Agricultural landscapes can be characterized as a mosaic of habitat patches interspersed with hostile matrix, or as a gradient of patches ranging from suitable to unsuitable for different species. Arthropods moving through these landscapes encounter a range of edges, with different permeability. Patches of native vegetation in these landscapes may support natural enemies of crop pests by provid...

This study was designed to measure the sound output of four commonly used brands of forced-air dryers used by dog groomers in the United States. Many dog groomers have questions about the effect of this exposure on their hearing, as well as on the hearing of the dogs that are being groomed. Readings taken from each dryer at 1 meter (the likely distance of the dryer from the groomer and the dog)...

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of dietary forage level and fat supplementation on the chemical composition of mixed ruminal bacteria (MRB). Six ruminally cannulated beef steers (354 kg +/- 18) were given ad libitum access to six diets (13.2% CP; DM basis) that were offered twice daily in a 6 x 6 Latin square design. Treatments were arranged as a 2 x 3 factorial with two ...

Pseudomonas chlororaphis PA23 is a biocontrol agent that protects against the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Employing transposon mutagenesis, we isolated a gacS mutant that no longer exhibited antifungal activity. Pseudomonas chlororaphis PA23 was previously reported to produce the nonvolatile antibiotics phenazine 1-carboxylic acid and 2-hydroxyphenazine. We report here that PA23 p...

Two identical prototype solar dryers (direct and indirect) having the same dimensions were used to dry whole mint. Both prototypes were operated under natural and forced convection modes. In the case of the later one the ambient air was entered the dryer with the velocity of 4.2 m s(-1). The effect of flow mode and the type of solar dryers on the drying kinetics of whole mint were investigated....

Twelve ileal cannulated pigs (30.9 ± 2.7 kg) were used to determine the apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility of protein and AA in canola meals (CM) derived from black- (BNB) and yellow-seeded (BNY) Brassica napus canola and yellow-seeded Brassica juncea (BJY). The meals were produced using either the conventional pre-press solvent extraction process (regular meal) or a new,...

Much previous research in pest management in canola has focused on developing strategies for reducing infestation levels of single pest species (e.g., bertha armyworm), or individual pest groups (e.g., insects) without regard to possible detrimental effects of these control strategies on other pests. The aim of our research has been to integrate insect management strategies with agronomic pract...