Life Sciences Commons^™

Comparative Functional Genomics Of The Sabath Family Of Methyltransferases In Plants, Nan Zhao

Doctoral Dissertations

Known members of the plant SABATH family of methyltransferases (MTs) have important biological functions by methylating hormones, signaling molecules and other metabolites. This dissertation aims to systematically investigate the biochemical and biological functions and evolution of SABATH genes in plants. The genomes of rice and poplar have been fully sequenced, which provides unprecedented opportunities for cross-species comparison of the SABATH family. Using a comparative genomic approach, 41 and 33 SABATH genes were identified in rice and poplar, respectively. The expression of these genes in different tissue was analyzed using RT-PCR approach and some genes highly expressed in multiple tissues were …

Plant Improvement For Insect Resistance: Testing Of The Candidate Organism Beauveria Bassiana, Transgenic Tobacco Expressing Protease Inhibitors, And Rapid Screen Of Insect Resistance Genes In An Agroinfiltration Transient Expression System, Brian M. Leckie

Doctoral Dissertations

This study focused on three aspects of plant improvement for insect resistance including: testing of candidate organisms for their production of insecticidal proteins, testing of transgenic plants expressing insect resistance genes, and testing novel systems for the evaluation of insect resistance genes. In the initial part of this study, the candidate fungus Beauveria bassiana was tested for its production of insecticidal proteins through a series of insect bioassays containing fungal protein extracts. These extracts were shown to be orally toxic to Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth) and Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm). Assays involving protease treatments significantly decreased mortality indicating the presence …

Plant Transcriptional Responses To Explosives As Revealed By Arabidopsis Thaliana Microarrays And Its Application In Phytoremediation And Phytosensing, Murali Malavalli Keerthi Narayana Raghavendra Rao

Doctoral Dissertations

This research focused on understanding genetic responses of plants to explosives, which is necessary to produce plants to detect and clean soil and water contaminated with toxic explosive compounds. The first study used microarray technology to reveal transcriptional changes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to the explosive compounds RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine; Royal Demolition Explosive or Research Department Explosive) and TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene). This study yielded a list of genes up- and downregulated by explosive compounds, which can be potentially used for phytoremediation (remediation using plants) or phytosensing (detection using plants) of explosive compounds. The second study presented biotechnology tools to …

Sp618-2008-2008 Corn Hybrid And Sweet Sorghum Silage Tests In Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Field & Commercial Crops

No abstract provided.

Rr09-03-2008 Soybean Variety Performance Tests In Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Field & Commercial Crops

No abstract provided.

W209 Cutleaf Evening Primrose (Oenothera Laciniata Hill), The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Field & Commercial Crops

No abstract provided.

Buyer And Grower Perceptions Of Liner Quality And Associated Production Costs Of Nursery Liner Stock, Andrew H. Jeffers

Masters Theses

Liner production is a key segment in the nursery industry. Due to a lack of specific of quality standards by governing industry organizations as well as a lack of general consensus among growers of perceived liner quality, a conjoint analysis study was developed to determine buyer and grower preferences for nursery liner product features during point-of-purchase decisions. The study used a visual survey using six variables (first order lateral roots (FOLR), price, region of production, and height, canopy density and caliper uniformity) with varying levels yielding a 3 x 3 x 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design. …

Characterization Of The Metallohistin Cdna Agnt84 And Pteris Vittata Tissue Culture For Phytoremediation, Blake Lee Joyce

Masters Theses

Contamination of soils with toxic metals such as arsenic and cadmium has become a major environmental and human health risk. Phytoremediation provides a method to remove contaminants from soils that is not only economically viable but also environmentally sound. Metallohistins are proteins that have the capability to bind divalent metal ions such as Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺. In this study, a concatemer sequence was designed to try to increase the presence of metal-binding proteins in transgenic plants. Two methods to increase translational efficiency of the metallohistin protein were used: …

Tissue Culture And Recombinant Dna Technology: Developing Protocols For Potentially Higher Yielding Switchgrass Cultivars, Stephen Michael Foulk

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis project was to, firstly, establish and optimize protocols for high-throughput callus induction and plant regeneration for the new, higher yielding switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) cultivars NSL and SL93. Secondly, to subclone the complementary DNA (cDNA) of the anthocyanin transcription factor, C1, from pBECKS.red into pUC18 and pBSL15 for downstream use.

