Browsing by Author "Provin, Tony"
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Item Biochar Effect on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties and Bermudagrass Growth(2015-11-30) Nystrom, Eric Thomas; Schnell, Ronnie; Munster, Clyde; Provin, Tony; McInnes, KevinAs population continues to rise and development continues, there is increasing pressure for the production of food on a decreasing amount of land as well as an increased need for combustible fuel. Biofuels produced from agricultural products may be able to alleviate some of the demands on foreign oil, and the byproduct, biochar, is reported to have positive effects on soil properties and crop growth when applied to soils. To test this, biochar produced from sorghum (sorghum bicolor) was field tested on sandy loam soil at rates of 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 Mg ha^-1. Biochar was applied to soil using two different methods, surface applied and incorporated down to 15 cm, and bermudagrass (cynodon dactylon) was grown from seed. Runoff, sediment loss, biomass yield, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water holding capacity, bulk density, porosity, and soil nutrients were tested in a randomized block design. Biochar did not have a significant effect on physical parameters, biomass, or runoff and sediment loss (α=0.05). Biochar application to soils produced a significant linear increase on certain soil chemical parameters six months after application (pH and K). Soil test K continued to show a linear increase 22 months after biochar application; however the linear trend was reversed for pH with incorporated biochar. Additionally, a greenhouse study was conducted using the same biochar source with identical application rates and application methods. Three soils were tested, an acidic fine sandy loam (Rader fine sandy loam), an acidic clay (Burleson clay), and an alkaline clay (Ships). Soil temperature, water loss, emergence rates, biomass yields, nutrient mass export, and bulk density were tested. Surface applied biochar enchanced bermudagrass emergence, increasing the germination index (α=0.05) for Burleson clay and Ships clay soils. Biochar application increased biomass yields for 8 and 12 Mg ha^-1 rates for Burleson soils compared to other application rates. Moreover, rates above 12 Mg ha^-1 decreased biomass yield, indicating a quadratic response to biochar application. There was not a significant difference in nutrient uptake in bermudagrass tissue, nor was there a significant change in soil bulk density in response to biochar application.Item Breeding for Tolerance of Cowpea to Low Phosphorus Soil Conditions through Physiological and Genetic Studies(2014-04-09) Rothe, Julie C; Hays, Dirk B; Singh, Bir B; Versaw, Wayne; Provin, Tony; Jessup, RussellCowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a major food legume across Sub- Saharan West Africa where its leaves, pods and seeds are consumed as food and its residues are fed to livestock as protein rich fodder. However, soils of West Africa are poor in phosphorus (P), a soil macro-nutrient all crops need for growth. Fertilizer with P is not readily available and is too expensive for West African farmers. This research was therefore, undertaken to identify cowpea lines that inherently grow well in P-deficient soils and use them to breed improved cowpea varieties that require less phosphorus fertilization. A hydroponic phenotypic screening method with silica sand was used to identify cowpea varieties that have tolerance to low soil P as measured by shoot dry biomass production. Both tolerant and susceptible varieties from the screen were further analyzed for root biomass, internal shoot P content, and internal root P content. Seed P, particularly the effect of cotyledon P, and total root production were investigated as physiological sources of tolerance. Tolerant cowpea varieties were crossed with susceptible varieties, and the resulting F_(1), F_(2) and BC_(1) seeds were screened to determine the inheritance and genetic control of tolerance. A Recombinant Inbred Line (RIL) population of a tolerant by susceptible cross was mapped using SSR markers to identify linkage groups or QTL for tolerance to low soil P. Phenotypic screening results identified four cowpea varieties to have P-deficiency tolerance (Big John, IT97K-1069-6, IT98K-476-8, and TX2028-1-3-1) and three cowpea varieties (Big John, CB-46, and Golden Eye Cream) to have partial P-deficiency tolerance via high seed P content. All varieties experienced increases in root production under low P treatments relative to normal P treatments. Phenotyping of F_(1), F_(2), and BC_(1) populations showed that low P tolerance is a heritable trait in cowpea with significant additive effects and narrow-sense heritability. Estimates of gene number suggested the