Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Synthesis Of Cell Wall Components In Maize Internodes, J H. Cherney, J J. Volenec, G A. Brown

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cell wall structure affects intake and digestibility of forages by rummants. Before microbial degradation of cell walls can be understood, it will be necessary to have a better understanding of cell wall formation. Internodes of grasses elongate in a_cropetal succession, with two internodes usually elongating s1multaneously. Elongating internodes consist of three regions : 1) a zone of cell division, 2) a zone of cell elongation, and 3) a zone of secondary cell wall deposition. This tissue provides an excellent system for studying cell wall changes in rapidly developing tissues. Our objectives were to : 1) examine changes in cell wall …

Natural And Artificial Drying Effects On Condensed Tannins Of Sericea Lespedeza, T H. University Of Georgia, W R. Windham, J J. Evans, C S. Hoveland

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Sericea lespedeza [Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont-Cours.) G. Don.] is well adapted to acid soils and low fertility but has generally been considered a low-quality forage due to high levels of tannin and indigestible fiber. Tannin levels increase during midsummer (Windham et al. 1988). The most com­monly used assay for tannin in sericea is the vanillin-HCl pro­cedure (Burns, 1963) on oven-dried samples. Oven-drying has been reported to cause increased polymerization or oxidative changes in tannins (Goldstein and Swain, 1963). Fresh-frozen sericea contained higher amounts of extract­able tannin than field-dried forage and fiber digestibility of high-tannin sericea by sheep was much lower …

International Rice Outlook: International Rice Baseline Projections 2024–2034, A. Durand-Morat, W. Mulimbi

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

• Global rice consumption is projected to exceed global rice production for most of the coming decade, with stocks playing a crucial role in balancing the global market over the projected period.

• The projected growth in production is almost exclusively due to productivity gains.

• The projected global rice consumption is growing, driven mainly by population growth. However, the average global per capita rice consumption is estimated to increase slowly in the coming decade due to a regain in per capita consumption in Asia, the largest rice-consuming region worldwide.

• The international prices of long-grain and medium-grain rice are …

Mitigating Nitrogen Losses: The Role Of Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers In Sustainable Corn Production, Dipesh Giri

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

Nitrogen (N) is essential for crop production, but its inefficient use often leads to environmental losses through nitrate leaching, ammonia volatilization, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs), such as nitrification inhibitors (NIs) and urease inhibitors (UIs), have been developed to minimize these losses and improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). This research combined a multi-year field experiment and a controlled laboratory study to evaluate how dual-inhibitor fertilizers compare to conventional urea and single-inhibitor formulations in Nebraska cropping systems. The main objective was to understand how nitrogen inhibitors influence N availability, crop performance, and nitrogen losses across different environmental …

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 …

Maximizing Crop Production And Profitability Through Double Cropping Corn And Soybean Systems In South Carolina, Bennett Harrelson

All Dissertations

Profitability is critical for farm sustainability, efficiency, and longevity. Over the last decade, corn and soybean commodity prices have fluctuated considerably, and more recently, extreme increases in input prices have narrowed profit margins. Non-traditional cropping systems that can boost profit are becoming of interest to farmers in South Carolina, specifically double cropping soybean behind corn. In this scenario, corn is harvested at high moisture contents and followed by ultra-late planted soybean. However, prior research related to the agronomic production practices of double cropping corn and soybean is minimal. To develop best management practices for growers interested in double cropping corn …

Evaluating Risk And Return Of Corn And Soybean Marketing Strategies Using Monte Carlo Simulation Methods, Johanna Ilves

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

This study evaluates the performance of pre-harvest marketing strategies for corn and soybeans, using Monte Carlo simulation techniques. Given the increasing volatility in commodity prices and the evolving landscape of agricultural markets, producers face growing challenges in developing effective marketing plans that manage risk and enhance profitability. This thesis examines thirteen marketing strategies from 2008 to 2024, including benchmark harvest-only sales and various pre-harvest futures contract approaches. Historical futures price data for December corn and November soybean contracts were used to simulate 1,000 marketing outcomes per strategy per year, capturing a broad range of market conditions. Key performance indicators such …

Landscape Effects On The Beneficial Arthropod Community In Agriculturally Dominated Environments, Hannah E. Stowe

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Ecosystem services in agriculturally dominated regions rely, at least in part, on arthropods. Environment and biodiversity influence beneficial arthropods in population size, community structure, diversity, and ecosystem service provisioning. Predation is among the most important services provided by arthropods in agroecosystems. Understanding what alters predation and predator activity can support the successful application of biological control and, more broadly, integrated pest management. Land use and edge adjacency, field characteristics, landscape, seasonality, and diel period all alter predatory behavior. Crop fields dominate Nebraska agroecosystems, although interspersed perennial grasslands persist through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Such grasslands supply crucial resources and …

