Life Sciences Commons^™

Plant Maze, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Students plant bean sprouts to observe their growth.

Temperature Effects On Yield Of Ideal Wheat Cultivars, Jeffrey Jiang

Senior Theses

North American wheat growing areas show variation in many different factors, one of the most varied and important being temperature. Temperature is well established to correlate with yield. Given data from the Uniform Soft Red Winter Wheat Nursery and independently gathered data from government-owned weather stations, I explored possible correlations between temperature and wheat yield that can be extrapolated to areas that are not covered by the Uniform Soft Red Winter Wheat Nursery database. My analysis did not reveal strong correlations between temperature and growth, and in some cases, the sample size was too small. From this study, it was …

My Summer Working With Two-Spotted Spider Mites, Renée A. Smith

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Two-spotted spider mites are a polyphagous pest, capable of eating a magnitude of food crops which causes a large problem for Canadian agriculture. Their ability to consume various crops stems from their ability to adapt to various chemical defence mechanisms. This ability allows them to acquire resistance to many commonly used pesticides. This has resulted in large infections in Canadian farms with few options to prevent the pests from affecting crop yields. Take a look at my project if you'd like to see how the Grbic lab is working to combat this issue using genetic engineering techniques!

Pectin And Alginate Extraction To Treat Liquid Cafo Manure, Clare Sunderman

Honors Projects

For this project, various extraction methods were used to extract pectin from Pastinaca Sativa and alginate from Macrocystis. These extractions were then dried and used in treating 250mL of manure along with a CaCl₂ or FeCl₃ coagulant. It was found that CaCl₂ was not as effective as FeCl₃ in coagulating manure. But the results obtained suggest that pectin and alginate obtained with a simpler extraction method is just as effective as the highly purified and refined pectin and alginate produced for the food industry, in the treatment of CAFO manure. The liquid portion of the …

Aphid Natural Enemies And Biological Control, Ron Patterson, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

This fact sheet lists common arthropods of Utah that eat aphids. It will help identify those arthropods and will describe management practices that aid in their success. Many of these predators will eat other plant damaging insects in addition to aphids.

Velvet Longhorned Beetle (Trichoferus Campestris (Faldermann), Taryn M. Rodman, Lori R. Spears, Diane G. Alston, Cami Cannon, Kristopher Watson, Joey Caputo

All Current Publications

The velvet longhorned beetle is an invasive wood-boring pest that is native to Asia and Russia. It infests fruit, forest, and ornamental trees, as well as green and dry wood, such as timber and lumber. This fact sheet provides a description, and information on life history, plant hosts, injury symptoms, monitoring, and management.

Membrane Lipid Extraction Methods From Sorghum Bicolor, Max Regester

Honors Theses

Plants are the basis of the world as we know it. As sessile beings, there are often subject to many environment stressors like drought, extreme temperatures, etc. One way of analyzing how plants respond to these stressors is by monitoring changes in their lipid compositions. Having a better understanding of how plants respond to different stressors can have very important implications when it comes to cultivating crops. When testing lipid composition, it is important to measure levels as they were in the living tissue. The problem is, enzymes known as lipases are active during extraction and can greatly change the …

Teaching Natural And Artificial Selection In Production Agriculture, Madhav P. Nepal, Clayton W. Scott

iLEARN Teaching Resources

In this lesson, students will learn how natural selection and artificial selection impact both production agriculture and biological sciences. A natural selection is a mechanism that favors heritable traits that increase species survival and reproduction. Artificial selection is a selective breeding, where humans select for desirable traits in agricultural products.

Analysis Of Johne’S Disease Elisa Status And Associated Performance Parameters In Irish Dairy Cows, A. E. Kennedy, N. Byrne, A. B. Garcia, Jim O'Mahony, R. G. Sayers

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Infection with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) has been associated with reductions in milk production in dairy cows and sub optimal fertility. The aim of this study was to highlight the production losses associated with testing MAP ELISA positive in Irish dairy cows. Secondary objectives included investigation of risk factors associated with testing MAP ELISA positive. A survey of management practices on study farms was also conducted, with examination of associations between management practices and herd MAP status.

