Agricultural Science Commons^™

Predicting Munsell Color For Turfgrass Leaves, William L. Berndt, Roch E. Gaussoin

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Linking turfgrass color to hue, value, chroma (H V/C) in the Munsell Plant Tissue Color Book is a visual comparison process for specifying and communicating plant color. If subjectivity of visual comparison can be mitigated, then accuracy of color matching may be improved. Research was conducted to develop an algorithm predicting H V/C from CIE-xyY color (xyY) in digital images of leaves of four turfgrasses. First, value-chroma (V/C) arrays for Munsell hue groups 5Y, 2.5GY, 5GY, 7.5GY, 10GY, and 2.5G were converted to xyY. Next, chromaticity (xy) plots from each array were fitted with …

4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase (Hppd)-Inhibiting Herbicides: Past, Present, And Future, Amit J. Jhala, Vipan Kumar, Ramawatar Yadav, Prashant Jha, Mithila Jugulam5, Martin M. Williams Ii, Nicholas E. Hausman, Franck E. Dayan, Paul M. Burton, Richard P. Dale, Jason K. Norsworthy

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)-inhibiting herbicides are primarily used for weed control in corn, barley, oat, rice, sorghum, sugarcane, and wheat production fields in the United States. The objectives of this review were to summarize (1) the history of HPPD-inhibitor and their use in the United States, (2) HPPD-inhibitor resistant weeds, their mechanism of resistance, and management, (3) interaction of HPPD-inhibitor with other herbicides, and (4) the future of HPPD-inhibitor-resistant crops. As of 2022, three broadleaf weeds (Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, and wild radish) have evolved resistance to the HPPD-inhibitor. The predominance of metabolic resistance to HPPD-inhibitor was found in aforementioned three …

Limited Irrigation For Managing Declining Water Resources In The Us High Plains, Bijesh Maharjan, Gary Hergert, Saurav Das

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The US High Plains region has a semiarid climate receiving between 330 and 455 mm of rainfall annually. In the Nebraska Panhandle of the High Plains, 30-year average rainfall is 394 mm, and one-fourth of agriculture is under irrigation. In addition to concerns about water quality, there is a growing concern over water quantity for ground- and surface-water resources that producers use for irrigation. Wisely managing limited water resources for irrigation can help maintain crop productivity and profitability. Deficit irrigation research for 13 years (2005–2017) was conducted in the Nebraska Panhandle to study effects of limited irrigation on maize ( …

Monitoring Environmental Policy Process: Indicators To Evaluate Performance, Stella Namanji, Charles A. Francis, Charles Ssekyewa, Geir Hofgaard Lieblein

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The complexity of environmental policy development was examined in relation to sustainability, holistic and systems-thinking perspectives. We studied potential application of systems principles of coordination, representation, collaboration, participation and teamwork to improve policy effectiveness at formulation, communication, implementation, and operationalisation of the environment policy in Uganda. The research unveiled the ineffectiveness of the Uganda National Environment Management Policy. We applied systems theory to develop a mechanism for monitoring effectiveness of environmental policies at national level, with the goal to identify key monitoring indicators. We used the soft systems methodology to identify occurring environmental problems causing forest loss. Results suggest that …

Charles A. Francis, Abstracts And Publications [1969--2022], December 2022, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Contents

I. Journal articles (218), p.1

II. Book reviews (60), p. 18

III. Published abstracts (213), p. 23

IV. Books (23), p. 40

V. Chapters in books (81), p. 42

VI. Symposium or workshop proceedings (127), p. 50

VII. Symposia or extension publications edited (31), p. 62

VIII. Miscellaneous (522), p. 65

The Site Evaluation Of Quercus Alba Metabolites, Zachary Alexander Byrd

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Quercus alba has been the prominent tree species utilized in the spirits industry for decades. Of its many qualities, the ability to impart desirable flavors on spirits combined with its natural abundance makes it the ideal choice for barrels. Creating barrels is a uniform process, but variability still exists in aged spirits even when all other parameters are controlled. In this thesis, I explore how the origin of Quercus alba influences metabolite variability.

Quercus alba is a resilient species that can grow in many climates. This is seen through Quercus alba’s vast growing range, of which barrel quality white oak …

Intercropping Grain Sorghum Into Established Rhizoma Peanut: Greenhouse And Field Studies, Erika Hm Cooperman

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Land degradation and urbanization are among the top factors pushing the Kenyan Maasai community into an unstable future, with food insecurity and poverty amidst the most fragile components. Implementing conservation agricultural techniques into the Maasai nomadic lifestyle could potentially lead to a diversification of finances and food security. Intercropping is one technique of conservation agriculture that could provide the Maasai both. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of creating an intercropped environment between rhizoma peanut and grain sorghum. A greenhouse study was conducted from late 2020 to 2021 in an effort to investigate the effects …

Effect Of Essential Oils In The Control Of Fungal Diseases In Small Grains, Esneider Mahecha Bojaca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and oats (Avena sativa L.) are important crops due to their high consumption in our daily diet worldwide. They are the main food of consumption per capita due to the high amino-acid content as well of vitamins. However, grain production is limited due to the negative impact of the diseases that cause significant yield loss. Diseases in oats, such as crown rust caused by Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae (Pca), and in wheat such as Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum. Foliar diseases such as tan spot incited by the fungi …

Study Of Root System Architectural Traits Of Oat And Response To Endophyte Inoculation And Drought Stress, Krishna Ghimire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oat is an important cereal crop grown worldwide. Oats have the potential to contribute to human health due to their unique nutritional attributes. Developing oat cultivars with efficient root systems able to extract heterogeneously distributed soil resources can help maintain yield under drought conditions and in nutrient poor soil. Various root traits determine the soil volume that is explored by the root system for resource acquisition. Knowledge about the genetic control of oat root traits and response to biotic and abiotic environmental factors is lacking. Identifying quantitative trait loci associated with root traits and understanding the response of roots to …

Keeping What You Sow: Intellectual Property Rights For Plant Breeders And Seed Growers, Paulina B. Jenney

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Over the last 150 years, the food system in the present-day United States has undergone a transformational restructuring, from a diversified, decentralized, network of farmers and seed growers, to one in which the majority of crop production is controlled by a few industrial corporations. The consolidation of power has been under-girded by the application of intellectual property rights (IPR)—especially utility patents—to plant varieties and genetic traits, which are leveraged to exclude small-scale seed growers from accessing quality germplasm. Patents and restrictive licensing agreements recapitulate colonial structures by appropriating common and traditionally community-held resources for profit, and by creating reliance on …

Reduced Chelate Strength Increases Iron Bioavailability For Monocots In Hydroponic Culture, Paul Kusuma, Bruce Bugbee

Hydroponics/Soilless Media

Hydroponically grown corn (Zea mays) is highly susceptible to Fe-chlorosis. Iron (Fe) is essential for chlorophyll synthesis. Metals bound to chelates have reduced bioavailability (activity) compared to free ions.

Managing Agricultural Nitrogen Losses In Crop Production And Mitigation Of Climate Change Effects, Winnie Ntinyari, Mekonnen Giweta, James Mutegi, Cargele Masso, Joseph P. Gweyi-Onyango

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Nitrogen (N) losses from cropping systems negatively affect soil quality/fertility, crop yield, and the environment through its contribution to climate change and water pollution. İt possesses oil-water-atmospheric system challenges to both the too much and the too little N application countries. Soil and climatic factors are the critical drivers of N loss from agricultural systems as they influence major processes like nitrification and denitrification. Other N loss pathways include leaching, runoff, and volatilization. Nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) gases are the two pollutants resulting from N fertilizers in crop production and represent N loss’ significant pathway. Nitrous oxide is …

Potential Of Entomocomposting Toward Soil Pathogen Suppression, Dennis Beesigamukama, María Gómez-Brandón, Chrysantus Mbi Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Waste accumulation and microbial pollution are key environmental challenges in most developing countries. Land filling, the commonest waste disposal method, is not sustainable due to land scarcity and point source pollution. Thus, a large fraction of organic wastes is not properly disposed, yet the conventional methods of waste recycling are less effective. The degradation of waste using insect life stages (entomocomposting) has emerged as a novel tool that is fast, affordable, and sustainable in recycling organic wastes with maximum pathogen suppression. This bioconversion process also generates an organic fertilizer with potential to enhance soil remediation and provide additional benefits on …

