Tag: Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department

Interpretacion del contenido de la humedad del suelo para determinar capacidad de campo y evitar riego excesivo en suelos arenosos utilizando sensores de humedad (AE496)

Figure 1. Relación general entre el agua disponible para la planta (ADP), la capacidad de campo, el punto de marchitez permanente, el agua no disponible y la clase de textura del suelo.Este documento resume las directrices para la determinación de la capacidad de campo y la programación óptima del riego para suelos arenosos utilizando sensores de medición de la humedad del suelo (SHS). Los sensores de humedad del suelo han demostrado potencial para el monitoreo de la humedad del suelo, y para el respaldo en la toma de decisiones de riego en cultivos hortícolas. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Lincoln Zotarelli, Michael D. Dukes, y Kelly T. Morgan, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae496

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

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)

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)

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: High-Residue Cover Crops (AE488)

Figure 2. Custom roller/strip-till implement by Myron Johnson of Headland, Alabama. While decision making in agriculture involves many aspects beyond climate, including economics, social factors, and policy considerations, climate-related risks are a primary source of yield and income variability. This 4-page fact sheet focuses on the use of high-biomass winter cover crops to improve production systems. Written by Joel Love, Jed Dillard, Kirk Brock, Daniel Dourte, and Clyde Fraisse, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae488

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

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

Agricultural Management Options for Climate Variability and Change: AgroClimate (AE491)

AgroClimate is a website providing climate information and decision-support tools to producers throughout the Southeastern United States. With information from the site, producers can develop a strategy for the coming season and track climate conditions that affect crop development and yield. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Clyde Fraisse, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae491

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

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)

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)

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

Agricultural Management Options for Climate Variability and Change: Conservation Tillage (AE486)

Figure 3. Cover crop rolling and strip tillage in preparation for planting; note the substantial plant residues maintained on the soil surface. Custom roller/strip-till unit by Myron Johnson of Headland, AL.This 4-page fact sheet focuses on the use of conservation tillage in crop production systems as a strategy to minimize the risks associated with climate variability and change and to improve resource-use efficiency. Written by Kip Balkcom, Leah Duzy, Daniel Dourte, and Clyde Fraisse, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, June 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae486

Interactive Urban Irrigation Tool for Florida (AE485)

Screenshot of weekly email report.A team from UF/IFAS has developed an app for optimizing your home irrigation system using real-time weather data from the Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN). Learn more in this 5-page fact sheet written by K.W. Migliaccio, N.A. Dobbs, W.R. Lusher, J. Fan, M.D. Dukes, K.T. Morgan, and B. Ferraro, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae485

Irrigation Scheduling for Tropical Fruit Groves in South Florida (TR001)

Figure 3. Tensiometer installed in very gravelly loam soil. Irrigation scheduling can be accomplished using different tools, each with its benefits and weaknesses. It is critical to use each tool as it is intended to ensure tropical fruit trees have the irrigation water they need. This 6-page fact sheet was written by K. W. Migliaccio and Y. C. Li, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/tr001

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

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)

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)

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

Net Irrigation Requirements for Florida Turfgrass Lawns, Part 1: Report of Gathered Weather Data and Quality Check (AE480)

weather monitoring equipmentUrban water users need specific recommendations to irrigate efficiently and for planning and regulatory programs.The first step in the process of estimating net irrigation requirements is to check the quality of 30 years of weather data at ten different locations in Florida and one in Alabama. This 9-page fact sheet was written by Consuelo C. Romero and Michael D. Dukes, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2011. (AP photo by Milt Putnam, University of Florida/IFAS)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae480

Net Irrigation Requirements for Florida Turfgrass Lawns, Part 2: Reference Evapotranspiration Calculation (AE481)

Diagram of evapotranspirationUrban water users need specific recommendations to irrigate efficiently and for planning and regulatory programs. As the second step in the process of estimating net irrigation requirements, This 9-page fact sheet calculates reference ET for ten locations in Florida and one in Alabama. Written by Consuelo C. Romero and Michael D. Dukes, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2011. (Image from ca.gov)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae481

Net Irrigation Requirements for Florida Turfgrass Lawns, Part 3: Theoretical Irrigation Requirements (AE482)

sprinkler headUrban water users need specific recommendations to irrigate efficiently and for planning and regulatory programs. This 21-page fact sheet estimates net irrigation, effective rainfall, and drainage by using a water balance equation for ten locations in Florida and one in Alabama from data during the 30-year period of 1980-2009. Written by Consuelo C. Romero and Michael D. Dukes, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2011. (UF/IFAS Photo: Josh Wickham)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae482

Application of Auto-steering Technology for Tree Planting (AE475)

Setting up new orchards or planting new trees on existing beds is one of those orchard operations that have not yet been fully mechanized. Auto-steering technology can be used in conjunction with a tree planting unit to mechanize this operation and reduce tree planting costs. Learn more in this 5-page fact sheet was written by Reza Ehsani and Esa Ontermaa, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering,March 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae475