Agricultural Science Commons^™

Effects Of Compost Incorporated Versus Surface Applied On Soybean Yield And Soil Health, Maheshwari Kuchanapally

Theses and Dissertations

Compost application is increasingly recognized as a sustainable soil management practice that enhances soil health and crop production. However, the method of application, incorporated versus surface applied, may influence its effectiveness in improving soil properties and crop productivity. This study evaluated the effects of compost application method on soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) yield and soil health at Illinois State University Research Farm in Lexington, Illinois, across two growing seasons, 2024 and 2025. The 2024 experiment used a Completely Randomized Design comparing incorporated versus surface-applied compost (n = 4; 8 plots). The 2025 experiment used a Randomized Complete Block Design …

Investigating The Impact Of Climate Change On Evapotranspiration Using Modeling, Faten Waheed

Theses and Dissertations

The available water resources are at risk due to climate change and the increasing water demand. Evapotranspiration is a very important element in water cycle. Evapotranspiration is perceived as a linking mechanism between the surface of the land and the atmosphere. Therefore, investing appropriate approaches to estimate evapotranspiration and the implication of climate change on evapotranspiration and available water resources are of great importance for better water management and food security. Penman-Monteith (PM) equation is considered as one of the most widely used equation for estimating ETo. It is also one of the most complex energy balance equations requiring detailed …

Design And Implementation Of A Machine Learning Predictive Model For Crop Yield In Indoor Vertical Hydroponics Farming, Emna Bouzid

Theses and Dissertations

To optimize agricultural practices and address water scarcity, this work introduces Vertical Hydroponics and Machine Learning (ML) to smart agriculture, using data from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to enhance crop production in low and medium-income countries, particularly Tunisia's, hydroponic farms. This research is an innovative approach to enhancing crop production within indoor vertical hydroponic systems by utilizing different ML predictive models and assessing their performance. This part was done at UALR while the data collection was done at MedTech, with 21 basil plants. This study compares Linear Regression, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) for precision …

Moisture Effects On Visible Near-Infrared And Mid-Infrared Soil Spectra And Strategies To Mitigate The Impact For Predictive Modeling, Francis Hettige Chamika Anuradha Silva

Theses and Dissertations

Instrumental disparities and soil moisture are two of the key limitations in implementing spectroscopic techniques in the field. This study sought to address these challenges through two objectives. The first objective was to assess Visible-near infrared (VisNIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic approaches and explore the feasibility of transferring calibration models between laboratory and portable spectrometers. The second objective addressed the challenge of soil moisture and its impact on spectra. The portable spectrometers demonstrated comparable performance to their laboratory-based counterparts in both regions. Spiking with extra-weight, was the most effective calibration transfer method eliminating disparities between instruments. The samples were rewetted …

Isolation And Culture Of Epichloё For Reinfection Of Endophyte-Free Southeastern Wildrye (Elymus Glabriflorus), Bryna Joann Haile

Theses and Dissertations

Mutualistic relationships between endophytic fungi and grasses have shown to improve the hardiness of the host. This relationship is common in grasses, including North American native grasses that are important in both forage and grassland ecosystems. Elymus species, such as Canada wildrye (CWR), commonly host the endophytic fungi, Epichloё, while southeastern wildrye (SEWR) may not. In this study, seed of CWR and seed and leaves from local SEWR were assessed for endophyte infection. Infection status was confirmed via histological analysis of seed squashes and leaf peels. Presence/absence of endophyte was determined by scanning for mycelia within seed and between leaf …

Identification And Quantification Of Allelochemicals Associated With Weed Suppression In Sweetpotato, Varsha Varsha

Theses and Dissertations

Mississippi ranks among the leading states in sweetpotato production in the US. However, managing weeds in sweetpotato fields presents a significant challenge, and the limited availability of herbicides labeled for use in sweetpotato makes it even more challenging. The widespread and repeated use of herbicides has led to the development of weed resistance. In addition, herbicides are incompatible with the organic production system. Finding sustainable weed management strategies to provide weed control options for organic cultivation and detain the development of herbicide-resistant weeds under conventional crop production is imperative. The natural chemicals released by the plants, also called allelochemicals, can …

