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Northeast Shark River Slough (NESS), lying at the northeastern perimeter of Everglades National Park (ENP), Florida, USA, has been subjected to years of hydrologic modifications. Construction of the Tamiami Trail (US 41) in 1928 connected the east and west coasts of SE Florida and essentially created a hydrological barrier to southern sheet flow into ENP. Recently, a series of bridges were constructed to elevate a portion of Tamiami Trail, allow more water to flow under the bridges, and attempt to restore the ecological balance in the NESS and ENP. This project was conducted to determine aspects of soil physiochemistry and microbial dynamics in the NESS. We evaluated microbial respiration and enzyme assays as indicators of nutrient dynamics in NESS soils. Soil cores were collected from sites at certain distances from the inflow (near canal, NC (0–150 m); midway, M (150–600 m); and far from canal, FC (600–1200 m)). Soil slurries were incubated and assayed for CO2 emission and β-glucoside (MUFC) or phosphatase (MUFP) activity in concert with physicochemical analysis. Significantly higher TP contents at NC (2.45 times) and M (1.52 times) sites than FC sites indicated an uneven P distribution downstream from the source canal. The highest soil organic matter content (84%) contents were observed at M sites, which was due to higher vegetation biomass observed at those sites. Consequently, CO2 efflux was greater at M sites (average 2.72 µmoles g dw−1 h−1) than the other two sites. We also found that amendments of glucose increased CO2 efflux from all soils, whereas the addition of phosphorus did not. The results indicate that microbial respiration downstream of inflows in the NESS is not limited by P, but more so by the availability of labile C.
Sanku Dattamudi; Saoli Chanda; Leonard Scinto. Microbial Respiration and Enzyme Activity Downstream from a Phosphorus Source in the Everglades, Florida, USA. Land 2021, 10, 696 .
AMA StyleSanku Dattamudi, Saoli Chanda, Leonard Scinto. Microbial Respiration and Enzyme Activity Downstream from a Phosphorus Source in the Everglades, Florida, USA. Land. 2021; 10 (7):696.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSanku Dattamudi; Saoli Chanda; Leonard Scinto. 2021. "Microbial Respiration and Enzyme Activity Downstream from a Phosphorus Source in the Everglades, Florida, USA." Land 10, no. 7: 696.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important vegetable crop in Florida, a state located in the south-eastern region of the United States. The state is the second largest producer of tomatoes in the country and contributes to almost 90% of the domestic winter tomato supplies. However, tomato farmers in Florida have come under increasing pressure due to climate changes, foreign imports, and rising production costs. The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether Florida tomato growers will continue to sustain their production given the seasonal and geographic production advantage, yet against various internal and external threats emerging throughout the fresh produce supply chain. We developed our study on a multi-disciplinary conceptual model of network (supply chain) relationship and primary and secondary data gathered from various stakeholders and the literature. We found that Florida farmers have done remarkably well by adapting to warming temperatures and changing consumer expectations about environmental sustainability and responsible labor practices. However, foreign competition, labor shortage, the rising costs of inputs, extreme weather events (hurricanes), and pests and diseases due to humid climate continue to affect the sustainability of the Florida tomato production. Our paper suggests various farm-, market-, and institution-level adaptation mechanisms for preventing the regional production advantage of the Florida tomato industry from eroding. Newer immigration laws are necessary for easing the labor situation. In order to have a level playing field with respect to the use of protected agriculture technology such as in Mexico and Canada, U.S. farmers in general and Florida farmers in particular need government support. Florida farmers need to diversify their fresh produce market strategies, finding new product streams. There is also a need for reforming the product certification landscape, which some growers find cumbersome and cost prohibitive. Growers may gain from being better able to convey to consumers the information regarding their effort put into environmental sustainability, workers welfare, and safe food.
Saoli Chanda; Mahadev Bhat; Kateel Shetty; Krishnaswamy Jayachandran. Technology, Policy, and Market Adaptation Mechanisms for Sustainable Fresh Produce Industry: The Case of Tomato Production in Florida, USA. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5933 .
