Agriculture Commons^™

Adapting Northern Herbs For Desertification Control Around Poyang Lake, China​, Haijing Xiao, Zhenwu Bian, Junyu Xu, Shimeng Li, Mengting Xiao, Min Guo, Xianglong Bu, Muhammad Rafiq, Chunsong Cheng

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Desertification poses a pressing global challenge, threatening both environmental stability and socioeconomic well-being, and it requires detailed monitoring of its dynamics and drivers to inform land restoration and sustainable development strategies. Around Poyang Lake, China’s largest freshwater lake, desertification has triggered profound ecological degradation and economic losses, intensified by human activities and climate change. This study investigates these challenges by evaluating an integrated revegetation approach that combines Beach vitex (V. rotundifolia) with nitrogen-fixing licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.) to improve soil quality, stabilize environmental conditions, and foster sustainable land management. Field experiments examined the drought tolerance and soil enhancement capabilities of five …

Changes In Phenolics And Organic Acid Contents Of Postharvest Eggplants In Response To Preharvest Fertilizer Applications And Postharvest Edible Coatings, Nuretti̇n Yilmaz, Şeyda Çavuşoğlu

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Pre- and postharvest techniques play a key role in improving the quality and shelf life of fresh horticultural products. The aim of this 2-year study was to evaluate the postharvest phenolic and organic acid content in eggplants under different fertilizers and postharvest treatments. Before planting, all plots were treated with 2000 cc da−1 of humic acid through a drip irrigation system. Plots treated only with humic acid were considered the control group. Fifteen days after planting, the other plots were treated with 2000 cc da−1 of liquid vermicompost fertilizer or 2000 cc da−1 of organomineral fertilizer via drip irrigation. Postharvest, …

Development Of Functional Cottage Cheese Enriched With Elderberry Pomace Powder: Nutritional And Antioxidant Enhancement, Roxana Nicoleta Ratu, Florina Stoica, Ioana Cristina Crivei, Ionut Dumitru Velescu, Florin Daniel Lipsa, Andreea Bianca Balint, Romina Alina Marc, Petru Marian Cârlescu, Marius Giorgi Usturoi, Emi̇ne Maci̇t

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The increasing demand for sustainable and functional foods has driven interest in utilising agro-industrial by-products, such as elderberry pomace, to enhance the nutritional and antioxidant properties of food products. This study aimed to develop a functional cottage cheese enriched with elderberry pomace powder (EPP) and evaluate its nutritional composition, antioxidant potential, sensory acceptability, and textural properties. Cottage cheese samples were formulated with EPP at concentrations of 3% and 5%, alongside a control sample devoid of EPP. The results showed that the inclusion of EPP significantly increased the levels of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and polyphenols, along with enhanced antioxidant activity, compared to …

Study On The Flow Field Characteristics Of The Air-Suction Jujube Harvester Pipeline Based On Magnetohydrodynamic Airflow Control, Jing Nie, Qi Zhang, Jiashun Jiang, Jingbin Li, Longpeng Ding, Shufeng Li, Liming Xu, Mehmet Çeçen, Savaş Tanrisever

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study aimed to address the issue of suction force attenuation in the air-suction jujube (red date) harvester due to pipeline pressure loss. The active flow control method based on magnetohydrodynamics was used to optimize the pipeline flow field and reduce pressure loss. Through multiphysics field coupling theory modeling and numerical simulation, the regulatory effects of different electromagnetic field parameters on the pipeline flow field were characterized. An experimental platform was established to verify that the optimized electrode tip density, electrode voltage, and magnetic induction intensity could significantly increase the outflow gas velocity, pressure difference, and harvesting efficiency of the …

Determinants Of Job Performance In Forestry Organizations: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach On Technical Staff In The Mediterranean Region, Mehmet Pak, Ari̇f Okumuş

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study aimed to explore the individual, institutional, and job-related factors influencing the job performance of technical staff in the Regional Forestry Directorates located in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. Data were collected through a mixed-method approach, including mostly face-to-face interviews, complemented by partially online questionnaires. Data were obtained from 650 technical staff, including regional directors, enterprise managers, section chiefs, and forest engineers. Structural equation modeling was applied, and variables were validated using confirmatory factor analysis. Model fit indices were within acceptable limits (e.g., RMSEA = 0.069, CFI = 0.838, GFI = 0.809). The results indicate that institutional factors had …

Comparative Analysis Of Citrate Synthase Activity In Skeletal Muscle, Liver, And Adipose Tissue In Beef Cattle, Abigail Webb

