Life Sciences Commons^™

The Use Of Biological Soil Health Indicators To Quantify The Benefits Of Cover Crops, Alexander Wu

Masters Theses

Soils provide many essential functions that support the world. With a decline in soil health, these functions also decrease in efficiency, and can threaten the health of billions of people around the world. Typically, soil health tests do not use biological indicators, however microbes drive and perform vital functions to increase soil health. One way to increase soil health is through the use of cover crops to reduce soil erosion during fallow periods, increasing soil organic matter, as well as collecting nutrients from soil into their biomass. These cover crops are then terminated through various methods such as herbicides, disk …

Assessing Warm-Season Annual Grasses To Increase Forage Inventory, Andrea Marroquin

Masters Theses

Summers are expected to continue to increase in heat/dryness in the Northeast, causing issues pertaining to forage production during the summer to worsen. Many pastures grow cool season grasses, even during the summer. These grasses enter a dormant period and slowdown in production during the months of July and August, leading to what is referred to as “summer slump”. Some farms grow corn silage during the summer, and while corn silage is a valuable crop, its cultivation often does not support soil biology. This research addresses solutions for both summer slump foraging and more sustainable silage. Summer annuals grow more …

Evaluation Of Semiochemicals For Attractiveness To Multiple Tortricid (Lepidoptera) Pests In Apple Orchards, Ajay P. Giri

Masters Theses

Tortricid moths (Lepidoptera) are known for their outstanding olfaction capabilities that allow them to detect, process, and respond to chemical information emitted by host or non-host plants. Such an ability to filter out odors from the complex mixture to locate their host has allowed researchers and integrated pest management (IPM) practitioners to develop and implement semiochemically-based pest control strategies. The major goal of this study was to evaluate, under field conditions, the response of male and female oriental fruit moth (OFM), codling moth (CM), redbanded leafroller (RBLR) and three lined leafroller (TLLR) to experimental kairomone lures in commercial apple orchards …

Songbird-Mediated Insect Pest Control In Low Intensity New England Agriculture, Samuel J. Mayne

Masters Theses

Global agricultural intensification has caused large-scale wildlife declines, but agricultural lands that maintain natural habitats can support healthy wildlife populations and receive significant ecosystem services from these natural communities. However, how on-farm biodiversity results in beneficial ecosystem services is highly variable and is reported to differ among taxa and guilds. One group that has attracted attention for their potential beneficial role in reducing pest abundance are birds. Understanding the role of bird communities and individual species in pest control could be important for managing farms under a low intensity agroecological framework. In New England, farmers are increasingly applying low intensity …

Screening For Binding Partners And Protein-Protein Interactions Of A Fungal Transcription Factor- Xdr1, Nishadi Punsara Gallala Gamage

Masters Theses

Clarireedia spp. (formerly Sclerotinia homoeocarpaF.T. Bennett) is the causal agent dollar spot, the most economically important turfgrass disease impacting golf courses in North America. The most effective strategy for dollar spot control is repeated application of multiple classes of fungicides. However, reliance on chemical application has led to resistance to four classes of fungicides as well as multidrug resistance (MDR). Fungi are known to detoxify xenobiotics, like fungicides, through transcriptional regulation of three detoxification phases: modification, conjugation and secretion. Little is known, however, of the protein-protein interactions that facilitate these pathways. Following next-generation RNA sequencing of Clarireedia spp., a …

The Role Of Low-Molecular Weight Fungal Metabolites In Eutypa Dieback Grapevine Trunk Disease, Dana Sebestyen

Masters Theses

Eutypa dieback, one of several grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs), is of serious concern to the grape industry globally. This disease is caused by the fungus Eutypa lata but it is often seen in consortia growth with Phaeoacremonium minimum and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora. It is vital to understand the mechanisms for how this disease functions to develop control measures to combat it. Brown rot fungi are able to use a complex of low molecular weight (LMW) metabolites to induce a Fenton reaction to deconstruct woody tissue. These metabolites are part of a chelator mediated Fenton (CMF) chemistry that produces reactive oxygen …

The Characterization Of Traits Associated With Freezing Tolerance In Perennial Ryegrass, Rachael Preston Bernstein

Doctoral Dissertations

Plants are constantly subjected to adverse environmental conditions that alter their growth and productivity, with an estimation that approximately 50% of annual average crop yields are reduced due to abiotic stresses. Freezing stress causes desiccation and ice damage in plants and is becoming more important as temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns increase. Normally, plants acclimate to cold temperatures as winter approaches and deacclimate as temperatures warm in the spring. Cold acclimation in fall is required for plants to build up their cellular defenses against desiccation and intracellular ice formation, while deacclimation is the process in which plants metabolize protective compounds …

