187 Forage Agronomists Are Needed in Animal Science Departments

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 101-101
Author(s):  
Michael L Looper ◽  
John A Jennings
Keyword(s):  
Student Development ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Advanced Degree ◽  
Animal Science ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Grazing Livestock

Abstract Ruminants serve a valuable role in sustainable agricultural systems, specifically in the conversion of renewable resources from grasslands, pasture, and other by-products into edible human food. Recognizing forage and grasses are grown on 25% of arable land, suitable agronomic practices for grazing livestock are necessary to minimize water and soil erosion. Demographics of Animal Science students have changed over the last several years with more students from urban backgrounds and with interests other than traditional animal agriculture. This makes continued emphasis on education programs supporting the grazing livestock industry that much more important. However, for many reasons, universities place less emphasis on training Ph.D. students in forage agronomy. Based on an email survey of 10 land grant institutions, typically one M.S. student/yr and one Ph.D. student/3–4 yr graduates with an advanced degree in forage agronomy. Most departments have experienced dramatic budget reductions. Challenges with funding faculty positions outside of a department’s emphasis area typically results in the question “Should forage agronomy students be trained in Departments of Animal Science or Crop/Soils Science?” It could be argued that either department is the best fit. Forage agronomy requires training in the basics of plant and soil science, but the application of those sciences relate more to animal science and animal production than to traditional crop production such as cereal grains. Departments of Animal Science must communicate the meaningful context of forage agronomy in an active learning environment developing students’ ability to critically think and solve problems. Those providing technical expertise to livestock producers can no longer make recommendations based solely on production efficiency and profitability. Instead, best management practices must include the impact of grazing livestock on the environment. Cooperative agreements between departments should be discussed to adequately support student development in this critical subject matter.

scholarly journals Specialization issues of production of agrarian enterprises

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 ◽  
pp. 06056
Author(s):  
Tatiana Vlasenko ◽  
Vitaliy Vlasovets ◽  
Sergiy Timofeev ◽  
Anna Кravets
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Influence Factors ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Optimal Level ◽  
Theoretical Modelling ◽  
Livestock Farming ◽  
The Impact

The relevance of the study is explained by the fact that the combination of branches of livestock farming and crop production within agrarian enterprises creates a certain complexity in the use of material, labour and land resources and makes it necessary to create an optimal ratio on the basis of the formation of the most perspective and efficient industries. However, the contradictory and controversial nature of the data on the impact of various interconnected factors, the presence of primarily theoretical modelling while determining the optimal level of specialization of agrarian enterprises does not allow to achieve a given level of efficiency and efficiency of functioning performance Therefore, the purpose of the research is to provide scientific substantiation of the efficiency improving directions of agrarian enterprises through their specialization improvement. They are the empirical basis of the structured choice of directions to increase the functioning efficiency of agrarian enterprises. For the crop production industry, the main direction that will increase the management efficiency is the crops productivity increase due to the production profitability increase for the most management conditions. It was determined that regional features are important for plant cultivation and animal husbandry sectors while determining the influence factors on specialization. It was found out that for both industries, the negative impact of labour security and ineffective management practices are typical, and state support through subsidies for agricultural enterprises does not guarantee the increase in the production efficiency.

Field Measurements and Simulation of Nitrogen Fate under Citrus Production

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 498c-498
Author(s):  
A. Fares ◽  
A.K. Alva ◽  
S. Paramasivam
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Citrus Production

Water and nitrogen (N) are important inputs for most crop production. The main objectives of nitrogen best management practices (NBMP) are to improve N and water management to maximize the uptake efficiency and minimize the leaching losses. This require a complete understanding of fate of N and water mass balance within and below the root zone of the crop in question. The fate of nitrogen applied for citrus production in sandy soils (>95% sand) was simulated using a mathematical model LEACHM (Leaching Estimation And Chemistry Model). Nitrogen removal in harvested fruits and storage in the tree accounted the major portion of the applied N. Nitrogen volatilization mainly as ammonia and N leaching below the root zone were the next two major components of the N mass balance. A proper irrigation scheduling based on continuous monitoring of the soil water content in the rooting was used as a part of the NBMP. More than 50% of the total annual leached water below the root zone was predicted to occur in the the rainy season. Since this would contribute to nitrate leaching, it is recomended to avoid N application during the rainy season.

scholarly journals Prioritization of Sub-Watersheds to Sediment Yield and Evaluation of Best Management Practices in Highland Ethiopia, Finchaa Catchment

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 650
Author(s):  
Wakjira Takala Dibaba ◽  
Tamene Adugna Demissie ◽  
Konrad Miegel
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Sediment Yield ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Sediment Yields ◽  
Soil And Water

