation. Declines can be attributed to several factors, including chemicals used in agriculture, such as Roundup and Atrazine. Agrochemicals contaminate water bodies through runoff or leaching and cause alterations to aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the effects of herbicide usage on two wild anuran populations using wood frogs (Boreorana sylvatica) and Cope’s gray tree frogs (Dryophytes chrysoscelis) as a model. We determined the effect of the herbicides at two concentrations, a high concentration …

Effect Of Ph And Iron Chelate On The Growth Of Basil And Soybean In Soilless Media, Christian Baker, Bruce Bugbee

Nutrients

Iron (Fe) deficiencies are common in alkaline root zones and can cause chlorosis and reduce growth. The most common approach to prevent deficiency is using synthetic chelates that keep iron in solution at high pH. Here we report the effects of pH and chelate type on the development of chlorosis and biomass in soybeans and basil. We grew the plants at a pH ranging from 6.0-7.8. Fe was chelated with either a less expensive EDTA chelate or a more expensive EDDHA chelate. There was no significant difference between chelates at pH 6.0 in either soybeans or basil. In soybeans, there …

Coffee Farmgate Price And Post-Harvest Processing In Honduras., Isaac Desouza

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Volatile commodity markets and changing climate expose coffee farmers to price and production risk. Proponents recommend specialty coffee as a strategy to combat price risk, because its unique attributes differentiate it from commodity coffee. Extrinsic and intrinsic attributes define specialty coffee and affect prices at many levels of the supply chain. Despite much work on extrinsic attributes, little is known about how intrinsic attributes relate to farmgate price. Post-harvest processing is itself an intrinsic trait and driver of coffee quality. In 2024 we surveyed 261 coffee farmers from La Paz, Honduras, to uncover relationships between capital, post-harvest processing, and farmgate …

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

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

No abstract provided.

Layer Industry Update: Nutrition Associated With Changes In Production Systems, Kenneth E. Anderson, Ishab Poudel

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

This is not a hardcore research presentation but rather an overview of three North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Tests. I used the 39th, 40th, and 41st Layer Test Reports that cover the years 2013 through 2025. The proceedings cover white and brown egg strains as groups and the cage and cage-free production environments. Over all three of these tests the production environments were the same and met UEP Cage standards and the Humane Farm Animal Care cage-free standards. There are papers outlining the changes in more detail with all the statistics. This is an overview of visual trends in …

Field Experience And Production Challenges In Australia And New Zealand, Nick Rodgers

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

Variability management represents the primary technical challenge facing the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) broiler industry's vertically integrated operations. This analysis examines systematic approaches to controlling seasonal performance fluctuations, raw material quality variations, emerging disease pressures, and evolving welfare demands. Key variability sources include climatic extremes, season to season raw material quality and nutrient value variability and intermittent [mostly enteric] disease challenges, particularly in no antibiotics ever (NAE) production systems. Solutions require a scientific, data-driven approach with insights from field experience for causation identification and a collaborative approach within business functional units, and across industry collaborators such as suppliers and …

Broiler Breeders Today: Feather Development And Nutrition, Justina Caldas

Proceedings of the Arkansas Nutrition Conference

The broiler industry in the US has observed a consistent decline in fertility and hatchability, particularly the past 5 years. There are numerous managerial and nutritional approaches to optimize the pullet and subsequent mature broiler breeder, and these proceedings focus on feathering. Moreover, these proceedings examine the quantity and quality of broiler breeder plumage as affected by both pullet and hen nutrition.

Entomology Insect Pollinators And Predators-Flower Flies, Manju Yogi, Kaushalya Amarasekare

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Powdery Mildew On Crapemyrtle, Kripa Dhakal, Kaitlin Barrios, Karla M. Addesso, Fulya Baysal-Gurel Baysal-Gurel

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Cercospora Leaf Spot On Crapemyrtle, Kripa Dhakal, Kaitlin Barrios, Karla M. Addesso, Fulya Baysal-Gurel

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Assessing Land Suitability For Agroforestry, Huseyin B. Tecimen

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Drone Applicator Technology, Jason P. De Koff, Joshua Howard

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Nutrition Security – Why It Matters?, Priscilla Ayine, Veronica Oates

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.

