The rapid decline in water supply for irrigation in the Texas High Plains is encouraging some growers to convert a portion of their irrigated cropland including cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to the production of water-frugal perennial forages such as ‘WW-B.Dahl’ old world bluestem [Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz) S.T. Blake, OWB]. WW-B.Dahl OWB is a persistent pasture grass, which has strong inhibitory effects on soil-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae); however, effects of OWB on pollinators in cotton-dominated agroecosystems are not clear. We characterized bees and other pollinators of OWB and an adjacent cotton monoculture at four sampling dates in fall of 2018 using the bee bowls. Fifteen families from four insect orders were recovered. Sweat bee (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) was the most abundant family composing 67% of the total individuals recovered. The next abundant family was hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae), constituting 11% of the total numbers. Total number of pollinators was consistently greater in OWB than in cotton at all sampling dates. Despite the fact that insects are not needed for pollination, presence of fairly high numbers of bees and other pollinators in OWB and cotton suggests that both crops may be providing habitat and food resources for pollinators in semi-arid Texas High Plains.
The declining water supply for irrigation in the semi-arid Texas High Plains is encouraging some growers to transition their continuous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) land to dryland production of forages for grazing cattle and hay. These changes can modify soil water dynamics, which might affect soil microbial communities. The objective of this study was to determine changes in soil microbial communities following the transition from cotton to dryland annual forages at 0‒5 cm and 5‒15 cm over time. Soil water content was greater (P ≤ 0.05) in fall 2018 than in fall 2016 at both depths. Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was greater (P < 0.001) at 0‒5 cm and numerically greater (P = 0.10) at 5‒15 cm in fall 2016 compared to fall 2018. In contrast, fall 2018 had greater soil microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) than fall 2016 at both depths, but not significantly (P ≥ 0.15). Soil microbial community structure showed no sampling-time effect on total fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) nor on total fungal and bacterial populations at both depths. Soil microbial communities were generally at least maintained in dryland annual forage production systems even after several years of transitioning from irrigated cotton to annual dryland forages.
The purpose of this study was to determine students’ perceptions of Supplemental Instruction (SI) for a soil science course. All students enrolled in the course for the two semesters that SI was offered completed the survey. All participants (n = 74) answered the first portion of the survey, then skip logic was utilized to tailor questions for both those who did and those who did not attend SI. The researcher developed survey data revealed that students thought SI was encouraged, well publicized, and beneficial for students who wanted to perform better in the course. Students who attended SI identified understanding/reviewing material as the main reason for attending SI. Students would encourage others to attend SI. The principal barrier for those who did not attend SI was due to other obligations at the time the SI sessions were offered. Recommendations for practice are to continue offering SI sessions for Soil Science, but to offer more sessions at a variety of times to try to avoid schedule conflicts for students who want to attend.
On seashore paspalum and bermudagrass putting greens maintained at 7/32 at the Turfgrass Field Laboratory at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX, Xonerate 4 SC (amicarbazone) was applied at 2.8, 5.6, and 11.2 fl oz/A, and Xonerate 70 WG was applied at 4 oz/A on 6/03/2013. All treatments included a 2 week sequential application except 11.2 fl oz/A, and 5.6 fl oz/A was evaluated with and without a 2 week sequential application. Plots were evaluated from 6/03 to 8/15/2013 for chlorophyll indices and visual quality and for visual injury from 6/03 to 7/12/2013. Although no treatments caused unacceptable injury, there may be some susceptibility issues in seashore paspalum since plot boarders that received spray treatment overlap were injured. Xonerate 5.6 fl oz/A with a sequential application was the most injurious treatment followed by Xonerate 70 WG. Seashore paspalum was more susceptible to amicarbazone. Amicarbazone may have plant growth regulator properties as a period of rapid growth followed a 3.9rain event resulting in scalping in bermudagrass near the end of the trial. Amicarbazone appeared to have a long soil residual as broadleaf weeds were suppressed greater than 60 days in an area where remaining spray solutions were applied.
In 2017, the US was the second largest citrus producer with 711,000 bearing acreages and a 7.77 million MT production. Despite the US annual orange juice production decreased to 215,000 MT in 2017, per-capita domestic consumption increased to or remained above 41.75 lbs. With record low production levels and record high import levels over the last 17 years, it is important to obtain recent estimates of the US household demand for citrus beverages. This study uses the Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) and monthly data for the period of 2004-2018 from The Nielsen Company to estimate demand elasticities for various citrus beverages. Our Marshallian own-price elasticity estimates obtained the expected negative signs and were greater than one in absolute terms indicating that the US demands were price elastic. The Hicksian cross-price elasticity estimates indicated both complementary relationships and substitutability between the selected citrus beverages, while the expenditure elasticities indicated mostly normal goods. The study’s findings contribute with a better understanding of the citrus beverages market structure and provide insight into the consumer demand behavior. The estimated elasticities are useful for analyzing the US consumers’ responsiveness to price changes and for providing insight in agricultural marketing and policy related decisions.
