Digital Commons Network^™

Conventional And Unconventional Ubiquitination In Plant Immunity, Bangjun Zhou, Lirong Zeng

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty and Staff Publications

Ubiquitination is one of the most abundant types of protein post-translational modification (PTM) in plant cells. The importance of ubiquitination in the regulation of many aspects of plant immunity has been increasingly appreciated in recent years. Most of the studies linking ubiquitination to the plant immune system, however, have been focused on the E3 ubiquitin ligases and the conventional ubiquitination that leads to the degradation of the substrate proteins by the 26S proteasome. By contrast, our knowledge about the role of unconventional ubiquitination that often serves as non-degradative, regulatory signal remains a sig- nificant gap. We discuss, in this review, …

Overexpression Of Sbmyb60 In Sorghum Bicolor Impacts Both Primary And Secondary Metabolism, Erin D. Scully, Tammy Gries, Nathan A. Palmer, Gautam Sarath, Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Lisa Baird, Paul Twigg, Javier Seravalli, Thomas E. Clemente, Scott E. Sattler

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty and Staff Publications

• Few transcription factors have been identified in C₄ grasses that either positively or negatively regulate monolignol biosynthesis.
• Previously, the overexpression of SbMyb60 in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) has been shown to induce monolignol biosynthesis, which leads to elevated lignin deposition and altered cell wall composition. To determine how SbMyb60 overexpression impacts other metabolic pathways, RNA-Seq and metabolite profiling were performed on stalks and leaves.
• 35S::SbMyb60 was associated with the transcriptional activation of genes involved in aromatic amino acid, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) and folate biosynthetic pathways. The high coexpression values between SbMyb60 and genes assigned to these pathways indicate …

Plants With Useful Traits And Related Methods, Sally Ann Mackenzie, Roberto De La Rosa Santamaria

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty and Staff Publications

The present invention provides methods for obtaining plants that exhibit useful traits by transient suppression of the MSH1 gene of the plants. Methods for identifying genetic loci that provide for useful traits in plants and plants produced with those loci are also provided. In addition, plants that exhibit the useful traits, parts of the plants including seeds, and products of the plants are provided as well as methods of using the plants.

Enhancing Soybean Photosynthetic Co2 Assimilation Using A Cyanobacterial Membrane Protein, Ictb, William T. Hay, Saadia Bihmidine, Nedim Mutlu, Khang Le Hoang, Tala Awada, Donald P. Weeks, Thomas Clemente, Stephen P. Long

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty and Staff Publications

Soybean C₃ photosynthesis can suffer a severe loss in efficiency due to photorespiration and the lack of a carbon concentrating mechanism (CCM) such as those present in other plant species or cyanobac-teria. Transgenic soybean (Glycine max cv. Thorne) plants constitutively expressing cyanobacterial ictB (inorganic carbon transporter B) gene were generated using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Although more recent data suggest that ictB does not actively transport HCO3-/CO2, there is nevertheless mounting evidence that transformation with this gene can increase higher plant photosynthesis. The hypothesis that expression of the ictB gene would improve photosynthesis, biomass production and seed yield in soybean …

A Multidomain Enzyme, With Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase And Phosphatase Activities, Is Involved In A Chloroplastic Pathway For Glycerol Synthesis In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Daniela Morales-Sánchez, Yeongho Kim, Ee Leng Terng, Laura Peterson, Heriberto D. Cerutti

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty and Staff Publications

Understanding the unique features of algal metabolism may be necessary to realize the full potential of algae as feedstock for the production of biofuels and biomaterials. Under nitrogen deprivation, the green alga C. reinhardtii showed substantial triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation and up-regulation of a gene, GPD2, encoding a multidomain enzyme with a putative phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP) motif fused to glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) domains. Canonical GPD enzymes catalyze the synthesis of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) by reduction of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP). G3P forms the backbone of TAGs and membrane glycerolipids and it can be dephosphorylated to yield glycerol, an osmotic stabilizer and compatible …

