Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Evaluating The Impact Of Intercropping Vegetables And Cut Flowers On Yield And Conservation Biological Control, Alliance Igiraneza

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

Specialty crops such as vegetables are some of the most susceptible to yield losses and increased management difficulty over time due to pests. One of the potential solutions to this problem, which aims at ensuring the sustainability of the sector, is using conservation biological control practices such as intercropping to increase diversity, while maintaining the economic feasibility and profitability of the system. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of this management practice using Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum var. King Arthur) as the main crop, intercropped with flowers including zinnia (Zinnia elegans var. Benary’s Giant), sunflower ( …

Arkansas Soybean Research Studies 2024, Jeremy Ross

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2024 Arkansas Soybean Research Studies includes research reports on topics pertaining to soybean across several disciplines from breeding to post-harvest processing. Research reports contained in this publication may represent preliminary or only data from a single year or limited results; therefore, these results should not be used as a basis for long-term recommendations. Several research reports in this publication will appear in other University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station publications. This duplication is the result of the overlap in research coverage between disciplines and our effort to inform Arkansas soybean producers of the research being …

Cis-Variant Gene-Expression Association Analysis: A Targeted Approach To Identify Functional Cis-Regulatory Variation, Sofiya Arora

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

Phenotypic diversity in plants is largely driven by changes in gene function arising from mutations in both the coding and regulatory regions. Regulatory variation is particularly pervasive because it can fine-tune gene expression without disrupting protein function and is therefore less likely to be strongly selected against in natural populations. As a result, it has played a central role in evolution and domestication. In our previous genome-wide eQTL mapping study in maize, nearly two-thirds of the expressed genes were found to harbor detectable cis-expression quantitative trait loci (cis-eQTLs) with strong local effects on gene expression. Though these cis-variants are widespread, …

Effects Of Applying Humic Acid In-Furrow At Potato Planting, Jonathan Tyler Price

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

Many products are marketed towards potato farmers that purport to have a positive return on investment for yield and quality. Humic acids, which are comprised of long chained, organic molecules that can be naturally or industrially made, are currently being marketed in this way. The use of these materials is reported to improve nutrient uptake, increase soil health, encourage vigorous growth, and most importantly, increase yields.  From 2023-2025, the in-furrow application of humic acid containing commercial products was evaluated in Pennsylvania on the cultivars ‘Lehigh’ and ‘Waneta’. Black Label Zn, Duo Maxx, Fertiactyl RhiZn, Humi-flex FA, Hydra-Hume, and Monty's Liquid …

Arkansas Cotton Variety Tests 2025, F. Bourland, J. Gann, B. Lovelady, B. Guest Jr, J. Mcalee, L. Martin, Z. Treadway, C. Henderson

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The primary goal of the Arkansas Cotton Variety Tests is to provide unbiased data regarding the agronomic performance of cotton varieties and advanced breeding lines in the major cotton-growing areas of Arkansas. This information helps seed companies establish marketing strategies and assists producers in choosing varieties to plant. These annual evaluations will then facilitate the inclusion of new, improved genetic material in Arkansas cotton production. Adaptation of varieties is determined by evaluating the lines at five University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture research sites (Manila, Keiser, Judd Hill, Marianna, and Rohwer). The tests at Rohwer were abandoned due to undefined …

Genome Wide Association Study (Gwas) On Different Economic Traits And Epigenetic Stability Of Sweetpotato In Louisiana, Ajay Dhungana

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is a globally important food, feed, and industrial crop, yet its improvement is constrained by a complex hexaploid genome, clonal propagation, and susceptibility to multiple diseases. In Louisiana, production is threatened primarily by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. batatas (Fusarium wilt) and Ceratocystis fimbriata (Black rot). Furthermore, the in vitro propagation methods essential for disease-free planting material and germplasm conservation can introduce epigenetic instability that undermines clonal fidelity. This dissertation integrates genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genotype by environment interaction (GEI) and DNA methylation profiling to dissect resistance mechanisms and assess epigenetic stability in Louisiana sweetpotato …

