Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Planting Date, Insecticide Efficacy, And Hail Injury On Soybean Gall Midge (Resseliella Maxima Gagné) Infestation In Soybean, Natasha Hiromi Umezu

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

Resseliella maxima Gagné (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is a recently described and economically significant pest of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in the Midwestern United States. Since its identification in 2019, this species has become widespread and is now associated with substantial yield losses in parts of the region. Prior to its formal description, orange larvae were observed in soybean associated with plants damaged by hail, suggesting that plant injury may influence infestation. Given the pest’s economic importance, understanding the role of hail injury and developing effective, integrated management strategies are critical for mitigating its impact.

Field studies were conducted to …

Integration Of Marker-Assisted And Field Selection In Developing Tgms Lines For Hybrid Rice In The Southern United States, Ehsan Shakiba, Dustin G. North

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hybrid rice adoption in the southern United States, especially Arkansas, requires thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) lines that combine stable sterility with glabrous foliage and grain quality preferred in U.S. markets. Over seven years (2014–2021), three TGMS lines—UAS3023, UAS20, and UAS4208—were developed through integration of marker-assisted and field-based selection targeting blast resistance (Pi-ta, Pi-b), semi-dwarf stature (sd1), amylose content, and gelatinization temperature. UAS3023 and UAS20 expressed ≥ 99% sterility at ~ 29 °C, while UAS4208 was sterile at ~ 32 °C, thresholds consistent with controlled-environment studies. All lines showed semi-dwarf stature, lodging resistance, glabrous leaves, and ~ …

Comparing Characteristics Of Southern Illinois And Western Kentucky Soils, Jenna Grab, Jodi Terhorst, Madelyn G. Hughes, Kaitlynn R. Burrus

Scholars Week

Comparing Characteristics

of Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky Soils

Jenna Grab, Kaitlynn Burrus, Madelyn Hughes & Jodi Terhorst

Mentor: Dr. Iin Handayani, Ph.D.

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA

ABSTRACT

Assessing soil quality indicators is essential to determining soil health for plant growth. The objective of this study was to determine and compare various physical and chemical characteristics of soils in Western Kentucky (KY) and Southern Illinois (IL). Twenty-seven undisturbed and twenty-seven disturbed soil samples were collected from September 5th-27th from fields in Mascoutah and Metropolis, Illinois, along with fields in Schochoh and Benton, Kentucky. All soil …

Evaluating Soil Responses To Three Different Tillage Practices, Robert L. Burchett, Cordale L. Straub Senior, Logan D. Renfrow Sophomore

Scholars Week

Evaluating Soil Responses to Three Different Tillage Practices

Luke Burchett, Logan Renfrow, and Cordale Straub

Mentor: Dr. Iin Handayani Ph.D

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA

ABSTRACT

Tillage systems can greatly affect soil health by changing its structure, chemistry, and biological activity. This study examined how soil organic carbon (SOC), soil pH, soil moisture, soil organic matter (SOM) responds under three tillage systems: no-till, biannual tillage, and conventional tillage. Soil samples were taken from a 1–7.6 cm depth during September 2025 across three locations. The no-till site was located in Caldwell County, Kentucky, on an irrigated double-crop …

Assessing Soil Quality Indicators In Leguminous And Non-Leguminous Cropping Systems, Kabita Budthapa, Kranthi Vinukonda, Ramya Sree Teeguri

Scholars Week

It is crucial to understand how different cropping systems influence soil health to boost the efficiency of resources and sustainable agricultural outputs. This study examined the effects of leguminous (soybean and pea) and non-leguminous (sunflower and maize) cropping systems on selected soil characteristics. On September 16th, 2025, soil samples (24 disturbed and 24 undisturbed) were collected from the 0-7.5 cm depth of West Farm, Murray, Kentucky. Disturbed samples were analyzed for pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and soil organic carbon (SOC), while undisturbed samples were used to determine bulk density, porosity, soil water holding capacity (SWHC), and soil water field …