tolerance to be a single-gene trait. Mapping linkage groups or QTL for low P tolerance identified QTL in which three SSR markers – CLM0269, 221/222, and CLM0298 – were significantly associated with tolerance and are potential candidates for marker-assisted selection (MAS).Item Decontaminating Flooded Wells(2005-09-30) Boellstorff, Diana; Dozier, Monty; Provin, Tony; Dictson, Nikkoal; McFarland, Mark L.; DBThis publication explains how to decontaminate and disinfect a well, test the well water and check for well damage after a flood.Item Decontaminating Flooded Wells (Spanish)(2007-10-08) Boellstorff, Diana; Dozier, Monty; Provin, Tony; Dictson, Nikkoal; McFarland, Mark L.; BWThis publication explains how to decontaminate and disinfect a well, test the well water and check for well damage after a flood.Item Effect of Long-Term Tillage Practices on Soil Physico-Chemical Properties and Weed Population Dynamics in a 36-Year Old Experiment(2018-08-06) Govindasamy, Prabhu; bhagavathiannan, Muthukumar; Mowrer, Jake; Rajan, Nithya; Provin, Tony; Hons, FrankChanges to tillage practices can influence soil physico-chemical properties and weed population dynamics. Experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 in a 36-year long tillage experiment at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX to study the impact of tillage regimes on soil physio-chemical properties and weed population dynamics in monoculture grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and weed dynamics alone in monoculture soybean (Glycine max). The tillage systems studied include conventional-tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT). Results showed that tillage did not affect soil bulk density, total porosity, air filled porosity, water-filled pore space and volumetric water content. However, water holding capacity, soil organic carbon, and cumulative carbon mineralization were 25, 43, and 16% greater in the NT system, compared to CT, at the 0 to 5 cm soil depth. Conversely, cumulative water infiltration and CO2 emission were greater in the CT system (23.66 cm hr^–1 and 7.28 g m^–2) than NT (3.98 cm hr^–1 and 5.19 g m^–2) in 5 and 24 hrs study. The long-term tillage regimes also influenced weed population dynamics and seedling emergence in grain sorghum and soybean. Greater densities of Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense), prostrate spurge (Chamaesyce humistrata), tall waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) and shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) were recorded in the NT system, compared to the CT system in both crops. The long-term NT system was characterized by greater weed diversity (Shannon-Wiener’s index, H = 0.8) and species richness (S = 6.2) compared to CT (H = 0.6; S = 4.2) in sorghum; however, no differences were found in weed species diversity in soybean. Moreover, a greater proportion of the viable seedbank was located in the top 5 cm soil depth in the NT system (24 to 96% depending on the weed species) compared to the CT system (22 to 61%). Overall, results illustrated that long-term NT practices can provide environmental benefits and are more sustainable than CT. However, growers shifting to NT practices should consider potential changes to weed population dynamics and adjust the management programs accordingly.Item Feedstock Logistics of a Mobile Pyrolysis System and Assessment of Soil Loss Due to Biomass Removal for Bioenergy Production(2012-10-19) Bumguardner, Marisa; Munster, Clyde; Provin, Tony; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Ale, SrinivasaluThe purpose of this study was to assess feedstock logistics for a mobile pyrolysis system and to quantify the amount of soil loss caused by harvesting agricultural feedstocks for bioenergy production. The analysis of feedstock logistics was conducted using ArcGIS with the Network Analyst extension and model builder. A square grid methodology was used to determine biomass availability of corn stover and bioenergy sorghum in Texas. The SWAT model was used to quantify soil erosion losses in surface runoff caused by sorghum residue removal for bioenergy production in the Oso Creek Watershed in Nueces County. The model simulated the removal of 25, 50, 75, and 100 percent residue removal. The WEPS model was used to quantify wind erosion soil loss caused by corn stover removal in Dallam County. Nine simulations were run estimating soil loss for corn stover removal rates of 0 percent to 50 percent. The results of the SWAT and WEPS analyses were compared to the NRCS tolerable soil loss limit of 5 tons/acre/year for both study areas. The GIS analysis determined the optimum route distances between mobile unit sites were 2.07 to 58.02 km for corn and 1.95 to 60.36 km for sorghum. The optimum routes from the mobile pyrolysis sites and the closest refineries were 