Dissertations / Theses: 'Agricultural management practices'

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Dorner, Sarah M. "Evaluating best management practices for agricultural watersheds using probabilistic models." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape4/PQDD_0020/MQ55669.pdf.

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Parker, Geoff. "Modeling agricultural best management practices in the South Nation watershed." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/26740.

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The South Nation watershed consists of an area of roughly 3900 km2 in Eastern Ontario which drains into the South Nation River. The South Nation River in turn drains into the Ottawa River at the watershed outlet. The work presented here included the use of the continuous-simulation Annualized Agricultural Non Point Source (AnnAGNPS) 5.0 dynamic pollutant loading model, which was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In-stream water chemistry was also an important element of a meaningful analysis. The dynamic water-quality model CE-QUAL-RIV1 was selected due to its riverine nature, which is closely linked with the AnnAGNPS concept of a channel network. Utilities were developed to enhance the input and output capabilities of both codes. The linked models were then calibrated to the available data, and a case matrix focused on predicting feasibility of best management practices (BMPs) within the context of climate change was constructed and simulated. The calibration process was done manually at first, based on the results of a sensitivity analysis conducted on the AnnAGNPS package as part of the work. Subsequently, the use of an automatic genetic-algorithm based approach (also developed as part of this work) was explored, which yielded an improvement in the calibrated model and was therefore used as a base case of the model. The case matrix examined 4 individual BMPs, along with 4 combined BMP scenarios. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

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Gedikoglu, Haluk McCann Laura. "Adoption of nutrient management practices." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/6614.

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Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on March 17, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Thesis advisor: Dr. Laura McCann. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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Craiovan, Emilia. "Evaluation of agricultural beneficial management practices: Cattle access restriction to surface waters subsurface tile drainage management." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/28055.

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The aim of this study was to investigate two potential beneficial management practices that will reduce the impact of fecal and fertilizers contamination on the environment. The study was conducted in Eastern Ontario on typical small scale agricultural practices. The first part evaluates the impact of a conventional pasture system and an excluding pasture system on surface water quality. The three year study compared water quality endpoints such as: indicator bacteria, pathogens, parasites and nutrients between treatments. Microbial source tracking indicated that livestock was the main source of fecal contamination in the stream. Greater bacteria and nutrient loads were observed in the unrestricted pasture system than the excluding pasture. Moreover, parasite and indicator bacteria concentrations increased after cattle introduction in both systems. The second part compares nitrogen mass balance between managed and conventional subsurface tile drainage. Over two years, nitrogen loads in groundwater, in tile flow, in plants, in soil and denitrification were compared between treatments. Nitrogen was mostly removed from managed tile drainage fields through plant uptake. Compared to nitrogen plant uptake, denitrification, the second greatest nitrogen removing process was 10 times smaller. The denitrification was greater in the unmanaged tile drainage fields. Generally, managed subsurface tile drainage reduces nitrogen mass loads to surface waters and increases nitrogen uptake by plant, which resulted in greater yields.

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Miller, Jennifer Christine. "Farmer Adoption of Best Management Practices Using Incentivized Conservation Programs." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2014. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/275.

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Many farms in the United States impose negative externalities on society. Population growth and the accompanying increase in demand for food further promote this trend of environmental degradation as a by-product of food production. The USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial assistance to farmers who wish to address natural resource concerns by making structural improvements or implementing best management practices (BMPs) on their farms. Regional examinations of program implementation and incentive levels are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of EQIP at both the farm and environmental level. This research addresses this need in the following two ways. First, conjoint analysis was used to calculate the willingness to accept incentive levels desired by Vermont farmers for implementing three common BMPs and the relative importance of each attribute in their adoption decisions. Next, a survey was conducted to document Vermont farmers' experiences, or choices not to engage, with EQIP. The results of the conjoint analysis indicated that farmers' adoption decisions are most heavily influenced by the available implementation incentives and that the higher the incentive level offered, the more willing farmers are to adopt a practice. The survey results triangulated these findings as cost was the most frequently cited challenge farmers face when implementing BMPs and one third of respondents felt the cost-share amount they had received was inadequate. Although 46% of respondents reported receiving nonmonetary benefits, 43% had encountered challenges when enrolling or participating in EQIP. In addition, though contracts are designed to address specific resource concerns, 30% of respondents had not fully fixed the original issues with their contracts. This also indicates that the incentive levels offered in EQIP contracts may be lower than Vermont farmers' preferred incentive levels, affecting the adoption rate of BMPs and subsequently the environmental health and long term sustainability of Vermont's agricultural systems. Program areas ripe for improvement, key points for farmers weighing the costs and benefits of program participation, and future research opportunities are discussed in order to guide efforts to improve the effectiveness of EQIP in Vermont. This research also raises awareness of how much it costs to simultaneously support environmental health and food production in our current food system and who ultimately should bear this financial burden.

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Campbell, Joseph T. "Impacts of Collaborative Watershed Management Policies on the Adoption of Agricultural Best Management Practices." The Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1212012674.

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Cagle, Michael Scott. "Identifying adopters of best management practices within Mississippi beef producers and the reasons for non-adoption." Thesis, Mississippi State University, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3618196.

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The goal of the Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSU-ES) is to improve the quality of life for all Mississippians. One specific group that agricultural change agents work with at the county level is beef producers. Grazing lands have received much attention over the last few years regarding environmental concerns and Best Management Practices (BMPs) for beef cattle operations.

The adoption of these practices was voluntary during the time this study was conducted, however; adoption was highly encouraged by the MSU-ES and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). By knowing the level of adoption of BMPs that Mississippi beef producers have implemented, change agents can more effectively plan educational programming efforts for producers to better understand the importance of BMP adoption.

The purpose of this study was to describe the adopter categories of Mississippi beef producers as determined by Rogers (2003) adopter characteristics generalizations based on their (1) socioeconomic status, (2) personality values and communication behavior, and (3) opinions. It also examined the correlations between the adopter categories to predict the level of the three BMPs being studied.

The adopter categories were innovator, early adopter, early majority, late majority, and laggard. The three BMPs that were the focus of the study were rotation grazing, riparian buffers, and pasture renovation.

The results of the study indicated that Mississippi beef producers could be correctly identified in the adopter categories. By identifying the adopter categories of the Mississippi beef producers and then examining the correlations among the variables, prediction of BMP adoption of rotational grazing and riparian buffers was possible.

The relationships between MSU-ES agents and their programming efforts, as well as the relationships between NRCS district conservationist and their programs, were studied. Non-adoption, though not an adopter category, was also examined and the reasons for it were cited.

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Stavros, Robert William. "The development of an evaluation method for best management practices on agricultural lands." Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/74773.

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To help local, rural planners make decisions on which Best Management Practices (BMPs) are most appropriate for the control of Non-Point Sources of Pollution (NPSP) within their jurisdiction, a method is developed for unbiased site-specific evaluation of BMPs appropriateness. An appropriate BMP is functional, practical and cost effective. The method developed is a rational method suitable for the general evaluation of agricultural BMPs to control NPSP in rural watersheds. The method is functional, practical, and cost effective because it uses existing data and personnel wherever and whenever possible. Unlike other NPSP modeling methods, this method lends itself to the selective application of BMPs throughout the watershed based on its actual land use and physical composition. This means, BMP's can be applied to the entire watershed uniformly or applied to a subset of the watershed based on selection criteria such as field slope, soil type, or existing cover crop. In addition, a combination of selection criteria can be used, and a combination of BMPs. This flexibility in selecting various BMPs and BMP combinations, allows planners to pose many different schemes for controlling NPSP within the watershed. The results of the schemes can be compared to determine which scheme is the most appropriate for use within the specific watershed. The method developed relies heavily on the United States Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Service's (SCS) Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and uses data already being collected by the SCS and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS). The method does require the creation of Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs) comprised of unique combinations or soil type and land use areas. To demonstrate the method's ability to select an effective BMPs for a watershed, a series of BMP scenarios were evaluated. The BMP scenarios were divided into three categories: a uniform application of a BMP throughout the watershed; a selective application of a BMP throughout the watershed and; the selective application of a set of BMP's throughout the watershed. Using a series of trial runs, the benefits of using the method were demonstrated. For example, similar results were obtained using a cropping BMP of "Corn, grain, soybean and cover" throughout the sample, and a ''no-till" BMP on 3 percent of the sample. This type of information was used by economic modelers to help target precious BMP implementation dollars. As an indirect result of the method's HRU development, it was possible to test the independence of each of the USLE factors within the Nansemond/Chuckatuck watershed. The results of the Duncan's Multiple Range Test shows an interdependence between the "soil type and the cover", "overland flow versus cover", and "overland flow versus soil type".
Ph. D.

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Daggupati, Naga Prasad. "GIS methods to implement sediment best management practices and locate ephemeral gullies." Diss., Kansas State University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/13522.

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Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Kyle Douglas-Mankin
Soil erosion is one of the most important of today’s global environmental problems. Over the past few decades, soil conservation practices were implemented to reduce soil erosion in the United States. However, excessive sediment still remains among the most prevalent water quality problems. Agricultural fields and in particular ephemeral gullies (EGs) are considered to be a major contributor of sediment. The overall goal of this study was to improve modeling utility to identify and quantify sources of sediment. Specific objectives were: (1) to develop and demonstrate a method of field-scale targeting using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and to use this method as a targeted, flexible approach to pay explicitly for sediment-yield reductions; (2) to evaluate topographic index models (Slope Area [SA], Compound Topographic Index [CTI], Slope Area Power [SAP] and Wetness Topographic Index [WTI]) and a physical-based model (Overland Flow Turbulent [OFT]) in predicting spatial EG location and lengths. Black Kettle Creek watershed was the focus of an innovative project to pay for modeled field sediment reductions. An Arc-Geographical Information System (GIS) tool bar was developed that post processed SWAT hydrologic response unit output to field boundaries and prepared maps of high-priority fields by sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus and was demonstrated to be useful for field-scale targeting. Calibrated SWAT model was used to establish baseline sediment yields. Various Best Management Practices (BMPs) were simulated and payments to implement each BMP for a given field were calculated. This study helped to guide determination of appropriate farmer support payments and quantified the important influence of BMP type and site-specific conditions for use in targeting conservation practice funding to achieve maximum soil-loss reductions per dollar spent. Extreme care should be used in selecting the source of spatial model input data when using SWAT for field-level targeting. Automated geospatial models were developed in a GIS environment to spatially locate and derive length of EGs using topographic index and physical based models. EG predictions were better for the SA model among the four topographic index models tested. Individual calibration of topographic index model threshold for each application site was needed. An OFT model (physical based model), which utilized topography, precipitation, soil, landuse/landcover and SWAT-based runoff estimates, did not need individual site calibration, and may have broader applicability than empirical based models.

