Agriculture Commons^™

Facebook In County 4-H Extension Programs In Arkansas: Is It Effective For Communication?, Haley Padgett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As social media rises in popularity, agents with 4-H responsibilities have the opportunity to implement social media platforms in their communication outreach. The purpose of this study was to identify how agents with 4-H responsibilities in Arkansas use Facebook for communication purposes and their perceptions of its effectiveness. This information helps provide understanding of the effects of Facebook on county 4-H programs in Arkansas and assists agents in determining how to implement or better utilize Facebook in their county programs. The study had three research objectives: 1) describe the usage of Facebook by agents in Arkansas with at least a …

Quality Determinates Of Rice Price In Open Bag Markets In Sub-Saharan Africa, Bailey Peterson-Wilhelm, Lawton Nalley, Alvaro Durand-Morat, Aaron Shew, Francis Tsiboe, Willy Mulimbi

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose

Weaknesses in the grades and standards system in low-income countries across Sub-Saharan Africa undermine the transparency of agricultural markets. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana and Mozambique rice is predominately sold in open bags and if rice price does not reflect its quality, then inefficiencies may lead to consumer welfare losses. Importantly, it is possible that impoverished communities are priced out of the market due to inflated and inefficient prices. The objective of this study is to examine determinates of rice price by estimating the impact of selected rice quality attributes on rice prices in Democratic …

Nebline, May 2023

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

The 4-H Thriving Model Provides a Guide for Helping Youth Grow to Their Full Potential by Tracy Anderson

Beef: A Healthy and Delicious Choice for Your Next Meal by Kayla Colgrove

Recipe of the Month: Skillet Lasagna by Kayla Colgrove

Managing Chlorosis in Trees by Sarah Browning

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

May is the Perfect Time to Learn More About Your Drinking Water! by Becky Schuerman

Cash Rent Survey

Challenging Behavior Corner: Providing Choices by Hayley Jackson

Pollinator Spotlight: The Yucca Moth by Kait Chapman

At Ag Literacy Festival, 4th Graders Learn How Agriculture Impacts Their Daily …

Plasticity Of Sorghum Biomass And Inflorescence Traits In Response To Nitrogen Application, Kyle M. Linders

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

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient required for growth and development in plants. Insufficient nitrogen availability can reduce vegetative growth and grain yield. However, nitrogen is a costly input for farmers, is energy intensive to manufacture, and runoff of excess nitrogen fertilizer impacts water quality. Compared to its close relative, maize, sorghum has much greater resilience to nitrogen and water deficit, and heat stress, allowing sorghum to be grown with fewer inputs and on marginal land. Variation in total biomass accumulation and grain yield between sorghum accessions, as well as between nitrogen conditions, can be largely explained by differences in vegetative …

Consumer Valuation And Preferences For Sustainably Produced Rice In Ghana, Vera Adabrah-Danquah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable agricultural production is a systematic concept that integrates environmental health, economic profitability, and social/economic equity goals. Improving the sustainability of food production is of utmost importance to the human race, given the growing population and the increased depletion of natural resources. Improving sustainability is particularly important for rice, a global food staple with a significant environmental footprint. Rice accounts for 10% of global methane emissions. The Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) standard is the first globally recognized certified sustainable production standard for rice. This study focuses on consumers' preferences for sustainable rice in Ghana, including consumers’ perceptions of different SRP's …

Laser Inscribed Graphene Aptasensor For Detection Of Apple Stem Pitting Virus, Yifan Tang

All Theses

Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) is a latent RNA virus that could cause significant loss to apple production; early-stage field diagnosis could reduce the economic loss caused by ASPV infection. Biosensor is a promising user-friendly detection tool that could transduce biological or chemical interactions into electric signals. Among various types of biosensors, aptasensor, which use aptamers as recognition elements show potential as a high throughput, in-field test. The goal of this thesis is to develop an electrochemical aptasensor testing system for ASPV detection. The quality control study of laser inscribed graphene (LIG) based working electrode of the biosensor was conducted …

An Agricultural Literacy Assessment Of Social Studies Teachers In South Carolina, Walker Reid

All Theses

Studies in the career development of youth identify middle school as the optimum time for career exploration, as it advances young adolescents’ self-awareness, knowledge of prospective careers, and goal setting. In South Carolina (SC), only 5% (13 of 248) of public middle schools provide agricultural education. The purpose of this study is to measure any increase in agricultural awareness and literacy of South Carolina 8^th-grade social studies teachers participating in a five-day study tour (SOCIAL tour) through mixed method procedures. A pre and post-tour survey given to participants indicated a significant increase in knowledge and perception of agriculture …

Comparing The Economic Efficiency Of Payment Structures To Subsidize On-Farm Greenhouse Gas Abatement In Iowa, David Mansfield

