Agriculture Commons^™

Crop-Livestock Diversification And Efficiency In Agriculture, Jay Parsons, Maroua Afi

Cornhusker Economics

Diversification is a familiar strategy for managing risk in agriculture. It can take several forms including growing more than one crop or operating a farm with both crop and livestock enterprises. As with other strategies for managing risk, diversification comes with a unique set of costs. Managing a farm with multiple enterprises creates additional overhead as well as additional demands on management, labor, land, capital, and other resources. Diversification adds complexity to an operation and too much complexity can lead to inefficiencies.

Boxelder Leafroller, Marion Murray, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

The boxelder leafroller, Archips negundana, is a pest of boxelder and other trees and shrubs in parts of the United States and Canada and is commonly found in Utah. Boxelder is the primary host, but damage can also occur on raspberry, birch, elderberry, white elm, and various shrubs.This fact sheet provides information on the boxelder leafroller's life cycle, symptoms of damage, and control methods.

Genomes To Fields 2022 Maize Genotype By Environment Prediction Competition, Dayane Cristina Lima, Jacob D. Washburn, José Ignacio Varela, Qiuyue Chen, Joseph L. Gage, Maria Cinta Romay, James Holland, David Ertl, Marco Lopez-Cruz, Fernando M. Aguate, Gustavo De Los Campos, Shawn Kaeppler, 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, Osler A. Ortez, James C. Schnable, Rajandeep S. Sekhon, Maninder P. Singh, Erin E. Sparks, Addie Thompson, Mitchell Tuinstra, Jason Wallace, Teclemariam Weldekidan, Wenwei Xu, Natalia De Leon

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Objectives The Genomes to Fields (G2F) 2022 Maize Genotype by Environment (GxE) Prediction Competition aimed to develop models for predicting grain yield for the 2022 Maize GxE project field trials, leveraging the datasets previously generated by this project and other publicly available data.

Data description This resource used data from the Maize GxE project within the G2F Initiative [1]. The dataset included phenotypic and genotypic data of the hybrids evaluated in 45 locations from 2014 to 2022. Also, soil, weather, environmental covariates data and metadata information for all environments (combination of year and location). Competitors also had access to ReadMe …

Agricultural Research Service Weed Science Research: Past, Present, And Future, Stephen L. Young, James V. Anderson, Scott R. Baerson, Joanna Bajsa-Hirschel, Dana M. Blumenthal, Chad S. Boyd, Clyde D. Boyette, Eric B. Brennan, Charles L. Cantrell, Wun S. Chao, Joanne C. Chee-Sanford, Charlie D. Clements, F. Allen Dray, Stephen O. Duke, Kayla M. Eason, Reginald S. Fletcher, Michael R. Fulcher, Brenda J. Grewell, Erik P. Hamerlynck, Robert E. Hoagland, David P. Horvath, Eugene P. Law, Daniel E. Martin, Clint Mattox, Steven B. Mirsky, Patrick J. Moran, Rebecca C. Mueller, Vijay K. Nandula, Beth A. Newingham, Zhiqiang Pan, Lauren M. Porensky, Paul D. Pratt, Andrew J. Price, Brian G. Rector, Krishna N. Reddy, Roger L. Sheley, Lincoln Smith, Melissa C. Smith, Keirith A. Snyder, Matthew A. Tancos

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

The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has been a leader in weed science research covering topics ranging from the development and use of integrated weed management (IWM) tactics to basic mechanistic studies, including biotic resistance of desirable plant communities and herbicide resistance. ARS weed scientists have worked in agricultural and natural ecosystems, including agronomic and horticultural crops, pastures, forests, wild lands, aquatic habitats, wetlands, and riparian areas. Through strong partnerships with academia, state agencies, private industry, and numerous federal programs, ARS weed scientists have made contributions to discoveries in the newest fields of robotics and genetics, as well …

Comparative Performance Of Fungicides In Management Of Phytophthora Root Rot On Boxwood, Madhav Parajuli, Sandhya Neupane, Prabha Liyanapathiranage, Fulya L Baysal-Gure

