Agriculture Commons^™

Dna Barcoding Of Pratylenchus From Agroecosystems In The Northern Great Plains Of North America, Mehmet Ozbayrak

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

Pratylenchus species are among the most common plant parasitic nematodes in the Great Plains Region. The objectives of this study were to barcode Pratylenchus specimens for species identification in the Great Plains region using mitochondrial CO1 DNA barcode. In order to (1) determine species boundaries, (2) assess the host associations of barcoded Pratylenchus, (3) to determine the distribution patterns across the Great Plains Region and, (4) to evaluate the species status of P. scribneri and P. hexincisus by a multivariate morphological analysis of haplotype groups identified by DNA barcoding. Soil samples, primarily associated with eight major crops, were collected …

Establishment Of Perennial Legumes With An Annual Warm-Season Grass As A Companion Crop, Martina N. La Vallie

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

The yields of perennial forage legumes are often hindered during the establishment year due to slow germination rates and weed competition. This study was conducted to determine if sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor x S. bicolor var. sudanese) is a compatible annual companion crop for increased forage production, weed suppression, and legume establishment. In 2016, sorghum-sudangrass was paired with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ‘Ranger’), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), Illinois bundleflower [Desmanthus illinoensis (Michx.) MacMill. ex B.L. Rob. & Fernald], purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata Michx.). We studied effects of a …

Chacra Farming, Peasant Livelihood Portfolios And Identities In The Peruvian Andes, Anna C. Bebbington

Geography Honors Projects

Nearly fifty years after land reform in Peru, and in the face of dramatic climatic and social change, small-scale, high-altitude agriculture and the livelihoods of peasant households have fundamentally changed.Nonetheless, low-input subsistence agriculture, known as chacra agriculture, remains a prominent feature in Andean landscapes and peasant livelihoods. Drawing on research conducted in two agro-pastoral communities in the Ancash region of Peru, this thesis seeks to show how and why households in these communities continue to rely on the chacra as part of their livelihood strategies. While seeking to understand the role of the chacra in peasant livelihood portfolios, I consider …

Contributions Of Historical Ecology To Ecological Services Assessments In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Texas, Julianna Katherine Schaefer Kurpis

Theses and Dissertations

Historic and current anthropogenic land-use activities affect ecological functions and ecosystem services quality. The clearing of native Tamaulipan thorn forest and riparian forests for agricultural use and expansion followed by rapid urbanization and population growth resulted in profound ecological impacts to the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), Texas. The goals of this study are 1) document trends in land use change and vegetation health in the LRGV 2) evaluate and demonstrate the application of the Ecosystem Services Identification & Inventory Tool (ESII Tool) for collecting ecological data and measuring percent ecological performance and 3) use historical ecology indicators to compare …

Western Australian Sheep Producer Survey 2018, Mandy Curnow, Janet Conte

Animal production and livestock published reports

This survey was commissioned in 2018 by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), following earlier surveys in 2011 and 2014 conducted as part of national producer surveys for the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Innovation (Sheep CRC). This report is therefore able to analyse respondents’ flock management over time.

The surveys were conducted by telephone with producers who had more than 500 sheep and were located in the Medium Rainfall Zone (MRZ) or Cereal Sheep Zone (CSZ). The sample sizes for the 2011, 2014 and 2018 surveys were 369, 368 and 389 respectively.

Evaluation Of Microbial Community Dynamics Impacting The Shelf-Life Of Processed Meats, Chad G. Bower

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of this study in its entirety was to utilize high next-generation genetic sequencing to evaluate the microbial communities involved with processed meat spoilage. High throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq© platform was used alongside traditional plating methods to characterize the growth and composition of bacterial communities in processed meats. Previous results from this lab indicated a relatively high prevalence of Pseudomonas in cooked, sliced, and vacuum packaged deli meats, which was contrary to conventional wisdom. Therefore, four studies were designed to further evaluate the factors that may influence microbial communities in processed meats. Study 1 …

Assessment Of Hearing Exposures And Personal Protective Equipment Use In Agricultural Workers, Kelsie M. Musil

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Agriculture continues to rank as one of the most hazardous industries in the United States. This is in part due to the high number of hazardous exposures that farmers face, including respiratory and hearing exposures. The danger to workers can be reduced by properly wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). However, it has been shown that agricultural workers wear PPE at a low rate, in part due to inconvenience and poor accessibility of the equipment. There is little knowledge currently about how PPE are stored, maintained, and if they are used in a correct manner in specific exposure conditions by the …