AMA StyleSaoli Chanda, Mahadev Bhat, Kateel Shetty, Krishnaswamy Jayachandran. Technology, Policy, and Market Adaptation Mechanisms for Sustainable Fresh Produce Industry: The Case of Tomato Production in Florida, USA. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (11):5933.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSaoli Chanda; Mahadev Bhat; Kateel Shetty; Krishnaswamy Jayachandran. 2021. "Technology, Policy, and Market Adaptation Mechanisms for Sustainable Fresh Produce Industry: The Case of Tomato Production in Florida, USA." Sustainability 13, no. 11: 5933.
Application of biochars in agricultural soils has the potential to reduce groundwater contamination of atrazine, a widely used herbicide in the US, therefore sustaining environmental quality and reducing human health issues. This study was conducted to characterize biochars produced from six feedstocks and investigate their ability to remove and retain atrazine in an organic-rich soil. Australian pine (AP), Brazilian pepper (BP), coconut husk (CH), cypress (Cy), loblolly pine (L), and pecan shell (P) feedstocks were pyrolyzed at 350 °C and 500 °C. Adsorption and desorption behaviors of atrazine were explained using Freundlich isotherms. Higher pyrolysis temperature increased specific surface area (5 times), total pore volume (2.5 times), and aromaticity (1.4 times) of the biochars. CH feedstock produced the most effective biochars (CH350 and CH500), which adsorb 8–12% more atrazine than unamended soils. CH350 biochar performed the best (Kd ads = 13.80, KOC = 153.63, Kd des = 16.98) and had significantly higher (p < 0.05) adsorption than unamended soil, possibly resulting from its highest cation exchange capacity (16.32 cmol kg−1). The Kd des values for atrazine desorption were greater than the Kd ads for adsorption, indicating retention of a considerable amount of atrazine by the biochar-amended soils following desorption.
Shagufta Gaffar; Sanku Dattamudi; Amin Baboukani; Saoli Chanda; Jeffrey Novak; Donald Watts; Chunlei Wang; Krishnaswamy Jayachandran. Physiochemical Characterization of Biochars from Six Feedstocks and Their Effects on the Sorption of Atrazine in an Organic Soil. Agronomy 2021, 11, 716 .
AMA StyleShagufta Gaffar, Sanku Dattamudi, Amin Baboukani, Saoli Chanda, Jeffrey Novak, Donald Watts, Chunlei Wang, Krishnaswamy Jayachandran. Physiochemical Characterization of Biochars from Six Feedstocks and Their Effects on the Sorption of Atrazine in an Organic Soil. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (4):716.
Chicago/Turabian StyleShagufta Gaffar; Sanku Dattamudi; Amin Baboukani; Saoli Chanda; Jeffrey Novak; Donald Watts; Chunlei Wang; Krishnaswamy Jayachandran. 2021. "Physiochemical Characterization of Biochars from Six Feedstocks and Their Effects on the Sorption of Atrazine in an Organic Soil." Agronomy 11, no. 4: 716.
In the Midwestern United States, subsurface drainage (commonly known as tile drains) systems have been extensively used for sustaining agricultural production. However, the tile drains have raised concerns of facilitating the transport of agricultural chemicals from the fields to receiving waters. Data from a long-term field experiment in the Little Vermilion River (LVR) watershed of east-central Illinois, USA, shows that the tile drain systems have contributed to increased nitrate N (NO3-N) to the receiving water body, Georgetown Lake Reservoir, over time. We conducted more than 10 years of research on fate and transport of NO3-N in tile drain water, surface runoff and soil N. Corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) were planted in rotation for this watershed. We evaluated N balance (inputs and outputs) and transfer (runoff and leaching) components from three sites with both surface and subsurface flow stations within this watershed, and N budgets for individual sites were developed. Nitrogen fertilizer application (average 192 kg ha−1 y−1) and soil N mineralization (average 88 kg ha−1 y−1) were the major N inputs for corn and soybean, respectively in this watershed. Plant N uptake was the major N output for both crops during this entire study period. Annual N uptake for the LVR watershed ranged from +39 to +148 (average +93) kg ha−1 and −63 to +5 (average −32) kg ha−1, respectively, for corn and soybeans. This data indicates that most of the soil mineralized N was used during soybean production years, while corn production years added extra N in the soil. Surface runoff from the watershed was negligible, however, subsurface leaching through tile drains removed about 18% of the total rainfall. Average NO3-N concentrations of leaching water at sites A (15 mg L−1) and B (16.5 mg L−1) exceeded maximum contaminant level (MCL; 10 mg L−1) throughout the experiment. However, NO3-N concentrations from site E (6.9 mg L−1) never exceeded MCL possibly because 15–22% lower N was received at this site. We estimated that the average corn grain yield would need to be 28% higher to remove the additional N from this watershed. Our study suggests that N application schemes of the LVR watershed need to be reevaluated for better N management, optimum crop production, and overall environmental sustainability.