Understanding Food And Climate Change: A Systems Perspective, Megan Brockelbank

Sustainability Education Resources

Climate change will profoundly affect our lives in many ways, even down to the very food we eat. Food is essential for survival and our complex food system, and all that depends on it, face a big threat with climate change. Throughout the semester we will explore the links between the food system and our changing climate with an emphasis on systems thinking. In science we tend to segregate, looking at just one part of a system, while systems thinking looks at the whole picture. Using this approach, we will think critically about how to build a more resilient food …

Date Of Planting And Nitrogen Management For Malt Barley Production In The Northeast Usa, Arthur Siller, Masoud Hashemi, Alexandra Smychkovich, Caroline Wise, Heather Darby

Data and Datasets

There is an increasing market for locally grown malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in the Northeast US. Malting barley must meet certain quality standards for acceptability in the brewing market. Up-to-date recommendations are needed regionally for adaptation to ongoing climate change. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess the interactive influence of three dates of planting (5 Sept., 15 Sept, and 25 Sept.), two levels of fall N (0 or 28 kg ha^-1), and three levels of spring N (28, 50.5, and 73 kg ha^-1). No significant difference was detected in grain yield amongst …

Processes, Patterns, And Predictions Of Soil Moisture Variation In Upland And Peatland Cranberry Farms In Massachusetts, Rebecca Brennan

Masters Theses

The American Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) represents a vital sector of the economy of southeastern Massachusetts. Due to the hydrogeological and edaphic characteristics of peatlands, variations in soil drainage and soil moisture represent major management challenges for growers in Massachusetts. An emerging trend of upland (mineral soil) cranberry farms planted with new hybrid cultivars has the potential to enhance the profitability and long-term viability of cranberry production in Massachusetts. However, sparse data exist on soil moisture characteristics of peatland and upland cranberry farms. The purpose of this research was to elucidate the differences in soil moisture between upland and …

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: Pollinators As Vectors Of Mummy Berry Disease In Highbush Blueberry, Matthew Boyer

Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Many plants must balance the need for pollination services with mediating the risk of pollinator-vectored pathogens. Vaccinium corymbosum, highbush blueberry, is negatively affected by an insect-vectored, fungal plant pathogen, Monilinia vaccinii-corymosi (MVC), the cause of mummy berry disease, in which the asexual spore mimics pollen grains and is transferred from blighted tissue to flowers via pollinators, resulting in inedible, hardened fruits. Highbush blueberry plants require outcrossed pollen for maximum yield and fecundity. Therefore, yield of blueberry plants rely on a balance between adequate pollination service and disease avoidance. Approach: To explore the relationship between pollinator community and infection …

Apple Disease Forecasting Models: When Climate Changes The Rules, Elizabeth W. Garofalo

Masters Theses

With a changing global climate, plant pathologists must understand the impact aberrant weather events may have on the development of plant diseases. Fungal plant infections are largely dependent on temperature and precipitation, climate parameters that are predicted to change more in this century. Venturia inaequalis causes apple scab, one of the most destructive apple diseases of temperate growing regions. Temperature and precipitation drive apple scab infections and forecast models, which guide growers in efficient, effective fungicide applications. In some recent years in the Northeast, these models have failed to accurately predict when ascospores of this fungus are available to cause …

Impact Of Oyster Mushroom Mycelium On The Growth Of Kale And Forage Radish, Levi Lilly

Masters Theses

Saprophytic fungi can be paired with companion crops in interplant systems to increase production efficiency. However, fungal species/strain, substrate, and inoculation rate can affect the growth of companion crops. This project investigated the viability of open-field mushroom production by interplanting three strains of Pleurotus ostreatus (Elm A, Elm B, and 8801) with kale (B. oleracea var. acephala) and forage radish (Raphanus raphanistrub sub. sativus), and measured the effect of interplanting on plant yield over two field seasons. In the field, Elm A showed an increase in plant yield at a low inoculation rate and decrease in …

Integrating Cover Crop Mixtures And No-Till For Sustainable Sweet Corn Production In The Northeast, Julie S. Fine

Masters Theses

Fall-planted forage radish (Raphanus sativus L. longipinnatus) cover crops have shown successful weed suppression and recycling of fall-captured nutrients. This research evaluated the nutrient cycling and weed suppressive benefits of forage radish cover crop mixtures to develop an integrated system for no-till sweet corn (Zea mays L. var rugosa) production that improves crop yield and soil health. Treatments included forage radish (FR), oats (Avena sativa L.) and forage radish (OFR), a mixture of peas (Pisum sativum subsp arvense L.), oats and forage radish (POFR), and no cover crop control (NCC). Subplots were assigned to …

Investigation Of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases In S. Homoeocarpa For Chlorothalonil Biotransformation, Robert Green

