1816 research outputs found
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Dairy Manure Nitrogen Availability in Eroded and Noneroded Soil for Sugarbeet Followed by Small Grains
Get PDFEfficient recycling of abundant manure resources from regional dairy industries in the semiarid West requires a better understanding of N availability in manure-amended soils. We measured net N mineralization using buried bags, and crop biomass, N uptake, and yields for sprinkler-irrigated, whole (noneroded) and eroded Portneuf soils (coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Durinodic Xeric Haplocalcid) subject to a one-time manure application. Treatments included a control, fertilizer, two rates of composted dairy manure (28.4, 64.3 Mg ha–1, dry wt.), and two rates of stockpiled dairy manure (23.3, 45.7 Mg ha–1, dry wt.) applied in the fall before the Year 1 cropping season. Plots were planted to sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) during the 3-yr study. Overall, net N mineralization rates were low to moderate during winter through spring, decreased in early summer due to N immobilization, then increased to a maximum in late summer, followed by a decrease in fall. Th e mean mineralization rate (as a percentage of the added organic N) for Years 1, 2, and 3 was –4.2 (N immobilization), 4.3, and 4.8% for compost and 17.4, 17.0, and 11.4% for manure, respectively. Relative to controls, compost and manure treatments as a group increased total 3-yr net N mineralization more for eroded (1.77×) than for whole soils (1.55×). At higher rates, manure also increased immobilization and mineralization in 30- to 60-cm soil depths (below the zone of incorporation). To optimize the use of N mineralized in southern Idaho’s manure-amended soils, one should consider the type manure employed and the erosion status of the soil receiving the amendment
Using Multiple Calibration Sets to Improve the Quantitative Accuracy of Partial Least Squares (PLS) Regression on Open-Path Fourier Transform Infrared (OP/FT-IR) Spectra of Ammonia over Wide Concentration Ranges
Get PDFA technique of using multiple calibration sets in partial least squares regression (PLS) was proposed to improve the quantitative determination of ammonia from open-path Fourier transform infrared spectra. The spectra were measured near animal farms, and the path-integrated concentration of ammonia fluctuated from nearly zero to a high of about 1000 ppm-m. The PLS regression using a single calibration set over such a large concentration range had decreased quantitative accuracy due to the nonlinear relationship between concentration and absorbance. In the PLS regression with multiple calibration sets, each calibration set accounted for a smaller concentration range, which significantly decreased the serious nonlinearity problem in PLS regression with a single calibration set. The relative error was reduced from about 6% to below 2%, and the best results were obtained with 4 calibration sets, each covering one quarter of the entire concentration range. It was also found it was possible to build the multiple calibration sets easily and efficiently without extra measurements
Surfactant and irrigation effects on wettable soils: runoff, erosion, and water retention responses
Get PDFSurfactants are chemical compounds that change the contact angle of water on solid surfaces and are commonly used to increase infiltration into hydrophobic soil. Since production fields with water-repellent soil often contain areas of wettable soil, surfactants applied to such fields will likely be applied to wettable soil, with unknown consequences for irrigation-induced erosion, runoff, or soil water relations. We evaluated surfactant and simulated sprinkler irrigation effects on these responses for three wettable, Pacific Northwest soils, Latahco and Rad silt loams and Quincy sandy loam. We studied three surfactants: an alkyl polyglycoside in solution at a concentration of 18 g a.i./kg, a block copolymer at 26 g/kg, and a blend of the two at 43 g/kg. From 2005 to 2009 in the laboratory, each surfactant was sprayed at a rate of 46.8 L/ha onto each soil packed by tamping into 1.2- by 1.5-m steel boxes. Thereafter, each treated soil was irrigated twice at 88 mm/h with surfactant–free, well water. Runoff and sediment loss were measured for each irrigation and soil samples were collected after each irrigation. While measured properties differed among soils and irrigations, surfactants had no effect on runoff, sediment loss, splash loss, time to runoff, or tension infiltration, compared to controls. Across all soils, however, the alkyl polyglycoside increased volumetric water contents by about 3% (significant at P less than or equal to 0.08) at matric potentials from 0 to -20 kPa, compared to controls. With a decrease in the liquid-solid contact angle on treated soil surfaces, surfactant–free water appeared able to enter, and be retained in pores with diameters greater than or equal to 15 mm. All in all, surfactants applied at economic rates to these wettable Pacific Northwest soils posed little risk of increasing either runoff or erosion or harming soil water relations. Moreover, by increasing water retention at high potentials, surfactants applied to wettable soils may allow water containing pesticides or other agricultural chemicals to better penetrate soil pores, thereby increasing the efficacy of the co-applied materials
Nutrient Availability to Corn From Dairy Manures and Fertilizer in a Calcareous Soil
