A 242 VOLUME 116 | NUMBER 6 | June 2008 • Environmental Health Perspectives The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 calls for the production of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022, including 15 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol, a tripling of current production that would require a similar increase in corn production. Yet scientists are coming to understand that biofuels,...

There has been increasing concern in recent years regarding lead (Pb) transfer in the soil-plant system. In this study the transfer of Pb (exogenous salts) was investigated from a wide range of Chinese soils to corn grain (Zhengdan 958). Prediction models were developed with combination of the Pb bioconcentration factor (BCF) of Zhengdan 958, and soil pH, organic matter (OM) content, and cation...

Wheat (as bran) and corn (as dry grain or fermented feed) are main ingredients of feedstuffs used in local cattle and pig farms in the South of the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). Therefore, determining mycobiota and mycotoxins in wheat and corn is of prime importance for developing feed management techniques to optimise animal production and to minimize toxicity. Then, a mycological survey ...

Corn grain containing a relatively high concentration of radioactive phosphorus was needed for a poultry feeding investigation by the Poultry Husbandry Department at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. A gravel nutriculture procedure was decided upon for growing the corn. Uniformity of maturity was desired so a hybrid field corn (Connecticut 520) was selected as the corn to be grown for th...

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding increasing proportions of corn grain on concentration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the rumen fluid and the subsequent alterations in immune responses as reflected by plasma concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) in goats. Nine goats were assigned to three diets (0%, 25%, and 50% corn grain) in a 3 ×3 Latin sq...

Concern about NO− 3 leaching and groundwater pollution from corn monoculture has prompted an investigation of alternative production systems that reduce leaching. It is hypothesized that both intercropping and water-table control could increase N uptake and reduce the quantity of N that might be lost due to leaching. This study compared corn (Zea mays L.) with annual Italian rye-grass (Lolium m...

Grain and forage from corn plants vary in composition and digestibility due to genetics and numerous environmental factors. For decades, corn hybrids have been selected based on agronomics (yield, disease and insect resistance). In addition, hybrids have been developed or selected for specific traits desired in specialty markets (food manufacturing properties: popcorn, white color, waxy, high a...

A load of 5±20 Mg on a single axle cart is a common practice for spreading manure and harvesting grains in the US Corn Belt. Yet, effects of such a load used for a long time of 5±10 years on crop yield are not known for predominant soils of the region. Further, axle load effects on crop yield may depend on tillage methods. Thus, effects of axle load and tillage methods on corn (Zea mays L.) gra...

The efficient management of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and irrigation is of utmost importance because they are two of the greatest expenses for corn production. This project was conducted to determine if yield and efficiency of fertilizer N in corn could be improved by applying N at later developmental stages through a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system. Experiments in 2014 and 2015 compared ...

In this study, we investigate the long-term exposure (20 weeks) to fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) in grower-finisher pigs by conducting a quantitative exposure assessment (QEA). Our analytical approach involved both deterministic and semi-stochastic modeling for dietary comparative analyses of FB(1) exposures originating from genetically engineered Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-corn, conventional non-Bt ...