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Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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The Future Of Public And Private Plant Breeding According To Plant Scientists, Lexie Burris Sep 2023

The Future Of Public And Private Plant Breeding According To Plant Scientists, Lexie Burris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plant breeding has been effective in addressing food insecurity by increasing agricultural yields and productivity. Historically, public plant breeding programs have long-term, integrated approaches to plant breeding research, germplasm enhancement, and variety development, but as funding is reduced the future is less certain as to areas of focus. This survey builds off those before it and asks the next logical question, if a divergence between private and public breeding is taking place, what aspects should each sector focus on? The impetus of this study was to ask opinions of plant breeders globally regarding the direction they believe the public and …


Risk-Returns Of Forward Contracting Southern Row Crops With Crop Revenue Insurance, Chandan Bhattarai Aug 2023

Risk-Returns Of Forward Contracting Southern Row Crops With Crop Revenue Insurance, Chandan Bhattarai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the risk and return associated with various levels of forward contracting for southern row crops, specifically corn, soybean, and rice, in conjunction with different coverage levels of the Revenue Protection (RP) crop insurance program and government support plans. Forward contracting is a strategy to manage price risk by transferring ownership of physical grain from a seller to a buyer at a pre-agreed time. RP is a return-based crop insurance program offering coverage levels ranging from 50-85 percent in 5 percent increments, which allows producers to hedge against yield or price risks. Additionally, the study analyzed the effectiveness …


Beef And Dairy Substitution Effects Associated With Carbon Labeling And An Information Intervention, Sara Gardner Hedgecock Aug 2023

Beef And Dairy Substitution Effects Associated With Carbon Labeling And An Information Intervention, Sara Gardner Hedgecock

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding consumer perceptions of carbon emissions in agriculture is a critical step to help increase the sustainability of food consumption. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 14.5 percent of all global anthropogenic GHG emissions are estimated to be represented by livestock (FAO), and cattle, raised for beef and milk, are the largest animal species responsible for emissions, comprising over 60 percent of the livestock sector’s emissions. This motivates this study’s analysis of beef and dairy milk products and alternatives. To better understand how consumers may substitute meat and milk products when provided with information about …


Generation Z’S Perceptions Of Hunting And Conservation Efforts In Arkansas, Hannah Ferguson Aug 2023

Generation Z’S Perceptions Of Hunting And Conservation Efforts In Arkansas, Hannah Ferguson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hunting participation numbers have steadily declined since the 1980s and Generation Z is not engaging in hunting. Hunting is one of the most effective tools for managing wildlife populations and ensuring the success and local ecosystem conservation. Many wildlife stewardship institutions, such as Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in Arkansas, are funded by sales taxes imposed on firearms, ammo, and archery equipment. With a decline in hunting participation, it is imperative state-run wildlife stewardship organizations and other hunting institutions learn the best practices for communicating with younger generations. This study sought to understand Generation Z’s perceptions of hunting and conservation …


Development And Use Of A Detached Leaf Assay To Assess Soybean Cultivar Resistance To Target Spot, Caused By Corynespora Cassiicola, Rachael Wolf Aug 2023

Development And Use Of A Detached Leaf Assay To Assess Soybean Cultivar Resistance To Target Spot, Caused By Corynespora Cassiicola, Rachael Wolf

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Target spot, caused by the fungus Corynespora cassiicola, was once considered a minor foliar disease of soybean in the US. However, a severe outbreak of target spot occurred in the southeastern U.S in 2016. Due to the lack of information on resistance in soybean cultivars, and the challenges in screening cultivars in the field, a detached leaf assay was developed to evaluate resistance. The objectives of the effort were to 1) develop a greenhouse inoculation method of soybean with C. cassiicola 2) use that method to compare reactions of soybean germplasm lines to target spot 3) collect and characterize isolates …


A Pilot Study Of Students’ Ethical Decision Making And Emotional Intelligence, Casandra K. Cox Aug 2023

A Pilot Study Of Students’ Ethical Decision Making And Emotional Intelligence, Casandra K. Cox

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Demand for ethical leaders in agriculture is high to meet 21st century goals, while ethics course offerings in land-grant institutions are limited. The purpose of this case study was to establish a baseline of current University of Arkansas Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Science (Bumpers College) agriculture and natural resource program students’ ethical decision making (EDM), as measured by the DIT-2, and emotional intelligence (EI), as measured by STEM-B and STEU-B, determine if EI mean scores predict EDM, and identify relationships between EDM or EI and demographic characteristics or lifespan experiences. An online survey design with probability sampling …


