Life Sciences Commons^™

A Micro-Environmental System For Fast Propagation Of Blueberries, Tristan Bonifield

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The demand for blueberries has continued to rise over the decades as its popularity has spread in North America and the world. Propagation of new plants to supply new farms and individuals is needed to meet that demand. Here we report the invention of a closed system that was tested by examining the growth of the cuttings (plant length, rooting, and root length) after a one-month period in both the proposed system and a traditional mist system. The proposed system showed a few statistically significant advantages over the traditional mist system with no consistent trend, besides a decrease in wilting …

Identification Of Quantitative Trait Loci For Plant Height, Crown Diameter, And Plant Biomass In A Pseudo-F2 Population Of Switchgrass, Megan Taylor, Carl-Erik Tornqvist, Xiongwei Zhao, R. W. Doerge, Michael D. Casler, Yiwei Jiang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial warm-season grass that produces high biomass yield. Identification of mechanisms for genetic regulation of biomass traits has potential to facilitate genetic manipulation of switchgrass for enhancing biomass yield. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci for biomass-related traits in a pseudo-F₂ population of switchgrass derived from an upland cross with a lowland switchgrass cultivar. Plant height (HT), crown diameter (CD), and plant biomass (PB) were assessed in field studies in 2015 and 2016. Plant height was positively correlated with PB in both years but only correlated with …

Assessment Of Smallmouth Bass Growth And Mortality In Nebraska Waters, Benjamin J. Schall, Keith D. Koupal, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Keith L. Hurley

The Prairie Naturalist

Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) have been introduced across Nebraska into a variety of waterbodies. However, an estimate of smallmouth bass growth and mortality in Nebraska waters has not been produced. The objectives of this study were to use historic sampling data to describe the growth of smallmouth bass in Nebraska lakes in relation to other regional models, growth among waterbody types (reservoirs, Interstate 80 [I-80] lakes, and rivers), estimates of age at quality, preferred, and memorable lengths, and mortality for Nebraska smallmouth bass populations. Mean length ± SE of Nebraska smallmouth bass at age 7 was 383 ± …

The C-Terminal Motif Of Siago1b Is Required For The Regulation Of Growth, Development And Stress Responses In Foxtail Millet (Setaria Italica (L.) P. Beauv), Xiaotong Liu, Sha Tang, Guanqing Jia, James C. Schnable, Haixia Su, Chanjuan Tang, Hui Zhi, Xianmin Diao

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv), which belongs to the Panicoideae tribe of the Poaceae, is an important grain crop widely grown in Northern China and India. It is currently developing into a novel model species for functional genomics of the Panicoideae as a result of its fully available reference genome sequence, small diploid genome (2n=18, ~510 Mb), short life cycle, small stature and prolific seed production. Argonaute 1 (AGO1), belonging to the argonaute (AGO) protein family, recruits small RNAs and regulates plant growth and development. Here, we characterized an AGO1 mutant (siago1b) in foxtail millet, which …

Long-Term Impacts Of Fuel Treatments On Tree Growth And Aboveground Biomass Accumulation In Ponderosa Pine Forests Of The Northern Rocky Mountains, Kate A. Clyatt

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In western North America, many low-elevation, dry forest types historically experienced frequent, low-severity fires. However, European settlement and fire suppression policies have contributed to over a century of fire exclusion, substantially altering forest structure and composition. There is considerable interest in restoring fire resilient characteristics to these forests through fuel reduction treatments. One limitation of current research on the impacts of fuel treatments is treatment longevity, as few studies have been able to quantify long-term responses to commonly applied treatments. This research evaluated tree growth and aboveground biomass responses 23 years after treatment in two silvicultural installations with different underburning …

Effects Of Compost On Prairie Seedling Establishment And Seed Production, Thomas R. Rosburg, Emiy Sibigtroth, Adam Palmer

The Prairie Naturalist

Compost is a commonly used soil amendment in horticultural and agricultural practices that is generally known to improve soil conditions and plant growth. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the application of compost to prairie production plots as a method to improve seedling establishment and growth and the seed production of established plants. We evaluated the effect of compost depth and tillage on the survivorship, growth, reproduction and ecophysiology of several prairie plant species commonly used in restoration. Results were mixed; for some species, transplants in compost–amended plots incurred lower survivorship and reduced growth compared to control plots. When …

Glycine Betaine-Induced Lead Toxicity Tolerance Related To Elevated Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Enzymes Suppressed Lead Uptake And Oxidative Stress In Cotton, Saima Aslam Bharwana, Shafaqat Ali, Muhammad Ahsan Farooq, Naeem Iqbal, Amjad Hameed, Farhat Abbas, Muhammad Sajid Aqeel Ahmad

