Soil Science Commons^™

Forage Quality Of Barley Straw As Influenced By Genotype, D W. Meyer, D O. Erickson, A E. Foster

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cereal straw is an untapped carbohydrate source for ruminant animal feeds, but little information is available on genotypic differences in the feeding value of barleys (Hordeum vulgare L.) commonly grown in the northern Great Plains of the U.S.A. Our objective was to determine if barley genotypes differ in straw forage quality and if straw-quality parameters are associated with agronomic characters. Straw from 37 and 31 barley genotypes was sampled in 1977 and 1978, respectively. Straw from 10 barley genotypes grown at four locations was sampled in 1979. Standard laboratory procedures were used to determine the quality parameters measured. Correlations …

Alfalfa Breeding For Forage Yield And Low Saponin Content, P Rotili

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of our breeding program is to build alfalfa (Medicago satia L.) varieties, having good vigor and persistence, high protein level, and low ,aponin content. The: breeding method utilizes a selfing phase combined with selection in competitive conditions. Leaf-saponin content was analyzed by the Tn'choderma viridc bioassay. Parent populations (cv. Leonicena and Cantoni), S0, S1., and S2, families :1 were evaluated 11ndcr competitive and &equcnt culling conditions. In both populations, some S1, families yield more than their respective S1 family. Vuiatioo in yield and mortality increased with the level of selfing, and 1ome S2 families showed lower minimum values …

Productivity Of Forage Legumes On Rice-Paddy Walls In Northeast Thailand, R G. Gutteridge

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rice stubble left standing in paddy fields after rice harvest is the major source of forage for livestock in the dry season in northeast Thailand. Although the quantity of thi5 1tubble is generally not limiting, its quality as a forage is very low, and substantial live-weight losses in livestock usually occur by the end of the dry season. A trial was conducted to evaluate a range of forage legumes that could be grown on rice-paddy walls to supplement rice stubble as a dry-season feed. Seven legumes were planted at two sites in villages close to Khon Kaen in northeast Thailand. …

Development Of Gama Medic {Medicago Rugosa Desr.) As An Annual Leguminous Species For Dryland Farming Systems In Southern Australia, E J. Crawford

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Annual medics (Medicago spp.) are the basic legume for nitrogen fixation in the alkaline soils of southern Australia. Not all in­dividual species are well adapted to all soil types, one difficult soil being the highly alkaline clay loam where annual rainfall is less than 500 mm. The first gama medic (M. rugosa) cultivar, Paragosa, was well adapted to the clay-loam soil type but proved to be susceptible to germination after summer thunderstorms, and seedlings died in the following drought. Many gama medic accessions were then grown in an attempt to select a genotype capable of maintaining seedcoat impermeability during …

Evolution Of Selection Techniques In Breeding For Bloat-Safe Alfalfa, B P. Goplen, R E. Howarth, G L. Lees, W Majak, J P. Fay, K J. Cheng

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This report summarizes the Canadian breeding program to develop a bloat-safe alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). This program has experienced an evolution of selection methods in attempting to identify bloat-safe alfalfa genotypes. In chronological order, the methods involved selection for fraction I (18S) protein, soluble proteins, foam volume, tannins (flavolans), saponins, initial rate of digestion (IRD), sonication, purified enzymes, gas production, and leaching. Although soluble herbage protein is correlated with the occurrence of pasture bloat, we have experienced slow progress in a selection program to reduce soluble-protein concentration in alfalfa. We have found that foam volume is not correlated with …

Evaluation Of Within-Half-Sub Family Selection From Leo Birdsfoot Trefoil, D T. Tomes, O U. Onokpise, B E. Twamley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This research was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of within-half-sib family recurrent selection for seedling vigor, seed yield, and forage yield in birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus comiculatusL. cv. Leo). The effectiveness of selection was measured by comparing progeny performance, genetic variance, and heritability in selected and unselected populations. In addition, cx­perimc.ntal synthetic• (Syn-2 generation) from the selected population were compared to Leo for forage yield and seed yield in several trials. Seedling vigor and yield in 1979, and forage yield in 1980, of polycross progeny in the selected population were significantly higher than those of similar progeny in the unselected …