Evaluation Of Publicly Available Maize Germplasm Adaptation To Environments In Nebraska, Garrett Snodgrass

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

Publicly available maize germplasm represents an important resource for breeding programs seeking to expand genetic diversity and improve hybrid performance. However, effective use requires characterization of per se phenotypic performance of parental lines and evaluation of the parental line’s hybrid progeny adaptation to a given target population of environments. Furthermore, understanding population structure and heterotic grouping is imperative for maximizing efficiency of breeding decisions. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate phenotypic performance of parental lines and hybrids across environments in Nebraska, and to (2) refine heterotic group classification of parental lines within the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Hybrid …

Soil Nutrient Sufficiency Versus Plant Nutrient Status In Compost-Amended Soils: Plant Tissue Analysis As A Diagnostic Tool, Chandralekha Joga Miss

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated whether Mehlich III soil nutrient sufficiency ratings reliably predict plant nutrient status and chlorophyll response across contrasting compost application histories. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted with Chijimisai (Brassica rapa) planted in three treatment soils that had no compost (T1), moderate compost history (T2), and long-term hog manure compost application (T3). Plant performance was assessed through weekly shoot length and chlorophyll content (SPAD) measurements, leaf number at maturity, and leaf tissue nutrient analysis conducted at harvest. Soil test results indicated adequate to high nutrient levels across all three treatments. Leaf tissue analysis, however, revealed substantial …

Hydroponics In The Classroom: Cultivating Plants, Captivating Young People, Stacy A. Adams, Christian Stephenson, Theresa James, Kim Todd

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Few students take the initiative to pursue coursework beyond that required for progression to graduation. Limited are opportunities that connect educational content to industry application, potentially inspiring young people towards impactful careers. The United States government has emphasized the importance of STEM education to ensure national security and to maintain economic competitiveness globally. STEM education is not a defined discipline but an approach for building knowledge through application and engagement. Developing and managing a hydroponics prototype provides numerous opportunities for embedding STEM content into a fun and interactive project. This poster provides inspiration for constructing a simple deep water culture …

Patch Mow Grazing: Investigating The Effects Of Mowing On Forage Nutritive Value, The Biomass–Nutritive Value Relationship, And Herbivore Selection, Trace R. Stauble

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

Herbivore foraging behavior plays a critical role in shaping grassland structural heterogeneity, with selection often driven by forage biomass and nutritive value. Currently, it is thought that herbivores primarily select areas that are greater in nutritive value, and low in biomass. More specifically, disturbances like fire and grazing have been thoroughly studied showing that recently burned and grazed areas are not only higher in nutritive value but disproportionately selected by herbivores in comparison to undisturbed areas. However, most studies address only narrow ranges of defoliation, comparing intensely defoliated sites (< 10 cm) to those that are either not defoliated or have experienced a much longer time since defoliation, thereby decreasing grazing pressure as biomass increases. However, one of the most widely used methods of defoliation in grasslands, mowing, hasn’t been thoroughly studied for its effects on nutritive value, and how it impacts herbivore selection. Our study aimed to (1) evaluate how mowing treatments—i.e., short (5 cm), medium (18 cm), and tall (>30 cm, unmown)—affect nutritive value and herbivore selection, (2) assess …

Cover Crop Influence On Arthropod Biodiversity And Soil–Water Dynamics In A Semi-Arid Maize–Soybean Sequence Of The Nebraska High Plains, Carlos Eduardo De Oliveira Martins

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

With the expansion of cover crop (CC) use in semi-arid regions, producers in the Nebraska High Plains are increasingly interested in understanding how CCs influence both beneficial arthropods and soil-water within maize-soybean (Zea mays L., Glycine max [L.] Merr.) rotations. Integrating CCs in these systems can enhance soil water availability and beneficial insect activity, but potential trade-offs include higher early-season water use by CCs and the risk of increasing potential pest populations. This thesis addresses these questions through two complementary studies conducted under field conditions near Brule, Nebraska. The first study evaluated the effects of a multi-species CC mixture …

Evaluating Metamitron Efficacy For Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) Management In Sugarbeet Across The Central High Plains, Abraham Akuoko