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Banda, Alefa. "Adoption and crop productivity impacts of sustainable agricultural and land management practices in Zambia." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/63232.

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Agricultural productivity in the Sub Saharan African (SSA) region has been cited to be low (Suttie & Benfica, 2016). As a result, there is a consistent call for evolution in smallholder farming. In addition to improving agricultural productivity, this evolution should factor in adaptation to climate variability and change. To achieve this, the use of sound and sustainable agricultural and land management practices (SALMPs) stands paramount. Among these include: (1) improved agronomic practices such as the use of improved seed varieties (HYV), (2) integrated nutrient management practices (INM), (3) tillage and residue management practices (TRM), (4) water management practices (WM), and (5) agroforestry practices (AF) (Branca et al., 2011 and Smith et al., 2007). These sets of SALMPs have been argued to be more environmentally friendly and are associated with positive and significant productivity impacts, in isolation and/or combination. Even though several studies that analyse adoption and impacts of various agricultural practices exist, they are limited to single practices mostly. However, it is seldom that farmers adopt agricultural practices in isolation. Consequently, factors influencing adoption and impact of individual and combined sets of agricultural practices remain elusive. For instance, the influence of location specific and weather covariates with potentially significant effects on adoption decisions have not extensively been investigated. Among these variables include: agro-ecological zones and weather factors — temperature and rainfall. To address this issue, this study includes dummies for the three agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in Zambia and actual historical temperature and rainfall data as explanatory variables. This is a step farther as opposed to using indicative variables based on farmer perceptions. Crop productivity, gross value of production and net revenue impacts of individual and combined sets of SALMPs are also estimated to achieve the main objective of the study. Unlike most studies, this research project uses panel data. A second panel sample is created for first-time adopters primarily to estimate pure adoption impacts of individual and combined sets of SALMPs. The study findings show wide-spread distribution of SALMPs adoption sets by AEZs. The widely practiced sets of non-mutually exclusive SALMPs were HYV, TRM and INM practices, whereas AF practices were the least adopted. At household level, extensively practiced sets of SALMPs in combination include: HYV and INM practices, and HYV, INM and TRM practices. Various human and social capital characteristics, wealth status of the household, resource constraint and access to information variables, location and field level characteristics are found to have significant effects on adoption decisions. More interestingly, the influence of agro-ecological zone location dummies and weather factors are mixed. For example, compared to AEZ I a drier zone with the poorest distribution of rainfall, farm households located in AEZ IIa (area with good agricultural potential are significantly less likely to adopt WM practices). Also, higher average temperatures significantly lower the likelihood of adopting most sets of SALMPs, whereas adoption and dis-adoption is more likely with increase in the average rainfall during the growing season. This to some extent, indicates the climate variability and change adaptability potential of several SALMPs. Lastly, the results from the impact analysis show that combining different sets of SALMPs yields positive and significant crop productivity gains per hectare. On average, the gains in crop productivity for widely practiced sets of SALMPs — HYV, INM and TRM practices and HYV and INM practices, are above 15 percent. This shows that greater productivity gains can be realized by adopting various combinations of different individual sets of SALMPs. In fact, first-time adopters were found to be better-off when specific sets of SALMPs are adopted in bundles. However, the expected net revenue impacts of individual and combined sets of SALMPs are mixed, even though they are negative for the most part. These study findings support the positive and significant crop productivity impacts of SALMPs. However, the negative net revenue impacts, among maize selling households, suggest that the gains in crop productivity may not be sufficiently large enough to offset variable production costs. This, therefore, calls for simultaneous promotion of agricultural technology uptake and maize commercialization through value addition.
Dissertation (MSc Agric)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
African Economic Research Consortium
DAAD
Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
MSc (Agric)
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Pelletier, Bernard 1964. "Management practices, soil quality and maize yield in smallholder farming systems of central Malawi." Thesis, McGill University, 2000. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=37809.

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The effect of management practices used by smallholder farmers to improve soil quality and increase maize yield was examined in an 80 ha. micro-watershed of central Malawi. Because of the complexity inherent in smallholder farming systems, this research proposed the combination of participatory methods with analytical techniques developed in field ecology, such as multivariate and spatial analysis. During a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), farmers identified factors potentially influencing soil quality and maize yield. One hundred and seventy-six (176) plots were located in twenty-nine (29) fields and characterized for management practices and biophysical characteristics. Soil samples were collected at each plot and analysed for a suite of properties. The maize yield was measured for both 1996--97 and 1997--98 seasons. A formal survey was used to gather information on household characteristics. Results showed that management practices that were promoted by a previous extension project, such as alley cropping and the planting of grass on contour ridges, were strongly correlated and found mainly in fields located closer to house compounds. Farmers with a higher proportion of their land under wetland gardens tended to use less agroforestry. Food security was associated with households that were able to purchase inorganic fertilizers, had larger landholding size, and owned livestock and woodlots. The effect of management practices on maize yield and soil quality was partially confounded with characteristics of the plot, such as slope, degradation level, number of years under cultivation or pest damage. Higher maize yield was observed in plots that were better managed, as expressed by the combination of different management practices, lower pest incidence, fewer erosion signs and higher soil fertility. Some positive effects of alley cropping on soil quality were observed in plots that were cultivated for a longer period and located on flatter land. This study demo

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Dittmer, Kyle Michael. "Mitigating Gaseous Nitrogen and Carbon Losses from Northeastern Agricultural Soils via Alternative Soil Management Practices." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2019. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/1161.

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Traditional agricultural practices often result in gaseous losses of nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia (NH3), and carbon dioxide (CO2), representing a net loss of nutrients from agricultural soils, which negatively impacts crop yield and requires farmers to increase nutrient inputs. By adopting best management practices (BMPs; i.e., no-tillage, cover crops, sub-surface manure application, and proper manure application timing), there is great potential to reduce these losses. Because N2O and CO2 are also greenhouse gases (GHGs), climate change mitigation via BMP adoption and emissions reductions would be an important co-benefit. However, adopting a no-tillage and cover cropping system has had setbacks within the Northeast, primarily due to concerns regarding manure nitrogen (N) losses in no-tillage systems as well as uncertainty surrounding the benefits of cover crops. This thesis used two field-trials located in Alburgh, Vermont to assess differences in (i) GHG emissions from agricultural soils, (ii) nitrate and ammonium retention, (iii) corn yield and protein content, and (iv) N uptake and retention via cover crop scavenging under a combination of different BMPs. Chapter 1 evaluates the effects of different reduced-tillage practices and manure application methods (i.e., vertical-tillage, no-tillage, manure injection, and broadcast manure application) on reducing N2O and CO2 emissions, retaining inorganic N, and improving crop yields. Greenhouse gas measurements were collected every other week for the growing season of 2015-2017 via static chamber method using a photoacoustic gas analyzer. Results from this study showed that tillage regimes and manure application method did not interact to affect any of the three research objectives, although differences between individual BMPs were observed. Notably, vertical tillage enhanced CO2 emissions relative to no-tillage, demonstrating the role of soil disturbance and aeration on aerobic microbial C transformations. Manure injection was found to significantly enhance both N2O and CO2 emission relative to broadcast application, likely due to the formation of anerobic micro-zones created from liquid manure injection. However, plots that received manure injection retained greater concentrations of soil nitrate, a vital nutrient for quality crop production, thereby highlighting a major tradeoff between gaseous N losses and N retention with manure injection. Chapter 2 evaluates the effects of tillage practices and timing of manure application to increase N retention with the use of cover crops in order to mitigate GHG emissions, enhance soil nitrate and ammonium retention, and improve cropping system N uptake. Treatments at this field trial consisted of a combination of the presence or absence of cover crops, no-tillage or conventional-tillage, and spring or fall manure application. Greenhouse gas emissions were measured every other week via static chamber method using a gas chromatograph for the growing season of 2018. Results from this study showed that the presence of cover crops enhanced both N2O and CO2 emissions relative to fallow land, irrespective of tillage regime and manure application season, likely as a result of greater N and carbon substrates entering the soil upon cover crop decomposition. Due to enhanced N2O emissions with cover crops, cover crops did not retain significantly greater inorganic N in the system upon termination.

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Liu, Yingmei. "Effective Modeling of Nutrient Losses and Nutrient Management Practices in an Agricultural and Urbanizing Watershed." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/40398.