Breeding Centrosema Pubescens Better Adapted To Acid Infertile Soils Of South America, E M. Hutton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Centrosema pubescen, Benth. {centro) in tropical South America depends upon the development of lines with increased tolerance to high acidity and aluminum (Al). This study classified levels of acid tolerance among Centrosema introduc­tions and crosses of promising introductions. Initially, greenhouse and field evaluations in Carimagua oxisol (pH 4.5, 90% Al saturation) were used. Introductions of C. schottii and C. pascuorom died, while most C. virginianum and C. Uutifolium and a few C. pubescens had low acid tolerance. Most C. pubescens introductions had medium acid tolerance, whereas C. macrocarpum and C. schiedanum were highly acid tolerant. The degree of acid …

Comparison Of Italian Ryegrass And Meadow Fescue With F2, F3, F4 Hybrids Of Both Grass Species, H Kaltofen, E Wojahn

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In forage-grass breeding there is an increasing interest in hybrids of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.). The objective of this study was to investigate some agronomic properties of such Festulolium hybrids with special reference to the question of whether these hybrids change from one generation to the next. In a pot experiment with four levels of nitrogen fertilization, Italian ryegrass and meadow fescue as well as F2, F3, and F4 hybrids of the two grass species were examined for 2 years. In each year four cuts were taken. All the F2, F3, …

Effective Selection For Tolerance To Grass-Killing Herbicides In Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.), C E. Wright, J S. Faulkner

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The aim of grassland reseeding is to establish a high-quality sward of improved herbage cultivars. To obtain the maximum value from the improved sward, weed invasion should be prevented. Herbicides are the main tool available. There are many herbicides for selectively controlling dicotyledonous, but not graminaceous, weeds. The control of graminaceous weeds would be possible in swards of grass cultivars selected for tolerance to grass-killing herbicides. Two cycles of recurrent selection for glyphosate tolerance in Lolium perenne L. were carried out by spraying large seedling populations with critical dosages in the greenhouse and intercrossing the survivors. It was found that …

Selection For Specific Leaf Weight In Reed Canarygrass And Its Effects On The Plant, I T. Carlson, D K. Christensen, R B. Pearce

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Specific leaf weight (SL W, dry weight/unit leaf area) may serve as a selection criterion for forage yield through a positive rela• tionship with photosynthesis. Two cycles of phenotypic selection for high and low SLW were conducted in reed canarygrass (Phalaris anmdinacea L.) to investigate direct and correlated responses, particularly those related to yield and quality of forage. In a space-planted test, average direct responses from two cycles of selection for high and low SLW were 23% and 19%, respectively. Significant correlated responses were obtained for ten traits. Compared with the low-SLW cycle-2 population, the high SLW cycle-2 population averaged …

Value Of White Sweet Lupin In Production Of Protein Fodder And Feeding Of Animals, O Saric, I Ramosevac

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The potential of white sweet lupin (Lupinus albus L.) as a grain or forage feed for livestock was investigated in a series of ex­periments. Grain yield of lupin was greater than or equal to that of soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) in most evaluations. The quality of lupin seed compared favorably with that of soybean meal and fishmeal. Lupin is capable of producing large amounts of forage in a short period, making it a good prospect for forage production in regions that have a short growing season.

Genetic Variability For Morphological And Agronomic Characters In Desmodium Uncinatum (Jacq.) D.C. And D. Intortum (Mill.) Urb., E.M P. Oliveira, P S. Martins, A B. Cruz

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Objectives of this research were to study the performance of eight populations of D. unicinatum and ten populations of D. intortum, with relation to morphological and agronomic characters to estimate the genetic variation between populations and between plants within populations, and to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for these characters.

