Semantic Segmentation based deep learning approaches for weed detection

Global increase in herbicide use to control weeds has led to issues such as evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds, off-target herbicide movement, etc. Precision agriculture advocates Site Specific Weed Management (SSWM) application to achieve precise and right amount of herbicide spray and reduce off-target herbicide movement. Recent advancements in Deep Learning (DL) have opened possibilities for adaptive and accurate weed recognitions for field based SSWM applications with traditional and emerging spraying equipment; however, challenges exist in identifying the DL model structure and train the model appropriately for accurate and rapid model applications over varying crop/weed growth stages and environment. In our study, an encoder-decoder based DL architecture was proposed that performs pixel-wise Semantic Segmentation (SS) classifications of crop, soil, and weed patches in the fields. The objective of this study was to develop a robust weed detection algorithm using DL techniques that can accurately and reliably locate weed infestations in low altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery with acceptable application speed. Two different encoder-decoder based SS models of LinkNet and UNet were developed using transfer learning techniques. We performed various measures such as backpropagation optimization and refining of the dataset used for training to address the class-imbalance problem which is a common issue in developing weed detection models. It was found that LinkNet model with ResNet18 as the encoder section and use of ‘Focal loss’ loss function was able to achieve the highest mean and class-wise Intersection over Union scores for different class categories while performing predictions on unseen dataset. The developed state-of-art model did not require a large amount of data during training and the techniques used to develop the model in our study provides a propitious opportunity that performs better than the existing SS based weed detections models. The proposed model integrates a futuristic approach to develop a model that could be used for weed detection on aerial imagery from UAV and perform real-time SSWM applications Advisor: Yeyin Sh

Proceedings of the COST SUSVAR/ECO-PB Workshop on organic plant breeding strategies and the use of molecular markers

In many countries,national projects are in progress to investigate the sustainable low-input approach.In the present COST network,these projects are coordinated by means of exchange of materials,establishing common methods for assessment and statistical analyses and by combining national experimental results.The common framework is cereal production in low-input sustainable systems with emphasis on crop diversity.The network is organised into six Working Groups,five focusing on specific research areas and one focusing on the practical application of the research results for variety testing:1)plant genetics and plant breeding,2)biostatistics,3)plant nutrition and soil microbiology,4)weed biology and plant competition,5)plant pathology and plant disease resistance biology and 6)variety testing and certification.It is essential that scientists from many disciplines work together to investigate the complex interactions between the crop and its environment,in order to be able to exploit the natural regulatory mechanisms of different agricultural systems for stabilising and increasing yield and quality.The results of this cooperation will contribute to commercial plant breeding as well as official variety testing,when participants from these areas disperse the knowledge achieved through the EU COST Action

Selective control of perennial grasses in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turf with chlorsulfuron

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) were treated in two field experiments with chlorsulfuron, 2 chloro-N-[(4-methoxy-6 methyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl) aminocarbonyl] benzenesulfonamide)

Research in Organic Farming

This book has emerged as a consequence of the difficulties we experienced in finding information when we first started researching. The goal was to produce a book where as many existing studies as possible could be presented in a single volume, making it easy for the reader to compare methods, results and conclusions. As a result, studies from countries such as Thailand, Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, Czech, Mexico, etc. have been brought together as individual chapters, and references to studies from other countries have been included in the overview chapters where possible. We believe that this opportunity to compare results from different countries will open a new perspective on the subject, allowing the typical characteristics of Organic Agriculture and Organic Food to be seen more clearly. Finally, we would like to thank the contributing authors and the staff at InTech for their efforts and cooperation during the course of publication. I sincerely hope that this book will help researchers and students all over the world to reach new results in the field of Organic Agriculture and Organic Food

Agricultural Research Division 102nd Annual Report, July 1, 1987, to June 30, 1988

It is a pleasure to provide the 102nd Annual Report of the UNL Agricultural Research Division. This report contains lists of current faculty, active projects, referred journal articles, books and book chapters, germplasm releases, patents, brief descriptions of research in selected areas, and the financial report for the period of July 1, 1987, through June 30, 1988. This report was compiled in compliance with the intent of the law of the State of Nebraska that established the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station on March 31, 1887. Foreword ... v Administrative Personnel ... vii Administrative Units ... viii Organizational Chart ... viii Faculty ... 1 Research Highlights ... 13 Research Projects ... 37 Publications ... 47 Variety and Germplasm Releases and Patents ... 67 Map of Research Sites ... 70 Research Budget ... 7

Agricultural Research Division 102nd Annual Report, July 1, 1987, to June 30, 1988