Organization Of A Community Garden Program Through Utah State University Food $Ense And Master Gardener Extension Programs For Low-Income Families In Logan, Utah, Jackie Hendrickson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Nearly 12.3% of American households are food insecure. In Cache County, Utah, specifically, the rates of food insecurity are even higher (15%). Addressing the issue of food insecurity improves physical/mental health outcomes, childhood cognitive/physical development, family environments, and decreases healthcare costs. Evidence-based strategies to improve food security include increasing one’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables and improving self-efficacy. Community gardens are recognized as an initiative that improve participant’s levels of food security. In Utah, a number of community gardens exist, but none focus on food insecure individuals or include a curriculum of basic gardening and nutrition skills. Utah State …

Untangling The Economic And Social Impediments To Producer Adoption Of Organic Wheat, Donya L. Ralph-Quarnstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Consumer demand for organic products has shown double-digit growth in recent years encouraging the development of a wider range of goods (Greene, 2017). Americans with an annual household income under $30,000 actively purchase organic foods at nearly the same rate as households with over $75,000 in annual incomes, 42% versus 49% (Greene et al., 2017). Previous research observed the adoption of organic farming practices on a combination of different grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products from across the globe. However, this is the first study to examine the adoption of organic wheat in the Western U.S. By addressing …

Evaluating Michigan's Food, Agriculture, And Resources In Motion (Farm) Science Lab As A Modality For Agricultural Literacy, Amelia J. Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Michigan’s Food, Agriculture, and Resources in Motion (FARM) Science Lab is a 40-foot mobile classroom outfitted with 10 learning stations including scientific equipment and iPads. This quasi-experimental study analyzed preexisting data provided by Michigan Agriculture in the Classroom to evaluate the effectiveness of the FARM Science Lab mobile classroom as a method of teaching agriculture-themed, standards-based lessons to third- through fifth-grade students in order to increase their understanding of agriculture. From January through June 2018, more than 1,258 students participated in these lessons and completed the pretest and posttest and 72 teachers completed the post survey. Research questions not only …

Investigating Limitations To Nitrogen Fixation By Leguminous Cover Crops In South Texas, Stephanie L. Kasper

Theses and Dissertations

Many farms use leguminous cover crops as a nutrient management strategy to reduce their need for nitrogen fertilizer. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) depends on a symbiotic relationship between legumes and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Under certain conditions despite inoculation with appropriate rhizobial strains, this symbiosis fails to form. Such failure was observed in a 14-acre winter cover crop trial in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas when three legume species (forage pea, crimson clover, and hairy vetch) produced no signs of nodulation and nitrogen fixation. This study examined nitrogen, phosphorus, moisture, micronutrients and biotic interference as potential causes for the failure and …

Evaluation Of Protein Utilization In Low And High Protein Forage Sources And The Economic Value Of Supplementing Field Peas (Pisum Sativum) To Growing Cattle Grazing Crested Wheatgrass Pastures, Braden C. Troyer

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Field peas are widely grown in the panhandle of Nebraska; however, markets quickly become saturated. A two year experiment was conducted comparing field peas to dry distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as a protein supplement. The objective was to establish a price producers could pay for field peas relative to DDGS. There was a significant difference in ADG due to type of supplement (P = 0.02). Field pea supplemented heifers had 10% lower ADG compared to DDGS supplemented heifers. Economically, this means if DDGS is priced at or $124.58/ 909 kg DM a producer could pay $2.89/27 kg, for …

The Utilization Of Brown Midrib Corn Silage Hybrids And Kernel Processing To Improve Corn Silage Value And The Use Of High Protein Distillers' Grains To Evaluate Starch Digestion, Lauren A. Ovinge

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Three studies evaluated the effects of corn silage hybrid, inclusion level and kernel processing in growing and finishing diets. Two more studies were conducted on high protein dried distillers' grains and its effect in finishing diets. Experiment 1 and 2 evaluated three corn silage hybrids; standard (CON; hybrid-TMF2H708), brown midrib (bm3; hybrid-F15579S2) and Unified™ brown midrib with SilaSoft™ kernel technology with a floury endosperm (bm3-soft; hybrid-F15578XT) harvested with or without kernel processing on growth and metabolism. Experiment 3 evaluated a brown midrib hybrid (bm3; hybrid-F27F627; Mycogen® Seeds) or a control (CON; hybrid-TMF2H708) in the diet …

