Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Modeling U.S. Corn Production Archetypes In The Agricultural Policy/Environmental Extender Model To Generate Life Cycle Assessment Inventory Data, Brandon Taylor

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Corn (Zea mays) is an important crop grown across the US for many uses such as grain for animal feed, bio-ethanol production, food products, and industrial products. Corn is produced in almost every state in the US, but most corn production is concentrated in the Corn Belt Region including Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Although technologies and production practices are improving corn production efficiency primarily through increased yields (improved land use), corn production at this scale greatly impacts the environment through emissions from fertilizer and pesticide runoff and leaching, soil degradation due to improper field practices, as well …

Large Scale Deletion And Rebalancing Within The K1c Kafirin Family In Sorghum, Tyler W. Ferris

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

Sorghum bicolor (L.) Monech (sorghum) is cultivated as food for humans and livestock and is valued for its low input requirements. However, sorghum grain protein is deficient in the essential amino acid lysine and has poor protein digestibility because of the abundance of proline-rich kafirins that constitute >70% of proteins that form low-digestibility protein bodies. To reduce kafirin expression in the endosperm, and elicit wholesale proteome rebalancing to increase non-kafirin proteins, a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR/Cas9) construct was previously used to target members of the highly-repetitive alpha-kafirin family, k1C in RTx430 sorghum. The …

Plant Nutrient Interactions In High-Yielding Soybean Environments, Victoria Inklman

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

Plant nutrient demands and limitations are usually studied individually by nutrient. Here, we investigated how nitrogen (N) limitation in high-yielding soybean environments affects the uptake, removal, and residual of other plant macro- and micronutrients. The objective of this study was to quantify the uptake, removal, and residual levels of soybean macro- and micronutrients under N-limited conditions and to identify nutrient priorities for high-yielding soybean systems. Aboveground plant samples at physiological maturity were collected in 19 high-yielding soybean fields with N limitation across the state of Nebraska. Reference plots with ample N supply were included within each field to compare macro- …

Crop, Soil Nutrient, And Soil Health Responses Within Integrated Crop And Livestock Systems, Alyssa K. Hall

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

We evaluated the influences of grazing livestock on crop production, soil nutrients, and soil health indicators of integrated crop livestock systems using three experiments during a seven-yr. period. Objectives were to (1) determine livestock grazing and cropping system effects on crop yield and soil properties across six yr. in corn-soybean (C-S) and wheat-corn-soybean (W-C-S) systems with and without periodic composted manure application, (2) explore seasonal variation in soil nutrient patterns over two yr., and (3) measure residual responses for corn grain yield plus soil health indicators in yr. seven following a six-yr. study. In experiment 1, neither livestock grazing ( …

Assessing Grafted Triploid Watermelon And Yellow Nutsedge Growth In Saline Agroecosystems, Joseph F. Bazzle

All Theses

In an effort to better understand how saltwater intrusion events will impact watermelon growers a field trial was conducted to study how saline irrigation water will impact weed growth and seedless watermelon productivity at a joint Clemson University and USDA ARS facility. Weed management has always been a hurdle in vegetable crop production systems, requiring extensive labor even in a conventional setup. For organic growers, often the only economical approach is a combination of mechanical weed control techniques, including plastic mulches, tarps, and hand weeding. For watermelon growers, plastic mulch remains the most effective form of organic weed control available. …

The Effects Of Incremental Application Of Chemical Defoliants On Cotton Fiber Quality, Aashish Karki

All Theses

Leaf shedding is a natural process as cotton matures; however, this does not synchronize with harvest timing; therefore, defoliants are used to remove these leaves and improve harvestability of the bolls. A tractor-mounted boom sprayer is typically used to apply defoliants. However, this approach results in low penetration to the bottom canopy, poor defoliation, and, consequently, lower fiber quality. An autonomous robotic spraying system equipped with pulse width modulation technology enables targeted side-spraying of defoliants, overcoming the limitations of conventional over-the-top applications. However, limited information on staggered defoliation timing and its effect on cotton fiber quality is available. Thus, field …

Development Of A Machine Learning Framework For An Irrigation Decision Support System, Eric Wilkening, Derek M. Heeren, Yeyin Shi, Laila A. Puntel, Guillermo R. Balboa, Abia Katimbo, Kuan Zhang, Precious Nneka Amori, Bruno Lena

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Currently used irrigation scheduling techniques often require significant human intervention and are time consuming, particularly for variable rate irrigation. This research aimed to develop a conceptual framework that incorporates disparate data sources leveraging both mechanistic and machine learning (ML) approaches. The overarching objective is to utilize the growing availability of data and technology to manage irrigation more precisely, which will minimize negative impacts of irrigation on our water resources. An initial irrigation machine learning model was proposed and tested in this study as a key component of an edge-cloud computing and federated learning decision-making framework. The specific objectives were (1) …

B.R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research Studies 2024, J. Hardke, X. Sha, N. Bateman

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Research reports contained in the publication may represent preliminary or only a single year of results; therefore, these results should not be read as a basis for long-term recommendations.