Get PDFThe expansion of the dairy industry in southern Idaho has lead to increased application of manures to meet crop nutrient demands which can alter the uptake pattern of both macro- and micro-nutrients. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of dairy manure, composted dairy manure, and fertilizer (mono-ammonium phosphate, MAP) application on soil test phosphorus (P), microbial activity, and nutrient uptake by silage corn. Two Portneuf soils, having either a low or high soil test P concentration, were amended with the three treatments at four application rates (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg P kg-1) with four replications of each treatment in a randomized complete design. Treatments were incubated for two weeks, then planted with corn grown for approximately three weeks. Soil samples were analyzed prior to planting, whereas plant samples were analyzed at the end of the growing period. Increases in Olsen P from P additions were greatest in the MAP and least in the manure treated soils. Plant dry matter production and tissue P concentration did not differ with treatment. Tissue K increased with manure and compost addition while tissue Ca decreased; there was also a decrease in tissue Mg with compost application. Tissue Zn increased with manure applications, while tissue Mn decreased with manure and compost application on the Low-P soil. It is important to consider plant nutrient interactions when applying manure and compost to feed-crops as imbalances in K, Ca, and Mg can have a negative impact on animal health
Learning Gains and Response to Digital Lessons on Soil Genesis and Development
Get PDFEvolving computer technology offers opportunities for new online approaches in teaching methods and delivery. Well-designed online lessons should reinforce the critical need of the soil science discipline in today’s food, energy, and environmental issues, as well as meet the needs of the diverse clientele with interest in agricultural and/or environmental disciplines. The objectives of the project were to: (1) develop web-based lessons in soil genesis and development; and (2) evaluate an applications-principles model to teach soil science using case studies in agronomic, environmental, and ecological situations. Six principles lessons, along with three applications lessons, were developed for use by undergraduate earth science courses. Pre- and post-tests were used to assess learning gains. A post-activity survey was also used to assess perceptions of the online lessons by student users. There were no differences in posttest gains among majors, learning styles, or between genders; student test performance from pretest to posttest improved by 10 to 69%. As soil science, environmental science, and geology converge to address common problem issues, lessons designed with context application such as the ones from this work will meet the needs of diverse earth science students
Evaluation of USDA-ARS (Ft. Collins) sugar beet germplasm to rhizomania and storability, Idaho, 2010.
Get PDFSugar beet germplasm and commercial check cultivars were evaluated in a sprinkler-irrigated sugar beet field near Kimberly, ID where sugar beet was grown in 2009. The soil type was Portneuf silt loam. The field trial relied on natural inoculum for rhizomania (caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus) development. The seed was treated with clothianidin (2.1 oz a.i. per 100,000 seed) to limit pests and curly top. The plots were planted on 26 Apr to a density of 142,560 seeds/A, and thinned to 47,520 plants/A on 12 Jun. Plots were single rows (22-in. row spacing) and 10 ft long. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with eight replications per entry. The crop was managed according to standard cultural practices, except for irrigation. The frequency of irrigation was higher than standard practice during Jun to increase the potential for rhizomania disease development, but the total amount of water applied was normal. The percentage of leaves per plot with foliar symptoms (upright narrow yellow leaves) was evaluated on 29 Jul. Root symptoms were evaluated on 13 Oct. Roots were mechanically topped and lifted, with the first ten roots in each plot being evaluated for rhizomania, using a scale of 0-9 (0 = healthy and 9 = dead). The first eight roots were placed in a mesh onion bag and held on the top of a storage pile in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage facility set at 35°F. On 3 Feb 2011, the roots were evaluated for the percentage of surface area covered by fungal growth after 114 days in storage. Data were analyzed using the general linear models procedure (Proc GLM-SAS), and Fisher’s protected least significant difference was used for mean comparisons (SAS).
Rhizomania was uniform throughout the plot area and other disease problems were not evident. There were significant differences among entries with both rhizomania rating techniques used; however, the storage data were not significantly different. The foliar rating for rhizomania ranged from 0 to 100%, and gave better separation of germplasm than the root rating. The commercial checks responded as expected for rhizomania
Virulence, Distribution and Diversity of Rhizoctonia Solani from Sugar Beet in Idaho and Oregon
Get PDFRhizoctonia root rot causes serious losses on sugar beet worldwide. In order to help explain why Rhizoctonia root rot management practices have not performed well in some areas of the Intermountain West (IMW), a survey was conducted. In the IMW from 2004 to 2006, 94 Rhizoctonia solani field isolates were collected from sugar beet roots. These field isolates were compared with 19 reference strains and 46 accessions from GenBank for genetic diversity based on sequencing of the ITS-5.8S rDNA region. Greenhouse pathogenicity tests on sugar beet and silage corn were conducted and plant damage was assessed using a randomized complete block design with at least four replications. The majority (92%) of the isolates had identity with the AG-2-2 IIIB (48%) or AG-4 subgroups (44%). Isolates from AG-2-2 IIIB were the most virulent on sugar beet and had the most diversity in phylogenetic analysis. Seven (all AG-2-2 IIIB) of 18 isolates tested could attack both sugar beet and corn, with two of the isolates causing less root rot than the others. To reduce Rhizoctonia root rot on sugar beet and corn, crop rotations and the isolates utilized for selecting host resistance could be given further consideration
Evaluation of In-Row Plant Spacing and Planting Configuration for Three Irrigated Potato Cultivars
