Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 300-330). Also available via the Internet.

Retention of a sugarcane mulch blanket, following green cane harvesting could increase soil water conservation, soil health (organic matter content and micro-organism activity) and soil nutrient status. However, little is known about the effect of such a mulch layer on sugarcane crop growth and development. To study the latter, an experiment was carried out in Komatipoort at the South African Sugarcane Research Institute’s Experimental Station. Row spacing arrangement was either 1.5 m or 1.2 m x 0.6 m tram rows. N14 was planted as a fast canopy growing cultivar and N26 as a slow canopy growing cultivar. Plots were either covered by a mulch layer or left as bare soil. Stalk population, stalk height and radiation interception were measured every second week. Soil temperature readings were logged hourly at a depth of 0.15 m. Preliminary results indicated that early growth and development of sugarcane was delayed under mulch treatments. Stalk length of N26 was reduced more than that of N14. Stalk population of both cultivars were significantly lower under the mulch treatment. Fractional interception of solar radiation was only 50% at 150 days after planting for the mulch treatment, compared to 70% for bare plots. Slow initial growth and delayed canopy development in mulch treatments were associated with low soil temperatures in the period leading up to full canopy closure. Soil temperature in the mulch treatments remained between 3 to 4oC lower than the bare soil treatments. Early indications are that the presence of a mulch layer may reduce early growth and development of sugarcane. Copyright / Dissertation (MInstAgrar)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

This study compared the effects of nitrogen sources on the available inorganic soil nitrogen, nitrogen movement, nitrogen losses, and wheat yields when nitrogen fertilizers were applied to soil planted to dryland winter wheat at the Blue Creek Experimental Station in northern Utah. In the fall 1973 soil samplings, the fertilizers producing the largest mineral nitrogen contents in the 0-30 cm soil depths were ammonium nitrate >ammonium sulfate > S-coated urea, when they were broadcast at the practical rate of 56 kg N/ha. There was no increase in the mineral nitrogen at the dee per depths in the fall or at any depth in the following spring. Statistically, the three nitrogen sources did not increase grain yield significantly but did increase grain protein content and nitrogen content in grain. Ammonium nitrate and potassium bromide at the rates of 400 kg N and 200 kg Br/ha were broadcast to soil planted to winter wheat in October 1974. Nitrate-nitrogen and bromide distribution patterns in the soil profile looked alike in May 1975. These showed that their movements were similar. Considerable nitrate-nitrogen (35 percent of the added nitrogen) had moved down below the 120 cm depth. The highest nitrate-nitrogen concentrations were found at the 45 to 90 cm depth. There seems to be evidence that nitrate-nitrogen and bromide had moved deeper than the 150 cm depth. Ammonia-nitrogen losses from nitrogen fertilized soils were conducted in the laboratory. Ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, or urea applied to the soil surface lost ammonia-nitrogen differently. From noncolcoreous soil, the ammonia-nitrogen loss was greatest from urea. From calcareous soil or soils receiving carbonates or high soil pH by the addition of sodium hydroxide solution, the greatest losses were from ammonium sulfate. High losses were favored by high temperatures and longer periods of moist soil. The total amounts of water lost from the soil was not closely related to the total ammonia-nitrogen loss during two weeks. No loss of ammonia-nitrogen occurred when nitrogen fertilizers were applied at a 2.5 em depth or deeper. The ammonia-nitrogen losses were also greatly reduced when nitrogen fertilizers applied to the soil surface was followed by irrigation or heavy rainfall. In the field, the higher temperatures increased the ammonia-nitrogen losses from ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and urea when applied to both a noncalcareous and a calcareous soil. However, the loss from calcareous soil was reduced by irrigation following fertilizer application. No ammonia-nitrogen was observed when ammonium sulfate was applied to o 2.5 cm soil depth, despite of the high soil temperature during the day time in moist soil. Rapid drying of the moist soil surface quickly reduced the losses per day.

The USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's (SNAP) strives to connect SNAP recipients to local and healthful food sold at Farmers' markets. These efforts are an attempt to provide families, struggling to make ends meet, access to healthy foods and food purchasing power via the Federal Food Stamp program. However, of the 288 listed farmers' markets in Illinois only 25 are listed as SNAP/EBT accepting markets (2010 National Farmers Market Directory). The first part of this study uses the 61st Street Farmers Market as a case study, investigating the practical market operations and interpreting their method of EBT implementation to provide an established model of an existing and thriving farmers' market. Next, I will investigate the socio-economic characteristics (population, race, employment, income, poverty, education, age, and SNAP recipients) of Illinois farmers' markets accepting EBT. I will compare this data to other Illinois Farmers' markets that do not accept EBT and assess which non-accepting market locations would be most suitable for implementing EBT usage in the future. Finally, based on my case study and statistical analysis, I will discuss recommendations for farmers' markets to accept EBT into their markets. Findings indicate that there is no significant difference between the mean ranks of the socio-economic characteristics for the EBT and non-EBT accepting farmers' markets. Of the 8 socio-economic characteristics tested, the populations of SNAP recipients were analogous for each group: EBT and Non-EBT accepting farmers' markets.