Gene Editing Approaches To Improving Grain Amino Acid Profiles In Maize And Sorghum, Joseph Preston Hurst

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Maize grain is deficient in lysine. While the opaque2 mutation increases grain lysine, o2 is a transcription factor that regulates a wide network of genes beyond zeins, which leads to pleiotropic and often negative effects. Additionally, the drastic reduction in 19kDa and 22kDa alpha-zeins causes a floury kernel, unsuitable for agricultural use. Sorghum, closely related to maize, has a similar lack of lysine that can be corrected with prolamin alteration and also subject to the same deleterious kernel texture. CRISPR/cas9 gives researchers the ability to directly target genes of interest. In this research, gene editing was used to specifically target …

Mechanisms Of Perennial Sorghum Resistance To Sugarcane Aphid Infestation, Esha Kaler

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, the fifth most-grown cereal crop in the world, is a versatile crop, grown across different agro-ecological regions. Sorghum has numerous uses ranging from food and forage purposes to biofuel production. Sugarcane aphid (SCA; Melanaphis sacchari) is a major threat to sorghum production, accounting for 50% to 100% yield loss under heavy infestations. Perennial sorghum can be a sustainable and climate-resilient alternative to the current cereal farming systems. The development of perennial sorghum offers numerous benefits, such as reduced economic inputs, more carbon sequestration, better soil health, and sustainable yields. We employed host plant resistance …

Integrating Genomic And Phenomic Breeding Tools For Wheat Stem Sawfly Resistance In Hard Winter Wheat, Sydney E. Graham

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The wheat stem sawfly (WSS; Cephus cinctus) is an insect pest that affects wheat (Triticum aestivum) in the Northern Great Plains. This pest causes stem cutting that makes the plants susceptible to lodging and results in up to 30% yield loss. The primary management strategy for producers is utilizing host plant resistance, for which the main trait is stem solidness. This trait increases the pith thickness and provides resistance to the WSS by increasing larval mortality and reducing stem cutting. While stem solidness is largely controlled by a known major gene (SSt1), the phenotypic expression is also …

Registration Of 'R19c-1012': A High-Yielding Soybean Cultivar With Improved Flooding Tolerance At Early Vegetative Stages, Caio Canella Vieira, Rafael Marmo, C. Wu, Liliana Florez-Palacios, Andrea Acuna, D. Harrison, D. Rogers, Leandro Mozzoni, T. Roberts, J. F. Carlin, Travis Faske, F. Lin, G. Shannon, H. T. Nguyen

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

'R19C-1012' (Reg. no. CV-564, PI 707837) is a high-yielding, conventional maturity group Mid-IV (Relative maturity 4.6) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar with improved flooding tolerance at V2-V4 vegetative growth stages. It was developed and released by the University of Arkansas System-Division of Agriculture Research & Extension Center in 2024. R19C-1012 has an indeterminate growth habit, purple flowers, gray pubescence, brown pods, and seed with an imperfect black hilum. From 2019 to 2023, R19C-1012 was evaluated across 40 irrigated environments, with an average grain yield of 4302 kg ha-1, representing 93% and 99% relative yield of the Xtend and non-Xtend …

Yield And Economics Following 5 Years Of Integrated Weed Management In Cotton, Amar Godar, Jason K. Norseworthy, L. Tom Barber, Roger Farr, Ty Smith

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The implementation of integrated weed management (IWM) practices in conventional management systems involves additional costs and can influence both short-term and long-term cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yields, ultimately affecting economic viability. This study, conducted from fall 2018 to fall 2023 near Marianna, AR, evaluated four IWM practices in a large-plot, fixed-plot factorial design: zero tolerance for weed seed rain, soil inversion deep tillage every third year in the fall, a preplant terminated cereal rye cover crop, and dicamba-resistant cotton technology. Long-term economic impacts were assessed using the 5-year average cost-adjusted yield, with the base program (excluding all IWM practices) serving …

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 …

Identification Of New Germplasm Sources And Traits For Breeding Heat-Tolerant Soybean Varieties, Shelby Hammond

All Theses

The heat-tolerant soybean breeding is constrained by limited genetic diversity for heat tolerance, lack of efficient selection criteria, and incomplete knowledge of heat tolerance mechanisms. The objectives of this study were to characterize the heat tolerance of a soybean recombinant inbred line (RIL) population based on traits defining leaf function, pollen viability and yield, and identify genotypes and traits that can be included in breeding programs for heat tolerance. Field trials were conducted at Pendleton, SC in 2022 and 2023 to test the heat stress responses of 192 RILs [derived from DS 25-1 (heat tolerant) x DT97-4290 (heat-susceptible)], parental lines, …

Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation As A Non-Chemical Management Option Against Fungi And Heterotrophic Bacteria In Organic Sweetpotato Production, Meredith Tucker

