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Yield monitor data are being used for a variety of purposes including conducting on-farm studies, assessing nutrient balances, determining yield potential, and creating management zones. However, standardization of raw data processing is needed to obtain comparable data across fields, farms, and years. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of data cleaning protocols on corn (Zea mays L.) grain and silage yield data at the whole field (with and without headlands) and within field (soil map unit) scales. Corn silage data from 145 fields (three farms) and grain data from 88 fields (three farms) were processed. Comparisons were made to evaluate yields among three levels of cleaning: (i) none; (ii) automated cleaning ("Auto") with filter settings derived for 10 fields per farm; and (iii) automated cleaning with manual inspection for unrepresentative patterns, after the automated cleaning step was completed ("Auto+"). The Auto+ cleaning process was conducted separately by three individuals to evaluate person-to-person differences. Spatial Management System software was used to read raw data and transfer to Ag Leader format. Yield Editor software was used to clean data (Auto and Auto+). Results showed the necessity of data cleaning, especially for corn silage. However, considering less than 5% deviation between methods at three spatial scales, the Auto and Auto+ cleaning resulted in similar output, as long as (i) each field or subfield included at least 100 harvester measurement points, and (ii) a moisture filter was applied for corn silage data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA, August 1 – August 5, 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Management practices may affect the potential for nitrate leaching from agricultural systems. Two studies are discussed that used plot-size lysimeters on loamy sand and clay loam soil in Northern New York. One was conducted from 1991 to 1994 and involved sod plowing and the use of three rates of fertilizer on maize (Zea mays L.). The other study was conducted from 1997 to 2000 and quantified N-leaching losses under maize and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) as affected by the timing of manure application. These studies showed that timing and rate of N fertilizer and manure additions, timing of green-manure incorporation, and soil type strongly influenced N-leaching losses. Losses from fall-applied N sources were high, especially on coarse-textured soils. Lower N losses in fine-textured soils were primarily the result of higher denitrification losses, rather than reduced percolation rates. It was concluded that the current N Leaching Index ignores important processes and requires a more dynamic approach that includes management factors. In the interim, we established a set of best management practices for N to reduce the potential for N leaching losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

States in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (CBW) are required to reduce nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loads from agriculture to achieve water quality goals for 2025. Assessing nutrient mass balances (NMBs) on farms over multiple years allows for evaluation of trends in nutrient accumulation and potential losses in geographic regions. Between 2004 and 2013, 570 NMBs were conducted for 189 dairy farms in New York, including 91 farms (293 NMBs) in the Upper Susquehanna watershed (USW), headwaters of the CBW. The average NMBs per hectare and per megagram of milk were lower for farms in the USW than statewide. Data showed a decline in NMBs per hectare over 10 years that ranged from 29% to 42% (statewide) and from 29% to 51% (for the USW dairies), depending on the nutrient, while milk production remained constant in both regions. Reductions in NMBs resulted primarily from reductions in nutrient imports, particularly through feed management. These source reductions reflect increased efficiency of production and reduced risk of N and P loss to the CBW. Extrapolation of comparisons in NMBs between 2004 and 2013 suggest that dairies in the USW reduced total N and P imports by 30% and 20%, respectively, contributing to a 29% to 50% decrease in total N pool and 51% decrease in P pool. We conclude that USW dairy farms can deliver up to 49% of their 2013 N pool and up to 72% of their 2013 P pool at the edge of the farms (their NMB) and still meet the total maximum daily load (TMDL) for N and P set for 2025 for New York agriculture. This study illustrates that significant nutrient source reduction can be obtained by implementing nutrient conservation practices, such as precision feeding and fertilizer management, combined with annual assessment of whole farm balances. Such a reduction in nutrient imports onto farms results in a reduction of the pool of nutrients available for accumulation in the soil or direct loss to water bodies and the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New York (NY) has dairy, cash grain, fruit, and vegetable industries located in close proximity to water, making it important to optimize manure and fertilizer use for both economic production of crops and protection of the environment. The gross phosphorus (P) balance for NY (manure and fertilizer P minus crop P removal) estimated for 2006 was +01.7 kg ha-1 (+1.5 lb ac-1), indicating that, on a statewide basis, P is in balance. Our objectives in this study were to (1) estimate state, regional, and county-level gross nitrogen (N) balances for NY for 2007; (2) evaluate N balance trends over time (1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, and 2007); (3) estimate nonlegume cropland (net) N balances