Performance Of Black Soldier Fly Frass Fertiliser On Maize (Zea Mays L.) Growth, Yield, Nutritional Quality, And Economic Returns, C. M. Tanga, D. Beesigamukama, M. Kassie, P. J. Egonyu, Changeh J. Ghemoh, Kiatoko Nkoba, S. Subramanian, A. O. Anyega, S. Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Although the black soldier fly frass fertiliser (BSFFF) is globally recognised as a promising and potential high-quality organic fertiliser, there is inadequate information on its impact on the growth performance and nutritional status of maize. Furthermore, no information exist on their combination with mineral fertiliser (NPK) as well as economic impact on maize production. This study evaluated the comparative impact of BSFFF, NPK and commercial organic fertiliser (Evergrow®) on growth, nitrogen use efficiency, yield, nutritional quality, and profitability of maize under greenhouse conditions. The treatments included: (1) sole application of BSFFF, conventional compost of brewers’ spent grain (BSG), Evergrow, and …

Nitrogen Use Efficiency Trends For Sustainable Crop Productivity In Lake Victoria Basin: Smallholder Farmers' Perspectives On Nitrogen Cycling, Winnie Ntinyari, Joseph Gweyi-Onyango, Mekonnen Giweta, Benson Mochoge, James Mutegi, Generose Nziguheba, Cargele Masso

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) is one of the established metrics for benchmarking management of Nitrogen (N) in various systems. Numerous approaches to calculateNUEexist, making it difficult to compare the performances of systems depending on the methodology used. This study adopted the conceptualized framework by European Union Nitrogen Expert Panel (EUNEP) to calculateNUE values for cereal crops to determine future trends for the first time in the Lake Victoria region. Data were collected through in-person interviews among maize and rice smallholder farmers within the Lake Victoria region. Atotal of 293 observations were recorded. Collected data on yield andNfertilizer were used to …

Economic And Ecological Values Of Frass Fertiliser From Black Soldier Fly Agro-Industrial Waste Processing, D. Beesigamukama, B. Mochoge, N. Korir, K. Menale, B. Muriithi, M. Kidoido, H. Kirscht, G. Diiro, C. J. Ghemoh, S. Sevgan, D. Nakimbugwe, M. W. Musyoka, S. Ekesi, C. M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The sustainable utilisation of black soldier fly (BSF) for recycling organic waste into high-quality protein feed and organic fertiliser with a low environmental footprint is gaining momentum worldwide. Although BSF farming is becoming a rapidly growing agribusiness, studies on the BSF farming’s economic aspects are limited. This study analysed the economic benefits of farming BSF for animal feeds and composted frass, called frass fertiliser (FF) production using experimental data. The BSF larvae were fed on brewery spent grain amended with sawdust, biochar, and gypsum to determine the cost-effective feed and other by-products production. The agronomic performance of FF on the …

A Benefit-Cost Analysis Approach For Determining The Optimal Processing Of Micronutrient-Enriched Cowpea Leaf Soup Mixes, Joshua Ombaka Owade, George Ooko Abong’, Michael Wandayi Okoth, Agnes Wakesho Mwang’Ombe

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Cost-effective techniques are usually recommended in the dissemination and adoption of postharvest processing technologies of food products. Due to limited value addition practices for cowpea leaf, the Fruits and Vegetables for All Seasons Project undertook a study to bridge the gap in the seasonal availability of the vegetable in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of Kenya through the production of cowpea leaf soup mix. However, the adoption of these techniques has an economic perspective that guides decision-making. This study utilized a two-stage linear programming methodology using NutriSurvey and the analytic hierarchy process in a seven-step hierarchy for the production …