The Influence Of Climate And Landscape On Allocapnia Mohri Distribution In Arkansas, Brianna Leigh Annaratone Aug 2023

The Influence Of Climate And Landscape On Allocapnia Mohri Distribution In Arkansas, Brianna Leigh Annaratone

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stoneflies are a globally threatened aquatic insect order. In Arkansas, a diverse group of winter stonefly (Capniidae: Allocapnia) have not been surveyed since the 1980s, likely because species-level identification requires the rarely-collected adult form. Allocapnia mohri, a regional endemic, was previously commonly found in mountainous, intermittent streams from the Ouachita Mountains ecoregion north to the Ozark Highlands, but no species distributional models including land use or climate variables exist to our knowledge. We collected adults from 70 stream reaches from the historic Arkansas range from November to April 2020 and 2021. We modeled distributions using random forest (RF) models populated …


Understanding The Environmental And Genetic Influence On Fluctuating Asymmetry And Developmental Instability In Primates, Ashly N. Romero Aug 2023

Understanding The Environmental And Genetic Influence On Fluctuating Asymmetry And Developmental Instability In Primates, Ashly N. Romero

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the impact of environmental factors on the development and perpetuation of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and sought to understand the role evolution may play in the FA exhibited in two primate populations: the free-ranging Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and the Southwest National Primate Research Center olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis). Demographic, ontogenetic, secular, external, and genetic factors were examined. Specifically, this dissertation investigated FA over all ontogenetic stages, across decades, between sexes, in association with ecological catastrophes, and with tooth pathology to try and tease apart factors that may influence FA and developmental instability. This dissertation …


Factors Affecting Food Security And Participation In Food Pantries In The U.S., Alexis Jade Skinner Aug 2023

Factors Affecting Food Security And Participation In Food Pantries In The U.S., Alexis Jade Skinner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Given the rise in food inflation, reduction of SNAP benefits, and the increased demand for food pantry participation, a more holistic understanding of potential barriers to obtaining assistance from non-Federally regulated food pantries is warranted. In May of 2022, 625 surveys were administered to low-income participants in the United States who participated in food collection from a food pantry in the previous month. Those participants were asked to select what information they were asked to provide during their visit, including home address, place of employment, Social Security card, driver’s license, household size, blood test, or others. Some forms of the …


Consumer Valuation Of Rice Quality In Colombia, Juliann Phillips Aug 2023

Consumer Valuation Of Rice Quality In Colombia, Juliann Phillips

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice is a crucial contributor to global food security and is an important staple for over half the world’s population. In Colombia, total rice consumption has grown by 25% in the last decade (2011-2021), reaching 1.9 MMT in 2021, yet in 2021 around 15.5 million Colombians were classified as food insecure. Colombia is the third largest rice producer in Latin America, producing 1.8 million metric tons (milled basis) in 2021. Increasing rice consumption coupled with high levels of food insecurity highlights the necessity that rice markets effectively price rice according to consumer preferences. Therefore, the goal of this study focuses …


Time And Chance Happen To Them All: A Macroevolutionary Examination Of The Effects Of Whole Genome Multiplications, Eric Robert Hagen Aug 2023

Time And Chance Happen To Them All: A Macroevolutionary Examination Of The Effects Of Whole Genome Multiplications, Eric Robert Hagen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidy, the state of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes, is common in plants and has been linked to several beneficial traits. On the macroevolutionary scale, the effects of polyploidy have been hotly debated for over one hundred years, being alternatively described as an “evolutionary dead end” and the most important discovery in evolutionary biology since Darwin and Wallace. This thesis aims to contribute to the debate by studying the diversification, biogeography, and ecophysiology of polyploid flowering plants with recently developed phylogenetic comparative methods. This dissertation has three chapters. In Chapter I, I review work on the so-called …


The Effect Of Herbal Adaptogen On Feeding-Related Hypothalamic Neuropeptides In Heat-Stressed Broilers, Maryam Afkhami Ardakani Aug 2023

The Effect Of Herbal Adaptogen On Feeding-Related Hypothalamic Neuropeptides In Heat-Stressed Broilers, Maryam Afkhami Ardakani

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Heat stress is a major issue in the poultry industry, having numerous negative consequences for chicken productivity. Decreasing feed intake is one of these issues, which results in higher mortality and poor growth performance. Moreover, Herbal adaptogens, plant extracts that are also known as stress response modifiers, are metabolic regulators that improve an organism's ability to adapt to environmental stresses and minimize damage from such stressors. Previously, we published data indicating that herbal adaptogen supplementation increased feed intake under heat stress conditions. Therefore, we hypothesized that dietary herbal adaptogen supplementation might exert these effects through alteration of the expression of …