Blood samples were collected from 4188 breeding animals on 22 farms. Samples were ELISA tested using the ID Screen Paratuberculosis Indirect Screening …

Origins Of The Classical Gene Concept, 1900–1950: Genetics, Mechanistic, Philosophy, And The Capitalization Of Agriculture, Garland E. Allen

Biology Faculty Publications & Presentations

In the period of “classical genetics” (roughly 1915–1950), the common view of the gene was mechanistic—that is, genes were seen as individual, atomistic units, as material components of the chromosomes. Although it was recognized early on that genes could interact and influence each other’s expression, they were still regarded as individually functioning units, much like the chemists’ atoms or molecules. Although geneticists in particular knew the story was more complex, the atomistic gene remained the central view for a variety of reasons. It fit the growing philosophy of mechanistic materialism in the life sciences, as biologists tried to make their …

Biology And Ecology Of Glyphosate-Resistant Giant Ragweed, Kabelo Segobye

Open Access Theses

Giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.) is a competitive annual plant found in disturbed landscapes and is the most troublesome weed in Indiana and the US Corn Belt. It is one of the most common and problematic weeds in corn and soybean production. The introduction of herbicide glyphosate, N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine in early 1970's provided farmers with a better and low-cost tool to control weeds. The use of glyphosate drastically increased after the development of glyphosate resistant agronomic crops in 1996 and was use as a post-emergence selective herbicide. This led to overreliance and repeated use of glyphosate for weed control especially …

Orthotomicus Tridentatus Eggers: Distribution And Biology In Cedar Forests Of Turkey, Mustafa Avci, Oğuzhan Sarikaya

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Orthotomicus tridentatus Eggers, 1921 (Col.: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) is the most important forest pest of cedar stands in Turkey. Yet, very little is known about its distribution and biology. Therefore, the distribution and biological characteristics of O. tridentatus were studied in the Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey between 2006 and 2008. It was determined to be a species common to all cedar forests. The length of adults was between 2.5 and 3.9 mm and the main galleries were 'S' shaped. O. tridentatus was determined to be a monophagus species for Cedrus libani A. Rich. and as endemic to Turkey. It was …

Use Of Lolium Multiflorum For Remediation Of Phosphorus From Poultry-Litter-Contaminated Media, Daniel L Starnes

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

Improving The Mass Rearing Possibilities Of Serangium Montazerii Fürsch (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) On Different Host Plants Of Bemisia Tabaci (Genn.) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), Gonca Vatansever, M. Rifat Ulusoy, Lerzan Bakircioğlu Erkiliç

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The objectives of this study were to identify suitable plant species for mass rearing and to determine some biological characteristics of the predator Serangium montazerii Fürsch (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) used in the biological control of Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). The development time, mortality rate, preoviposition, oviposition and postoviposition periods and fecundity of S. montazerii were studied on various host plants using Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). Two cotton (Çukurova-1518 and Deltapine) and two eggplant (Pala and Çukurova topağı) cultivars were used at 25 ºC and 65 ± 5% RH in growth chambers. Additionally, life tables were constructed from the data …

Ec03-177 Noxious Weeds Of Nebraska: Purple Loosestrife, Stevan Z. Knezevic

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Purple loosestrife is an introduced invasive weed that is overrunning thousands of acres of wetlands and waterways in the Midwest. Once purple loosestrife invades a wetland, natural habitat is lost and the productivity of native plant and animal communities is severely reduced. This Extension Circular discusses the biology, identification, distribution and control of purple loosestrife.

Ec03-176 Noxious Weeds Of Nebraska: Musk Thistle, Fred Roeth, Steven R. Melvin, Irvin L. Schleufer

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Musk Thistle is an introduced invasive broadleaf weed native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia. In these areas it is a minor weed because natural enemies keep its population low. When the plant was introduced into North America, its natural enemies were left behind. Without these natural checks, the thistle is able to thrive and compete with native vegetation. This Extension Circular discusses the history, biology, identification, distribution and control of the musk thistle.