49.50 to 187.18 km for corn and 7.00 to 220.11 km for sorghum. These results were used as input to a separate bioenergy economic model. The SWAT analysis found that maximum soil loss (1.24 tons/acre) occurred during the final year of the simulation where 100 percent of the sorghum residue was removed. The WEPS analysis determined that at 30 percent removal the amount of soil loss starts to increase exponentially with increasing residue removal and exceeds the tolerable soil loss limit. Limited harvesting of biomass for bioenergy production will be required to protect crop and soil productivity ensuring a sustainable biomass source.Item Hay Production in Texas(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Department) Corriher, Vanessa; Provin, Tony; Redmon, LarryItem Hay Production in Texas(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Department) Corriher, Vanessa; Provin, Tony; Redmon, LarryItem Hay Production in Texas(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Department) Corriher, Vanessa; Provin, Tony; Redmon, LarryItem Hay Production in Texas(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Department) Corriher, Vanessa; Provin, Tony; Redmon, LarryItem Hay Production in Texas(Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Department) Corriher, Vanessa; Provin, Tony; Redmon, LarryItem Homeowner Soil Sample Information Form(2007-04-11) Provin, Tony; JWHomeowners should submit this form with their soil samples when requesting a soil test from the Texas A&M Soil Testing Laboratory.Item Hydrogen Sulfide in Drinking Water: Causes and Treatment Alternatives(1999-06-15) McFarland, Mark L.; Provin, Tony; GNIf drinking water has a nuisance "rotten egg odor, it contains hydrogen sulfide. This leaflet discusses how hydrogen sulfide is formed and how the problem can be corrected.Item Long-Term Dynamics and Management Requirements of Sand-Capped Fairways(2020-04-15) Bowling, William Jackson; Wherley, Benjamin; McInnes, Kevin; Provin, TonyAs golf course irrigation water quality continues to decline, sand-capping of golf course fairways is increasing. Capping of degraded golf course fairways with a layer of sand to promote better turfgrass health, performance, and playability is becoming a common practice where irrigation water is of poor quality, usually high in sodium. Benefits of sand-capping include improved surface drainage and increased infiltration rates, greater rooting depth, improved traffic tolerance and playing conditions, alleviated compaction, enhanced ability to flush salts from the upper root zone, and improved soil structure (White, 2013). However, over time, unique management challenges may arise, including organic matter accumulation, surface hydrophobicity, and subsoil permeability issues, especially where irrigation water contains elevated levels of sodium. Our results indicate that capping depth plays a critical role in turfgrass quality, volumetric water content, sorptivity, percent green cover, sodium adsorption ratio, hydrophobicity of the surface, organic matter content, and thatch depth with the shallower capping depths often outperforming the deeper capping depths. Our results indicate that gypsum applications are affective at reducing sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) in sand-capped systems and that while wetting agent applications are important, they may only be necessary in deeper capping systems. Our results indicate that the more aggressive cultural practices lead to a short-term reduction in turfgrass quality but provide a greater turfgrass quality later into the season. Our results suggest that moisture is potentially a key factor in how these capping depths perform regarding the parameters measured. The research-based information learned from this study will help turfgrass professionals best manage their sand-cap systems in the future and will be utilized when constructing future/renovating established turfgrass systems.Item Managing Crop Nutrients Through Soil, Manure and Effluent Testing(1998-12-10) McFarland, Mark L.; Provin, Tony; Feagley, Sam E.; VJSoil testing is the foundation of a sound fertility management program, and manure and effluent testing can provide additional information for its effective use.Item Managing Soil Salinity(2001-07-13) Provin, Tony; Pitt, John L.; DBThis publication explains soil salinity, factors that contribute to it, and methods of correcting saline soils.Item Managing Soil Salinity(Texas A&M AgriLife Soil and Crop Science Department) Provin, Tony; Pitt, J.L.Item Managing Soil Salinity(Texas A&M AgriLife Soil and Crop Science Department) Provin, Tony; Pitt, J.L.Item Managing Soil Salinity(Texas A&M AgriLife Soil and Crop Science Department) Provin, Tony; Pitt, J.L.Item Managing Soil Salinity(Texas A&M AgriLife Soil and Crop Science Department) Provin, Tony; Pitt, J.L.