Development And Evaluation Of An Automated Tactical Tillage Tool To Control Weeds In Row-Crop Production Systems, Grace Mccormick Friday

Theses and Dissertations

Weed control is an integral part of a successful overall production strategy in row- cropping systems and has the potential to reduce or eliminate yield losses that negatively affect profitability. Timely and correctly selected herbicide applications are the major keys for effective weed control in a majority of instances. However, there are negative factors that contribute to ineffectiveness and weed escape issues that currently lack viable options for management. Sparsely populated late-season weeds that emerge after lay-by herbicide applications and weeds that have become tolerant and resistant to traditional herbicide chemistries are of greatest concern. Historically, these weeds would have …

Evaluation For Using Expended Bioelectrochemical Systems As Soil Amendments For Improved Corn Plant Growth And A Drought Resistant Soil., Jackson Lee Sauers

Theses and Dissertations

A long-held practice is to mix agricultural soil with a soil amendment to improve growing conditions in crops. A common soil amendment is biosolids produced from both municipal and dairy wastewater due to the macro- and micronutrients within it. Both the agricultural and wastewater industries are participating in the Circular Economy concept (CEC). Two experiments explored using expended bioelectrochemical systems (BES) that treated either synthetic dairy wastewater (DWW) or synthetic municipal wastewater (SWW) as soil amendments to improve corn plant growth when treated with three different nutrient treatments: 100%- 50%- and 0% Hoagland Nutrient Solutions. Biochar and used terracotta clay …

Evaluation Of Warm Season Vegetables Using Sustainable Production Practices, Jacob Arthur

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable practices were evaluated for the production of two warm season vegetable crops, tomato and chile peppers. The first study investigated the plant vegetative growth, fruit production timing, yield components and fruit quality of three hybrid and three heirloom tomato cultivars grown in a high tunnel using grafted and non-grafted plants. Grafting the selected tomato cultivars with the two rootstock types did not alter total marketable yield of any cultivar, but affected overall stem diameter, fruit color, and β-carotene concentrations of tested tomato cultivars. The second study evaluated the plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of nine heirloom chile pepper …

Animal Husbandry In The 21st Century: Application Of Ecological Theory And Precision Technology To Inform Understanding Of Modern Grazing Systems, Ira Lloyd Parsons

Theses and Dissertations

Ruminant animals comprise the greatest proportion of herbivores around the world, provide essential ecosystem services and human consumable protein by consuming grass and human inedible dietary fiber. Herbivory pressure alters plant communities and species diversity, effectively making grazing animals ecosystem engineers in dynamic ecosystems. Development of advanced computer processing power coupled with biometric and ecosystem sensors may be employed in the internet of things framework to create an integrated information system designed to inform understanding of grazing system function and animal energy balance. Towards this end, I utilized Bos indicus / Bos taurus crossbred steers (n = 20) across two …

An Evaluation On The Effects Of Additions And Deletions Of Specific Nutrient Management Strategies On Corn Yield At Different Plant Densities, James D. Dew

Theses and Dissertations

Improved management strategies are needed to increase yield production and quality. The study aimed to determine suitable cultural practices for improved corn production. Experiments were set up at Verona and Stoneville, Mississippi, from 2020 to 2022. Treatments included row configurations (single and twin-row), plant populations (79,000 and 99,000 seeds ha-1), and six combinations of nutrients with or without fungicide. The nutrients evaluated were two nitrogen rates 235 and 314 kg N ha-1, phosphorus 45 kg P ha-1, potassium 112 kg K ha-1, sulfur 22 kg S ha-1, and zinc 11 kg Zn ha-1, and fungicide at 272 ml ha-1. In …

Determining The Effects Of Elevated Carbon Dioxide On Soil Acidification, Cation Depletion, And Soil Inorganic Carbon And Mapping Soil Carbons Using Artificial Intelligence, Jannatul Ferdush