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Mitochondrial efficiency plays a central role in determining how cattle partition nutrients toward muscle growth or adipose deposition, yet little is known about tissue-specific differences in mitochondrial density among tissues or among beef cattle. This study aimed to quantify mitochondrial density in muscle, liver, and adipose tissue samples from beef cattle and evaluate its potential relationship with metabolic efficiency. Tissue samples of semitendinosus muscle (ST), liver, and subcutaneous adipose (SC) were collected, homogenized, and analyzed for citrate synthase (CS) activity using a fluorometric assay as a proxy for mitochondrial density. Preliminary analyses revealed that the semitendinosus muscle displayed the highest …

Understanding Rice Production Stagnation In The Philippines: Regional Evidence And Development Implications, Henry Bartelet, Alenn Jhulia D. Prodigalidad, Janelle S. Dy, Jan Gabriel N. Manzano

Quantitative Methods and Information Technology Faculty Publications

Despite decades of investment in agricultural research and rice development, the Philippines continues to face stagnation in domestic rice production. This persistent trend, occurring despite a sizable arable land base and large rural workforce, has contributed to the country’s growing reliance on rice imports to meet national food needs. In response, the government has implemented a tariff-based import system designed to fund domestic productivity improvements. While previous studies have explored the technical and environmental constraints affecting rice production, such as irrigation shortfalls, land degradation, and climate variability, few have examined recent national trends using regionally disaggregated data alongside qualitative insights. …

Perspectives Of Cannabis Farmers On Intersection Of Water Access And Cannabis Frontier Constraints In Southern Oregon, Tapiwa Malvin Chabikwa

Dissertations and Theses

Cannabis farming and use are being legalized at unprecedented levels by many states in the United States. Oregon was one of the pioneer states to legalize cannabis in 2016. Although it is legalized at the state level (in Oregon), cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. Due to the quasi-legalization of cannabis, an agricultural frontier for marijuana is unfolding. Cannabis farming in Oregon has grown as there is a market and ideal weather climate for the cannabis industry to flourish. This study seeks to understand the challenges cannabis farmers face in accessing water and the socio-economic and political constraints that …

Evaluation Of Host Resistance To Rotylenchulus Reniformis In Sweetpotato Germplasm, Timothy S. Miller

LSU Master's Theses

The reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) is an emerging plant-parasitic threat to sweetpotato production. Dissimilar from the galling caused by root-knot nematode infections, infections from the reniform nematode occur without visible damage to the root system. In the southern United States, heavily infested sweetpotato fields can lose up to 40% of their total yield. Growers rely heavily on fumigants and nematicides which provide inconsistent control and are not sustainable in the long-term. Past research has been more focused on the efficacy of chemicals than in the identification of host resistance or tolerance in sweetpotato germplasm. This study evaluated past …

Satellite Remote Sensing Reveals Voluntary Cover-Crop Adoption And Crop-Rotation Hotspots In The Mississippi Alluvial Plain, Zobaer Ahmed, Connor Lawson, Kris R. Brye, V. Steven Green, Mike Popp, Aaron Shew, Lawton Nalley

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Government-subsidized programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program provide financial motivation for adopting cover crops. Nevertheless, many producers have internalized the holistic benefits of cover crops and voluntarily adopted them as a sustainable soil management practice. Yet, little is known about how cover crop adoption propagates beyond the first order link between financial incentives and total adopted cover crop acres. This study examined voluntary adoption of winter cover crops as well as which crop rotations had the highest cover crop use in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) region. Cover crop locations were identified using remote …

Quantifying Single, Compound And Cascading Climate Extremes: Implications For Agricultural Resilience In California, Shahryar Fazli, Wenzhao Li, Rejoice Thomas, Surendra Maharjan, Mohammad Sina Jahangiri, Andre Daccache, Hesham Morgan, Mohamed Allali, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

As climate change intensifies, extreme weather increasingly threatens California’s Central Valley (CV), a vital agricultural region exposed to rising risks from heatwaves (HW), droughts (DR), and compound extremes. These events disrupt crop productivity and broader processes like water demand, pest dynamics, and soil stability, posing systemic risks. This study examines the spatiotemporal dynamics of HW, coldwaves (CW), DR, excessive rainfall (ER), and their compound (e.g., HWDR) and cascading forms from 1951 to 2025, using NOAA nClimGrid-Daily data. We assessed trends in frequency, intensity, and duration over long-term (1951–2025) and mid-term (1981–2025) periods. Results show increasing HW and DR in the …

Securing The Digital Harvest: Cybersecurity As A Core Agribusiness Skill, Jody Herchenbach, George Grispos

Mountain Plains Business Conference

The digitization of agriculture, through IoT-enabled equipment, cloud platforms, and precision technologies, has improved efficiency and profitability while also introducing significant cybersecurity risks. These vulnerabilities can disrupt supply chains, compromise sensitive data, and undermine financial stability. Yet agribusiness degree programs often overlook cybersecurity education. This paper proposes integrating cybersecurity content on threat awareness, incident response, and data protection into agribusiness curricula. Embedding these elements equips graduates to manage both digital and financial risks, enhancing resilience and competitiveness. Such curricular innovation aligns technical and managerial training, preparing future agribusiness professionals to lead securely and sustainably in an increasingly connected industry.

