Specialty Crops

“Across 24 Oregon tall fescue seed fields (stands 2-20 years), total SOC stocks were unchanged by stand age or straw management, but older stands stored more total field-level carbon from greater root inputs and straw retention boosted the labile (particulate) carbon fraction in topsoil along with microbial biomass and respiration. These grass seed fields held less topsoil carbon than nearby natural grasslands but more than arable crop fields, so keeping stands longer and retaining straw supports soil biology even without measurable SOC gains.”

“Conservation Tillage and Nitrogen Management for Sugarbeet Production.”

“This study was conducted to investigate linkages between seasonal climatic conditions and sugarbeet sucrose content in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.”

“The initial nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and methane costs of converting conservation reserve program grassland to row crops under notill vs. conventional tillage.”

“Are American black bears in an agricultural landscape being sustained by crops?.”

“This study investigates the potential benefits of using tectonite dust as a soil amendment in central Oregon.”

“Registration of ‘Sierra’ Chickpea.”

“Degradation of tetracycline, sulfamethazine, and tylosin in soil from prairie strips and row crops in Iowa.”

“In HLB-infected 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit in Florida, packing 975 trees/ha instead of 300 cut canopy volume per tree by 33% but raised fruit yield per hectare 160% and solids yield 190%, with slightly more acidic, higher-soluble-solids fruit. Controlled-release fertilizer blends with extra micronutrients and less potassium grew bigger canopies but did not improve yield — in fact yield per hectare dropped 24% in the first season — so micronutrient-boosted CRF is not a reliable fix for HLB in grapefruit.”

“In HLB-infected 'Ray Ruby' grapefruit, planting at 975 trees/ha (double-row high density) gave the highest fruit and solids yield per hectare despite smaller trees and lower yield per tree, with slightly more acidic, higher-soluble-solids fruit. Extra soil or foliar B/Mn/Zn (up to 6x recommended rates) raised leaf nutrient levels but did not improve yield or reduce bacterial titer — foliar micronutrients actually coincided with lower yield and photosynthesis in one year.”