The topic was the usage of 'salvaged' heat from exhaust air in the dairy barn. Rocks woul... more The topic was the usage of 'salvaged' heat from exhaust air in the dairy barn. Rocks would be used to collect and to hold waste heat from the vents. This article discusses a heat exchange method tested in a small barn and used successfully in the large (l20-cow) freestall N DSU dairy barn. The ventilation system uses field rocks to absorb the heat from the exhaust air and return it to the barn in the intake air by reversing the ventilating fan.
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, Jul 1, 1999
Crambe seed (Crambe abyssinica) is an excellent, recently established source of high-erucic acid ... more Crambe seed (Crambe abyssinica) is an excellent, recently established source of high-erucic acid oil. Erucic acid has a number of important and potential applications. To develop this potential, a rapid bench-scale method was desired whereby purified erucic acid in up to several 100-g quantities could be produced from crambe seed. Using the method developed, oil was expressed from dried, intact seed; clarified, degummed, and bleached; and saponified and acidified to obtain the free fatty acids. Analysis by inductively coupled plasma of the free fatty acids showed negligible levels of phosphorus and most minerals. Erucic acid was twice crystallized from 95% ethanol at −14°C, resulting in a purity of 87.1%. This process yielded 365 g erucic acid crystals per kg bleached oil. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that the prepared erucic acid had an excellent pattern of correlation with a commercial standard. The time needed to convert 1 kg of crambe seed to erucic acid is about 48 h. Crystal filtration and drying stages under the current process conditions require 30% of the overall time. The method is suitable for producing adequate quantities of erucic acid for use in studies of its bench-scale conversion. There is obviously, still, a fruitful field of work to be explored in the formalization of refining procedures for crambe oil. It seems that crambe is destined to continue expansion into the higherucic acid oil markets.
Ridge tillage is a crop production system intermediate be tween no-till and conventional pre-plan... more Ridge tillage is a crop production system intermediate be tween no-till and conventional pre-plant tillage systems. It gen erally is used for row crops and is characterized by three tillage operations per year: in-row tillage at planting time, cultivation for weed control, and late season cultivation for rebuilding the ridges. Ridge tillage reduces spring field work compared to conventional seedbed preparation where several pre-plant till age operations usually occur.
Crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochist.) is a member of the mustard (Cruciferae) family which includes... more Crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochist.) is a member of the mustard (Cruciferae) family which includes crops such as rapeseed, canola and tame mustard. It is native to the Mediter ranean region and was first introduced into the United States during the 1940s. Crambe has been grown at North Dakota research centers intennittently since 1958. Crambe seed yields an industrial oil which contains a high level of-erucic acid. Erucic acid can be used in the industrial manufacture of slip agents, plasticizers, surfactants, floatation agents and corrosion inhibitors. Other uses for the oil include the manufacture of lubricant additives, dielectric fluids, paints, nylon and resins. Crambe is adapted to the climate and soils of North Dakota. Renewed interest in specialty crops has stimulated research and limited production ofcrambe. Inputs and management practices are similar to small grains (Endres and Schatz, 1991). Fertilizer recommendations for commercial crambe production have been initially established in North Dakota (Dahnke and Fanning, 1991), based on a limited number of studies over the past 20 years and the researchers' experience. This discussion will review research that has been conducted and published concerning crambe responses to fertilizer.
Animal agricultural businesses strive to improve efficiencies, reduce input costs, and maintain h... more Animal agricultural businesses strive to improve efficiencies, reduce input costs, and maintain healthy animals with minimal disease control intervention. Bovine respiratory disease is a disease complex that increases when cattle are reared in confinement costing the North American beef cattle industry three-billion dollars or more annually. Principles of soil health define the need to reduce tillage, keep the soil surface covered, rotate crops and plant cover crops for greater plant diversity, maintain living roots in the soil for as long as possible, and integrate livestock grazing into cropping systems. As beef calves age they experience more viral and microbial challenges which stimulate an immune system response resulting in greater disease resilience and well-being when commingled with unfamiliar cattle for confinement feedlot finishing. Wintering calves after weaning in November for modest growth of 0.59 kg/day (1.30 lbs./day) combined with integrated grazing of a sequence of native range and annual forages grown in a diverse multi-crop rotation is a management mechanism that increases calf age (200 + days), promotes structural growth, and delays feedlot entry. Retaining ownership using a vertically integrated business model from birth to slaughter accounting for all business inputs and outputs has resulted in improved environmental balance and business profitability.