All Theses

Abating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the agricultural sector can help
combat climate change and meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agree-
ment. The agricultural sector can sequester soil organic carbon and, by adopt-
ing conservation-driven land-use decisions, such as reducing or stopping tillage,
increase carbon storage in soil and reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions.
This thesis will compare the cost of achieving different levels of GHG emis-
sions reduction through payments based on: 1) region averages for GHG emis-
sions by crop and practice, without considering additionality, 2) region averages
for GHG emissions by crop and practice …

An Investigation Of Seed Hardness And Seed Coat Color Values In Natto Soybean, Joshua Winter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Natto is a specialty fermented soyfood made from small-seeded (seeds-1) soybean varieties. Seed hardness and seed coat color are important seed traits that determine the texture and appearance of natto and are thus valuable to breeders. Prior research has identified quantitative trait loci (QTL, hereafter) for seed hardness, but its nature as a quantitative trait heavily influenced by the environment means that it is still poorly understood. Prior research has identified the primary genetic components of seed coat color using simple visual inspection, but few studies have investigated the usefulness of more quantitative measurements, such as the color space coordinates …

Molecular And Physiological Aspects Of Glufosinate Resistance In Amaranthus Palmeri, Matheus Machado Noguera

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Palmer amaranth is one of the most troublesome weeds in worldwide agriculture. Among the traits that confers extreme weediness to this species, the ability to adapt to herbicide selection pressure stands out. The latest herbicide to which Palmer amaranth developed resistance is glufosinate-ammonium (GFA), an inhibitor of the enzyme glutamine synthetase (GS). The main objectives of this work were: 1) evaluate the resistance level of a Palmer amaranth population from Missouri, USA, 2) determine the mechanisms conferring GFA resistance in Palmer amaranth, 3) elucidate the behavior of amplified GS copies in GFA-resistant Palmer amaranth in terms of inheritance, stability and …

Sequence Analysis Of Herbicide Target Genes In Herbicide-Tolerant Rice, Jonathan Kearney, Nilda R. Burgos, Gulab D. Rangani

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The tolerance of mutagenized rice (Oryza sativa) lines to selector herbicides was investigated and the sequence of ALS gene was analyzed in plants that survived treatment with 4x the label rate of imazethapyr herbicide. This was done to determine if insensitivity to imazethapyr is due to mutation(s) in the herbicide binding site. Seedlots previously treated with ethyl-methyl sulfonate were planted in the field and 3-leaf seedlings were treated with various herbicides to screen for herbicide-tolerant mutants. Seeds from survivors composed the rice lines tested in the current research. Seeds were planted in the greenhouse and 3-leaf seedlings were …

Understanding The Operations And Decision-Making Of Cow-Calf Farmers In Northwest Arkansas, Clayton Weyl

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Societal pressure on farmers has become a more central part of the rhetoric surrounding livestock production. This study includes farmers in the discourse on the rhetoric surrounding climate change via interviews and simulations tailored to their operation. Previous research has addressed regenerative agricultural practices and conditions that influence farmer decision-making, but little research has analyzed decision-making in tandem with environmental practices. The literature reveals that cow-calf producer decision-making is influenced by their reliance on cattle as an income source, and farmers overall choose climate-friendly practices based on their perceptions about climate change. The goal of this research was to gather …

Foreign Ownership Of Agricultural Land In The United States: A Case Study Concerning The 2023 Grassroots Policy And Legislative Landscape, Mary Eichenberger

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Historically, foreign ownership of land in the United States has existed for centuries. Many state laws expressly allow for foreign ownership of agricultural land in their state. However, this study will find that a push to amend these laws has begun in recent years in state and federal legislatures. Grassroots member-focused agricultural organizations, representative of the agricultural community, have also seen a shift in member-developed policy. This shift is toward an attitude of concern and increased oversight of foreign land investment. From the data gathered, it can be inferred that public awareness in the agricultural community is increasing concerning foreign …

Pestfacts Wa Issue 04 - May 2023, Jean Galloway, Cindy L. Webster, Svetlana Micic

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 4 - May 2023 contents:

• Do not confuse springtails with other pests
• Consider beneficial insects when spraying
• Growers may need to reapply baits for slugs and snails
• Field pea blackspot disease forecasts for WA are available online
• Plant disease webinar recording can now be viewed online

In Vitro Screening Of 12 Strains Of Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus Corniculatus) Against Haemonchus Contortus, Isabella Caldwell, Elizabeth Kass, Rebecca Brown, Katherine Harper Petersson

Senior Honors Projects

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), primarily Haemonchus contortus, are one of the leading causes of death in sheep and goats. As resistance to commercial dewormers continues to rise, alternative strategies for GIN parasite control are needed. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that secondary plant compounds in birdsfoot trefoil (BFT, Lotus corniculatus) possess antiparasitic activity against GIN. In this study, the antiparasitic effect of twelve strains of BFT on the hatching of H. contortus eggs and motility of larvae was determined. BFT strains were harvested in June of 2020 and hay-dried. H. contortus eggs were recovered from mono-infected Dorset yearlings by running fresh …

