Earth Sciences Commons^™

The Fecal Coliform/Fecal Streptococci Ratio (Fc/Fs) And Water Quality In The Bluegrass Region Of Kentucky, Mark S. Coyne, J. M. Howell

Soil Science News and Views

In the mid 70' s, someone noticed that the ratio of two indicator bacteria in fecal wastes - fecal coliforms (FC) and fecal streptococci (FS) - was characteristic of particular animal wastes. In human wastes, the fecal coliform/fecal streptococci ratio (FC/FS ratio) was greater than 4. In domesticated animals, like cattle, the ratio was between 0.1 and 4.0. In wild animals, the ratio was less than 0.1. Since that time, many attempts have been made to use the ratio to determine the source of fecal bacteria in contaminated ground water.

Agricultural Impacts On Fecal Contamination Of Shallow Groundwaters In The Bluegrass Region Of Kentucky, Mark S. Coyne, J. M. Howell

Soil Science News and Views

Any farming practices that degrade water quality contribute to agricultural nonpoint source pollution. This is a problem in Kentucky's Bluegrass region where shallow soils and karst geology permit surface contaminants to reach groundwater quickly. Real and perceived threats to public health may make groundwater protection plans a reality if evidence for non-point source pollution in agricultural areas continues to grow.

Control Of Rodents In No-Till Corn, Lloyd W. Murdock

Soil Science News and Views

The prairie vole is probably the primary rodent that reduces no-till crop plant stands in Kentucky. Because the vole requires a full canopy cover for protection from predators, established grass or legume sod fields and field borders (including wheat or rye stubble, set-aside and cover crop seedings) provide an ideal habitat.

Estimated Nutrient Content And Uptake By Kentucky's Crops, Kenneth L. Wells, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

A commonly asked question by crop producers is, "how many pounds of plant nutrients do my crops take up?" While the absolute answer to this varies by yield and soil fertility, useful estimates can be made from research data to enable a producer to have a "ballpark" value for nutrient up-take by some of the major crops of Kentucky. The following tables contain estimates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P),and potassium (K) contained in certain crops and the amount of N, phosphate (P₂O₅), and potash (K,O) taken up by tobacco, corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa hay, clover grass …

Gas Exploration In The Devonian Shales Of Kentucky, Terence Hamilton-Smith

Bulletin--KGS

Devonian black shales constitute a major economic resource in Kentucky. These shales, known variously as the Ohio, Chattanooga, and New Albany Shales, are between 50 and 1, 700 feet thick and occur both in outcrop and in the subsurface, buried as deep as 4,200 feet below sea level.

Total gas in place for the Devonian shales in Kentucky is estimated to be between 63 and 112 trillion cubic feet; between 2 and 28 percent is recoverable. Known shale gas accumulations include the giant Big Sandy Field of eastern Kentucky and adjacent \/Vest Virginia, as well as a number of smaller …

Available Coal Resoures Of The Handshoe 7.5–Minute Quadrangle, Knott County, Kentucky, Gerald A. Weisenfluh, Robert E. Andrews, John K. Hiett, Richard E. Sergeant

Information Circular--KGS

Coal resources available for mining have been estimated for the Handshoe Quadrangle within the Hazard Coal Reserve District of the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field. Twelve coal beds within the quadrangle are potentially mineable and comprise the basis of these resource estimates. Seven of these beds have been commercially developed, but only four have produced more than 1 million tons: the Tiptop, Hazard No. 8, Hazard No. 4, and Upper Elkhorn No. 3. A computerized Geographic Information System was used to calculate estimates of original, mined-out, and remaining resources, restrictions to mining, and available resources.

Current Research On Soil Nitrate Testing For Corn In Kentucky, John H. Grove

Soil Science News and Views

Concern has been expressed that growers do not have the "slte-specific" information they need for more efficient nitrogen (N) fertilizer management on a field-by-field basis. Soil testing has routinely been used to guide recommendations for phosphorus, potassium, and lime additions to individual fields, but effective soil N test procedures have long eluded soil scientists working in warm, humid regions with substantial winter rainfall. Now, recent research suggests that a new soil test procedure has some potential to guide fertilizer N applications for corn. The purpose of this report is to define the concept of soil nitrate testing; to describe how …

Poultry Litter As A Nitrogen Source For Corn, Monroe Rasnake, Larry Reber

Soil Science News and Views

Development of an intensive poultry production industry in western and south-central Kentucky will make poultry litter available to many farmers. It is estimated that 45, 000 tons per year will be produced just in the Jackson Purchase Area. One of the most efficient uses of this litter is as a nitrogen fertilizer source for corn.