Excessive soil loss and sediment yield in the highlands of Ethiopia are the primary factors that accelerate the decline of land productivity, water resources, operation and function of existing water infrastructure, as well as soil and water management practices. This study was conducted at Finchaa catchment in the Upper Blue Nile basin of Ethiopia to estimate the rate of soil erosion and sediment loss and prioritize the most sensitive sub-watersheds using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The SWAT model was calibrated and validated using the observed streamflow and sediment data. The average annual sediment yield (SY) in Finchaa catchment for the period 1990–2015 was 36.47 ton ha−1 yr−1 with the annual yield varying from negligible to about 107.2 ton ha−1 yr−1. Five sub-basins which account for about 24.83% of the area were predicted to suffer severely from soil erosion risks, with SY in excess of 50 ton ha−1 yr−1. Only 15.05% of the area within the tolerable rate of loss (below 11 ton ha−1yr−1) was considered as the least prioritized areas for maintenance of crop production. Despite the reasonable reduction of sediment yields by the management scenarios, the reduction by contour farming, slope terracing, zero free grazing and reforestation were still above the tolerable soil loss. Vegetative contour strips and soil bund were significant in reducing SY below the tolerable soil loss, which is equivalent to 63.9% and 64.8% reduction, respectively. In general, effective and sustainable soil erosion management requires not only prioritizations of the erosion hotspots but also prioritizations of the most effective management practices. We believe that the results provided new and updated insights that enable a proactive approach to preserve the soil and reduce land degradation risks that could allow resource regeneration.

scholarly journals Assessing the Potential of Nontraditional Water Sources for Landscape Irrigation

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul I. Cabrera ◽  
James E. Altland ◽  
Genhua Niu
Keyword(s):  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Aesthetic Quality ◽  
The Impact

Scarcity and competition for good quality and potable water resources are limiting their use for urban landscape irrigation, with several nontraditional sources being potentially available for these activities. Some of these alternative sources include rainwater, stormwater, brackish aquifer water, municipal reclaimed water (MRW), air-conditioning (A/C) condensates, and residential graywater. Knowledge on their inherent chemical profile and properties, and associated regional and temporal variability, is needed to assess their irrigation quality and potential short- and long-term effects on landscape plants and soils and to implement best management practices that successfully deal with their quality issues. The primary challenges with the use of these sources are largely associated with high concentrations of total salts and undesirable specific ions [sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), boron (B), and bicarbonate (HCO3−) alkalinity]. Although the impact of these alternative water sources has been largely devoted to human health, plant growth and aesthetic quality, and soil physicochemical properties, there is emergent interest in evaluating their effects on soil biological properties and in natural ecosystems neighboring the urban areas where they are applied.

scholarly journals Perceived vulnerability and propensity to adopt best management practices for huanglongbing disease of citrus in California

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Garcia Figuera ◽  
Holly Deniston-Sheets ◽  
Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell ◽  
Bruce Babcock ◽  
Mark Lubell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Preventive Practices ◽  
Citrus Groves ◽  
Plant Disease Management ◽  
The Impact

Huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus, associated with the bacterium “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus”, is confined to residential properties in Southern California eight years after it was first detected in the state. To prevent the spread of HLB to commercial citrus groves, growers have been asked to adopt a portfolio of voluntary best management practices. This study evaluates the citrus industry’s propensity to adopt these practices using surveys and a novel multivariate ordinal regression model. We estimate the impact on adoption of perceived vulnerability to HLB, intentions to stay informed and communicate about the disease and various socio-economic factors, and reveal what practices are most likely to be jointly adopted as an integrated approach to HLB. Survey participants were in favor of scouting and surveying for HLB symptoms, but they were reluctant to test trees, use early detection technologies (EDTs) or install barriers around citrus groves. Most practices were perceived as complementary, particularly visual inspections and some combinations of preventive practices with tests and EDTs. Participants who felt more vulnerable to HLB had a higher propensity to adopt several practices, as well as those who intended to stay informed and communicate with the coordinators of the HLB control program, although this effect was modulated by the perceived vulnerability to HLB. Communication with neighbors and the size of citrus operations also influenced practice adoption. Based on these results, we provide recommendations for outreach about HLB management in California and suggest future directions for research about the adoption of plant disease management practices.

scholarly journals The Role of Electric Power Sector in China’s Global Economic Expansion

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 188-202
Author(s):  
R. A. Epikhina
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Economic Expansion ◽  
The Impact