Creating A Food Business Model: Case Study Of Traditional Drinks Made From Roselle, Millet, And Corn, Josephine Nyame

College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to develop a comprehensive process flow for establishing a small food business, using traditional drinks made from millet, roselle, and corn as a case study. The specific objectives were to (1) identify the steps involved in developing a food product, (2) perform a sensory evaluation of the developed drinks, and (3) develop a prototype business plan to commercialize the most preferred drink. This study adopted a case study approach of a food business in producing traditional beverages. Consumer preferences were evaluated through sensory evaluation of the formulated roselle, millet, and corn drink recipes. Consumer evaluation data were …

Quantifying Interest In And Sentiment Of Online Media About Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Cattle Production In The United States, Michael L. Smith, Jinho Jung, Nicole Olynk Widmar, Danielle J. Ufer, Maria Berikou, Jayson Lusk

Department of Agricultural Economics Faculty Publications

The public is paying increased attention to the environmental impacts associated with cattle production systems in the US. Thus, cattle producers are increasingly exploring ways to communicate their efforts to reduce those environmental and climate impacts. This study uses online and social media data from 2018 to 2022 to examine public interest in and sentiment about beef and dairy cattle production when discussed within the context of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Variation in mentions and net sentiment over the reporting period is quantified and analyzed. Over the period of data collection, which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, we find …

Flawed Analysis Invalidates Claim Of A Strong Yellowstone Trophic Cascade After Wolf Reintroduction: A Comment On Ripple Et Al. (2025), Dan R. Macnulty, David Cooper, Michael Procko, T.J. Clark-Wolf

Aspen Bibliography

Ripple et al. (2025) recently argued that large carnivore recovery in Yellowstone National Park triggered one of the world’s strongest trophic cascades, citing a ∼1500 % increase in willow crown volume derived from plant height data. In this comment, we show that their conclusion is invalid due to fundamental methodological flaws. These include use of a tautological volume model, violations of key modeling assumptions, comparisons across unmatched plots, and the misapplication of equilibrium-based metrics in a non-equilibrium system. Additionally, Ripple et al. rely on selectively framed photographic evidence and omit critical drivers such as human hunting in their causal attribution. …

Factors Influencing Plant Community Structure And Composition Of Restored Tamaulipan Thornscrub Forests, Jerald T. Garrett, Audrey J. Hicks, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas is a biodiversity hotspot due to its high alpha, beta, and gamma diversity and high regional endemism, which are at high risk of degradation. The region has lost 95% of its native thornforest habitat primarily due to agricultural and urban expansion. This study aims to evaluate the current vegetative structure and composition of restored thornforest sites located in the LRGV to identify restoration methods and site characteristics that affect forest restoration outcomes. Twelve restored thornforest sites were selected for this study that varied in time since restoration, patch size, degree of isolation, …

Western Ranch Management Institute, David Secrist

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Forage Sampling Guide For Agronomic Crops, Jody Gale, Matt Yost, Megan Baker, Michael Pace, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, Kalen Taylor, Cody Zesiger, Tiffany Evans, Rhonda Miller, Clara Anderson

All Current Publications

Forage sampling is a valuable tool that provides producers with quality information for calculating feed rations and marketing their forages. To ensure that this information is accurate and reliable, it is important to understand how to collect these samples correctly. Sampling tools have been developed that simplify this process and improve accuracy.

How To Identify Leafhoppers, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

These tiny plant-feeding insects are often considered pests due to the damage they can inflict on crops and gardens. Leafhoppers, treehoppers and spittlebugs (or froghoppers) are closely related to cicadas, and planthoppers are their more distant relatives. As their names suggest, most of them can hop.

Nebline, October 2025

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Contents

4-H super fair helps youth become beyond ready

What's popping? by Natalie Sehi

Recipes of the month, by Kayla Colgrove: Fish bait snack mix, kicked up popcorn, and cinnamon crunch snack mix

Are your trees for the next storm? by Rachel Anderson

Garden guide: Things to do this month by Mary Jane Frogge

GRO Big Red virtual learning series

Composting demonstration

Promoting language development in young children by Hayley Jackson

Tip sheet for harvest 2025 by John Nelson

Rogers Memorial Day farm field day, September 2025

Heart of 4-H volunteer award: Rachel Wells

Join 4-H to become beyond ready …