Prescribed burning and livestock grazing can increase plant diversity by reducing the competitive ability of some invasive plants. The research objectives of this study were: to quantify vegetation response to patch burning, to determine cattle grazing distribution patterns following patch burning, and to quantify performance of grazing heifers following patch burning. Ten percent of 3 pastures was patch-burned. The remaining 3 pastures were not patch burned. All pastures were exposed to cattle grazing at a moderate stocking rate. Vegetation and livestock response were monitored. In addition, we monitored cattle grazing patterns. Pricklypear cover decreased, and pricklypear density tended to decrease. Patch burning increased mesquite mortality. Bitterweed densities were similar between burned and non-burned patches, while annual broomweed densities were reduced by fire. Forage production on the burned patches was similar to non-burned controls, but decreased following burning and grazing by heifers. Heifer weights were greater, but only during certain times post-fire. Heifers grazing in pastures spent more time grazing in burned patches especially early in the grazing season. Patch burning can be used to improve livestock distribution while reducing the cover and density of some invasive plants.
By using Efficiency Advantage Index (EAI), Scale Advantage Index (SAI), and Aggregate Advantage Index (AAI), the study explores the changes in efficiency, scale and aggregate advantages, among the major U.S. cotton states in upland cotton production and the major crop production in Texas from 1997 to 2016. The study reveals that the Texas Upland Cotton has a significantly greater comparative advantage than other Upland cotton growing areas and states.
Twenty-eight Spanish influenced goats were fed (2% of BW) varying amounts of fermented pomace with a protein pellet to meet NEm requirements. Four test groups (n=7) consisted of a 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3 olive pomace to concentrate ratio (O:C) and a control containing no pomace. All groups received molasses at 0.5% BW and fed for 49 days. The ADG for the 1:3, 1:1, 3:1 and control groups were 0.0370, 0.0166, 0.0119, and 0.0262 kg/day, respectively with no difference detected between groups (P>0.88). A difference (P<0.001) in consumption rates was detected between treatments with the 3:1 group consuming more feed with an average of 0.785 kg/day compared to the control at 0.694 kg/day. Regarding serum deposition, mature Spanish-influence goats (n=14; 41.6 kg) were fed ad libitum olive pomace, starting at 2% of their BW for 28 days. There were significant changes in C18:1 and C18:2 over time with mean consumption of 0.55 kg/d over the duration of the trial. From d0 to d28, serum concentration of C18:1 increased (P<0.001) by 8.67% and C18:2 increased (P<0.03) by an average of 4.38%. Serum concentration of C18:0 increased by 3.59% but was not significant.
Seed production by moist-soil plant species often varies within and among managed wetlands and on larger landscapes. Quantifying seed production of moist-soil plants can be used to evaluate wetland management strategies and estimate wetland energetic carrying capacity, specifically for waterfowl. In the past, direct estimation techniques were used, but due to excessive personnel and time costs, other indirect methods have been developed. Because indirect seed yield models do not exist for moist-soil plant species in east-central or coastal Texas, we developed direct and indirect methods to model seed production on regional managed wetlands. In September 2004 and 2005, we collected Echinochloa crusgalli (barnyard grass), E. walterii (wild millet), E. colona (jungle rice), and Oryza sativa (cultivated rice) for phytomorphological measurements and seed yield modeling. Initial simple linear and point of origin regression analyses demonstrate strong relationships ( P < 0.001) among phytomorphological and dot grid methods in predicting seed production for all four species. These models should help regional wetland managers evaluate moist-soil management success and create models for seed production for other moist-soil plants in this region.
We evaluated composition and community determinative factors of an old-growth, scrub forest on a deep-sand habitat in the West Cross Timbers of north-central Texas. Species composition and vegetation structure were analyzed based on 1) dominance, density, and importance values of woody plants and 2) foliar cover of herbaceous species and woody seedlings or offshoots in the understory. We concluded that this was the potential natural vegetation for this deep-sand site with the sandy soil being the principal determining factor in development and stability of this natural community (i.e., an edaphic climax). We designated this as a sand post oak-saw greenbrier (Quercus margarettiae-Smilax bona-nox) community based on the dominant tree and shrub species. The scrub forest consisted of three layers: 1) a closed canopy of sand post oak and blackjack oak (Q. marilandica); 2) a shrub layer of six species, including saw greenbrier, a liana that extended into the tree canopy; and 3) an irregular understory of herbaceous plants plus seedlings and clonal shoots of oaks and greenbrier. Herbaceous plants were all native species and included six species of grasses, two of grasslike plants, and five of forbs.
