Agricultural Science Commons^™

Establishing Weed Prevention Areas And Evaluating Their Impact, Stephanie Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The spread of invasive weeds continues to be a serious economic and environmental threat. Weed prevention has the potential to stop weeds before they become well established in an area conserving time, energy, and resources. Unfortunately, weed prevention is often overlooked. Weed Prevention Areas (WPAs) are a relatively new tool developed to help improve the application of weed prevention. They are cooperatively managed areas that focus on implementing prevention and early detection strategies at a community level. The purpose of this research was to establish baseline data that will be used to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the WPA concept, …

The Transfer Of Agricultural Water To Municipal And Industrial Usages, Dallin Paul Stephens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The water that is available for beneficial use in Utah is quickly approaching full appropriation; water that has been claimed is nearing the amount that is available for use. The Division of Water Resources of the State of Utah has organized a three-part plan to "Plan, Conserve, Develop and Protect Utah's Water Resources." One of these three elements has a focus to "provide comprehensive water planning." Such planning is best achieved when current and accurate data on the uses of the state's water are available.

The primary purpose of this thesis was to provide an evaluation, from data collected on …

The Fundamentals Of Nutrient Management, Rhonda Miller, Clark Israelsen, Jim Bowcutt, Neils Hansen

All Current Publications

This publication gives best management practices of nutrient management in livestock and dairy facilities.

Enhancing Out-Of-Season Production Of Tomatoes And Lettuce Using High Tunnels, Britney L. Hunter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The growing season for vegetable crops is limited by freezing temperatures in arid high elevation climates such as northern Utah. Logan, Utah (41.73 N, 111.83 W, 1382 m elevation) has a short, variable growing season with an average frost-free period of 135 days. Extending the growing season provides growers with an opportunity to extend revenue into a normally unproductive period and benefit from out-of-season price premiums. High tunnels have been used to effectively extend the growing season for numerous crops by providing cold temperature protection. However, limited high tunnel research has been performed in arid high elevation regions that experience …

Effect Of Mica Content On Surface Infiltration Of Soils In Northwestern Kern County, California, Steven Keyes Stakland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A soils infiltration rate (IR) is the measured rate that soil is able to absorb water, either from precipitation or irrigation. A low IR can cause damage to crops if the necessary amount of water cannot penetrate to the plant roots in the time needed. The damage can be common in permanent plantings such as almond and pistachio orchards where regular tillage is avoided. This indicates a physical aspect to the problem because tillage increases IR. However, there is also an electrochemical side to infiltration problems because certain calcium surfactant treatments can increase IR. Various other methods have been used …

Selecting And Propagating Clones Of Bigtooth Maple (Acer Grandidentatum Nutt.), Melody Reed Richards

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Numerous wild bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum Nutt.) specimens in northern Utah have potential for use in landscapes, but improvements in selection and propagation need to be developed before these specimens can be introduced to the green industry. Criteria-based evaluations centered on aesthetics, function, and fall color were performed to objectively select superior bigtooth maple specimens. Out of 56 trees initially selected for red fall color, six were selected for propagation based on all three criteria. Five of the six selected trees yielded viable bud take via chip budding. Optimum time for chip budding propagation was determined by four experiments. …

First Report Of Two Curtoviruses In Spinach And Common Beet In Arizona, Claudia Nischwitz

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Vegetable Exhibits At Fairs And Shows, John Wesley, Maggie Wolf

All Current Publications

This publication gives tips on how to choose the best produce for vegetable exhibits and what the judges are looking for in the displays.

Small Pasture Management Guide, James Barnhill, Scott Mckendrick

All Archived Publications

As more people select rural settings for their homes, traditional farms are being divided into small acreage home lots. Many small acreage owners would like to have lush green pastures where they can raise horses, cattle, or sheep. The purpose of this booklet is to provide the educational guidance these owners need to successfully establish and maintain a healthy grazing system.

