Nitrogen and Sulfur Fertilization Effects on Camelina Sativa in West Central Kansas

Camelina sativa is early maturing and possesses characteristics that make it a good fit as a rotation crop in dryland wheat cropping systems. Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) play very important roles in oilseed production, including camelina. This study was undertaken in 2013 and 2014 to determine N and S rates necessary for optimum camelina production in West Central Kansas. The experiment was set up as randomized complete blocks with four replications in a split-plot arrangement. Treatments were two S rates (0 and 18 lb/a) as the main plots, and N rates (0, 20, 40, and 80 lb/a) were the subplots. The results showed that plant stand, plant height, harvest index, biomass yield, and protein and oil content were unaffected by N and S application. Similarly, S application had no effect on seed yield. However, N rate had a significant (P \u3c 0.05) effect on seed yield. Yield differences were realized for 2013 (~450 lb/a) and 2014 (~900 lb/a)

Seeding Date Effects on Camelina Seed Yield and Quality Traits

Identifying crops that are adapted to dryland environments of the central and northern Great Plains (GP) has been a major challenge. An alternative crop with potential for dryland crop production in the GP is camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz). Time of planting is an important management consideration that can affect camelina production. Early planting allows camelina to mature before the onset of hot summer temperatures in the central GP that can affect seed yield. A study was carried out in the spring of 2013 and 2014 to evaluate planting date effects on spring camelina varieties grown under dryland conditions in western Kansas. In this study, three spring varieties (Blaine Creek, Pronghorn, and Shoshone) were planted at three seeding dates (early, mid, and late). Parameters collected included plant height, harvest index, seed yield, and oil and protein content. Our findings indicate that seeding date affected time of flowering and physiological maturity (P \u3c 0.05) but had no effect on oil content. Year × camelina variety interaction had a significant effect on seed yield. Similarly, protein content differed among the varieties (Blaine Creek \u3e Pronghorn \u3e Shoshone). Blaine Creek consistently produced the highest yield in both years and had a protein content of 30%

Seeding Date Effects on Camelina Seed Yield and Quality Traits

An alternative crop with potential for dryland crop production in the Great Plains is camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz). Time of planting is an important management consideration that can affect camelina production. A study was carried out in the spring of 2013, 2014, and 2015 to evaluate seeding date effects on spring camelina varieties grown under dryland conditions in western Kansas. Three spring varieties (Blaine Creek, Pronghorn, and Shoshone) were planted at three seeding dates: early (April 3, 2013; March 17, 2014; and March 18, 2015); mid (April 16, 2013; April 1, 2014; and April 1, 2015); and late (April 30, 2013; April 15, 2014; and April 15, 2015). Parameters collected included time of flowering and physiological maturity, stand count at maturity, seed yield, biomass yield, harvest index, oil and protein content. Our findings indicate that seeding date can affect the time of flowering and physiological maturity, stand count, seed yield, biomass yield, harvest index, and protein content, but it did not affect oil content. Harvest index and oil content was significantly different among varieties. In general, mid and late seeding dates produced the highest yield across the three years. There were yield differences among varieties; Blaine Creek produced the highest seed yield and was significantly different from Pronghorn and Shoshone. Seed yield ranged between 340 and 440 lb/a. Average oil and protein content was 26% and 30%, respectively. Based on environmental factors and agronomic characteristics, camelina varieties were more productive when planted between early and mid-April

Influence of Different Seeding Dates on Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) Forage Yield and Nutritive Value

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is used as medicinal plant in many Asian countries and has been reported to have forage quality similar to alfalfa. Fenugreek is an annual crop and may have the potential to diversify forage production systems in the central High Plains. This study evaluated forage dry matter (DM) production and the nutritive value of three fenugreek cultivars as influenced by planting date at Hays and Garden City, KS, in 2014. Results at Hays showed forage DM yield of fenugreek cultivars was not affected by planting date, but fenugreek cultivars differed significantly (P \u3c 0.05) in forage DM yield. Averaged across planting date, forage DM production was 760 lb/a for ‘Amber,’ 910 lb/a for ‘F96,’ and 672 lb/a for ‘Tristar.’ Forage crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total digestible nutrient (TDN) concentrations, and relative feed value (RFV) did not differ (P \u3e 0.05) among fenugreek cultivars. Planting early, however, did increase CP levels and lower ADF and NDF concentrations. Despite the lower yields observed in 2014, our preliminary results showed that fenugreek can produce forage with nutritive value comparable to alfalfa and that further testing is needed to determine if fenugreek can provide an option for producers who want to diversify their forage production operations, particularly under limited irrigation conditions

Nitrogen and Sulfur Fertilization Effects on Camelina Sativa in West Central Kansas

Camelina sativa is early maturing and possesses characteristics that make it a good fit as a rotation crop in dryland wheat cropping systems. Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) play very important roles in oilseed production, including camelina. This study was conducted over 3 years to determine N and S rates necessary for optimum camelina production in west central Kansas. The experiment was set up as randomized complete blocks with four replications in a split-plot arrangement. Treatments were two sulfur rates (0 and 18 lb/a) as the main plots, and four N rates (0, 20, 40, and 80 lb/a) as the sub-plot. Sulfur application did not affect stand count, biomass yield, harvest index, seed yield, oil and protein content. However, stand count, biomass yield, seed yield, and protein content were affected by N application (P \u3c 0.05). Average oil and protein content were 28.1% and 33.9% respectively. The optimum N rate for yield was 20 lb N/a, which produced around 680 lb/a seed yield. Based on soil test levels of 25 lb N/a, N requirement for camelina production is 45 lb N/a