Getting To The Root Cause: The Genetic Underpinnings Of Root System Architecture And Rhizodeposition In Sorghum, Farren Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Plants are some of the most diverse organisms on earth, consisting of more than 350,000 different species. To understand the underlying processes that contributed to plant diversification, it is fundamental to identify the genetic and genomic components that facilitated various adaptations over evolutionary history. Most studies to date have focused on the underlying controls of above-ground traits such as grain and vegetation; however, little is known about the “hidden half” of plants. Root systems comprise half of the total plant structure and provide vital functions such as anchorage, resource acquisition, and storage of energy reserves. The execution of these key …

Long Term Observation Of The Grassland Vegetation Used Intensively Or Extensively And Ecologically, H.-D. Matthes, J. Matthes, W. Jentsch, V. Pastushenko

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The aim of the present paper was to study alterations of the grassland flora from 55 plots following a more extensive management under long term observation within 6 years. Extensification of grassland use leads to an increase of the numbers of plant species by 32%, “Red-list-species” included. The moisture number of the soils slightly increased and the reaction and nitrogen numbers decreased. Results are presented for different vegetation units.

Influence Of Extensive Management On Botanical Composition Of Permanent Meadow Sward, K. Mlynarczyk, E. Korona, E. Marks

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The aim of undertaken investigations was to find the possibilities of grassland management with special respect to the biodiversity and the landscape conservation. Changes in botanical composition of the meadow sward against a background of different mowing utilization were examined on the semi-natural meadows situated on the peat-mursh soil in Masurian Landscape Park (north-east Poland). The areas mown with biennial pause and completely turned off from uses followed gradual simplifying of species composition and increasing of bog species participation. Results show on advisability of passing one harvest each year or with one-year pauses.

Vegetation Changes In Sown Grassland In The Uk After Nine Years Of Extensive Grazing Management, C. A. Marriott, G. T. Barthram

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effect of extensive grazing management with sheep on vegetation change in sown pastures (initially containing Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens) in the uplands of Scotland was investigated from 1990-1999. One treatment was representative of current more intensive management systems; it was fertilized, and maintained at a sward surface height of 4 cm. Two treatments were unfertilized and were maintained at sward surface heights of 4 cm or 8 cm; the ewe numbers carried on these treatments averaged 74% and 44%, respectively, of those on the fertilized treatment. In all treatments the sheep were Scottish Blackface ewes. Their single …

The Influence Of Rising Atmospheric Co2 On Grassland Ecosystems, J. A. Morgan, P. C. D. Newton, J. Nösberger, C. E. Owensby

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and climatic change will have significant effects on the ecology of grasslands. This paper evaluates results from four CO₂ enrichment studies in contrasting grasslands. A Swiss study investigates the effects of elevated CO₂ (600 μL L^-1 CO₂) on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L), a New Zealand study examines how elevated CO₂ (475 μL L^-1 CO₂) affects a botanically diverse pasture, and studies in the Kansas tallgrass prairie and the Colorado shortgrass steppe investigate the effects of an approximate …

Elevated Co2 Enhances Productivity And The C/N Ratio Of Grasses In The Colorado Shortgrass Steppe, J. A. Morgan, A. R. Mosier, D. R. Lecain, W. J. Parton, D. G. Milchunas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Atmospheric CO₂ concentrations have been increasing since the industrial revolution, and are projected to double within this century over today's concentration of 360 µmol mol^-1 . This study used six open-top chambers in the Colorado, USA shortgrass steppe to investigate how increasing CO₂ will affect productivity and C and N status of indigenous perennial grasses and forbs. From March until October, chambers were placed on two plots in each of the three blocks. In each block, one chamber was assigned an ambient CO₂ treatment (~360 µmol mol^-1), the other an elevated CO₂ treatment …

Rangeland Desertification In China, Wang Tao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Land desertification is one of the most serious environmental and social-economic problems in the North China. The processes of desertification mainly have being controlled by the interaction of human activities and fragile eco-environment, that means the pattern and intension of landuse are major factors for development or reverse of desertification. Because of the increasing pressure of population, the rangeland in the North China has being cultivated decade by decade, which changed landuse from grassing to cropping in a large area and destroyed the natural vegetation cover. The result is to let the wind erosion become easier and the desertification has …

