Research – Page 4

Cotton Variety Trial Results posted in south, east and central Texas

24Jan

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Gaylon Morgan, 979-845-2425, gdmorgan@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – The 2017 Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation or RACE trial results from South, East and Central Texas are in and give producers a look at how the latest transgenic varieties performed across the state, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist.

“Our data show transgenic varieties accounted for 99 percent of the state cotton acreage in 2017,” said Dr. Gaylon Morgan, AgriLife Extension state cotton specialist in College Station. “Texas has been at over 90 percent transgenic varieties for a decade, but the traits being utilized are being stacked with more insect and herbicide tolerant traits.”

Harvest of the 2017 RACE cotton trials in Navarro County. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Dr. Gaylon Morgan)

In 2017 in Texas, 64 percent of the cotton varieties were XtendFlex, up from about 10 percent in 2015, and are expected to increase again in 2018, he said. The Enlist cotton was at 3 percent in 2017, but also is expected to have a big increase in 2018 as well. However, the data show LibertyLink trait and associated herbicide remain a viable weed management system, especially in South and East Texas.

“This is one of the values of the RACE trials in South and East Texas,” Morgan said. “We provide each company’s varieties and associated traits to be included and provide an unbiased head-to-head comparison at 17 locations each year.”

He said variety decisions should start with the agronomic characteristics such as yield, maturity and fiber quality first and then match the transgenic technology with the highest pest management priority second.

The AgriLife Extension cotton agronomy team of Morgan, Dr. Josh McGinty, agronomist in Corpus Christi; Dale Mott, program specialist in College Station; along with technicians and county agents have been conducting large-plot, on-farm, replicated variety trials for 12 years in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Blacklands, South Texas/Wintergarden and Upper Coastal regions.

He said 17 RACE trials and three Monster Trials were planted in 2017. The Monster cotton variety trials are conducted by McGinty as small-plot variety evaluations and include a larger number of both commercially available and experimental cotton varieties.

The results of all trials are available at http://Cotton.tamu.edu. Results include yield, fiber quality and estimated lint value for each location, as well as rankings based upon lint yield for the varieties within a production region.

“Yields across the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Coastal Bend were very good this season, with good early season moisture and some timely rains during the season,” Morgan said. “Also, favorable weather at harvest helped maintain yields, unlike in the Central and Upper Gulf Coast and Southern Blacklands where some received heavy rainfall as harvest approached.

“In the Upper Gulf Coast, higher-than-average yields were expected, but yield and fiber quality were significantly impacted by Hurricane Harvey. In the Southern Blacklands, low yields were primarily due to erratic rainfall during late-season, but Hurricane Harvey negatively impacted harvestable lint and fiber quality as well.”

Morgan said prior to making landfall, Hurricane Harvey caused various degrees of damage to the Coastal Bend cotton crop as a result of wind, rain and floodwaters.

“Cotton harvest was wrapping up in the lower Coastal Bend, but was in full swing further north along the middle and upper Coastal Bend regions of the state,” he said. “Cotton losses varied greatly across several regions due to damaged/destroyed modules of cotton, floodwaters that soaked modules, and excess wind, rain and floodwaters on cotton yet to be harvested. The areas to the west and north of where Harvey hit were impacted to a lesser extent.”

The average non-irrigated yields for the 2017 RACE trials ranged from 1,981 pounds per acre for Nueces County to 761 pounds per acre for the Williamson County location. Average irrigated location yields ranged from 2,369 pounds per acre for the Medina County location to 753 pounds per acre for the Burleson County location, where Hurricane Harvey also impacted yields.

Morgan said when selecting cotton varieties, several key factors should be considered before planting.

“Producers need to gather as much unbiased yield and fiber quality data as possible from their area and beyond,” he said. “Some varieties are widely adapted, while others perform well under more specific growing conditions and situations.”

Also, Morgan said, select the herbicide- and insect-tolerant traits that best fit the expected challenges for 2018.

“Seed and technologies fees for the newer herbicide and insect traits are usually more expensive,” he said. “If you don’t need these traits, then many varieties with older trait packages are still competitive in yield and quality.”

