scholarly journals Birds suppress pests in corn but release them in soybean crops within a mixed prairie/agriculture system

The Condor ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan B Garfinkel ◽  
Emily S Minor ◽  
Christopher J Whelan
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Beneficial Arthropods ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Crop Fields ◽  
Field Corn ◽  
Corn Rootworms ◽  
Yield Gain ◽  
Crop Agriculture ◽  
Mixed Prairie

Abstract Birds provide ecosystem services (pest control) in many agroecosystems and have neutral or negative ecological effects (disservices) in others. Large-scale, conventional row crop agriculture is extremely widespread globally, yet few studies of bird effects take place in these agroecosystems. We studied indirect effects of insectivorous birds on corn and soybean crops in fields adjacent to a prairie in Illinois (USA). We hypothesized that prairie birds would forage for arthropods in adjacent crop fields and that the magnitude of services or disservices would decrease with distance from the prairie. We used bird-excluding cages over crops to examine the net effect of birds on corn and soybean grain yield. We also conducted DNA metabarcoding to identify arthropod prey in fecal samples from captured birds. Our exclosure experiments revealed that birds provided net services in corn and net disservices in soybeans. Distance from prairie was not a significant predictor of exclosure treatment effect in either crop. Many bird fecal samples contained DNA from both beneficial arthropods and known economically significant pests of corn, but few economically significant pests of soybeans. Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), one of our most captured species, most commonly consumed corn rootworms, an economically significant pest of corn crops. We estimated that birds in this system provided a service worth approximately US $275 ha−1 in corn yield gain, and a disservice valued at approximately $348 ha−1 in soybean yield loss. Our study is the first to demonstrate that birds can provide substantial and economically valuable services in field corn, and disservices in soybean crops. The contrasting findings in the 2 crop systems suggest a range of bird impacts within widespread agroecosystems and demonstrate the importance of quantifying net trophic effects.

scholarly journals Floral Plantings in Large-Scale Commercial Agroecosystems Support Both Pollinators and Arthropod Predators

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Eric G. Middleton ◽  
Ian V. MacRae ◽  
Christopher R. Philips
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Field Margins ◽  
Crop Fields ◽  
Pollinator Abundance ◽  
Arthropod Predators ◽  
Commercial Potato ◽  
Insect Populations ◽  
Beneficial Insect ◽  
Potato Crops

Beneficial insect populations and the services that they provide are in decline, largely due to agricultural land use and practices. Establishing perennial floral plantings in the unused margins of crop fields can help conserve beneficial pollinators and predators in commercial agroecosystems. We assessed the impacts of floral plantings on both pollinators and arthropod predators when established adjacent to conventionally managed commercial potato fields. Floral plantings significantly increased the abundance of pollinators within floral margins compared with unmanaged margins. Increased floral cover within margins led to significantly greater pollinator abundance as well. The overall abundance of arthropod predators was also significantly increased in floral plantings, although it was unrelated to the amount of floral cover. Within adjacent potato crops, the presence of floral plantings in field margins had no effect on the abundance of pollinators or predators, although higher floral cover in margins did marginally increase in-crop pollinator abundance. Establishing floral plantings of this kind on a large scale in commercial agroecosystems can help conserve both pollinators and predators, but may not increase ecosystem services in nearby crops.

Response of Corn to Preemergence and Postemergence Applications of Saflufenacil

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nader Soltani ◽  
Christy Shropshire ◽  
Peter H. Sikkema
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Petroleum Hydrocarbons ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Yield Losses ◽  
Leaf Stage ◽  
Field Corn ◽  
Corn Field ◽  
Use Pattern

Saflufenacil (BAS 800H) is a new herbicide being developed by BASF for PRE broadleaf weed control in corn. Field studies were conducted at two Ontario locations in 2006 and 2007 to evaluate the tolerance of field corn to PRE and POST (spike and two- to three-leaf corn) applications of saflufenacil at 50, 100, and 200 g ai/ha with and without an adjuvant (surfactant blend + solvent [petroleum hydrocarbons]; 1% v/v). Saflufenacil applied PRE reduced corn height by as much as 12% with the highest rate of 200 g/ha; however, corn yield was not affected. When saflufenacil was applied without an adjuvant to corn at the spike stage, injury was as much as 12%, 7 d after treatment (DAT). However, corn height and yield were not affected. Saflufenacil applied POST to two- to three-leaf corn at 50 to 200 g/ha without an adjuvant resulted in as much as 25% injury and reduced corn height 31% but did not affect yield. Adding an adjuvant to POST applications of saflufenacil caused as much as 4 and 99% injury, reduced corn height 13 and 77%, and reduced corn yield 0 and 59% when applied to corn at the spike and at the two- to three-leaf stages, respectively. Based on these results, saflufenacil applied PRE can be safely used in corn at rates up to 200 g/ha. Saflufenacil applied to corn at the spike and two- to three-leaf stage at 50 or 100 g/ha without an adjuvant demonstrated acceptable corn tolerance and may allow for the use of saflufenacil beyond the proposed PRE use pattern. In contrast, applying saflufenacil POST with an adjuvant to spike and two- to three-leaf stage corn resulted in unacceptable injury and yield losses in field corn.