Modeling Wild Rice Bed Health: A Dual Metric Approach For Bed Strength And Invasive Impact, Seth Sisneros-Martinez

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Wild rice (mannoomin; Zizania palustris) is an aquatic grain that grows in slow-moving rivers and shallow bays throughout northern Minnesota. In Headquarters Bay on Leech Lake, wild rice has served as a cultural staple for Indigenous communities for centuries. However, its population has declined in recent years due to multiple environmental issues. One potential contributor is Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum; EWM), an invasive species that forms dense mats capable of outcompeting native aquatic vegetation, including wild rice. EWM was first recorded on the southern shoreline of Leech Lake in 2005 and has since become widespread. This study …

Floral Encounters: Examining The Role Of Experience Goods And Promoters In Specialty Cut Flower Workshops, Savannah L. Columbia

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

This thesis provides insight for any farmer interested in agritourism, specifically, specialty cut flower workshops, by investigating consumer behavior related to specialty cut flower workshops as an experience good. It investigates which experience good cues may be important for a consumer’s decision-making process. It introduces a Specialty Cut Flower Workshop Experience Map, which explains how potential participants move from first learning about a specialty cut flower workshop to their long-term behaviors as consumers. These findings help to provide marketing support for smaller-scale specialty crop farmers, specifically, specialty cut flower farmers.

Impacts Of School-Based Agricultural Education On The Resilience Of Senior Appalachian High School Students Living In Economically Disadvantaged Counties In Kentucky And Virginia, Ruth D. Toole

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Students in Central Appalachia, particularly those in economically disadvantaged (ED) counties, may face unique risks related to their geographic and socioeconomic circumstances. However, school-based and youth development programs have been shown to foster resilience among youth. This convergent mixed-methods study aimed to explore whether involvement in School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) can enhance youth resilience. Data were collected through a resilience questionnaire and semi-structured focus group interviews, which were analyzed, interpreted, and integrated to uncover key findings. Results indicated that participants living in ED areas exhibited relatively high resilience scores. Focus group discussions revealed that, despite the challenges they face, participants …

Clonal Variation In Effector Gene Expression As A Mechanism For Pathogenic Adaptation In Magnaporthe Oryzae, Rebekah J. Ellsworth

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Magnaporthe oryzae is a filamentous fungal pathogen that causes destructive diseases in cereals, including rice blast, wheat blast, and gray leaf spot. It is responsible for 10–30% annual yield losses in rice (Nalley et al., 2016) and up to 100% loss in wheat under favorable conditions (Kohli et al., 2011). Disease management typically relies on the use of resistant cultivars, but M. oryzae rapidly overcomes host resistance by mutating or deleting avirulence (AVR) genes recognized by host immune receptors. This rapid adaptation, often occurring within one to two growing seasons, presents a major challenge to breeding for durable resistance.

The …

Feasibility Of Producing Non-Structural Wood Products Using Trembling Aspen Lumber, Mengyuan Zhang

Aspen Bibliography

Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) is abundant in Canada but underutilized in non-structural solid wood products.This study was aimed at evaluating the feasibility of using aspen lumber to produce flooring, moulding, and siding. The shrinkage, surface roughness, and wettability of aspen wood were tested. The surface hardness, screw withdrawal resistance, colour change, and dimensional stability of there products fabricated were examined. The wood yield of each product was analyzed. It was found that aspen showed superior machinability and wettability to silver maple and yellow poplar. Aspen flooring had a Brinell hardness of 13.47 MPa, 60% lower than silver maple. …

Support Needs Of Agrarian Women To Build Household Livelihood Resilience: A Case Study Of The Mekong River Delta, Tran Thi Ngoc Tran

Dissertations

Problem

Rural livelihood faces significant challenges due to the increasing frequency and severity of climate change impacts. However, the development of women’s livelihood resilience remains constrained by gender-blind policies, limited sex-disaggregated data, and a lack of integration of gender-specific needs and priorities in resilience-building interventions. This study aims to address these critical gaps. This study aims at exploring the perceived support needs of rural agrarian women in building household livelihood resilience to climate change. Specifically, it seeks to (1) understand how household livelihood resilience is perceived by rural agrarian women, and (2) identify the support they require to effectively adapt …