Sanku Dattamudi; Prasanta K. Kalita; Saoli Chanda; A.S. Alquwaizany; B. S. Sidhu. Agricultural Nitrogen Budget for a Long-Term Row Crop Production System in the Midwest USA. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1622 .
AMA StyleSanku Dattamudi, Prasanta K. Kalita, Saoli Chanda, A.S. Alquwaizany, B. S. Sidhu. Agricultural Nitrogen Budget for a Long-Term Row Crop Production System in the Midwest USA. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (11):1622.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSanku Dattamudi; Prasanta K. Kalita; Saoli Chanda; A.S. Alquwaizany; B. S. Sidhu. 2020. "Agricultural Nitrogen Budget for a Long-Term Row Crop Production System in the Midwest USA." Agronomy 10, no. 11: 1622.
Salinity is a major abiotic stress that can adversely affect plant growth, yield, other physiological parameters, and soil health. Salinity stress on biomass production of salt-sensitive crops, like snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), is a serious problem, and specifically in South Florida, USA, where saline soils can be found in major agricultural lands. Research studies focused on the ‘snap bean–Rhizobium–arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)’ relationship under salinity stress are limited, and fewer studies have evaluated how this tripartite symbiosis affects glomalin production (GRSP), a glycoprotein released by AMF. A shade house experiment was conducted to elucidate the effects of three microbial inoculations (IC = inoculation control; IT1 = AMF and IT2 = AMF + Rhizobium) on three salinity treatments (SC = salinity control 0.6 dS m−1, S1 = 1.0 dS m−1, and S2 = 2.0 dS m−1) on snap bean growth and yield. Our results indicate that S2 reduced 20% bean biomass production, 11% plant height, 13% root weight, and 23% AMF root colonization. However, microbial inoculations increased 26% bean yield over different salinity treatments. Maximum salinity stress (S2) increased 6% and 18% GRSP production than S1 and SC, respectively, indicating the relative advantage of abiotic stress on AMF’s role in soil. Dual inoculation (IT2) demonstrated a beneficial role on all physiological parameters, biomass production, and GRSP synthesis compared to single inoculation (IT1) treatment with all three salinity levels.
Claudia Lyl Garcia; Sanku Dattamudi; Saoli Chanda; Krishnaswamy Jayachandran; Lyl Garcia. Effect of Salinity Stress and Microbial Inoculations on Glomalin Production and Plant Growth Parameters of Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Agronomy 2019, 9, 545 .
AMA StyleClaudia Lyl Garcia, Sanku Dattamudi, Saoli Chanda, Krishnaswamy Jayachandran, Lyl Garcia. Effect of Salinity Stress and Microbial Inoculations on Glomalin Production and Plant Growth Parameters of Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Agronomy. 2019; 9 (9):545.
Chicago/Turabian StyleClaudia Lyl Garcia; Sanku Dattamudi; Saoli Chanda; Krishnaswamy Jayachandran; Lyl Garcia. 2019. "Effect of Salinity Stress and Microbial Inoculations on Glomalin Production and Plant Growth Parameters of Snap Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)." Agronomy 9, no. 9: 545.