Theses and Dissertations

Soil carbon is the largest sink and source of the global carbon cycle and is disturbed by several natural, anthropogenic, and environmental factors. The global increase of atmospheric CO₂ affects soil carbon cycling through varied biogeochemical processes. The first chapter is a compilation of current information on potential factors triggering soil acidification and weathering mechanisms under elevated CO₂ and their consequences on soil inorganic carbon (SIC) pool and quality. Soil water content and precipitation were critical factors influencing elevated CO₂ effects on the SIC pool. The second chapter examines a detailed column experiment in which six soils …

Soybean Potassium Utilization During Reproductive Growth Stages In Response To Potassium Timing, Potassium Rate, Herbicide Injury, And Desiccation, Tyler Lawrence Richmond

Theses and Dissertations

Potassium (K) deficiency of soybean [Glycine max (Merr.) L.] is common throughout the Mid-Southern region of the United States. Visual symptoms of K deficiency may be absent or subtle during early and mid-reproductive growth stages. Correcting K deficiency in-season is problematic due to limited research. Information regarding soybean yield response to in-season fertilizer K application time is limited to growth stages prior to the onset of R1. Research is also limited on new higher yielding soybean cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate influences of in-season K application timing during reproductive growth stages on soybean yield. Field experiments …

Evaluation Of Alternate Wetting And Drying Irrigation Management In Rice, Richard Lee Atwill Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Water level declines in the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) are attributed largely to withdrawals for rice (Oryza sativa L.) irrigation. This study was performed to determine if alternative irrigation strategies for rice could reduce withdrawal from the MRVAA without having an adverse effect on grain yield, grain quality, control of barnyardgrass, and profitability. Research was conducted in Stoneville, MS and 19 on-farm locations across the Delta region of Mississippi from 2014 through 2017 to determine the irrigation threshold for alternate wetting and drying (AWD) rice irrigation, the effect of AWD management on barnyardgrass control, and effects of …

Effects Of Foliar Applied Titanium ( Ti ) On Quality And Nutrient Uptake Of Creeping Bentgrass ( Agrostis Stolonifera ) On Professional Golf Course Greens, Caleb Wepprecht

Theses and Dissertations

Golf course putting greens typically consist of creeping bentgrass on sandy soils. Creeping bentgrass is mowed at extremely short heights, limiting root growth and making it vulnerable to different pests. Sandy profiles make it difficult for creeping bentgrass to take up nutrients and water. Tytanit combines sulfur, magnesium, and titanium-ascorbate as a biostimulant to increase chlorophyll content within the plant, increase yields, and assist in fighting biotic and abiotic diseases such as diseases and drought. Previous studies have shown benefits in plant growth, but results have been inconsistent. No previously reported studies have been performed on turfgrass using Tytanit. Therefore, …

Nutrient Loading Reduction In A Tile Drained Agricultural Watershed Through Watershed-Scale Cover Cropping: A High Resolution Analysis, Benjamin Gerald Bruening

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient pollution originating from agricultural regions in the Midwest is a serious issue, leading to pollution of drinking water sources as well as large hypoxic zones in the Gulf of Mexico. The source of much of this contamination has been shown to be runoff from agricultural fields in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. One method that has been shown to reduce this pollution from the Upper Mississippi River Basin is the planting of winter cover crops. Winter cover crops such as rye and tillage radish have been shown to significantly reduce nitrate exported from agricultural fields, even in tile-drained watersheds …

Determining The Effects Of Sulfur Fertility Levels On Edamame Soybean [ Glycine Max ( L. ) Merrill ] Protein Components, Theoneste Nzaranyimana

Theses and Dissertations

Edamame [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] a vegetable type soybean is harvested and consumed before reaching its maturity stage (R6). Its health properties drew attention to U.S. consumers because of its high protein content. Proteins are the major structural component of all cells in the living organisms. They are made of essential and non-essential amino acids which play a big role in growth and development and are source of energy. Proteins act as enzymes, antibodies, and hormones and blood protein. Sulfur (S) is a component of the amino acids cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met) which are the building blocks for proteins. …