Radiofrequency And Gaseous Technologies For Enhancing The Microbiological Safety Of Low Moisture Food Ingredients, Surabhi Wason Aug 2023

Radiofrequency And Gaseous Technologies For Enhancing The Microbiological Safety Of Low Moisture Food Ingredients, Surabhi Wason

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High heat resistance and long survival of Salmonella in low moisture food ingredients (LMFIs) such as spices and seeds are concerning as they are typically consumed without cooking. Therefore, it is challenging to effectively inactivate pathogenic bacteria without negatively impacting the quality of the treated product. This dissertation aimed to develop and evaluate novel intervention technologies: in-package radiofrequency steaming and non-thermal gaseous technologies to improve the microbial safety of LMFIs. The dissertation can be divided into three parts. The first part of this dissertation on the thermal inactivation kinetics of Salmonella and a surrogate, Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354on black pepper …


Evaluation Of Drought Tolerance In Usda Tomato Germplasm And Genome-Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction Of Fusarium Wilt Resistance In Common Bean Core Collection, Kenani Edward Chiwina Aug 2023

Evaluation Of Drought Tolerance In Usda Tomato Germplasm And Genome-Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction Of Fusarium Wilt Resistance In Common Bean Core Collection, Kenani Edward Chiwina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drought stress and Fusarium wilt disease present significant challenges to plant growth and agricultural productivity, particularly affecting crops such as tomato and common beans. To address these issues, researchers have extensively evaluated germplasm collections under field and greenhouse conditions to identify genotypes with drought tolerance and disease resistance. This study aimed to achieve two objectives. Firstly, we conducted a phenotypic evaluation of drought tolerance in USDA tomato germplasm to identify drought-tolerant accessions for future breeding programs targeting enhanced drought tolerance in tomato cultivars. Secondly, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic prediction (GP) on USDA common bean germplasm …


The Effect Of Symbioses Between Mold Mites (Acaridae: Tyrophagus Putrescentiae) And Aspergillus Flavus On Their Respective Populations In Stored Maize., Paige Pionke Cummins Aug 2023

The Effect Of Symbioses Between Mold Mites (Acaridae: Tyrophagus Putrescentiae) And Aspergillus Flavus On Their Respective Populations In Stored Maize., Paige Pionke Cummins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Zea mays is the most commonly grown grain in the world and is used for animal feed, human consumption, and the creation of other products such as ethanol and bioplastics. Contamination of stored maize with stored grain invaders can lead to loss of revenue, reduced food availability, and potential health complications. Two such storage invaders; the mold mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae and the fungus Aspergillus flavus can work as symbionts within the grain storage system. To determine resulting population growth from this symbiosis, maize was inoculated with three treatments: A. flavus with no mites, T. putrescentiae with no fungus, and both …


Evaluation Of Heat Stress And Dietary Amino Acid Density On Nutrient And Energy Partitioning In Broilers, Jean-Remi Teyssier Aug 2023

Evaluation Of Heat Stress And Dietary Amino Acid Density On Nutrient And Energy Partitioning In Broilers, Jean-Remi Teyssier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The simultaneous increase in the global demand for animal-based protein products and the rise in temperature associated with global warming pose important challenges to the poultry industry. Heat stress (HS) occurs when an animal’s heat production (HP) surpasses its capacity to dissipate heat into the surrounding environment, ultimately leading to reduced feed intake (FI) and negative impacts on performance. A better understanding of bird responses to elevated temperatures is required to propose effective nutritional strategies that mitigate the adverse effects of HS. Therefore, this dissertation aimed to characterize the nutritional and physiological mechanisms explaining the loss in performance and carcass …


Runoff Water Quality And Crop Growth As Affected By Wastewater-Derived Struvite, Machaela Morrison Aug 2023

Runoff Water Quality And Crop Growth As Affected By Wastewater-Derived Struvite, Machaela Morrison

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mined phosphate rock, used to produce phosphorus (P) fertilizers, is a finite resource. Struvite (MgNH4PO4 • 6H2O) that has been synthetically produced from a stock solution of known P and nitrogen (N) concentrations has been shown to be an effective, alternative fertilizer-P source for various crops. However, little is known about the runoff-water-quality implications from and the crop response to soil application of struvite created from an actual municipal wastewater source. This study consisted of two objectives: i) to evaluate the effects of soil [i.e., Creldon (Oxyaquic Fragiudalf), Dapue (Fluventic Hapludoll), Roxana (Typic Udifluvent), and Calloway (Aquic Fraglossudalf) series], fertilizer-P …


