Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Solid Matrix One-Step Planting Practice On Cool Season Turfgrass Germination In Unfavorable Conditions, Ben Duncan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The transition zone in the United States is a difficult area to grow and establish turfgrasses. To establish or repair damaged turfgrass areas, seed priming is an often-used practice. Turfgrass companies and researchers are expanding the practice of solid matrix priming to the practice of one step planting. These products contain seed, fertilizers, and often some type of inert matter and/or mulch. This study took place in Bowling Green, KY and Knoxville, TN during the same period to investigate the effects of using these one step planting products compared to standard cool season turfgrass seeding practices. Two Pennington and two …

Effect Of Cultivar And Type On Pepper Yield And Weight, Elizabeth 'Egan' Blessinger

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Peppers (Capsicum) are a valuable commodity throughout the world. They provide food, coloring additives, vitamins, and ornamental aesthetics. Peppers can be grown in many different areas of the world and their success is based on variety selection. Breeding cultivars for superior performance is critical to success. Recent consumer desire for less chemical use throughout the growing process has resulted in new cultivar developments..

The objective of this research was to investigate how cultivar and type affect the yield and weight of field grown peppers. This study provides valuable information for growers in determining which cultivars are suitable for production in …

Cultivar, Mowing Height, And Herbicide Effects On Bermudagrass, Cynodon Dactylon [L.] Pers., Suppression In Tall Fescue, Schedonorus Arundinaceus [Schreb.] Dumort., Nom. Cons., Daniel S. Sandor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In the fall of 2011, a study was initiated at the Western Kentucky University Farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky on a Crider silt loam (Typic Paleudalf). The objective of this study was to determine cultivar, mowing height, and herbicide effects on bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers., suppression in tall fescue, Schedonorus arundinaceus [Schreb.] Dumort., nom. cons. The experimental design was a split plot design with whole plots consisting of varying mowing heights and split plots consisting of different herbicide treatments with three replications. Two separate experiments were conducted. The tall fescue variety ‘KY 31’ was utilized for one study and …

The Western Kentucky University Teaching Gardens: Landscape Design And Establishment Plan, Claudia Stetter

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to design a landscape plan for Teaching Gardens at the Western Kentucky University Agriculture Research and Education Center. The landscape plans were selected based upon the available 5.3 acres surrounding the greenhouse, vineyard, and Exposition Center. Planning included goals and objectives, analysis of the available site, landscape design plans, and connecting the Teaching Gardens to the current curriculum. This thesis also includes related areas to the development of Teaching Gardens such as: summary of courses with related topics to Teaching Gardens, programs that will be used throughout the community, and a listing of current …

Sunflower, Helianthus Annus L., Cut Flower Variety Trial, Pavani Vuppalapti

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sunflower, Helianthus annus L., native of North America, is widely grown for oil, bird feed, and human snacks. More recently, sunflower is gaining acceptance as an ornamental potted plant and as a cut flower in the florist industry. The objectives of the present study were: 1. To evaluate diverse cultivars of sunflower for their performance under field and greenhouse conditions. 2. To explore the potential of sunflower in the local florist industry. 3. To exhibit the diversity of sunflower characteristics to the public. In 2004, studies were conducted during the spring and summer in the field and during fall and …

Compost As A Growth Substrate For Woody Ornamental Nursery Production, Jaime Crocker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Peat is an expensive, environmentally nonrenewable component of media used to grow woody ornamental trees. Leaf compost from the city of Bowling Green is an inexpensive renewable resource that was substituted for peat in soil-less container media. Seeds of three commercially important tree species, Koelreuteria paniculata (goldenraintree), Quercus alba (white oak), and Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia) were grown in 473 mL bottomless milk containers for 150 days, then repotted to 3785 mL pots for 90 days. Media ratios were 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1 parts commercial media to leaf compost from the Western Kentucky University Agricultural Research Center in …

The Western Kentucky University Horticultural Gardens: A Design & Implementation Plan, Catharine Schriver

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this thesis was to design a master landscape plan rnd serve as a preliminary planning tool for the development of Horticulture Gardens at Western Kentucky University. The planning process involved the development of a mission statement and goals for the gardens, analysis of the site, and design of a landscape plan for the proposed six acre Horticultural Gardens located at the WKU farm. Other areas related to the Garden's development explored in the thesis include: an outline of course learning objectives that could be achieved through learning activities conducted at the Horticultural Gardens, an examination of ways …

The Performance Of Gazania Splendens Cultivars Under Kentucky Conditions, Ellen Sue Justiss

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Gazania splendens is a tender, herbaceous perennial that belongs to the Compositae family. The leaves are green and glabrous above, white tomentose beneath, toothed, simple and/or pinnatifid, 4”-6” long tapering to a winged petiole, lanceolate to obovate-lanceolate, and arranged in a basal clump. The flower heads are large, showy, 2”-3” in diameter, and range in color from white to yellow, orange, pink, purple, ruby, and bronze with a dark ring or spot at the base of most.

Twelve cultivars of Gazania splendens were to be evaluated to determine which would perform the best under Kentucky conditions. A seed germination test …

Ecotypic Differentiation Of Andropogon Virginicus L. In Relation To Strip Mine Spoil Banks, Valina Kay Hurt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Reciprocal plantings of populations of broomsedge, taken from an abandoned strip mine and from an abandoned farm plot in south central Kentucky, on strip mine spoil and abandoned field soil resulted in patterns of populations differentiation. Clonal plantings of populations from strip mine habitats and old field development appeared equal in height and biomass when grown on old field soils in both field trials and growth chamber studies. Populations when planted in strip mine soils in field trials and controlled growth experiments. Later flowering in strip mine populations may be a key to survival strategy in the harsh microclimates of …

Cause And Control Of A Common Market Disease Of Lettuce, William Palmore

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Head lettuce, Lactuta sativa var. capitata, is susceptible to a number of economically important diseases, the most frequent being russet spot, rib discoloration, and vascular browning (28), which have been shown by Ceponis and Friedman (7) to be caused by Pseudomonas marginalis. Pseudomonads are common plant pathogens and cause such diseases as halo blight in beans (20), bacterial blight in soybeans (20), and bacterial wilt of the bird-of-paradise (27) and tobacco (24).

Plants that develop symptoms similar to russet of lettuce are oats, infected by Pseudomonas cichorii, and tobacco infected with Pseudomonas tobaci (34). In general, russet symptoms …