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Nursery growers rely on fungicides to manage root rot disease of boxwood caused by Phytophthora nicotianae and P. cinnamomi. Repeated use of the same fungicide may lead to the fungicide resistance. In this study, fungicides pyraclostrobin + cyazofamid (Empress + Segway), ametoctradin + dimethomorph (Orvego), ametoctradin + dimethomorph alternated with pyraclostrobin (Orvego alt Empress), ametoctradin + dimethomorph alternated with fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin (Orvego alt Orkestra), and oxathiapiprolin (Segovis) were evaluated for their efficacy in managing Phytophthora root rot under greenhouse conditions in Tennessee. One-year-old container-grown boxwood ‘Green Velvet’ plants were inoculated with P. nicotianae or P. cinnamomi. The first applications …

Structural Diversity And Stress Regulation Of The Plant Immunity-Associated Calmodulin-Binding Protein 60 (Cbp60) Family Of Transcription Factors In Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato), Vanessa Shivnauth, Sonya Pretheepkumar, Eric J. R. Marchetta, Christina A. M. Rossi, Keaun Amani, Christian Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

Cellular signaling generates calcium (Ca2+) ions, which are ubiquitous secondary messengers decoded by calcium-dependent protein kinases, calcineurins, calreticulin, calmodulins (CAMs), and CAM-binding proteins. Previous studies in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have shown the critical roles of the CAM-BINDING PROTEIN 60 (CBP60) protein family in plant growth, stress responses, and immunity. Certain CBP60 factors can regulate plant immune responses, like pattern-triggered immunity, effector-triggered immunity, and synthesis of major plant immune-activating metabolites salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP). Although homologous CBP60 sequences have been identified in the plant kingdom, their function and regulation in most species remain unclear. In …

Role Of Biotechnology In Creating Sustainable Agriculture, Saurav Das, Manjit Kumar Ray, Dinesh Panday, Piyush Kumar Mishra

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

This narrative review paper discusses the role of biotechnology in the development of sustainable agriculture. The paper begins by defning sustanability and highlights the importance of biotechnology in establishing sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is an approach that prioritizes meeting current food and fiber production needs while conserving and enhancing natural resources for future generations. To achieve agricultural sustainability, it is necessary to strike a balance between economic viability, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. This can be difficult, especially in the face of biotic and abiotic stresses such as pests, diseases, climate change, soil degradation, and water depletion. The prevalence of …

Identification Of T-Dna Structure And Insertion Site In Transgenic Crops Using Targeted Capture Sequencing, Eric Maina Magembe, Hui Li, Ali Taheri, Suping Zhou, Marc Ghislain

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The commercialization of GE crops requires a rigorous safety assessment, which includes a precise DNA level characterization of inserted T-DNA. In the past, several strategies have been developed for identifying T-DNA insertion sites including, Southern blot and different PCR-based methods. However, these methods are often challenging to scale up for screening of dozens of transgenic events and for crops with complex genomes, like potato. Here, we report using target capture sequencing (TCS) to characterize the T-DNA structure and insertion sites of 34 transgenic events in potato. This T-DNA is an 18 kb fragment between left and right borders and carries …

The Impact Of Training In Financial Basics On Small Farm Producers’ Knowledge In Selected Alabama Black Belt Counties, Eunice K. Waweru

College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences Graduate Theses and Dissertations

THE IMPACT OF TRAINING IN FINANCIAL BASICS ON SMALL FARM PRODUCERS’ KNOWLEDGE IN SELECTED ALABAMA BLACK BELT COUNTIES

By

Eunice K. Waweru

The author expresses her sincere gratitude to her major advisor, Dr. David Nii. O. Tackie. His encouragement, expertise, guidance, wisdom, patience, and unwavering support has been instrumental in shaping her thesis. His feedback and constructive criticisms have been of tremendous help and has helped her refine her ideas and improve the quality of her thesis. She is forever grateful for his mentorship and the opportunities he has provided her during her academic journey. Also, she is grateful to …

Tas Orders, Innovations And Challenges In Futures Markets, Fabio Mattos

Cornhusker Economics

Futures contracts and futures exchanges were developed a long time ago in the process of evolution of commodity trading. They were created with the purpose of facilitating the buying and selling of commodities. Despite challenges along the way, they helped make commodity trading faster, easier, and more efficient for many buyers and sellers. Still today, futures exchanges are constantly looking for new ways to adjust to new developments in commodity markets and further facilitate trading. After all, as we have previously discussed in this space, futures exchanges provide a service to buyers and sellers, i.e., the marketplace to trade futures …