Influence Of Soil Compaction On Nitrogen Volatilization In A Management Intensive Grazing System: Estimation Of Gaseous N Losses Using Mass Balance In Intact Soil Cores, Luke Alan Petersen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Increasing concern about the environmental impacts of greenhouse gases and PM 2.5 particulates has prompted many researchers to examine the processes of gaseous loss of nitrogen (N) from agricultural land. As agricultural production becomes more competitive and producers strive to become more efficient by reducing input costs, they will increasingly employ practices such as the rotational stocking, also called Management Intensive Grazing (MIG). MIG utilizes high animal stocking rates for short periods of time to efficiently harvest pasture crops. Unfortunately, MIG also produces relatively high concentrations of livestock excreta. This has caused intensive grazing practices to become a focal point …

Cattle As Grazing Management And Seed Dispersal Tools For Increasing Native Species Diversity On Great Basin Rangelands, Marina K. Whitacre

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A series of experiments evaluated: 1) the influence of seed intake and gut retention time on seed passage, recovery, and germinability; 2) fecal seeding and broadcast /trampling as techniques to incorporate seeds into a well-established Agropyron desertorum (Fisch.) Schult. stand in Skull Valley , Utah; 3) intensive grazing as a means to reduce Agropyron biomass and increase establishment and survival of seeded species; and 4) the recovery and germinability of seed extracted from dung collected from the field. Two shrubs (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young and Atriplex confertifolia Torr. & Frem.), a grass (Elymus elymoides (Raf.) …

Influence Of Microphytic Crusts On Selected Soil Physical And Hydrologic Properties In The Hartnet Draw, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah., John Dana Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Microphytic crust influences on selected physical and hydrologic soil properties were examined at one location in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. Designed experiments were conducted in a sandy loam soil where microphytic crusts were present without the concomitant development of confounding physical or chemical soil conditions. Three treatments were used for all experiments: control, chemically killed (microphytes killed but left in place), and scalped (microphytic crusts mechanically removed).

A portable wind tunnel was used to deter-nine if microphytic crusts contribute to soil stability and reduce the erosive effect of wind. Significantly lower threshold friction velocity and greater wind-entrained material were …

Nitrogen Source And Application Method: Does It Matter?, Gilbert D. Miller, Jay C. Andersen

Archived Natural Resources Publications

Irrigation management has a greater effect on the amount of nitrate that is leached out of the root one than does the type of nitrogen applied.

Estimation Of Incoming Radiation From Extraterrestrial Radiation And Climatic Data, Rodrigo H. Pizarro

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Average monthly values of incoming radiation, extraterrestrial radiation, sunshine, and sky cover frorn 32 climatological stations in the United States were used as a basis to develop radiation equations.

Empirical relations between incoming radiation and more commonly available climatic and geographic variables, such as percent of relative sunshine, mean daily sky cover, station elevation and extraterrestrial radiation, were established using an empirical procedure used by Christiansen (1966, 1967) to compute his evaporation and evapotranspiration formulas.

The reliability of the equations developed was deternlined by comparing the computed values of incoming radiation with measured values at Davis, California and for the …

A Survey Of The State Of Utah For Areas Infested With The Stem Nematode Of Alfalfa, Dwayne R. Buxton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Plant nematodes belong to a large group of invertebrates known as round worms, They derive their name from the Greek word "nema," meaning thread. In literature some authors refer to nematodes as nemas. In England and many parts of the United States, plant-parasitic nematodes are called eelworms.

While some damage to plants results from mechanical injury, salivary secretions injected by the nematode into the plant are usually the major cause of damage. Experiments conducted in the first part of the present century have demonstrated large differences in plant growth in soil infested with nematodes and soil freed of nematodes by …

Bulletin No. 385 - Comparitive Nutritive Value And Palatability Of Some Introduced And Native Forage Plants For Spring And Summer Grazing, C. Wayne Cook, L. A. Stoddart, Lorin E. Harris

UAES Bulletins

From 1952 to 1954 studies were conducted on foothill ranges of central Utah to determine the forage production, palatability, and nutritive value of some of the more important native and introduced species used for spring and summer grazing.

Plants studied were four introduced wheatgrasses (crested, tall, pubescent, and intermediate) , four native grasses (western wheatgrass, beardless wheatgrass, squirreltail grass, and Indian ricegrass), and two introduced annual forbs (Russian-thistle, and smother weed).