For more information, contact Morgan at gdmorgan@tamu.edu or 979-845-2425 or McGinty at jmcginty@tamu.edu or 361-265-9203.

Texas A&M AgriLife Research licenses DALZ 1308 for production

24Jan

Writer: Gabe Saldana, 956-408-5040, gabe.saldana@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Ambika Chandra, 972-952-9218, Ambika.chandra@ag.tamu.edu

A first-of-its-kind zoysia grass hybrid promises superior putting green performance and quality while requiring fewer inputs compared to other warm-season turfgrasses on the market, said Dr. Ambika Chandra, Texas A&M AgriLife Research turfgrass breeding program leader in Dallas.

Texas A&M golfball on Dalz1308 turfgrass

A golf ball sits on a section of DALZ 1308, the new putting green zoysia grass variety from the Texas A&M AgriLife Research turfgrass breeding program in Dallas. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Gabe Saldana)

The new variety, tested as DALZ 1308, produced average roll distances above 9 feet in industry standard roll-distance research trials. Golf courses now testing the new zoysia report averages of 12 feet — an ideal roll for tournament play by golf industry standards between 9 feet and 13 feet, Chandra said.

“This is a next generation, ultra-dwarf, super-fine textured, greens-type zoysia grass,” she said. “It’s genetically dark green with high shoot density, which produces a superior quality putting surface.”

Zoysias, compared to other warm-season turfgrasses, generally produce higher quality turf with fewer inputs like mowing, nutrients and chemicals due to their natural tolerance to disease, insects, shade and salinity stress, Chandra said. Their comparative low maintenance could help higher-quality putting greens become viable and sustainable for golf courses with limited budgets and human resources.

“The problem with putting green zoysias historically is that they’re known to roll too slow for tournament play,” she said. “DALZ 1308 solves that.”

The exclusive national license for production and sale of the variety is held by Bladerunner Farms of Poteet, which is working to establish fields of the new turf. The company will grant sub-licenses to select producers across the U.S.

“I believe that the use of zoysias for greens will prove to be the next big thing in golf and that 1308 will lead the way,” said Bladerunner Farms owner David Douget.

DALZ 1308 also represents a scientific breakthrough in its standing as the first hybrid developed specifically for putting greens by crossing two different turfgrass species, zoysia minima and zoysia matrella.

According to Chandra, the minima x matrella cross which resulted in Dalz1308 was originally made in 2003.

Dr. Ambika Chandra tells a group of turfgrass professionals about ongoing turfgrass research.

Dr. Ambika Chandra discusses turfgrass research during the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Turfgrass and Landscape Field Day in College Station.

“That just goes to show that plant breeding is a long-term process,” she said.

Several hybrids were developed and three full-sibs were entered in the national turfgrass evaluation program (NTEP) in 2013 for nation-wide evaluation.

“In the NTEP, 1308 stood out in performance and quality,” Chandra said. “We are certainly excited about the release!”

Another unique factor in this cross is that the AgriLife Research turfgrass breeding program is one of the only programs in the country with access to minima germplasm.

Chandra will discuss the genetics, development, evaluation and performance of greens-type zoysia grasses at Bladerunner Farms on Feb. 6 – part of the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio.

“We believe we’re going to see an increased use in zoysias for putting greens across the country with the release of DALZ 1308,” she said.

Go to https://dallas.tamu.edu/research/turf/ and contact Chandra for more information on DALZ 1308. Contact Doguet by going to http://www.bladerunnerfarms.com for information on sub-licensing the variety.

Cotton technology education effort earns AgriLife Extension Superior Service award

23Jan

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Gaylon Morgan, 979-845-2425, gdmorgan@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has recognized a cotton and weed team with a Superior Service Team Award for their efforts on educating producers on auxin-tolerant cotton weed control systems.

The annual Superior Service awards, presented Jan. 9 in Bryan, recognize AgriLife Extension personnel who provide outstanding performance in education or other service to the organization and Texans.

The AgriLife Extension team members recognized were Dr. Seth Byrd, cotton specialist, Lubbock; Dr. Josh McGinty, agronomist, Corpus Christi; Dr. Gaylon Morgan, state cotton specialist, College Station; Dr. Peter Dotray, weed scientist, Lubbock; and Dr. Mark Matocha, environmental safety specialist, College Station.

