Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Exercise When Transitioning From Free Choice Tall Fescue (Lolium Arundinaceum) Grass Diet In Late Summer To Free Choice Tall Fescue Hay Diet In Late Fall On Plasma Fructosamine Concentrations, Insulin Levels, Body Weight, And Body Condition Scores Of Stock Horse Mares And Gelding, Riley Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Equine exercise may influence a horse’s metabolic and physiological functions. Studies can help to prove this linkage, and to better understand the nutritional requirements of the horse. The parameters that are being evaluated are plasma-fructosamine concentrations, insulin levels, body weight (lbs.), and body condition score (BCS) as a measurement of obesity. Eight horses used in this study were split into two groups; Worked horses were exercised three times a week while the unworked horses were not exercised. All eight horses were fed an ad libitum diet of tall fescue grass and hay for 127 days.

Forage samples were collected to …

Factors Influencing Tree Growth In A Bottomland Hardwood Along The Green River In Kentucky, Caleb Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In bottomland hardwood forests, large fluctuations in moisture availability can lead to stress from both flooded and drought conditions. These forests can have a complex species composition with different water use and drought strategies. The bottomlands in which these species co-occur can have a complex spatial distribution of alluvial sediments due to the meandering and migration of river or stream channels, which may impact the hydrology, nutrient dynamics, and productivity. At Western Kentucky University's Green River Preserve, approximately 9 ha of bottomland hardwood forest were planted in 2006. Although these hardwoods have received equal amounts of sunlight, rainfall, and wind, …

Effect Of Supplemental Garlic On The Incidence Of Anemia In Horses, Victoria Willis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a spice that has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes or flavoring in food. Garlic has also been commonly used as a fly and pest control for horses and is still commonly used for that purpose today. Recent research has shown garlic may cause Heinz body anemia in horses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of Heinz body anemia in horses supplemented with varying rates of garlic. This study included 12 horses divided into 4 groups (control and 3 supplement rates: low (0.0625 g/kg), medium (0.125 g/kg), high (0.1875 g/kg)) …

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 …

Mindfulness Of Minnows, Will Hollis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Literature is a deeply personal and interpersonal act from the author to the reader. In some way the author is attempting to capture their interpretation of space and time inside the vehicle of language. Through metaphor and enjambment, syntax and imagery, this thesis attempts to render the contemporary experience of the artist as he is grounded in location and interpretation. The lens used in inspecting the world is biological and philosophical, seeking and hiding from the truth.

Nature and science are used as linking languages in the collections of poems, seeking to be united with emotion based in the bedrock …

Effects Of Bacillus Mycoides Supplement In A Reduced Frequency Fungicide Program On Chambourcin Grapevines (Vitis Vinifera L.), Ryan Alan Mairs

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fungal diseases pose significant challenges for grapevine producers in Kentucky due to the region’s abundant moisture and relative humidity. Methods to reduce fungicide application frequency would prove both economically and temporally valuable to producers. A field experiment was established in Bowling Green, KY in 2017 to investigate Bacillus mycoides isolate J (LifeGard) as a supplement to a fungicide program for systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Three fungicide treatment regimens were implemented consisting of a program modelled from the Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide (2017) and an identical program supplemented with 140 g ha-1 LifeGard per application (both applied on 14 day …

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 …

Trimethylated Lysine 4 At Histone 3 Shows The Same Circadian Rhythm At Promoters Of Diversely-Expressed Genes In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Robyn M. Wilson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Circadian clocks are biochemical mechanisms that allow eukaryotic and some prokaryotic organisms to coordinate their physiology with daily environmental changes. It enables organisms to increase their fitness by taking advantage of beneficial environmental conditions while also avoiding or restricting certain sensitive processes during harsh conditions. Similarly, post-translational histone modifications allow eukaryotic organisms to regulate gene expression in response to environmental or developmental factors. Some post-translational modifications of histones are associated with active transcription while others are associated with repressed transcription depending upon the location, type and degree of modification. Trimethylation of lysine 4 on the N-terminal tail of histone H3 …

Heterologous Expression Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Purple Acid Phosphatase Gene (Atpap15) In Crops For Phytoremediation Of Sites Contaminated With Excess Phosphorus, Jane Jeruto Bartonjo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