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The Lake Manassas Watershed is a 189 km2 basin located in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. Lake Manassas is a major waterbody in the watershed and serves as a drinking water source for the City of Manassas. Lake Manassas is experiencing eutrophication due to nutrient loads associated with agricultural activities and urban development in its drainage areas. Two watershed model applications using HSPF, and one receiving water quality model application using CE-QUAL-W2, were linked to simulate Lake Manassas as well as its drainage areas: the Upper Broad Run (126.21 km2) and Middle Broad Run (62.79 km2) subbasins. The calibration of the linked model was for the years 2002-05, with a validation period of 2006-07. The aspects of effective modeling of nutrient losses and nutrient management practices in the Lake Manassas watershed were investigated. The study was mainly conducted in the Upper Broad Run subbasin, which was simulated with an HSPF model. For nutrient simulation, HSPF provides two algorithms: PQUAL (simple, empirically based) and AGCHEM (detailed, process-based). This study evaluated and compared the modeling capabilities and performance of PQUAL and AGCHEM, and investigated significant inputs and parameters for their application. Integral to the study was to develop, calibrate and validate HSPF/PQUAL and HSPF/AGCHEM models in the Upper Broad Run subbasin. â One-variable-at-a-timeâ sensitivity analysis was conducted on the calibrated Upper Broad Run HSPF/PQUAL and HSPF/AGCHEM models to identify significant inputs and parameters for nutrient load generation. The sensitivity analysis results confirmed the importance of accurate meteorological inputs and flow simulation for effective nutrient modeling. OP (orthophosphate phosphorus) and NH4-N (ammonium nitrogen) loads were sensitive to PQUAL parameters describing pollutant buildup and washoff at land surface. The significant PQUAL parameter for Ox-N (oxidized nitrogen) load was groundwater nitrate concentration. For the HSPF/AGCHEM model, fertilizer application rate and time were very important for nutrient load generation. NH4-N and OP loads were sensitive to the AGCHEM parameters describing pollutant adsorption and desorption in the soil. On the other hand, plant uptake of nitrogen played an important role for Ox-N load generation. A side by side comparison was conducted on the Upper Broad Run HSPF/PQUAL and HSPF/AGCHEM models. Both PQUAL and AGCHEM provided good-to-reasonable nutrient simulation. The comparison results showed that AGCHEM performed better than PQUAL for OP simulation, but PQUAL captured temporal variations in the NH4-N and Ox-N loads better than AGCHEM. Compared to PQUAL, AGCHEM is less user-friendly, requires a lot more model input parameters and takes much more time in model development and calibration. On the other hand, use of AGCHEM affords more model capabilities, such as tracking nutrient balances and evaluating alternative nutrient management practices. This study also demonstrated the application of HSPF/AGCHEM within a linked watershed-reservoir model system in the Lake Manassas watershed. By using the outputs generated by the HSPF/AGCHEM models in the Upper Broad Run and Middle Broad Run subbasins, the Lake Manassas CE-QUAL-W2 model adequately captured water budget, temporal and spatial distribution of water quality constituents associated with summer stratification in the lake. The linked model was used to evaluate water quality benefits of implementing nutrient management plan in the watershed. The results confirmed that without the nutrient management plan OP loads would be much higher, which would lead to OP enrichment and enhanced algae growth in Lake Manassas.
Ph. D.

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Moloto, K. P. "The potential of sustainable agricultural practices to enhance soil carbon sequestration and improve soil quality." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4257.

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Thesis (MPhil (Sustainable Development, Planning and Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sustainable agricultural management practices have a profound impact on soil carbon sequestration. The amount of carbon that can be stored in a given soil is influenced by climate, soil type, and the quality and quantity of organic inputs. Together, the interactive effect of these factors determines the Soil Organic Content (SOC). Sustainable agricultural management practices influencing Soil Organic Matter (SOM) include application of organic amendments, conservation tillage, and use of cover crops, crop rotations, crop residue management, and nutrient management. Increasing SOC enhances soil quality, reduces soil erosion, and increases agricultural productivity with considerable on-farm and off-farm benefits. To assess how management practices affect SOC, two case studies were conducted in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra in India and Lynedoch near Stellenbosch. The first case study examined the differences in SOC content on four farms each managed with 13 different sustainable agricultural techniques and one farm managed under conventional management practices. The second case study investigated the SOC differences between an organic and a conventional vegetable farm. The results of both studies show that farms that are managed under sustainable agricultural practices generally contain higher SOC content than farms that are managed under conventional agricultural practices.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om te bepaal hoe bestuurspraktyke Grondlikke Organise Koolstoff raak, is twee gevallestudies in die distrikte Yavatmal in Maharashtra, Indië, en Lynedoch buite Stellenbosch uitgevoer. Die eerste gevallestudie het die verskille in Grondlikke Organise Koolstoff -inhoud bekyk op vier plase waar 13 verskillende Volhoubare landboubestuurspraktyke het ‟n diepgaande impak op grondkoolstof-beslaglegging. Die hoeveelheid koolstof wat binne gegewe grond gestoor kan word, word deur klimaat, grondsoort en die gehalte en hoeveelheid organiese toevoer beïnvloed. Saam bepaal die interaktiewe effek van vermelde faktore die Grondlikke Organise Koolstoff -inhoud. Volhoubare landboubestuurspraktyke wat Grondlikke Organise Materiaal beïnvloed, sluit in die toediening van organiese verbeterings, bewaringsgrondbewerking, die gebruik van dekkingsoeste, oesrotasies, die hantering van oesresidu en voedingstofbestuur. Vermeerdering van Grondlikke Organise Koolstoff verhoog grondgehalte, verminder gronderosie en vermeerder landbouproduktiwiteit met aansienlike voordele op en verwyderd van die plaas. volhoubare landboutegnieke in die bestuurproses toegepas word, en een plaas wat volgens konvensionele bestuurspraktyke bedryf word. Met die tweede gevallestudie is ondersoek gedoen na die Grondlikke Organise Koolstoff -verskille tussen ‟n organiese en ‟n konvensionele groenteplaas. Die uitslae van albei studies dui daarop dat plase wat volgens volhoubare landboupraktyke bestuur word oor die algemeen hoër Grondlikke Organise Koolstoff-inhoud aantoon in vergelyking met plase wat volgens konvensionele landboupraktyke bedryf word.

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Schaible, Candace J. "Assessing Homeowners' Lawn Management Practices and Preferred Sources of Educational Information." DigitalCommons@USU, 2018. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7041.

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Prior to the development of programing and outreach materials it is important for Extension outreach and education professionals to assess the educational needs and preference of the communities they serve. Survey data was gathered from residents of Cedar City, UT, in an effort to gain an understanding of current lawn management practices and the resources homeowners utilize when making management decisions. In addition, soil samples were collected from a subset of participants to compare nutrient levels to management practices. Survey results found that homeowners accessed multiple sources, with preferences leaning towards the use of friends and family members, the internet, and the point of purchase. Few homeowners are aware of and utilize educational resources and services provided by Extension. This is especially true for those under the age of 50, which poses a challenge to Extension professionals to find effective ways to reach younger generations. It was difficult to form associations between nutrient levels and management practices Although, there was a strong association between those with excessive phosphorus concentration and the application of biosolids. More research needs to be done to examine the distribution and end use of biosolids.

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Naramngam, Sarawuth. "Modeling the impacts of agricultural management practices on water quality in the Little Miami River Basin." Cincinnati, Ohio : University of Cincinnati, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view.cgi?acc_num=ucin1226935894.

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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Cincinnati, 2008.
Advisor: Susanna Tong PhD (Committee Chair), icholas Dunning PhD (Committee Member), Robert Frohn PhD (Committee Member), Xinhao Wang PhD (Committee Member). Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed Feb. 8, 2009). Keywords: farming practices; flow; water quality; modeling; farming economics; SWAT. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

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Sheibani, Sara. "Evaluation of bacterial and archaeal communites under different agricultural land management practices in southern Québec soils." Thesis, McGill University, 2010. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=92366.

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This thesis represented the first attempt to investigate the effect of different tillage and crop residue management regimes on the genetic and functional diversity of soil Bacteria and Archaea in a corn agroecosystems in southern Québec. Soils were collected from a long-term (>15 year old) agricultural experiment with three tillage treatments- no-till, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage (mouldboard plowing) and two levels of residue input- with residues (corn roots, stems, and leaves) versus without residues (corn roots and little above ground residues). PCR-DGGE analysis of soil DNA extracts indicated that there was no significant difference of Bacterial and Archaeal communities in the different soil treatments. The potential for atrazine degradation was determine using a soil microcosm mineralization assay. The results of this experiment indicated that all the treatments had almost the same effect on atrazine mineralization. Functional gene microarray analysis of soil microorganisms affected by different treatments showed no clear difference among the different treatments. Microscopic analysis (CARD-FISH and DTAF) indicated that biomass and numbers of Bacterial and Archaeal were not significantly changed as a consequence of different treatments on agricultural soils in southern Québec. In conclusion, this study indicated that the different tillage practices (no-tillage, reduced tillage and conventional tillage) and crop residue managements (with residue and without residue) did not change soil microbial genetic/functional diversity, atrazine degradation, and microbial biomass.
La présente thèse constituait la première opportunité d'étudier l'effet de différentes techniques de labour et de gestion de résidus de plantes sur la diversité génétique et fonctionnelle bactérienne et archaenne des terres agricoles du sud du Québec consacrées à la culture du maïs. Des analyses PCR-DGGE d'extraits d'ADN du sol ont indiqué qu'il n'y avait aucune différence majeure entre les communautés microbiennes de bactéries et d'archaea, peu importe les différents traitements des sols. Des analyses de microréseaux de gènes fonctionnels des communautés de microorganismes de ces sols n'ont aussi montré aucune différence significative entre les différentes techniques d'entretien des sols utilisées. La capacité de dégradation de l'atrazine a été déterminée par analyse de minéralisation via un microcosme de sol. Les résultats de ce test ont indiqué que toutes les techniques de gestion des sols ont à peu près le même effet sur la minéralisation d'atrazine. Des analyses microscopiques (CARD-FISH et DTAF) ont indiqué que la biomasse du sol, ainsi que le nombre de bactéries et d'archaeas, ne changeaient pas de façon significative malgré les différentes techniques d'entretien des sols agricoles dans le sud du Québec. Pour conclure, cette étude a démontré que les différentes pratiques de labour (sans labour, pratique aératoire antiérosive et travail du sol classique) et de gestion de résidus de plantes (avec ou sans résidus) n'ont pas changé la diversité génétique/fonctionnelle microbienne, la dégradation de l'atrazine ainsi que la biomasse du sol.