An Analysis Of The Status Of Small Producers In Selected Alabama Black Belt And Surrounding Counties, Mamnenge Gbim-Gbande

College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences Graduate Theses and Dissertations

AN ANALYSIS OF THE STATUS OF SMALL PRODUCERS IN SELECTED ALABAMA BLACK BELT AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES

by

Mamnenge Gbim-Gbande

The purpose of this study was to analyze the status of small producers in selected Alabama Black Belt and surrounding counties. The specific objectives were to (1) describe demographic information, (2) examine farm, economic, marketing, and other information, and (3) examine relationships between specific demographic information and farm, economic, marketing, and other information. The data were obtained from a convenience sample of 24 producers, and were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and correlation analysis. The results showed that there were more part-time …

Integrating Cultivar Resistance And Entomopathogens For Pest Management Of Sweetpotato Weevil, Cylas Formicarius Elegantulus (Summers), Schyler M. Lee

LSU Master's Theses

Sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam, is the number one vegetable crop in Louisiana, producing 21,178 kg/ha in the year 2021. The sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers), is an economically important pest of sweetpotato. C. formicarius elegantulus females lay eggs into feeding holes on the storage root surface. Larvae then hatch and tunnel through the sweetpotato flesh where they complete their development. This cryptic-natured brentid can cause up to 100% yield loss when left unmanaged. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry mandates protocols to limit C. formicarius elegantulus spread (e.g., clean seed, pheromone trapping, and quarantines); however, scheduled chemical …

Ticks And Tick-Borne Pathogens From Wild Pigs In Northern And Central Florida, Sarah E. Mays Maestas, Lindsay P. Campbell, Michael P. Milleson, Lawrence E. Reeves, Phillip E. Kaufman, Samantha M. Wisely

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Simple Summary

Ticks are vectors of several agents of human disease, and improvements to traditional surveillance methods are needed to aid in tick-borne disease monitoring and prevention. Invasive wild pigs are broadly distributed in the southern U.S., and removal efforts are often undertaken by local, state, and federal entities. Wild pigs are hosts to several human-biting tick species associated with agents of human disease. This research examines the use of tick collection from wild pigs in the state of Florida as a method of surveillance for ticks and tick-borne pathogens of human concern. Four species of human-biting ticks were collected …

Could The Epa Cause The Next Farm Financial Crisis?, Jeffrey Stokes, Jim Jansen

Cornhusker Economics

The inflation that crept into the economy in 2022 surprised many since it had not been seen for about 40 years. What has also not been seen for about 40 years is the type of farm-level financial stress causing some quarter of a million farms lost, the devastation of whole rural communities, and a compromised community banking sector and Farm Credit System (FCS). In 1981, as the Federal Reserve’s tighter monetary policy began to take effect, U.S. farmland value nominally peaked at about $785b. By 1985, it had fallen by about 31% from the peak resulting in a sector debt-to-asset …

Morphological Trait Evolution In Solanum (Solanaceae): Evolutionary Lability Of Key Taxonomic Characters, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Edeline Gagnon, Sandra Knapp, Xavier Aubriot, Eric Tepe, Lynn Bohs, Leandro Giacomin, Yuri Gouvea, Andres Orejuela, Christopher T. Martine, Clara Ines Orozco, Iris E. Peralta, Tina Sarkinen

Faculty Journal Articles

Solanum is one of the world's largest and economically most important plant genera, including 1245 currently accepted species and several major and minor crops (e.g., tomato, potato, brinjal eggplant, scarlet eggplant, Gboma eggplant, lulo, and pepino). Here we provide an overview of the evolution of 25 key morphological traits for the major and minor clades of this giant genus based on stochastic mapping using a well-sampled recently published phylogeny of Solanum. The most evolutionarily labile traits (showing >100 transitions across the genus) relate to plant structure (growth form and sympodial unit structure), herbivore defence (glandular trichomes), pollination (corolla shape …

Genetic Resources And Precise Gene Editing For Targeted Improvement Of Barley Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Sakura Karunarathne, Esther Walker, Darshan Sharma, Chengdao Li, Yong Han

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Abiotic stresses, predominately drought, heat, salinity, cold, and waterlogging, adversely affect cereal crops. They limit barley production worldwide and cause huge economic losses. In barley, functional genes under various stresses have been identified over the years and genetic improvement to stress tolerance has taken a new turn with the introduction of modern gene-editing platforms. In particular, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) is a robust and versatile tool for precise mutation creation and trait improvement. In this review, we highlight the stress-affected regions and the corresponding economic losses among the main barley producers. We collate about …