Ec02-177 Purple Loosestrife, Stevan Z. Knezevic

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an introduced invasive weed that isover running thousands of acres of wetlands and waterways in the Midwest. Once purple loosestrife invades a wetland, natural habitat is lost and the productivity of native plant and animal communities is severely reduced. These losses in turn interfere with various levels of the ecosystem and area recreational activities such as fishing, boating and hunting, diminishing revenue from tourism and impairing the social and economic well being of local communities. A single control measure cannot provide long-term, sustainable control of this weed. An integrated approach, using a variety …

Ec02-174 Noxious Weeds Of Nebraska: Leafy Spurge, Robert A. Masters, Brady Kappler

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Leafy spurge is an invasive weed that infests over three million acres in the northern Great Plains and the prairie provinces of Canada. It is commonly found in rangelands, pastures, roadsides, rights-of-way, and woodlands. Leafy spurge can reduce rangeland and pasture carrying capacity by as much as 75 percent because it competes with forages and cattle avoid grazing areas infested with this weed.

This Extension Circular discusses the biology, identification, distribution and control of leafy spurge.

Ec02-173 Spotted And Diffuse Knapweed, Neil L. Heckman, Ryan M. Goss, Roch E. Gaussoin, Stevan Z. Knezevic, John L. Lindquist

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Spotted knapweed (Centaure amaculosa Lam. = C. biebersteinii DC.) and diffuse knapweed (C.diffusa Lam.) are two of Nebraska’s seven noxious weeds. They are also noxious in at least 17 other states. These are closely related species that are well adapted to a variety of habitats including open forests, rangelands and pastures, Conservation Reserve Program lands, roadsides, and ditch banks. Centaurea is a large genus of over 400 species, 32 of which are common weeds of the United States and several of which [e.g., yellowstar thistle, C. solstitalis L, and Russian knapweed, C. repens L. =Acroptilon repens (L.) …

Ec02-172 Plumeless Thistle, Kara L. Hilgenfeld, Alex Martin

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides L.) is one of seven noxious weeds in Nebraska. An introduced invasive broadleaf weed native to Europe and Asia, plumeless thistle currently infests about 65,000 acres in Nebraska. Infestations of plumeless thistle may reduce productivity of pastures and rangeland, where infestations tend to be the largest. Plumeless thistle competes with and suppresses growth of desirable species. Heavy infestations prevent livestock from grazing the area and lighter infestations prevent livestock from eating plants growing near the thistle. Estimates place the annual loss in Nebraska agricultural production due to plumeless thistle at $162,000. Although plumeless thistle is …

Ec02-171 Canada Thistle, Robert G. Wilson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense (L) Scop.] is one of the seven species defined by Nebraska law as a noxious weed. At least 35 other states also have determined by law that Canada thistle poses a threat to the economic, social, and aesthetic well-being of the residents of their state. Canada thistle is probably the most widespread of all the thistle species and many land managers consider it the most difficult thistle to control. In Nebraska, Canada thistle is estimated to infest 460,000 acres.

Ec02-176 Musk Thistle, Fred Roeth, Steven R. Melvin, Irvin L. Schleufer

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Musk thistle (Carduus nutans L.) is an introduced invasive broadleaf weed native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia. In these areas it is a minor weed because natural enemies keep its population low. When the plant was introduced into North America, its natural enemies were left behind. Without these natural checks, the thistle is able to thrive and compete with native vegetation.

Musk thistles aggressively invade all lands in Nebraska. Typical cropland weed control methods are very effective against them; however, land with permanent cover (pasture, range, roadway ditches and wasteland) that is not tilled or treated with a …

Ec02-174 Leafy Spurge, Robert A. Masters, Brady F. Kappler

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Leafy spurge is an invasive weed that infests over three million acres in the northern Great Plains and the prairie provinces of Canada. It is commonly found in rangelands, pastures, roadsides, rights-of-way, and woodlands. Leafy spurge can reduce rangeland and pasture carrying capacity by as much as 75 percent because it competes with forages and cattle avoid grazing areas infested with this weed. In North Dakota where leafy spurge infests about 900,000 acres, estimates of direct and indirect losses exceed $100 million each year. In Nebraska, the direct loss in forage value attributed to leafy spurge has been estimated at …

Ec00-1564 A Guide To Identifying Nebraska Bumble Bee Species, Marion D. Ellis, Doug Golick

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

For more people, pollen means allergies and bees mean stings. However, you should thank a bee, butterfly, bat, bird, or other pollinator for one out of every three bites of food you eat. There are 95 crops grown in the United States that require insect pollinators. In addition, many bee-pollinated plants provide food for wildlife, increase soil fertility, and beautify our landscapes.

