Life Sciences Commons^™

Considerations For The Use Of Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculants In Coal Mine Reclamation And Reforestation In Appalachia: A Guide Of Best Practices And Management Recommendations, Cole Hansen Reistrup

Master's Projects and Capstones

Nearly all terrestrial plants form symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. These beneficial soil microbes support plant health by increasing plants’ access to nutrients and water, protecting them from pathogens, improving soil properties, and more. A challenge to restoring forests on coal mined land in Appalachia is that mine soils are often degraded in a number of ways, including lacking mycorrhizal fungi, which makes mine soils difficult for trees to grow upon. Substantial improvements to coal mine reforestation success have been made since the development of the Forestry Reclamation Approach in 2005 that provides guidelines for how to create a suitable …

Potentials Of Pleurotus: Reimagining The Relationship Between Cattle And Brewer's Spent Grain, Zoe Stojkovic

Senior Projects Spring 2023

Brewer’s spent grains (BSGs), a byproduct from beer production, are generated in excess globally. Most often, they are sold or given to proximate cattle farmers for use as feed. However, spent grain can also be used as a medium for fungal cultivation. Given that certain fungal species have the capability to degrade lignin and produce protein, the cultivation of fungi on spent grains may serve to enhance the nutritional profile of the grains for their use as cattle feed. This project is an effort to determine the compatibility of fungal cultivation with BSGs in order to both improve upon cattle …

The Effects Of Ericoid Inoculum Source And Nutrient Addition On Growth And Reproduction In Highbush Blueberry, Ilana Williams

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Ericoid mycorrhizal fungi (EMF) form symbiotic relationships with ericaceous plants such as Vaccinium corymbosum, or highbush blueberry and assist in nutrient acquisition. EMF help plants thrive in stressful environments by increasing the area in which roots can uptake water and nutrients. In plant-mycorrhizal symbioses, nutrient uptake may depend on the identity of the fungal partner. Therefore, differently sourced mycorrhizal fungi could show differences in nutrient uptake ability. Here, I hypothesized that inoculation of V. corymbosum with EMF would enhance plant growth and investment in reproduction, and that effect would be more pronounced for plants in low nutrient conditions. I also …

Identification Of Cytospora Species Isolated From Canker In Peach Trees In South Carolina, Stephen T. Baker

All Theses

In 2016, a survey was conducted into the causes of twig blight on peach (Prunus persica) in five orchards across South Carolina. From this survey, isolates from the fungal genus of Cytospora (Sordariomycetes, Diaporthales) were reported on peach, for the first time, within the state. Cytospora species are known to cause oozing cankers on a wide range of woody hosts leading to dieback, loss of limbs, and reduction in yield, prompting concern for important economic crops. Past methods of identification of Cytospora species have been confounded by indistinguishable morphology, overlapping host preference among species, and genetic sequencing …

Nitrogen Availability In Dune Systems And Its Effect On Root Fungal Endophyte Communities., Haley E. Sage

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

As global change persists, changes in resource availability can influence plant-microbe interactions. To understand how resource availability can influence these interactions and species diversity, I focused this research on how varying nitrogen (N) levels affect root endophyte communities in the plant species Ammophila breviligulata, an ecosystem engineer in the dune system. I analyzed the relationship between nitrogen addition and microbial community composition across 60 plots treated with three nitrogen addition levels (control, low, and high) in a long-term experimental field site in the Lake Michigan dunes. I identified Ammophila breviligulata's root endophyte community after creating a culture collection and …

Functional Characterization Of A Putative Alternative Oxidase In Sporisorium Reilianum F. Sp. Zeae., Emma A Lamb

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Sporisorium reilianum is a pathogenic basidiomycete fungus with two formae speciales, each capable of infecting corn (SRZ) or sorghum (SRS), respectively. This fungus is also a dimorphic variety, meaning it can switch between its haploid, yeast-like sporidia and diploid teliospore stages over the course of its life cycle (Schirawski). When S. reilianum is found in a haploid state and conditions are favorable, it will mate with a compatible non-self mating type to begin filamentous growth and proliferation in the plant host (Zhao). S. relianum, like most fungi, utilizes the four classical components of the electron transport chain to produce …

Isolation Of Foliar Fungi From Roseau Cane (Phragmites Australis) In Coastal Louisiana, David M. Galo Espinal

LSU Master's Theses

Roseau cane (Phragmites australis) is a wild plant with an extensive root system that is useful in areas vulnerable to soil erosion. In Louisiana, this plant plays an important role protecting the coastal infrastructure of the lower Mississippi River delta (MRD). Currently, P. australis growing in the MRD is being affected by a die-off, which has been associated with several biotic and abiotic factors.

