WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — More of the fertilizers and pesticides used to grow corn would find their way into nearby water sources if ethanol demands lead to planting more acres in corn, according to a Purdue University study.

U.S. Department of Agriculture data has shown that corn acreage has increased with the demand for ethanol, with 93 million acres in 2007, an increase of 12.1 million acres that year.

The study of Indiana water sources found that those near fields that practice continuous-corn rotations had higher levels of nitrogen, fungicides and phosphorous than corn-soybean rotations. Results of the study by Indrajeet Chaubey, an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and Bernard Engel, a professor and head of agricultural and biological engineering, were published in the early online version of The Journal of Environmental Engineering.

“When you move from corn-soybean rotations to continuous corn, the sediment losses will be much greater,” Chaubey said. “Increased sediment losses allow more fungicide and phosphorous to get into the water because they move with sediment.”

Nitrogen and fungicides are more heavily used in corn crops than soybeans, increasing the amounts found in the soil of continuous-corn fields. Sediment losses become more prevalent because tilling is often required in continuous-corn fields, whereas corn-soybean rotations can more easily be no-till fields, Engel said.

“The common practice is there is a lot of tillage to put corn back on top of corn,” Engel said. “Any time we see changes in the landscape, there is a potential to see changes in water quality.”

Chaubey said there was no significant change in the amount of atrazine detected in water near fields that changed to continuous-corn rotations. The commonly used pesticide sticks to plant material and degrades in sunlight, keeping it from reaching water through runoff or sediment.

U.S. Department of Agriculture data has shown that corn acreage has increased with the demand for ethanol, with 93 million acres in 2007, an increase of 12.1 million acres that year.

“As we look forward here, if corn stover is going to be a preferred bio-feedstock, we would see more corn acreage being planted,” Engel said. “We need to know how that will affect water quality.”

The USDA and Purdue funded the study. Chaubey and Engel are expanding their research to Iowa, Tennessee and Arkansas. That three-year study will include impacts of various biofeedstock, such as switch grass, and developing management practices to reduce sediment, nutrient and pesticide losses.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University bands and orchestras will kick off their 2009-10 concert season during homecoming weekend.

Orchestras will perform its Homecoming Concert Saturday (Oct. 3) in the Long Center, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette. The Purdue Symphonic and Concert bands will perform a tribute to “Main Street USA” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, also at the Long Center. Admission to both events is free.

The Purdue Orchestra will perform its Homecoming Concert Saturday, October 3, and the Purdue Symphonic and Concert bands will perform a tribute to Main Street USA on Sunday, October 4th -- both at the Long Center in Downtown Lafayette. Admission to both events is free.

From the galloping rhythms of Rossini’s famous “William Tell Overture” to Mendelssohn’s Fifth Symphony, which paraphrases the hymn tune “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” in its finale, the Purdue orchestras will showcase a variety of classical music during its Saturday event.

Both Purdue orchestras will be featured under the baton of Andrew King. The Purdue Philharmonic will perform Edward Elgar’s “Enigma Variations.” The unique piece takes one melody and explores different ways of playing it, each way influenced by the preferences of a friend or, in one case, a dog close to the British composer. “Enigma Variations” secured Elgar’s reputation as a composer of national, even international, standing and remains one of the most popular works in the classical repertoire, King says.

Before tackling Mendelssohn’s Fifth or “Reformation” Symphony, the Purdue Symphony opens its portion of the program with a “Hi Ho Silver and Away.” Those words will leap to audience’s minds when they hear Rossini’s “William Tell Overture” which became famous in the 20th century as the theme to “The Lone Ranger.”

Felix Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony, written in 1829, is a highly original piece of religious music depicting the triumph of Protestantism. In its fast stormy first movement, Mendelssohn musically depicts an intense spiritual struggle away from Catholicism. The finale, written as a celebration opens with the Lutheran chorale “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”

Bands concert

Nearly every element of fall in America, from festivals and Friday night football to walks down picturesque country lanes, will be described musically in “Main Street USA,” the bands’ concert on Sunday.

Two John Phillip Sousa marches, David Moore’s “Small Town Sketches,” Charles Ives’ “Variations on America” and Broadway composer Robert Russell Bennett’s “Autobiography Part 1″ set the tone for the afternoon of music by American composers.

“Small Town Sketches,” the concert opener performed by Fall Concert Band under the direction of Ishbah Cox presents a series of musical pictures ranging from “Friday Night Football” to “Winter Walk” and from “County Fair” to “Concert in the Park.” The group also performs another highly descriptive work, “Down a Country Lane,” by Aaron Copland.

“Students are embracing many different styles on this concert from classical to Broadway,” says Jay Gephart, conductor of the Purdue Symphonic Band. “They move from one to another very easily, which shows a great deal of maturity as musicians.”

Although influenced by folk and traditional music, Ives was no stranger to compositional techniques of the 20th century, which are showcased in the Symphonic Band’s performance of “Variations on America.”

Symphonic Band also tackles Robert Russell Bennett’s “Autobiography Part 1″ at the Oct. 3 concert and will present “Part 2″ at a subsequent concert.

“H. Owen Reed’s ‘Heart of the Morn’ adds a nice balance to the other pieces on the program,” says Gephart. “It’s just a beautiful chorale based on the poem ‘Michigan Morn.’ ”

“Main Street USA” is presented by Purdue Bands & Orchestras. For more information on upcoming events visit www.purdue.edu/bands

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University on Friday (Sept. 25) suspended Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity for three months for violating university regulations and the Interfraternity Council Risk Management policy on alcohol consumption.

