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Identification Of Possible Vectors For Histomoniasis In Turkeys On Commercial Farms In Arkansas And Oklahoma, Treva Dillon Dec 2022

Identification Of Possible Vectors For Histomoniasis In Turkeys On Commercial Farms In Arkansas And Oklahoma, Treva Dillon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Histomonas meleagridis, is a parasitic protozoan, commonly found in the gallinaceous species of birds and is the causative agent of Blackhead disease. The cecal worm, known as Heteraskis gallinarum, acts as a vector in the spread of H. meleagridis in gallinaceous birds. H. meleagridis develops inside the cecal worm and in its eggs which allows H. meleagridis a method to survive in the environment. Blackhead disease causes high mortality rates in both chickens and turkeys; however, turkeys are noted to have a higher mortality rate compared to chickens. Molecular diagnostic testing such as PCR has been developed by creating primers …


Evaluation Of Chrysodeixis Includens Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Chinnpv) Formulations For Soybean Looper (Chrysodeixis Includens) Control In Soybean, Caleb Robert Rice Dec 2022

Evaluation Of Chrysodeixis Includens Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Chinnpv) Formulations For Soybean Looper (Chrysodeixis Includens) Control In Soybean, Caleb Robert Rice

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chrysodeixis includens Nucleopolyhedrovirus (ChinNPV) specifically Chrysogen, has been commercially available in South America since 2016 but is not current available in the U.S. Chrysogen targets soybean looper (Chrysodeixis includens) (SBL), the major defoliator of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) in the mid-southern region of the U.S. Experiments were conducted during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons to evaluate effectiveness of three formulations of Chrysogen at multiple rates for control of SBL. Soybean looper larvae used for following experiments were kept in an insect incubator at the University of Arkansas Lonoke Research and Extension Center. The first objective was to evaluate …


Biology, Monitoring, Sampling, And Management Of Rice Billbug, Sphenophorus Pertinax, In Furrow-Irrigated Rice, Chase Alan Floyd Dec 2022

Biology, Monitoring, Sampling, And Management Of Rice Billbug, Sphenophorus Pertinax, In Furrow-Irrigated Rice, Chase Alan Floyd

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Furrow-irrigated rice hectares have increased annually for the last five years in the predominant long-grain rice producing states. Initial implementation of the system began in the 1980’s, but lack of rice blast (Magnaporthe grisea, Hebert) resistant cultivars made the system a nonviable option for rice producers. Hybridization of rice cultivars with less susceptibility has begun to increase the interest of producers to implement a furrow-irrigated rice production system due to the cost saving opportunities that it may provide. Elimination of the flood from large sections of the rice fields in a furrow-irrigated system alters management strategies and pest complexes compared …


Mitochondrial Dna Diversity, Parasite And Pathogen Occurrence, And A Potential Disease Vector In Managed And Unmanaged Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera L. Populations, Dylan Cleary Aug 2022

Mitochondrial Dna Diversity, Parasite And Pathogen Occurrence, And A Potential Disease Vector In Managed And Unmanaged Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera L. Populations, Dylan Cleary

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The western honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is a globally important pollinator plagued by several harmful stressors impacting colony health and survival. At least eight A. mellifera subspecies were imported and continue to be the genetic ancestors of U.S. honey bee populations today. Successive genetic bottle-neck events have led to reduced genetic diversity in U.S. honey bees. First, the subset of subspecies imported into the U.S. represents only a third of A. mellifera subspecies. Next, the parasitic varroa mite reduced managed and feral populations. Third, ongoing breeding practices have selected for traits from a single genetic lineage and bred from …


The Effect Of Plant Elicitor Peptide On Nematode Infected Soybean, Siyang Liu Aug 2022

The Effect Of Plant Elicitor Peptide On Nematode Infected Soybean, Siyang Liu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soybean (Glycine max), an important economic crop native to East Asia, is grown worldwide for its edible beans. Soybean plants are vulnerable to a wide range of diseases, and nematodes are among the worst pests of soybean. The southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) are both notable nematode pests of soybean, with the soybean cyst nematode causing more than 30% of total yield loss in the US. Numerous attempts have been made to control soybean nematodes over the past several decades, and genetic engineering technology has received a lot of attention in recent years. Plant …


Effect Of Larval Rearing Environment On Female Bicyclus Anynana Mate Choice, Adriana Beruvides May 2022

Effect Of Larval Rearing Environment On Female Bicyclus Anynana Mate Choice, Adriana Beruvides

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Around eighty percent of animals go through metamorphosis or drastic phase changes at some point in their life. We know that juvenile interactions can influence adult behavior and mate choice in species that don’t go through metamorphosis, but we know very little about how social interactions during early life stages of animals who go through metamorphosis affect mate choice. To fill this knowledge gap, I used the butterfly Bicyclus anynana to assess whether female butterflies raised in complete isolation from the beginning of their lives exhibit the same mate preference as butterflies raised in normal social conditions. To test this, …


Using Ai To Examine Nocturnal Moth Pollination, Conor Moriarty May 2022

Using Ai To Examine Nocturnal Moth Pollination, Conor Moriarty

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The importance of insect-mediated agriculture cannot be understated especially in the wake of pollinator population declines. Most research of insect-mediated pollination is focused on diurnal pollinators like the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Deepening our understanding of how other pollinators, such as nocturnal pollinators, can benefit agriculture and ecosystems will be very important as honeybee populations decline. I explored nocturnal moth interactions with flowering apple flowers during their pollination season to better understand how these nocturnal pollinators interact with the plants. To accomplish this, I used a University of Arkansas farm area with a dedicated apple orchard. I gathered my raw data …