Get PDFResearch studies have shown that planting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) in a bed configuration can improve water movement into the potato root zone. However, plant spacing recommendations are needed for potatoes planted in a bed configuration. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of in-row plant spacing and planting configuration on yield of Russet Burbank, Russet Norkotah, and Ranger Russet potatoes under sprinkler irrigation. For the three varieties, the effect of in-row plant spacing (three spacing treatments) for each planting configuration (4 row conventional ridged-row [4RC], 5 row bed [5RB], and 7 row bed [7RB]), and the effect of planting configuration on total tuber yield, U.S. No. 1 tuber yield, percent No. 1 tubers, average size (by weight), and marketable tuber yield were investigated at the USDA-ARS Northwest Irrigation & Soils Research Lab in Kimberly, ID on a Portneuf silt loam (coarse-silty mixed mesic Durixerollic Calciorthid) in 2008 and 2009. The greatest influence of in-row plant spacing was on average size. In general, for the 4RC planting configuration, as plant spacing increased (plant population decreased) the average tuber size increased by a range of 14 to 30% across all varieties. There was little influence of in-row spacing on measured production variables under the bed planting configurations. Within variety and planting configurations in 2008 and 2009, there were few differences in total tuber yield, U.S. No. 1 tuber yield, percent No. 1 tubers, or marketable tuber yield across in-row plant spacing treatments. For Russet Norkotah and Ranger Russet in 2008 and 2009, there were no differences in total tuber yield, U.S. No. 1 tuber yield, percent No. 1 tubers, average tuber size, or marketable tuber yield between planting configuration treatments. For Russet Burbank, the 4RC planting configuration had 14.6% significantly greater total tuber yield than the 7RB planting configuration, and 20.2% greater U.S. No. 1 tuber yield than both bed planting configurations in 2009. Optimum production of Russet Norkotah and Ranger Russet potatoes are possible under the planting configuration and plant spacing treatments evaluated in this study, granting growers flexibility in their systems. Evidence suggests that production of Russet Burbank maybe less suited to bed planting configurations
Commercial sugar beet cultivars evaluated for rhizomania resistance and storability in Idaho, 2010.
Get PDFRhizomania caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and storage losses are serious sugar beet production problems. To identify sugar beet cultivars with resistance to BNYVV and evaluate storability, 28 commercial cultivars were screened by growing them in a sugar beet field infested with BNYVV in Kimberly, ID during the 2010 growing season in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. At harvest on 18 October 2010, roots were dug and evaluated for symptoms of rhizomania and also placed in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage building. Storage samples were evaluated for fungal growth known to correlate with sucrose loss. Depending on cultivar, surface root discoloration (rot and fungal growth) ranged from 1 to 14%. Overall, the commercial cultivars had an average sucrose reduction of 27% after 112 days in storage. Improving cultivar performance for resistance to sucrose loss in storage and rhizomania has the potential to lead to considerable economic benefit to the sugar beet industry
Experimental sugar beet cultivars evaluated for resistance to rhizomania and storability in Idaho, 2010
Get PDFTwenty-seven experimental sugar beet cultivars and five commercial check cultivars were evaluated in a sprinkler-irrigated sugar beet field near Kimberly, ID where sugar beet were grown in 2009. The field trial was conducted in a field that contained Portneuf silt loam soil and relied on natural infection for rhizomania development. The plots were planted on 26 Apr 10 to a density of 142,560 seeds/A, and thinned to 47,520 plants/A on 12 Jun. Plots were four rows (22-in. row spacing) and 24 ft long. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications per cultivar. The crop was managed according to standard cultural practices. The plants were mechanically topped and the center two rows were collected with a mechanical harvester on 18-19 Oct. At harvest the roots were evaluated for rhizomania (Rz rating) using a scale of 0-9 (0 = healthy and 9 = dead). The percent sucrose at harvest was established based on two eight-root samples from each plot. The samples were submitted to the Amalgamated Tare Lab (determined percent sucrose, conductivity, nitrates, and tare). At harvest, eight roots per plot were also placed in a mesh onion bag, weighed, and placed in an indoor commercial sugar beet storage facility in Paul, ID on 19 Oct set to hold 35°F. On 7 Feb 11 roots were retrieved after 112 days in storage and evaluated for weight, percentage of surface area covered by rot or microbial growth, and percent sucrose (via gas chromatography). Only samples from the same plots were compared, when establishing percent reduction in sucrose at harvest versus storage. Data were analyzed in SAS (Ver. 9.2) using the generalized linear mixed models procedure (Proc GLIMMIX), and least squares means (α = 0.05) were used for mean comparisons.
Root rots and other disease problems other than rhizomania were not evident in the plot area. Rhizomania was uniform based on foliar and root symptoms. There were significant differences among cultivars for all variables, except surface root rot. B-103 was susceptible to rhizomania as expected, but C-31 had a higher foliar reading than expected. Root yield averaged 33.3 tons/A which was higher than Idaho’s average of 31.0 tons/A (USDA-National Ag. Stat. Service). By the end of the storage season, weight loss ranged from 6.0 to 11.4% and sucrose losses ranged from 19 to 33%. Thus, improving storability in sugar beet cultivars to reduce sucrose losses could have considerable economic benefit