Erosion of open fields in North Dakota is greatest in winter and spring seasons when crops are no... more Erosion of open fields in North Dakota is greatest in winter and spring seasons when crops are not growing. Wind picks up soil from these exposed fields and deposits it over the entire region. Nitrate-N and Bicarbonate Soluble Phosphorus are deposited along banks of streams, fill road and drainage ditches inn little 'dune-like' mounds. These two chemicals can contaminate surface and ground water supplies. The degree to which these contaminants pollute waterways and the environ is directly in proportion to amount of rainfall and wind - erosion events.
Organic agroecological systems "produce goods using methods that preserve the environment" but ca... more Organic agroecological systems "produce goods using methods that preserve the environment" but can be a substantial source of greenhouse gases (GHG) if not managed properly. The objective of this experiment was to monitor nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) transformations in soils resulting from N additions, water filled pore space (WFPS) and prior tillage management during a simulated freeze-thaw. Incubated soils were taken from two USDA certified organic five-year small grain rotations with mixed legume cover crops that varied only in tillage, conventional (CT) vs. no-tillage (NT) for 3 yr prior to sampling. Soils incubated for 149 d were left unamended or amended with 15 N labelled urea or sugar beet residue and maintained at 40, 60 and 80% WFPS. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) verified that soils amended with beet vs urea clustered separately in ordination space. A two way Per-MANOVA analysis confirmed a significant interaction between WFPS and N amendment (p ¼ 0.0002). Prior tillage management, N treatment and WFPS had a significant effect on GHG emission from soils. At 40% WFPS, soil previously in NT amended with beet residues emitted more nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) relative to soil previously in CT. At 60% WFPS, soil previously in CT amended with beet residues emitted greater N 2 O and less CO 2 relative to soil previously in NT. Our research indicates that climate, carbon stocks and duration of prior tillage management determined the potential of no-till to reduce GHG emissions during a simulated freeze-thaw. Growers should note that as much as 4.51% of nitrates (NO 3 À) in residues can be lost as N 2 O at an average soil temperature of 10 C.
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, Jan 12, 2017
The fertility and soil health of organic agroecosystems are determined in part by the size and tu... more The fertility and soil health of organic agroecosystems are determined in part by the size and turnover rate of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. Our research contrasts the effects of best management practices (BMP) (reduction in soil disturbance, addition of organic amendments) on C and N cycling in soils from two field sites representing five organic agroecosystems. Total soil organic C (SOC), a standard measure of soil health, contains equal amounts of biologically and non-biologically active C that is not associated with release of mineral N. A three-pool first-order model can be used to estimate the size and turnover rates of C pools but requires data from a long-term incubation. Our research highlights the use of two rapid C fractions, hydrolysable and permanganate (0.02 M) oxidizable C, to assess shifts in biologically active C. Adoption of BMP in organic management systems reduced the partitioning of C to the active pool while augmenting the slow pool C. These pools are associated with potentially mineralizable N supplied by residues, amendments and soil organic matter affecting the concentration and release of mineral N to crops. Our data show that minimizing disturbance (no tillage, pasture) and mixed compost additions have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while enhancing slow pool C and or its turnover, a reservoir of nutrients available to the soil biota. Use of these rapid, sensitive indicators of biological C activity will aid growers in determining whether a BMP fosters nutrient loss or retention prior to shifts in total SOC.