In response to the expected release of new cotton herbicide technologies, AgriLife Extension cotton and weed science personnel worked with state and federal agencies to encourage a balanced approach based on scientific data for the introduction of the new formulations and associated application restrictions, according to the nomination.

Cotton team members receiving plaque from AgriLife director.

Members of the cotton and weed team received their Superior Service Awards from Dr. Doug Steele (left) at the recent awards ceremony. Team members from left to right are Soil and Crop Sciences professors Dr. Seth Byrd, Dr. Gaylon Morgan, and Dr. Josh McGinty and Dr. Mark Matocha of Ag and Environmental Safety.

The team worked with the local and state commodity organizations, allied industry professionals, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas Plant Protection Association to develop, implement and promote good stewardship of these new herbicides, including the Flag-the-Technology approach to decrease the potential for misapplications of herbicides to susceptible crops.

“The potential damage to neighboring crops could have been in the millions of dollars and resulted in many other legal ramifications, as noted in other states,” the nomination stated. “However, to date, the benefits of the cotton producers having a tool for managing problematic weeds far outweigh any detrimental impacts from these technologies, and have increased economic returns to growers in 2017, and into the near future.”

“As a cotton producer organization serving 41 counties where growers usually produce about two-thirds of the state’s cotton crop, we appreciate this team for directly meeting the needs of our growers,” said Steve Verett, Cotton Inc. executive vice president in Lubbock, in a letter of support.

“They have done a magnificent job helping our growers, consultants and other industry leaders navigate through the challenges and opportunities created by the adoption of these new technologies.”

In recognizing this team’s actions, the nomination stated that as of mid-August, 1,439 official dicamba-related injury complaints had been received by various state departments of agriculture across 10 Cotton Belt states. However, only 10 complaints related to either 2,4-D or dicamba were filed in Texas, home to over 55 percent of the U.S. cotton acreage in 2017.

“While this is undoubtedly a reflection of Texas producers stewarding these new herbicide technologies and making good decisions, it is also a reflection of the tireless educational outreach efforts put forth by this team,” the nomination stated. “Their efforts ensured producers and allied industry representatives in the state received up-to-date information and training on restrictions and regulations associated with the technologies.”

Team members worked closely with allied industry, grower organizations and the Texas Department of Agriculture to conduct and demonstrate the pros and cons of the new technologies, fill data gaps for Texas through small plot research trials and to ensure growers were receiving a unified message on the do’s and don’ts when applying the new formulations, according to the nomination.

In order to broaden the educational base of unbiased information, this team conducted seven internal trainings for AgriLife Extension county agents, integrated pest management agents and other specialists.

As a result, more than 100 AgriLife Extension personnel received instruction in label requirements and application guidelines, herbicide traits and the specifics of off-target movement and conditions that influence drift and volatility. This information was then dispersed to growers through the county agents.

Texas Plant Protection Association annual meeting held in Bryan

14Dec

By: Beth Ann Luedeker

TPPA Chairman Ray Smith talking at podium

TPPA Chairman Ray Smith addressed the participants at the 29th annual TPPA conference

Members of the Texas Plant Protection Association held their 29th annual conference at the Brazos Center in Bryan December 6 and 7. The non-profit organization is comprised leaders in agribusiness, agriculture research, extension and education, and agriculture regulatory agencies.

Attendees heard presentations on all aspects of agriculture, from ag credit to management technologies to the U.S. Farm Bill and more.

Dr. Peter Dotray talking to conference participants

Dr. Peter Dotray, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Weed Specialist and professor at Texas Tech University, presented information on current cotton technologies during the TPPA conference

“We have been talking about stewardship this year, not only stewardship of the land but also stewardship of the herbicide technology we are working with,” said Dr. Peter Dotray, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Weed Specialist with the TAMU and Texas Tech University, during his discussion on current cotton technologies. “There are big rewards with new tech, but there are also risks of over use and misuse. We need to be mindful as we make applications.”

“It is important to move toward a better understanding of the plants we are trying to control,” Dotray said. “Muthu [Dr. Muthu Bagavathiannan] in College Station has provided a lot information and many others have contributed but there is much more to do.”