White Clover: An Olde Crop With A Promising Future, P B. Gibson, W E. Knight, G W. Barnett, W A. Cope, J D. Miller

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a widely adapted, important forage legume for grazing in the U.S. The palatability and quality of the forage, the wide adaptation of the plants to growth in different climates and under various grazing conditions and the role it plays in supplying nitrogen to pastures make white clover our finest pasture legume. The use of adapted white clover cultivars should result in large economic gains to the livestock industry in the U.S .A. Beef and dairy farmers would profit from reduced need for nitrogen fertilizer, an extended grazing season, increased forage pro­duction and quality, better …

Performance And Variability Of Agronomic Characters In Populations Of Stylosanthes Guianensis (Aubl.) Sw., P S. Martins, N A. Vello

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Stylosanthes guianens-is (Aubl.) Sw. shows wide variations in morphological and physiological characteristics, and basic infor­mation on genetic variability is needed for future breeding programs. The objectives of this paper were to evaluate 25 native Brazilian populations of S. guianensis for forage characteristics · • ;10,d • to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for these characters. The experiment was conducted in a duplicated 5 x 5 balanced lattice design with plots that contained 4 individuals spaced on 2-m centers. The following characters were evaluated after the beginning of flowering period: days to flowering (DF), mean diameter (MD), basal area (BA), growth …

Rhizoma Peanut: Perennial Warm-Season Forage Legume, G M. Prine

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Rhizoma peanut is the common name given species in section Rhizomatosae of the genus Arachis. Florigraze rhizoma peanut (A. glabrata Benth.) has been released as a cultivar by the Florida agricultural experiment stations and the USDA Soil Conserva­tion Service. Florigraze is adapted to the well-drained soils of Florida and the warm humid tropics and subtropics around the world. Rhizoma peanuts are propagated by rhizomes, which in Florida are best planted during winter. The slowness of coverage during early establishment is the biggest shortcoming of rhizoma peanuts. If they are established first, rhizoma peanuts will grow well in mixture with bermudagrass …

Hedysarum Mongolicum Turcz.: An Important Protein Resource Legume On Dry Sandy Land, Li Min, A W. Hovin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In searching for plants that can both increase the protein production and improve the sandy-soil conservation of the grassland in the arid, windy regions of North China, so far, from among many native plants, we have identified Hedysarum mongolicum Turcz. as the best species to fulfill our dual purposes. We investigated its distribution, planted its native seeds in the Maowusu desert, and studied it under its native and cultivated growing conditions from 1957 to 1964. Chinese farmers call this perennial subbrush legume of the sweetvetcb genus "Yang Cai," meaning "sheep like to eat." It can thrive in the stable or …

Adaptation And Utilization Of Three Legume In China, Huang Wenhui

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

China is a vast territory with extremely varied climates, soil, and topography, and it is very rich in pasture grass resources. The main legumes for forage are Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), yellow alfalfa (Medicago folcata L.) and shadawang (Astragalis adsurgent Pall.)

Preliminary Evaluation Of Legume Germ Plasm In The Cerrados Of Brazil, D Thomas, R P. De Andrade

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In 1978 an evaluation program was initiated to select legumes that (1) grow and produce seed on acid soils under aluminum and water stress, (2) persist under grazing, and (3) tolerate pests and diseases. The work is being conducted at the Cerrados Agricultural Research Center, near Brasilia, at lat 15°S and altitude 1,000 to 1, 100 m . Annual rainfall is 1,500 mm, mostly distributed in a 6-month wet season, and mean annual temperature is 21°C. Nine hundred legume accessions from thirteen genera have now been established as spaced plants on the 2 major soil types of the region. The …

Genetics And Utilization Of Apomixis For The Improvement Of Guineagrass (Panicum Maximum Jacq.), Y H. Savidan

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Natural polymorphism in guineagrass (Panicum maximumjacq.) has been stabilized in tetraploid biotypes by apomixis. Sex­ual diploids were found in East African populations. Our objective was to determine whether apomixis could be related with a simple genetic background and manipulated in an improvement program. Apomicts of guineagrass are characterized by a 4-nucleate embryo sac structure, and this trait was used in genetical analyses to differentiate apomictic from sexual hybrids. Progeny tests were also conducted as controls. Ten different types of progenies were analyzed: tetraploid sexual (from colchicine treatment of diploids) x apomictic F1 hybrids; selfed and backcrossed progenies of sexual F1 …