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Kumar, Vivek. "Hydro-Physical Characterization of Media Used in Agricultural Systems to Develop the Best Management Practices for operation of an Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Enterprise." FIU Digital Commons, 2012. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/787.

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Florida is the second leading horticulture state in the United States with a total annual industry sale of over $12 Billion. Due to its competitive nature, agricultural plant production represents an extremely intensive practice with large amounts of water and fertilizer usage. Agrochemical and water management are vital for efficient functioning of any agricultural enterprise, and the subsequent nutrient loading from such agricultural practices has been a concern for environmentalists. A thorough understanding of the agrochemical and the soil amendments used in these agricultural systems is of special interest as contamination of soils can cause surface and groundwater pollution leading to ecosystem toxicity. The presence of fragile ecosystems such as the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and Big Cypress near enterprises that use such agricultural systems makes the whole issue even more imminent. Although significant research has been conducted with soils and soil mix, there is no acceptable method for determining the hydraulic properties of mixtures that have been subjected to organic and inorganic soil amendments. Hydro-physical characterization of such mixtures can facilitate the understanding of water retention and permeation characteristics of the commonly used mix which can further allow modeling of soil water interactions. The objective of this study was to characterize some of the locally and commercially available plant growth mixtures for their hydro-physical properties and develop mathematical models to correlate these acquired basic properties to the hydraulic conductivity of the mixture. The objective was also to model the response patterns of soil amendments present in those mixtures to different water and fertilizer use scenarios using the characterized hydro-physical properties with the help of Everglades-Agro-Hydrology Model. The presence of organic amendments helps the mixtures retain more water while the inorganic amendments tend to adsorb more nutrients due to their high surface area. The results of these types of characterization can provide a scientific basis for understanding the non-point source water pollution from horticulture production systems and assist in the development of the best management practices for the operation of environmentally sustainable agricultural enterprise

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Strong, Larkin Louise. "Identifying strategies to promote adoption of pesticide safety practices in farmworkers and their families /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/5404.

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Sisung, Theresa. "Soil testing and nutrient application practices of agricultural retailers in the Great Lakes Region." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/32556.

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Master of Agribusiness
Agricultural Economics
Terry Griffin
Agricultural runoff containing phosphorus is believed to be a major contributor of algae blooms in the Western Lake Erie Basin. However, the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) can be used to help reduce the runoff of phosphorus. This research involved conducting surveys to analyze the current implementation of BMPs in Michigan and Indiana. The hypothesis is that the survey results are similar between the two states. An additional hypothesis is that the Michigan and Indiana results are similar to results from two other studies that were previously conducted. The results from this research generally support the hypothesis that a similar number of farmers in Michigan and Indiana are already implementing best management practices on their farms. In addition to the results being similar across Michigan and Indiana, there is also some evidence that shows that the results are similar to studies from the Ohio State University (LaBarge and Prochaska 2014), CropLife magazine (Erickson and Widmar 2015) and NRCS (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2016); however upon further investigation there are distinct differences before and after media mentions of ramifications from the Lake Erie algal blooms. While it is difficult to force farmers to implement BMPs, the results of this study may help to educate them, which may cause them to add these practices to their operations.

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Woolpert, Melissa Elizabeth. "Management Practices and Communication Strategies to Improve Milk Fat and Protein Content on Dairy Farms." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2016. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/594.

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Dairy farmers in the Northeastern Unites States are paid based on the amount of fat and protein in their cows' milk, and improving fat and protein production is linked with improved financial sustainability for dairy farms. However, not all farmers are motivated to make changes to increase milk fat and protein production. Previous research has identified a positive correlation between a group of fatty acids, known as the de novo fatty acids, and the fat and protein content of bulk tank milk from commercial dairy farms. Therefore, the first objective of this research was to explore the relationship of farm management, the cow's diet, and lactation performance with de novo fatty acid content on Northeastern US dairy farms. Results from the first objective were communicated with dairy farmers; therefore, the second objective was to understand how to communicate with farmers to influence their behavior. We hypothesized that farms with high de novo fatty acids in bulk tank milk would manage and feed their cows to optimize rumen fermentation conditions. The first (Chapter 2) and second (Chapter 3) studies were methodologically very similar. Farms were categorized as either high de novo (HDN) or low de novo (LDN) based on the concentration of de novo fatty acids in their bulk tank milk for the 6 months prior to the farm visit. Farms were then visited once in March or April, 2014 (Chapter 2) or between February and April, 2015 (Chapter 3) to assess management practices and collect samples of the cows' diet. There were no differences in days in milk in Chapter 2 or Chapter 3. Yield of milk, fat, and true protein per cow were higher for HDN versus LDN farms in Chapter 2. In both chapters, HDN farms had higher milk fat and true protein content and higher de novo fatty acid yield per day. The HDN farms had lower freestall stocking density in Chapter 2 and provided more feedbunk space per cow in Chapter 3. Additionally, tiestall feeding frequency was higher for HDN than LDN farms. No differences were detected for dietary chemical composition, except ether extract was lower for HDN than LDN farms in both chapters. Chapter 4 explored how to communicate the results of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 through eleven qualitative, semi-structured interviews and insight from the 83 farm visits. Farmers identified the cooperative, expert consultants (nutritionist, veterinarian, and agronomists), financial advisers, print publications, and other farmers as principal sources of information. However, barriers to the transfer of information included family dynamics, lack of access to high speed internet, and difficulties evaluating divergent recommendations from experts. Several farmers expressed an incorrect perception of their farms' fat and protein production compared with cooperative averages which reduced their motivation to incorporate management changes. Recommendations to overcome these barriers include integrating management team meetings and facilitating informal discussion groups between farmers. This research is correlational in nature, and future research is needed to verify a causal relationship between de novo fatty acids and milk fat and protein content. However, the results of this research can be used to help farmers increase their cows' milk fat and protein content, improve the transfer of knowledge to dairy farmers, and ultimately support the financial sustainability of dairy farms in the Northeastern US.

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Cárdenas, Mayra, Mayra Rodriguez, Edgar Ramos, Edgardo Carvallo, and Carlos Raymundo. "Quality Management Model Focusing on Good Agricultural Practices to Increase Productivity of Pomegranate Producing SMEs in Peru." Springer Verlag, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10757/656121.

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El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado.
Peru’s pomegranate productivity is 10.3 tons, which is almost a third of that produced by Turkey (27.5 tons) and almost half of that produced by Spain (20 tons). In this sense, it is necessary that the organizations know the importance of quality management to monitor and maintain product quality. It is important to consider the appropriate methods to adopt and implement quality management so that MSEs may develop a better understanding of how quality management systems should be implemented and the significant, positive impact they generate. This document proposes a model based on quality management and good practices, which frames a series of activities and criteria to provide an objective diagnosis. This model was developed based on information gathered from SMEs in the district of Santiago de Ica.

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Cunningham, Janelle Hope. "An Assessment of the Quality of Agricultural Best Management Practices in the James River Basin of Virginia." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34903.

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Assessment tools were developed to address the need for a low cost, rapid method of quantifying the quality of agricultural best management practices (BMPs). Best management practices are either cost-shared, where some or all of the capital costs of the practice were subsidized with federal, state, or local funds, or non cost-shared, where the cost of the practice and its upkeep is paid for by the landowner or farm operator. Cost-share practices are required to comply with state standards, while non cost-share practices are not subject to any standards. For this study, BMP quality is defined as the adherence to design, site selection, implementation, and maintenance criteria relating to water quality as specified by state and federal agencies promoting BMP implementation. The two objectives of this research were: 1. develop a set of assessment tools to quantify the quality of agricultural best management practices in a rapid low-cost manner, and 2. test the tools and determine if differences in quality exist between cost-share and non cost-share BMPs in the James River Basin of Virginia. Assessment tools were developed for sixteen practices: alternative water systems, stream fencing, streambank stabilization, grass filter strips, wooded buffers, permanent vegetative cover on critically eroding areas, permanent vegetative cover on erodible cropland, reforestation of erodible crop and pasture land, animal waste storage facilities, grazing land protection systems, loafing lot management systems, late winter split application of nitrogen on small grains, protective cover for specialty crops, sidedress application of nitrogen on corn, small grain cover crops-fertilized and harvested, and small grain cover crops for nutrient management. Assessment tools were developed using both Virginia BMP standards and expert knowledge. Virginia Department of Recreation and Conservation (DCR) and Virginia and national Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) BMP standards were collected and sorted into the four quality component categories; design, site selection, implementation, and maintenance. Standards that pertained directly to a BMPs' potential to protect water quality were translated into question format. Multiple-choice or yes/no questions were used as often as possible to avoid potential bias and for ease of processing. Assessment tool development involved an iterative process that included input from a research team (university-based researchers) and an expert team (public and private sector professionals and practitioners responsible for BMP design and assessment). One hundred and fifty-five cost-shared BMPs and 150 non cost-shared BMPs were assessed on 128 independent farms in the James River Basin of Virginia over a period of four months. The assessment tools were loaded onto a personal digital assistant (PDA), which facilitated data collection and eliminated the need for data transcription. Data collected on the PDA were uploaded periodically to a computer database. A digital camera was used to develop a photographic record of the assessed BMPs. Best management practice quality scores were based on five-point scale, with one being the lowest quality score and five as the highest. Statistical analyses conducted on both the overall quality scores and the quality component scores, indicate that there is not a strong significant difference (p = 0.05) in quality between the cost-shared and non cost-shared BMPs assessed for this study. Statistically significant differences between cost-share and non cost-share practices did, however, exist. For the filter/buffer strips practices (grass filter strips and wooded buffers), the implementation quality component cost-share mean (3.35) and the non cost-share mean (3.88) were statistically different at the 0.05 level (p-value = 0.026). One other statistically significant difference was found. For stream fencing, the overall quality cost-share mean was 4.68 while the non cost-share mean was 4.20; the means are statistically different at the 0.05 level (p-value = 0.043). Statistical analyses were performed to determine if age of practice, farm size, or Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) had effects on the BMP quality. No statistically significant differences (p = 0.05) were found relating to the age of an assessed BMP or farm size. One SWCD, the Robert E. Lee district, had a statistically significant difference in the design quality component means; cost-share mean = 4.21, non cost-share mean = 2.94 with a p-value of 0.048. The statistically significant differences that were detected do not establish a clear trend; it appears that for the BMPs assessed here the qualities of cost-share and non cost-share practices are roughly equal. The fact that cost-share practices and non cost-share practices do appear to be roughly equal may be the result of education and outreach programs sponsored by Virginia's SWCDs and Virginia Cooperative Extension. Non cost-share practices may be of equal quality to cost-share practices because those implementing BMPs without the benefit of cost-share may have a greater stake (both financial and personal) in those practices performing well. If no statistically significant difference in quality exists between cost-share and non cost-share practices, then non cost-share practices should be treated equally when accounting for BMPs in NPS pollution in watershed management and computer modeling. Currently, only cost-share practices are included in computer models, in part because these are the only practices tracked by the existing BMP establishment infrastructure. Estimating the numbers and distribution of non cost-share practices and incorporating them into NPS water quality modeling efforts will more accurately reflect the steps agricultural producers have and are taking to decrease the amount of NPS pollution reaching water bodies. Additionally, policy regarding NPS pollution and BMPs should reflect the apparent equal qualities of cost-share and non cost-share practices. The assessment tools developed as a part of this study can potentially be applied to determine the quality of BMPs on basin or state-wide scales to give policy makers a better understanding of the practices and populations that the policies are created for. Moreover, BMP quality scores have the potential to be used as a surrogate measure for BMP performance. Further research recommendations include correlating BMP quality scores with BMP performance, wider scale testing of the tools, continued revision of the tools, and using the assessment tool scores to diagnose BMP quality problems.
Master of Science