German Cockroach Allergen Mitigation, Olivia Katz

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

German cockroaches (Blatella germanica L.) remain one of the most challenging indoor pests to manage, due in large part to their cryptic nature, rapid reproduction, and resistance to insecticides. Because of their close proximity to humans, they also pose several serious health threats, including the production and dissemination of several potent allergens linked to asthma development and exacerbation. Given the risks associated with cockroach allergens, we examined the longevity of two distinct cockroach allergens (Bla g 1 and Bla g 5) in the home environment and the efficacy of cleaners at removing these allergens. Our findings show that Bla …

Including Black Farmers, Excluding Pests: Perspectives On Participation In The Cooperative Extension Service, Briana Bazile

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has faced renewed scrutiny for documented discrimination against Black farmers, yet far less attention has focused on its century-old partner in public service delivery, the Cooperative Extension Service (CES). This gap is especially notable considering 1) federal parity mandates extant since 1972 in response to significant disparities between Black and White constituents and staff,2) public commitments to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in 2020 and, 3) the contributions of Black leaders at the origins of CES, at Tuskegee University in the late nineteenth century. Using the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (KYCES) as a …

Examining Short Term Drainage Impacts To Soil Health In Hydric And Non-Hydric Soils Of Waseca County, Minnesota, Ely Hartl

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Subsurface drainage is implemented throughout the Midwest United States to remove excess moisture from soil to enhance crop growth. Hydric soils are ubiquitous throughout Minnesota and are commonly drained due to their historically saturated conditions. Changing a soil's hydrology can impact its formation and properties. The alteration of physical, biological, and chemical soil properties can occur to both hydric and non-hydric soils, impacting overall soil health. The purpose of this study is to examine the short-term effects of tile drainage on the soil health of hydric and non-hydric soils in southern Minnesota. Research methods include: 1) collect soil-sediment cores to …

Enhancing The Mechanical Properties Of Sla 3d-Printed Bio-Resin From Linseed Oil Using Cellulose And Lignin Biopolymers, Chukwunonso A. Ikedionu

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Abstract

This research explores the development of bio resin from linseed oil by the process of epoxidation and acrylation to produce acrylated epoxidized linseed oil (AELO). Lignin and cellulose biopolymers were added as reinforcement at varying weight fractions of 1 wt.%, 2.5 wt.%, and 5 wt.%, and their mechanical performance was compared against pure AELO. The formulations were printed using an Elegoo SLA 3D printer to create standardized test specimens like tensile bars, compression cylinders, and hardness blocks, which were all prepared according to the ASTM testing standard.

The results indicate that reinforcement effects depend on both filler type and …

Aflatoxin Prevalence And Association With Maize Grain Physical And Nutritional Qualities In The Informal Markets In Meru County, Kenya, C. Cherotich, M. W. Okoth, Abong’ Go, S. W. Kariuki, E. R. Omuse

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

In Kenya, aflatoxin contamination in maize remains a persistent issue, with potential negative impacts on both public health and economic growth. Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain mold species, primarily Aspergillus flavus. The extent of Aspergillus fungal invasion in maize grains and the resulting increase in aflatoxin levels is heavily influenced by pre-and post-harvest practices. Before harvest, factors such as insect damage and exposure to warm, humid conditions increase the crop's susceptibility to Aspergillus infection and subsequent aflatoxin formation. Post-harvest, additional risks arise when kernels are damaged by pests like rats or when they are stored in unfavorable …

An Assessment Of Vegetable Production Constraints, Trait Preferences And Willingness To Adopt Sustainable Intensification Options In Kenya And Uganda, Rose N. Okoma, Evanson R. Omuse, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Dennis Beesigamukama, Marius F. Murongo, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Global food production systems are under pressure due to population increase, limited farmland, biotic and abiotic constrains, and ongoing climate change. Sustainable intensification is needed to increase agricultural productivity with minimal adverse environmental and social impacts. Vegetable-integrated push pull (VIPP) technology coupled with black soldier fly (BSF) frass offer such opportunities to smallholder farmers. However, farmers’ vegetable preferences and willingness to adopt these innovations remain unknown and are variable across various geographic scales. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-person interviews with smallholder farmers were conducted to assess vegetable production constraints and select vegetables to be integrated into VIPP coupled with …