Investigation Of Consumer Freezing Practices, Condition And Duration On Palatability Of Beef, Elizabeth Sue Neal Aug 2023

Investigation Of Consumer Freezing Practices, Condition And Duration On Palatability Of Beef, Elizabeth Sue Neal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of these studies was to determine: the impact of extended periods of frozen storage duration and packaging type on palatability traits of cooked beef steaks from two muscles and the impact of freezing type and storage duration on objective and subjective measures of ground beef palatability traits. In study 1, no differences were elicited from any of the possible interactions (P= 0.95) for SSF or CL: package × muscle × freezing duration, package × muscle, package × duration or muscle × duration. However, freezing duration did impact both SSF (P < 0.01) and CL (P < 0.001). Generally, for both SSF and CL steaks that were frozen for 9-months elicited both the highest SSF values as well as the greatest percentage of CL among all treatments. In comparison, EM was impacted by the interaction (P = 0.059) of packaging type  muscle  freezing duration. Samples from OW GM stored for 9-months elicited the highest percentage of EM while fresh OW LL samples resulted in the lowest. Additionally, expressible moisture was impacted by the interaction (P = 0.047) of muscle  freezing duration. Among all treatments, GM steaks that were frozen for 9-months elicited the highest EM values and fresh LL samples the lowest EM values. Contrastingly, there was no significant difference observed in expressible moisture for the interaction (P  0.18) of package type  freezing duration or for the interaction (P = 0.70) of package type  muscle. Generally, fresh OW GM steaks resulted in the greatest concentration of lipid derived volatile compounds such as aldehydes, hydrocarbons and alcohols which contrasted sensory ratings of trained panelists that indicated oxidized and refrigerator-stale ratings increased as storage time increased for OW steaks. In study 2, The interaction of freezer treatment × storage duration impacted gumminess (P = 0.05), a TPA attribute. In greater detail, samples stored in RF for 6-months resulted in the greatest gumminess values (P < 0.001), while those stored in the CF for 12-months elicited the lowest (P < 0.001). Similarly, flavor development was also impacted by the interaction (P = 0.05) of freezer treatment × storage duration. Three lipid derived compounds were of greatest concentration among RF patties stored for 1-month. In contrast, the interaction of freezer treatment × storage duration elicited no impact on consumer ratings, SF or TBARS. Nonetheless, frozen storage duration impacted TPA, flavor development, consumer ratings, SF and TBARS as a main effect (P < 0.05), especially in regard to tenderness and juiciness. Moreover, beef flavor development, tenderness and juiciness are impacted by freezing duration, muscle, freezer type and packaging, however these factors are not necessarily independent of one another. Furthermore, the retail display period is a critical period for fresh beef steaks, especially when packaged in aerobic conditions. For optimal eating experience, beef products should be stored for extended periods in a vacuum packaging, in a designated freezer that is not opened frequently to allow for optimal air flow regulation and minimize freezer burn to improve tenderness and juiciness.


Phenotypic And Transcriptomic Characterization Of Rice Snrk1 Mutants Developed By Crispr/Cas9 Mutagenesis, Maria Clara Faria Chaves Aug 2023

Phenotypic And Transcriptomic Characterization Of Rice Snrk1 Mutants Developed By Crispr/Cas9 Mutagenesis, Maria Clara Faria Chaves

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

SnRK1 is a heterotrimeric protein kinase that is composed of a catalytic subunit (α) and two regulatory subunits (β and βγ), and it has a main role in regulating energy homeostasis in the plant by modulating anabolic and catabolic process. SnRK1 phosphorylates and alters the activities of enzymes involved in metabolism and regulates gene expression by altering the activity of chromatin-remodeling enzymes or the transcription factors. Rice contains three functional paralogs of SnRK1α: SnRK1αa (LOC_Os03g17980), SnRK1αb (LOC_Os08g37800), and SnRK1αc (LOC_Os05g45420). This study focused on the function of these SnRK1 paralogs by evaluating the phenotypic and transcriptomic characteristics and the disease …


Evaluation Of Biochar Rate And Hemp Cultivar For The Phytoremediation Of Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil From The Tar Creek Superfund Site, Dietrich Thurston Aug 2023