Phi Kappa Theta, Indiana Zeta Chapter, Purdue University

The suspension will last through Dec. 31, at which time the fraternity chapter can petition the Office of the Dean of Students for reinstatement, said Pablo Malavenda, associate dean of students. If the suspension is lifted, the Phi Kaps would remain on probation until Dec. 31, 2010, at which time a petition could be made to be reinstated to full status.

A university investigation concluded that: After an initial verbal warning on Aug. 18, the chapter continued to operate a Facebook account inviting individuals to parties at the chapter house; the chapter later coordinated an event at which alcohol was provided to minors.

Although the fraternity will maintain a formal connection with the university while under suspension, the chapter is not entitled to: participate in programs with other recognized student organizations; participate in university-sponsored activities; participate in intramural athletics as an organization; use university logos, trademarks and name; and is not eligible for awards through Purdue, regional or national associations and the fraternity’s national headquarters.

“Unfortunately, the chapter chose to disregard the policies and regulations of both Purdue University and the Interfraternity Council,” said Kyle A. Pendleton, assistant dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life. “Our hope is that Phi Kappa Theta will work cooperatively with the university to fulfill the requirements of the sanction, thus avoiding further sanctions.”

In order for the fraternity to regain Purdue recognition, the chapter must abide by the following terms:

• The chapter must submit a development program and receive approval from national headquarters and advisers each semester of the suspension and probation.
• Each semester of the suspension and probation, in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Students, the chapter must plan an alcohol education program. Each member and associate member must participate.
• At least 50 percent of the chapter must attend the 2009 Indiana Greek Leadership Conference in November.
• Chapter members and alumni volunteers must work with national headquarters to establish a plan for continuous improvement of the chapter and its programs. It must adopt all national Phi Kappa Theta initiatives and risk management practices.

The chapter must follow all university regulations, state and federal laws and Phi Kappa Theta requirements.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Jim Danielson and Sean Kleinschmidt spent the summer before their freshman year at Purdue University turning a Porsche with a blown engine into an electric-powered vehicle.

Purdue Freshmen Jim Danielson and Sean Kleinschmidt spent last summer turning a 1987 Porsche 924S -- like the one pictured above -- into an electric-powered vehicle.

Their red, 1987 924S will be one of the featured vehicles at the alternative and fuel-efficient transportation show that is part of Purdue’s Green Week. The show will be from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 24) on the west side of Stewart Center.

Danielson of Arlington Heights, Ill., and Kleinschmidt of Prospect Heights, Ill., are high school friends who are now first-year engineering students. They started work on the car in late May and finished in early August.

They bought the Porsche for $500, then sold parts from it that they didn’t need for about the same amount. They spent about $6,000 on the conversion. They hope to get $4,000 of that back through an Illinois program that rebates costs for alternative-power conversions.

The car runs on a deep-cycle, lead acid marine battery and a forklift motor. At this point, it can reach a speed of 55 miles an hour. But the Porsche has a range of only about 50 miles on each battery charge, so Danielson and Kleinschmidt will bring it to West Lafayette on a trailer.

The Purdue Sustainability Council is sponsoring the Green Week transportation show. It also will feature vehicles from Purdue’s hybrid fleet, student-built solar race cars, a battery-powered Volkswagen Beetle built by a professor, a Volkswagen Rabbit converted to run on biodiesel fuel including used vegetable oil, and even a motorized couch.

Judged and people’s choice awards will be given in the fuel-efficient and alternative-powered categories.

Alternative and fuel-efficient vehicles still can be entered in the show. To enter, e-mail Robin Ridgway, Purdue’s director of sustainability and environmental stewardship, at rmridgway@purdue.edu

Also during the transportation show, the Boiler Green Initiative will offer free bicycle tune-ups.

More information on Green Week is available at http://www.purdue.edu/sustainability/

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Vaccine for the seasonal flu will be available for Purdue University students beginning Friday (Sept. 25).

Dates, locations and times for Flu Shots on the West Lafayette campus.

The Purdue University Student Health Center will provide the vaccinations from 10:00a to 4:00p Friday in the atrium of Armstrong Hall and then daily at the health center while supplies last. The cost for students is $15.

Vaccinations for faculty, staff and graduate staff will be available at eight different times beginning Oct. 9. Times and locations are available online (Download PDF)

Also, a separate vaccine for H1N1 Type A influenza (swine flu) is expected to become available in October.

“While the seasonal flu vaccine won’t directly protect you from H1N1, it will help keep you from getting seasonal flu, and, therefore, make you less vulnerable to the possibility of having two strains at once,” said James Westman, director of Purdue Student Health Center. “Since the student-age population is believed to have little or no immunity to H1N1, maintaining one’s general health is essential, especially for those with underlying health problems or weakened immune systems.”

Although 271 students on the West Lafayette campus have been treated for flulike illness since Aug. 30, the number of cases have begun to decline, with only eight reported Saturday (Sept. 19) through late Tuesday (Sept. 22). Of the 168 of those tested for Type A influenza, of which H1N1 is a subset, 23 were positive for Type A. Thirty-seven samples were tested by the Indiana State Board of Health. Of those, 29 were positive for H1N1.

The university is providing frequent updates at http://www.purdue.edu/fluinfo.