Genes Linked To Production Of Secondary Metabolites In Talaromyces Atroroseus Revealed Using Crispr-Cas9, Maria Lund Nielsen, Thomas Isbrandt, Kasper Bøwig Rasmussen, Ulf Thrane, Jakob Blæsbjerg Hoof, Thomas Ostenfeld Larsen, Uffe Hasbro Mortensen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The full potential of fungal secondary metabolism has until recently been impeded by the lack of universal genetic tools for most species. However, the emergence of several CRISPR-Cas9-based genome editing systems adapted for several genera of filamentous fungi have now opened the doors for future efforts in discovery of novel natural products and elucidation and engineering of their biosynthetic pathways in fungi where no genetic tools are in place. So far, most studies have focused on demonstrating the performance of CRISPR-Cas9 in various fungal model species, and recently we presented a versatile CRISPR-Cas9 system that can be successfully applied in …

An 18s Rdna Perspective On The Classification Of Criconematoidea, Thomas O. Powers, Timothy Harris, Rebecca Higgins, Peter Mullin, Kirsten Powers

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

In the nematode family Criconematidae, a taxonomy primarily based on cuticle characters has created classifications that are notoriously volatile. Molecular characters may lead to their stabilization. A phylogenetic tree of Criconematoidea was constructed using 166 new near full-length 18S rDNA sequences and 58 sequences from GenBank. Bayesian and maximum likelihood (ML) analyses produced trees with similar topologies. Major features include a strongly supported clade that includes Criconematidae and Hemicycliophoridae, excluding Paratylenchidae and Tylenchulidae. Another well-supported clade groups Criconema, Ogma, Crossonema, and Hemicriconemoides plus Xenocriconemella, combining nematodes with cuticular scales with those without scales at any life stage. Mesocriconema, Discocriconemella limitanea, …

Response Of Sorghum Stalk Pathogens To Brown Midrib Plants And Soluble Phenolic Extracts From Near Isogenic Lines, Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Patrick M. O'Neill, Scott E. Sattler, Tammy Gries, Mark A. Berhow, Jeffrey F. Pedersen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] has drawn attention as potential feedstock for lignocellulosic biofuels production, and reducing lignin is one way to increase conversion efficiency. Little research has been previously conducted to assess the response of reduced lignin sorghum lines to the Fusarium stalk rot pathogens Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium proliferatum and the charcoal rot pathogen, Macrophomina phaseolina. Loss of function mutations in either the Brown midrib (Bmr) 6 or 12 gene that both encode a monolignol biosynthetic enzyme in the pathway that produces subunits of the lignin polymer, results in reduced lignin content. Near-isogenic bmr6, …

Cover Crop System To Control Charcoal Rot In Soybeans, Gretchen Sassenrath, C. R. Little, C. J. Hsiao, D. E. Shoup, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This research compares methods of controlling charcoal rot in soybean cultivars from three maturity groups commonly grown in southeast Kansas. The results indicate that a mustard plant that produces high levels of glucosinolates can be used as a cover crop to reduce the charcoal rot disease in soybeans.

Wheat Production, Gretchen Sassenrath, D. E. Shoup, R. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Wheat production in southeast Kansas is often limited due to high rainfall during the harvest. In some years, this high rainfall can exacerbate disease pressure, especially fungal infections. This study presents results from a test of fungicide applications to control Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab in poor quality wheat.

Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome Influenced By Macronutrient Fertility On Irrigated Soybeans In A Corn/Soybean Rotation, Eric Adee, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, C. R. Little

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization on a corn/ soybean cropping sequence were evaluated from 1983 to 2016, with corn planted in odd years. There was a negative relationship between the P rate applied during the corn years and the severity of sudden death syndrome (SDS) in 2014 and 2016 soybean.