Selective Harvest Methods And Chemical Treatment Of Baled Corn Residue For Utilization In Growing Calf And Dry Cow Diets, Ashley C. Conway

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Three studies were conducted to evaluate baled corn residue using selective harvest method and anhydrous ammonia treatments to assess utility in growing calf and dry cow diets. Baled corn residue was harvested using conventional rake-and-bale (CONV) method, or harvested using the New Holland Cornrower in which either eight rows (8ROW), or two rows (2ROW) of corn stalks were chopped into the windrow with tailings. Bales were either not treated or ammoniated at 5.5% DM. When fed to wether lambs in a mixed ration (65% residue, 30% wet corn gluten feed) to determine digestibility, the 2ROW residue had greater apparent DM, …

Implications Of Rice Cultivar Selection To Optimize Returns From Crop Insurance, David Ethan Branscum

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice production differs from most other field crops by distinct differences in yields across cultivars and rice producers being paid for yield after post-harvest milling. Using eleven years (2003-2013) of Arkansas harvest data from performance trials in six different locations, hybrids have 19% higher paddy yields and head rice yield rate 1.7% lower than conventional cultivars. Given the 2014 Farm Bill’s emphasis on crop insurance as a risk management tool for producers, these variations in yield among cultivars have significant implications for rice producers. Comparing national level, crop insurance data on corn, soybeans and rice indicates rice producers strongly prefer …

Reporting Charcoal Rot In Chia And Developing A Susceptibility Assay, Reis M. Misaka, Hagop S. Atamian Dr., Julien Besnard Dr.

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Chia (Salvia Hispanica) cross breeds were planted in the summer of 2018 with the intent of selective breeding for agricultural benefit. Preexisting pathogens in the soil caused 40-50% fatality of adult plants. This was surprising due to the precursory knowledge that chia has antibiotic and antifungal oils (Elshafie et. al. 2018); chia was only recently documented to be susceptible to Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum). The primary pathogen responsible was identified as Macrophomina phaseolina (aka charcoal rot); a widespread soilborne pathogen which has multiple commercial hosts (Su et. al. 2001).

M. phaesolina on wheat seed vector where used as …

Effects Of Critical Reflection On University Students’ Cognitive Achievement In Agricultural Mechanization, Patterson P. Hilaire

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Experiential learning continues to play a vital role in agricultural education and mechanization laboratories (Shoulders & Myers, 2013). An essential component of experiential learning is critical reflection. Critical reflection helps students process and construct meaning from laboratory experiences. A study conducted by Shoulders and Myers (2013) revealed that only 15.4% of the agricultural educators the researchers interviewed incorporated reflective practices laboratory experiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of critical reflection on students’ achievement following five agricultural mechanization laboratory activities. The results from this study revealed that critical reflection had a consistently positive effect on immediate …

Optimization Of The Light Environment For Broiler Chickens, Douglas J. Aldridge

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of artificial light sources has been necessitated by the use of fully enclosed rearing facilities for improved environmental control. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) have been developed as a light source that reduce the utilities required to provide equal light to that of incandescent sources. The following reports were carried out to investigate the effects of two light color temperatures, light intensity and light intensity gradients on broiler chicken production and behavior. The first investigation consisting of two consecutive trials investigated the effect of two light color temperatures (2700 K and 5000 K) in addition to the preference for …

Farm Shops: A Direct-To-Consumer Extended Season Opportunity, Kynda R. Curtis, Emily Rice, Susan L. Slocum, Karin E. Allen

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses the impact of the expanding food tourism and local food movements on the demand for locally-produced goods, how farms shops can cater to that demand, the advantages and disadvantages of farms shops for both growers and consumers, and best practice suggestions for operating farm shops.

Targeting Farmers' Markets In Utah: Understanding Fresh Produce Pricing, Kynda R. Curtis, Karli Salisbury, Ruby Ward, Carrie Durward

All Current Publications

This fact sheet focuses primarily on farmers’ market price comparisons to assist fresh produce growers in determining which produce varieties have the highest premiums, the range of prices they can expect, and any considerations for production method, seasonality and market location. This information will be useful for growers as they develop production plans and a marketing strategy, including varieties and farmers’ market locations that may be most profitable.