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Sekgota, Wendy Maphefo. "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as a bio-indicator of soil health under agricultural management practices in South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/72161.

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This study investigated the activity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi as a potential biological indicator of soil health under conventional and conservation agricultural management in South Africa. An experimental trial consisting of three replicates plots under conventional and reduced tillage subdivided into twelve treatments of six crops and two fertilizer inputs was assessed over four growing seasons for various AM fungal parameters such as spore density, most probable number (MPN) of propagules percentage root colonisation and easily extractable glomalin (EEG). Cropping combinations were maize monoculture; maize soybean rotation; maize cowpea rotation; maize cowpea intercropping; maize oats intercropping and maize vetch intercropping. Resident AM fungal spore numbers and EEG protein levels were very low and no root colonization was recorded in the first two growing seasons. These findings prompted the need for the inoculation of the study site in the third growing season with a commercial AM fungal product (MycorootTM). Spore numbers, EEG concentrations and percentage root colonisation increased 8 weeks after inoculation but were significantly reduced in the fourth growing season that was not inoculated. MPN infectivity increased with inoculation particularly under conventional tillage and maize monoculture. Resident spore taxa were morphologically identified into three genera Gigaspora, Scutellospora, and Glomus. For the first two growing seasons, the maize roots were heavily colonized by a pathogenic fungus after mycorrhizal inoculation no evidence of pathogenic fungi was observed. In the fourth growing season which did not receive inoculation, root colonization started to decline. Reduced tillage, high fertilizer input combined with maize cowpea rotation (MC) and maize hairy vetch intercropping (Mv) had a significant effect (P = 0.01) on AM fungal spore numbers. Cropping systems and high fertilizer input had a significant effect on EEG concentrations in the second growing season. Overall, fertilizer application and crop type had implications for mycorrhizal activity. The soil health status in this study site was deemed low as measured by the impaired mycorrhizal activity due to agricultural management practices. Field inoculation combined with classical and molecular tools could provide a more realistic assessment of the effect of agricultural management practices on AM fungi as potential bioindicators of soil health. Therefore, AM fungi could be used as bioindicators of soil health under agricultural management practices in South African soil conditions.

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Helling, Alexander Paul. "Sustainable Agriculture in Vermont: Economics of Climate Change Best Management Practices and the Complexity of Consumer Perceptions of Raw Milk." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2015. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/437.

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Changing weather patterns, the declining social fabric of rural communities, and economic uncertainty increasingly pose challenges to Vermont communities. The socially and environmentally embedded production practices within sustainable agriculture present a potential solution to these problems. In order to make the most of the potential benefits of these practices society must maximize their adoption. This requires an understanding of both farmer adoption of these practices and consumer perceptions of the resulting food products. This thesis contributes two original articles on sustainable agriculture through the analysis of factors driving both farmer adoption and consumer perceptions of products and practices often thought of as sustainable. The first article seeks to understand farmer adoption of climate change best management practices (CCBMPs). Farmer perceptions of risk and profitability of best management practices (BMPs) are key determinants of adoption, which traditional incentive programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) attempt to address by providing financial and technical support. To ensure appropriate price points are offered through these programs, regional price structures must be based upon locally established costs. Thus, this article focuses on the economic cost of implementing and maintaining CCBMPs for twelve diverse farms in Vermont. Specifically, three CCBMPs for Vermont are examined: cover cropping, management intensive rotational grazing (MIRG), and riparian buffer strips. Results of a yearlong farmer based data collection process indicate that the average cost for cover cropping is $129.24/acre, for MIRG is $79.82/acre, and for a tree based riparian buffer strip is $807.33/acre. We conclude that existing incentive payments for cover cropping and MIRG are below costs, likely resulting in under-adoption. The second article reports on a study which seeks to understand the factors influencing Vermont consumer perceptions of raw milk safety. While this article makes no assertion regarding the sustainability of raw milk, an association is established between the motivations for raw milk consumption and sustainable agriculture support. Vermonterâ??s appear to be continuing the trend of consuming raw milk at an increasing rate despite continued declarations from local and national public health officials that raw milk is too microbiologically dangerous to justify its consumption. Thus this study was designed to increase understanding of the factors driving consumer perceptions of raw milk safety. A conceptual model was developed to establish potential factors and related questions were incorporated into the 2014 Vermonter Poll. Resulting data were analyzed using a Probit regression analysis. We conclude that observable factors have the greatest influence on perceptions of raw milk safety. Specifically, perceived health benefits, presence of children in the household, and taste all influence perceptions of raw milk safety.

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26

Choquette, Carolyne. "Evaluating management practices to limit phosphorus losses from agricultural fields in the Castor watershed using the WEND model." Thesis, McGill University, 2005. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=81612.

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The objective of this study was to apply the WEND model, a nutrient mass balance model, to the Castor watershed in southern Quebec to evaluate phosphorus movement, storage and export over time. The WEND model was customized to run on a field-scale and then individually applied to 266 fields on the watershed for a 30-year simulation period. Field-specific information for the period of 1997-1999, was used as basic inputs to the model. Climatic information was obtained from local sources. The additional information required to run the model was derived from the literature. Model outputs were analysed at three different levels: (i) the overall watershed impacts, (ii) by cropping system, and (iii) for field management practices presenting a high risk of P losses. Specific outputs examined were: soil test Mehlich-III P, soil P saturation with aluminium, RUSLE soil loss potential and TP export.
The model was used to examine the impacts of crop rotations, fertilizer application and tillage management on TP export. For the Castor watershed, the soil test P increased at a mean rate of 3.71 kg Mehlich-III P ha -1 yr-1, equivalent to a mean input of about 32 kg P2O5 ha-1 yr-1 in excess of plant requirements, assuming current field management practices remain constant.
If TP export is considered the most important parameter in terms of P contamination, crop rotations are a good alternative to continuous corn monocropping under which losses could reach as high as 3.36 kg TP ha-1 yr -1. Crop rotations were shown to be an important management practice that should be more carefully examined when establishing field management practices. Just one year of grassland within a rotation can greatly improve the overall environmental health of a watershed. The management of P inputs is also an important target for improvement, as fertiliser inputs often surpassed plant requirements by two- or three-fold.

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Onsoy, Yuksel Sevim. "Modeling nitrate transport in deep unsaturated alluvial sediments and assessing impact of agricultural management practices on groundwater quality /." For electronic version search Digital dissertations database. Restricted to UC campuses. Access is free to UC campus dissertations, 2005. http://uclibs.org/PID/11984.

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Gildow, Marie C. "Evaluating Fertilizer Application Practices to Reduce Phosphorus Discharge from the Maumee River." The Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1437400849.

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Alvarado, Lizeth, Juan Díaz, Juan Quiroz, and Carlos Raymundo. "Basic production planning and control model based on process management to increase the productivity of mango MSEs in Casma." Springer Verlag, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10757/656119.

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El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado.
The department with the greatest economic dependence on the fruit is Ancash, and the Province of Casma is most important in production, as it only produces mango; however, at the productivity level, is a marked difference of 8.2 t/ha compared to the highest worldwide producer, Mexico. Taking this data into consideration, an analysis of the MSEs producing mango in Casma was conducted and problems were seen in the management of resources and processes, both at the levels of planning and control. Considering the problems of MSEs from Casma, a basic Production Planning and Control model was designed based on Process Management and agricultural best practices. The model consists of applying process management tools, such as the flow diagram, the SIPOC turtle, data sheet indicators, procedures, and formats for each sub-process, all with the aim of better understanding the proposal’s development and increasing the productivity of MSEs.

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30

Currey, Robin. "Diversity of Hymenoptera, Cultivated Plants and Management Practices in Home Garden Agroecosystems, Kyrgyz Republic." FIU Digital Commons, 2009. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/124.