scholarly journals Effect of a Synbiotic Yogurt on Levels of Fecal Bifidobacteria, Clostridia, and Enterobacteria

2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 933-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amrita Palaria ◽  
Ivy Johnson-Kanda ◽  
Daniel J. O'Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Washout Period ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Crossover Design ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Human Intestine ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Bifidobacterium Animalis ◽  
Microbial Groups

ABSTRACTWhile ingestion of synbiotic yogurts containingBifidobacterium animalissubsp.lactisand inulin is increasing, their effect on certain microbial groups in the human intestine is unclear. To further investigate this, a large-scale, crossover-design, placebo-controlled study was utilized to evaluate the effect of a synbiotic yogurt containingB. animalissubsp.lactisBb-12 and inulin on the human intestinal bifidobacteria, clostridia, and enterobacteria. Fecal samples were collected at 14 time points from 46 volunteers who completed the study, and changes in the intestinal bacterial levels were monitored using real-time PCR. Strain Bb-12 could not be detected in feces after 2 weeks of washout. A live/dead PCR procedure indicated that the Bb-12 strain detected in the fecal samples was alive. A significant increase (P< 0.001) in the total bifidobacterial numbers was seen in both groups of subjects during the final washout period compared to the prefeeding period. This increase in total bifidobacteria corresponded with a significant decrease (P< 0.05) in numbers of clostridia but not enterobacteria. No significant differences in numbers of bifidobacteria, clostridia, or enterobacteria were observed between the probiotic and placebo groups during any of the feeding periods. However, subgrouping subjects based on lower initial bifidobacterial numbers or higher initial clostridial numbers did show corresponding significant differences between the synbiotic yogurt and placebo groups. This was not observed for a subgroup with higher initial enterobacterial numbers. While this synbiotic yogurt can increase bifidobacterial numbers and decrease clostridial numbers (but not enterobacterial numbers) in some individuals, it cannot modulate these microbial groups in the majority of individuals.

scholarly journals How Kansas Crop Consultants Scout for Western Corn Rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Field Corn

2007 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-11
Author(s):  
C. A. Daves ◽  
R. A. Higgins ◽  
P. E. Sloderbeck ◽  
G. E. Wilde ◽  
R. J. Whitworth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Corn ◽  
Corn Rootworms

scholarly journals Economics of the Greenseeder Hand Planter, Discrete Choice Modeling, and On-Farm Field Experimentation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Ng'ombe
Keyword(s):  
Monte Carlo ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Bayesian Decision ◽  
On Farm

Corn yields in developing countries are lower than in developed countries partly due to planting methods that involve hand dropping of multiple seeds per hill. Researchers from Oklahoma State University (OSU) recently developed the Greenseeder Hand Planter (GHP) to replace such methods. The first essay determines economic breakeven levels of seed and labor savings, increases in corn yield, and reduced loss of N through reduced ammonia volatilization. Results suggest a $50 GHP used to plant 3 hectares per year would need to increase corn yields on average by about 1.12%, use 12.19% fewer seeds, or reduce labor man-days by 38.66% to equal expected net returns from traditional methods.In the second essay, I conduct Monte Carlo experiments to measure bias in the conditional logit (CL) and independent availability logit (IAL) when there is no choice set formation and when choice sets are stochastically formed. I also compare the performance of the two models using empirical data on paddlefish angler preferences collected in Oklahoma. Both the CL and IAL work well when their own assumptions hold, but not under the alternative’s assumptions. However, the IAL produces unbiased and less efficient parameter estimates when individuals actually choose from the full set of alternatives. Empirical results suggest the IAL is able to predict the attribute-cutoff.To avoid limitations from small-scale agronomic trials, there has been a movement toward large-scale, on-farm field trials but questions remain as how best to conduct them and when it is most profitable to quit them. The third essay addresses these questions by using a fully Bayesian decision-theoretic approach. Data are from Monte Carlo simulations assuming a corn-input stochastic plateau production function. Results suggest the best way to conduct such experiments is to allocate to each of the 10% of the plots, 0 lb. of N, half of N*, and 150% of N* under a 30-plot experimental design. Results further indicate that it optimal to quit such trials in year 2. Sensitivity analysis confirms the optimal quit period but suggests such experiments are most profitable by allocating unalike N levels to all of the 30% of experimental plots.

scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF EMERGENCIES ON THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS IN THE REPUBLIC OF KHAKASSIA

2021 ◽  
pp. 336-341
Author(s):  
Medkova ◽  
Krasovskaya
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Invasive Diseases ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Impact

In the conditions of the Shirinsky District, monitoring was carried out for the first time for the change in number of helminthic diseases before and after fires. Fires have led to changes in the properties of the ground cover, soil, and simplification of communities; the complex of soil-dwelling arthropods has undergone a number of significant changes, which are manifested in a decrease in number and species diversity. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of various parasites in farm animals after large-scale fires on the example of the Shirinsky District of the Republic of Khakassia. The study subject was eggs, larvae and helminths of the studied animals. The study object was farm animals. The studies were carried out by the method of sequential washing of fecal samples. Based on the study results of 786 fecal samples from various animals, we received the following results. We have proved that the fire had a great impact on the parasitofauna of animals in the Shirinsky District; the number of invasive diseases first decreased after fires and then increased again. We found out that the decrease in number of parasitic diseases was associated with the following: fires had an adverse effect on the ecological state of the environment and changed the existence conditions of living organisms. The fire destroyed eggs, larvae and definitive hosts of the parasites.

Integrated Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) Management in Field Corn (Zea mays) with Reduced Rates of Nicosulfuron and Cultivation

1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Rosales-Robles ◽  
James M. Chandler ◽  
Scott A. Senseman ◽  
Eric P. Prostko
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Sorghum Halepense ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Field Corn ◽  
Rhizome Biomass

Johnsongrass, a tall, coarse, perennial grass, is the second most common and troublesome weed in field corn in Texas. Field experiments were conducted in 1996 to 1998 to evaluate an integrated johnsongrass management program in bedded and irrigated field corn. Nicosulfuron at 26.3 g ai/ha applied banded over the row to 50% of the planted area plus one cultivation resulted in johnsongrass control of aboveground and rhizome biomass and in corn yield comparable to the labeled rate (35 g ai/ha) when applied two consecutive years in the same plots. This treatment reduced cost 27% and reduced herbicide input 62% compared to nicosulfuron applied broadcast at labeled rate without cultivation. Economic benefits of this johnsongrass management program are promising for field corn producers.

Herbicide reduction in metribuzin-based weed control programs in corn

1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 927-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan S. Hamill ◽  
Jianhua Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
Economic Return ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Field Corn ◽  
Herbicide Programs

The relative effectiveness of 13 metribuzin-based weed control programs in field corn was investigated in a 3-yr study. Reduction in herbicide rates was made by modifying some commonly used metribuzin-based herbicide programs for weed control in corn. Satisfactory weed control, corn yield and economic return were obtained under each herbicide treatment, suggesting that reduction in herbicide use to reduce environmental hazard and enhance the economical benefit is achievable. Among the various herbicide programs, banded herbicide application at reduced rates plus one cultivation was observed to be the most economic weed management practice. Herbicides applied early (2–3 leaves) showed better results than those applied later (6–7 leaves) in the development stage of corn, although both times of application are within the critical period of weed control for corn. Key words: Corn (Zea mays), economic return, herbicides, weed control

EFFICIENT MONITORING OF THE DENSITY OF ADULT NORTHERN CORN ROOTWORM (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE) IN HELD CORN

1985 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan J. Sawyer
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Sequential Sampling ◽  
Plant Sample ◽  
Sample Sizes ◽  
Sequential Sampling Plan ◽  
Field Corn ◽  
Corn Rootworms ◽  
Entire Plant ◽  
Sampling Statistics ◽  
Northern Corn Rootworm

AbstractSampling statistics for adult northern corn rootworms in New York field corn are reported, with particular reference to efficient monitoring for decision-making in pest management. The most efficient sample unit of those examined was a single, entire plant. Sample sizes and associated costs required to achieve fixed levels of precision for estimates of density are reported. Because required sample sizes are density dependent, a sequential-sampling plan providing final estimates of density at preset levels of precision is developed. The method makes no assumption about the frequency distribution of insect counts, which was found to vary from field to field and with time. Disturbance caused by sampling activity may introduce a bias of unknown direction and magnitude in estimates of beetle density. Care in approaching and examining plants; should reduce this bias.

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