Evaluating Fungicide Efficacy In One And Two-Pass Fungicide Programs, Carson Buchanan

Scholars Week

Evaluating Fungicide Efficacy in One and Two-Pass Fungicide Programs

Carson Buchanan

Mentors: Dr. Megan Taylor, Dr. Iin Handayani

Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA Abstract

Plant diseases continually threaten corn yields year after year. This study compared regionally important corn hybrids in a one-pass and two-pass application system. Eight rows of sixteen hybrids were planted in a field in Bargersville, Indiana. These hybrids consisted mostly of regionally important Dekalb hybrids, along with some competitive Pioneer hybrids. The entire field then got a V8 application of Stratego YLD. The field was then split in half and one half of the field …

Management Of Herbicide-Resistant Italian Ryegrass Using Cover Crop And Fall Residual Herbicide, Connor T. Mckoin

LSU Master's Theses

A field study was initiated in the fall of 2023 and repeated in 2024 at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station near St. Joeseph, LA, to determine the impact of fall-applied soil residual herbicide at different growth stages (spike and one-leaf stage) on grass cover crop species, cereal rye and black oats. In most instances, clomazone (631 g ai ha^-1) and treatments containing the higher rates of metribuzin (263 g ai ha^-1)resulted in the greatest amount of cover crop injury both years, with biomass impacted by clomazone both years and in one of two years with …

Uav Remote Sensing For Assessment Of Conservative Management Practices In Maize-Soybean Cropping System, Aakriti Poudel

LSU Master's Theses

Sustainable agriculture practices promote cover cropping, which enhances nutrient management and impacts subsequent crop productivity in field crop rotations. Precision agriculture technology, particularly Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing, enables a detailed evaluation of crop management. The studies were conducted in a maize-soybean rotation system with winter cover cropping and fallow management. The maize experiment investigated the effect of nitrogen application rates and cover cropping, using UAV-derived Normalized Difference Red-Edge (NDRE) to monitor crop performance. NDRE effectively captured the N response and the effect of cover cropping across growth stages, particularly during mid-season (55-81 DAP), where it showed a strong …

Integrating Cereal Rye Cover Crop And Herbicide Programs To Manage Glyphosate-Resistant Italian Ryegrass In The Midsouth, Bhupesh K. Dhaka

LSU Master's Theses

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) Italian ryegrass (Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum) has become an economically significant weed management challenge in Louisiana row crop production systems. The problem is further exacerbated by the occurrence of biotypes with resistance to acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) and acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors—herbicide sites of action (SOAs) commonly used for ryegrass control in soybean (Glycine max) and cotton (Gossypium). Field, greenhouse, and laboratory experiments were conducted during the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 growing seasons at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station in St. Joseph, LA, and at the LSU AgCenter Weed Science facilities in Baton …

Identifying Superior Finger Millet (Eleusine Coracana L.) Landraces Using The Multi-Trait Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index (Mgidi), Sujan Chapagaina, Bishnu Prasad Kandela, Sudikshya Shresthaa, Ankur Poudela, Shubh Pravat Singh Yadavb

Extension Publications

Genetic variability and selection are crucial for finger millet breeding programs to maximize genetic gain and productivity. This study evaluated 18 finger millet landraces cultivated in the mid-hills of Nepal, along with ‘Kavre Kodo 2’ as a check variety, assessing 14 agro-morphological traits. The objective was to identify superior finger millet landraces using a multivariate approach based on the multi-trait genotype– ideotype distance index (MGIDI). The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Principal component analysis revealed that the first five components collectively accounted for 80.8% of the total variation, reflecting the genetic relatedness …

2026 Western Australian Crop Sowing Guide, Brenda Shackley, Stacey Power, Blakely Paynter, Harmohinder Dhammu, Bronte Wackett, Dion Nicol, Mark Seymour, Greg Shea

Bulletins 4000 -

The 2026 Western Australian Crop Sowing Guide has been compiled by officers in the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. It provides information to support variety decisions for each of the major crops for the upcoming season.

