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Enhancing The Industrial Potential Of Filamentous Cyanobacteria, Tylor J. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this project were to improve the industrial potential of filamentous N2-fixing cyanobacteria by increasing its biofuel tolerance, and to evaluate the economic feasibility and environmental impacts of a theoretical, cyanobacteria-based biofuel production facility. To develop a method to quantify filamentous cyanobacteria in dilute culture media, a dual-stained fluorescence assay was evaluated. While the viable cell stain (SYTO® 9) was accurate, the non-viable cell stain (propidium iodide) also bound to viable cells. Additional non-viable cell stains were evaluated, but none were accurate at quantifying viability. Thus we concluded that the viable cell stain SYTO® 9 is a reliable …

Heterologous Expression Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Purple Acid Phosphatase Gene (Atpap15) In Crops For Phytoremediation Of Sites Contaminated With Excess Phosphorus, Jane Jeruto Bartonjo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

AtPAP15 is one of the purple acid phosphatases expressed by Arabidopsis thaliana that has been extensively studied. Purified AtPAP15 has been shown to exhibit both phytase and phosphomonoesterase activities in acidic pH with maximal activity at pH 4.5. AtPAP15 is a phosphorus starvation inducible (PSI) gene that is expressed highly during phosphorus deficient conditions. In the current study, AtPAP15 was overexpressed in Nicotiana tabaccum under cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV35S) constitutive promoter. After PCR confirmation of the gene, plants were transferred to the greenhouse and allowed to grow in pots. The pots contained Sta-Green potting mix (Lowe’s Inc., Mooresville, North Carolina,U.S.). …

Evaluation Of Biochar As Fertilizer For The Growth Of Some Seasonal Vegetables, Kainaat William, Rizwana Aleem Qureshi

Journal of Bioresource Management

Biochar was used to replace inorganic fertilizers. Biochar was synthesized by the process of pyrolysis using horse dung (5kg) and dry grass (25kg) to check its effect on the growth of some local vegetables i.e. okra, beans, coriander and mint. These plants were kept in three different environments i.e. outdoor, indoor and greenhouse conditions. In each condition three replications were made for each plant and biochar was applied on them. Control plants (without biochar) were also grown in each condition. Parameters studied were pH, water holding capacity, ammonia, nitrates, chlorophyll content, fertility analysis, temperature and humidity, number of leaves, plant …

Characterization Of Two Biochars Derived From Horse Muck And Their Ability To Reduce Pathogen Transport In Soil, David Griffith

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biochars have been created and characterized from a variety livestock manure biomass including poultry, dairy, and swine. However, no research has been conducted on the physical and chemical makeup of biochar pyrolyzed from horse muck. Two horse muck derived biochars containing either straw (HS) or woodchip (HW) bedding were pyrolyzed at 700°C and characterized for their physical and chemical properties. Tests revealed both biochars had high alkalinity, moderate specific conductivity, and low surface area as compared to other biochars in the literature. HS contained more mineral structures than HW. Scanning electron microscopy presented differences in particle shape, size, and presence …

Immobilization And Phytotoxicity Reduction Of Heavy Metals In Serpentine Soil Using Biochar, I. Herath, P. Kumarathilaka, A. Navarantne, N. Rajakaruna, M. Vithanage

Biological Sciences

Purpose

Serpentine soils derived from ultramafic rocks release elevated concentrations of toxic heavy metals into the environment. Hence, crop plants cultivated in or adjacent to serpentine soil may experience reduced growth due to phytotoxicity as well as accumulate toxic heavy metals in edible tissues. We investigated the potential of biochar (BC), a waste byproduct of bioenergy industry in Sri Lanka, as a soil amendment to immobilize Ni, Cr, and Mn in serpentine soil and minimize their phytotoxicity.

Materials and methods

The BC used in this study was a waste byproduct obtained from a Dendro bioenergy industry in Sri Lanka. This …

Nitrogen Deposition Contributes To Soil Acidification In Tropical Ecosystems, Xiankai Lu, Qinggong Mao, Frank S. Gilliam, Yiqi Luo, Jiangming Mo

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Elevated anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition has greatly altered terrestrial ecosystem functioning, threatening ecosystem health via acidification and eutrophication in temperate and boreal forests across the northern hemisphere. However, response of forest soil acidification to N deposition has been less studied in humid tropics compared to other forest types. This study was designed to explore impacts of long-term N deposition on soil acidification processes in tropical forests. We have established a long-term N deposition experiment in an N-rich lowland tropical forest of Southern China since 2002 with N addition as NH₄NO₃ of 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg …

Crop Updates 2010 - Genetically Modified Crops, Nutrition And Soils, James Fisher, Désirée Futures, Peter Tozer, Mike Jackson, John Moore, Jamees Neilsen, Geoff Anderson, Wen Chen, Richard Bell, Paul Blackwell, Allan Herbert, Stephen Davies, Ross Brennan, Mike Bolland, James Easton, Ryan Guthrie, Rowan Madderm, Robert Belford, Wal Anderson, Ian Edwards, Reg Lunt, Bill Bowden, Nigel Metz, Peter Newman, Breanne Best, Chris Gazey, Joel Andrew

Crop Updates

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

1. Evaluation of the environmental and economic impact of Roundup Ready® canola in the Western Australian crop production system, James Fisher and Désirée Futures, York, Western Australia, Peter Tozer, PRT Consulting, Armidale NSW

2. Controlling wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) in Roundup Ready®¹ Canola: Outcomes from the Nufarm 2009 Roundup Ready small plot trial Program, Mike Jackson, Nufarm Australia Limited

3. Weed strategies for glyphosate tolerant crops, John Moore, Department of Agriculture and Food

4. Results of the 2009 Western Australia Roundup Ready® canola trials, Dr James Neilsen, Canola Systems …