Diverse crop rotations, cover crops and the possibility of integrating livestock make organic sys... more Diverse crop rotations, cover crops and the possibility of integrating livestock make organic systems potentially more sustainable than other agroecosystems. Lower reactive nitrogen (N) in organic systems minimizes the potential for N losses. However, addition of organic manures and residues containing mineralizable N and carbon (C) have the potential to enhance nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions. We conducted a 39 d laboratory incubation to assess key microbiological drivers controlling nitrification and denitrification in long-term organic agroecosystems during simulated freeze-thaw cycles. Soils were collected from two annual organic vegetable systems receiving 1) mixed-compost, or 2) broiler litter and 3) an organic perennial pasture system cropped to vegetables every third year. Soil microcosms amended with 15 N labelled sugar beet residue or unamended were maintained at 40, 60 and 80% of water filled pore space (WFPS). Significant N 2 O was emitted (4287-6138 µg kg-1 soil) via denitrification from amended soil microcosms at 3 °C and 80% WFPS. Archaeal (AOA) and bacterial (AOB) nitrifier amoA gene copies were affected by temperature and reactive N species during freeze-thaws. Long-term organic vegetable cropping systems receiving mixed-compost additions had the potential to accumulate C and immobilize excess reactive soil N (particularly nitrates) thereby improving soil health and reducing N 2 O emissions.
Reports of sulfur (S) deficiency symptoms in corn (Zea mays L.) fields of the Red River Valley of... more Reports of sulfur (S) deficiency symptoms in corn (Zea mays L.) fields of the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota are increasing. Current soil tests cannot predict the availability of S correctly due to the presence of gypsum in soils of this region. Field trials were conducted to determine corn yield and S uptake response to incremental applications of S (0, 11, 22, 33, and 44 kg S ha–1) in the form of ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4]. Corn yield and S uptake varied significantly between sites. Out of 12 sites, only two sites had the highest corn yield without S application. Corn grain S removal ranged between 11 and 17 kg S ha–1 at harvest. Fertilizer‐S (SO4) application did not result in a significant yield response. The current recommendation of 11 kg S ha–1 may be necessary to reduce the risk of future S deficiency across this region and compensate for the removal of S in grain due to the uncertainty of adequate plant available S.
Agent Blue, a mixture of cacodylic acid (CH 3) As O 2 H) and sodium cacodylate (C 2 H 6 AsNaO 2),... more Agent Blue, a mixture of cacodylic acid (CH 3) As O 2 H) and sodium cacodylate (C 2 H 6 AsNaO 2), was a tactical arsenic-based herbicide used during the Vietnam War to destroy grasses and rice crops. Natural and synthetic sources of arsenic can degrade into water-soluble forms and persist in groundwater and potentially contribute to elevating As levels in drinking water. The United States Department of Defense (DOD) and United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) Operation Ranch Hand records for tactical herbicides including Agent Blue sprayed in southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War (1961-1971) are very detailed, rather complete and publicly available. The same is not true for tactical herbicides sprayed by the Republic of Vietnam (RV) during the Khai Quang program which was supported by the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the Mekong Delta. Agent Blue was sprayed by the RV military for three years before the official start of the American-Vietnam War. Few, if any, RV military, US Army, US Navy and CIA spray records exist from 1962 to 1965. Vietnam War veterans, historians and scholars have reported the spraying of 3.2 million liters (468,008 kg As) of Agent Blue on rice paddies and mangrove forests in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands by the RV military with the support of the US Army, US Navy and CIA. The Institute of Medicine estimated that 3.2 million liters (468,000 kg As) were sprayed during the RV Khai Quang program. This was in addition to the U.S. Air Force's Operation Ranch Hand spraying of the tactical herbicide Agent Blue primarily by C-123 aircraft. The Operation Ranch Hand missions maintained location and quantities of her-How to cite this paper: Olson, K.R. and Cihacek, L.