Recycling Waste Via Insect Agriculture: Frass Impacts On Soil And Plant Health, Helen C.S. Amorim, Amanda J. Ashworth, Thomas F. Ducey, Valerie B. Brewer-Gunsaulis, Gerson L. Drescher, Philip R. Owens, Alana H. Patterson, Giovanna De Blais, Iris Van Straaten

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Frass-the main by-product of insect rearing for animal feed-is emerging as a promising soil amendment and plant growth promoter. However, basic agronomic information is lacking and prevents frass' widespread use as a biofertilizer. This study assessed impacts of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L. [Diptera: Stratiomyidae]) frass on soil fertility, crop growth, and quality compared to poultry litter (PL). Irrigated and non-irrigated soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) and non-irrigated switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) plots received either PL (5.6 Mg ha(-1)), low frass rate (LF; 5.6 Mg ha(-1)), high frass rate (HF; 11.2 Mg ha(-1)), besides the unamended control (CT). In …

Effective Control Of Tomato Leaf Miner, Tuta Absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Using The Entomopathogenic Fungus, Beauveria Pseudobassiana Rehner & Humber In Commercial High-Arched Plastic Tunnels, Aya Fardoun, Nour Ezzeddine, Hagop S. Atamian, Hana Sobh, Houssam Shaib, Yusuf Abou Jawdah

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a highly invasive pest that causes significant damages to tomato crops globally. Its resistance to commonly used chemical insecticides has made management increasingly difficult, prompting the need for sustainable, effective alternatives. This study investigated the efficacy of a Lebanese isolate of Beauveria pseudobassiana as a biological control agent against T. absoluta, compared its performance to Bacillus thuringiensis and conventional pesticide mixtures under both controlled, commercial production conditions

Results

Three preliminary cage experiments were conducted under controlled infestation conditions using larvae reared from field-collected adults. Conidial suspensions of B. pseudobassiana …

Use Of Growing Degree Days To Model The Dynamics Of Aboveground Biomass And Nitrogen Accumulation Of Winter Cover Crops, M. Pessotto, Trenton Roberts, C. Dos Santos, K. A. Hoegenauer, M. Bertucci, W. J. Ross, M. Savin

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cover cropping is an important management practice that can benefit the cash crop and the environment. Plant species, weather, and cover crop termination influence biomass production and N fixation potential. This study was conducted to determine optimal termination dates for production systems in Arkansas based on growing degree days (GDD) for eight different cover crop species: Austrian winter pea (AWP) (Pisum sativum), balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), black-seeded oats (Avena sativa), common vetch (Vicia sativa var. Cahaba), cereal rye (Secale cereale), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa). Field studies were conducted at three research stations …

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. …

Genetic Engineering For Pastures, W J. Peacock

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The first genetically engineered food products from horticultural production systems are now entering the mnrke< and field trials of genetically engineered crop species are well advanced. We cnn expect that a range of crop cultivars, in which gene

Grassland 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 …

Grasslands 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 and, overall, arc being badly managed; in most developing countries action is required now, before it is too late. They will continue to be a major source of animal feed for the foreseeable future; encroachment from cropping will continue locally but, for much of what is now natural pasture, exploitation by the grazing animal .will remain the major means of obtaining an economic return; the task of grassland professionals is to assist the managers of …

Human Impact On Terrestrial Ecosystems - 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 Earth System is substantial and 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 the total terrestrial productivity. Possil energy is being consumed at a prodigious rate 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. …

Science And Information For Our Grasslands, G A. Nores, R R. Vera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper favours a view of grasslands, and agricultural research in general, that extends well beyond the limits of the scientific community and promotes the active involvement of scientists in current societal debates from a scientific perspective. It is argued that in developed countries environmental concerns rather than production growth will tend to dominate future social debate. In developing countries there is a need to balance agricultural growth with responsible management of natural resources. Needs for new technology go beyond improving biophysical efficiency, and involve economic and social efficiency objectives. The relevance of grassland research is assessed in terms of …