“We are at a crossroads,” he said. “We have had pretty good results but it is important to be on the same page, to know the proper herbicide for the weed pest we are targeting, proper nozzel size and application rates, so the technology we are trying to steward will be here beyond the current season.”

Pramod Pokhrel, a doctoral student under Dr. Nithya Rajan, placed first in the TPPA PhD student poster contest.

A poster contest was held in conjunction with the meeting, which drew more than 30 entries. In the doctoral student contest Pramod Pokhrel, who is working on his PhD in Agronomy under Dr. Nithya Rajan, placed first. Seth Abugho, who is working in Weed Science under Dr. Muthu Bagavathiannan, placed second, and Mahendra Bhandri, who is studying Agronomy under Dr. Qingwu Xu and Dr. Amir Ibrahim, placing third.

The Master Student Poster contest was won by Sadie Church, a student of Dr. Ronnie Schnell. Second place was Zane Jenkins and third was Aislinn Walton, both students at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX., under Dr. Jourdan Bell and Dr. Qinwu Xue.

Industry Awards were presented to Ronnie Phillips of Phillips Ag Consulting and Research, and Tony Driver of Syngenta.

Seth Abugho with Dr. Gary Schwarzlose and Dr. Clark Neely

Seth Abugho, center, placed second in the 2017 TPPA Ph.D. student poster contest. Presenting the award are Dr. Gary Schwarzlose, TPPA president, and Dr. Clark Neely, TPPA vice president and poster chairman. Texas A&M AgriLife photo by: Blair Fannin

Sadie Church receives her award for the first place master student poster from Gary Schwarzlose, TPPA president, and Dr. Clark Neely, vice president and poster chairman.

Fritjof Capra to present Kavli Science at Carnegie

21Nov

Counsil of Scientific Society Presidents

Advancing Leadership in Science & Technology

MEDIA RELEASE Contact: Lynda West, Project Manager
Monday, 13 November 2017
Council of Scientific Society Presidents
254-776-3550, Ext. 3
lyndaw@sgmeet.com

Best-Selling Author of The Tao of Physics, Fritjof Capra, to speak at Carnegie

Washington, D.C. – Fritjof Capra, Ph.D., best-selling author whose work includes The Tao of Physics, will present the Fred Kavli Science at the Frontiers Lecture on Monday evening, 4 December 2017, at the Carnegie Institution for Science. His talk, entitled The Systems View of Life: A Science for Sustainable Living, is sponsored by the Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP) and the Kavli Foundation in cooperation with the Carnegie Institution for Science. Capra’s lecture will be based on his book, The Systems View of Life, which presents a grand new synthesis, integrating the biological, cognitive, social, and ecological dimensions of life into one unified vision.

Capra is a scientist, educator, activist, and author of many international bestsellers that connect conceptual changes in science with broader changes in worldview and values in society. The Systems View of Life, coauthored with Pier Luigi Luisi, has been published in three editions in three languages. The Vienna-born physicist and systems theorist first became popularly known for his book, The Tao of Physics, which explored the ways in which modern physics was changing our worldview from a mechanistic to a holistic and ecological one. Published in 1975, it is still in print in more than 40 editions worldwide and 23 different languages. It is referenced with the statue of Shiva in the courtyard of one of the world’s largest and most respected centers for scientific research: CERN, the Center for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva.

Over the past 30 years, Capra has been engaged in a systematic exploration of how other sciences and society are ushering in a similar shift in worldview, or paradigms, leading to a new vision of reality and a new understanding of the social implications of this cultural transformation. He is a founding director of the Berkeley-based Center for Ecoliteracy which is dedicated to advancing ecology and systems thinking in primary and secondary education. The primary focus of his environmental education and activism has been to help build and nurture sustainable communities. He believes that to do so, we can learn valuable lessons from the study of ecosystems which are sustainable communities of plants, animals, and microorganisms.

The lecture is free, but those who are interested in attending must reserve tickets at https://kavli-lecture.brownpapertickets.com/. The Carnegie Institution for Science is located at 1530 P Street NW in Washington, D.C.