AtPAP15 is one of the purple acid phosphatases expressed by Arabidopsis thaliana that has been extensively studied. Purified AtPAP15 has been shown to exhibit both phytase and phosphomonoesterase activities in acidic pH with maximal activity at pH 4.5. AtPAP15 is a phosphorus starvation inducible (PSI) gene that is expressed highly during phosphorus deficient conditions. In the current study, AtPAP15 was overexpressed in Nicotiana tabaccum under cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV35S) constitutive promoter. After PCR confirmation of the gene, plants were transferred to the greenhouse and allowed to grow in pots. The pots contained Sta-Green potting mix (Lowe’s Inc., Mooresville, North Carolina,U.S.). …

Accessing Chilling Conditions For Perennial Fruit Crop Production In Kentucky, Yao Xue

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Temperate Region fruit and nut trees, and many other perennial plants, require cool winter temperatures (chilling hours) to ensure leaf and flower bud production in the following season. Temperate Regions are characterized by variable winter and spring temperatures. Failure of meeting sufficient chilling requirement results in deformed fruits, unequal maturation, and other plant deformities, thereby reducing quality and yields. Chilling requirements are expressed as number of accumulated hours within a range of approximately 32º to 45ºF or 0º to 7.2ºC. These requirements are specific for level of temperature, length of temperature period, and species and cultivar of plants. Information on …

Transcriptomic Insights Into The Morphological Variation Present In Bromeliaceae, Victoria A. Gilkison

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Bromeliaceae family utilizes a wide range of adaptations to inhabit a variety of environments including dry ones. Many attribute the large adaptive radiation of Bromeliaceae throughout the Neotropics to three main features: absorptive trichomes, tank reservoirs, and CAM photosynthesis. Based on leaf morphology and arrangement, root type, and nutrient acquisition, Pittendrigh (1948) conservatively separated bromeliads into four main classes. These four main classes are designated Type I bromeliads, Type II bromeliads, Type III bromeliads and Type IV bromeliads. We used RNA-sequencing of leaf mRNA to investigate similarities and differences in gene expression which can be related back to the …

Improving Cocoa Production Through Lean: A Case Study Of The Ghanaian Cocoa Industry, Kwasi Boateng

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cocoa has been useful in several ways, especially to countries that produce it and consumers all over the world. Its benefits range from improving economies to satisfying millions all over the world who desire one cocoa product or the other. The production of cocoa however is not without its own attendant problems. Aging tree stock, spread of diseases, and production capacity problems are, but a few of many challenges that seed gardens that produce cocoa face. This study investigated the pollination process on selected seed gardens in Ghana, the second largest world producer of cocoa. The purpose of this study …

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 …

Influence Of Transplanter Modification And Previous Crop On The Production Of No-Till Dark Tobacco, William Frazier Penick

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Dark tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) has historically been produced using
conventional tillage practices. Soil is cultivated multiple times throughout a growing season leading to an increased incidence of soil erosion. No-till systems have been growing in popularity with the advent of new technology that has enabled the practice to be performed effectively and efficiently. With the recent expansion of no-till practices throughout the agricultural community, many crops have had success in producing comparable yields while reducing input costs and saving soil resources. For this experiment, a traditional tobacco transplanter was modified for use in a no-till environment. All modifications were …

Bacterial Interactions Of Inoculated Price's Potato Bean (Apios Priceana): A Biological Study, Rhonda Walker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Apios priceana is a native endangered species plant found in the Southeast United States. It is characterized as a leguminous species that bears wisteria like clusters with pea like flowers, a large tuberous root and four to six inch long seed pods. It is believed the Native Americans and early European settlers relied on this species as a source of protein and utilized the seeds for cultivation of the tuberous “potato” which formed. Apios priceana contains an average of 13% fiber, 6.9% protein, 71% carbohydrate and 9 of the 11 essential amino acids needed in human diets (Walter et al.,1986). …

Relationships Among Rubus (Rosaceae) Species Used In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yinu Wang

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of using plants therapeutically including multiple species of the genus Rubus (Rosaceae). Fruits and other parts of Rubus plants have had a significant effect on human health and nutrition in both ancient and modern times. The pharmacological effects of Rubus include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-stress, anti-cancer and anti-aging properties. One of the current challenges limiting further development of Rubus resources in traditional Chinese medicine is a poor understanding of phylogenetic relationships among Rubus species in general and especially among Asian species, and also the need for additional studies of phytochemicals. Several confounding factors are …

