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EDIS Update

New and revised publications from the University of Florida Insitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

    How Are the Reservoirs in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin Managed? (AE497)

    May 8th, 2013
    Topic(s):Ecosystems & Species, Water

    Figure 3. A view of the Apalachicola River from Fort Gadsden, FL, on the river’s east bank. Many uses of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin depend on how the US Army Corp of Engineers operates dam releases from the reservoirs when managing lake levels and downstream river flows and water levels. However, no single set of protocols equally suited to all uses and demands governs the reservoir releases. The purpose of this publication is to describe how the USACE manages reservoirs and dams in the ACF and how the waters in the basin are used. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Christopher J. Martinez, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2013.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae497

    Pretreatment of Ligno-cellulosic Biomass for Biofuels and Bioproducts (AE495)

    February 27th, 2013
    Topic(s):Agriculture, Agriculture

    Figure 1. Schematic diagram showing the effect of pretreatment on ligno-cellulosic biomass. The primary cell wall becomes compacted by a dense lignin network structure as the plant grows and ages.This 4-page fact sheet discusses bioethanol as a renewable form of energy, explaining the importance of using ligno-cellulosic biomass to produce biofuels. It describes the pretreatment step in producing biofuels and the need for more research into this step so that ligno-cellulosic biofuels can be produced cheaply and efficiently at a commercial scale. Written by Zhaohui Tong, Nusheng Cheng, and Pratap Pullammanappallil, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2013.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae495

    Field Observations During the Ninth Microwave Water and Energy Balance Experiment (MicroWEX-9): from March 24, 2010 through January 6, 2011 (AE494)

    February 13th, 2013
    Topic(s):Crops

    Microwave remote sensing of soil moisture. Close up of system. (UFIFAS file photo)The goal of MicroWEX-9 was to conduct a season-long experiment that incorporated passive microwave observations as well as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) observations for a growing season of elephant grass. The variety of sensors would allow for further understanding of the land-atmosphere interactions during the growing season, and their effect on observed passive microwave signatures at 6.7 GHz and 1.4 GHz, as well as LiDAR scans. This 72-page fact sheet was written by Tara Bongiovanni, Pang-Wei Liu, Karthik Nagarajan, Robert Terwilleger, Alejandro Monsivais-Huertero, Jasmeet Judge, Juan Fernandez-Diaz, Daniel Preston, Tyler Cheney, Jason Motsinger, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2013.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae494

    Using Tensiometers for Vegetable Irrigation Scheduling in Miami-Dade County (ABE326/TR015)

    December 19th, 2012
    Topic(s):Crops

    Figure 1. Example of a tensiometer's vacuum gauge.A tensiometer is a simple and relatively inexpensive tool that can be used to schedule irrigation in Miami-Dade County vegetable crops. Tensiometers continuously measure soil water potential or tension. If the tension in the soil is high, plants have to use more energy to extract soil water. If tension in the soil is low, then plants have lower energy requirements to extract soil water. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Kati W. Migliaccio, Teresa Olczyk, Yuncong Li, Rafael Muñoz-Carpena, and Tina Dispenza, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, December 2012.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/tr015

    How Ethanol Is Made from Cellulosic Biomass (AE493)

    December 12th, 2012
    Topic(s):Agriculture

    In this photo released from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, microbiologist Lonnie Ingram (foreground) explains ethanol production to (left to right) U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, UF Senior Vice President for AgricultureEthanol can be derived from sugar-based, corn-based, and cellulose-based materials. Production of ethanol from sugar and corn is often viewed as competing with food production and increasing prices of food and fuel. But using non-edible cellulose-based biomass to produce ethanol minimizes competition with the food industry. This 4-page fact sheet provides a general overview of the production process for manufacturing ethanol from cellulosic biomass, including its constituents, conversion processes, and final products. Written by Zhaohui Tong, Pratap Pullammanappallil, and Arthur A. Teixeira, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, November 2012.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae493

    Agricultural Management Options for Climate Variability and Change: Sod-Based Rotation (AE492)

    August 24th, 2012
    Topic(s):Agriculture, Crops, Environment

    A sod-based rotation is when a producer adapts a conventional peanut/cotton rotation by growing a perennial grass, such as bahiagrass, during two years of the rotation. The perennial grass can be grazed, cut for hay or harvested for seed for additional income. Using a sod-based rotation can improve soil water-holding capacity and potentially reduce impacts of dry spells and droughts. This 4-page fact sheet was written by David Wright, Jim Marois, Clyde Fraisse, and Daniel Dourte, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae492

