Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Role of crop fertility and seed treatments in managing fusarium root rot of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) in the northern Great Plains(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2021) Atencio, Sydney Christine; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Perry Miller and Mary Burrows (co-chair)Lentil is a relatively new but economically important crop for the state of Montana, along with surrounding states in the northern Great Plains. Comparatively little is known about the basic fertility of lentil, and importance of inoculant type on lentil. Additionally, the rise of pulse crop acres in the northern Great Plains, has given rise to root rot pathogens, such as Fusarium root rot. Fusarium root rot of pulses, has a wide host range, limiting the efficacy of rotation in its management. This research is comprised of two main studies. Field trials occurred at sites in Bozeman, Havre, Moccasin, and Sidney in 2019 and 2020. The objective of chapter two was to evaluate the effect of rhizobial inoculant formulations (granular vs. seed-coat/peat-powder) and nutrient additions (potassium, sulfur, and a micronutrient fertilizer), on lentil establishment, growth, seed protein, and yield. For chapter two, in six of eight site-years there was no yield difference between inoculant types. Applications of sulfur (S) fertilizer increased yield at three of eight site-years by an average of 303 kg ha-1 (17%) compared to treatments without S. Results from this study further suggest the importance of S fertilization for lentil. The objective for chapter three was to evaluate seed treatments' ability to control Fusarium root rot on lentil establishment, growth, disease severity and yield. In three of eight site-years, the inoculated control had a relatively high disease severity compared to other seed treatments. In general, treatment responses varied across site-year due to low disease pressure. Additionally, F. graminearum and F. oxysporum were isolated at a high frequency from control plots at sites in 2019. Data from 2020 is pending.Item Nitrogen fixation by annual legume green manures in a semi-arid cropping system(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2011) McCauley, Ann Michelle; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Clain Jones.There is renewed interest within agriculture to improve and sustain soil fertility. Legume crops can provide an alternative nitrogen (N) input to a cropping system through biological N fixation. The contribution of N from legume cropping systems depends on the quantity of N fixed and soil processes that influence soil N availability. The primary objectives of this project were 1) to evaluate the effect of planting and termination time on biomass production and N fixation by two legume green manure crops; and 2) to investigate the role of soil P availability on legume growth and N fixation. A two-yr dryland field study was conducted with three treatments: legume (field pea and lentil), planting time (spring and summer [2010 only]), and termination time (flower, intermediate [2009 only], and pod). Two methods, ¹⁵ N natural abundance and N difference, were used to quantify N fixation. In 2009, N fixed by spring-planted lentil was higher by pod than flower (P=0.03). There was no difference in N fixed by spring-planted pea among termination times, likely because of reduced precipitation during the middle of the growing season. In 2010, both spring-planted crops fixed more N by pod than flower (P<0.01) and more N was fixed by spring-planted crops than summer-planted crops (P<0.01). A greenhouse study was conducted in an unsterilized, low P soil (8 mg kg-soil -¹) with three treatments: legume crop (field pea or lentil), P fertilizer (0, 4, or 8 mg P kg -¹), and arbuscular mycorrhizae fungus (AMF) inoculum (AMF-, AMF+). Shoot biomass was sampled at flower, and N fixation was estimated with ¹⁵ N natural abundance method. Fertilization increased biomass yield and tissue N and P uptake for both crops (P<0.01) and increased N fixed by pea (P<0.01). Inoculation with AMF had little effect on measured parameters; however, there was an increase in pea biomass and N uptake in the AMF+ versus AMF- treatments at the 4P rate. Several variables that affect N fixation in semi-arid cropping systems were identified in this project, however further research assessing the effect of other soil and environmental conditions on N fixation and the cycling of fixed N in an agroecosystem is needed.