Plant pathogenic fungi is a biotic factor that negatively affect plant growth. Therefore, foliar fungi were isolated from plants growing in one die-off affected area (MRD) and two non-affected areas (Pecan Island and Manchac) …

Effects Of Am Fungi From Conventional And No-Till Michigan Crop Fields On Plant And Soil Health, Derek Bennett

Masters Theses

Centuries of conventional till (CT) management in agriculture has depleted soil organic matter (SOM) by over 50%. While only comprising 5% in most soils, SOM provides soil with fertility and productivity. To compensate for SOM depletion, producers have been forced to increase their reliance on fertilizer and irrigation to maintain yields. In the coming decades, climate change is expected to challenge food production and threaten an already fragile system. With no remaining land left to cultivate, conservation management strategies such as no-till (NT) look to restore SOM and increase the resilience of food production for an ever growing, increasingly food …

Spore Dispersal Of Slime Molds And Higher Fungi Via Animal Vectors, Courtney Trimble

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Myxomycetes and dictyostelids are Amoebozoans that are cosmopolitan inhabitants of a variety of habitats, particularly forest environments. Both groups reproduce using spores which are primarily dispersed via wind in myxomycetes but this characteristic poses a problem for dictyostelids. The spores of dictyostelids are incased in a mucilaginous matrix that makes wind ineffective except in exceptional cases. It has been suggested that animals such as birds may play an important yet understudied role in the dispersal of these organisms. This study investigated how animals could potentially serve as vectors for spore dispersal of dictyostelids and myxomycetes with some limited data obtained …

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Fungal Communities And Their Effects On Plants, Kel Cook

Biology ETDs

Fungi perform several critical functions in the environment. Spatiotemporal distributions of fungal communities will mediate when and where these functions happen and how they vary across the landscape. I first explored tropical tree canopy fungal community variation at small spatial scales and documented near total turnover of fungi across sub-meter distances and among adjacent substrates. The second chapter analyzed fungal turnover over the course of three years, where community stability was driven primarily by abundant fungi. In the third chapter, I tested effects of the environment, including host plant and habitat, on canopy fungal communities and found only small effects, …

Dissecting The Cellular Control Of Septin Organization In A Global Cereal Killer, Nawaraj Dulal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice blast disease, caused by the filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, destroys sufficient rice each year to feed 60 million people, and is a serious threat to global food security. A wheat-adapted lineage of M. oryzae now poses threat to global wheat production. Rice blast disease is currently controlled using limited fungicides, and the emergence of fungicide resistance within M. oryzae populations is a growing concern. There is a pressing need to identify new classes of fungicides to control the disease, which requires better understanding of the basic biology of the pathogen. To establish disease, M. oryzae forms a specialized dome …

Genetic And Biochemical Characterization Of Ergot Alkaloid Synthesizing Fungi And Their Symbionts, Matthew Duane Maust

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Ergot alkaloids are fungal tryptophan derived toxins which affect mammalian circulation and neurotransmission. These compounds are biosynthesized by a conserved genetic pathway, known as the ergot alkaloid synthesis (EAS) pathway by fungi belonging to the ascomycete families Trichocomaceae and Clavicipitaceae. Several Ipomoea species and related plants in the morning glory family harbor vertically transmitted symbiotic fungi in the genus Periglandula, also members of Clavicipitaceae, that produce ergot alkaloids. Metabolomic analysis of seeds identified a previously uncharacterized glycoside form of the pharmaceutically important ergot alkaloid, ergonovine. Several species belonging to the fungal genus Metarhizium have recently been shown to have the …

Cropping Sequence Affects Subsequent Soybean Yield, Soil Microbiome And Soil Health, Izzet Bulbul

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rotation is an important cultural practice that farmers use to manage crop growth and diseases. Diversified crop rotations directly affect plant residue inputs that may enrich specific groups of microbes that form beneficial associations with the following crop. At two field sites, yield differences were observed in soybeans planted after the following four long-term (14 year) crop sequences: continuous corn (CC), corn (Zea mays)/corn/soybean (Glycine max) (CCS), corn/soybean/corn (CSC), soybean/corn/soybean (SCS). Soybean yields were in decreasing order, CC>CCS>CSC>SCS, and the yield differences could not be explained by soil chemical and physical properties previously …

Improving The Nutritional Characteristics Of Plant Feedstuff By-Products Using Fungal Metabolism, Jacob Zahler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plant feedstuff by-products such as soy processing wastewater, guar korma meal, and sorghum hominy are very different, however, all possess a rich nutrient profile. Lessening their value is the presence of lignocellulose, plant anti-nutritional factors, and unfavorable protein profiles. Fungal conversion processes are an attractive approach to improving the value of these by-products by degrading detrimental fractions of each while simultaneously creating nutrient-rich cell mass. The aim of this research was to improve the value of each by-product for potential application in monogastric diets such as fish. Fungal organisms, both yeast and filamentous fungi, were examined for their ability to …

The Effect Of Management Practices On Bacterial, Fungal, And Nematode Communities On Cool Season Turfgrass, Elisha Allan-Perkins