Evaluation Of Biochar Rate And Hemp Cultivar For The Phytoremediation Of Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil From The Tar Creek Superfund Site, Dietrich Thurston

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soil contamination by cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) at the Tar Creek Superfund site in Northeast Oklahoma remains a threat to the environment and local ecosystem. Phytoremediation by industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and the use of biochar (BC) have been independently shown to be effective methods to remediate heavy-metal-contaminated soils. The objective of this greenhouse study was to evaluate the effects of industrial hemp cultivar (‘Carmagnola’ and ‘Jinma’), BC rate (0, 2, 5, and 10% by volume), soil contamination level (low, medium, and high), and their interactions on above- and belowground (AG and BG, respectively) plant dry …


Electrochemically Precipitated Struvite Effects On Soil Property And Crop Response, Tatum Simms Aug 2023

Electrochemically Precipitated Struvite Effects On Soil Property And Crop Response, Tatum Simms

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Phosphorus (P) is a vital resource that is finite and only mineable in raw-material form in a few countries worldwide. Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) is a mineral that can be produced from wastewater that may provide a promising alternative source of fertilizer-P for crop production, but comprehensive characterizations of struvite behavior in various soils and responses of various crops are necessary. This study aimed to determine the (1) leaching potential, (2) vertical soil profile-P distribution, (3) wheat (Triticum aestivum), corn (Zea mays), and soybean (Glycine max) response, and (4) soil property changes over time of electrochemically precipitated struvite (ECST) compared to that …


Modeling The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen Aegyptiaca) Invasion; And Future Concerns, Percival Matzinger Marshall Aug 2023

Modeling The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen Aegyptiaca) Invasion; And Future Concerns, Percival Matzinger Marshall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In an increasingly interconnected world, the ecological and financial cost of invasive species is expected to continue to climb through the movement of exotic biota. Understanding the driving forces behind how a species invades, what environments promote their establishment, and what impacts they are likely to have on the invaded environment are all critical for management. Waterfowl, order Anseriformes, are one such category of invasive species of concern due to their popularity of accidental introduction, ease of movement, and propensity to affect both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a native to the African continent that …


Securing Rice Safety Through Innovative Radiative Heat Treatment And Proper Storage, Faith Achieng Ouma Aug 2023

Securing Rice Safety Through Innovative Radiative Heat Treatment And Proper Storage, Faith Achieng Ouma

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Securing the microbial safety of rice is a rising priority within the food industry, especially when used as an ingredient to manufacture ready-to-eat, minimally-processed products. Mold contamination is typically the most problematic for rice because certain species of Aspergillus produce toxic secondary metabolites known as aflatoxins, rendering the grain unfit for human and animal consumption. The objectives of this study are to: (1) investigate the effectiveness of using high-power (915 MHz frequency), short-duration microwaves (MWs) to inactivate microbes on rough rice; (2) use a three-level screening design to determine which storage factors, such as temperature, relative humidity (RH), storage duration, …


Toxicity Of Different Insecticides To Sitophilus Oryzae, Tribolium Castaeneum And Tribolium Confusum Infesting Corn, Amina Twaibu Aug 2023

Toxicity Of Different Insecticides To Sitophilus Oryzae, Tribolium Castaeneum And Tribolium Confusum Infesting Corn, Amina Twaibu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Corn is an important cereal crop cultivated across various countries, including the United States. Corn serves multiple purposes such as human and livestock food and raw material for industrial processes. Despite being an important crop, corn production faces challenges due to factors such as weather fluctuations and the presence of insect pests and diseases, both in the field and during storage. Among these challenges, insect infestation poses a major threat, as the insect damage not only reduces the quantity and quality of the grain but also renders it unfit for human and animal consumption, leading to a decrease in market …


The Effect Of Carbohydrate Source As Part Of A High Protein, Weight-Maintenance Diet On Outcomes Of Well-Being In Adults At Risk For Metabolic Syndrome, Mariya Hayat Aug 2023

The Effect Of Carbohydrate Source As Part Of A High Protein, Weight-Maintenance Diet On Outcomes Of Well-Being In Adults At Risk For Metabolic Syndrome, Mariya Hayat

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a growing epidemic affecting at least 312 million people worldwide and is a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS is defined based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, as having 3 or more of the following: waist circumference greater than 102 cm in men or greater than 88 cm in women; serum level of triglycerides of 150 mg/dL or greater; high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level of less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women; systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or greater or …