For the first part of this project the cultivars, NF/GA992, NF/GA993, NSL, and SL93, were tested for callus induction by plating whole dehusked caryopses on callus induction media (CIM) containing 8.5uM of the auxin dicamba. NF/GA992 responded best to the treatment with 44% of …

1 Plant Sciences Newsletter Fall 2008, Department Of Plant Sciences

Plant Sciences Newsletter

No abstract provided.

W199 Tennessee Master Gardener Volunteer Handbook, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Field & Commercial Crops

The Tennessee Master Gardener Program is a University of Tennessee Extension volunteer program that provides the public with quality home horticulture and gardener-related information through educational programs, examples and demonstrations. Master Gardener volunteers are a diverse group of people with extraordinary talents and abilities which hosts educational and community service projects across the state of Tennessee and the United States. Volunteers are trained with 40 hours of horticultural classes and, in return, volunteers give their community 40 hours of volunteer service through their local UT Extension Office. Master Gardeners are required to maintain a connection to their local UT Extension …

W192-Why Will My Weed Problem Not Go Away? 8 Common Reasons Why Herbicides Fail, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Home Garden, Lawn, and Landscape

The frustration can be unsettling. ”Why won’t this weed die? I sprayed it with an herbicide, but for the life of me I can not figure out why it’s still here.” This is a very common story we hear from many people trying to control tough weeds in lawns, vegetable gardens, flower beds, nurseries, forests and agricultural fields. Many times just a small change in your approach to controlling the weed is all that is needed, but sometimes the problem can be a bit more complex. Whatever the weed control challenge, it is likely someone else has shared this same …

Pb1621-Best Management Practices For Planting Ornamental Plants, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Home Garden, Lawn, and Landscape

While spring is a popular planting season, fall may be the best time to plant. Fall planting can help woody ornamental plants survive in the landscape. In fall, plant shoots need fewer nutrients because winter dormancy is approaching. In fall too, carbohydrate plant “food” is produced in leaves and moves to roots, which helps plant growth and survival. Importantly, roots continue to grow until soil temperatures drop below 45-50 F (7-10 C). It is extremely important to water when planting in fall because October and November are usually very dry months with little rainfall. But fallplanted plants also will not …

Pb1621-S-Prácticas Gerenciales Óptimas Para La Plantación De Plantas Ornamentales, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Home Garden, Lawn, and Landscape

Aunque la primavera es una época popular para plantar, el otoño puede ser la mejor época para hacerlo. La plantación en otoño puede ayudar a que las plantas ornamentales leñosas sobrevivan en el jardín. En otoño, los brotes necesitan menos nutrientes porque se está acercando el estado latente del invierno. También, en otoño, los carbohidratos que sirven como “comida” para la planta, son transportados de las hojas, donde fueron producidos, a las raíces. Esto ayuda al crecimiento y supervivencia de la planta. Las raíces continúan creciendo hasta que la temperatura del suelo baje a más de 45°-50° F (de 7°-10° …

Transcriptional Responses Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Plants To As (V) Stress, Jason M. Abercrombie, Matthew D. Halfhill, Priya Ranjan, Murali R. Rao, Arnold M. Saxton, Joshua S. Yuan, Neal Stewart

Plant Sciences Publications and Other Works

Background

Arsenic is toxic to plants and a common environmental pollutant. There is a strong chemical similarity between arsenate [As (V)] and phosphate (Pi). Whole genome oligonucleotide microarrays were employed to investigate the transcriptional responses of Arabidopsis thaliana plants to As (V) stress.

Results

Antioxidant-related genes (i.e. coding for superoxide dismutases and peroxidases) play prominent roles in response to arsenate. The microarray experiment revealed induction of chloroplast Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) (at2g28190), Cu/Zn SOD (at1g08830), as well as an SOD copper chaperone (at1g12520). On the other hand, Fe SODs were strongly repressed in response to As (V) stress. Non-parametric rank …

Rr09-01-2008 Wheat, Barley & Oat Variety Performance Tests In Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Field & Commercial Crops

No abstract provided.

Pb378 Forage & Field Crop Seeding Guide For Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Field & Commercial Crops

No abstract provided.