Urban Growing Adaptations Of Immigrant Agriculturalists In Greater Providence, Rhode Island, Yuvi Cambero

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Us Public School Demand For Locally Produced Meat And Poultry, Shara Akat

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of the USDA Farm-to-School program is to promote the understanding and use of local food in school education and meals. The hope is that by reconnecting students with how food is raised and purchasing the product from local producers it will increase nutrition and reduce food insecurity and obesity among students while simultaneously increasing economic activity for local producers. Most studies evaluating the federal program have focused on how the economic outcomes for local producers or student related health outcomes and primarily using fresh fruits and vegetables. Fundamental to either of these outcomes is understanding the schools’ demand …

Irrigation-As-A-Service For Smallholder Farmers, Ishani Lal

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Irrigation is a crucial management practice that can help increase food security among smallholders globally while mitigating climate change impacts. High-efficiency irrigation technologies such as drip kits and sprinkler systems are relatively expensive and smallholder farmers cannot afford them to buffer crop yields against low precipitation. In many developing countries, farmers participate in robust informal markets for renting and sharing of irrigation equipment. Such services may be operated by farmers or via a third party such as irrigation start-ups, water user associations, non-governmental organizations, or even government agencies. These services are referred to collectively as Irrigation-as-a-Service (IaaS).

The objective of …

An Exploration Of Influences On Consumers' Behaviors/Decisions In Relation To Animal Agriculture, Abigail Durheim

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Animal agriculture provides many daily resources for consumers around the globe. While the average American is at least three generations removed from agriculture, they still hold power to influence the industry with the dollar and their vote. The purpose of this study was to identify influences on consumer behaviors/decisions in relation to animal agriculture. Seven hundred four complete and usable responses were collected via a researcher-developed online survey. Using branding concepts as a framework, the first study evaluated how visual stimuli influenced consumers' intention to purchase Nebraska beef products. Researchers found that visual stimuli did influence respondents to choose Nebraska …

Soil Water Use Efficiency Under Integrated Soil Management Practices In The Drylands Of Kenya, Nathan O. Oduor, Monicah Mucheru-Muna, Jayne Njeri Mugwe, Isaya Sijali, George Nyabuga, Daniel Njiru Mugendi

Graduate School of Media and Communications

Soil moisture scarcity and soil fertility decline in the drylands contribute to declining crop productivity. The possible synergistic effects of integrating soil & water conservation, and soil fertility management practices on soil moisture, and hence water use efficiency (WUE) in the drylands of Tharaka-Nithi County in Kenya was assessed. The experiment was laid in a three by three split plot arrangement, with four replications, for four cropping seasons. Minimum tillagewith mulch, tied ridges, and conventional tillage formed the main plot factors. The sub-plot factors included animal manure plus fertilizer at 120, 60, and 30 N kg ha−1. There was significant …

Sweet Potato In The Lower Rio Grande Valley: Evaluating Performance Across Several Cultivars, Jon Dale

Theses and Dissertations

In Texas’ subtropical, semiarid Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), citrus and sugarcane cultures have dominated specialty crop production for more than a half-century. However, the future of these high-dollar crops is becoming uncertain with increases in exotic pathogens, intensifying urbanization and the overarching complexities of both climate change and binational governance of Rio Grande Basin waters. For these reasons, the region’s specialty crop sector needs to be ready for alternatives that could benefit both market outlets and reduced input dependencies. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), commercially grown in various similar climates worldwide with limited water resources, could be one …

Investigating Effect Of Seed Source And Developing Germination Protocols To Improve Success In Restoration Of Arkansas Tallgrass Prairies, Rhiannon Spencerosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

American tallgrass prairie has faced losses estimated at 87-98% of original land area since European settlement. Native seeds are often used to supplement struggling or extinct plant populations in tallgrass prairie restoration and establishment sites. Two main considerations in restoration and establishment are from where to source seed and how to obtain high germination rates. In order to determine the effect of seed source, a common garden experiment was performed in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2022 with five prairie species: Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem), Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama), Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), and Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass). Seed was …

Winter Hardy Small Cereals For Grazing Or Silage In Eastern Nebraska, Abigail M. Sartin

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

Two, 3-year studies were conducted to evaluate the value of cereal rye, winter wheat, and winter triticale as forage sources for either for silage or early spring grazing. For silage, the objective was to evaluate species and maturity effects on dry matter yield, nutritive value, and fermentation of small cereal silage. There are no major differences between wheat, rye, or triticale in terms of the relative timing of each species reached each maturity stage. There are no differences among species in dry matter (DM) yield, except for wheat which tends to decline at soft dough due to senescence of the …