Masters Theses

Sclerotinia homoeocarpa (F.T. Bennett) is one of the most economically important pathogens on high amenity cool-season turfgrasses where it causes dollar spot. Due to decades of over-reliance and repeated chemical treatments, S. homoeocarpa has developed resistance and insensitivity to multiple classes of fungicides. To understand the genetic mechanisms of fungicide resistance, the whole genomes of two strains with varying resistance levels to fungicides, were sequenced. In unpublished data (Sang et al.), a RNA-sequencing analysis revealed three CYP450s that were validated to play a functional role in S. homoeocarpa’s resistance against different fungicide classes. We also identified CYP450 metabolic action …

Investigation Of Fungicide Resistance Mechanisms And Dynamics Of The Multiple Fungicide Resistant Population In Sclerotinia Homoeocarpa, Hyunkyu Sang

Doctoral Dissertations

A filamentous ascomycete fungus Sclerotinia homoeocarpa causes dollar spot, which is the most important disease of turfgrasses in the United States. Despite the increased number of reports of site-specific fungicide resistance and a recent report of multidrug resistance (MDR) in S. homoeocarpa field populations, the genetic mechanisms behind resistance or reduced sensitivity to fungicides remain poorly explained in the fungus. In order to prevent further development of fungicide resistance in the dollar spot pathosystem, a detailed elucidation of mechanisms of site-specific fungicide resistance and MDR is needed. In addition, the previous studies of MDR in fungi mostly focused on efflux …

Evaluating The Role Of Glutathione In Detoxification Of Metal-Based Nanoparticles In Plants, Chuanxin Ma

Doctoral Dissertations

The potential risks from metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) in the environment have increased with the rapidly rising demand for and use of nano-enabled consumer products. Plant’s central roles in ecosystem function and food chain integrity ensure intimate contact with water and soil systems, both of which are considered sinks for NPs accumulation. Thus, this dissertation describes three main objectives to comprehensively understand the interactions between plants and NPs and to characterize the role of glutathione (GSH) in detoxification of metal-based NPs in plants at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. (1) The effects of cerium oxide (CeO₂) and indium oxide …

Investigate The Interactions Between Silver Nanoparticles And Spinach Leaf By Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Mapping, Zhiyun Zhang

Masters Theses

Owing to their increasing application and potential toxicity, engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have been considered as a potential agricultural contaminant that may pose unknown risk to human beings. However, many techniques require invasive and complicated sample preparation procedures to detect and characterize engineered nanomaterials in complex matrices. In the first part of this thesis, we present a non-destructive and label-free approach based on surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) mapping technique to qualitatively detect and characterize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), on and in spinach leaves in situ. We were able to detect the clearly enhanced signals from AuNPs at 15 to 125 nm …

Novel Advancements For Improving Sprout Safety, Kyle S. Landry

Doctoral Dissertations

All varieties of bean sprouts (mung bean, alfalfa, broccoli, and radish) are classified as a “super-food” and are common staples for health conscious consumers. Along with the proposed health benefits, there is also an inherent risk of foodborne illness. When sprouts are cooked, there is little risk of illness. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore novel techniques to minimize or prevent the incidence of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of sprouts. Three areas were investigated: 1) the use of a biocontrol organism, 2) the use of a novel spontaneous carvacrol nanoemulsion, and 3) the influence of the …

Variations In The Invertebrate Communities Of Wild Cape Cod Cranberry Bogs, Barbara Wagner

Masters Theses

As a species domesticated only in the last century, agricultural cranberry plants (Vaccinium macrocarpon) remain little removed from their wild relatives. Thus, it is a potential model species for studies of the earliest stages of domestication; however, there is little available quantitative information on its wild population biology and ecology. As such information is vital to studies of the ecological changes occurring during domestication, the purpose of this study was to consolidate the relevant knowledge available and conduct a preliminary search for patterns in the invertebrate communities of wild bogs. The alpha diversity was found to be greater …

Contemplative Practice In Sustainable Food & Farming, Sarah Berquist

Sustainability Education Resources

PowerPoint presentation at the Institute of Teaching Excellence and Faculty Development at UMass Amherst. Offers contemplative practices applied in the Sustainable Food and Farming program including yoga; breathwork; reflective writing and dialogue; stories and poetry; and exploring personal values.