Economic Impacts Of Drought On Kentucky Corn, Hay, And Soybeans, Kortney E. Craft

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Understanding climatic impacts is important if we are to comprehend the relationship between climate and society. Weather phenomena can have environmental, economical, and social impacts. Drought is the natural hazard that affects people the most. It is also the most complex and least understood. There is no one universally accepted definition for drought which makes its examination difficult. Droughts’ duration is also difficult to determine because it has no clearly defined onset and end. Also, drought varies both geographically and temporally making uniform drought monitoring difficult. Since drought is difficult to monitor and access, drought impacts are often poorly documented. …

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 …

Generation Of Transgenic Medicago Sativa Overexpressing "Osmotin-Chitinase" Gene Chimera, Jahnavi Reddy Kancharla

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Medicago is widely used as a forage crop. It is often susceptible to various pathogenic infections and exhibits low growth in drought and extreme climatic conditions. In the current study, a strategy was developed for over-expressing an “Osmotin-Chitinase” gene chimera in transgenic Medicago that could potentially confer resistance to different biotic and abiotic stresses. Seed germination of several cultivars of Medicago (M. sativa ssp. sativa, M. sativa ssp. falcata, M. sativa ssp. caerulea, M. truncatula, and M. Rugosa) was tested to determine the cultivars with good germination rates. Among these, M. sativa ssp. sativa showed an …

Farmers' Markets In Kentucky: A Geospatial, Statistical, And Cultural Analysis, Elizabeth Ann Schmitz

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

To assess what factors are driving the exponential growth of farmers’ markets in Kentucky, geospatial and statistical analysis of a database of 121 farmers’ markets was conducted. A statewide survey of market leaders and a case study of a single farmers’ market both identified reasons for growing support of farmers’ markets in Kentucky.

Market distribution, vendor levels, and gross sales were mapped against a backdrop of county urban classification, median household income, and education levels. Kruskal-Wallace analysis was used to identify if Kentucky’s rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan markets differ significantly in terms of their age, number of vendors, and market …

Reestablishing Diversity In Our Hardwood Forests: A Transplant Study Of Five Spring-Flowering Herbs, Danielle Racke

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Herbaceous communities are critical to the functioning of forest ecosystems. They recycle nutrients, help prevent erosion, provide critical microhabitats and maintain biodiversity. In the eastern United States, most hardwood forests are growing on land once entirely cleared or used for some form of agriculture. Although some of these forests are nearly 150 years old, they still have depauperate native herbaceous communities when compared to remaining old-growth forests. This long-term depletion may result from dispersal limitation or environmental limitation.

I tested the hypothesis that dispersal was the primary factor contributing to the absence of five spring-flowering herbaceous species in four secondary …

Investigation Of Yield And Quality Of Grafted Heirloom And Hybrid Tomatoes, Stephen T. Flomo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) are one of the most popular vegetable crops grown for fresh market and processing in the U.S. Grafting involves the uniting of a shoot or bud scion with a rootstock to form a compound plant, mainly for managing soil-borne diseases and increasing crop yield. The objectives were to examine the effects of reciprocal and self grafts on tomato fruits, number of fruits, weight, and quality of the cultivars, ‘Cherokee Purple’, ‘Mister Stripey’, ‘Crista’, and ‘Maxifort’. Grafted seedlings were planted at WKU Farm on raised beds, protected with red or black plastic mulch under drip …

Heirloom And Hybrid Tomato Yield And Quality In Organic And Conventional Production Systems, Diana J. Edlin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Due to the recent changes in the economy of Kentucky tobacco production, some producers are seeking an alternative crop that will provide similar economic gains to tobacco without needing more acreage. Tomatoes are an existing crop in Kentucky that have been declining in acreage over the last five years. There is evidence to suggest that, through niche and local marketing, tomatoes may be able to fill the void left by tobacco. However, there is concern among producers that they will lose yield and/or quality if they switch to one of these niche production systems or cultivars.