Doctoral Dissertations

Golf courses comprise 50 million acres in the United States of highly managed turf susceptible to abiotic and biotic stressors. A growing area of interest is utilizing microbes to improve plant growth, increase disease and stress tolerance, and reduce pathogens. In order to develop these new practices, we must gain an understanding of turfgrass microbial communities and how they are affected by management practices. We characterized bacteria, fungi, and nematodes on three golf courses: one organic, one with reduced inputs, and one conventional. We took samples from three management areas on each course representing different management intensities (roughs, fairways, and …

Quality Changes In Hermetically Stored Corn Caused By Fungi And Sitophilus Zeamais, Nda-Agyima Addae-Mensah K

Open Access Theses

Hermetic storage has been shown to be effective in controlling insect pests and maintaining grain quality of dry grains at 13% moisture and below. However, the feasibility and use of hermetic storage for grains at intermediate mid-moisture levels under the influence of the sub-Saharan African weather conditions is relatively unknown. Hermetic storage experiments were conducted on grade 1 "6297 and 6333 VT RIB" hybrid corn under controlled temperature conditions at 10 degrees centigrade and 25 degrees centigrade at target approximate moisture content levels of 11, 15, 18 and 21% wet basis for a total storage period of 6 months. Corn …

A Comparison Of Soil And Corn Kernel Aspergillus Flavus Populations: Evidence For Niche Specialization, Rebecca Ruth Sweany

LSU Master's Theses

Aspergillus flavus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that infects peanuts, cotton, corn and tree nuts. Aspergillus flavus is a major problem globally due to the production of acutely toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins. Louisiana climatic conditions lead to annual threats of corn aflatoxin contamination. The purpose of this study was to determine the specific ability of different strains of A. flavus to infect corn. Five soil samples and 10 corn ears were collected from each of seven corn fields throughout Louisiana. In addition, Francis Deville of Monsanto Company collected 7, 6, 2, and 4 soil samples and corn ears from four …

Biological Species Concepts In Eastern North American Populations Of Lentinellus Ursinus, Andrew N. Miller

Masters Theses

As part of a biosystematic study of the Lentinellus ursinus species complex, field and herbarium specimens from North America, Central America, and Europe were examined. Single basidiospore isolates from basidiomata collected in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Costa Rica, and Austria were crossed in all possible combinations to determine the mating system operating in each population. All populations exhibited bifactorial or tetrapolar mating systems. Tester strains were then crossed to identify intercompatible populations and to determine if morphological species in the L. ursinus species complex are congruent with biological species. Three biological species were recognized …

Isolation From Soil Microorganisms That Are Inhibitory To Wheat Seeding Pathogens, Kynita Wilson-Humphrey

McCabe Thesis Collection

Many diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi are responsible for the ruin of a great number of crops annually. At present, many of these crops are being treated for diseases by synthetic or man-made chemicals. Some of the chemicals have been proved to have adverse effects on the environment, including humans and animals. Very few non-chemical means are available to farmers at this time to control these pathogens. This is due to the fact that many of the means of control have little effect against the pathogens or diseases. This research attempts to isolate microorganisms from the soil which …

A Biosystematic Study Of Panus Conchatus (Basidiomycetes; Agaricales), James Edward Johnson

Masters Theses

As part of a biosystematic study of Panus conchatus (Bull.: Fr.) Fr., North American and European herbarium specimens from the Field Museum and the University of Michigan were examined and a description of the taxon prepared. Tissue and single spore isolates were obtained from basidiocarps collected in Illinois. Single and polyspore isolates were obtained from a collection made in Switzerland by R. H. Petersen. Culture mat analyses were completed on several media and the taxonomic value of cultural characters assessed. Based on this study, the identification of somatic cultures by cultural characteristics is unlikely. Single spore isolates from the Illinois …

The Morphology And Cytology Of Preussia Vulgare (Corda) Cain, Marcial Antonio Pastor-Corrales

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Survey Of Soil Microfungi From Three Vegetation Types In Cedar Valley, Utah, Brent T. Wahlquist

Theses and Dissertations

Microfungi were isolated from soil samples by the soil plate method. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-1", 1-4", and 4-8" both between and beneath the canopy of the dominant vegetation in stands of greasewood, sagebrush, and pinyon-juniper. Salinity, pH, and percent organic matter were measured for each soil sample. A total of 148 strains of fungi representing 141 species and 46 genera were isolated and identified from these alkaline soils, Few strains, including some Aspergilli, occurred only in the more saline greasewood soils, while many strains, including several Penicillia, occurred in both sagebrush and piny-on-juniper soils but were …

A Study Of Puccinia Graminis And Cronartium Ribicola, Duane W. Hughes

Graduate Student Research Papers

It was the purpose of this study (1) to review the literary history of rusts in the United States and in the Northwest in particular, ( 2) to learn where rusts generally are found geographically, (3) to gain further information regarding the etiology of wheat rust (Puccinia graminis tritici), of white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) and to become enlightened on other rusts, (4) to learn ways of controlling the two rusts, black stem rust of wheat and white pine blister rust, and to gain an appreciation of the economic importance of rust prevention.