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Pollination-dependent fruit trees grown in home gardens play an important role in the agricultural based economy of Central Asian countries, yet little is known about the status of pollinator communities, the cultivated plant composition or the factors that influence management practices in Kyrgyz home garden agroecosystems. As agricultural systems are human created and managed, a logical approach to their study blends anthropological and ecological methods, an ethnoecological approach. Over three years, I investigated how species richness and abundance of Hymenoptera, cultivated plants, and home garden management were related using quantitative and qualitative methods in the Issyk-kul Man and Biosphere reserve. Structured surveys were undertaken with heads of households using a random sample stratified by village. Gardens were then mapped with participation of household members to inventory edible species in gardens, most of which are pollinator-dependent, and to compare home garden diversity as reported by respondents during interviews. Apple diversity was studied to the variety level to understand respondents’ classification system in the context of in situ agrobiodiversity conservation. Household members identified 52 edible plant species when mapping the garden, compared with 32 reported when interviewed. The proportion of plant species received from others through exchange and the number of plots cultivated significantly explained the variation in edible plant diversity among gardens. Insects were sampled in gardens and orchards to determine potential pollinator community composition and the effect of different management practices on Hymenoptera richness and abundance. I collected 756 Hymenoptera individuals (56 bee; 12 wasp species); 12 species were new records for Kyrgyzstan or within Kyrgyzstan. Economic pressures to intensify cultivation could impact management practices that currently promote diversity. A home garden development initiative was undertaken to study management practice improvement. Participants in the initiative had higher adoption rates than controls of management practices that improve long-term yield, ecological sustainability and stability of home gardens. Home gardens, as currently managed, support abundant and diverse pollinator communities and have high cultivated plant diversity with few differences in community composition between garden management types.

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Nishigaki, Tomohiro. "Improvement of Water- and Nutrient-Use Efficiency with Optimum Agricultural Management Practices in Upland Cropping Systems in Morogoro, Tanzania." Kyoto University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/228243.

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32

Rees, Gwendolen Jayne. "Two analyses of costs of agricultural NPS pollution: Transactions costs of expanding nutrient trading to agricultural working lands and Impacts of TCs and differential BMP adoption rates on the cost of reducing agricultural NPS pollution in Virginia." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/52939.

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For over 30 years, federal and state governments have been engaged in a collective effort to improve the water quality and living resources in the Chesapeake Bay (CB), focusing particularly on reducing delivered nitrogen and phosphorus loads. However, achievement of water quality objectives remains elusive. In Virginia, agriculture represents the single largest source of nutrient loads to the Chesapeake Bay. Despite aggressive regulatory efforts in other nutrient source sectors, state authorities rely on educational programs and voluntary financial assistance programs to induce landowners to adopt best management practices (BMPs) that reduce agricultural nutrient loads. This study explores two economic aspects of efforts to reduce agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in the Virginia portion of the CB watershed. Firstly, current and possible future transactions costs associated with specific aspects of agricultural NPS participation in water quality trading (WQT) programs are examined in Chapter 1. A case study approach is used to consider the possible cost consequences of expanding the use of NPS credits from agricultural 'working lands' BMPs in Virginia. Findings indicate that overall transactions costs for nutrient trades involving agricultural NPS in Virginia are currently relatively low, due to the type of activities being credited: simple land conversions. Based on best available evidence, the administrative transactions costs of creating credits on agricultural 'working lands' using management and structural BMPs will be 2 to 5 times more costly on a per project basis than for credits generated from land conversions. Compliance monitoring protocols were found to be a significant driver of costs for credits generated from working agricultural lands. These results suggest an important cost/risk tradeoff between verification cost and compliance certainty for program designers to consider. The second study (Chapter 2) considers the economic cost of meeting pollution reduction targets for the Virginia portion of the CB Watershed. Existing cost models are based on simplifying behavioral assumptions about public transactions costs, conservation adoption rates, and implementation costs of agricultural BMPs. This study builds on the existing literature and uses the estimates of transactions costs from Chapter 1 together with information on producer BMP adoption rates to examine the implications of including transactions costs and differential BMP costs and adoption rates when estimating the minimum costs of achieving specified nutrient reduction goals in Virginia. The paper uses a cost-minimizing mathematical programming approach and models a number of different cost scenarios. Results indicate that inclusion of transactions costs substantially affects estimates of total costs of meeting nutrient reduction goals; on average total costs increased by 44 percent, but ranged between 19 and 81 percent depending on the scenario analyzed. Analysis of the modelled scenarios shows that those BMPs that account for the most implementation costs do not necessarily account for the most transactions costs (and vice versa). This suggests that transactions costs should be acknowledged to vary with the type of practices being implemented, rather than being approximated as either a fixed amount or a fixed proportion of implementation costs. In addition, the analysis highlights the disproportionate costs associated with achieving nutrient reductions via high-cost adopters, and suggests there may be a role for education or extension to assist landholders to lower opportunity costs of participating in conservation.
Master of Science

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Noteboom, Matthew. "Impacts of Deforestation on Water Quality and Quantity in a Canadian Agricultural Watershed." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/40967.

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Around the world, many forested areas have been and continue to be cleared for expanding agriculture. Canada’s remaining forested lands account for around 9% of the world’s forest cover. Although only a fraction is lost to deforestation annually (0.02%, 2013), Statistics Canada reports that conversion to agriculture is the most significant driver of forest loss. As climate changes and agricultural demand expands, this trend is expected to continue, and ecosystems will continue to be impacted by resulting habitat loss and hydrological changes that can impact infrastructure and communities. Additionally, changes to sediment and nutrient loadings can harm ecosystems and affect the downstream usability of freshwater supplies. The impact of increased sediment and nutrient concentrations in freshwater systems has been extensively documented in the literature. In some extreme cases, it can lead to anoxic ‘dead zones’ in riverine, lacustrine, and marine habitats. Many river systems in Canada have shown elevated nutrient levels in recent years, often tied to the expansion of agricultural land use and destruction of natural forests to increasing nutrient levels in downstream rivers, lakes, and oceans. This study applies numerical modelling to quantify the influence of forest loss, agricultural expansion and the application of best management practices (BMPs) on water quality and quantity in the South Nation Watershed in eastern Ontario, Canada. The land use in the watershed is mainly agricultural (over 60%) with forest (27%) that is unevenly distributed in the basin. Aerial photography surveys from 2008 and 2014 show a steady decline in forest cover. Recent water quality monitoring has shown nutrient concentrations at or above Canadian water quality standards in many parts of the basin. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to model the watershed because of its capacity to simulate comprehensive land management scenarios and assess their impact on a variety of water quantity and parameters quickly and effectively. The work was performed in four steps: 1. Recent land use configurations (2008-2014) in the watershed were acquired, and simplified land use projections based on the direct substitution of cropland for forest land were developed. 2. A numerical model was calibrated and validated for the initial land use scenario. 3. These land use scenarios, as well as more hypothetical scenarios representing more extensive deforestation and reforestation, were used as the basis for hydrological modelling using 31 years of real-world meteorological observations. 4. Idealized vegetated filter strips (VFSs) and grassed waterways (GWWs) were added to the cropped land packages to study the potential of these practices to contribute to the management of water quality. Analysis of the 33 output datasets derived from simulations of the suite of land use scenarios with and without VFSs and GWWs leads to several conclusions, while also raising some questions. Generally, forests significantly reduce sediment, nitrate and phosphorus outputs to streams as well as slightly reducing water yield compared to cropped areas due to an increase in surface runoff, groundwater and lateral flow combined with the absence of tile drainage. Across subbasins, this translates to significant reductions in sediment, nitrate and total phosphorus loadings entering the river reaches and a slight increase in water yield. At the basin outlet near Plantagenet, Ontario, streamflow and sediment loading show to have little sensitivity to changes in forest and crop cover, while increased forest cover leads to significantly reduced nutrient loadings, particularly in late spring and early winter. It is clear from this work that continued deforestation will continue to drive further nutrient enrichment in the South Nation River, while VFSs seems to have a significant potential for offsetting some of this enrichment. Streamflow and sediment loadings, however, are not significantly impacted by foreseeable deforestation. The influence of land use change and BMPs was much more significant in the runoff than in exports from the basin, suggesting there would be value in further examination of water quality and quantity at a higher spatial density to expand on assumptions of in-stream processes made here.

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Twombly, Cameron Robert. "Edge-of-Field Hydrology and Nutrient Fluxes within Northeastern Agroecosystems: Evaluation of Alternative Management Practices and Water Quality Models." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2019. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/1170.

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Agricultural runoff is one of largest contributors of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), and sediment affecting freshwater systems in watersheds across the Northeastern U.S., including the Lake Champlain Basin in Vermont. Agricultural cropping systems, such as corn silage and haylands, used for dairy feed production have been shown to impact watershed hydrology and water quality. Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) have the potential to decrease runoff volumes and flow rates and the associated export of nutrients and sediment from agricultural fields. Many states in the Northeastern U.S., including Vermont, are beginning to require farmers to implement water quality BMPs and further improve risk evaluation of export of P in runoff using evolving P site assessment tools, such as the Phosphorus Index (P-Index). Quantifying the effects of BMPs on hydrologic and nutrient exports from fields is critical for informing site assessment tools that aid in the development of nutrient management plans and to help design agroecosystems that do not degrade water quality. However, there is a lack of data on the effects of BMPs on edge-of-field hydrologic and nutrient fluxes, especially in cold-climate regions with snow-melt induced runoff events. This thesis consists of four chapters, Chapter 1 is a comprehensive literature review on agricultural hydrology and water quality, BMP effectiveness, and P site assessment tools. Chapters 2 and 3 address research objectives related to the evaluation of BMP and P site assessment tool effectiveness. Chapter 4 is a summary of the conclusions drawn from the work done in Chapters 2 and 3, and suggestions for future work. Chapter 2 evaluates the effects of soil aeration prior to manure application on edge-of-field hydrology, water quality, and P fluxes in haylands with clay soils during both precipitation and snow-melt induced runoff events. Edge-of-field water quality monitoring techniques and passive-capillary lysimeter systems were used to continuously measure the losses of surface runoff, subsurface leachate, and the associated export of nutrients (total phosphorus, total dissolved phosphorus, total nitrogen, and total dissolved nitrogen) and total suspended solids resulting from runoff events year-round from 2012 to 2018. Annual P fluxes in the form of vegetative uptake and removal, manure additions, and soil test P were also recorded. Results from this study indicated that soil aeration had the potential to reduce nutrient and sediment exports from haylands with poorly-drained, high runoff producing soils in the Northeastern U.S. where winter freeze-thaw conditions exist. However, potential increases in surface and subsurface hydrologic flows can accompany these reductions; these implications should be considered before implementation. Chapter 3 identifies potential P-Index improvements through the representation of topographic controls on phosphorus (P) transport by comparing results from the Vermont P-Index (VT P-Index) and a more complex process-based model, TopoSWAT, across topographic regions in a small agricultural watershed (360 ha) in the Lake Champlain Basin. Scenarios of varying P management strategies were modeled for corn silage production fields with poorly-drained soils and rolling topography. Modeled outputs of P risk assessments and edge-of-field dissolved and particulate P losses were compared. Results from this study suggest that the VT P-Index could improve its ability to support farm nutrient management planning and other P-based management decisions by incorporating topographic controls of runoff production into its estimation of P transport.