Field digestibility trials were conducted to determine the nutrient content by the lignin-ratio technique. In addition, both sheep and cattle preferences were studied on areas where both introduced and …

Bulletin No. 386 - Production Of Lettuce Seed As Affected By Soil Moisture And Fertility, Leslie R. Hawthorn, Leonard H. Polland

UAES Bulletins

Much of the lettuce seed produced in the United States is grown under irrigation in various western states. Few studies have been made to determine the extent to which yields of seed are influenced by soil moisture and other cultural conditions. Crops have been irrigated mostly on the basis of local practices and the general experience of the grower. Recent studies in Utah (Hawthorn 1951) showed rather conclusively that carrot and onion seed crops grown side by side under the same climatic conditions differ widely in their response to soil moisture. High seed yields were obtained from carrots grown under …

Bulletin No. 381 - The Organization And Structure Of Egg Marketing In Utah, Roice H. Anderson

UAES Bulletins

Sale of eggs is one of the major sources of farm income in Utah. In 1954 egg receipts represented 8 percent of the farm cash income. This was the lowest percentage since 1929; receipts reached a high of 13 percent in 1935.

The relative importance of egg production doubled from 1924 to 1929 when the proportion of cash farm income from eggs increased from 4 to 9 percent. Since 1929 it has fluctuated without apparent trend. The percentage of cash income from eggs was high in years when egg prices were high relative to the other agricultural products and low …

Bulletin No. 382 - Grass-Legume Mixtures For Irrigated Pastures For Dairy Cows, George Q. Bateman, Wesley Keller

UAES Bulletins

Pastures have been important in the agricultural economy of the Intermountain Region. But as long as nearby valley bottom or other land not well suited for cultivation was available, the pressure for better irrigated pastures remained secondary to that for improved cash crops.
Only in recent years have dairymen generally realized that a productive herd, coupled with proper management, could make a good pasture a highly profitable crop. Bateman and Packer pointed out in 1945 this concept of pastures. Bateman et al. using newer mixtures strikingly verified the concept in 1949 and 1954. The growing awareness of the value …

Bulletin No. 380 - Feed Lot Fattening Of Cattle In Utah, 1953-54, Lynn H. Davis

UAES Bulletins

This publication has been prepared for your use. It is not intended that the average presented here will represent your farm exactly, but the information will be useful to you in planning your fattening enterprise for greater profit.

The information reported is based on interview with 103 feedlot operator who fattened cattle during the 1953-54 feeding year. The operators fed an average of 57 head for a 133 day feeding period. The cattle were steers and heifers of pr dominantly Hereford breeding. They gained a total of 279 pound in the feedlot at an average daily rate of 2.1 pounds. …

Bulletin No. 387 - Evaluation Of Sprinkler Irrigation Systems In Northern Utah, Jay M. Bagley, Wayne D. Criddle

UAES Bulletins

Following the availability of lightweight aluminum tubing in quantity, irrigation by sprinkling has expanded rapidly in the United States as well as other areas of the world. Quick couplers, better pumps, and more dependable power units and power supplies have also contributed to the increased use of sprinkler irrigation. Future land developments will probably be more favorable to sprinkler irrigation since many of the areas best suited for surface irrigation have already been developed. Sprinkler irrigation can be an efficient way of applying water, and as water supply becomes more and more a limiting factor, more efficient methods for its …

Bulletin No. 383 - Cooperative Nutritional Status Studies In The Western Region: I. Nutrient Intake, Ethelwyn B. Wilcox, Helen L. Gillum, Margaret M. Hard

UAES Bulletins

In 1947, a concerted study of the nutritional status of selected population groups was initiated in the western region of the United States. Previous dietary surveys had indicated that substantial portions of the country's population were consuming lower than recommended levels of essential nutrients. Deficiency diseases that may have nutritional background, such as dental caries, anemia, and rickets, existed. Investigators reported subclinical signs of malnutrition in several areas. Few studies had been made in the West, although reports of high incidence of dental caries and suspected undernutrition had come from several western states. The regional committee thought it evident that …

Bulletin No. 384 - Virus And Viruslike Diseases Of Stone Fruits In Utah: A Handbook For Their Identification And Control, B. L. Richards, L. C. Cochran

UAES Bulletins

Intensive research over the last 20 years has shown that many of the previously unexplained and seemingly mysterious disorders of stone fruit trees in Utah are infectious diseases caused by viruses. Others were shown to be the result of noninfectious genetic abnormalities or of adverse chemical and physical factors in the environment of the plant. The purpose of this handbook is to help orchardists and others recognize these diseases and disorders and understand better their etiology or cause. The handbook will also bring together basic information which will aid in their control.

