Maize Growth Responses to a Humic Product in Iowa Production Fields: An Extensive Approach

Field evaluations of commercial humic products have seldom involved replication across location or year. To evaluate the consistency of humic product efficacy in field conditions, we determined the effects of a humic product on maize (Zea mays L.) growth in high-yielding Midwestern (US) fields through the following two extensive approaches: (i) replicated strip plots in five site—year combinations from 2010 to 2013; and (ii) demonstration strips in 30–35 production fields annually from 2009 to 2011 that covered major areas of Iowa. Mechanized combine measurements of grain yield showed increases of 0.2–0.4 Mg ha–1 (1–4%) with humic product application for all five site—year combinations of the replicated strip plots. Six of 10 humic treatments within the fields responded positively (P < 0.07), and the positive responses of two more treatments approached significance at the benchmark of P = 0.10. In the demonstration strips, maize grain weight in hand-collected samples increased significantly (P < 0.004) with humic product application in each of the three growing seasons, and across all the three seasons by 6.5% (P < 0.001). Grain weight increased numerically for 76 of the 98 demonstration strips. Yield component analysis for both the replicated strip plots and the demonstration strips attributed the yield boosts largely to increased ear length, especially of the shorter ears. Humic product application caused significantly (P < 0.10) greater total leaf area in all eight field treatments at three site—year combinations. Humic product application did not consistently affect nutrient concentrations of the grain or stover or any measured soil property. These results represent among the widest geographic evaluations published on field efficacy of a humic product. They demonstrate the capability of a humic product to improve maize growth in high-yielding conditions.

Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Aplikasi Tentang Variasi Permainan Pencak Silat Berbasis Aplikasi Articulate Storyline

The purpose of this study is to develop a learning media product application of variations in the game of pencak silat for the fourth grade primary school KKG PJOK in Kedungkandang District, Malang City. This research uses the Research and Development method. The results of the learning expert evaluation were 73 percent, the media expert evaluation results were 96 percent, the game expert analysis results were 96 percent, the PJOK expert analysis results were 75 percent, the results of the analysis of the martial arts expert obtained 89 percent, the results of small group trials were obtained 84 percent and the results of large group trials were obtained 86 percent. Based on these results, it is concluded that products produced are stated to have accuracy, attractiveness, suitability, ease, clarity, and effectiveness for use. Abstrak: Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah yaitu mengembangkan sebuah produk media pembelajaran aplikasi tentang variasi permainan pencak silat untuk KKG PJOK Sekolah Dasar kelas IV di Kecamatan Kedungkandang Kota Malang. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Research and Development atau penelitian pengembangan. Hasil dari evaluasi pembelajaran diperoleh 73 persen, hasil dari evaluasi ahli media diperoleh 96 persen, hasil analisis ahli permainan diperoleh 96 persen, hasil analisis ahli PJOK diperoleh 75 persen, hasil analisis ahli pencak silat diperoleh 89 persen, hasil dari uji coba kelompok kecil diperoleh 84 persen dan hasil uji coba kelompok besar diperoleh 86 persen. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut disimpulkan bahwa produk yang dihasilkan dinyatakan memiliki ketepatan, kemenarikan, kesesuaian, kemudahan, kejelasan, dan keefektifan untuk digunakan.

A Novel and Sustainable Generation of Advanced Mud Gas Logging System for Managed Pressure Drilling Applications: An Explorative Well Deployment from North Germany

Summary In the high risk Managed Pressure Drilling operations, increased certainty given by Mud Logging is a critical deliverable to guarantee a safe drilling environment even under challenging conditions and, to provide the first indications for reservoir evaluation. This paper describes a novel product application that successfully obtains advanced mud gas data from a Managed Pressure Drilling environment, proven in flow-loop and field applications (in Lower Saxony, Germany), by reducing service footprint as well as power consumption.

Maize Growth and Grain Yield Responses to a Micronized Humic Product Across Soil Types and Annual Weather Patterns in Central Iowa, United States

Despite growing interest in humic products as crop amendments, very few field evaluations have considered environmental factors of humic product efficacy. We determined the spatial and temporal variability in the efficacy of a micronized humic product on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and grain yield in two rainfed fields supporting a maize−soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in 2012–2014, and 2016 in central Iowa, U.S. Crop management in both fields otherwise followed conventional farmer practices. In two dry growing seasons, mechanized combine measurements of grain yield increased significantly (P < 0.10) with humic product application on an eroded hilltop soil, amounting for two application rates to 930 and 1,600 kg ha–1 (11 and 19% of the control grain yield) in 2012, the droughtiest season, and 700 kg ha–1 (7% of the control) for the higher application rate in the somewhat droughty 2013 season. On a fertile side slope soil in the 2012 field, though, only a faint numeric response occurred in 2012, while on a toe slope soil the sole significant increase was in 2012, 870 kg ha–1 (14% increase above the control) for one application rate. With favorable rainfall in 2014 and 2016, significant grain yield increases with product application were small in the upland soil of 2014 and absent in 2016. Yield components analysis on 1-m row lengths of hand-collected samples attributed these yield boosts primarily to increased ear length, especially of the shorter ears. Combine grain yields, yield components, and total leaf area all demonstrated numerically slightly greater values for humic product treatments compared to the control in the vast majority of comparisons across years and soil types, with better distinction in the upland transects. Statistical significance, though, was reached only in the droughtier settings. The humic product had no consistent effects on nutrient concentrations of the grain, stover, or young leaves. Grain quality parameters showed a slight shift from protein to carbohydrates in the droughtier settings. Fifteen soil properties showed no response to the humic product. This humic product demonstrated the capability to improve maize growth in rainfed conditions in a high-yielding region, and its efficacy varied predictably with environmental conditions. This finding provides one potential explanation for inconsistent reports elsewhere of crop responses to humic products.

Efficiency of dust control products in suppression of wind-induced dust emission from soils

<p>Surfaces of disturbed soils are subjected to dust PM10 (particulate matter < 10 µm) emission by wind process regardless of human activities such as vehicles (wheels) traveling. However, there is little quantitative information on the efficiency of dust control products in suppression of wind-induced dust emission. The study aimed to fill this clear gap using wind-tunnel experiments under laboratory and field conditions. Diverse dust control products of synthetic and organic polymers (Lignin, Resin, Bitumen, PVA, Brine) were tested. In the first stage, the products were tested under controlled-laboratory conditions. In the second stage, the products were tested in unpaved roads of an active quarry after the transportation of quarry-haul trucks in two time points after the product application. The results show that in most of the plots the dust emission increases with the wind velocity. PM10 fluxes from the road surface in each plot were calculated to determine the effectiveness of the dust control products. Some products significantly reduced the dust emission, especially the magnesium chloride brine. Additional experiments revealed that the brine can be applied with reduced amount than that of the recommended amount while keeping on low dust emission.</p>