Breeding Challenges In Apomictic Warm-Season Grasses, E C. Bashaw, P W. Voigt, B L. Burson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Efforts to breed apomictic grasses met with little success in the past, but results of more recent research show significant progress with some species and new prospects for improving apomicts. Early research uncovered the cytological basis for apospory and diplospory, found the common apomictic mechanisms in grasses, and showed that apomixis is transmitted from pannt to offspring. Discovery of sexual or partially sexual (facultative apomicts) plants in several species formerly considered obligate apomicts allowed for hybridization and genetic studies. Results of subsequent research confirmed inheritance of apomixis, and data from the more conclusive studies indicate that method of reproduction …

Evaluating Soil Health And Crop Yield In Louisiana Agricultural Systems: Impacts Of Best Management Practices And Prediction Models, Hector J. Mendoza Lagos

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The adoption of conservation management practices is critical for improving soil health, enhancing nutrient use efficiency, and sustaining crop productivity in row crop systems in Louisiana. This study evaluated the role of conservation agronomic practices, soil biochemical indicators, and machine learning predictive models to improve soil nutrient dynamics, soil health indicators, microbial communities (MC), and crop productivity on a corn (Zea mays L.) research plot scale and in a commercial forty-hectare cotton (Gassypium hirsutum L.)-corn-soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation system in northeast Louisiana. The objectives of the study were to evaluate soil nutrient dynamics and MCs under …

Lowland Tropical Forests Remain A Methane Sink Under Warming And Long-Term Hurricane Disturbance Recovery, Gabriele Larocca Conte, Lucia Zuvela, Rachel Cruz-Pérez, Tatiana Barreto-Vélez, Nibia Becerra-Santillan, Sophia F. Campbell, Hieu P. Chu, Trung Dam, Iana F. Grullón-Penkova, Miriam Kleit, Deyaneira A. Ortiz-Iglesias, Laura C. Rubio-Lebrón, Molly A. Cavaleri, Sasha C. Reed, Debjani Sihi, Tana E. Wood, Christine S. O'Connell

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Methane (CH₄) is a potent greenhouse gas, and tropical forests account for roughly one–third of global atmospheric CH₄ uptake by soils. Projected warming and more frequent hurricanes in these ecosystems may alter soil CH₄ sink strength, as warmer and wetter soils enhance methanogenesis activity. We measured soil CH₄ and CO₂ efflux during the calendar summer months of 2023 and 2024 alongside continuous records of soil moisture, soil and air temperature, and precipitation in an in–situ warming experiment (TRACE) located in a lowland tropical forest in Puerto Rico, six to seven years after Hurricanes Irma …

Urban Conflagrations: Structural Ash And Soil Metal(Loid) Contamination After California’S Eaton And Palisades Fires, S. Anselme Dossou, Leon Kelly, P. Louis Lu, Robin Jones, Oliver O'Donnell, Justin St. P. Walsh, Daniel D. Richter

Art Faculty Articles and Research

In the weeks after California’s Eaton-Palisades wildfires, structural ash of burned homes and soils from yards and curbsides were sampled for analysis of Pb, As, and eight metals from 32 burned residences. About six months after fires and after US Army Corps of Engineers’ Phase 2 cleanups removed 15 cm from structural ash footprints, 17 properties were resampled within about a meter of original sampling sites. Concentrations of metal(oid)s in structural ash and residential soils varied between and within properties with significant spatial and temporal patterns. Lead concentrations were highest in structural ash and soil of yards of select pre-1970s …

A Geotechnical Analysis Of Mid-Slope Soil Sample Pp-15 From The Palouse Prairie Restoration Project In Cheney, Wa, Basil Lund, Robin Roose, Chloe Jensen

2026 Symposium

The Palouse is an Inland Northwestern ecoregion with loess hills created by aeolian processes related to Pleistocene glacial events. Eastern Washington University’s Prairie Restoration Project aims to restore a 120-acre site located in Cheney, Washington. EWU is gradually seeding bunchgrasses and perennial forbs to increase biodiversity of the site, which will be used for educational and recreational purposes. The objective of this project was to determine to what extent the engineering properties of soil on the site varies along a slope. To determine if location on the slope affects soil properties on the site, we sampled and performed a geotechnical …

