Digital Commons Network^™

Enzymatic Quantification Of Phytate In Animal Manure, Zhongqi He, Heidi W. Waldrip, C. Wayne Honeycutt, M. Susan Erich, Zachary N. Senwo

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Phytate (inositol hexaphosphate) has been identified as a major organic phosphorus (P) form in soil, animal manure, and other environmental samples. Although a number of methods are available for quantitative isolation and determination of phytate, they are time-consuming and not amenable to routine analysis. We developed a simple, rapid method for enzymatic determination of phytate in animal manure. Animal manure was extracted by H₂O, 1M hydrochloric acid (HCl), 0.1M sodium acetate (NaOAc, pH5.0) with or without 0.05M ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), and 0.25M or 0.5M sodium hydroxide (NaOH)–0.05M EDTA. Extracts were diluted (1/10–1/150) and adjusted to pH5.0 in sodium acetate …

Container And Installation Time Effects On Soil Moisture, Temperature, And Inorganic Nitrogen Retention For An In Situ Nitrogen Mineralization Method, Brian J. Wienhold, Gary E. Varvel, Wallace W. Wilhelm

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Mineralization contributes significantly to agronomic nitrogen (N) budgets and is difficult to accurately predict. Models for predicting Nmineralization contributions are needed, and development of these models will require field-based data. In situ mineralization methods are intended to quantify N mineralization under ambient environmental conditions. This study was conducted to compare soil moisture and temperature in intact soil cores contained in cylinders to those in adjacent bulk soil, compare the effect of two resin-bag techniques on water content of soil within cylinders, and assess the effect of installation duration on inorganic N retention by resins. The study was conducted at a …

Natural Enemies Of The Coccinellidae: Parasites, Pathogens, And Parasitoids, E. W. Riddick, T. E. Cottrell, K. A. Kidd

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

We review aspects of the life histories of representative enemies of coccinellids (both entomophagous and phytophagous species) and expose both potential and real effects that they have on life parameters of their hosts. Lady beetles are attacked by a variety of natural enemies (bacteria, fungi, mites, nematodes, protozoa, wasps, flies). Few of these enemies have the ability to alter significantly the population dynamics of their hosts. This review should encourage further research to help define the role of natural enemies in the population dynamics of coccinellids. Ultimately, the conservation of beneficial lady beetles and the management of nuisance and pestiferous …

Coccinellidae As Predators Of Mites: Stethorini In Biological Control, David J. Biddinger, Donald D. Weber, Larry A. Hull

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Stethorini are unique among the Coccinellidae in specializing on mites (principally Tetranychidae) as prey. Consisting of 90 species in two genera, Stethorus and Parasthethorus, the tribe is practically cosmopolitan. The Stethorini are found in a diverse range of habitats, including many agricultural systems such as pome and stone fruits, brambles, tree nuts, citrus, avocadoes, bananas, papaya, palms, tea, cassava, maize, strawberries, vegetables, and cotton, as well as ornamental plantings, grasslands, forests, and heathlands. Tetranychid mite outbreaks became common in many agricultural systems only after World War II, when widespread use of broad-spectrum insecticides increased. Stethorini were initially appreciated …

Visualization Of Biomass Solubilization And Cellulose Regeneration During Ionic Liquid Pretreatment Of Switchgrass, Seema Singh, Blake A. Simmons, Kenneth P. Vogel

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Auto-fluorescent mapping of plant cell walls was used to visualize cellulose and lignin in pristine switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) stems to determine the mechanisms of biomass dissolution during ionic liquid pretreatment. The addition of ground switchgrass to the ionic liquid 1-n-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate resulted in the disruption and solubilization of the plant cell wall at mild temperatures. Swelling of the plant cell wall, attributed to disruption of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding between cellulose fibrils and lignin, followed by complete dissolution of biomass, was observed without using imaging techniques that require staining, embedding, and processing of biomass. Subsequent …

Should The Mirid, Eccritotarsus Catarinensis (Heteroptera: Miridae), Be Considered For Release Against Water Hyacinth In The United States Of America?, Julie A. Coetzee, Marcus J. Byrne, Martin P. Hill, Ted D. Center

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Between one and seven biological control agents have been released against water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms) in at least 30 countries, with varied success. A mirid, Eccritotarsus catarinensis (Carvalho) (Heteroptera: Miridae), the most recent agent released, is damaging to the plant on the African continent.