Improving Decision Support Systems With Machine Learning: Identifying Barriers To Adoption, Skye Brugler, Maaz Gardezi, Ali Dadkhah, Donna M. Rizzo, Asim Zia, Sharon A. Clay

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Precision agriculture (PA) has been defined as a “management strategy that gathers, processes and analyzes temporal, spatial and individual data and combines it with other information to support management decisions according to estimated variability for improved resource use efficiency, productivity, quality, profitability and sustainability of agricultural production.” This definition suggests that because PA should simultaneously increase food production and reduce the environmental footprint, the barriers to adoption of PA should be explored. These barriers include: 1) the financial constraints associated with adopting DSS, 2) the hesitancy of farmers to change from their trusted advisor to a computer program often behaves …

Protecting Wa Crops Issue 31 - July 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Protecting WA Crops

Protecting WA Crops Issue 31 - July 2023 contents:

• New project to reduce Rhizoctonia impact in low and medium rainfall zones
• Meet Crop Protection team member – Dr Ahmed Saad

The Casnr L.I.N.K.S. Newsletter: Learning Innovation Network For K-12 Schools, Volume 2, Edition 6, July 2023, Bailey Feit, Tammy Mittelstet

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

Contents

K-12 Curriculum & Resources & Upcoming Events

Career Exploration pathways for students who like Technology

Teacher & Student Opportunities

Upcoming Events 2023 & 2024

East Campus Discovery Days and Farmers Market

Entrepreneurial Designers Careers Spotlight

PGA Management Program

Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program

UNL-CASNR-BSE Department Ag Systems Technology $2,500 Scholarship Opportunity

Sheep Worms – Sustainable Summer-Autumn Worm Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

A summer drenching program for sheep worm control is now recognised as a key cause of drench resistance in Western Australia. However, some small changes can increase the sustainability of pre-emptive control programs. Drenches in summer should always be given to younger, growing sheep (current and previous year’s age groups), whereas adult sheep should be drenched in autumn, or if drenched in summer, some should be left untreated (if drenching at all). Research shows that this reduces the chance of developing drench resistance but still provides effective worm control.

Skeleton Weed In Western Australia: Control Program 2023–2024, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity bulletins

Skeleton weed can reduce crop yields by competing for moisture and nutrients (mainly nitrogen). This guide helps you manage and eradicate skeleton weed infestations on your property, and helps to stop the spread across WA. Without the coordinated program aimed at controlling the spread, skeleton weed would now be much more abundant and widely established throughout cereal growing areas.

Louisiana Agriculture Magazine, Summer 2023

Louisiana Agriculture

Rice, alligators and sugarcane are quintessential Louisiana products, and LSU AgCenter researchers and extension agents devote themselves to helping the producers who grow them. Economists are finding ways to improve the market for alligators while specialists focus on innovation in the sugar industry and creating new varieties of rice.

AgCenter researchers also have an eye on the natural world. They are protecting the roseau cane that thrives on the coast and the ironwood trees of Guam. All these efforts are detailed in this issue of Louisiana Agriculture magazine.

Sympatric Soil Microbe Interactions Between Streptomyces And Fusarium Isolates, Lehren A. Olk-Szost

All NMU Master's Theses

Interkingdom interactions between soil bacteria and fungi may play a critical role in occurrence of disease suppressive soils, yet our understanding of these interactions remains limited. Streptomyces are well-known producers of antimicrobial compounds important to medicine and agriculture. Production of these secondary metabolites is often mediated by quorum sensing. Most Streptomyces research occurs in single species experiments, yet new metabolites have been discovered in interspecies co-culture experiments. Interspecies, intergenic, and interkingdom co-culture research will likely reveal many valuable compounds, and strengthen our understanding of complex ecological interactions in soil microbiomes. Interactions between sympatric Streptomyces and Fusarium isolates from disease suppressive …

Soil Moisture Dynamics In Cover Cropping Systems: From Local To Global Scales, Manish Gautam