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Barragan, Adrian A. "EFFECT OF CALVING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON STILLBIRTH IN HOLSTEIN DAIRY COWS WITH EMPHASIS IN CONFINEMENT SYSTEMS." The Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1433500476.

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Albright, Joshua Francis. "Herbicide Resistant Weeds: Owner/Renter Behavior and Hazard Model Analysis." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/613401.

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Much of the literature on herbicide resistant weeds suggests that farmers do not adopt resistance management practices on rented land to the same extent as on owned land. This study uses data from the USDA Agricultural Resource Management Survey for corn and soybeans to compare adoption of resistance management practices on owned and rented land analyzing national and regional data for a variety of weed management practices. There was little support for the hypothesis that renters adopted resistance management practices less than owners. In most cases, there was no significant difference in adoption rates. In cases where there were statistically significant differences, it was more common that resistance management practice adoption was higher on rented land than on owned land. The second part of this study estimated a hazard model to predict when resistance to glyphosate would first be detected in corn fields in a state. The model was used to test hypotheses about whether adoption of different weed management practices delayed or sped up the onset of resistance. The analysis found evidence that greater use of phosphinic acid herbicides (the herbicide family that includes glyphosate) sped up the onset of glyphosate resistant weeds.

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Muratore, Thomas Joseph Jr. "LONG-TERM LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND THEIR EFFECT ON SOIL HEALTH AND CROP PRODUCTIVITY." UKnowledge, 2019. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_etds/115.

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Agricultural intensification reliant on monocrops could change soil health in a way that does not support maximum crop productivity. Twenty-nine-year-old no-till field plots at the University of Kentucky Spindletop research farm showed a significant reduction in corn yields from continuous corn plots compared to those from plots in various types of rotation. The objective of this study was to determine what role soil microbes might play in yield reduction and how management and time effects microbial community structure. Samples were collected from the following treatments: continuous corn (CC), continuous soybean (SS), a 2-year corn/soybean rotation (CCSS), Corn in rotation with soybean with winter wheat cover (C/W/S), and sod controls (SOD). Soil health-related parameters were determined along with microbial community structure using phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA). Results show that there is a strong seasonal dynamic in microbial communities with May, July and September showing the greatest differentiation between treatments. Nonparametric multidimensional analysis (NMDS) shows that microbial communities under SS, CC treatments were significantly different from the CS and CWS treatments across all four years of the study. My findings will prove useful for assessing the contribution of biological indicators to agroecosystem function and will aid in making recommendations of when and how to manage these parameters to improve soil health and maximize yield.

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Cloonan, Daniel Peter, of Western Sydney Hawkesbury University, of Science Technology and Agriculture Faculty, and School of Agriculture and Rural Development. "The extension need : learning through dialogue : a theory-informed extension practice." THESIS_FSTA_ARD_Cloonan_D.xml, 1996. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/763.

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Following concerns expressed by canegrowers in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area (BRIA) of Northern Queensland regarding rising groundwater and salinity the Department of Primary Industries instigated action to investigate and develop Best-On-Farm Water Management Practices. The purposes of this project were to improve landholder awareness of water use to maximise cane production while minimising the likelihood of salinity and changes in the groundwater balance, and to facilitate the development of soil and water management practices on a range of soils in the BRIA. The project lasted for 12 months, and this short duration affected research methodologies and techniques selected. Groups of farmers were organised, participation was good and useful outcomes resulted. These included: improved landholder awareness of the relationships between salinity, water use and groundwater; identification of a range of best practices; identification of social theories about water management practices; development of an extension model based on the value of indigenous knowledge; equality between government and farmers; examination of underlying assumptions in relation to water management by both government and farmers; identification of issues for future research and extension.
Master of Science (Hons)

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Spangler, Jonathan Travis. "An Assessment of Floating Treatment Wetlands for Reducing Nutrient Loads from Agricultural Runoff in Coastal Virginia." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86656.

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Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are an innovative best management practice that can enhance the performance of traditional retention ponds by increasing removal of the nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P). FTWs consist of floating rafts on which wetland plants are planted, allowing the roots to be submerged below the water surface while the shoots remain above. A growing body of research has documented FTW performance with regard to urban runoff treatment, however evaluation of FTW effectiveness for treatment of agricultural runoff has received less attention. Due to high fertilization and irrigation rates, commercial nursery runoff contains much higher concentrations of N and P than runoff from urban areas. We conducted this study over two growing seasons (2015 and 2016) to assess the effectiveness of FTWs for use in commercial nursery retention ponds. In the first study we used two different nutrient concentrations, one to simulate nursery runoff (17.1 mg∙L-1 TN and 2.61 mg∙L-1 TP) and one to simulate concentrations that fall between urban and nursery runoff (5.22 mg∙L-1 TN and 0.52 mg∙L-1 TP). Four treatments were used: 1) Pontederia cordata planted in cups supported by a Beemat, 2) Juncus effusus planted in cups supported by a Beemat, 3) a Beemat with no plants, and 4) no treatment (open-water). Performance was evaluated based on a 7-day hydraulic retention time (HRT). Pontederia cordata removed between 90.3% and 92.4% of total phosphorus (TP) and 84.3% and 88.9% total nitrogen (TN), depending on initial loads. These reductions were significantly more than other treatments at both high and low nutrient loading rates. Juncus effusus performed better than the control treatments for TP removal at low nutrient concentrations, but did not perform any better than the control at higher nutrient loads. In the second study, conducted in 2016, we evaluated different plant species over two 8-week trials using simulated nursery runoff. We used five monoculture FTWs with the following species: Agrostis alba, Canna ×generalis, Carex stricta, Iris ensata, and Panicum virgatum. Additionally, two treatments were created from mixed species plantings and the final treatment consisted of an open water control mesocosm. Nutrient removal performance was evaluated over a 7-day HRT. P removal (phosphate-P) by FTW treatments ranged from 26.1% to 64.7% for trial 1 and 26.8% to 63.2% for trial 2. Trial 1 N removal (sum of ammonium-N, nitrate-N, and nitrite-N) efficiencies ranged from 38.9% to 82.4%, and trial 2 ranged from 12.9% to 59.6%. Panicum virgatum removed significantly more N and P than the control and any other FTW treatment in the second study. Both studies indicated, depending upon plant species, that FTWs can effectively remove nitrogen and phosphorous from urban and commercial nursery retention ponds.
Master of Science

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Sampson, Shae-Lynn. "Response of wetlands to impacts from agricultural land-use practices: Implications for conservation, management, and rehabilitation in the Nuwejaars Catchment, Western Cape." University of the Western Cape, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/8154.

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Magister Artium - MA
Wetlands occupy about 6% of the world’s surface and are fragile ecosystems that support a diversity of plants and animals. Wetlands are increasingly recognised for their role in the provision of ecosystem services and contribution to global biodiversity. Despite this, more than half of the world’s wetlands have vanished or been degraded, primarily due to agriculture. Wetlands are constantly adjusting to disturbances occurring within them and within their surrounding landscape. It is important to recognise to what extent various disturbances affect wetlands when assessing disturbance and impact, and when considering wetland protection options. The benefit of the detailed characterisation of the sub-catchments of the Nuwejaars catchment is deepened understanding of how different combinations of land-uses and soils impact catchment hydrology, and ultimately, the wetlands within the catchment

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Calero, Adolfo Eberhard. "An Investigation of Fertilizer-Derived Uranium in Ohio Agricultural Soils." The Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1587651244115868.

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Powell, George Erick. "Examination, application, and evaluation of geomorphic principles and resulting water quality in Midwest agricultural streams and rivers." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1148992105.

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Zhong, Hua. "ESSAYS ON FARMER WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE KENTUCKY RIVER WATERSHED." UKnowledge, 2016. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/agecon_etds/40.

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This dissertation explores the adoption of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the Kentucky River watershed. Through a survey of farmers in the Kentucky River watershed, chapter two investigates farmers’ current BMP adoption and their willingness to engage in additional adoption incentivized through a proposed Water Quality Trading (WQT) program. This chapter includes two parts: the first part is to investigate the factors influencing farmers’ current usage of BMPs; the second part is to estimate farmers’ willingness to implement BMPs given different levels of compensation specified in the survey. Farmers’ experiences about BMPs are more likely to persuade them to adopt additional BMPs. The activities of using riparian buffers, fencing off animals and building up waste storage facilities are found to be responsive to the levels of compensation offered. The third chapter discusses farmers’ expected economic benefits from BMP adoption, and addresses the missing data issue. In the survey, of those respondents who indicated that they accept the offered level of compensation, about 20% of them did not answer the follow-up question of how much they would adopt the practice, creating missing data. We compare three methods to handle the issue of missing data: deletion method, mean imputation, and multiple imputation method. Following these methods, we estimate factors affecting how much farmers may engage in BMPs using a Tobit or Poisson model. The results show that increasing the compensation for using BMPs is more likely to encourage farmers to adopt riparian buffers. Results obtained using the method of multivariate imputation by chained equation are more promising than using the deletion or mean imputation method. The fourth chapter examines whether wealth change and local community interaction may affect BMP adoption. Survey data on BMP adoption are combined with the local community data from publically available sources. Results show that the decrease in land values between 2007 and 2012 discouraged the adoption of riparian buffers; the equine inventory in local communities has positive impact on the adoption of animal fences and nutrient management; the more rural the local communities are, the less likely farmers would fence off livestock from water resources.