For more information about Dr. Capra and his work, please go to http://www.fritjofcapra.net/. For more information about the CSSP and the Fred Kavli Science at the Frontiers Lecture, please contact Helen Schneider Lemay, CSSP Business Manager, at info@sciencepresidents.org.

Genetic discovery another tool in battle against wheat pests

17Nov

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Shuyu Liu, 806-677-5600, SLiu@ag.tamu.edu

AMARILLO – Greenbug and Hessian fly infestations can significantly reduce wheat yield and quality in Texas and worldwide. Breeding for resistance to these two pests using marker-assisted selection just got a new tool from a Texas A&M AgriLife Research study.

Because genetics is the most economical strategy to minimize losses, AgriLife Research wheat geneticist Dr. Shuyu Liu began two years ago searching for breeder-friendly markers for those two insects. This step is a continuation of ongoing genetic work on insect resistance.

Greenbug cluster on wheat. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)

Through the years, a number of greenbug resistance genes have been identified in wheat and its relatives based on their differential reactions to different biotypes, which range from A through K. There are also 18 Hessian fly biotypes, and because it has the ability to overcome resistance genes deployed in wheat cultivars through mutations, it is necessary to identify and utilize resistance genes from diverse sources for wheat breeding.

Scientists use genetic markers to identify regions where specific genes can be found on a particular plant. Liu has identified the neighborhoods or markers for a gene offering greenbug resistance, Gb7, and a gene that provides Hessian fly resistance, H32, in wheat.

Liu’s work was recently published in the Theoretical and Applied Genetics Journal of Plant Breeding Research, detailing the development of the Kompetitive Allele Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction or KASP assays for both genes.

Hessian fly adult. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)

Joining Liu on the publication were AgriLife Research wheat team members Drs. Jackie Rudd, Amarillo, and Amir Ibrahim, College Station, both wheat breeders; Dr. Qingwu Xue, crop stress physiologist; Dr. Chor Tee Tan, an associate research scientist; as well as other students and staff in Amarillo.

Both genes were identified through previous research, and linked markers for them were mapped, but the detection methods were not well suited for marker-assisted selection for evaluating thousands of plants, Liu said.

He said knowing an address doesn’t mean someone knows where in the city to start looking for it. But by developing single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNPs, which include flanking markers closely linked and located on chromosomes, geneticists are able to give breeders the neighborhood to search.

SNPs are then converted into KASP assays, which are considered breeder-friendly because they are easier to use, faster and more accurate, he said.

Effective molecular markers closely linked to the target genes are the key for the success of marker-assisted selection on traits such as greenbug and Hessian fly resistance, Liu said. For instance, a breeder will typically screen 1,000s of breeding lines, and the KASP acts as a flag to say the necessary genes for a particular trait exists in a particular line.

Through Liu’s work, both genes can now be easily transferred into a new wheat line through marker-assisted selection.

Dr. Shuyu Liu, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research geneticist in Amarillo, looks at the results from a KASP assay for insect resistant wheat lines. Clustered in blue are the resistant lines, the susceptible lines are clustered in red, and green indicates lines not pure resistant or susceptible. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbetter)

Liu said the Gb7 and H32 are both found in a synthetic wheat, W7984, which is a parental line for a mapping population that wheat researchers are using worldwide. Synthetic wheats are man-made crosses between Durum or pasta-type wheats and Aegilops tauschii. These initial crosses provide access to genes of the wild relatives of wheat, thus increasing usable genetic diversity for breeders to improve winter wheat varieties.

The mapping population was developed more than 10 years ago by the International Triticum Mapping Initiative, but neither of these genes has been used for resistance in breeding programs to this point, he said.

“The reason I think they were not being used is they were in a synthetic line and it required more effort to transfer them into adaptive wheat lines,” he said. “What we have done with the KASP marker is make them easier to find and utilize.”

For example, TAM 114, a newer, increasingly popular variety of Texas A&M wheat, does not have greenbug resistance and only has limited Hessian fly resistance, Liu said.
“But with this new knowledge, breeders can cross with TAM 114 and keep its superior end-use quality and improve it with the Gb7 and H32 genes,” he said. “This will make the new line more adaptable to the regions where Hessian fly is a problem.”