This extension circular discusses the importance of bees, capturing bees, making a reference collection, identification guide, and glossary.

G94-1208 Managing The Alfalfa Weevil, Stephen D. Danielson, Thomas E. Hunt, Keith J. Jarvi

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The identification and life cycle of the alfalfa weevil are discussed along with scouting techniques, economic thresholds, and other integrated pest management tactics.

The alfalfa weevil is the primary insect pest of alfalfa in Nebraska. Management is essential to reduce crop losses, particularly during years when weevil infestation is high. Because there also are years when weevil damage is economically unimportant, it is necessary for growers to become familiar with sampling procedures, management guidelines, and control recommendations so control techniques are not used unnecessarily.

G94-1220 Controlling Ticks, John B. Campbell, Gustave D. Thomas

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Identification and control of ticks common to Nebraska.

Ticks are members of the same phylum (Arthropoda) of the animal kingdom as insects, but are in a different class (Arachnida). The main difference is the body of a tick is composed of only two sections while insect bodies have three sections.

There are over 800 species of ticks, 100 of which are important to man and animals because of economic losses or disease transmission. Fortunately in the United States, only about 12 species are economically important because they transmit disease organisms (viral, bacterial, protozoan, and rickettsial) or cause economic losses to …

G93-1167 Spider Mite Management In Corn And Soybeans, Robert J. Wright, Ronald C. Seymour, Leon G. Higley, John B. Campbell

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes the two common spider mites found in Nebraska corn and soybeans, their natural enemies and management.

Two species of spider mites, the Banks grass mite and twospotted spider mite, commonly feed on Nebraska corn. Banks grass mites (BGM) feed almost exclusively on grasses, including corn and sorghum. Twospotted spider mites (TSM) not only feed on many species of grasses, but also on soybeans, fruit trees and a variety of vegetables and ornamental plants. Although these two species are somewhat similar in appearance, they differ in several biological characteristics and in their susceptibility to pesticides.

Banks grass mites …

G91-1062 Termites (Revised March 2002), Shripat T. Kamble

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide provides information on biology and control of subterranean termites.

Termites feed on wood and serve an important function in nature by converting dead trees into organic matter. Unfortunately, the wood in buildings is equally appetizing to termites and they cause serious damage to residential and commercial buildings. Two species of subterranean termites are found in Nebraska and both species have similar habitats.

G87-838 Management Of Greenbugs In Sorghum (Revised May 1994), Robert J. Wright, Stephen D. Danielson, Zb Mayo

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes the identification, biology and management options for greenbugs in Nebraska sorghum.

The greenbug is the most important insect pest of grain and forage sorghums in Nebraska. Although numbers fluctuate from year to year, greenbugs are a limiting factor to sorghum yield in most years. Their management is complicated by the fact that greenbugs have been able to evolve populations capable of overcoming plant resistance and organophosphate insecticides, so best management practices continue to change over time.

Another common aphid found in sorghum is the corn leaf aphid. Corn leaf aphids are often mistaken for greenbugs; however, they …

G84-717 Fleas And Their Management (Revised January 1993), Shripat T. Kamble, David L. Keith

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide provides information on flea biology and how to solve flea problems.

Fleas are among the most annoying pests known to humans. In ancient times, fleas were even indicted, found guilty and sentenced to condemnation. Today, the verdict remains the same.

In Nebraska, fleas are common household pests attacking dogs, cats and sometimes people. In addition to these, several other flea species occur in Nebraska, feeding principally on rodents and occasionally on poultry and livestock. The information provided in this publication will focus primarily on cat and dog fleas, as they are the most commonly encountered species.