Theses and Dissertations

Cover cropping systems, which have gained recognition for their ability to enhance soil health and promote sustainability are also associated with potential risks related with declining soil moisture and pose a dilemma for farmers considering the adoption of cover crops in water deficit semi-arid settings worldwide. To address this pressing issue, we conducted a participatory cover cropping trial in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) region, encompassing four different farms and supplemented this experiment with a meta-analysis to answer our soil moisture and climate parameters and quantify the impact of cover crops on soil moisture levels. The findings revealed that …

Tamaulipan Thornforest Restoration: Factors Influencing Restoration Outcomes And Impacts Of Cover Crops During Replanting, Jerald T. Garrett

Theses and Dissertations

Though the rate of deforestation has slowed in recent years, it remains a primary cause of land cover change within forest ecosystems. The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas (LRGV) has lost nearly 95% of its native thornforest since the early 1900’s due to agricultural and urban expansion. The focus of this study is to assess the current vegetative state of restored thornforest sites located in the eastern LRGV and to evaluate the use of cover crops during replanting of native seedlings. Our assessment of restored thornforest sites revealed actively restored sites demonstrated higher overall averages of richness, abundance, and diversity …

Skeleton Weed In Western Australia: Management Guide, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity bulletins

Skeleton weed can reduce crop yields by competing for moisture and nutrients (mainly nitrogen). This guide helps you manage and eradicate skeleton weed infestations on your property, and helps to stop the spread across WA.

Without the coordinated program aimed at controlling the spread, skeleton weed would now be much more abundant and widely established throughout cereal growing areas.

Industry Funding Scheme (grains, seeds and hay)

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme is overseen by a seven-member Industry Management Committee. These 2 groups are comprised of producers and others with an interest in the industry. They meet in …

Federal Agency Perspectives And Funding Opportunities For Weed And Invasive Plant Research, Stephen L. Young, James J. Kells, Vijay K. Nandula

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

Weeds and invasive plants know no borders and have collectively impacted many ecosystems worldwide, including croplands, forests, grasslands, rangelands, wetlands, and riparian areas. Losses continue to mount, affecting yield and productivity, species diversity, and ecosystem services, with both short- and long-term repercussions on the sustainability of plant and animal communities and the livelihoods of many. New and emerging invasive plants, along with many of the most intractable weeds, have undermined even the best control efforts, serving as a reminder of the constant need for improvements in science, application, and technology. One of the main reasons for the success of weeds …

Mapping California Rice Using Optical And Sar Data Fusion With Phenological Features In Google Earth Engine, Li Wenzhao, Hesham El-Askary, Daniele C. Struppa

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

California, known for its diverse agriculture, is also a major producer of rice, especially in its northern regions in Sacramento River Valley. Traditional methods, predominantly reliant on optical-based satellite imagery, encounter limitations due to atmospheric interference and sensor resolution. The ability of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to penetrate atmospheric distortions and exhibit high sensitivity to vegetation structure presents a distinct advantage over optical-based methods. Utilizing Optical and SAR data fusion, this study advances the enhanced pixel-based phenological feature composite (Eppf) method using SVM classification algorithm, which can track phenological changes and patterns, providing valuable insights for agricultural planning and management. …

Cover Crops Influence Arthropod Community Dynamics Through Seasonal Variation And Cascading Effects, Adegboyega Fajemisin

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: This chapter gives an overview of how cover crops influence soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties, and their role on mediating arthropod community dynamics with implications for pest management in the subsequent cash crop.

Chapter 2: This chapter examines the effects of cover-cash crop rotation on arthropod community dynamics on four growers fields in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas. We assessed the impact of cover crops planted in the summer months on the subsequent cash crops planted in the winter. Our results showed that cover crops had a differential effect on the population of beneficials and herbivores …

Growing South Dakota (Summer 2023), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

3 SDSU Little International Celebrates 100 years of Tradition
7 2023 CAFES Celebration of Faculty Excellence
11 South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Locations and Research Initiatives
15 Every Acre Counts
16 Undergraduate Research
19 Tanner Sloan: South Dakota State Wrestler & Animal Science Student Takes Home NCAA Division I & U23 World Silver Medals
21 2023 CAFES Outstanding Seniors
23 Robert Streeter: International Advocate for Wildlife Conservation
25 Collegiate Cattlemen's Club
27 Jim and Melody Mielke: Lifelong Donors Contribute to Agriculture in More Ways than One
29 Jackrabbits Now and Then