Stratigraphic And Structural Framework Of The Carboniferous Rocks Of The Central Appalachian Basin In Kentucky, Donald R. Chesnut Jr.

Bulletin--KGS

A series of seven cross sections across the Central Appalachian Basin in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio was constructed in order to determine a stratigraphic and structural framework of the Carboniferous rocks for the basin. Oil and gas well logs, coal-company core descriptions, measured sections, and mapping of surface geology were used to construct these sections. New surface and subsurface faults, folds, and flexures were identified.

New, formal and informal lithostratigraphic nomenclature was introduced to clarify the stratigraphic framework. Formalized nomenclatural changes are (1) elevating Breathitt Formation to Breathitt Group, (2) dropping the Lee Formation, (3) elevating four …

Urease Inhibitor Reduces Ammonia Loss From Surface-Applied Urea, Wilbur Frye, Lloyd W. Murdock, Robert L. Blevins

Soil Science News and Views

Urea is the world's leading N fertilizer, and its use continues to grow. In the USA, for example, the use of urea increased 50 fold from 1955 to 1986. During that same time, its use in Kentucky increased from 214 to more than 112,000 tons per year, which was 28% of the N used in Kentucky in 1986. The increasing popularity of urea is due to advantages over other N fertilizers in its manufacture and to its use in making most N solutions, another rapidly growing form of N fertilizer. Desirable qualities of urea include the highest N content of …

Has The Nitrate-Nitrogen In Streams Draining Agricultural Watersheds In Kentucky Changed In The Last 18 Years?, Grant W. Thomas, Gerald R. Haszler, James D. Crutchfield

Soil Science News and Views

In 1971 and 1972, we sampled streams across Kentucky for nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) during the high-water flow months of January through June. The results were variable and showed a dominant effect of geology and lesser effects of both time and land use on the results. Since that time, use of fertilizer nitrogen (N) has nearly doubled in Kentucky and, further, there is a high degree of concern among the public that NO₃-N from fertilizer use may be contaminating streams. The US Environmental Protection Agency has set a maximum of 10 ppm NO₃-N in water as …

What Happened With No-Till In 1988, Morris J. Bitzer, Robert L. Blevins, Wilbur Frye

Soil Science News and Views

No-till (NT) received some bad publicity in 1988 in Kentucky and throughout the Midwest,especially during the early part of last summer's drought. Some farmers found that corn yields were lower with NT than with conventional tillage (CT). However, others observed that the NT corn recovered faster and grew better than CT corn following the rains. Data from Kentucky and Nebraska tend to support this latter observation.

Control Of Nitrate Leaching With Winter Annual Cover Crops, Daniel Mccracken

Soil Science News and Views

Public attention and Federal legislation have focused recently on the contamination of groundwater by nitrate. Seeking to establish standards for safe drinking water, the Federal Government has set the maximum concentration for nitrate (as nitrogen) at 10 parts per million. In large areas of the Great Plains, this value is now commonly exceeded in well water. The limited data from Kentucky appear to indicate that excessive nitrate concentrations are not as widespread in Kentucky water supplies as they are in the water of states more heavily involved in grain production and more dependent on shallow wells for supply. One of …

Index To Oil And Gas Fields Of Kentucky, Brandon C. Nuttall

Information Circular--KGS

These data have been collected by the Kentucky Geological Survey as part of an ongoing project, and this report is subject to updating and revision as additional data become available. Where information is not available for a certain category, the entry is left blank.

