Interaction of Nitrogen and Flue Gas Desulfurization Sulfur for Production of Corn

This poster was presented at the annual ASA/CSSA/SSSA meetings in Indianapolis, IN in Nov. 2006Nitrogen deficiency in soil often limits corn (Zea mays L.) growth, thus requiring fertilizer N inputs to achieve optimum yields. Nitrogen fertilizer is becoming more expensive and methods are needed to improve N use efficiency. Sulfur deficiency in several crops, including corn, has recently been observed in Ohio. However, little information is available related to the interaction of N and S fertilizers to effect the production of corn. Field experiments were conducted on a silt loam soil at Wooster, Ohio from 2002 to 2005 to test corn responses to the addition of N (seven rates from 0 to 233 kg ha-1) and S (two rates of 0 and 33 kg ha-1) from flue gas desulfurization (FGD) products. Corn grain yields, averaged over 4 years, were increased 7.0% when S was applied. This increase was statistically significant (P < 0.05). A statistically significant interaction effect of N by S was observed in 2004 and 2005 with the low N rates from 0 to 133 kg ha-1 responding better to S than the high N rates. The highest grain yields were reached at the 133 kg N ha-1 application rate with S addition. This suggests that S application can improve N use efficiency and decrease the amount of N required for optimum corn production. Reduced N fertilizer application rates can also help maintain good water quality. Nitrogen, P, K, Mg and S in corn grain were slightly increased by application of 33 kg ha-1 of S when N was applied at rates of 100 and 200 kg ha-1. These results indicate application of N fertilizer with S promoted uptake, by corn plants, of N and other major plant nutrients

Residue and Nutrient Management Under Reduced Tillage Systems

Presented at the ASA/CSSA/SSSA 2006 annual meetings in Indianapolis, Indian

Functional Predictions of Microbial Communities in Soil as Affected by Long‐term Tillage Practices

Core Ideas Microbial function is important but difficult to assess in soil. An omics‐driven tool, PICRUSt, was used to characterize functions of soil microbial communities. No‐tillage compared with plow tillage was functionally enriched for most nutrient cycles. Many other functions integral to soil health can be explored by the PICRUSt omics approach. Soil microbial communities affect the soil\u27s biological, chemical, and physical properties, but there is still a knowledge gap regarding the long‐term impact of tillage practices on soil microbial dynamics. Additionally, the accurate identification of belowground microbial functions is a topic of active interest. In this study, microbial community profiles and functions in soil from a 50‐plus‐year‐old experiment in Ohio, representing one of the world\u27s longest running comparisons of a plow‐tillage system and a continuous no‐tillage system, were compared. The Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) algorithm was used to predict associated functional traits from 16S rRNA gene sequences. Analysis of the sequences revealed a large number of unidentified operational taxonomic units (67%), which is consistent with expectations of the soil ecosystem. Next, we investigated gene and enzyme predictions for nitrogen, sulfur, and methane metabolism and hydrocarbon degradation in soil. Results indicated that no‐tillage was functionally enriched for most nutrient cycles. This study has allowed us to predict distinct functional profiles as a result of legacy land uses. It serves as an example of improved analysis of the functional differences in soil managed by long‐term tillage versus no‐till

Bacterial community dissimilarity in soils is driven by long-termland-use practices

Land‐use practices impact soil microbial functionality and biodiversity, with reports suggesting that anthropogenic activities potentially result in reduced microbial functions and loss of species. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of long‐term (\u3e50 yr) land use (natural forest and grassland, and agricultural land) on soil bacterial community structure. A high‐throughput sequencing‐by‐synthesis approach of the 16S rRNA gene was used to study bacterial community and predicted functional profiles of Alfisols, as affected by variables including land‐use (forest, grass, agricultural) and soil/crop management (rotation and tillage) in long‐term experimental plots in Hoytville, OH. The distribution of the abundant phyla was different across samples. No‐till soils showed higher diversity indices than the plow‐till (PT) soils. Ordinations across locations suggested that no‐till soils had distinctly different community structure compared with plow‐till soils, while crop rotation within the no‐till plot had highest number of taxa. Overall land use (forest, grass, agronomic treatment) and tillage (within agricultural soils) were found to be significant when evaluating bacterial community dissimilarity. Predictive functional profiles showed that the forest soil had greatest proportion of PICRUSt‐assignable gene functions followed by the no‐till and grassland soils whereas plow‐till soils had the lowest predicted gene abundances across all samples. The results provide a view of soil bacterial diversity and predictive functional capacity in long‐term land‐use and soil/crop management practices, with a potential to inform future experiments to increase our understanding of long‐term impacts of land use on microbial community structure and function

