Effects of liming on soil pH and crop yield

Non-Peer ReviewedThe continuous use ammonium–based fertilizers in crop production have the tendency to acidify soils and threatened crop production in the long-term, leading to reduced crop yields. Conventional lime products used to remediate acidic soils are important costs to producers due to the higher rates of application. However, a lime product, SuperCal 98G, is said to alter pH over a short period of time even at lower application rates. This study was conducted to determine the impact of SuperCal 98G on soil pH, crop yield and net economic return after two years of lime application. The experiment was set up as a split-plot in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The one-time lime rates were 0, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 lbs/ac on canola and wheat in 2015. Soil pH (0-6") was estimated prior, during and after harvest to determine the effects of incremental lime rate in 2015 and 2016. Results from the study showed that, there were no significant effects of lime on all the response variables in 2015 growing season and the combined analysis. However, in the 2016 growing season, plant density in canola and plant vigor in wheat at the second reading were all significantly different. However, there is a propensity of increased pH to positively affect yield after two years of application. This is due to the significant positive correlation between yield and soil pH in canola (r2 = 0.56, P<.0001) and wheat (r2 = 0.37, P = 0.0098). Although liming in no-till systems may not result in crop yield responses, especially in the year of application, the continued use of ammonium –based fertilizers and the projected decline in soil pH suggests that, a proactive approach to soil management may be needed in the future. Finally, despite the negative net economic gain in the year of application and even a year following application, farmers should bear in mind that liming is a capital investment rather than an input and expect a net return after few years following application

Conference Reports

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Decomposition of Harmonic and Jet Contributions to Particle-pair Correlations at Ultra-relativistic Energies

Methodology is presented for analysis of two-particle azimuthal angle correlation functions obtained in collisions at ultra-relativistic energies. We show that harmonic and di-jet contributions to these correlation functions can be reliably decomposed by two techniques to give an accurate measurement of the jet-pair distribution. Results from detailed Monte Carlo simulations are used to demonstrate the efficacy of these techniques in the study of possible modifications to jet topologies in heavy ion reactions.Comment: Updated version to be published in PRC Rapid Com

Universal scaling of the elliptic flow data at RHIC

Recent PHOBOS measurements of the excitation function for the pseudo-rapidity dependence of elliptic flow in Au+Au collisions at RHIC, have posed a significant theoretical challenge. Here we show that these differential measurements, as well as the RHIC measurements on transverse momentum satisfy a universal scaling relation predicted by the Buda-Lund model, based on exact solutions of perfect fluid hydrodynamics. We also show that recently found transverse kinetic energy scaling of the elliptic flow is a special case of this universal scaling.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Excitation functions of baryon anomaly and freeze-out properties at RHIC-PHENIX

The intermediate $p_T$ region (2 - 5 GeV/$c$) in central Au+Au collisions at RHIC has a rich physics content. The (anti)proton to pion ratio at the intermediate $p_T$ gives us a powerful tool to investigate the bulk properties of the hot and dense matter created at RHIC and their hadronization processes. We present the preliminary results of identified charged hadron spectra at the lower beam energies at RHIC. The excitation function of (anti)proton to pion ratios from SPS to RHIC are shown. We also discuss the onset of the baryon enhancement at the high energy heavy ion collisions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Quark Matter 2006 conference proceeding

Has the QCD Critical Point been Signaled by Observations at RHIC ?

The shear viscosity to entropy ratio ($\eta/s$) is estimated for the hot and dense QCD matter created in Au+Au collisions at RHIC ($\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV). A very low value is found $\eta/s \sim 0.1$, which is close to the conjectured lower bound ($1/4\pi$). It is argued that such a low value is indicative of thermodynamic trajectories for the decaying matter which lie close to the QCD critical end point.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Revised version, accepted for publication in PR

Seeding rates for precision seeded canola

Non-Peer Reviewe

Is there a Sonic Boom in the Little Bang at RHIC?