This study estimates expenditure and price elasticities using home-scan fresh-vegetable consumption data from the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the largest market in Northeast Texas. As vegetable consumption and production increases, it is critical for vegetable growers to keep up with production and consumption trends and recent substitution patterns. The study analyzed how various fresh vegetables perform at the retail level and found that consumers are not only responsive to changes in own-prices but also responsive to prices of other vegetables, and that own-price elasticity estimates seem to be more inelastic when fresh vegetables are sold by ounce than by count. The study may assist local producers identifying highly marketable fresh produce in the DFW metropolitan area and provide insight in assessing market profitability.
Both sheep and goats readily consume salt cedar ( Tamarisk spp.) after exposure to the plant. Unfortunately, little is known regarding the nutritional content of salt cedar or animal performance as the amount of salt cedar in the diet increases. This study monitored intake and change in body weight as the amount of salt cedar in the diet increased from 0 to 100% of the diet. In addition, we monitored the nutritional quality of salt cedar monthly throughout the growing season. Boer-cross goats were fed salt cedar daily for 42 days with intake monitored daily. Samples were collected from randomly selected salt cedar trees each month and frozen at -80 o C until nutritional analysis. Goats increased intake of salt cedar over days of exposure and increased intake of salt cedar as the amount of the basal diet was reduced. Goats initially lost weight but after receiving treatment for internal parasites, maintained weight until the end of the study. Once salt cedar was the only dietary item, goats again lost weight. Salt cedar remained nutritious throughout the growing season.
A logistic regression model was used to examine the impact of demographical characteristics of secondary agricultural education teachers in [Region] [State] on their small gasoline engines and welding competency. Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire and employing a nonproportional stratified random sampling technique with 150 agricultural education teachers participating in the study. Findings showed that being male and having agricultural mechanical courses in both high school and college were positively associated with having competency in small gasoline engines and welding, while having only a Bachelor’s degree (as compared to a Master’s degree) was negatively associated with having competency in small gasoline engines. Additional research should be conducted to understand better why these differences exist.
Mayonnaise is one of the most important condiments in the U.S. with average annual sales of $2 billion and is mostly provided by a few major manufacturers. This makes the mayonnaise market resemble an oligopoly with various competitive forces and strategic firm interactions determining final mayonnaise prices. Therefore, there is an increasing need to better understand consumer preferences for mayonnaise and the market power potential of the major brands. Given that previous literature has been relatively quiet on the issue of brand-level analysis, this study offers a brand-level empirical investigation of consumer preferences for mayonnaise along with the analysis of competition among the major mayonnaise brands such as Hellmann’s, Kraft, and various store brands. The analysis estimates the Barten synthetic model using data from the Northeast Texas. Our findings reveal inelastic demand for private label, as well as Hellmann’s and Kraft mayonnaise, while that for the remaining brands being elastic. Further, Kraft is found to be a major competitor to private label and other brands, while private label is shown to be a major competitor to Kraft. Finally, based on the expenditure elasticity estimates all the brands under study appear to be normal goods.
We determined the distribution patterns and distance to nearest neighbor for Prosopis glandulosa and Juniperus pinchotii plants on deep and shallow soils. Ordination was used to compare microsite vegetation associated with open grassland habitat and the habitat proximal to big and small Prosopis and Juniperus plants. Analysis of similarities was used to provide a probability of plant group similarities to outside group similarity. Big Juniperus trees were randomly distributed on both soils, while the big Prosopis trees were random on the deep soil but aggregated on the shallow soil. Saplings of both species were strongly aggregated on both soils. Big and small Juniperus plants were positively associated with the dominant, established Prosopis trees and with litter cover but were negatively associated with bare ground and C 4 grasses. In contrast, small Prosopis plants were negatively associated with both Juniperus and Prosopis trees on either soil and were positively associated with bare ground and C 4 grasses. Prosopis trees facilitate establishment of Juniperus on deep or shallow soils, but Prosopis presence is probably not necessary for Juniperus establishment on either soil.