SOLAR DRYER WITH BIOMASS BACKUP HEATER FOR DRYING FRUITS: DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

Most solar dryers rely on only solar energy as the heat source. This condition limits its use in off -sunny periods such as cloudy, rainy seasons and after sunset. The objectives of this study were to: develop a solar dryer with biomass backup heater for drying fruits; analyze its performance; and carry out comparative analysis of the dryer with and without biomass backup heater. An indirect solar dryer was designed, constructed and analysed using 4mm slices of pineapples and mangoes. Temperature, humidity and ambient air temperature were measured using Tinytag data loggers, EasyLog – USB 2 and HI 91610C Thermo-hygrometer. A 300g weight of charcoal, costing GHC 0.5 (US$0.16)was fed into the backup heater every 1-2 hours with a running cost of US$ 1-2.88/day. The results showed that the moisture content (MC) of the pineapples reduced from 87% to 16%(wb) and that of mangoes reduced from 85% to 15.5% (wb). On average, solardrying with backup took 14-18 sunshine hours to attain the desired MC, while that without backup took 20-27 sunshine hours. With biomass backup heater the drying rates were: pineapples (32.5g/h) and mangoes (19.3g/h), while without backup the drying rates were: pineapples (23.7g/h) and mangoes (15.5g/h). Better performance was obtained when the dryer was with a biomass backup heater.Keywords: Moisture; dryer; temperature; solar; biomas

Evaluation of Maize Top Cross Hybrids for Grain Yield and Associated Traits in Three Agro-Ecological Zones in Ghana

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food crop in Ghana, but its productivity in farmers‟ fields throughout the country is generally low. The low grain yields can be attributed partly to the use of traditional low-yielding open-pollinated varieties. In an attempt to increase maize productivity, 39 top cross hybrids were developed using 21 inbred lines and 3 open-pollinated varieties. The trial was set up in a randomized complete block design with two replications in three locations in southern Ghana. The overall objective of the study was to investigate traits which influence yields in top cross hybrids and to ascertain the yield potential of the hybrids in three agro-ecological zones in Ghana. The Genotypes were evaluated to determine agronomic performances and correlations between yield and yield component traits were calculated to assess the degrees of associations. Highly significant variations (

Historical and simulated ecosystem carbon dynamics in Ghana: land use, management, and climate

International audienceWe used the General Ensemble biogeochemical Modeling System (GEMS) to simulate responses of natural and managed ecosystems to changes in land use, management, and climate for a forest/savanna transitional zone in central Ghana. Model results show that deforestation for crop production during the last century resulted in a substantial reduction in ecosystem carbon (C) stock from 135.4 Mg C ha?1 in 1900 to 77.0 Mg C ha?1 in 2000, and in soil organic C stock within the top 20 cm of soil from 26.6 Mg C ha?1 to 21.2 Mg C ha?1. If no land use change takes place from 2000 through 2100, low and high climate change scenarios (increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation over time) will result in losses of soil organic C stock by 19% and 25%, respectively. A low nitrogen (N) fertilization rate is the principal constraint on current crop production. An increase in N fertilization under the low climate change scenario would increase crop yield by 14% with 30 kg N ha?1 and by 38% with 60 kg N ha?1, leading to an increase in the average soil C stock by 12% and 29%, respectively, in all cropland by 2100. The results suggest that the climate changes in the future from current climate conditions will not necessarily become a determinant control on ecosystem C fluxes and crop production, while a reasonable N fertilization rate is critical to achieve food security and agricultural sustainability in the study area through the 21st century, and current cropping systems could be optimized to make full use of the rainfall resource

Progress on implementation of an accelerated sweetpotato breeding scheme in Ghana.

The sweetpotato support platform for West Africa was established at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute in Kumasi, Ghana in early 2010 with the objective of supporting cultivar development in Ghana and elsewhere in West Africa through the development of adapted less sweet germplasm, and through a participatory approach. The accelerated sweetpotato breeding approach in Ghana uses multi-locational clonal evaluation of seedling families to identify promising families and genotypes, followed by 2 years of additional multi-locational evaluation in target environments. Superior early selections may be used as parents in population improvement in order to speed genetic gain for various attributes. In 2010, roughly 250 genotypes from 34 families, from Ghana, Uganda and Kenya were evaluated at 3 locations, and high yielding, virus resistant genotypes were selected, some at 2 or more locations. In 2011 selected genotypes and introduced clones from diverse sources (330 genotypes) were evaluated in replicated trials at 5 locations covering major production zones and agroecologies. At harvest, farmers were involved in assessment of performance and taste, and selections were evaluated for sugars, minerals and carotenoids using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Sixteen genotypes are in advanced trials in 2012.

Genetic diversity among early provitamin A quality protein maize inbred lines and the performance of derived hybrids under contrasting nitrogen environments

Open Access JournalInformation on population structure and genetic diversity of germplasm in a breeding programme is useful because it enhances judicious utilisation of genetic resources to achieve breeding objectives. Seventy early maturing provitamin A (PVA) quality protein maize (QPM) inbreds developed by the IITA- maize improvement programme were genotyped using 8171 DArTseq markers. Furthermore, 96 hybrids derived from 24 selected inbreds plus four checks were evaluated under low-N and optimal environments in Nigeria during 2016 and 2017. Genotypic and phenotypic data of inbreds and hybrids respectively, were analysed to (i) assess the level of genetic dissimilarities and population structure of the inbreds, and (ii) investigate the grain yield performance of derived hybrids under low-N, optimal and across environments