A two year study …

In Planta "Green Engineering" Of Variable Sizes And Exotic Shapes Of Gold Nanoparticles: An Integrative Eco-Friendly Approach, Daniel Lee Starnes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Manipulating matter at the nanoscale creates materials endowed with unique optoelectronic and physicochemical attributes. Among the noble metals, the properties of gold in "nano" can be manipulated by varying, their shapes and sizes. Gold nanoparticles find several applications in electronics, medicine and environmental reclamation. Emphasis has been on the “green synthesis” of nanogold to mitigate the hazardous implications stemmed from conventional nanogold synthesis. However, it is not known if the in planta synthesis of nanogold particles could be “green engineered” as well for generating desirable sizes and exotic shapes. In the present study, we used inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis …

Effect Of Different Schedules Of Baby Corn (Zea Mays L.) Harvests On Baby Corn Yield, Grain Yield, And Economic Profit Value, Zheng Wang

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Maize (Zea mays L.) ranks third as a food crop after wheat and rice and is characterized not only as a cereal crop but also as a vegetable. Maize used as a vegetable is known as “baby corn”. Baby corn consists of unfertilized young ears harvested 2 or 3 days after silk emergence. The present study was implemented in 2009 at Western Kentucky University Agriculture Research and Education Center (36.93 N, 86.47 E) in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The purpose of the study was to compare the effect of different schemes of harvest on baby corn (BC) yield, grain maize (GM) …

Mathematical Models Of Zea Mays: Grain Yield And Aboveground Biomass Applied To Ear Flex And Within Row Spacing Variability, Todd Curtis Ballard

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Field studies were conducted during the summers of 2007 and 2008 at the Agricultural Research and Education Complex, Western Kentucky University, Warren County, KY and commercial production fields in Caldwell County, KY, Warrick County IN, and Vanderburgh County, IN. The goals of these studies were to further validate the Duncan grain yield model, the Russell aboveground biomass model, and to study the effect of inconsistent spacing within rows on Zea mays L. yield. Plant spacing other than uniform decreases grain yield and profitability. The population experiments conducted at the Warren County location were a randomized complete block design with three …

Genetic Diversity In Native And Invasive Rubus (Rosaceae), Ashley A. Wint

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Invasive species are an increasing threat to biological diversity as well as a leading cause of recent species’ extinctions. Invasives spread quickly and efficiently, and the U.S spends millions of dollars annually in the control and eradication of these species. More information is necessary in order to predict which species may become invasive. Rubus (Rosaceae) was chosen for study because this genus includes various ploidy levels, reproductive modes, and species that are invasive as well as native.

Three Rubus species were chosen to represent apomictic and tetraploid invasives (Rubus armeniacus), a sexual and diploid native species (R. occidentalis), and a …

Conversion Of Traditional Observation-Based Botany Labs To Investigative Inquiry Learning, Hajara Mahmood

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

“Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.” - Chinese Proverb. Involvement in learning implies possessing skills and attitudes that permit students to seek resolutions to questions and issues while constructing new knowledge.

Low enrollment in Plant Biology and Diversity and upper level plant science courses has been noticed at Western Kentucky University. In addition, graduating students performed below the national average on the senior assessment examination in the area of botany content knowledge offered by WKU’s Biology Department. This may be due to the fact that observation-based botany has been taught in …

Clarification Of Basal Relationships In Rubus (Rosaceae) And The Origin Of Rubus Chamaemorus, Karen Michael

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Determination of phylogenetic relationships among ancestral species of Rubus has been elusive. Most Rubus species (including blackberries and raspberries), representing nine of the 12 subgenera, occur in a large, well supported clade named 'A' for reference). The remaining nine species are excluded from this group and represent three subgenera: subg. Anoplobatus (R. bartonianus, R. deliciosus, R. neomexicanus, R. odoratus, R. parviflorus, R. trilobus), subg. Chamaemorus (R. chamaemorus), and subg. Dalibarda (R. lasiococcus, R.pedatus). In addition, Rubus dalibarda L. is often treated in its own monotypic genus as Dalibarda repens L. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data from chloroplast regions and …

Asexual Propagation Of Four Cultivars Of Vaccinium Corymbosum And Weed Management In An Established Orchard Of Vaccinium Corymbosum 'Bluejay' (Highbush Blueberry) In South Central Kentucky, Kyle Daniel

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In response to the changing economy of Kentucky tobacco, producers are seeking an economically viable alternative that can be produced on a similarly small acreage. Blueberries are an emerging crop that satisfy the needs of these producers and are popular with consumers for their flavor and health benefits. In addition to selling the berries, local producers are experiencing much success selling blueberry plants to homeowners and other producers. However, the protocol for propagating specific cultivars under local environmental conditions is unknown. Rooting percentages for producers has been extremely variable. A two year study conducted at Western Kentucky University investigated asexual …