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

Herbicide-resistant (HR) Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) is regarded as one of the most prominent weeds within sugarbeet fields across the Central High Plains, with limited chemical control options. Although a few herbicides are available, their use is restrictive due to crop injury concerns and can only be applied at or after the 2–4 true leaf (TL) growth stage, which will provide no control for already emerged weeds. However, Palmer amaranth often emerges between sugarbeet planting and the 2 TL sugarbeet growth stage. Consequently, as of 2023, there were no herbicide options to control Palmer amaranth in sugarbeet …

Large Scale Deletion And Rebalancing Within The K1c Kafirin Family In Sorghum, Tyler W. Ferris

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

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Monech (sorghum) is cultivated as food for humans and livestock and is valued for its low input requirements. However, sorghum grain protein is deficient in the essential amino acid lysine and has poor protein digestibility because of the abundance of proline-rich kafirins that constitute >70% of proteins that form low-digestibility protein bodies. To reduce kafirin expression in the endosperm, and elicit wholesale proteome rebalancing to increase non-kafirin proteins, a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR/Cas9) construct was previously used to target members of the highly-repetitive alpha-kafirin family, k1C in RTx430 sorghum. The …

Soil Health In Nebraska: Exploring Practitioners' Needs And Insights From A Long-Term Organic Farm, Ingrids Isabel Mata Vigil

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

Soil health is foundational to sustainable agriculture, environmental resilience, and long-term food security. Yet, the adoption of soil health assessments remains limited, often perceived as too technical, costly, or difficult to implement in real-world contexts. To better understand these challenges, the first chapter presents findings from a statewide survey of 41 soil health practitioners in Nebraska, including farmers, extension educators, NRCS staff, and conservation professionals. Respondents highlighted the need for simpler, more accessible, and context-specific tools for soil health assessment that help practitioners make informed decisions aligned with their management goals. Complementing these insights, the second chapter includes an independent, …

Improving Nitrogen Management And Corn Productivity Through Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer And Cover Crop Integration In Nebraska Cropping Systems, Madhusudhan Adhikari

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

Effective nitrogen (N) management is vital for sustaining corn yield and reducing environmental impacts in Nebraska cropping systems. Three field studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of 1) fertilizer type (anhydrous ammonia [AA] with nitrification inhibitor: enhanced efficiency fertilizer [EEF] or AA without EEF) and N application timing (pre-plant vs. split with side-dress UAN) on in-season soil N availability, crop response, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, residual soil N and N use efficiencies (NUEs); 2) winter cover crop (CC) species and crop rotation variability on CC biomass production, N uptake, soil N dynamics, and cash crop performance in …

Extending Cover Crop Growing Window To Improve The Health Of Environmentally Sensitive Soils, Noshin Ara Tunazzina

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

Sloping and sandy soils are highly susceptible to degradation. The health of these soils could be improved with cover crops (CCs). However, CC effectiveness in improving soil health mainly depends on CC biomass production, which is often low in temperate regions. The question is: how can we increase CC biomass production? Lengthening the CC growing window can be a potential strategy. This study assessed how 1) interseeded and terminated early (2-3 weeks before crop planting) CC, 2) interseeded and terminated late (at crop planting) CC, 3) drilled (after harvest) and terminated early CC, 4) drilled and terminated late CC, and …

Effects Of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms On Microbial Community Dynamics And Plant Growth Responses Of Aeroponically Cultivated Spinach, Veronica Snow

All NMU Master's Theses

Regional food insecurity caused by the inability to use conventional farming techniques year-round in cold climates increases the need for access to quality, locally sourced, and affordable foods year-round. Shifting from a soil-based system to aeroponics can increase yields, as aeroponic systems are not weather-reliant and can operate year-round. Aeroponics, a subgroup of hydroponics, induces growth by misting nutrient-rich solutions onto the plant roots. These systems use space and water more efficiently and rely less on fertilizers and pesticides but are vulnerable to errors in nutrient application, power loss, and rapid pathogen spread. Adding Vermicompost (VCT) and plant growth-promoting microorganisms …