Soil Science Society of America Journal, Jul 1, 1979
Studies with 33 soils selected to obtain a wide range in properties showed that the surface area ... more Studies with 33 soils selected to obtain a wide range in properties showed that the surface area values obtained by an ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGME) procedure that omitted the customary pretreatments to remove organic matter and saturate the soil sample with Ca" + were similar to, and very highly significantly correlated with, the values obtained when these time-consuming pretreatments were included. The surface area values obtained by the simplified EGME procedure were very highly significantly correlated with the clay contents and cation-exchange capacities of the soils studied.
Soil test procedures used during the aggregation of soil tests compiled in this summary are detai... more Soil test procedures used during the aggregation of soil tests compiled in this summary are detailed in the publications edited by Dahnke (1980, 1988). Some of these tests have been modified since 1992, and the interpretations and recommendations certainly have been as well.
Eurasian Chemico-Technological Journal, May 23, 2012
Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a significant component of the world production of vegetable oils. M... more Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a significant component of the world production of vegetable oils. Mustard is a thermophilic and very drought-resistant plant well adapted for dry continental climates. Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a drought-resistant crop which can tolerate water stress and can be grown in rotation with other crop species. Mustard is relatively undemanding to soil and it can even grow on saline soils. The nutrients most important for the growth and development of mustard are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). The study was conducted during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 growing seasons on a meadow chestnut soil at the "Agrouniversity" experiment station of the Kazakh National Agrarian University at Almaty, Kazakhstan to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers on the production of mustard in short crop rotations. Nitrogen rates of 0,40 and 75 kg ha-1 gave seed yields of 1.628, 2.095 and 2.191 Mg ha-1 , respectively. Protein yields were 0.402, 0.543 and 0.573 Mg ha-1 and oil yields were 0.352, 0.498 and 0.505 mg ha-1 for the three respective N rates. Seed, protein and oil yields were 119%, 123% and 127%, respectively, when soil test P was increased to 25 kg ha-1 from 15 kg ha-1 indicating a need to maintain high soil P in mustard production systems.
The topic was the usage of 'salvaged' heat from exhaust air in the dairy barn. Rocks woul... more The topic was the usage of 'salvaged' heat from exhaust air in the dairy barn. Rocks would be used to collect and to hold waste heat from the vents. This article discusses a heat exchange method tested in a small barn and used successfully in the large (l20-cow) freestall N DSU dairy barn. The ventilation system uses field rocks to absorb the heat from the exhaust air and return it to the barn in the intake air by reversing the ventilating fan.
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, Jul 1, 1999
Crambe seed (Crambe abyssinica) is an excellent, recently established source of high-erucic acid ... more Crambe seed (Crambe abyssinica) is an excellent, recently established source of high-erucic acid oil. Erucic acid has a number of important and potential applications. To develop this potential, a rapid bench-scale method was desired whereby purified erucic acid in up to several 100-g quantities could be produced from crambe seed. Using the method developed, oil was expressed from dried, intact seed; clarified, degummed, and bleached; and saponified and acidified to obtain the free fatty acids. Analysis by inductively coupled plasma of the free fatty acids showed negligible levels of phosphorus and most minerals. Erucic acid was twice crystallized from 95% ethanol at −14°C, resulting in a purity of 87.1%. This process yielded 365 g erucic acid crystals per kg bleached oil. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that the prepared erucic acid had an excellent pattern of correlation with a commercial standard. The time needed to convert 1 kg of crambe seed to erucic acid is about 48 h. Crystal filtration and drying stages under the current process conditions require 30% of the overall time. The method is suitable for producing adequate quantities of erucic acid for use in studies of its bench-scale conversion. There is obviously, still, a fruitful field of work to be explored in the formalization of refining procedures for crambe oil. It seems that crambe is destined to continue expansion into the higherucic acid oil markets.
