Crop and Soil Responses to Lime Sources and Potassium

Producers in southeast Iowa have expressed interest in lime sources effects on crops and soils. Quarried, crushed limestone is the most common liming material used to neutralize soil acidity. Depending upon the quarry, the limestone may be calcitic or dolomitic. Calcite limestone is composed of calcium (Ca) carbonate, and dolomite is composed of calcium and magnesium (CaMg) carbonate. When either material is applied to soil, it will react to soil acidity, and Ca or CaMg will replace hydrogen ions on the soil exchange complex. Only a very small amount will dissolve in the soil solution without reacting to soil acidity. The Ca and Mg ions displace acidic hydrogen (H) ions and are in equilibrium with other positively charged ions (cations) in the soil solution. Thus, a chemical equilibrium develops among all the cations that affects the balance of nutrients absorbed by plant roots. This experiment examines the effects of liming source and potassium (K) fertilizer, and their rates of application on crops and soils

Progress in Using Biotechnology By-Products as Fertilizer

Byproducts from fermentation industries using modem, biotechnological fermentation processes are produced in large volumes, up to several thousand tons per year. The byproducts consist of the biomass from the microorganisms that reproduced in fermentation, the raw products contained in the fermentation solution, and both major and minor products of fermentation. In addition, the byproducts may contain chemicals added to assist in the recovery of the product especially where ion exchange resins have been used. Annual energy consumption by the microorganisms carrying out the fermentation processes in Iowa industries amounts to over five million bushels of com that has been refined into sugar

Land Applying Biotechnology Byproducts in 1996

Byproducts from modern, biotechnological fermentation processes are produced in large volume, up to, and exceeding several thousand tons per year at each industrial site. The byproducts may consist of the biomass from the microorganisms used in the fermentation, raw inputs contained in the fermentation broth, and major and minor products of fermentation. The primary source of energy for the microorganisms is corn, perhaps ten million bushels per year is converted to sugar for these industries. The byproducts may contain chemicals added to assist in the recovery of products, especially where ion exchange resins are used for this purpose. In addition, certain byproducts result from necessary ancillary processes such as peptide production by acidulation of soybean oilmeal and finally, treatment of process waste water

Effects of Chloride Fertilization on Alfalfa Cation-Anion Content

Producing low potassium (K) forages has increased due to demand for such forages in the dairy business. In the month prior to calving, a fairly anionic diet is recommended in dairy cows to avoid milk fever, a term used for hypocalcemia, a deficiency in plasma calcium (Ca) at the onset of lactation in dairy cows. This bovine disease affects approximately 6 to 8% of all U.S. dairy cows annually, directly costing the dairy industry up to $200 million/year. As dairy cows enter the lactation stage prior to calving, large amounts of calcium leave the blood and enters milk faster than it can be replaced. This decreased calcium concentration in the blood lowers the pH, causing nerve disorders, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, paralysis, and subsequent death if not treated immediately. Treatment typically includes an intravenous dosage of a calcium solution, usually including a mixture of phosphorus (P), K, magnesium (Mg) and dextrose. Cationic diets, such as forages high in potassium (\u3e2.5%) are meant for the post-calving, lactation stage because of the dairy cow’s diet requirement in producing milk

Changes in fluxes of heat, H2O, and CO2 caused by a large wind farm

The Crop Wind-Energy Experiment (CWEX) provides a platform to investigate the effect of wind turbines and large wind farms on surface fluxes of momentum, heat, moisture, and carbon dioxide (CO2). In 2010 and 2011, eddy covariance flux stations were installed between two lines of turbines at the southwest edge of a large Iowa wind farm from late June to early September. We report changes in fluxes of momentum, sensible heat, latent heat, and CO2 above a corn canopy after surface air had passed through a single line of turbines. In 2010, our flux stations were placed within a field with homogeneous land management practices (same tillage, cultivar, chemical treatments). We stratify the data according to wind direction, diurnal condition, and turbine operational status. Within these categories, the downwind–upwind flux differences quantify turbine influences at the crop surface. Flux differences were negligible in both westerly wind conditions and when the turbines were non operational. When the flow is perpendicular (southerly) or slightly oblique (southwesterly) to the row of turbines during the day, fluxes of CO2 and water (H2O) are enhanced by a factor of five in the lee of the turbines (from three to five turbine diameter distances downwind from the tower) as compared to a west wind. However, we observe a smaller CO2 flux increase of 30–40% for these same wind directions when the turbines are off. In the nighttime, there is strong statistical significance that turbine wakes enhance upward CO2 fluxes and entrain sensible heat toward the crop. The direction of the scalar flux perturbation seems closely associated to the differences in canopy friction velocity. Spectra and co-spectra of momentum components and co-spectra of heat also demonstrate nighttime influence of the wind turbine turbulence at the downwind station

Iron and ferritin accumulate in separate cellular locations in Phaseolus seeds

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Iron is an important micronutrient for all living organisms. Almost 25% of the world population is affected by iron deficiency, a leading cause of anemia. In plants, iron deficiency leads to chlorosis and reduced yield. Both animals and plants may suffer from iron deficiency when their diet or environment lacks bioavailable iron. A sustainable way to reduce iron malnutrition in humans is to develop staple crops with increased content of bioavailable iron. Knowledge of where and how iron accumulates in seeds of crop plants will increase the understanding of plant iron metabolism and will assist in the production of staples with increased bioavailable iron.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we reveal the distribution of iron in seeds of three <it>Phaseolus </it>species including thirteen genotypes of <it>P. vulgaris</it>, <it>P. coccineus</it>, and <it>P. lunatus</it>. We showed that high concentrations of iron accumulate in cells surrounding the provascular tissue of <it>P. vulgaris </it>and <it>P. coccineus </it>seeds. Using the Perls' Prussian blue method, we were able to detect iron in the cytoplasm of epidermal cells, cells near the epidermis, and cells surrounding the provascular tissue. In contrast, the protein ferritin that has been suggested as the major iron storage protein in legumes was only detected in the amyloplasts of the seed embryo. Using the non-destructive micro-PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) technique we show that the tissue in the proximity of the provascular bundles holds up to 500 μg g^-1of iron, depending on the genotype. In contrast to <it>P. vulgaris </it>and <it>P. coccineus</it>, we did not observe iron accumulation in the cells surrounding the provascular tissues of <it>P. lunatus </it>cotyledons. A novel iron-rich genotype, NUA35, with a high concentration of iron both in the seed coat and cotyledons was bred from a cross between an Andean and a Mesoamerican genotype.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The presented results emphasize the importance of complementing research in model organisms with analysis in crop plants and they suggest that iron distribution criteria should be integrated into selection strategies for bean biofortification.</p

Crop and Soil Responses to Phosphorus and Potassium

Producers in southeast Iowa are interested in managing available soil phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) to achieve optimum grain yields. This study was established in 1989 to examine P and K management in a corn-soybean crop rotation. In 2001, a nitrogen (N) treatment was added to supply this nutrient to corn at moderate and high rates to determine if corn yields were affected by P and K management.</p