for 2007; and (4) quantify the potential impact of improved herd nutrition and manure incorporation on N balances. The 2007 NY gross N balance for nonlegume cropland was +62 kg ha-1 (+55 lb ac-1). Long Island and western NY had the highest N balances (+ 101 and +77 kg ha-1 [+90 and +69 lb ac-1], respectively) reflecting N fertilizer use for horticultural and/or cash grain crops (both regions) and presence of a concentrated dairy industry (western NY).The Chesapeake Bay watershed and Lake Champlain Basin counties had gross N balances below +28 kg ha-1 (+25 lb ac-1).The statewide N balance decreased from +125 kg ha-1 (+112 lb ac-1) in 1987 to +62 kg ha-1 (+55 lb ac-1) in 2007, largely driven by a decline in N fertilizer use between 1987 and 1992. The statewide N balance dropped to -38 kg ha-11 (-34 lb ac-1) when manure N losses in the barn and storage system and at land application were taken into account. Given a nearly zero P balance, a negative N balance indicates the need for best management practices that increase N use efficiency of manure and fertilizer and/or add N from other sources (cover crops, greater reliance on N fixation, shorter rotations). Improvement in herd nutrition through precision feeding has the potential to increase N use efficiency of surface applied manure and thus reduce N loss to the environment. However, such improvements will also reduce the total amount of N excreted and decrease the N:P ratio of the manure. Best management practices that reduce N loss in the barn and storage system, increase manure and fertilizer N uptake efficiency, and/or reduce N needs will be essential in order to balance N and P for the long-term sustainability of NY agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New York State has a large dairy industry resulting in considerable amounts of manure being applied to cropland. Cropland phosphorus (P) balances (manure and fertilizer P minus crop P removal) combined with soil P assessments are illustrative of both challenges and opportunities for long-term sustainability of cropland management at the farm, county, and state scales. Our objectives were to (1) estimate state, regional, and county-level cropland P balances for NY in 2002, (2) evaluate P-balance trends over time (1987, 1992, 1997, and 2002), and (3) quantify the impact of improved herd nutrition and reduced fertilizer use on cropland P balances. Cropland P balances were derived from animal and cropland data from the Census of Agriculture and New York Agricultural Statistics Annual Bulletins and annual farm-use fertilizer sales data. In 2002, cropland P inputs were estimated at 12.7 and 20.9 million kg (28.1 and 46.1 million Ib) of P for fertilizer and manure, respectively. Of the manure P, 69% originated from dairy cows. Crop P removal was 21.1 million kg (46.5 million lb), resulting in an overall P balance of +12.5 million kg (+27.6 million lb) or +8.0 kg P ha-1 (+7.2 lb P ac-1), a considerable improvement over 1987 when the statewide P balance was 24.4 million kg (+53.7 million Ib) or 15.4 kg P ha-1 (+13.8 lb P ac-1 ). Without taking into account recent improvements in dairy herd nutrition (i.e., assuming a P excretion of 28 kg cow- [62 lb cow-1 per production period), the ratios of P in manure to P in crops were 1.10, 1.12, 1.00, and 0.99, for 1987, 1992, 1997, and 2002, respectively. Thus, the decrease in P balance from 1987 to 2002 reflected reduced fertilizer P use. When. improvements in dairy nutrition were taken into account (a decrease in P excretion of dairy cows from 28 to 18 kg cow-1 [62 to 40 lb cow-1 per production period), the 2002 statewide P balance decreased from +8.0 to +4.8 kg ha-1 (+7.2 to +4.3 lb ac-1 ).This additional reduction illustrates the impact of precision feeding on overall cropland P balances. With a P excretion of 18 kg cow-1 (40 lb cow-1) per production period, increased yields in 2006 (reflected in crop P removal of 23,255 versus 21,104 Mg [25,639 versus 23,268 tn] in 2002) and reduced P fertilizer sales (10,508 versus 12,725 Mg [11,586 versus 14,030 tn] in 2002), the estimated P balance for 2006 amounted to +1.7 kg ha-1 (±1.5 lb ac-1 ).These assessments illustrate (1) the importance of precision feeding and cropland fertility management for the long-term sustainability of the dairy sector, and (2) the progress made through enhanced agricultural environmental management in New York. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungal cell wall, though phylogenetically variable, acts universally as a potent barrier to probing intracellular structures. Thus, the use of high-molecular-weight probes such as antibodies and lectins has proven a formidable challenge. We have devised a preparative method for use with various affinity probes that can be applied to a broad spectrum of filamentous fungal species and used for imaging whole cells. In this study, confocal imaging of whole-mount fungal hyphae after freeze substitution, methacrylate embedment/de-embedment, and infiltration with affinity probes has yielded remarkably improved renderings of the three-dimensional distribution of both microtubules (using antibodies against both alpha- and beta-tubulin) and concanavalin A binding sites. Using this protocol we have been able to document: (1) the three-dimensional distribution of microtubules in all regions of hyphae, (2) the presence of apparent foci for cytoplasmic microtubules, (3) persistent cytoplasmic microtubules during mitosis, and (4) a three-dimensional view of many compartments of the endomembrane system including Golgi-equivalent organelles and apical vesicles. The last result represents the first direct confirmation of apical vesicles comprising the Spitzenkörper., (Copyright 1998 Academic Press.)