    Well Installation Procedures for Agricultural Irrigation in Miami-Dade County (AE489)

    August 6th, 2012
    Topic(s):Agriculture, Water

    Figure 1. Screenshot from the SFWMD website for ePermitting of the online application for Water Use Permits.Water wells or groundwater wells are the main source of irrigation water for agriculture in Miami-Dade County. Depending on the purpose and characteristics of the well, different permits are required for installing the well and pumping water from the well. The information provided in this 4-page fact sheet is based on current rules, contacts, and prices as of March 2012 for Miami-Dade County. Written by Kati W. Migliaccio, E. Vanessa Campoverde, and Ann Marie Superchi, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, June 2012.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae489

    Agricultural Management Options for Climate Variability and Change: Variable-Rate Irrigation (AE490)

    August 6th, 2012
    Topic(s):Crops, Water

    Figure 1. Example of management zones in an irrigated field having substantial variability in soil properties and planted areas. Colored zones indicate areas where irrigation is reduced or eliminated.Most fields are not uniform because of natural variations in soil type or topography. When water is applied uniformly to a field, some areas of the field may be overwatered while other areas may remain too dry. Variable-rate irrigation technology gives farmers an automated method to vary rates of irrigation water based on the individual management zones within a field and avoid irrigating roadways, waterways, wetlands, and other non-farmed areas within a pivot. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Calvin Perry, Clyde Fraisse, and Daniel Dourte, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2012.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae490

    Agricultural Management Options for Climate Variability and Change: Sensor-Based, Variable-Rate Nitrogen Management (AE487)

    July 25th, 2012
    Topic(s):Agriculture, Crops

    Clemson-designed variable-rate nitrogen applicator that does not have onboard sensors; NDVI data were collected in a previous trip across the field (right).Nitrogen fertilizer cost represents about 10%–15% of total farm costs for corn, cotton, and wheat in the Southeastern United States. The efficiency of nitrogen use can be highly variable for producers, so a sensor-based, variable-rate nitrogen application (SVNA) system has been developed for irrigated and dryland row crops to reduce production costs. Using sensor-based N application, there is a minimum 20% reduction in N usage. If that rate reduction were applied to all the cotton, corn, and wheat grown in the United States, CO2 emissions from N fertilizer production would be decreased by 2.7 million tons.
    This 4-page fact sheet was written by Wesley Porter, Ahmad Khalilian, Daniel Dourte, and Clyde Fraisse, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2012.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae487

    What is a Water Footprint?: An Overview and Applications in Agriculture (AE484)

    March 1st, 2012
    Topic(s):Crops, Water

    Figure 1. Green, blue, and grey water flows in an agricultural system.Agriculture is by far the largest global consumer of freshwater. Comparing water footprints of different management practices in agriculture can help evaluate drought tolerance, water use efficiency, the effective use of rainfall, and the significance of irrigation. Scientists are thinking about ways to adapt agricultural systems to a changing climate, especially precipitation changes, so the water footprint is a useful measure to compare resilience of agricultural systems to droughts and dry spells. This 11-page fact sheet was written by Daniel R. Dourte and Clyde W. Fraisse, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2012.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae484

    Bio-based Products from Biomass (AE483)

    October 20th, 2011
    Topic(s):Crops, Sustainable Living

    Biomass is renewable biological materials, such as trees, plants, grasses, vegetables, algae, food wastes, animal manures, and other organic wastes. Like fossil fuels, biomass can produce a wide selection of bio-based by-products while producing renewable energy. Learn more in this 5-page fact sheet written by Zhaohui Tong, Letian Wang, and Clay B. Olson, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, September 2011.(AP photo/University of Florida/IFAS/Thomas Wright)
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae483

    Accounting for the Nutrients in Reclaimed Water for Landscape Irrigation (AE479)

    August 29th, 2011
    Topic(s):Lawn & Garden, Water

    water droplets mid-air in the landscapeThis 8-page fact sheet presents basic information for those using reclaimed water to irrigate lawns and landscapes. The information can serve as a guide to determine whether there is an opportunity to replace some of the fertilizer that might otherwise be applied and to offer guidance on avoiding runoff and leaching of excess nutrients. Written by Christopher J. Martinez, Mark W. Clark, Gurpal S. Toor, George J. Hochmuth, and Lawrence R. Parsons, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2011. (UF/IFAS photo by Marisol Amador)
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae479

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