Several research reports in this publication will appear in other University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station publications. This duplication is the result of the overlap in research coverage between disciplines and our effort to inform Arkansas rice producers of all the research being conducted with funds from the rice check-off program. This publication also contains research funded by industry, federal, and state agencies.

Use of products …

Heterogeneous Yield Effects Of Cover Crop Adoption In U.S. Corn And Soybean Systems, Ethan Kendall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Identifying the conditions where cover crops will succeed or fail is crucial for advancing conservation agriculture. Cover crops have been widely accepted as a conservation practice that can improve soil health and might improve or stabilize crop yields, though these benefits are not consistent across different regions. This study examines how heterogeneous factors can shape the effectiveness of cover crops on corn and soybean yields across the United States. Using the National Commodity Crop Productivity Index (Index) to measure soil productivity, this study examines how cover crop impacts vary across different levels of soil quality. A county level, 16- year …

Hyperspectral Indicators And Characterization Of Glyphosate-Induced Stress In Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium Album L.), Mario Soto, Aurelie M. Poncet, Nilda Roma-Burgos, O. Wesley France, Juan C. Velasquez, Amanda J. Ashworth, Kristofor R. Brye, Cengiz Koparan

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hyperspectral sensors are increasingly used to develop optimized vegetation indices (VIs) that capture plant spectral response to specific stressors. The project goal was to develop quantitative metrics for characterization of weed response to herbicide application. This work applied hyperspectral sensing to describe and predict the spectral response of common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L., CHEAL) to glyphosate application. Thirteen treatments, including one glyphosate rate used alone or in combination with eleven adjuvants plus one non- treated control, were applied to CHEAL seedlings cultivated in a greenhouse. Visible injury ratings and non- imaging hyperspectral data were collected 14 days after treatment application. …

The Effect Of Cellulolytic Enzyme Preparations As In Vitro Improvement For Forage Digestibility, G Bertin, Ph Hellings

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The systematic study of commercial preparations of fungal cellulases has been undertaken with the aim of determining the principal components and the contribution of each to the digestion of the plant cell wall. These enzymes, normally have three fold role-silage preservative by hydrolysing the cellulosic wall of plant material, cellulases make available fermentable sugars to the lactic bacteria. -Improvement of digestibility we can increase gain by 1 % of the dry matter in forage. - Improvement of intake if the animal digests more quickly his gut will empty more rapidly thus making it available sooner for a new intake of …

Effect Of Cellulase Preparation On Fermentation Of Silage, E No, Y Harasawa, A Ataku, N Narasaki, T Sueyoshi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The effects of cellulase preparation (Meicelase) on silage fermentation were studied using the first cutting alfalfa and timothy. In one-liter laboratory silos with Meicelase of 0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0:8% of the fresh grasses, the fermentative quality was examined throughout a 30 day ensilage period. The amount of the lactic acid in the silage with the Meicelase was considerably greater than the control silage with no additive. In addition, the pH of that silage was low and the content of water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) was high. However, the differences in the amount of Meicelase applied had no effects in the …

Effects Of Sample Drying Method On Estimates Of Nutritive Value Value, S Uchida, H Hayashi, T Horigome

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The influence of different drying methods for the sample used for analysis on the estimates of the nutritive value of silage was investigated. The silages and hay were made from the same grass and fed to three wethers to determine digestibilities. The samples for analytical use of silages and hay fed, and feces excreted, were prepared by three drying techniques of freeze drying (F), oven drying at 60 C (L) and oven drying at 100 C (H) and then each dried sample was ground in a Wiley mill to pass a 0.5 mm screen. The residual moisture in prepared samples …

Effect Of Lactic Acid Bacteria On Silage Fermentation, Ph Hellings, G Bertin, M Vanbelle

