High tunnels, or unheated plastic greenhouses, are becoming increasingly popular among organic vegetable growers across the United States. However, the intensive production typical of these systems presents soil health challenges, including salinization due to high fertilizer or compost inputs coupled with lack of rainfall to leach salts. Legume cover crops may improve soil health in high tunnels by reducing the need for external inputs, while adding organic matter. We tested the soil health effects of a winter hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop used to replace fertilizer N in an organic tomato cropping system in high tunnels. Studies were replicated across three sites differing in climate and soil type (Kansas, Kentucky, and Minnesota) over three years. We measured vetch cover crop effects on a suite of soil health indicators, including potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), permanganate oxidizable carbon, and microbial biomass. Preliminary results suggest that vetch effects on PMN were highly variable. Soil mineral N, meanwhile, was often lower in the vetch treatment than in a fertilized control, both in spring and in fall. While further work on vetch effects on crop yields is needed, our results suggest that even legume cover crops such as vetch have the potential to reduce nitrate leaching.
In this research we prepared nanofibers by electrospinning
from poly (Vinyl Alcohol) / TiO2. The spectrum of the solution
(Emission) was studied at 772 nm. Several process parameter were
Investigated as concentration of PVA, the effect of distance from
nozzle tip to the grounded collector (gap distance), and final the
effect of high voltage. We find the optimum condition to prepare a
narrow nanofibers is at concentration of PVA 16gm, the fiber has
20nm diameter
Abstract
In the present work the effect of bearing compliance on the performance of high speed misaligned journal bearing lined with a compliant PTFE liner lubricated with bubbly oil at high speeds has been studied. The effect of induced oil film temperature due to shearing effect has been implemented. Hydrodynamic effect of the complaint bearing and the influence of aerated oil have been examined by the classical thermohydrodynamic lubrication theory modified to include the effect of oil film turbulence and oil film temperature with suitable models for bubbly oil viscosity and density. The effect of liner elastic deformation has been implemented by using Winkler model. The effects of variable density and s
... Show MoreThis work is concerned with the study of the effect of cement types, particularly OPC and SRPC, which are the main cement types manufactured in Iraq. In addition, study the effect of mineral admixtures, which are HRM and SF on the resistance of high performance concrete (HPC) to internal sulphate attack. The HRM is used at (10%) and SF is used at (8 and 10)% as a partial replacement by weight of cement for both types. The percentages of sulphate investigated are (1,2 and 3)% by adding natural gypsum as a partial replacement by weight of fine aggregate. The tests carried out in this work are: compressive strength, flexural strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and density at the age of 7, 28, 90 and 120 days.
The r
... Show MoreThis research aims to determine the extent of the contribution of organizational downsizing strategies to enhance the health of the researched organization represented by the Directorate of Education in Nineveh, and to achieve this goal, the study provided a simplified intellectual framework for the most important topics covered by writers and researchers for search variables, reinforced by an applied analytical framework for the opinions of (79) individuals responsible for the researched organization. The research adopted organizational downsizing as an independent variable that includes three dimensions represented by (reduction of human resources, job redesign, systemic strategy), while the organizational health represented th
... Show MoreArts acts to reduce and exclude everything that is not necessary in the delivery of meaning, especially representative performance, which is based on the intensification of the physical and vocal actions, and in drawing the dimensions of the character. And because that, the artistic staff, among others in the ministry of education, are considered the cornerstone, in the development of theatrical activities in schools, this research came to find out the extent to which teachers in primary schools, in secondary schools and artistic supervisors rely on shorthand mechanisms in the representative performance.
The current research relied on the descriptive approach, in analyzing his sample, which was deliberately chosen, Among the most imp
Shallow foundations have been commonly used to transfer load to soil layer within the permissible limits of settlement based on the bearing capacity of the soil. For most practical cases, the shape of the shallow foundation is of slight significance. Also, friction resistance forces in the first layers of soils are negligible due to non-sufficient surrounding surface area and compaction conditions. However, the bearing capacity of a shallow foundation can be increased by several techniques. Geocell is one of the geosynthetic tool applied mainly to reinforce soil. This study presents a numerical approach of honeycombed geocell steel panels reinforcing the sandy soil under shallow foundation, and several parameters are investigated such as th
... Show MoreThe planning, designing, construction of excavations and foundations in soft to very soft clay soils are always difficult. They are problematic soil that caused trouble for the structures built on them because of the low shear strength, high water content, and high compressibility. This work investigates the geotechnical behavior of soft clay by using tyre ash material burnt in air. The investigation contains the following tests: physical tests, chemical tests, consolidation test, Compaction tests, shear test, California Bearing Ratio test CBR, and model tests. These tests were done on soil samples prepared from soft clay soil; tyre ash was used in four percentages (2, 4, 6, and 8%). The results of the tests were; The soil samples which
... Show Moreteen sites Baghdad are made. The sites are divided into two groups, one in Karkh and the other in Rusafa. Assessing the underground conditions can be occurred by drilling vertical holes called exploratory boring into the ground, obtaining soil (disturbed and undisturbed) samples, and testing these samples in a laboratory (civil engineering laboratory /University of Baghdad). From disturbed, the tests involved the grain size analysis and then classified the soil, Atterberg limit, chemical test (organic content, sulphate content, gypsum content and chloride content). From undisturbed samples, the test involved the consolidation test (from this test, the following parameters can be obtained: initial void ratio eo, compression index cc, swel
... Show MoreGypseous soils are widely distributed and especially in Iraq where arid area of hot climatic is present. These soils are considered as problematic soils; therefore this work attends to improve the geotechnical properties of such soil and reduce the dangers of collapse due to wetting process. In this research, undisturbed soil sample of 30 % gypsum content from Karbala city is used. The Single Oedometer collapse test is used in order to investigate the collapse characteristics of natural soil and after treatment with 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% of Cutback Asphalt. Moreover, two selected additive percentages (9% and 12%) are used to evaluate the suitability of using the Cutback Asphalt for improvement of the bearing capacity o
... Show MoreRadiological assessment for the East Baghdad oilfield-southern part was conducted in the current study. 10 samples (scale, soil, sludge, water, and oil) from the different stages of oil production were collected. 232Th, 226Ra, and 40K in the samples were analyzed with 40% efficiency for Gamma spectrometry. system based on HPGe. The findings indicated that the examined sites exhibit comparatively lower levels of NORM contamination, in contrast to other global oilfields. Nevertheless, certain areas, particularly those within separation stages, demonstrate relatively elevated NORM concentrations exceeding the global average in soil and sludge. The maximum value of 226Ra, 232Th, was found in sludge sample the findings indicated that ove
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