The article discusses some of the major characteristics and trends of China’s economic expansion in the global power industry. It argues that by investing in electricity infrastructure China creates prerequisites for long-term dominance in one of the key sectors in a number of countries and regions. Deals in the power sector are mainly implemented by state-owned companies and facilitated by state-owned financial institutions. In terms of structure and geography, foreign investment in the electricity sector is dominated by traditional types of generation in developing countries. However, China has been diversifying into renewables, nuclear power and grids and entering markets of the developed countries. The creation of a special international organization (GEIDCO) should facilitate its expansion in the electricity sector abroad. It is worth noting that foreign economic expansion plays an important role in supporting China’s slowing economy amid the transformation of its growth model. It allows China to adopt advanced technologies and best management practices in developed countries while forming alternative value chains, as well as promoting its own equipment and standards (especially in ultra-high voltage power transmission) in the developing countries. However, given the impact of the trade war, increasing securitization of the Chinese foreign investments, Chinese authorities’ control over capital outflows and the rising environmental concerns in developing countries, further expansion of the Chinese capital in the global electricity industry is likely to be held back, while competition from non-Chinese electricity companies is likely to grow.

scholarly journals Soil Temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain, Romania

1970 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David WEINDORF ◽  
Beatrix HAGGARD ◽  
Teodor RUSU ◽  
Horea CACOVEAN ◽  
Stephanie JOHNSON
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Annual Variation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Physicochemical Analysis ◽  
Slope Aspect ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Important Region ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
The Impact

The Transylvanian Plain, Romania is an important region for agronomic productivity. However, limited soils data and adoption of best management practices can hinder land productivity. Soil temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain were evaluated using a set of twenty datalogging stations positioned throughout the plain. Soil temperatures were monitored at the surface, 10 cm, 30 cm, and 50 cm, and soil moisture was monitored at 10 cm. Pedons were excavated, described, and sampled for physicochemical analysis. Preliminary results indicate that most soils of the Transylvanian Plain will have a mesic temperature regime. However, differences in seasonal warming and cooling trends across the plain were noted. These have important implications for planting recommendations. Some soils of the plain were noted to freeze at 50 cm, while others did not. Longer term study of temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain will average out annual variation in soil temperature and evaluate the impact of slope aspect, slope inclination, soil moisture, and physicochemical properties on soil temperatures.

scholarly journals Assessing the Impact of Best Management Practices in a Highly Anthropogenic and Ungauged Watershed Using the SWAT Model: A Case Study in the El Beal Watershed (Southeast Spain)

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrián López-Ballesteros ◽  
Javier Senent-Aparicio ◽  
Raghavan Srinivasan ◽  
Julio Pérez-Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Lagoon ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Check Dam ◽  
Best Management ◽  
The Impact

Best management practices (BMPs) provide a feasible solution for non-point source pollution problems. High sediment and nutrient yields without retention control result in environmental deterioration of surrounding areas. In the present study, the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model was developed for El Beal watershed, an anthropogenic and ungauged basin located in the southeast of Spain that drains into a coastal lagoon of high environmental value. The effectiveness of five BMPs (contour planting, filter strips, reforestation, fertilizer application and check dam restoration) was quantified, both individually and in combination, to test their impact on sediment and nutrient reduction. For calibration and validation processes, actual evapotranspiration (AET) data obtained from a remote sensing dataset called Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) were used. The SWAT model achieved good performance in the calibration period, with statistical values of 0.78 for Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE), 0.81 for coefficient of determination (R2), 0.58 for Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and 3.9% for percent bias (PBIAS), as well as in the validation period (KGE = 0.67, R2 = 0.83, NS = 0.53 and PBIAS = −25.3%). The results show that check dam restoration is the most effective BMP with a reduction of 90% in sediment yield (S), 15% in total nitrogen (TN) and 22% in total phosphorus (TP) at the watershed scale, followed by reforestation (S = 27%, TN = 16% and TP = 20%). All effectiveness values improved when BMPs were assessed in combination. The outcome of this study could provide guidance for decision makers in developing possible solutions for environmental problems in a coastal lagoon.

scholarly journals Review of attitudes and awareness in the agricultural industry to diffuse pollution issues

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Merrilees ◽  
A. Duncan
Keyword(s):  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Diffuse Pollution ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Agricultural Industry ◽  
Agricultural Enterprises ◽  
Farming Industry ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
The Impact

The Scottish Executive considers ‘Diffuse Pollution from Agricultural Enterprises’ as a priority issue over the next 5-10 years and recognises the need to improve knowledge transfer, advice and training amongst farmers, crofters, contractors and advisers. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency commissioned SAC to survey advisory staff on diffuse pollution issues, mitigation measures and delivery of environmental advice to the farming industry. This showed that the impact of agricultural diffuse pollution on the environment is considered a serious problem as is the future impact of legislation on farm business. There is an urgent requirement to raise advisers' awareness of environmental legislation and of mitigation measures. Advisers consider that farmers have limited awareness of diffuse pollution problems but those that do would consider the impact on the environment to be serious. There is a lack of knowledge on the effectiveness of pollution mitigation measures. Better technical information, supported by research, is required. This information is best conveyed to advisers via the internet, technical notes and directly by environmental specialists and delivered on to farmers by farm visits. Lack of funds prevents most farmers adopting best management practices and more than 80% of advisers consider that environmental advice should be free.

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