Ridge tillage is a crop production system intermediate be tween no-till and conventional pre-plan... more Ridge tillage is a crop production system intermediate be tween no-till and conventional pre-plant tillage systems. It gen erally is used for row crops and is characterized by three tillage operations per year: in-row tillage at planting time, cultivation for weed control, and late season cultivation for rebuilding the ridges. Ridge tillage reduces spring field work compared to conventional seedbed preparation where several pre-plant till age operations usually occur.
Crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochist.) is a member of the mustard (Cruciferae) family which includes... more Crambe (Crambe abyssinica Hochist.) is a member of the mustard (Cruciferae) family which includes crops such as rapeseed, canola and tame mustard. It is native to the Mediter ranean region and was first introduced into the United States during the 1940s. Crambe has been grown at North Dakota research centers intennittently since 1958. Crambe seed yields an industrial oil which contains a high level of-erucic acid. Erucic acid can be used in the industrial manufacture of slip agents, plasticizers, surfactants, floatation agents and corrosion inhibitors. Other uses for the oil include the manufacture of lubricant additives, dielectric fluids, paints, nylon and resins. Crambe is adapted to the climate and soils of North Dakota. Renewed interest in specialty crops has stimulated research and limited production ofcrambe. Inputs and management practices are similar to small grains (Endres and Schatz, 1991). Fertilizer recommendations for commercial crambe production have been initially established in North Dakota (Dahnke and Fanning, 1991), based on a limited number of studies over the past 20 years and the researchers' experience. This discussion will review research that has been conducted and published concerning crambe responses to fertilizer.
Animal agricultural businesses strive to improve efficiencies, reduce input costs, and maintain h... more Animal agricultural businesses strive to improve efficiencies, reduce input costs, and maintain healthy animals with minimal disease control intervention. Bovine respiratory disease is a disease complex that increases when cattle are reared in confinement costing the North American beef cattle industry three-billion dollars or more annually. Principles of soil health define the need to reduce tillage, keep the soil surface covered, rotate crops and plant cover crops for greater plant diversity, maintain living roots in the soil for as long as possible, and integrate livestock grazing into cropping systems. As beef calves age they experience more viral and microbial challenges which stimulate an immune system response resulting in greater disease resilience and well-being when commingled with unfamiliar cattle for confinement feedlot finishing. Wintering calves after weaning in November for modest growth of 0.59 kg/day (1.30 lbs./day) combined with integrated grazing of a sequence of native range and annual forages grown in a diverse multi-crop rotation is a management mechanism that increases calf age (200 + days), promotes structural growth, and delays feedlot entry. Retaining ownership using a vertically integrated business model from birth to slaughter accounting for all business inputs and outputs has resulted in improved environmental balance and business profitability.
Erosion of open fields in North Dakota is greatest in winter and spring seasons when crops are no... more Erosion of open fields in North Dakota is greatest in winter and spring seasons when crops are not growing. Wind picks up soil from these exposed fields and deposits it over the entire region. Nitrate-N and Bicarbonate Soluble Phosphorus are deposited along banks of streams, fill road and drainage ditches inn little 'dune-like' mounds. These two chemicals can contaminate surface and ground water supplies. The degree to which these contaminants pollute waterways and the environ is directly in proportion to amount of rainfall and wind - erosion events.
Organic agroecological systems "produce goods using methods that preserve the environment" but ca... more Organic agroecological systems "produce goods using methods that preserve the environment" but can be a substantial source of greenhouse gases (GHG) if not managed properly. The objective of this experiment was to monitor nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) transformations in soils resulting from N additions, water filled pore space (WFPS) and prior tillage management during a simulated freeze-thaw. Incubated soils were taken from two USDA certified organic five-year small grain rotations with mixed legume cover crops that varied only in tillage, conventional (CT) vs. no-tillage (NT) for 3 yr prior to sampling. Soils incubated for 149 d were left unamended or amended with 15 N labelled urea or sugar beet residue and maintained at 40, 60 and 80% WFPS. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) verified that soils amended with beet vs urea clustered separately in ordination space. A two way Per-MANOVA analysis confirmed a significant interaction between WFPS and N amendment (p ¼ 0.0002). Prior tillage management, N treatment and WFPS had a significant effect on GHG emission from soils. At 40% WFPS, soil previously in NT amended with beet residues emitted more nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO 2) relative to soil previously in CT. At 60% WFPS, soil previously in CT amended with beet residues emitted greater N 2 O and less CO 2 relative to soil previously in NT. Our research indicates that climate, carbon stocks and duration of prior tillage management determined the potential of no-till to reduce GHG emissions during a simulated freeze-thaw. Growers should note that as much as 4.51% of nitrates (NO 3 À) in residues can be lost as N 2 O at an average soil temperature of 10 C.