Fodder Maize Variety Trial: Broome 2021, Carla Milazzo, Samuel Crouch, Christopher Ham, Geoff Moore

Grain and other field crops research reports

• High yielding, highly digestible maize can be produced under irrigation on Pindan sands in northern Western Australia.
• Using high inputs, the biomass and digestibility of all trialled varieties equalled or exceeded varieties used in well-established maize growing regions of Australia.
• Eleven hybrid maize varieties were trialled near Broome. The average dry matter yield of all trialled varieties was 24t/ha at 10.5MJ/kg of dry matter.
• The impact of fall armyworm on yield was successfully reduced by using integrated pest management combining NPV virus (nucleopolyhedrovirus) with strategic insecticide applications.

Sequential Products Of Anaerobic Denitrification In Calcareous And Noncalcareous Soils By Use Of The Gas Chromatograph, Grant S. Cooper

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The sequential products of anaerobic denitrification were determined on seven Western soils (four alkaline, two acid, and one neutral) by soil and gas analysis. The soils with 1% alfalfa and added KNO3 were incubated at moistures slightly greater than field capacity and with an atmosphere of He. The soils and gases were periodically analyzed and balance sheets prepared. The sequence of NO3-->NO2-->N2O-->N2 operated in all soils. The rates of nitrogen interchanges and maximal amounts of nitrate, N2O2 and N2 were determined. From this data it was postulated that the rate-limiting process for denitrification in acid soils is …

Real-Wastewater-Derived-Struvite Effects On Micronutrients In Runoff Water, Lauren E. Pruitt

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient needed in agriculture for proper plant growth and development and is often introduced into agricultural systems in the form of synthetic P fertilizers. Mined rock phosphate is the primary P source for the production of synthetic P fertilizers and is a finite resource. Struvite (MgNH₄PO₄·6H₂O) is a compound that can be precipitated from municipal wastewater, recovering P, and is currently being evaluated for its potential use as an alternative fertilizer-P source. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of fertilizer-P source [i.e., synthetic electrochemically precipitated …

Decomposition In Urban Forest Patches Across A New York-New Jersey Urbanization Gradient, Cailee Sprouse

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

"Urbanization causes habitat fragmentation, pollution, homogenization of soil profiles, and replacement of native flora and fauna, which can alter vital ecological processes like decomposition. It is essential to investigate the impacts urbanization may have on ecosystem functioning to better inform urban land management. Studies have shown conflicting results on the impacts of urbanization on soil decomposition rates, with some showing higher, lower, or similar decomposition rates in urban soils compared to rural soils. This study aims to investigate the effects of urbanization and soil characteristics on decomposition rates in three urban forest patches in New Jersey and New York using …

Soil Moisture Regime Effects On Near-Surface Soil Chemical Properties In Alfisols Under Native Tallgrass Prairie In Arkansas, Sydney M. Talley

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tallgrass prairie ecosystems provide many crucial ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling and storage, organism habitat, and soil and water conservation. However, tallgrass prairies are considered an endangered ecosystem, particularly in the Ozark Highlands and Grand Prairie regions of Arkansas, where less than 0.05% of Arkansas’ original prairie land area remains. Understanding soil nutrient supplies over time in native tallgrass prairie ecosystems is critical for quantifying the success of restoration and rehabilitation activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil moisture regime (SMR) (i.e., aquic and udic), region (i.e., Ozark Highlands and Grand Prairie), and their …

Metabolomics In The Dryland Critical Zone: The Role Of Soil Metabolites In Phosphorus Acquisition, Kalpana Kukreja

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Earth's Critical Zone (CZ) plays a key role in sustaining life through carbon, water, and nutrient cycling from the top of the canopy to the groundwater. A key feature of critical zone research is the integration of multiple interdisciplinary techniques. An emerging set of techniques that can add to this approach is the field of metabolomics, the quantification and study of comprehensive metabolite profiles. In this dissertation, I apply metabolomics to address knowledge gaps in dryland critical zone ecosystems, specifically how soil metabolite dynamics influence biogeochemical processes, and with a particular emphasis on phosphorus (P) cycling in the Chihuahuan Desert. …