Sudden Death Syndrome And Soybean Planting Date, Eric Adee, C. R. Little, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The effect of planting date on severity of sudden death syndrome (SDS) and yield was evaluated for the second year in two studies at the Kansas River Valley experiment fields in 2016. One study was established to promote SDS and the other to minimize SDS. In both studies the severity of SDS was greatest with the earlier planting dates. The yield was greatest with the earlier planting date, except for the most susceptible variety. The severity of SDS was not as great as had been observed in previous years. There is a very positive benefit to planting in early May …

Wheat Variety Response To Intensive Vs. Standard Management Strategies To Narrow The Yield Gap In Kansas, A. De Oliveira Silva, A. K. Fritz, R. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Farmer-reported wheat grain yield in Kansas is approximately 35 bushels per acre lower than the estimated yield potential of ~75 bushels per acre. Our objective was to determine the influence of variety selection and management on grain yield to elucidate methods to decrease the wheat yield gap in Kansas. Field experiments were conducted at three locations (Ellsworth, Conway Springs and McPherson) in Kansas during the 2015-2016 growing season to evaluate variety-specific response to nitrogen (N) and foliar fungicide. At each site, 35 to 44 winter wheat varieties were evaluated under standard management practice (SM) based on current farmer’s practice of …

Wheat Variety Response To Seed Cleaning Method And Pesticide Seed Treatment Following A Growing Season With Severe Infestation Of Fusarium Head Blight, R. Lollato, R. Maeoka, B. R. Jaenisch, A. De Oliveira Silva

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Fusarium head blight (scab) is a common concern in eastern and central Kansas. Wheat seed quality might be compromised following a growing season with severe infestation of scab. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of variety, seed cleaning method, and seed treatment, on wheat stand establishment and yield following a growing season where scab was severe. A trial was established during the 2015-16 growing season using seed harvested from the 2014-15 growing season, which was characterized by severe infestation of scab. Three commonly grown wheat varieties with differing levels of scab resistance (Everest, SY Wolf, and WB Grainfield) were …

Examining The Role Of Grp And Lik1 In Wall Associated Kinase (Wak) Perception Of Pectin In The Plant Cell Wall, Jack Ryan Mitchell

Honors Projects

Wall associated kinases (WAKs) are cell membrane bound receptor kinases that bind pectin and pectin fragments (OGs).The binding of WAKs to pectin sends a growth signal required for cell elongation and plant development. WAKs bind OGs with higher affinity than native pectin and instead activate a stress response. Glycine rich proteins (GRPs) are secreted cell wall proteins of unknown function. Seven GRPs with 65% sequence similarity are coded on a 90kb locus of Arabidopsis chromosome 2. GRP3 and WAK1 have been shown to bind in vitro, but single null mutations have no discernible phenotype, suggesting that the GRPs are redundant. …

Managing Phomopsis Stem Canker Of Sunflower Using Improved Diagnosis And Quantification Of The Causal Pathogens, Taylor Rae Olson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phomopsis stem canker is a disease that severely affects sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in the United States. From 2001 to 2015, disease prevalence has increased from 1.5% to 61%, and two new causal agents, Diaporthe gulyae and Diaporthe stewartii, have been described along with Diaporthe helianthi, which was always regarded as the main causal pathogen of the disease. At this time, options to manage the disease are limited. Currently, no commercial sunflower hybrids have resistance to all three species of Diaporthe, and no fungicides are labeled for control of Phomopsis stem canker of sunflower in the United …

Modeling The Spread Of Sudden Oak Death Across A Heterogeneous Landscape In Redwood National Park Using A Spatially-Explicit Epidemiological Model, Laura A. Morgan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of Sudden Oak Death (SOD), is responsible for the deaths of millions of oak (Quercus spp.) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) trees in California and Oregon (USA). A recent infection in Redwood National Park (RNP) in California (USA) provided an opportunity to adapt an existing SOD model to assess the efficacy of current and proposed management strategies. A common method of SOD treatment includes killing both infected and uninfected hosts in the area of infection, as well as the area surrounding the infection to create buffers to account for undetected …

Timing Of Strobilurin Fungicide For Control Of Top Dieback In Corn, Eric Adee, Stu Duncan