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, Jan 12, 2017
The fertility and soil health of organic agroecosystems are determined in part by the size and tu... more The fertility and soil health of organic agroecosystems are determined in part by the size and turnover rate of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. Our research contrasts the effects of best management practices (BMP) (reduction in soil disturbance, addition of organic amendments) on C and N cycling in soils from two field sites representing five organic agroecosystems. Total soil organic C (SOC), a standard measure of soil health, contains equal amounts of biologically and non-biologically active C that is not associated with release of mineral N. A three-pool first-order model can be used to estimate the size and turnover rates of C pools but requires data from a long-term incubation. Our research highlights the use of two rapid C fractions, hydrolysable and permanganate (0.02 M) oxidizable C, to assess shifts in biologically active C. Adoption of BMP in organic management systems reduced the partitioning of C to the active pool while augmenting the slow pool C. These pools are associated with potentially mineralizable N supplied by residues, amendments and soil organic matter affecting the concentration and release of mineral N to crops. Our data show that minimizing disturbance (no tillage, pasture) and mixed compost additions have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while enhancing slow pool C and or its turnover, a reservoir of nutrients available to the soil biota. Use of these rapid, sensitive indicators of biological C activity will aid growers in determining whether a BMP fosters nutrient loss or retention prior to shifts in total SOC.
Diverse crop rotations, cover crops and the possibility of integrating livestock make organic sys... more Diverse crop rotations, cover crops and the possibility of integrating livestock make organic systems potentially more sustainable than other agroecosystems. Lower reactive nitrogen (N) in organic systems minimizes the potential for N losses. However, addition of organic manures and residues containing mineralizable N and carbon (C) have the potential to enhance nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions. We conducted a 39 d laboratory incubation to assess key microbiological drivers controlling nitrification and denitrification in long-term organic agroecosystems during simulated freeze-thaw cycles. Soils were collected from two annual organic vegetable systems receiving 1) mixed-compost, or 2) broiler litter and 3) an organic perennial pasture system cropped to vegetables every third year. Soil microcosms amended with 15 N labelled sugar beet residue or unamended were maintained at 40, 60 and 80% of water filled pore space (WFPS). Significant N 2 O was emitted (4287-6138 µg kg-1 soil) via denitrification from amended soil microcosms at 3 °C and 80% WFPS. Archaeal (AOA) and bacterial (AOB) nitrifier amoA gene copies were affected by temperature and reactive N species during freeze-thaws. Long-term organic vegetable cropping systems receiving mixed-compost additions had the potential to accumulate C and immobilize excess reactive soil N (particularly nitrates) thereby improving soil health and reducing N 2 O emissions.
Reports of sulfur (S) deficiency symptoms in corn (Zea mays L.) fields of the Red River Valley of... more Reports of sulfur (S) deficiency symptoms in corn (Zea mays L.) fields of the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota are increasing. Current soil tests cannot predict the availability of S correctly due to the presence of gypsum in soils of this region. Field trials were conducted to determine corn yield and S uptake response to incremental applications of S (0, 11, 22, 33, and 44 kg S ha–1) in the form of ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4]. Corn yield and S uptake varied significantly between sites. Out of 12 sites, only two sites had the highest corn yield without S application. Corn grain S removal ranged between 11 and 17 kg S ha–1 at harvest. Fertilizer‐S (SO4) application did not result in a significant yield response. The current recommendation of 11 kg S ha–1 may be necessary to reduce the risk of future S deficiency across this region and compensate for the removal of S in grain due to the uncertainty of adequate plant available S.