Interactions Between Alfalfa Mosaic Virus And Soybean Mosaic Virus In Soybean, Martha Maria Malapi-Nelson

Masters Theses

Viral synergism occurs when two or more unrelated viruses simultaneously infect the same plant and the multiplication of one of the viruses is enhanced. This is generally associated with no change(s) in multiplication of the other viruses involved. Synergism also results in intensification of symptoms. In mixed-infection, viruses may also interact in an antagonistic manner, where one virus suppresses the replication or accumulation of another virus. This phenomenon is uncommon, and only two cases have been reported where the coat protein (CP) accumulation of one of the viruses has decreased. A number of synergistic interactions studied involve viruses belonging to …

Effect Of Pod Maturity And Plant Spacing On Isoflavone Content And Harvest Force Of Edible Soybeans [Glycine Max (L.) Merrill], Allison E. Stewart

Masters Theses

In recent years consumer interest in edamame increased in part due to reported health benefits associated with vegetable soybeans. Consequently, interest in soybean production has increased steadily. This research consists of three related studies. A spacing and planting date study was performed to compare four soybean lines. This experiment utilized four plant spacings and three planting dates. The lines were grown at the Plateau Research and Education Center in Crossville, TN in 2005 and 2006. Seeds were harvested at the R6 and R8 reproductive stages. Samples were analyzed by HPLC for isoflavone content. Data from the R6 harvest confirmed previously …

Identification And Management Of Moss And Phytopathogenic Algae Common On Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens, Steven Michael Borst

Masters Theses

Taxonomic traits were utilized to identify problematic moss species common to golf course putting greens. Three predominant species of moss were identified on two golf course putting greens located in East Tennessee. Bryum argenteum, Amblystegium serpens and Entodon seductrix were identified on creeping bentgrass putting greens. Green house studies were initiated to investigate all three moss species control with carfentrazone and mancozeb. Utilizing digital image analysis investigations concluded carfentrazone controlled all three moss species greater than mancozeb. Sequential carfentrazone applications controlled all three moss species greater than single applications. Moss recovery and regrowth was observed with carfentrazone.

Field studies …

Detection And Validation Of Agronomic And Seed Quality Quantitative Trait Loci In Soybean, Catherine Nyaguthii Nyinyi

Masters Theses

Soybean seed quality and agronomic traits are important commercially. Agronomic traits such as yield, plant height, lodging, and adapted maturity have been the primary focus of breeders for many years. Seed quality traits are also important as they affect the market price of soybean. Higher protein soybean historically is valued more per unit. It is the goal of plant breeders therefore to simultaneously improve seed quality and agronomic traits. Seed quality and agronomic traits are quantitative traits whose inheritance is governed by many genes, and whose expression is subject to environmental variation. Furthermore, negative correlations between yield and protein, and …

Pb1033 Controlling The Alfalfa Weevil In Tennessee, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Field & Commercial Crops

The alfalfa weevil is present in every county in Tennessee where alfalfa is grown. Producers should be prepared to control this extremely destructive insect whenever necessary if they expect to continue producing this valuable hay crop.

Sp290-N The Greenbug In Grain Sorghum, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension

Field & Commercial Crops

Greenbugs are small (1.6 mm long), soft-bodied insects that are oval in shape. Greenbugs usually feed in colonies by sucking sap from leaves. Feeding may cause mottling and discoloration of the plant. Heavily infested leaves turn red or yellow, shrivel and die. Damaging levels of greenbugs can result in the destruction of entire grain sorghum fields.

Application And Optimization Of Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (Bret) For Real Time Detection Of Protein-Protein Interactions In Transgenic Arabidopsis As Well As Structure-Based Functional Studies On The Active Site Of Coelenterazine-Dependent Luciferase From Renilla And Its Improvement By Protein Engineering, Jongchan Woo

Doctoral Dissertations

Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is a biological phenomenon in some marine organisms such as Renilla reniformis and Aequorea victoria. In BRET, resonance energy from decarboxylation of coelenterazine, a substrate of Renilla luciferase (RLUC), is transferred to its acceptor such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) or yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), dependent on a distance of around 5 nm between the energy donor (RLUC) and its acceptor. The activation of the energy acceptor results in a spectral change in luminescence emission. The BRET system allows investigation of in vivo protein-protein interactions in real time. This was demonstrated with two heterodimeric …