Using Community Science To Assess The Effect Of Wing Pattern And Weather On Butterfly Behavior, Abbigail Merrill May 2022

Using Community Science To Assess The Effect Of Wing Pattern And Weather On Butterfly Behavior, Abbigail Merrill

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Signaling in insects is used as communication and for attraction of mates. The physical appearance of the insect as well as conditions such as weather can play a role in visual signaling, by influencing the wavelengths of light available, and subsequent signal detection. We do not know, however, whether signals butterflies present broadly correlate with how they behave. In this study, we looked at the wing patterns and behavior of butterflies in Northwest Arkansas over a 3.5-year period to assess the relationship between wing pattern, weather, and behavior. We used observational data collected by hundreds of University of Arkansas students …


Effect Of Larval Experience On Learning Mate Preference In Bicyclus Anynana, Taryn Tibbs May 2022

Effect Of Larval Experience On Learning Mate Preference In Bicyclus Anynana, Taryn Tibbs

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phenotypic traits are shaped by the interaction of an organism's genes and the environment they experience. The plasticity of phenotypic traits is particularly responsive to developmental environments which can shape adult traits, such as expressed behaviors like mate choice and the ability to learn preferences. The Lepidoptera species Bicyclus anynana has been shown to learn mate preference based on social interaction following emergence from the chrysalis, however if and how the social complexity of the larval experience affects this ability to learn is less understood. Here I test the effects of isolation during the larval period on a female’s ability …


Preventative Weed Management Strategies In Arkansas Tomato Production, Gracie E. Morrison, Matthew Bertucci Jan 2022

Preventative Weed Management Strategies In Arkansas Tomato Production, Gracie E. Morrison, Matthew Bertucci

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Cost-effective weed suppression is an important consideration for tomato growers. Growers often choose methods which minimize hand labor, as hand weeding can be prohibitively expensive. This project determined economic viability of high tunnel tomatoes treated with several methods of weed control, both organic and chemical. These methods included: 2-week hand weeding, 1-week hand weeding, preemergent herbicide application (plots sprayed with herbicide prior to weed emergence), straw mulch (plots bedded with straw), landscape fabric (plots covered in fabric), and untreated weedy control plots. These six treatments were applied to randomized blocks in a high tunnel. Weeding, planting, and harvesting were all …


Consumers' Perception Of Quality For Ladies' Swimwear Based On Price And Brand, Jennifer Avila, Laurie M. Apple, Lance M. Cheramie, Leigh Southward Jan 2022

Consumers' Perception Of Quality For Ladies' Swimwear Based On Price And Brand, Jennifer Avila, Laurie M. Apple, Lance M. Cheramie, Leigh Southward

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Consumers shop at multiple retailers for different needs, and it is understood that many choose a retailer for an experience and others will shop at another retailer for better savings. In a time where E-commerce is at an all-time high, retailers need to consider how they compare against online retailers in the apparel sector. In this study, three retailers were compared against one another since they are all swimwear competitors. As these retailers adjust to store and production shortages, it is important to understand how the quality of clothing will keep sales consistent. Consumers are likely to keep shopping at …


Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley Jan 2022

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors Jan 2022

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences- Volume 23 2022, Several Authors Jan 2022

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences- Volume 23 2022, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Letter From The Dean, Jean-Francois Meullenet Jan 2022

Letter From The Dean, Jean-Francois Meullenet

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Contents, Discovery Editors Jan 2022

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Featured Faculty Mentor And Student Explore The Dynamics Of This Research Relationship, Matt Bertucci, Gracie Morrison Jan 2022

Featured Faculty Mentor And Student Explore The Dynamics Of This Research Relationship, Matt Bertucci, Gracie Morrison

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.


Using Poultry To Enhance Food Security In Stann Creek, Belize, Emily Spatz, Lisa S. Wood Jan 2022

Using Poultry To Enhance Food Security In Stann Creek, Belize, Emily Spatz, Lisa S. Wood

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Food insecurity is a growing issue in developing and developed countries alike, and in countries like Belize, the prevalence of hunger has soared in recent years. Not having access to diets with sufficient calories and nutrients leads to a host of developmental issues, including stunting and cognitive delays. The purpose of this work was to create an all-encompassing manual for small-scale poultry production in order to provide nourishment for the students and staff of a school in Belize. After determining that the best way to meet the school’s needs was through dual-purpose birds, background research was conducted to determine small-scale …


Additional Distributional Records For A Rare Caddisfly In The Ozarks, Frenesia Missa (Milne) (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae), David Bowles Jan 2022

Additional Distributional Records For A Rare Caddisfly In The Ozarks, Frenesia Missa (Milne) (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae), David Bowles

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

This paper describes the distribution for this rare species in the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri thus expanding its known range in the region. The species is considered vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors.


Artificial Intelligence System For Automatic Imaging, Quantification, And Identification Of Arthropods In Leaf Litter And Pitfall Samples, Pierce Helton, Khoa Luu, Ashley Dowling Jan 2022

Artificial Intelligence System For Automatic Imaging, Quantification, And Identification Of Arthropods In Leaf Litter And Pitfall Samples, Pierce Helton, Khoa Luu, Ashley Dowling

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

It is well known that arthropods are the most diverse and abundant eukaryotic organisms on the planet. Museum and research collections have huge insect accumulations from expeditions conducted over history that contain specimens of both temporal and spatial value, including hundreds of thousands of species. This biodiversity data is inaccessible to the research community, resulting in a vast amount of “dark data”. The primary objective of this study is to develop an artificial intelligence-driven system for specimen identification that greatly minimizes the time and expertise required to identify specimens in atypical environments. Successful development will have profound impacts on both …