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A variety of crops and crop components are being considered for their potential as alternative fuel sources for synthesis of biofuels. Development and continued improvements in conversion technologies have increased potential sources of alternative fuels. More importantly, recycling of crop residues formerly discarded as waste may enhance the sustainability of agricultural production. We are interested in exploring the total potential energy stored in crops and crop residue. Caloric values of all portions of several agricultural crops commonly grown in Mississippi were measured by adiabatic bomb calorimetry to evaluate their potential as an energy source. Corn, cotton, rice, soybeans, sweet potatoes and winter wheat were included in this study. Crops were grown and harvested under traditional production practices. Total crop biomass was harvested, and separated into individual plant components. Total energy content of each plant component was determined using standard procedures for adiabatic bomb calorimetry. Additional parameters evaluated were moisture content, density, and ash content. The experimental results show that corn cobs, cotton seeds and stalks, soybean seeds and leaves, sweet potatoes, and wheat have sufficient energy to make them feasible to use as alternative fuel sources. Efficiency of conversion of biomass will reduce the net potential energy production of this biomass material. Keywords: crop energy content; alternative uses of crops; crop waste; adiabatic bomb calorimetry; biofuel production; alternative fuel production., INTRODUCTION Crop producers are facing unique challenges to maintain economically feasible production systems. The dominant large-scale industrial model of agricultural production in the US is dependent on inputs of increasingly [...]

Producers increasingly rely on irrigation to enhance yields and improve return on investment. The greater demand for ground water to support irrigation in the Mississippi River Alluvial Flood Plain has resulted in a decline in the aquifer, and a subsequent implementation of more stringent regulations for well permits. Given the concerns of ground water depletion, producers can clearly benefit from a tool that would indicate when they need to irrigate and how much. However, no easy to use irrigation scheduling tools have been developed and calibrated for the humid, high-rainfall environment of Mississippi. Researchers at USDA-ARS and Mississippi State University are developing a daily irrigation scheduling tool that calculates reference evapotranspiration (ET) from weather data to establish a crop water balance which will indicate when irrigation is needed. The weather parameters required for the calculation of ET include temperature, vapor pressure (determined from relative humidity and temperature), wind, and solar radiation. Rainfall and irrigation are also needed to track water balance in the field. Accurate determination of ET requires weather data that are consistent, accurate, and reliable. Errors in archived weather records are introduced from several sources, including sensor limitations and failures, instrument siting and deployment issues, lack of timely cleaning or re-calibration of instruments, data logger failures or programming errors, data transmission problems, and human errors. Further errors in the calculation of ET can result from mixing units in the calculations (e.g, degrees Fahrenheit and Centigrade), incorrectly converting units, or failing to adjust wind measurements to a common height. Since the archived data has not undergone any systematic assessment of data quality, potential users must conduct their own rigorous quality assurance before using the data to calculate ET. The research described here identifies common sources of errors in the available Mississippi weather station data, and develops statistical and range limit tests to identify erroneous records. Such quality assessment and control procedures are essential to ensure that values produced by the daily irrigation scheduling tool are reasonable and useful for decision support. The protocols described here will establish accurate data needed for calculation of reference crop ET for irrigation scheduling and crop management. Developing technologies to manage agricultural water resources of the humid Mid-South United States will provide means for agricultural producers to increase water use efficiency and mitigate ground water depletion., INTRODUCTION There is a growing and substantial need for water management technologies for crop production in humid areas. Historically, humid regions have had plentiful ground water resources and rainfall with [...]

Agricultural production responds to social, political, economic, environmental, and technological drivers that influence producers' decisions and shape the individual systems through modification of management practices, crop and livestock mix, and marketing strategy. We use an interview and discussion approach with producer panels to examine production systems in the eastern United States and explore key drivers impacting their unique characteristics and development. The internal social driver that values the farming lifestyle is a principle factor that leads people to choose farming. Irrespective of location, farming is first and foremost a lifestyle choice. The choice of type of production system is partly a lifestyle preference and partly influenced by other external factors, including economic and environmental elements. A second principle driver is economic, arising from a need to make a living, and tempers the internal social driver. Economic return is partially a function of the marketability of products. Marketing channels are dependent on social drivers, including education of producers and consumers, community support and community values. Farmers in the Northeast are able to take a more active role in determining contract terms than those in the Southeast, and are also more aggressive in developing new markets. Development of local markets and community support strengthens the link between farmers and consumers, and reinforces the economic sustainability of Northeastern production systems. With decreased reliance on external risk reduction approaches, Northeastern producers bear greater risk, but also have greater flexibility in altering the crop and livestock mix and are better able to respond to consumer demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]