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Cohen, Rachel L. "Urban Agriculture Stormwater Management in California Cities." DigitalCommons@CalPoly, 2013. https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1015.

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Cities within California are beginning to incorporate urban agriculture into their land use designations. Prompted by residents and local organizations, cities are hoping to capture the benefits that urban agriculture provides. Research has shown that urban agriculture renews and beautifies neighborhoods, provides healthy food choices, increases public health, has the potential to help with stormwater runoff, creates jobs, and fosters community. In the last few years, several California cities have made headlines as they have adopted new zoning codes that include urban agriculture. In reviewing these new zoning codes and exploring the topic of urban agriculture, it became evident that just because an urban farm was small, organic and provided certain benefits that it was not free from impacting its surroundings. As more urban agricultural ventures are established within cities, planners have to carefully consider their effect. One such impact could be stormwater pollution. There is insufficient research to determine whether there is a relationship between urban agriculture and stormwater, however, studies on conventional agriculture and urban landscaping (mainly urban lawns) show that each of these areas pollute the local water bodies with sediment, chemicals, and nutrients. Is urban agriculture different? This thesis utilizes two case studies within California, the City of Oakland and the City of San Diego, to examine the similarities and differences between each city’s urban agriculture ordinances and evaluate whether or not the cities have adjusted stormwater requirements in parallel with these ordinances. Interview responses and site visits in each city were analyzed and compared to expound upon the approaches each city engaged. Using the collected data and analysis as a base, a set of guidelines was created for managing stormwater runoff from urban agriculture.

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Duke, Kate Repair. "FCV TOTAL : an analysis of leadership development best practices and recommendations." Thesis, Manhattan, Kan. : Kansas State University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/681.

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Burnett, Elizabeth Anne. "The Influence of Farmer Stress and Hardiness on Adoption of Best Management Practices in the Maumee Watershed." The Ohio State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1405694911.

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Schreiber, Werner. "GIS and EUREPGAP : applying GIS to increase effective farm management in accordance GAP requirements." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53440.

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Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the inception of precision farming techniques during the last decade, agricultural efficiency has improved, leading to greater productivity and enhanced economic benefits associated with agriculture. The awareness of health risks associated with food borne diseases has also increased. Systems such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (RACCP) in the USA and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in Europe are trying to ensure that no food showing signs of microbial contamination associated with production techniques are allowed onto the export market. Growers participating in exporting are thus being forced to conform to the requirements set by international customers. The aim of this study was to compile a computerized record keeping system that would aid farmers with the implementation of GAP on farms, by making use of GIS capabilities. A database, consisting of GAP-specific data was developed. ArcView GIS was used to implement the database, while customized analyses procedures through the use of Avenue assisted in GAP-specific farming related decisions. An agricultural area focusing on the export market was needed for this study, and the nut producing Levubu district was identified as ideal. By making use of ArcView GIS, distinct relationships between different data sets were portrayed in tabular, graphical, geographical and report format. GAP requirements state that growers must base decisions on timely, relevant information. With information available in the above-mentioned formats, decisions regarding actions taken can be justified. By analysing the complex interaction between datasets, the influences that agronomical inputs have on production were portrayed, moving beyond the standard requirements of GAP. Agricultural activities produce enormous quantities of data, and GIS proved to be an indispensable tool because of the ability to analyse and manipulate data with a spatial component. The implementation of good agricultural practices lends itself to the use of GIS. With the correct information available at the right time, better decisions can promote optimal croppmg, whilst rmmrrnzmg the negative effects on the consumer and environment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gedurende die afgelope dekade het die gebruik van presisie boerderytegnieke tot verbeterde gewasverbouing gelei, wat verhoogde produktiwiteit en ekonomiese welvarendheid tot gevolg gehad het. 'n Wêreldwye bewustheid ten opsigte van die oordrag van siektekieme geasosieer met varsprodukte het ontstaan. Met die implementering van Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) en Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), poog die VSA en Europa om voedsel wat tekens van besmetting toon van die invoermark te weerhou. Buitelandse produsente en uitvoerders word dus hierdeur gedwing om by internasionale voedselstandaarde aan te pas. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel gehad om 'n gerekenariseerde rekordhouding stelsel daar te stel wat produsente sal bystaan tydens die implementering van GAP, deur gebruik te maak van GIS. 'n Databasis gerig op die implementering van GAP is ontwerp. ArcView GIS is gebruik word om die databasis te implementeer, waarna spesifieke navrae die data ontleed het om sodoende die besluitnemingsproses te vergemaklik. 'n Landbou-area wat aktief in die uitvoermark deelneem was benodig vir dié studie, en die Levubu distrik was ideaal. Verwantskappe tussen datastelle is bepaal en uitgebeeld in tabel-, grafiek- en verslag vorm. Die suksesvolle implementering van GAP vereis dat alle besluite op relevante inligting gebaseer word, en met inligting beskikbaar in die bogenoemde formaat kan alle besluite geregverdig word. Deur die komplekse interaksie tussen insette en produksie te analiseer, was dit moontlik om verwantskappe uit te beeld wat verder strek as wat GAP vereistes stipuleer. Deur die gebruikerskoppelvlak in ArcView te verpersoonlik is die gebruiker nie belaai met onnodige berekeninge nie. Aktiwiteite soos landbou produseer groot datastelle, en die vermoë van GIS om die ruimtelike verwantskappe te analiseer en uit te beeld, het getoon dat GIS 'n instrumentele rol in die besluitnemingsproses speel. Deur middel van beter besluitneming kan optimale gewasverbouing verseker word, terwyl die negatiewe impak op die verbruiker en omgewing tot 'n minimum beperk word.

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Travis, Elli. "The Impact of Text Messages on Adoption and Knowledge of Integrated Pest Management Practices: A Randomized Control Trial Study of Potato Farmers in Carchi, Ecuador." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78155.

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Adoption of new agricultural technologies by farmers in developing countries is sometimes limited, despite the associated benefits. Potato farmers in Carchi, Ecuador rely heavily on pesticides to limit pest and disease damage, rather than adopting a more sustainable and economically viable alternative: Integrated Pest Management (IPM). One reason IPM adoption is limited is that farmers are uncertain about the benefits of the complex technology. Information provision builds knowledge that reduces that uncertainty and leads to adoption. Another reason for limited adoption is that other farming activities compete for time, and farmers may forget or delay IPM adoption. One way to transfer information and remind farmers to adopt IPM practices is through text messages. To evaluate the impact of text messages on IPM adoption, we conducted a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) among potato farmers in Carchi, Ecuador. The RCT allowed us to identify the causal impact of text messages by comparing adoption rates and knowledge scores between farmers who received text messages (treatment), and farmers who did not (control). After attending a one-day training, the treatment received tailored IPM messages for approximately five and a half months. At the conclusion of the trial period, treatment and control farmers reported their adoption of individual IPM practices, and were tested on their IPM knowledge. Treatment farmers adopted both simple and complex practices at higher rates than the control. Farmers who received text messages also possess more knowledge about IPM techniques than non-recipients, which is evidence of the knowledge-building effect of text messages. Furthermore, text messages were shown to be effective in encouraging the adoption of practices for which no separate inputs were required, and ineffective in encouraging practices where a separate input was required. Text messages are an positive supplement to an in-person training program because they build knowledge and remind farmers, both of which encourage the adoption of IPM, which benefits the farmer, his community, and the environment.
Master of Science

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Tirado, Sandra M. "Effects Of Turning Frequency, Pile Size And Season On Physical, Chemical And Biological Properties During Composting Of Dairy Manure/Sawdust (Dm+S)." The Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1218133685.

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Remaury, Hugo. "Ex-ante economic and ecosystem service potential of simulated conservation practices in Ghana using a minimum data approach." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/13248.

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Master of Science
Department of Agricultural Economics
Timothy J. Dalton
Given the changing climate paradigm, food and poverty are likely to become more severe in Africa. Farmers can adapt to climate change, especially through conservation agriculture. This study relies on a minimum data approach developed by Antle and Valvidia (2006) to estimate the spatial distribution of opportunity cost for farmers in switching to conservation practices in Wa, Ghana. It assesses the economic feasibility of several scenarios that rely on production techniques currently studied by the CRSP SANREM project. We also explore the possibility that these practices can provide income from carbon sequestration payments implemented by the Kyoto protocol’s Clean Development Mechanisms. The methodology uses data from both a recent survey and information from secondary sources to assess simulated management practices. Results indicate that all the simulated management practices would theoretically benefit farmers. In fact, adoption rates for the four scenarios range from 52% to 65%, even without any carbon payment. Adding a proportional payment to the amount of carbon sequestered with these practices does not seem enough to influence farmers switch to switch to alternative scenarios. The analysis shows that these results hold even when additional fixed costs to adopt these practices are included. This case study demonstrates the usefulness of the minimum data approach in estimating the economic potential of conservation practices in Ghana. These production techniques may represent environmentally-friendly alternatives that are more profitable for farmers than current practices. The next step in assessing implementation of such practices would require studying farmers’ willingness to adopt these production systems, given their ex-ante economic returns.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Agricultural management practices'

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