Turkish Journal of Botany

Anthropogenic activities contaminate soils with heavy metal concentrations including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and chromium (Cr). Pb has higher potential for ready accumulation, sedimentation, and poisoning of the soil than other heavy metals. The present study was conducted to induce Pb tolerance, in solution culture-grown cotton, by exogenous glycinebetaine (GB) application using 3 levels of Pb (0, 50, and 100 µm) and 2 GB levels (0 and 1 mM). The results revealed that Pb stress decreased gas exchange characteristics (net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, water use efficiency, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and SPAD value) and the performance of …

Growth Response And Soil-Plant Water Relations Of 4 Dominant Psammophyte Species With Soil Moisture In Central Inner Mongolia, Yuanrun Zheng, Lianhe Jiang, Yong Gao, Xi Chen, Geping Luo, Xianwei Feng, Hideyuki Shimizu

Turkish Journal of Botany

Soil-plant water relations are crucial for understanding the mechanisms by which plants adapt to their environments. An experiment was conducted to understand the responses of 4 dominant psammophyte shrub species to different sandy environments. Pots were filled with tap water or sand, and pots planted with different species and filled with sand with and without pot covers were kept in 4 growth cabinets at 15/25 °C and with a water supply of 75 mm per month. Soil water content; dry weights of roots, shoots, and leaves; and leaf area were measured. The relative growth rate (0.039-0.042 g g^{-1} day^{-1}) was …

Functions And Toxicity Of Cadmium In Plants: Recent Advances And Future Prospects, Tuan Anh Tran, Losanka Petrova Popova

Turkish Journal of Botany

Heavy metals are important environmental pollutants and their toxicity is a problem of increasing significance for ecological, evolutionary, nutritional, and environmental reasons. Of all non-essential heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) is perhaps the metal that has attracted the most attention in soil science and plant nutrition due to its potential toxicity to humans, and also its relative mobility in the soil-plant system. This review emphasises Cd toxicity on plants with regards to ecological, physiological, and biochemical aspects. It summarises the toxic symptoms of Cd in plants (i.e. growth and plant development, alterations in photosynthesis, stomatal regulation, enzymatic activities, water relation, mineral …

Growth And Photochemical Responses Of Three Crop Species Treated With Textile Azo Dyes, Nuran Çi̇çek, Banu Efeoğlu, Deni̇z Tanyolaç, Yasemi̇n Ekmekçi̇, Reto Jörg Strasser

Turkish Journal of Botany

The present study was conducted to investigate the impact of textile dye on the early seedling stage of 3 crops: barley, maize, and wheat. Seeds were imbibed in different concentrations of textile dye for 12 h and were then grown in a controlled growth room for 8 days with a related dye solution. Some growth and polyphasic chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured and analysed to appraise the effect of textile dye on the 3 crops. Although different crop species showed differences in response to different concentrations, textile dye generally affected almost all radicle growth parameters more adversely than coleoptile growth …

Population Characteristics Of Central Stonerollers In Iowa Streams, Scott M. Bisping, Jesse R. Fischer, Michael C. Quist, Andrew J. Schaefer

The Prairie Naturalist

The central stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum) is a herbivore that can have substantial effects on algal communities, nutrient dynamics, and energy flow in streams. Despite its importance in lotic ecosystems, little is known about its population dynamics in streams of the Great Plains. Our objective was to describe age structure, age-specific mortality, and growth rates of central stonerollers in three Iowa streams. We sampled fish from 41 reaches during June-August 2007. We sampled 466 central stonerollers, of which we aged 192. Fish varied in length from 32 to 130 mm and in age from age 0 to 4 years. …

Channel Catfish Diets Include Substantial Vegetation In A Missouri River Reservoir, Jonah D. Dagel, Melissa R. Wuellner, David W. Willis

The Prairie Naturalist

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are native to Lake Sharpe, a Missouri River mainstem reservoir, and are common in angler catches. Channel catfish growth has declined since the formation of the reservoir in 1963. Mean lengths at time of capture for channel catfish ages 9, 10, II, and 12 have decreased by 69, 55, 115, and 21S mm, respectively, since impoundment. The objective of this study was to document monthly food habits of channel catfish throughout the growing season (May-August) in Lake Sharpe to assess potential effects of diet on growth. Although channel catfish consumed both macro invertebrates and …

Potential Importance Of Competition, Predation, And Prey On Yellow Perch Growth From Two Dissimilar Population Types, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Michael L. Brown