All Theses

North Carolina is the largest producer of sweetpotatoes in the United States, with South Carolina increasing farming acreage to 2,501 in 2022 compared to 1,300 in 2017. Growers producing conventional and organic sweetpotatoes are equally challenged with managing fungal pathogens due to fungicide resistance or fungicides being unavailable due to environmental regulations, leading many to shift to growing organic crops. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a non-chemical pre-plant management option that uses a carbon amendment, irrigation, and plasticulture to establish an anaerobic environment in soils, killing soil microbes. A greenhouse study was conducted to assess ASD on fungal pathogens and …

Understanding The Impact Of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda) Feeding, And Drought Stress On Drought-Tolerant And Drought-Resistant Soybean (Glycine Max)., Adriana G. Peissel

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Drought and insect herbivory are two major stressors on high-value crops like soybean (Glycine max). However, few studies have explored how these stressors interact, despite their presence in tandem under field conditions. We investigated how drought stress and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) caterpillar herbivory impact Magellan (drought-tolerant) and Blackhawk (drought-susceptible) soybean cultivars. The soybean plants were subject to four treatment groups (1. Drought 2. Herbivory 3. Drought + Herbivory 4. Well-Watered) during a treatment period of 7 days in a greenhouse. We then measured plant height, physiological traits, trichome density, soil moisture, and larval mass gain. …

Understanding The Genetic And Metabolic Underpinnings Of Complex Traits In C4 Grasses, Manwinder Singh Brar

All Dissertations

Maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) are two important cereal crops cultivated worldwide for food, animal feed, and industrial products. Productivity of these crops is significantly impacted by various biotic and abiotic stresses, such as diseases, insect pests, drought, salinity, and heat. Among factors influencing crop performance under stress, the regulation of leaf longevity plays a critical role in determining yield. Leaf senescence is a highly regulated process essential for nutrient remobilization through the degradation of cellular components in aging leaves, but premature or accelerated senescence reduces photosynthetic efficiency and yield. Staygreen, a phenotype …

Investigate The Use Of Nucleic Acids As Pesticides To Manage Major Pests And Pathogens Of Crops In South Carolina, Prasanna Valavanur Shekar

All Dissertations

The sugarcane aphid (SCA, Melanaphis sorghi), first discovered on grain sorghum in late 2013, has gradually become a major insect pest of sorghum. It inflicts significant damage to the crop year after year, causing millions of dollars in losses throughout the sorghum-producing regions of the United States. Similarly, Armillaria root rot—also referred to as oak root rot—is a major cause of decline in peach (Prunus persica) production in the southeastern United States. This disease is caused by Armillaria mellea and Armillaria tabescens. Current management practices for controlling M. sorghi include the use of synthetic pesticides, resistant varieties, and regular scouting. …

Understanding Pre-Harvest Hedging Behavior And Basis Forecasting: The Role Of Information In Grain Marketing, Iyore Eronmwon

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines decision-making under risk in grain marketing, focusing on how information influences behavior, attitudes toward accessible information, and methods for forecasting commodity basis. Through three essays, it explores the impact of information on hedging decisions, the determinants of information-seeking behavior, the extent to which students can serve as proxies for farmers in risk experiments, and the effectiveness of different forecasting approaches for commodity basis.

The first essay examines the impact of information on pre-harvest grain marketing hedging decisions and grain marketing information-seeking behavior. Specifically, it evaluates two types of information hypothesized to influence decision-making: expected cost of production …

Where Is Your Crop Insurance Agent? Understanding The Geographical Distribution Of Agents, Cory Walters, Nathan Delay

Cornhusker Economics

Following the modifications to the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) in 2010, there was limited understanding of the impact of policy changes on agent availability. Our objective is to construct a model of the equilibrium supply of crop insurance agents and to test hypotheses regarding the factors influencing agent concentration, such as commissions, competition, and risk. We developed a theoretical equilibrium model of the federal crop insurance market, which encompasses three tiers: insurance companies, agents, and farmers. The model incorporates key features of the federal program, including government-set premiums and the stipulation that agents cannot refuse coverage or modify premiums for …

Trenching And Compost Sustain Grain Yield Increases Over Nine Years On Deep Sands But At A Cost, David J.M. Hall, Tom J. Edwards

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Context. Crops grown on deep sands on the south coast of WA are limited by soil physical and chemical properties including compaction and poor nutrition. Aims. Crops grown on deep sands on the south coast of Western Australia are limited by soil physical and chemical properties including compaction and poor nutrition. Our aim was to determine what effects deep-placed organic amendments have on soil properties and crop production in a deep sand and whether such amendments are profitable. Methods. A long-term field trial was conducted over nine years (2015–2023) to investigate soil amendments including lime (0 and …

