The Decision Support System for Agriculture (DSS4Ag) is an expert system being developed by the Site-Specific Technologies for Agriculture (SST4Ag) precision farming research project at the INEEL. DSS4Ag uses state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and computer science technologies to make spatially variable, site-specific, economically optimum decisions on fertilizer use. The DSS4Ag has an op...

The long-term application of excessive chemical fertilizers has resulted in the degeneration of soil quality parameters such as soil microbial biomass, communities, and nutrient content, which in turn affects crop health, productivity, and soil sustainable productivity. The objective of this study was to develop a rapid and efficient solution for rehabilitating degraded cropland soils by precis...

In order to improve the use efficiency of a cover crop, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R., HV), and supplemental chemical N fertilizer, N release and uptake patterns from HV, fast-release N fertilizer (Fast), and slow-release N fertilizer (Slow) in fresh market tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production were investigated using the 15N-labeling method. In the incubation of soil-added N at two mix r...

The improved cleanup of marine oil spills by stimulating biodegradation through the use of a slow-release fertilizer is reported. A paraffin-supported fertilizer containing MgNH4PO4 as active ingredient was developed and evaluated in laboratory and field experiments using quantitative infrared spectrometry and chromatographic techniques. The biodegradation of Sarir crude oil in the sea was cons...

Two studies were conducted on the use of solid and microbial fertilizers on rice for four cropping seasons (June to October 2010, January to April 2011, June to October 2011 and January to April 2012) at the RM-CARES experimental area, Philippines. One study was conducted in a converted organic area certified organic by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP) and the other on...

A field-scale experiment with a complete randomized block design was performed to study the degradation of buried oil on a shoreline over a period of almost 1 year. The following four treatments were examined in three replicate blocks: two levels of fertilizer treatment of oil-treated plots, one receiving a weekly application of liquid fertilizer and the other treated with a slow-release fertil...

There have been several recent developments in slow-release fertilizers. These materials supply nutrients continuously over an extended period in contrast to water soluble fertilizers which are immediately available after incorporation in moist soil. Slow-release fertilizers are not subject to rapid leaching loss and do not easily burn plants from over-application. The major need for slow relea...

Mulching and nitrogen are critical drivers of crop production for smallholders of the Loess Plateau in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of mulching and nitrogen fertilizer on the soil water content, soil nitrate-N content and vertical distribution in maize root-zone. The experiment was conducted over two consecutive years and used randomly assigned field plots with...

We studied the effects of five thinning treatments (T1 = 5.5, T2 = 11, T3 = 16.5, T4 = 22.5 and T5 = 28.5 m(2) ha(-1) basal area under bark) x two fertilizer treatments (F0 = unfertilized and F1 = fertilized with 400 kg ha(-1) N plus 229 kg ha(-1) P) on growth and water relations of pole-sized Eucalyptus marginata J. Donn ex Sm. trees growing in southwestern Australia. Thinning reduced leaf are...

The warming of world climate systems is driving interest in the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the agricultural sector, practices that mitigate GHG emissions include those that (1) reduce emissions [e.g., those that reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by avoiding excess nitrogen (N) fertilizer application], and (2) increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks (e.g., by retaining...