The Prairie Naturalist

Our objective was to describe the influence of population dynamics, inter- and intra-specific competition, predation, prey abundance, and prey size structure on yellow perch (Perca flavescens) growth for two perch population types (high-quality and low-quality) commonly found in South Dakota glacial lakes. We selected Lake Cochrane as a low quality yellow perch population and Lake Madison as a high quality perch population. Sunfish (Lepomis spp.) relative abundance was greater (P < 0.05) in Lake Cochrane than Lake Madison, suggesting interspecific competition may have a large influence on yellow perch growth. Indices of available sizes and densities of zooplankton were lower (P < 0.05) in Lake Cochrane than Lake Madison, suggesting that increased competition for large zooplankton may have reduced zooplankton size structure and density. Zooplankton may be a limiting resource in South Dakota glacial lakes when both yellow perch and sunfish are feeding primarily on zooplankton which may explain differences in perch growth rates between population types .

Effects Of Salinity: Calcium Interaction On Growth And Nucleic Acid Metabolism In Five Species Of Chenopodiaceae, Essam E. M. Abo-Kassem

Turkish Journal of Botany

Seed germination, seedling growth, and some enzyme activity of nucleic acid metabolism were studied in 5 members of Chenopodiaceae [Beta vulgaris L., Chenopodium quinoa Willd., Spinacea oleracea L., Allenrolfia occidentalis (S.Watson) Kuntze, Atriplex hortensis L.] under NaCl salinity alone or combined with 0.5 mM CaSO_4. High salinity delayed radical emergence and decreased germination percentage in all plants. Combined CaSO_4 reduced inhibition of seed germination in B. vulgaris, S. oleracea, and A. hortensis, but increased it in C. quinoa and A. occidentalis. CaSO_4 reduced plant growth to a greater degree than high salinity did. High salinity decreased total nucleic acid content …

Germination And Seedling Behaviours Of Seeds Of Peltophorum Pterocarpum D.C.Baker Ex K.Heyne Growing Under Motor Vehicle Emission, Muhammad Shafiq, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal

Turkish Journal of Botany

Motor vehicle emission showed toxic effects on seed germination and seedling growth of Peltophorum pterocarpum D.C.Baker ex K.Heyne. Germination and growth of P. pterocarpum seeds were significantly (P < 0.05) affected in the seeds collected from the polluted areas as compared to the less polluted areas. A higher percentage of decrease in seed germination was found for the seeds collected from the extremely polluted area, followed by very much polluted, polluted, and a little polluted areas as compared to the unpolluted area (control). Seedling and root lengths were also highly decreased for the seeds of the same species collected from the extremely polluted area as compared to the control. A high percentage of seedling dry weight was found for the seeds of the same species collected from the extremely polluted area (62%), followed by very much polluted area (58%), polluted area (38%), and a little polluted area (28%) as compared to the control. According to the tolerance test, seedling growth of P. pterocarpum showed the lowest percentage of tolerance in the samples collected from the extremely polluted area (53%), followed by very much polluted area (71%), polluted area (89%), and a little polluted area (92%) as compared to the campus.

Influence Of Some Plant Extracts And Microbioagents On Some Physiological Traits Of Faba Bean Infected With Botrytis Fabae, Yehia A.G. Mahmoud, Mohsen Ebrahim, Magda M. Aly

Turkish Journal of Botany

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of Eucalyptus citriodora Hook., Ipomoea carnea Jacq., Cuminum cyminum L., Allium sativum L. and Hyoscyamus muticus L. leaf extracts, and of Streptomyces exfoliatus (Waksman & Curtis) Waksman & Henrici (S) and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai (T) in controlling Botrytis fabae, which causes chocolate spot disease in the faba bean. Laboratory studies supported the use of leaf extracts of E. citriodora (Ex. 1) and I. carnea (Ex. 2) in preference to other extracts for controlling the mycelial growth of B. fabae. In addition, the mixture S + T was the best of …

Does Growth Correlate With Turgor-Induced Elastic Strain In Stems? A Re-Evaluation Of De Vries' Classical Experiments, Winfried Peters, Maggie Farm, A. Kopf

Winfried S. Peters

The Effect Of The Herbicide Glyphosate On The Growth Of Selenastrum Capricornutum, Judith Susan Eisen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The herbicide glyphosate (MON-0139), an isopropylamine salt of N- (phosphonemethyl)glycine, was tested to determine its effects on the growth of the fresh water green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. Experiments were carried out to determine algicidal, algistatic, and inhibitory concentrations of the compound.

Concentrations from 5 ppm to 1000 ppm were inhibitory to the growth of the alga, but the effects were algistatic, rather than algicidal. At concentrations from 0.1 ppm to 1.0 ppm the growth of the alga was stimulated by the presence of the herbicide, while at concentrations from 0.001 ppm to 0.05 ppm the effects of the herbicide were …