The use of elliptic flow and correlation measurements as constraints to establish the transport properties of hot and dense QCD matter is discussed. Measured Two- and three-particle correlation functions give initial hints for a "sonic boom". Elliptic flow measurements give the estimates $c_s \sim 0.35$ and $\eta/s \sim 0.1$ for the sound speed and viscosity to entropy ratio.Comment: Proceedings, International Conference on Strong and Electro Weak Matter, Brookhaven National Laboratory, May 10 - 13, 200

Assessing the Relationship between Short Birth-to-Pregnancy Interval and the Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes among Multiparous Women in Northern Ghana

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an optimal Birth-to-Pregnancy Interval (BPI) of 24-59 months, or a 33-month interval between two successive births, to reduce the risk of untoward maternal and newborn outcomes. Short Birth to Pregnancy Interval (SBPI) and unmet need for Family Planning (FP) are the major contributors to rapid population growth and increased maternal and newborn mortalities. The purpose of this study was to assess the adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes associated with SBPI among multiparous women in three municipalities of the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana. Materials and Methods: We employed a cross-sectional design conducted among 904 women aged 15-49 attending Antenatal Care (ANC) clinics in three municipalities in the UER who had at least two successive live births prior to data collection. A multistage cluster sampling technique was employed to recruit respondents for this study. This was conducted in four steps. Out of the 46 health facilities, we randomly selected 25 respondents using the systematic random selection method. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, incorporated into the electronic data collection tool (Kobo collect), and administered by trained research assistants. Birth interval was categorized according to the WHO’s classification: &lt;24 months as SBPI, 24-≥59 months as Optimal Birth to Pregnancy Interval (OBPI), and &gt;59 months as Long Birth to Pregnancy Interval (LBPI). Results: Of the 904 respondents, the majority (56.2%) had an OBPI, while 36.9% had a SBPI. Factors that influenced SBPI were parity, mode of delivery, and the educational status of woman’s partner. Participants with a higher parity (≥5 children) had 0.67 times the potential of spacing their births (AOR 0.67; 95% CI 0.46-0.98; p = 0.040). Women who experienced a Caesarean Section (CS) delivery were 3.28 times more likely to have LBPI (AOR 3.28; 95% CI 1.02–10.62; p=0.047). Respondents whose partners had secondary education had a 1.87 chance (AOR 2.07; 95% CI 1.09–3.96; p=0.027) of spacing their births. The birth complications reported were retained products of conception (41.9%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (27.9%), postpartum hemorrhage (11.6%), obstructed labor (10.5%), sepsis (38.1%), neonatal jaundice (23.8%), low birth weight (19%), and preterm birth (14.3%). Conclusion: A significant proportion of the participants in this study reported having a short duration between the birth of one child and the conception of the next. This was associated with various adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes, such as birth complications and mortalities. The study emphasizes the need for health professionals to address challenges in contraceptive uptake, especially among multiparous women, and promote optimal birth spacing to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes

Assessing the Relationship between Short Birth-to-Pregnancy Interval and the Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes among Multiparous Women in Northern Ghana

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an optimal Birth-to-Pregnancy Interval (BPI) of 24-59 months, or a 33-month interval between two successive births to reduce the risk of untoward maternal and newborn outcomes. Short Birth to Pregnancy Interval (SBPI), and unmet need for Family Planning (FP) are the major contributors to rapid population growth and increased maternal and newborn mortalities. The purpose of this study was to assess the adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes associated with SBPI among multiparous women in three municipalities of the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana. &nbsp;Materials and Methods:The study employed the Cross-sectional Design conducted among 904 women aged 15-49 years attending Antenatal Care (ANC) clinics in three municipalities in the UER who had at least two successive live births prior to data collection. Data was collected using structured questionnaire, incorporated into the electronic data collection tool, Kobo collect and administered by trained research assistants. Birth interval was categorized according to the WHO’s classification, &lt;24 months as SBPI, 24-≥59 months as Optimal Birth to Pregnancy Interval (OBPI) and &gt;59 months as Long Birth to Pregnancy Interval (LBPI). Results: Of the 904 respondents, the majority (56.2%) had an OBPI, while 36.9% had a SBPI. Factors that influenced SBPI were parity, mode of delivery, and the educational status of women’s partner. Participants with a higher parity (≥5 children) had 0.67 times the potential of spacing their births (AOR 0.67; 95% CI 0.46-0.98; p = 0.040). Women who experienced a Caesarean Section (CS) delivery were 3.28 times more likely to have LBPI (AOR 3.28; 95% CI 1.02-10.62; p=0.047). Respondents whose partners had secondary education had a 1.87 chance (AOR 2.07; 95% CI 1.09-3.96; p=0.027) of spacing their births. The birth complications reported were retained products of conception (41.9%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (27.9%), postpartum hemorrhage (11.6%), obstructed labor (10.5%), sepsis (38.1%), neonatal jaundice (23.8%), low-birth-weight (19%), and preterm birth (14.3%). Conclusion and Global Health Implications: The study recommends health professionals in direct contact with maternal, reproductive, and child health to be proactive in FP counseling, and to support women decision making