Winter Cover Crops Impact On The Distribution Of Soil Inorganic Nitrogen And Subsequent Crop Uptake And Yield Following Fall Applied Anhydrous Ammonium, William Travis Deppe

Theses and Dissertations

The pairing of cover crops with spring application of nitrogen has shown improved nitrogen efficiency in corn production systems. However, studies have shown that only 50% of central Illinois farmers practice spring application of nitrogen. Furthermore, the literature demonstrates that in years with above average rainfall, fall applied N management systems are more susceptible to N loading relative to spring systems. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the efficacy of winter cover crops to impact the distribution of soil inorganic N following fall applied anhydrous ammonium. The experimental site is located at the Illinois State University Research …

Assessing The Perceptions Of Faculty Advisors And Green Industry Professionals On The Value Of Student Participation In A Professional Development Competitive Event, Katelynn Diane Clement

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) Student Career Days (SCD) professional development experience has on conceptual learning, job opportunities and placement, and job retention in the green industry. Student participants, PLANET judging team faculty advisors, and green industry professionals who attended the career fair were surveyed on their perceptions of PLANET Student Career Days and its related events. A block style survey was sent out to the participant groups. Depending on the participant's affiliation with PLANET Student Career Days, participants were asked a different set of questions in the survey. Each survey …

Perceptions Of The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program: A Survey Of Superintendents On University-Affiliated Golf Courses In The U.S., Jacob Joseph Kuban

Theses and Dissertations

This project assessed U.S. university-affiliated golf courses on their certification level in regards to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for golf courses and the amount of college or university student involvement with the certification process. Certification through the ACSP is designed to recognize environmental stewardship and sustainable golf course management practices. A cross-sectional, self-administered online questionnaire was administered to U.S. university golf course superintendents via an online link to the survey in an e-mail message. The population of 120 university golf course superintendents was asked to participate. Data was analyzed using Qualtrics, SPSS, SAS, and Microsoft Excel. Questions were …

Nitrogen Rate Optimization For Grain Yield Within Fall And Spring Applications, Justin Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a comprehensive analysis of research, investigating the impact of fall and spring applied nitrogen at various rates on the vulnerability of fall applied nitrogen, nitrogen uptake, and corn yields. In addition, optimal nitrogen rates and timing were evaluated across East Central Illinois.

Improving The Efficiency Of Fall Applied N With Cover Crops, Corey Lacey

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrate loss studies in Midwestern tile-drained fields have found that fall applied nitrogen (N) resulted in elevated nitrate concentrations in tile water during both the corn and soybean year of a 2 year rotation. The effectiveness of cover crops to reduce nitrate leaching when N is spring applied has been well demonstrated, however there is a dearth of knowledge on the ability of cover crops to reduce nitrate leaching in a system where N is fall applied. Thus, the objectives of this research were to (i) investigate the efficacy of winter cover crops to reduce nitrate leaching from fall applied …

The Effects Of Planting Techniques On Maize Grain Yield And Silage Production, Tyler D. Kaufman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a comprehensive analysis of the effects of seed orientation, row direction and planting population on grain yield, kernel composition, and silage yield and composition. Producers are striving to increase profit by efficiently using their available land area to maximize crop production. However, little research is available testing the effect of seed orientation on grain or silage production. Quantifying the impacts of seed orientation and row direction on grain and silage is essential for maximum crop production. Dissemination of the results should benefit grain and silage producer.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of manipulating seed …

The Development And Failure Of Historic Agricultural Communities Of Utah: A Case Study Of Johns Valley, Utah, Wayne R. Shelley

Theses and Dissertations

Many agricultural communities have developed in Utah since the first settlement, but many no longer exist today. Some of these early communities experienced a "boom and bust," while others struggled for several years and were eventually abandoned. Johns Valley is a good example of these historic communities, as it experienced rapid growth and times of success and prosperity, yet it struggled and was eventually abandoned.
The situation in Johns Valley, from its early settlement to its demise, demonstrates the hope of the people who settled there and their efforts to make Johns Valley a productive and successful area. History also …