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Significant yield losses can result from top dieback (TDB) in dent corn, which is caused by infection by the fungus,Colletotrichum graminicola, causing anthracnose. Research is limited on the effectiveness of fungicide application because of the unpredictable nature of the disease. Three field studies were established to assess the timing of fungicide application on foliar diseases that developed TDB, one in Illinois (2010) and the other two in Kansas (2015 and 2016). Fungicide applications at tasseling and later were effective in reducing the incidence of TDB by greater than 20% and increasing yield greater than 14 bu/a, or greater …

Molecular Characterization Of Spot Blotch And Bacterial Leaf Streak Resistance In Bread Wheat, Girma Ayana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spot blotch (SB), caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoem, and bacterial leaf streak (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa (Smith et al.), two important foliar diseases of wheat in the major production regions of the US and the world. Deployment of adequate host resistance against them depends on determining the resistance genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) responsible for the trait and identification of genetic markers linked to QTL that facilitate markers assisted breeding. We conducted two independent studies and characterized QTLs for BLS and SB resistance. In the first study, we constructed a genetic linkage map of 1,211 …

Mitigating Risks Of Ochratoxin A Contamination In Oats, Bandana Dhungana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a toxic metabolite produced by several species of fungal genera Penicillium and Aspergillus. The major OTA producer in temperate regions (i.e. U.S., Canada, Europe) is Penicillium verrucosum. Oat (Avena sativa), like any other cereal grain, can be contaminated with OTA when storage conditions are favorable for fungal growth. The presence of OTA exceeding the European Union maximum limit of 3 ppb in processed food has been reported in some samples of oat-based breakfast cereals from the US. The use of oat genotypes with limited OTA accumulation would be an effective way to …

Characterization Of Pyrenophora Tritici-Repentis In Wheat And Rye To Study Tan Spot Susceptibility And Insights Into Its Relationship With Stem Rust Resistance, Sidrat Abdullah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tan spot, caused by the ascomycete fungus, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr), is a major foliar fungal disease of wheat worldwide. To date, Ptr isolates have been grouped into eight races based on the production of three host selective effectors (toxins), Ptr ToxA, ToxB, and ToxC, which are associated with necrosis and chlorosis symptoms on wheat differential lines. In order to see the correlation between stem rust resistance and tan spot susceptibility in 1970’s, to know the pathogen virulence profile, and explore the sources of tan spot resistance, we recovered isolates from wheat and rye and evaluated wheat and rye lines with …

Molecular Diversity Of Foliar Fungal Endophytes In Relation To Defense Strategies And Disease In Whitebark Pine, Lorinda Bullington

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

An invasive fungal pathogen, Cronartium ribicola (the causative agent of white pine blister rust) infects and kills whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) throughout the western US. Blister rust has decreased whitebark pine populations by over 90% in some areas. Whitebark pine, a keystone species, has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the U.S., and the loss of this conifer is predicted to have severe impacts on forest composition and function in high elevations. Hundreds of asymptomatic fungal species live inside whitebark pine tissue, and recent studies suggest that these fungi can influence the frequency and …

Evaluation Of Tall Fescue Cultivars, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Spring 2016 yield of tall fescue was higher for ‘NFTF 1051’ than for 12 of the 19 other cultivar entries. Summer production of ‘PBU-B2’ was greater than summer production of the three lower-yielding entries. Fall production of ‘BarOptima PLUS E34’ was higher than that of 12 other cultivar entries, but total 2016 production was greater for PBU-B2, ‘PBU-B7’, and NFTF 1051 than for eight other cultivars.

Value Of Fungicide Application In Wheat Production In Southwest Kansas, A. J. Foster, R. Lollato, M. Vandeveer, E. D. De Wolf

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

During the past several years, applying fungicide to wheat has become a more common practice. The availability of cost-effective generic fungicides, as well as the positive yield responses often reported, seem to be the potential drivers for the adoption of such practices by producers. We conducted a wheat fungicide trial in Garden City, KS, to answer the following questions: 1) Do fungicide applications pay? And 2) Can remote sensing technology be used to quantify the efficacy of different fungicide products? The study consisted of two wheat varieties sown on September 29, 2015 (Oakley CL, highly resistant to stripe rust; and …