1993 Progress Reports

The 1993 Progress Reports which contain Blueberry Tax Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports, and CSRS Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports, pertain to and report on research conducted in 1992. They were prepared for the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include: Progress Reports 1. Effects of Irrigation on Low bush Blueberry Yield and Quality 2. Economics of Investing in Irrigation for Lowbush Blueberries 3. Diammonium Phosphate Study 4. Phosphorus Dose/Response Curve 5. Winter Injury Protection by Potassium 6. Multiple Cropping of Wild Stands 7. Effect of Boron on Lowbush Blueberry Fruit Set and Yield 8.Determination of Pesticide Residue Levels in Freshly Harvested and Processed Lowbush Blueberries 9. Effects of Calcium Salts and Citric Acids on the Quality of Canned Lowbush Blueberries- missing 10. Investigation of PreProcess Changes- missing 11. The Effect of Fertilization and Irrigation on Blueberry Fruit Control - missing 12. Pollination Ecology of Lowbush Blueberry in Maine 13. Control of Secondary Blueberry Pests 14. Control of Blueberry Maggot 15. Biology and Action Thresholds of Secondary Blueberry Pests 16. Cold-Hardiness of Native Lowbush Blueberries 17. Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an Experimental Sterilizer for Blueberry Fields 18. Canned Product Quality - Heat Resistant Molds 19. Sanitation for Disease Control Blueberry Tax Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports 20. Evaluation of Postemergence Applications of Tribenuron Methyl for Bunchberry Control 21. Comparison of Poast and Select for Suppression of Bunchgrass 22. Effect of Time of Fall Pruning on Growth and Productivity of Blueberries. and Evaluation of Infrared Burner to Prune Blueberries 23. Evaluation of Velpar impregnated DAP for weed control 24. Thresholds of Dogbane and Bracken Fern for Mechanical and Chemical Control in Lowbush Blueberry Fields 25. Effect of Time and Rate of Application of Clopyralid for Control of Vetch in Lowbush Blueberries 26. Hexazinone Ground Water Survey 27. Composting Blueberry Processing Waste 28. Hexazinone Movement in a Blueberry Soil in Maine CSRS Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports 29. Evaluation of the Suitability of Remote Sensing to Evaluate Plant Cover in Lowbush Blueberry Fields 30. Obstruction Removal in Lowbush Blueberry Fields 31. Evaluation of Pressurized Rope Wick Wick Master Wiper for Treating Weeds Growing Above Lowbush Blueberries 32. Evaluation of Infrared Burner for Weed Control 33. Blueberry Extension Education Program Base Miscellaneous 34. Comparison of N, NP, and NPK Fertilizers to Correct Nitrogen and Phosphorus Deficienc

Le Forum, Vol. 44 #4

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/1106/thumbnail.jp

1993-94 Progress Report

The 1993 edition of the Progress Reports was prepared for the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include: 1. Effects of irrigation on lowbush blueberry yield and quality 2. The Economics of investigating irrigation for lowbush blueberries 3. Phosphorus dose/response curve 4. Winter injury protection by potassium 5. Multiple cropping of wild stands 6. Effect of Boron and Calcium on lowbush blueberry fruit set and yield 7. Comparison of N, NP, and NPK fertilizers to correct nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency 8. Determination of pesticide residue levels in freshly harvested and processed lowbush blueberries 9. Effects of calcium salts and citric acid on the quality of canned lowbush blueberries 10. Investigation of preprocess changes (chemical, microbiological, and/or physical) that can lead to the development of a simple and inexpensive method to measure preprocess berry spoilage 11. The effect of fertilization and irrigation in blueberry fruit quality 12. Pollination Ecology of lowbush blueberry in Maine 13. Current importance of insects in lowbush blueberry fields 14. Application of heat as a method of controlling secondary pest insects on lowbush blueberry: a feasibility study 15. Control of blueberry maggot 16. Control of secondary blueberry pest insects 17. Biology and action thresholds of secondary blueberry pest insects 18. Cold-hardiness of native lowbush blueberry 19. Design, fabrication, and testing of an experimental sterilizer for blueberry fields 20. Canned Product Quality--Heat-resistant molds 21. Sanitation for disease control 22. Evaluation of Velpar® impregnated DAP and Pronone® for weed control 23. Evaluation of postemergence applications of tribenuron methyl for bunchberry control 24. Evaluation of postemergence applications of a tank mix of tribenuron methyl and hexazinone for bunchberry control 25. Thresholds of dogbane and bracken fem by mechanical and chemical control in lowbush blueberry fields 26. Effect of time of application of clopyralid for control of vetch and effect on flowering in lowbush blueberries 27. Effect of time of fall pruning on growth and productivity of blueberries and evaluation of infrared burner to prune blueberries 28. Evaluation of infrared burner for selective seedling weed control 29. Evaluation of pressurized rope wick Wick Master wiper for treating weeds growing above lowbush blueberries 30. Blueberry Extension Education Program Base 31. Blueberry ICM program for Hancock County 32. Composting blueberry processing waste 33. Hexazinone ground water survey 34. Investigations of Lowbush Blueberry Fruit bud Cold-hardiness 35. Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an Experimental Sterilizer for Blueberry Field