Analyzing The Adoption, Cropping Rotation, And Impact Of Winter Cover Crops In The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (Map) Region Through Remote Sensing Technologies, Zobaer Ahmed Aug 2023

Analyzing The Adoption, Cropping Rotation, And Impact Of Winter Cover Crops In The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (Map) Region Through Remote Sensing Technologies, Zobaer Ahmed

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the application of remote sensing technologies in conservation agriculture, specifically focusing on identifying and mapping winter cover crops and assessing voluntary cover crop adoption and cropping patterns in the Arkansas portion of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). In the first chapter, a systematic review using the PRISMA methodology examines the last 30 years of thematic research, development, and trends in remote sensing applied to conservation agriculture from a global perspective. The review uncovers a growing interest in remote sensing-based research in conservation agriculture and emphasizes the necessity for further studies dedicated to conservation practices. Among the 68 …


Use Of Microorganisms For The Enrichment Of Zn And Se By Using Solid-State Fermentation, Rashmi Rangaswamaiah Aug 2023

Use Of Microorganisms For The Enrichment Of Zn And Se By Using Solid-State Fermentation, Rashmi Rangaswamaiah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) are essential minerals for human health and naturally found in many food sources. However, the risk of Zn and Se deficiency has been recognized in several countries. As most people throughout the world consume rice, grains, and cereals as staple foods in their daily diet, which contain a certain amount of phytic acid (antinutrients), the phytic acid content inhibits mineral absorption (Zn and Se) by the human body. Moreover, the low levels of Zn and Se content found in the crop's soil also reduce the amount of minerals in the food sources. Therefore, it is …


Shedding In The Timber Rattlesnake: Natural Patterns, Endocrinological Underpinnings, Temporal And Energetic Effort, And Integration As A Reptilian Life History Trait, Maxwell D. Carnes-Mason Aug 2023

Shedding In The Timber Rattlesnake: Natural Patterns, Endocrinological Underpinnings, Temporal And Energetic Effort, And Integration As A Reptilian Life History Trait, Maxwell D. Carnes-Mason

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The semi-frequent replacement of the epidermis (ecdysis) is a characteristic trait of reptiles. Whereas all reptiles regularly engage in some degree of skin shedding, skin morphology in snakes necessitates the synchronous replacement of the entire epidermis and facilitates the subsequent removal of the old layer as a single sheet. To date, the ubiquitous process has garnered little attention from researchers because snakes shed with unpredictable timing and frequency and are exceedingly cryptic during ecdytic cycles; previously impeding detailed physiological or ecological investigations of the process in the clade. Because of the lack of study, ecdysis is often viewed as a …


Screening A Set Of Tomato Genotypes For Resistance To Bacterial Wilt And A Genomic Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction For Yield-Related Traits In ‘Lcp 85-384’. I. Sugarcane, Theresa Makawa Phiri Aug 2023

Screening A Set Of Tomato Genotypes For Resistance To Bacterial Wilt And A Genomic Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction For Yield-Related Traits In ‘Lcp 85-384’. I. Sugarcane, Theresa Makawa Phiri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis comprises two studies that focused on screening tomato genotypes for bacterial wilt resistance and a genome-wide association study and genomic prediction for yield-related traits in sugarcane with the aim of contributing to the breeding programs. In the first chapter, 40 tomato accessions from the USDA collection were evaluated for their resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum isolate P822 under controlled greenhouse conditions. The plants were inoculated, and disease symptoms were visually assessed. Disease severity was rated on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 represented no wilting and 4 indicated complete leaf wilting. Among the tested accessions, five (PI …


Effects Of Supplemental Trace Minerals As Amino Acid Complexed Or Inorganic Sources For Beef Cattle From Receiving Through Finishing, Robin Ashley Cheek Aug 2023

Effects Of Supplemental Trace Minerals As Amino Acid Complexed Or Inorganic Sources For Beef Cattle From Receiving Through Finishing, Robin Ashley Cheek

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of experiments was to investigate the effects of inorganic or amino acid-complexed sources of trace minerals on health, gain performance, liver mineral concentrations, and carcass characteristics of beef heifers from receiving through finishing. To investigate the effects of inorganic or amino acid-complexed sources of trace minerals (zinc, copper, manganese, and cobalt) on performance and morbidity of beef heifers during the receiving period, crossbred beef heifer calves arriving on 3 delivery dates were used in a 42-day receiving trial. Treatments consisted of supplemental zinc (360 mg/d), copper (125 mg/d), manganese (200 mg/d), and cobalt (12 mg/d) from complexed (Availa-4, …