Data are listed in order by county and field name. Producing formations generally are listed in approximate stratigraphic sequence from youngest to oldest. The date shown is the year of completion of the discovery well in the field. The Carter coordinate location pertains only to the discovery well of the field and in some cases may …

Paleoenvironmental History Of The Middle Ordovician Rugosa Of Eastern North America, Gretchen Hampt Andreasen

Honors Papers

Our understanding of the structure and function of biological systems can be increased when viewed in the context of their evolutionary history on a geological time scale. Generally, both paleoecology and ecology have focused on the interrelationships of organisms and their environments in short time frames. For instance, a paleoecologist might study the fossil communities of the Columbus Limestone reefal environment at Marblehead, Ohio, or an ecologist might attempt to characterize the interrelationship of glacier lilies and their pollinators. Both workers may realize that the organisms they study evolved in response to ecological pressures, yet neither, most likely, considers that …

The Real Value Of Agricultural Limestone, Monroe Rasnake

Soil Science News and Views

There are big differences in quality of agricultural lime sold in Kentucky. According to the most recent test results, the Relative Neutralizing Value (RNV) of Kentucky aglime ranged from a low of 50 to a high of 89. Actually, some were below the RNV of 50, but these did not meet state lime law regulations and could not legally be sold as ground agricultural limestone.

Canola: A New Cash Crop For Kentucky, James H. Herbek, Lloyd W. Murdock, Dan Kirkland, T. Gray

Soil Science News and Views

For the past few years, Kentucky farmers have become more interested in "alternative" cash crops for their farming operations. One such crop that is starting to receive attention is Canola. Classified as an oil crop, Canola is a type of oilseed rape. Rape is a member of the mustard family and is closely related to turnip. cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and mustards. It is a cool-season annual and an important oilseed crop in many parts of the world that is used for both human consumption and industrial purposes. Major rapeseed production areas are in Europe and Canada. The seed contains approximately …

Update On Ridge-Tillage In Kentucky, David C. Ditsch, Monroe Rasnake

Soil Science News and Views

Grain crop producers in Kentucky are constantly evaluating various tillage systems that will best fit their particular cropping environment. One such tillage system that has shown some promise primarily in the mid-west is a system referred to as ridge-tillage. Ridge-till is basically a system by which a grain producer plants his crop on an elevated row that is maintained each year during cultivation for week control. The same ridge is re-used year after year thereby developing a controlled traffic pattern. Since the cultivation procedure is also recommended for maintaining the ridge, many ridge-till farmers have reduced their herbicide cost by …

Maximum Net Returns From Fertilizers, Lloyd W. Murdock, Kenneth L. Wells, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

Considerable interest in trends taking place in the consumption of commercial fertilizers in Kentucky has been evident during the last two or three years. Due both to the stressed agricultural economy and to government programs, total tonnage has dropped significantly. This has made a direct impact on the fertilizer industry serving Kentucky. Concern has been expressed that UK is "telling farmers that they're using too much fertilizer", suggesting that this is the cause of the reduced volume experienced by many dealers. We hope to address this concern in such a way that UK's position regarding use of commercial fertilizers for …

Changes In Rainfall Patterns In Kentucky During The 1980'S, Kenneth L. Wells, R. E. Phillips, H. B. Rice

Soil Science News and Views

Annual rainfall patterns in Kentucky have not been average during the 1980's. During this timespan there have been two droughts of statewide significance, and there has been wide variability within the state during most years. Because of this wide fluctuation, there has been some concern that rainfall patterns either are changing or have changed. In order to evaluate this concern, rainfall data from sites in western, south central, north central, east central, and eastern Kentucky were analyzed. An average amount of rainfall which would be predicted for these sites was calculated, using the average of that which fell annually from …

Potassium Mineralogy Of Kentucky Soils, Anastasios D. Karathanasis

Soil Science News and Views

Feldspars and mica minerals are the two primary natural sources of potassium for most agricultural soils in Kentucky. Potassium feldspars are common mineral constituents of loess deposits in western Kentucky. Mica minerals, although dominant in shales, are also found in variable quantities in siltstone, sandstone and limestone parent materials of soils in the other regions of Kentucky. Because most of the soils in the western Coalfields and western Pennyroyal, and to a lesser extent in eastern Pennyroyal and Bluegrass, are covered by a loess cap of variable thickness, their surface mineralogy has been influenced by the feldspar-rich mineralogy of the …

Using Residual Soil Fertility Effectively, Grant W. Thomas

Soil Science News and Views

During the past 30 years, the use of commercial fertilizer in Kentucky has resulted in increases in the levels of phosphorus and potassium in soils. As might be expected, the soil test levels are higher with tobacco than with any other crop. but all soils for all crops show increases in fertility levels. Comparisons between 1975 and 1985 (the latest year available) show the proportion of samples sent to the University of Kentucky that are medium or high in soil test phosphorus has increased considerably. Even more striking is the decrease in very low values of phosphorus.