Introdução: As diversas armadilhas apresentam rendimento diferenciado na captura, havendo a necessidade de buscar instrumentos que amostrem porções representativas das populações de mosquitos. Levanta-se a hipótese de que as armadilhas Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC com CO2+Lurex3 sejam mais eficazes na captura de culicídeos do que a armadilha CDC luminosa. Objetivos: Avaliar a eficácia das armadilhas Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC+CO2+Lurex3, em relação à CDC-luminosa, para a captura de culicídeos adultos em área agrícola na Fazenda Experimental em Pariquera-Açu, Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo, Brasil. Material e Métodos: Capturas mensais, das 15h00 às 21h00, por meio do delineamento em quadrado latino 3X3, no período de dezembro/2010 a novembro/2011. Perfis de diversidade de Rényi e índices de riqueza, dominância, diversidade, equabilidade e similaridade foram estimados para cada armadilha para compará-las. Resultados: Capturou-se 6.055 de 70 espécies e 12 gêneros. A CDC-luminosa amostrou 990 indivíduos de 42 espécies e 10 gêneros,a CDC+CO2+lurex31.419 indivíduos em 41 espécies e 10 gêneros e a Mosquito Magnet 3151 indivíduos de 46 espécies e 11 gêneros. A riqueza, pelo índice de Margalef e Perfil de Rényi, não apresentou diferença estatística para nenhuma armadilha no período dez/mai. A Mosquito Magnet obteve maior rendimento na mensuração da diversidade, segundos os índices de Shannon e Simpson, observados no perfil de Rényi. A dominância, pelo índice de Berger-Parker isolado,foi maior na Mosquito Magnet do que nas demais, nos dois períodos de capturas. O perfil de Rényi não apontou diferença significante para dominância. Índice de Pielou não mostrou significância em relação à CDC-luminosa para nenhuma das armadilhas nos dois períodos avaliados. Índices de Jaccard e Sorensen apontaram maior similaridade na composição de espécies entre a Mosquito Magnet e CDC+CO2+lurex3. Conclusões: A Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC+CO2+Lurex3 apresentaram rendimento semelhante, nos meses mais frios e secos do ano. A utilização dessas armadilhas para a captura de determinados táxons pode ser importante ponto na estratégia de vigilância de espécies vetoras. Estudos com maior esforço amostral devem ser realizados para avaliar o rendimento das armadilhas Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC+CO2 +lurex3 em áreas de ambiente alterado de Floresta Atlântica. / Introduction: The several traps have different performance in sampling mosquitoes,with the need to seek that capture representative portions of mosquito population. Formulate the hypothesis that the Mosquito Magnet trap and CDC+CO2+lurex3 are more effective in catching mosquitoes than the CDC light trap. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness the Mosquito Magnet Independence and CDC+CO2+lurex3 in relation to CDC light trap, to catching adult mosquitoes in the agricultural area at the Experimental Station in Pariquera-Açu, Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Monthly captures, from 03:00pm-09:00pm, through the 3X3 Latin square from the December 2010 to November 2011. Rényi diversity profiles and indexes of the richness, dominance, diversity, evenness and similarity were estimated for each trap to compare them. Results: Were captured 6055 mosquitoes of the 70 species and 12 genera. CDC light traps sampled 990 specimens of 42 species and 10 genera, the CDC+CO2+lurex3 sampled 1419 specimens in 41 species and 10 genera and 3151 specimens were captured in the Mosquito Magnet belonging to 46 species and 11 genera. The richness, by the Margalef index on profile Rényi, showed no statistical difference for any trap in the period Dez/Mai. The Mosquito Magnet trap obtained higher yield in the measurement of diversity, according indexes of Shannon and Simpson, seen in profile Rényi. The dominance, by Berger-Parker index isolated, was higher in the Mosquito Magnet than in the other traps in both periods of captures. The profile Rényi showed no significant difference for dominance. Pielou index was not significant in relation to CDC light trap for any of the periods. Jaccard and Sorensen indexes showed greater similarity in composition of species between the CDC+CO2+lurex3 and Mosquito Magnet. Conclusions: The Mosquito Magnet Independence and CDC+CO2+ Lurex3 showed similar performance in colder and drier months of the year. The use of these traps to capture certain taxa can be important point in the surveillance approach vector species. Studies with greater sampling effort should be made to evaluate the performance of the Mosquito Magnet Independence and CDC+CO +lurex3 traps changed environment in areas of Atlantic Forest.