By crossing wheat lines with the identified KASP markers, the process to develop the pure line with selected properties can be much more accurate, Liu said.

Liu said he began searching for these markers because the TAM breeding program has made heavy use of synthetic germplasm so the markers will quickly be implemented.

To get to this point, Liu utilized genotype-by-sequencing markers developed by other research groups, and ultimately the KASP markers were validated using the set of synthetic wheat lines. Each line of that mapping population was screened for reactions by greenbug and Hessian fly by two U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service centers.

“We’ve determined they are very effective under many genetic backgrounds,” he said. “Genetic diversity and genetic gains are always important to wheat breeders.”

Students Win with PulCe Muffins

16Nov

By: Beth Ann Luedeker

Contact: Dr. Joseph Awika awika@tamu.edu 979-845-2985

Shreeya Ravisankar and Tadesse Teferra, both doctoral students under Dr. Joseph Awika, and with Celeste Totten, an undergraduate in food science, have been working for many months to create a new breakfast muffin. Last month their efforts were rewarded.
At the American Association of Cereal Chemists International (AACCI) annual meeting in San Diego, the trio claimed first place in the product development competition with their PulCe Muffins.
According to the students, PulCe muffins are a gluten-free, whole grain mix made from a blend of different ancient grains (sorghum, amaranth and teff) and pulces (garbanzo beans and lentils).

The Texas A&M Product Development team of Celest Totten,left, Tadesse Taferra and Shreeya Ravisankar won 1st place with their PulCe muffins.

“The busy lifestyles of consumers is making many skip breakfast and they are looking for more convenient products,” said Ravisankar. “According to research data, the sale of muffins is projected to increase rapidly in the next ten years, so we set out to develop PulCe muffins, which derives its name from the ingredients – Pul from pulses and Ce from cereals.”
With many consumers considering gluten-free products to be healthier choices, the students wanted to create a quick, ready-to-bake, gluten-free muffin mix offering several nutritional benefits.
“The muffins are a complete source of proteins, as pulses are rich in lysine and cereals are rich in methionine, offering three to five times the protein of other muffins,” Taferra said. “In addition the blend makes the muffins rich in vitamins and several minerals, including calcium, iron and manganese.”
Whole grain cereals and pulses, in combination, are sources of beneficial polyphenolic compounds which have been shown to have synergistic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential in recent in vitro studies, the students said.
The students faced several challenges as they developed their muffins.
First it was the “beany” flavor of the pulse flour, which they overcame by microwaving the whole beans and lentils briefly prior to grinding them into flour.
Texture was another challenge.
“The gluten in a wheat based muffin provides elasticity and extensibility to hold the product together. The lack of gluten in our product forced us to work with other additives to provide a moist product.” Ravisankar explained.

Aggie students created PulCe Muffins, which won the Product Development competition at the AACCI meeting in San Diego in October.

“We also had a hard time milling the garbanzo beans,” said Teferra. “The beans are naturally hard and difficult to mill, and the situation was worsened by the microwave treatment. It was a constant struggle.”
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges was time. The students all have class and research obligations which limited the time available to obtain some of the key ingredients in the form required.
“In the end, we were able to present a healthy muffin in three flavors, blueberry, strawberry and chocolate) that perfectly fits current consumer trends,” Ravisankar said. “They are gluten free, rich in protein and minerals, and have no artificial ingredients.”
The trio recognizes that whole grain products are more prone to oxidation, which limits their shelf lives, and they plan to address this during future research and development.
“We could not have achieved this without the support and guidance of Dr. Awika, and the cereal quality lab members,” Ravisankar said. “We also had support from Dr. Rhonda Miller in animal science, who helped with sensory analysis, and Dr. Suresh Pillai in nutrition and food science, who provided microbial analysis support.”

Cold brew coffee phenomenon producing possible turfgrass fertilizer

16Nov

By: Kay Ledbetter

Contact: Ben Wherley – b-wherley@tamu.edu 979-845-1591

Texas A&M AgriLife Research is conducting a two-year study to determine if spent coffee grounds can serve as a replacement for some of the currently used top-dressing fertilizers and soil amendments in turfgrass. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbetter)

From the coffee maker to the lawn, investigators in a Texas A&M AgriLife Research study are scattering spent coffee grounds on turf plots to see if the beverage leftovers can give the grass a jolt like the drink does for its consumer.