Methods To Reduce Nitrogen And Carbon Losses From Finishing Beef Cattle, Hanna K. Cronk

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

A finishing experiment evaluated the effect of incremental supplemental rumen-protected lysine on beef cattle performance. All cattle were fed the same diet of high moisture corn, dried rolled corn, modified distillers grains plus solubles, corn silage, and supplement with inclusion levels of lysine ranging from 0 to 7 grams/day, in 1 g increments. Dry matter intake (P ≤ 0.04) and ADG (P ≤ 0.04) decreased linearly as supplemental lysine increased in the diet with no effect on final carcass adjusted feed efficiency (P ≥ 0.34). In the initial 64 days of the experiment, increasing lysine in the …

The Evaluation Of Encapsulated Megasphaera Elsdenii In An Accelerated Beef Step-Up Program And An Acidosis Challenge Model And The Evaluation Of Ramp Versus A Traditional Forage Grain Adaptation Strategy On Methane And Respired Carbon Dioxide, Cindy D. Mansfield

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

A metabolism experiment (Exp 1) was conducted to evaluate daily feeding of encapsulated Megasphaera elsdenii (M. elsdenii) NCIMB 41125 along with a one-time drench of 1×10¹¹ CFU of M. elsdenii on dry matter intake (DMI), in-vitro lactate utilization, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and lactate concentration. Treatments consisted of steers which were fed no M. elsdenii (CONTROL), steers drenched with the commercial dose 1×10¹¹ CFU of M. elsdenii (LactiproNXT) on d 1 of the experiment and received no other M. elsdenii (DRENCH), and steers drenched with a commercial dose of LactiproNXT on d …

A New Method For Reducing Salmonella In Poultry Meat, Regis Yizerwe

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

An important approach to decreasing the transmission of Salmonella into the food chain is to treat raw chicken after processing. This can be, and has been done, by using antibiotics and chemical disinfectants. Using antibiotics is not a viable option due to the issue of antimicrobial resistance. Although some chemical disinfectants have been used effectively, they are restricted due to the amounts that can be used safely, the acceptance of their use and resistance to implementation in various parts of the world. This study has revealed that using a naturally occurring saponin–Quillaja Saponaria– in small concentrations under certain conditions of …

Understanding The Support Local Movement From The Perception Of Generation Z In The Nwa Region, Daniela Medina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The support local movement is a growing trend within Generation Z, with that comes the need to understand marketing strategies Generation Z responds to best. As Generation Z is entering the workforce and purchasing their groceries there is a need to understand how this generation perceives the term local beef. There is currently little research in regard to Generation Z and their perceptions of local beef. This study aimed to fill a gap within research by conducting a qualitative study to gather rich data to understand Generation Z’s perception of the term local beef and what marketing strategies impacted them …

Crafting The Brand: Characterizing Consumer Perspective Of Brand Equity Among Microbreweries In Northwest Arkansas, Alyssa Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Craft beer and craft breweries are on the rise across the United States and more importantly, in Arkansas. Throughout the past two decades, craft beer has gained popularity in the state of Arkansas as the number of craft breweries have risen across the state. However, there is currently little literature on how branding in craft breweries in Northwest Arkansas is used to gain and retain loyal consumers. This study aimed to add to the academic literature and provide practical recommendations to practitioners on how brand equity is built among craft breweries in Northwest Arkansas, using qualitative interviews. Marketing strategies of …

Influence Of Cover Crops On Soybean Yield And Partial Returns As An Alternative To Double-Crop Soybean In Arkansas, Drew Kirkpatrick, Trenton L. Roberts, Kris Brye, Jeremy Ross

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The number of hectares dedicated to winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the southern United States has been trending downward for almost a decade, presenting an opportunity for producers to utilize alternatives in their soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations, such as winter cover crops. A study was established to compare the cover crops to traditional cropping systems by determining the effect each had on a successive soybean crop and to examine partial economic returns. Cropping systems implemented were winter fallow, winter wheat, and seven cover crop treatments, including cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), black-seeded oat ( …

Evaluating Planting Green And Herbicides For Integrated Weed Management And Their Effect On Soil Properties In Corn And Soybean In Nebraska, Trey Parker Stephens

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

Producers across the Midwest are finding new ways to implement cover crops into cropping systems and the practice of “Planting Green” is one of the newest uses of cover crops. When planting green, producers plant their row crops into actively growing cover crops and terminate the cover crop at time of planting or shortly after planting. This practice would allow for higher biomass accumulation of the cover crop and could aid in weed management of herbicide-resistant weeds. The objective of the first two studies was to evaluate planting green and its effect on soil-applied residual herbicides, weed management, dicamba/glyphosate-resistant soybean …