Every day thousands of American children are left at home without adult supervision. Many working American parents cannot afford supervised day care. Their children, known as “latch-key children,” often make poor use of their time after school. An early-morning variatiokn of the “4-H After School Curriculum” was used to teach these children how to more effectively use their unsupervised time. Fifteen Cleburne Independent School District students participated in this project while attending Cleburne Community Education’s Super Summer School. Ten 4-H members presented the curriculum over a 2-week period. A pre-event survey focusing on after-school supervision was given to the children in June 1992. In December 1992, a personal interview of a portion of the participants showed that none of the participants questioned had changed the way they used unsupervised time after school. However, 83% had changed their overall (supervised and unsupervised) snacking habits.
Short Duration Grazing (SDG) played a significant role in grazing management practices in Texas during the 1980s. The Soil Conservation Service estimates that about 320 ranches in Texas use SDG or cell grazing on over 1.3 million acres. The objective of this study was to evaluate basal cover of herbaceous vegetation in the SDG system as affected by plant community and by distance from cell center over a 10-year period. There was an increase (P < 0.05) in percent basal cover of perennial herbaceous plants for the 2 vegetation mixes studied during the 10-year period. The increase in basal cover may be attributed to SDG but the primary cause of the positive response was probably the favorable precipitation received during the study period. Basal cover of herbaceous vegetation was also affected (P < 0.05) by distance from cell center. Differences in basal cover with distance from cell center suggest that uniform utilization by livestock did not occur within our cell.
The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the pattern of antibody response to ovalbumin as a test antigen in beef cattle, and to estimate the repeatability of the measurement of that response. Purebred Angus cows and calves were immunized with ovalbumin and later tested for antibody response. Six animals were sampled 7 d post-initial immunization to characterize primary antibody response and at 3, 5, and 7 d post-secondary immunization to characterize secondary antibody response. Increases in level of IgG specific for ovalbumin were more rapid in calves than in cows but gradually, measured levels became similar. Secondary responses were measurable on all specified dates, but primary response was not evident at d 7. Correlations between successive samples on animals indicated that the measurements were repeatable (R = .73) for secondary response. These data indicate that ovalbumin is an acceptable test antigen for eliciting a humoral immune response in beef cattle and that measurement of secondary response to ovalbumin can be evaluated in beef cattle at 5 or 7 d post-secondary immunization.
The vegetative diversity between fairways (introduced patches) and out-of-bounds areas (remnant patches) were assessed at the Pineywoods Country Club in the Pineywoods Region of East Texas. Nested plots were placed along transects and canopy cover, percent cover, number of individuals by species, tree density, and percent cover of ground cover materials were analyzed using ordination. Diameter, shrub and herbaceous percent cover, and canopy cover were tested for normality utilizing a Shapiro-Wilk normality test, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney used to analyze edge plots and interior plots, and @Risk goodness-of-fit measures utilized to identify percent cover. Statistical differences (0.05 α level) between the edge and interior dbh and shrub datasets and a similarity between the edge and interior datasets of the overstory and herbaceous strata were found. Interior shrub plots had a higher H’ and D than the edge plots. Canopy cover was > 70%, and herbaceous species abundance was often higher than the shrub stratum. Beta diversity indicated that patches were diverse. Disturbances altered the structure and function of the remnant patches. Canopy cover was high over edge plots; however, light was able to reach the ground at an angle across the fairway. The exceptional drought in 2011 most likely influenced these results.
Bitterweed ( Hymenoxys odorata ) is a cool season annual forb that causes toxicosis in sheep. However, limited knowledge is available on bitterweed’s effect on reproduction in sheep. Trial 1 assessed the effect of bitterweed on fetal development. Eight mature Rambouillet ewes were dosed with ground bitterweed and 8 did not receive bitterweed. Fetal survival and birth weights were recorded. For Trial 2, 14 Rambouillet ewe lambs were divided into two treatments with half dosed with bitterweed with hormonal changes recorded to determine the impact on reproductive development. Trial 3 determined if bitterweed affected sperm production in Rambouillet ram lambs. Twenty-five rams were allocated into either the bitterweed treatment or the control. For all trials, treatments were dosed with ground bitterweed (0.2% BW) mixed in distilled water. Intake of a novel food was paired with bitterweed dosing to assess toxicosis. Serum metabolite concentrations were monitored to assess soft tissue damage from toxicosis. Bitterweed toxicosis reduced intake and elevated serum metabolite concentrations in all three trials. Bitterweed ingestion did not affect fetal survival, vigor or birth weights, but did impact ewe lamb reproductive development as evident from the lower (P < 0.05) luteinizing hormone levels. In Trial 3, bitterweed ingestion did not impact sperm production.