Facilitating Private Forestland Management: Relating Landowners’ Experience Of Their Forestland And Their Conceptualization Of Forest Management To Their Management Behavior, Miriam L.E. Steiner Davis

Doctoral Dissertations

Privately owned forestland accounts for the majority of forested land in the US and provides numerous ecological, economic and social benefits to its owners and society at large. However, numerous issues ranging from fragmentation and parcelization, to pressure from the forest products industry, to increasing land values for development and real estate interests threaten to “unravel” the forest landscape. Active management of forestland is seen as one way to combat such threats. Active management of private forestland has been linked to numerous factors such as private forest landowners’ (PFLs’) general education level and familiarity with forest management, their goals, interests, …

Non-Target Effect Of Imidacloprid On The Predatory Arthropod Guild On Eastern Hemlock, Tsuga Canadensis (L.) Carriere, In The Southern Appalachians, Abdul Hakeem

Masters Theses

Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, is commonly applied on eastern hemlock to reduce populations of Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). A large number of other herbivorous and transient insects also are associated with eastern hemlock. These herbivorous insects may acquire imidacloprid through feeding on treated plants. Predatory insects may acquire imidacloprid when they feed on insecticide-contaminated prey. To investigate this phenomenon, a study was conducted at Indian Boundary Campground, Cherokee National Forest, 2005-2007. This study was conducted to: 1) ascertain the effect of imidacloprid used against HWA on the predatory guild associated with eastern hemlock, 2) determine seasonal abundance of the predatory …

Effects Of Elevated Co2 On Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis Stolonifera L.) During The Ante Meridiem Photoperiod For Summer Heat Stress Tolerance, Rodney V. Tocco Jr.

Masters Theses

The demand for optimum putting conditions requires golf course superintendents to manage cool season creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) in the transition zone and upper south. Summer heat stress combined with low mowing heights and constant traffic are challenges that superintendents must face in order to successfully manage creeping bentgrass from early May to late September. A field experiment was conducted on a Crenshaw putting green under golf course conditions during the 2006 summer and twice during the 2007 summer in Knoxville, TN. 2006 enriched air treatments of ~692 ppm CO₂ and ~891 ppm CO₂ were compared …

Survey Of Public Garden Leaders, Andrew J. Pulte

Masters Theses

Leadership and leadership development is an important topic facing those who lead and train people in the area of public horticulture. In the fall of 2007 an email survey consisting of 55 questions was sent to 448 executive directors of public gardens in the United States. This survey was divided into six major sections: demographics on each director‟s garden and their association with their garden; each directors view of leadership in their garden and in the field of public horticulture; each directors experience with, and their view on the importance of internships; leadership style; each directors level of confidence, and …

Evaluation Of Poa Annua L. Resistance To Mitotic Inhibiting Herbicides, Matthew A. Cutulle

Masters Theses

Four bioassays were conducted to evaluate an ecotype of Poa annua L. from Chattanooga for resistance to prodiamine, pendimethalin, and dithiopyr herbicides. MSmedia, filter-paper, and soil-based bioassays all evaluated root growth response in mature seed from the Chattanooga ecotype and a sensitive control. The hydroponics bioassay evaluated mature tiller response. All the bioassays were able to diagnose the Chattanooga population as resistant to prodiamine and pendimethalin. The soil-based bioassay was able to detect minimal resistance to dithiopyr. Additionally, the Chattanooga population exhibited variability of resistance to dinitroanalines.

Changes In Endogenous Carotenoid Pools Of Turf And Weed Species As Affected By Mesotrione And Environmental Conditions, James D. Mccurdy

Masters Theses

Mesotrione, a carotenoid biosynthesis inhibiting herbicide, was evaluated for its use in turfgrass systems. Experiments were conducted to evaluate smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum) control with preemergence applications of mesotrione plus prodiamine. Experiments evaluated the influence of application timing on the efficacy of mesotrione plus prodiamine combinations and compared mesotrione plus prodiamine to current preemergence and early-postemergence herbicide treatments used for control of crabgrass. Greenhouse studies were conducted to compare the effects of foliar, soil, and soil plus foliar application of mesotrione on yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis). Research was conducted …