Introdução: As diversas armadilhas apresentam rendimento diferenciado na captura, havendo a necessidade de buscar instrumentos que amostrem porções representativas das populações de mosquitos. Levanta-se a hipótese de que as armadilhas Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC com CO2+Lurex3 sejam mais eficazes na captura de culicídeos do que a armadilha CDC luminosa. Objetivos: Avaliar a eficácia das armadilhas Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC+CO2+Lurex3, em relação à CDC-luminosa, para a captura de culicídeos adultos em área agrícola na Fazenda Experimental em Pariquera-Açu, Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo, Brasil. Material e Métodos: Capturas mensais, das 15h00 às 21h00, por meio do delineamento em quadrado latino 3X3, no período de dezembro/2010 a novembro/2011. Perfis de diversidade de Rényi e índices de riqueza, dominância, diversidade, equabilidade e similaridade foram estimados para cada armadilha para compará-las. Resultados: Capturou-se 6.055 de 70 espécies e 12 gêneros. A CDC-luminosa amostrou 990 indivíduos de 42 espécies e 10 gêneros,a CDC+CO2+lurex31.419 indivíduos em 41 espécies e 10 gêneros e a Mosquito Magnet 3151 indivíduos de 46 espécies e 11 gêneros. A riqueza, pelo índice de Margalef e Perfil de Rényi, não apresentou diferença estatística para nenhuma armadilha no período dez/mai. A Mosquito Magnet obteve maior rendimento na mensuração da diversidade, segundos os índices de Shannon e Simpson, observados no perfil de Rényi. A dominância, pelo índice de Berger-Parker isolado,foi maior na Mosquito Magnet do que nas demais, nos dois períodos de capturas. O perfil de Rényi não apontou diferença significante para dominância. Índice de Pielou não mostrou significância em relação à CDC-luminosa para nenhuma das armadilhas nos dois períodos avaliados. Índices de Jaccard e Sorensen apontaram maior similaridade na composição de espécies entre a Mosquito Magnet e CDC+CO2+lurex3. Conclusões: A Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC+CO2+Lurex3 apresentaram rendimento semelhante, nos meses mais frios e secos do ano. A utilização dessas armadilhas para a captura de determinados táxons pode ser importante ponto na estratégia de vigilância de espécies vetoras. Estudos com maior esforço amostral devem ser realizados para avaliar o rendimento das armadilhas Mosquito Magnet Independence e CDC+CO2 +lurex3 em áreas de ambiente alterado de Floresta Atlântica. / Introduction: The several traps have different performance in sampling mosquitoes,with the need to seek that capture representative portions of mosquito population. Formulate the hypothesis that the Mosquito Magnet trap and CDC+CO2+lurex3 are more effective in catching mosquitoes than the CDC light trap. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness the Mosquito Magnet Independence and CDC+CO2+lurex3 in relation to CDC light trap, to catching adult mosquitoes in the agricultural area at the Experimental Station in Pariquera-Açu, Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Monthly captures, from 03:00pm-09:00pm, through the 3X3 Latin square from the December 2010 to November 2011. Rényi diversity profiles and indexes of the richness, dominance, diversity, evenness and similarity were estimated for each trap to compare them. Results: Were captured 6055 mosquitoes of the 70 species and 12 genera. CDC light traps sampled 990 specimens of 42 species and 10 genera, the CDC+CO2+lurex3 sampled 1419 specimens in 41 species and 10 genera and 3151 specimens were captured in the Mosquito Magnet belonging to 46 species and 11 genera. The richness, by the Margalef index on profile Rényi, showed no statistical difference for any trap in the period Dez/Mai. The Mosquito Magnet trap obtained higher yield in the measurement of diversity, according indexes of Shannon and Simpson, seen in profile Rényi. The dominance, by Berger-Parker index isolated, was higher in the Mosquito Magnet than in the other traps in both periods of captures. The profile Rényi showed no significant difference for dominance. Pielou index was not significant in relation to CDC light trap for any of the periods. Jaccard and Sorensen indexes showed greater similarity in composition of species between the CDC+CO2+lurex3 and Mosquito Magnet. Conclusions: The Mosquito Magnet Independence and CDC+CO2+ Lurex3 showed similar performance in colder and drier months of the year. The use of these traps to capture certain taxa can be important point in the surveillance approach vector species. Studies with greater sampling effort should be made to evaluate the performance of the Mosquito Magnet Independence and CDC+CO +lurex3 traps changed environment in areas of Atlantic Forest.