Evaluation Of The Global Durum Panel (Triticum Turgidum Ssp. Durum) For Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Resistance, Winter Survival, And Seed Characteristics, Megan Engel

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

The majority of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum spp. durum; AABB; 2n=4x=28) is predominantly grown in the northern Great Plains of the United States, and is used in the production of semolina, a coarse flour that makes pasta and couscous. Durum has been widely regarded for being more tolerant to abiotic stress, due to its ability to withstand drought and high temperatures. In this thesis, we conducted greenhouse, field, and lab studies, for the traits wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), winter survival, and single kernel characteristics of the Global Durum Panel version 2 (GDPv2 n = 976), a panel …

Genetic And Soil Influences On The Grapevine Rhizosphere Microbiome, Lauren M. Quackenbush

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

In vineyard cropping systems, the rhizosphere microbiome arises through recruitment and filtering of the bulk soil microbiome shaped over time by soil carbon and nitrogen, climate, pH and historical legacies of vineyard management. The recruitment and filtering steps occur under the genetic influences of rootstock and scion that together drive variability in rhizosphere microbiome diversity and composition.

This study compares rhizosphere microbiomes of four Pinot Noir blocks under two rootstocks (101-14 and 420A) and four scions (777, 828, Calera, Mt. Eden). Core microbiomes were consistent across all replicates. The most abundant bacterial phyla were Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteriota …

Arkansas Cotton Variety Tests 2024, F. Bourland, J. Gann, B. Lovelady, B. Guest Jr., J. Mcalee, L. Martin, Z. Treadway, C. Henderson

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The primary goal of the Arkansas Cotton Variety Tests is to provide unbiased data regarding the agronomic performance of cotton varieties and advanced breeding lines in the major cotton-growing areas of Arkansas. This information helps seed companies establish marketing strategies and assists producers in choosing varieties to plant. These annual evaluations will then facilitate the inclusion of new, improved genetic material in Arkansas cotton production. Adaptation of varieties is determined by evaluating the lines at five University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture research sites (Manila, Keiser, Judd Hill, Marianna, and Rohwer). The 2024 tests at Keiser were adversely affected …

Arkansas Soybean Performance Tests 2024, J. F. Carlin, R. D. Bond, T. C. Swanson, J. C. Mccoy

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Soybean variety and strain performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program. The tests provide information to companies developing varieties and/ or marketing seed within the state and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating variety recommendations for soybean producers.

Arkansas Soybean Research Studies 2023, Jeremy Ross

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2023 Arkansas Soybean Research Studies includes research reports on topics pertaining to soybean across several disciplines from breeding to post-harvest processing. Research reports contained in this publication may represent preliminary or only data from a single year or limited results; therefore, these results should not be used as a basis for long-term recommendations.

Several research reports in this publication will appear in other University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station publications. This duplication is the result of the overlap in research coverage between disciplines and our effort to inform Arkansas soybean producers of the research …

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Performance Tests 2024, J. F. Carlin, R. D. Bond, J. C. Mccoy, T. C. Swanson

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Corn and grain sorghum performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The tests provide information to companies marketing seed within the state and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating recommendations for producers.

The 2024 corn performance tests contained 44 hybrids and were conducted at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center (NERREC) at Harrisburg, the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station (LMCRS) near Marianna, the Rohwer Research Station (RRS) near Rohwer, and the Rice Research and Extension Center (RREC) near Stuttgart. The 2024 grain sorghum performance tests contained 16 …

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 26 2025, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Dean, Jeff Edwards

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Featured Faculty Mentor/Student Team, Kelly Loftin, Eva Berryhill

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Hydroponics- 2025-2026 Workshop Handbook, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Hydroponically grown plants grow faster than traditional production systems, with greater productivity, greater palatability, and having optimal visual character. Three principal components of a system include the plant support platform, a nutrient solution reservoir, and an interface for the root-solution. This publication provides in-depth explanation to system design, evaluation of water quality, nutrient formulation, and prototype systems that can be easily constructed for those wanting to explore hydroponics, such as educators, organizational leaders, or home enthusiasts.