Field Calibration Of A Time Domain Reflectometry Sensor For Water Content Measurement In Soils With Low Content Of Coarse Fragments, Rehnuma Maisha, Dean Steele, Aaron L. M. Daigh, Derek M. Heeren, Trenton E. Franz

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Comparison of soil water sensors for irrigation scheduling requires an accurate reference measurement. An Acclima TDR-310H soil water content sensor was calibrated and validated for sand, loamy sand, clay loam, sandy clay loam, and sandy loam soils. In 2021, sensor readings and soil samples were collected in the same sensor volume at depths of 15 and 46 cm at three irrigated field sites with five stations each. Gravimetric water content, bulk density, and volumetric water content (θv) were determined in the lab. The root mean square error was 0.032 cm³ cm⁻³, which was within acceptable limits. The …

The Effect Of Topping And Various Cytokinin-Based Plant Growth Regulators Applications On Immature Liberica Coffee Growth, Yudithia Maxiselly, Joshua Samuel, Cucu Suherman

Jurnal Kultivasi

The growth of Liberica coffee in the 2-year immature plant phase can be improved by applying cytokinin-based plant growth regulators (PGRs) and topping. Toppings applied to plants can inhibit apical dominance, while cytokinin PGRs such as 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and coconut water can stimulate plant shoot growth. This research aims to determine the effect of topping and PGR application on the vegetative growth of Liberica coffee plants. This experiment was carried out at the Ciparanje experimental field, Universitas Padjadjaran, West Java, with an elevation of ± 750 meters above sea level from March to June 2024. The experimental design used a …

The Effect Of Soil Conditioner And Growth Booster On The Agronomic Characters And Number Of Nodules Of Black Soybean, Tien Turmuktini, I Putu Rahmat Santoso, Lia Amalia, Nunung Sondari, Elly Roosma Ria, Yenny Muliani, Endang Kantikowati, Tualar Simarmata

Jurnal Kultivasi

Soil Conditioner & Growth Booster (SCGB) is a potion that was made to be used as a soil conditioner and plant growth promoter. SCGB is made from organic matter, biological fertilizers, soil ameliorants, and microelements. This research aims to determine the best dosage of SCGB on the agronomic characters, effective nodules, and black soybean variety ‘Detam-1’ yield. This research was conducted in the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Winaya Mukti University, Sumedang, Indonesia. This experiment used a simple randomized block design (RBD) with six treatments (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 kg/ha) and repeated 4 times. The observation …

Heterologous Expression Of Maize-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide Zmes4 In Escherichia Coli For Potential Plant Pathogen Control, Suseno Amien, Dadi Nurdiana, Noor Istifadah, Noladhi Wicaksana, Haifanisa Salsabila

Jurnal Kultivasi

ZmES4 is a plant-derived antimicrobial peptide (AMP) from maize that shows promise as a biocontrol agent against plant pathogenic organisms. In the context of growing challenges in sustainable agriculture, AMPs like ZmES4 represent innovative alternatives to chemical pesticides. This study focuses on the structural characterization and heterologous expression of the ZmES4 peptide in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The gene encoding ZmES4 was obtained from the maize female gametophyte (NCBI Reference Sequence: NM_001112150.3) and cloned into the pET24d(+) expression vector using NcoI and XhoI restriction sites. Transformation into E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells enabled recombinant expression upon induction with isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside …

Grassland For Our World, F Riveros

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present-day role of grasslands and fodder is reviewed with respect agriculture, animal production and environmental concerns. The world 's grazing lands are a finite resource nnd, overall, are being badly mnnaEed; in most developing countries action is required now, before it is too lnte. They will continue to be a major source of animal feed for the foreseeable future; encroachment from cropping will con

Human Impact On Terrestrial Ecosytems- What We Know And What We Are Doing About It, H A. Mooney

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

At present the impact of humankind on the Barth System is substantial mul will become greater as we continue to add over 80 million people to the global population each year. Collectively the human species utilises over a third of the total fresh water that is available, as well as an equivalent amount of tho total terrestrial productivity. Possil energy is being consumed at a prodigious rnte and fuels, among other things, over a half a billion vehicles. To support the large human population the Earth has been greatly reconfigured with much of the land utilised for grazing and agriculture. …

Grasslands For Sustainable Ecosystems, Malcolm Hadley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslnnds present many advantages for examining issues related to sustainability. Grasslands include planted pastures as well as a variety of natural rangelands in situations ranging from semi-arid to subhumid. Diversity is also reflected in the spectrum of grassland users and uses, for example, nomadic pastoralism, extensive ranches, intensive pastures, wildlife tourism, game hunting. And in terms of sustainability of resource management, grasslands encompass a wide range of contrasting situations and conflicts in resource use. Heavy grazing pressure associated with increasing human populations in certain tropical savannas, the implications of rural depopulation to traditional pasture management in alpine regions, and the …