Agent Blue, a mixture of cacodylic acid (CH 3) As O 2 H) and sodium cacodylate (C 2 H 6 AsNaO 2),... more Agent Blue, a mixture of cacodylic acid (CH 3) As O 2 H) and sodium cacodylate (C 2 H 6 AsNaO 2), was a tactical arsenic-based herbicide used during the Vietnam War to destroy grasses and rice crops. Natural and synthetic sources of arsenic can degrade into water-soluble forms and persist in groundwater and potentially contribute to elevating As levels in drinking water. The United States Department of Defense (DOD) and United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) Operation Ranch Hand records for tactical herbicides including Agent Blue sprayed in southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War (1961-1971) are very detailed, rather complete and publicly available. The same is not true for tactical herbicides sprayed by the Republic of Vietnam (RV) during the Khai Quang program which was supported by the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the Mekong Delta. Agent Blue was sprayed by the RV military for three years before the official start of the American-Vietnam War. Few, if any, RV military, US Army, US Navy and CIA spray records exist from 1962 to 1965. Vietnam War veterans, historians and scholars have reported the spraying of 3.2 million liters (468,008 kg As) of Agent Blue on rice paddies and mangrove forests in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands by the RV military with the support of the US Army, US Navy and CIA. The Institute of Medicine estimated that 3.2 million liters (468,000 kg As) were sprayed during the RV Khai Quang program. This was in addition to the U.S. Air Force's Operation Ranch Hand spraying of the tactical herbicide Agent Blue primarily by C-123 aircraft. The Operation Ranch Hand missions maintained location and quantities of her-How to cite this paper: Olson, K.R. and Cihacek, L.
Soil Science Society of America Journal, Jul 1, 1979
Studies with 33 soils selected to obtain a wide range in properties showed that the surface area ... more Studies with 33 soils selected to obtain a wide range in properties showed that the surface area values obtained by an ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGME) procedure that omitted the customary pretreatments to remove organic matter and saturate the soil sample with Ca" + were similar to, and very highly significantly correlated with, the values obtained when these time-consuming pretreatments were included. The surface area values obtained by the simplified EGME procedure were very highly significantly correlated with the clay contents and cation-exchange capacities of the soils studied.
Soil test procedures used during the aggregation of soil tests compiled in this summary are detai... more Soil test procedures used during the aggregation of soil tests compiled in this summary are detailed in the publications edited by Dahnke (1980, 1988). Some of these tests have been modified since 1992, and the interpretations and recommendations certainly have been as well.
Eurasian Chemico-Technological Journal, May 23, 2012
Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a significant component of the world production of vegetable oils. M... more Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a significant component of the world production of vegetable oils. Mustard is a thermophilic and very drought-resistant plant well adapted for dry continental climates. Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a drought-resistant crop which can tolerate water stress and can be grown in rotation with other crop species. Mustard is relatively undemanding to soil and it can even grow on saline soils. The nutrients most important for the growth and development of mustard are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). The study was conducted during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 growing seasons on a meadow chestnut soil at the "Agrouniversity" experiment station of the Kazakh National Agrarian University at Almaty, Kazakhstan to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers on the production of mustard in short crop rotations. Nitrogen rates of 0,40 and 75 kg ha-1 gave seed yields of 1.628, 2.095 and 2.191 Mg ha-1 , respectively. Protein yields were 0.402, 0.543 and 0.573 Mg ha-1 and oil yields were 0.352, 0.498 and 0.505 mg ha-1 for the three respective N rates. Seed, protein and oil yields were 119%, 123% and 127%, respectively, when soil test P was increased to 25 kg ha-1 from 15 kg ha-1 indicating a need to maintain high soil P in mustard production systems.
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