Control Measures For Manganese Toxicity Of Burley At Transplating Time, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Manganese (Mn) toxicity of burley tobacco is viewed by tobacco specialists in Kentucky as the greatest single factor which reduces yields. Estimates are that this problem adds 30 to 50 million dollars to the cost of burley production because of the greater acreage (and all associated costs) required by growers to produce their allotment. And, even though the cause and cure of Mn toxicity has been known for about 50 years, many growers are caught each year at transplanting time with no knowledge as to whether Mn toxicity may be a problem in their fields. The solution to Mn toxicity …

Reversible Tile Subsurface Drainage And Irrigation, Monroe Rasnake, Lloyd W. Murdock

Soil Science News and Views

There are more than 900.000 acres of cl ass IIw land and 800,000 acres of class IIIw land in Kentucky. All of this land is suitable for row crop farming if it can be drained. Most of the problems are with internal drainage, some of which can be improved by installing drainage title.

Acid Rain: A Problem On Agronomic Crops And Soils In Kentucky??, John H. Grove

Soil Science News and Views

Although the general issue of atmospheric pollution is complex, the image of beautiful lakes without aquatic life has focussed public attention on the acidity, or pH, of rainfall. Kentucky does receive acid rain (see map). This discussion will seek to define atmospheric acidity and its deposition and describe reported effects on agronomic crops and soils.

Soil Conservation Provisions Of The 1985 Farm Bill, Monroe Rasnake, Lloyd W. Murdock, Craig Infanger

Soil Science News and Views

The 1985 Farm Bill which was signed into law on December 23, 1985, contains 3 provisions relating to land use which will have a large impact on Kentucky farmers. The purpose of these provisions is to reduce cropland acreage on highly erodible lands and on wetlands. A description of them follows.

Soil Erosion With Different Tillage And Cropping Systems, Monroe Rasnake, Wilbur Frye, David C. Ditsch, Robert L. Blevins

Soil Science News and Views

Corn and soybeans are produced on approximately three million acres of Kentucky farmland each year. L 1ttle soil loss occurs when these crops are grown on nearly level or gently sloping land. However, much of the grain production is on sloping land that is cultivated every year and often excessive soil erosion occurs. If a field is allowed to erode excessively for several years, the soil usually becomes less productive. Soil removed in runoff may pollute lakes and streams or cover highly productive soil with low quality sediments.

Use Of Nitrification Inhibitors On Wheat, Lloyd W. Murdock

Soil Science News and Views

Nitrogen is one of the most important inputs 1in wheat production, but sometimes one of the most difficult to manage. Sources of nitrogen commonly used in Kentucky have most or all of their nitrogen in the ammonium (NH⁺₄) form or forms readily converted to NH⁺₄ (anhydrous ammonia 100%, urea 100%, N-solutions 75%, ammonium nitrate 50%), The ammonium form of nitrogen is used by the plant and retained in the soil with little chance 2f loss, In soils with temperatures above 50°F the ammonium is converted to the nitrate (NO₃) form of nitrogen. Nitrate …

Fertilizer Use Changes In The U.S. And Kentucky, Monroe Rasnake, Dan Kirkland

Soil Science News and Views

The use of inorganic fertilizers for crop production is perhaps the most successful educational program ever attempted by Land-Grant Colleges, the Tennessee Valley Authority and other agencies. Not many producers in the United States or the world will attempt to grow a crop without the use of fertilizers. In fact, some producers over fertilize and in recent years, the educational program has been aimed at teaching producers to limit fertilizer applications to what is actually needed based on soil tests and cropping conditions.

Fall Application Of Fertilizer, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

Fall application of fertilizer offers the advantages of (1) getting a job done which can delay early spring planting, (2) being able to get over fields when they are usually drier and less likely to compact, and (3) more often getting a price break from fertilizer dealers. Several crop-related advantages also apply and are discussed below. In terms of nutrients which can be fall applied, phosphate and potash are well adapted, Both these nutrients react strongly enough with soil to resist overwinter leaching. and the requirements for next year's production can safely be applied in the fall. Fall use of …