It is a pleasure to provide the 102nd Annual Report of the UNL Agricultural Research Division. This report contains lists of current faculty, active projects, referred journal articles, books and book chapters, germplasm releases, patents, brief descriptions of research in selected areas, and the financial report for the period of July 1, 1987, through June 30, 1988. This report was compiled in compliance with the intent of the law of the State of Nebraska that established the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station on March 31, 1887. Foreword ... v Administrative Personnel ... vii Administrative Units ... viii Organizational Chart ... viii Faculty ... 1 Research Highlights ... 13 Research Projects ... 37 Publications ... 47 Variety and Germplasm Releases and Patents ... 67 Map of Research Sites ... 70 Research Budget ... 7

Short-term Response in Soil Health to Management Practices within Large- and Small-Scale Cropping Systems in Arkansas

Improving soil health is a growing area of interest within large- and small-scale agricultural systems in Arkansas as producers face increasing input costs, increased awareness of variability and intensity in extreme weather events, decreasing resource availability, and suboptimal productivity related to environmental degradation. Practices aimed at improving soil health such as cover cropping and the use of organic amendments are increasingly recommended and adopted; however, research on optimal management in the Mid-South is lacking. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of soil health management under both small- and large-scale farming operations in Arkansas. The objective of the small-scale study was to evaluate the effect of cover crop (CC) termination and poultry litter (PL) application methods and subsequent crop, which included winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), on enzyme activity, nutrient availability, soil carbon, and aggregate stability within the first year. Soil response to CC termination method and PL application method was minimal after only one year. Small grains had a more immediate effect on soil properties related to nutrient cycling, including acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities and nutrient availability. Results of a subsequent greenhouse study confirmed the importance of crop species influence on nutrient cycling. These studies indicate that while differences in soil health management may require more evaluation, crop species contribute within a short-time scale to soil rhizosphere dynamics. The objective of the large-scale study was to evaluate the effect of PL application rate combined with flood or furrow irrigation methods on nutrient cycling enzyme activity, nutrient availability, soil carbon, and soil respiration under recently land-leveled rice (Oryza sativa L.) production fields within one year. The results of this study did not consistently demonstrate a benefit in applying higher PL rates within the limited period of the study, regardless of irrigation method. The β-D glucosidase activity was the only soil enzyme to show greater concentrations under increased PL rates and flooded irrigation; however, all measurements of soil carbon were greater under the lowest PL rate combined with furrow irrigation. Soil respiration and nutrient availability were unaffected by PL rate and irrigation method in the first year. These results indicate that more than one year of PL application, under both flooded and furrow irrigated management, may be required to overcome the spatial variability and disturbance caused by land leveling. Overall, the results of both studies demonstrate that changes in soil health from management may not occur on a short-term basis, given the strong legacy effects of past management. However, these legacy effects are not inherently negative and support the role of soil conservation management in building resilient and healthy soils

Short-term Response in Soil Health to Management Practices within Large- and Small-Scale Cropping Systems in Arkansas

Improving soil health is a growing area of interest within large- and small-scale agricultural systems in Arkansas as producers face increasing input costs, increased awareness of variability and intensity in extreme weather events, decreasing resource availability, and suboptimal productivity related to environmental degradation. Practices aimed at improving soil health such as cover cropping and the use of organic amendments are increasingly recommended and adopted; however, research on optimal management in the Mid-South is lacking. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of soil health management under both small- and large-scale farming operations in Arkansas. The objective of the small-scale study was to evaluate the effect of cover crop (CC) termination and poultry litter (PL) application methods and subsequent crop, which included winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), on enzyme activity, nutrient availability, soil carbon, and aggregate stability within the first year. Soil response to CC termination method and PL application method was minimal after only one year. Small grains had a more immediate effect on soil properties related to nutrient cycling, including acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities and nutrient availability. Results of a subsequent greenhouse study confirmed the importance of crop species influence on nutrient cycling. These studies indicate that while differences in soil health management may require more evaluation, crop species contribute within a short-time scale to soil rhizosphere dynamics. The objective of the large-scale study was to evaluate the effect of PL application rate combined with flood or furrow irrigation methods on nutrient cycling enzyme activity, nutrient availability, soil carbon, and soil respiration under recently land-leveled rice (Oryza sativa L.) production fields within one year. The results of this study did not consistently demonstrate a benefit in applying higher PL rates within the limited period of the study, regardless of irrigation method. The β-D glucosidase activity was the only soil enzyme to show greater concentrations under increased PL rates and flooded irrigation; however, all measurements of soil carbon were greater under the lowest PL rate combined with furrow irrigation. Soil respiration and nutrient availability were unaffected by PL rate and irrigation method in the first year. These results indicate that more than one year of PL application, under both flooded and furrow irrigated management, may be required to overcome the spatial variability and disturbance caused by land leveling. Overall, the results of both studies demonstrate that changes in soil health from management may not occur on a short-term basis, given the strong legacy effects of past management. However, these legacy effects are not inherently negative and support the role of soil conservation management in building resilient and healthy soils