Dr. Ben Wherley, Texas A&M AgriLife Research turfgrass ecologist in College Station, said the two-year study will determine if the used coffee grounds can serve as a replacement for some of the currently used top-dressing fertilizers and soil amendments.
Wherley and his master’s student Garrett Flores will compare fresh and composted grounds to other organic and synthetic fertilizers and sphagnum peat moss, which is commonly used as a soil amendment in sand-based sports fields and golf course putting greens.

The work has been partially supported through a seed grant from the United States Golf Association Green Section as well as GeoJava, a new eco-friendly company started by Chad McNair, CEO of Aspen Beverage Group in San Antonio.
“We think this might provide a nice alternative by using a spent resource and not cutting into a non-renewable resource like peat moss,” he said.
What’s really brought increased interest in this is the explosion of cold-brew coffee, Wherley said.

He said Aspen Beverage Group is providing a substantial supply of spent coffee grounds for the project, which is trying to find uses both as a surface application, perhaps as a fertilizer or compost, but also as a soil root-zone amendment in sand-based systems.
Aspen Beverage is a cold-brew coffee company, one of the largest in North America, and produces about 40 cubic yards a day of spent coffee grounds. That’s enough to fill a dumpster 22 foot long by 7.5 feet wide by 8 feet high.

men looking at coffee grounds research plots

Dr. Ben Wherley, Texas A&M AgriLife Research turfgrass ecologist in College Station, and Garrett Flores, master’s student, look over turfgrass plots where spent coffee grounds are being tested as a fertilizer. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbetter)

“And they expect to be up to 250 cubic yards a day by next year,” Wherley said. “We are trying to help them find an environmentally friendly and economical way to use these coffee grounds.”
“Cold brew is all the rage because college students find it doesn’t have the acidity of normal coffee and they like the texture and flavor,” Wherley said. “So people who haven’t been drinking coffee in the past are now drinking it, and it is replacing the energy drinks.
“The sheer volume being provided by not only Aspen but other cold brew extractors around the U.S. provides a new material we need to look at a little more closely for agronomic systems. There’s a need to use these or get rid of them in some fashion.”
He said a second benefit in determining their nutritive value to turfgrass and keeping them from going to the dump is the reduced amount of synthetic fertilizer used on lawns.
Flores said they have 10 different treatments under study, including an untreated plot. Coffee grounds tested are both fresh and composted. The composted coffee grounds analysis indicates they have a slightly higher nutrient level.

Garrett Flores is studying the feasibility of using spent coffee grounds as a fertilizer and soil amendment as part of his Master’s thesis. Photo by Beth Ann Luedeker

The spent coffee grounds have about a 2.5-3 percent nitrogen content, and a carbon to nitrogen ratio of about 20 to 1, which could theoretically make them fairly desirable for fertilizer application, Wherley said.
Flores said in the study they are comparing the coffee grounds to both slow- and quick-release fertilizers to determine how they compare. Varying rates of poultry litter-based organic fertilizer, ammonium sulfate and sulfur-coated urea are being tested.
“We are primarily evaluating growth, turf quality and color,” Flores said. “We will evaluate turf color using digital imaging software. We will also take clippings to determine growth rates, as well as the amounts of nutrients that are absorbed.
“We are also tracking soil moisture in the plots,” he said. “We are going to see whether coffee grounds increase the moisture retention ability of the soil.”
Flores said additionally they will be evaluating changes in the soil microbial biomass due to spent coffee grounds as well as other fertilizer treatments.
“The coffee grounds provide considerable organic matter and we will be determining how readily the microbes are able to break it down into a usable form of fertilizer for the plants to take up,” he said.
“We’ll be following this study over the next two years to evaluate turf health and performance and see whether there is potential for a marketable end-use for spent coffee grounds,” Wherley said. “As we see an increased use of cold-brew coffee around the country, it would be nice to be able to utilize these in an agronomic setting.”