Bulletin No. 379 - Biology And Control Of The Peach Twig Borer (Anarsia Lineatella Zeller) In Utah, Charles J. Sorenson, Farrell H. Gunnell

UAES Bulletins

The peach twig borer, Anarsia lineatella Zeller, sometimes called the peach worm, annually damages peach, apricot, nectarine, prune, and plum orchards in Utah. Many buds and twig terminals are destroyed each spring by the overwintered generation of partially grown larvae. These emerge from their winter quarters almost as soon as host trees begin their spring growth. From the time the fruit becomes about half grown until it is harvested, later generations of twig-borer larvae feed on it causing irregular, gummy cavities which make it unfit for market.

In order to work out a control program for any insect, its life …

Bulletin No. 378 - Labor Structure And Labor Problems: Utah Sheep Ranches, 1952-1953, William A. Dehart, William H. Metzler

UAES Bulletins

This study deals with the problem sheep ranchers have in recruiting workers to meet their labor needs. Consideration is given to the composition of the work force on sheep ranches, to wages, the amount and causes of labor turnover, and to ways to reduce turnover. Labor recruitment practices are also discussed and evaluated in terms of available sources of farm labor, the possibilities of maintaining a stable supply, and the effect of farm labor problems on recent changes in the operations of sheep ranch enterprises. The primary focus of attention is on regular hired labor on Utah sheep ranches, although …

Bulletin No. 376 - Potato Production, Utah 1953: An Economic Analysis, E. M. Morrison, W. G. Kearl

UAES Bulletins

The potato enterprise is important in providing a cash crop and a means of diversifying and intensifying the operations on many of Utah's irrigated farms. It is particularly important in those areas where, because of short growing season or inadequate markets, other intensive crops cannot be produced economically.

Potatoes have accounted for around 2.5 percent of the total cash farm income and around 10 percent of the cash farm income from crop sales over the past several years. The gross value of the crop has been between four and five million dollars in 8 of the last 12 years from …

Bulletin No. 377 - Performance Testing Studies With Beef Cattle, James A. Bennett, Doyle J. Matthews

UAES Bulletins

The goal in beef cattle breeding is the production of animals that make rapid and efficient gains and have desirable conformation. Performance testing has recently been advanced as a means of identifying individuals possessing superior productive qualities and as a means of evaluating sires for transmitting these qualities to their offspring. This report gives the results of performance tests conducted with Hereford and Shorthorn calves fed over a constant time period as well as the results of a supplemental study undertaken to gain information that might add refinement to the evaluation of gains in beef cattle.

Bulletin No. 375 - Eradication Of Mule Ear With Herbicides And Its Relation To Production Of Forage On Range Lands, D. C. Tingey, C. Wayne Cook

UAES Bulletins

Mule ear (Wyethia amplexicaulis) , also known as green dock and black sunflower, is a tufted perennial with smooth waxy leaves and a thick woody taproot. It reproduces only by seed, yet it is aggressive, and once it becomes established it is highly competitive.

Cattle seldom eat mule ear when other forage is available; however, sheep eat the heads when in full bloom and occasionally consume a small quantity of the young leaves before they completely unfold. Since mule ear is relatively unpalatable, it increases in density with continued heavy use of the range and in some cases …

Bulletin No. 374 - Fertilizer Reuirements Of Alfalfa Hay In Utah, R. F. Nielson, J. P. Thorne, G. T. Baird

UAES Bulletins

This bulletin is a report of one phase of research in agronomy. What is agronomy? Agronomy is the science of crop production and soil management and includes a scientific study of all phases of soils and soil conservation, irrigation practices, fertilizer usage, crop rotations, plant breeding, selection and management of new crop varieties, weed control, and other practices that lead to increased production of better quality crops.

Bulletin No. 373 - Biennial Report Of The Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, 1952-1954

UAES Bulletins

Our way of life is based on the ability of our agriculture to produce abundantly, efficiently, and at a low cost; and the position of agriculture today is largely a result of the research efforts of the state agricultural experiment stations and the United States Department of Agriculture. In the 66 years since the establishment of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, its scientists have found solutions to many of the problems peculiar to its location, topography, and climate. It is logical to rely on these same research forces to solve the problems of the future.

During the past biennium a …