Grasslands, Communicating The Benefits, D. Keeney

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The multiple benefits of perennial agriculture , including forages and grasslands, for building soil quality, protection of natural resources, enhancement of biodiversity and wildlife, are well known to us, but little understood by the public. This is not a situation where “more education” would necessarily increase recognition. Rather, we must build in the public a desire for the enhancement of green space, clean water and air, and diverse landscapes that multiple purpose agriculture can bring. We seek such environments intuitively and now that much of the world’s people are “trapped” in urban settings of steel and concrete, this desire is …

Agropastoral Systems An Alternative To Revert Pasture Degradation In The Cerrados Of Brazil: Preliminary Results, Manuel C. M. Macedo, J. A. M. Bono, A. H. Zimmer, F. P. Costa, Tsutomu Kanno, Cesar Heraclides Behling Miranda, A. N. Kichel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A long term experiment was set to test the hypothesis that agropastoral systems could improve crop and animal production, being more profitable and sustainable relative to economical, biological and environmental aspects, than continuous and traditional crop and grazing pasture systems. Five farming systems are being tested: two traditional (continuous soybean annual cropping and continuous pasture cropping) and three agropastoral systems (two combinations of four by four years of rotational crop-pasture systems and one by three years of crop-pasture rotation). Animal production in continuous pasture cropping measured as liveweight gain/ha (LWG) are declining along the years in the sub-treatment without fertilizer …

Evaluation Of A Number Of Grass Species For Restoring Degraded Semi-Arid Rangelands In Southern Africa, K. Kellner, S. De Wet

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The biophysical environment is an important determinant of land degradation in both commercial and communal land tenure systems in South Africa. According to a recent study on the status of land degradation, approximately 25% of the total land cover in South Africa is degraded. Several technologies exist to restore the soil and vegetation degraded areas in natural pastures. To improve the production and biodiversity potential for agricultural and conservation uses in these rangelands, a common restoration technology includes the cultivation the eroded and compacted soil surfaces by rip- ploughing and the re-vegetation with high productive, palatable and perennial species. Five …

Water-Use Efficiency And Infiltration Under Different Rangeland Conditions And Cultivation In A Semi-Arid Climate Of South Africa, Hennie A. Snyman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of rangeland in different botanical composition classes (good, moderate and poor), on water-use efficiency (WUE: crude protein produced per unit of evapotranspiration) and soilwater content. The same measurements were also made on an undisturbed bare soil surface and soil cultivated twice per annum. Evapotranspiration was determined by quantifying the soil-water balance equation with the aid of runoff plots and soil-water content measurements done by a neutron hydroprobe. Water-use efficiency declined significantly (P ≤ 0.01) with rangeland degradation. Rangeland in good condition averaged a WUE of 0.28 kg crude protein ha …

Community Structure Of Serrated Tussock (Nassella Trichotoma) Infested Grasslands, Warwick B. Badgery, David R. Kemp, D. L. Michalk, W. Mcg. King

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma) is the most serious perennial grass weed in southeastern Australia, extending over more than a million hectares. Previous control techniques using herbicides and oversowing with competitive pastures are no longer feasible in many of the lower fertility, infested areas. New management solutions need to be found, based upon a better understanding of the ecology of this species. A survey was done to determine the community structure of serrated tussock infested grasslands. Winter growing C3 grasses were closely associated with serrated tussock, while C4 perennial grasses appeared not to be. It is not known if …

Valuing The Pasture Resource - Importance Of Perennials In Higher Rainfall Regions Of South Eastern Australia, P. M. Dowling, R. E. Jones, David R. Kemp, D. L. Michalk

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The premature decline of perennial grass based pastures in southern temperate Australia results in poor productivity and unstable pastures that allow invasion by less desirable weedy species and the potential for soil degradation. The loss of perennial species is attributed to overgrazing arising from an undervaluation of the pasture resource. Resowing pastures is largely uneconomic so maintenance of, or increasing the perennial, is dependent on improved grazing and pasture management practices. A key to changing perceptions is valuing the true worth of the perennial component. Results are presented from a model that takes into account the seasonality of production of …