Assessing Kiln-Produced Hardwood Biochar For Improving Soil Health In A Temperate Climate Agricultural Soil, Emily J. Cole

Doctoral Dissertations

Soil quality has become a major factor used in assessing sustainable land management and the overall environmental quality, food security, and economic viability of agricultural lands. Recently, biochar has been touted as having many potential uses as a soil amendment for improving soil quality, specifically improving cation exchange capacity, pH and nutrient availability. However, soil biology also plays a significant role in biogeochemical processes that influence soil health and should be included in a more comprehensive study of soil health. This dissertation describes 4 projects within the same 3-year field study with the cumulative purpose of better understanding the effect …

Effects Of Overexpression Of Sap12 And Sap13 In Providing Tolerance To Multiple Abiotic Stresses In Plants, Parul R. Tomar

Doctoral Dissertations

Environmental stresses are the one of the main reasons for the decline of crop production worldwide. In the past years, a major focus has been on improving plant species and their tolerance towards these stresses but not much has been achieved because of the limited knowledge of the gene/network of genes that might be involved in providing tolerance to such multiple abiotic stresses. Recently, members of Stress Associated Protein (SAP) family in plants have been shown to impart tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. There are 14 SAP genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and these proteins contain A20, AN1 and C2H2 zinc …

Rnai Mediated Silencing Of Cell Wall Invertase Inhibitors To Increase Sucrose Allocation To Sink Tissues In Transgenic Camelina Sativa Engineered With A Carbon Concentrating Mechanism, Joshua Zuber

Masters Theses

Plant invertases are a class of proteins that have enzymatic function in cleaving sucrose to fructose and glucose. Cell wall invertase, located on the exterior of the cell wall of plant cells, plays a key role in the unloading of sucrose from the apoplast to the sink tissues. Cell wall invertase interacts with an inhibitor, cell wall invertase inhibitor, post-transcriptionally to regulate its activity. The inhibitor is constitutively expressed in pollen development, early developing seeds, and senescing leaves: indicative of sucrose allocation being a limiting factor at these stages of development. We introduced algal bicarbonate transporters LCIA/CCP1 to Camelina sativa …

Efficient Irrigation For Recreational Turfgrass In New England: Evapotranspiration And Crop Coefficients, James W. Poro

Masters Theses

As water demand increases it will become more imperative for golf course superintendents, landscape managers, and other industry professionals to improve water use efficiency in the management of recreational turfgrass. Scheduling irrigation according to actual turfgrass evapotranspiration rates (ET_T) is an integral component of efficient irrigation practices. Impracticality of field derived ET_T for industry use, however, directs the need of weather station derived reference (predicted) evapotranspiration (ET₀). To accurately predict (estimate) ET_T of turf and other crops, scientifically derived landscape (crop) coefficients (K_c values) are used in conjunction with mathematical models that incorporate …

Identification And Epidemiological Features Of Important Fungal Species Causing Sooty Blotch On Apples In The Northeastern United States, Angela Marie Madeiras

Doctoral Dissertations

The sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) complex causes blemishes on apples in humid, temperate growing regions worldwide. In contrast to flyspeck etiology, the many species of fungi causing sooty blotch (SB) have not been well studied. The first set of objectives in this study was to use PCR to identify SB species isolated from apples and selected reservoir hosts in the northeastern United States, and to identify patterns of species distribution on hosts and among sites. Results indicated that Geastrumia polystigmatis was the predominant species on apples, whereas Peltaster species were more common on reservoir hosts. Species distribution varied among …

Evaluation Of Corn Gluten Meal For Preemergence Weed Management In Cranberry Sare One 13-193, Hilary A. Sandler, Katherine Ghantous

Cranberry Station Research Reports and Surveys

No abstract provided.

Evaluation The Nitrogen Needs And Efficiency Of Rizhobia Strains To Provide Nitrogen To Chipilin (Crotalaria Longirostrata Hook. And Arn.), Fatima Del Rosario Camarillo Castillo

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

EVALUATION THE NITROGEN NEEDS AND EFFICIENCY OF RHIZOBIA STRAINS TO PROVIDE NITROGEN TO CHIPILIN (Crotalaria Longirostrata HOOK. AND ARN.)

FEBRUARY OF 2013

FATIMA DEL ROSARIO CAMARILLO CASTILLO, B.A., AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF CHAPINGO

M.A., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST

Directed by: Professor Francis X. Mangan

Chipilin (Crotalaria Longirostrata) is a leguminous plant native to Central America and Southern Mexico and used in the preparation of traditional dishes in this region. Starting in 2009, farmers in Massachusetts have been growing chipilin with a weekly production of 800 kg∙ha^-1. However, as much as 300 kg∙ha^-1 of nitrogen has been …

Winter 1967, James J. Reidy, S. H. Whitter, J. W. Tanner

Turf Bulletin

Massachusetts Turf and Lawn Grass Council
Better Turf Through Research and Education

Summer 1967, Geoffrey S. Cornish, William G. Robinson, Irene H. Stuckey, James B. Beard, Joseph L. Beasley, E. H. Wheeler, George A. Bean, V. Allan Bandel, Peter A. Kaskeski, Herbert C. Fordham, Lewis Hodgkinson, Elwyn E. Deal

Turf Bulletin

Massachusetts Turf and Lawn Grass Council
Better Turf Through Research and Education