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Inoculants were tested to determine their suitability for use as silage aids. Studies carried out in laboratory indicated (1) that the minimum inoculum should be at least 105 viable organisms per gram of fresh fodder and (2) of all bacterial strains tested, only the Lactobacillus and, specifically, L. casei improved storage characteristics. But the efficiency of an inoculant was subordinated to the fermentable sugars content of the crops. In this respect, alfalfa and second cut grass had the lowest potential for ensilage. Energy was supplied as a mixture of milled barley and amylolytic complex. The influence of a 1: 1: …

Ensilage Of Alfalfa Press-Cake. A Kinetic Model For Ph, Acidity And Nitrogen Evolution, G Amdrich, L Lencioni, R Florentini, G Anelli

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A kinetic model to describe the time evolution of pH, acidity, metabolizable nitrogen and k1 • B, ( a function related to the bacteria concentration) during ensilage of alfalfa press-cake is suggested. The basic hypotheses of the model are given together with the related differential and integral equations. The kinetic model has been tested using experimental data obtained from two samples of alfalfa press-cake respectively ensiled with and without acid addition. The correlation coefficients obtained indicate the reliability of the suggested model.

Ensilage Of Alfalfa Press-Cake, G Anelli, G Andrich, M Contini, L Lencioni

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Istituto Industrie Agrarie of the University of Pisa has developed a wet green crop fractionation process which involves the ensilage of the press-cake. This note reports some experimental results on the alfalfa press-cake ensiled with or without addition of acid. The evolution of silages was evaluated through organoleptic and chemical parameters. The good behaviour· during the ensilage shows that alfalfa press-cake is suitable to be ensiled even without previous acidification.

Coagulation Of Sheep Milk Added With Alfalfa Juice And Protein Concentrate, L Lencioni, R Florentini, A M. Pisanelli, C Galoppini

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This note reports some experimental results on the preparation of food-grade products obtained by enzyme coagulation of sheep milk added with alfalfa juice, decolourized whole protein concentrate and cytoplasmic protein concentrate. Working conditions are reported together with the yields, chemical composition and organoleptic properties of the coagula. Products obtained from milk supplemented with low alfalfa juice (��5% dry basis) or protein concentrates (;;;;:10% dry basis) show a good acceptability. The ripening greatly reduces grass flavour and taste.

Effect Of Remaining Brown Juice In Wet Protein Curd On The Quality Of Leaf Protein After Drying, Y S. Cho, J K. Kim, T Horigome, S Uchifa

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The influence of remaining brown juice ( deproteinised juice) in wet protein curd on the quality of resulting leaf protein was examined. Freshly cut Italian ryegrass and red clover were fractionated into protein curd, brown juice and pressed cake. Various leaf proteins were prepared by drying the protein curds retaining different amounts of brown juice at 65°C followed by acetone-washing, and by immediate acetone-washing of the protein curd. Casein-brown juice mixtures at the ratio of 1 :3 and 1: 6 were also prepared. The crude protein content of the dry matter in brown juice was very low, 9. 9% for …

The Nutritive Value Of Mixtures Of White Leaf Protein And Other Food Proteins, R Carlsson, P Hanczakowski

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The nutritive value of white leaf proteins were studied, as food supplements. The protein was obtained by heat­fractionation ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) or by de-pigmentation (Medicago sativa L. ). The leaf protein was substituting 50% of the protein in a diet, where the remaining 50% came from wheat gluten, soya bean meal, bone-meat meal, fish meal, skim milk or whey. The nutritive value was estimated by the Thomas-Mitchell nitrogen balance method. The proximate chemical composition of the food protein products, and their amino acid composition were analysed. In every mixture but the one with gluten the biological value was higher …

Effect Of Contamination By Aspergillus Flavus On The Nutritive Value Of Leaf Protein Concentrate Of Leucaena Leucocphala During Storage, H T. Ostrowski-Meissner, I Komang, W Supratman, I Barchia, S Cacang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Leaf protein concentrate extracted from tree legume Leucaena leucocephala cultivar Cunningham (LLP) was stored under humid tropical conditions (24-28°C and 84-92% rh) in the form of wet cake during a 10 day period. Samples of LLP were taken every second day for chemical analyses and protein quality assays. The effect of storage on dried LLP was also assessed against two control proteins: peanut meal (PNM) and fish meal (FM), either free of aflatoxins or infected by the aflatoxigenic fungus Aspergi_llus flavus to the level 280 mcg aflatoxin B1 equivalent/kg. Storage of wet LLP under such conditions resulted in infestation by …