Letter From The Dean, Lalit Verma

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Various Testicular Cell Populations In Pubertal And Adult Cockerels, J. Mucksová, J. P. Brillard, J. Hejnar, M. Poplštein, J. Kalina, M. Bakst, H. Yan, P. Trefil

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Precise identification of the male germinal stem cell population is important for their practical use in programs dedicated to the integration of exogenous genetic material in testicular tissues. In the present study, our aim was to identify germinal cell populations in the testes of pubertal and adult cockerels based on the detection of the nuclear DNA content by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and on the expression of the Dazl and Stra8 genes in singlecell suspensions of testicular tissues. Cells with a tetraploid DNA content (4c) represent a small and equal fraction of the total germinal cell population in both pubertal …

Microsatellites Reveal Genetic Diversity In Rotylenchulus Reniformis Populations, R. S. Arias, Salliana R. Stetina, Jennifer L. Tonos, Jodi A. Scheffler, Brian E. Scheffler

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Rotylenchulus reniformis is the predominant parasitic nematode of cotton in the Mid South area of the United States. Although variable levels of infection and morphological differences have been reported for this nematode, genetic variability has been more elusive. We developed microsatellite-enriched libraries for R. reniformis, produced 1152 clones, assembled 694 corstigs, detected 783 simple sequence repeats (SSR) and designed 192 SSR-markers. The markers were tested on six R. reniformis cultures from four states, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia, in the USA. Based oil performance we selected 156 SSR markers for R. reniformis from which 88 were polymorphic across the …

Wus And Stm-Based Reporter Genes For Studying Meristem Development In Poplar, Y. Bao, P. Dharmawardhana, R. S. Arias, M. B. Allen, C. Ma, Steven H. Strauss

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

We describe the development of a reporter system for monitoring meristem initiation in poplar using promoters of poplar homologs to the meristem-active regulatory genes WUSCHEL (WUS) and SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM). When ~3 kb of the 5' flanking regions of close homologs were used to drive expression of the GUSPlus gene, 50–60% of the transgenic events showed expression in apical and axillary meristems. However, expression was also common in other organs, including in leaf veins (40 and 46% of WUS and STM transgenic events, respectively) and hydathodes (56% of WUS transgenic events). Histochemical GUS staining of explants during callogenesis and shoot …

Particle Size Effects On The Quality Of Flour Tortillas Enriched With Whole Grain Waxy Barley, Naruemon Prasopsunwattana, Marfa Botero Omary, Elizabeth A. Arndt, Peter H. Cooke, Rolando A. Flores, Wallace Yokoyama, Ayako Toma, Sutida Chongcham, Sylvia P. Lee

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Wheat tortillas were enriched with whole barley flour (WBF) of different particle sizes including 237 µm (regular [RD. 131 µm (intermediate [IM]). and 68 µm (microground [MG], Topographical and fluorescent microstructure images of flours, doughs, and tortillas were examined, Flours and tortillas were analyzed for color, protein, ash, starch, moisture. and β-glucan content. Farinograph testing was conducted on the flour blends, Water activity and texture analyses of tortillas were conducted, A 9-point hedonic scale was used by 95 untrained panelists to evaluate tortilla appearance, color, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability, Two commercial products (CP) were included in …

Effects Of Spontaneous Heating On Fiber Composition, Fiber Digestibility, And In Situ Disappearance Kinetics Of Neutral Detergent Fiber For Alfalfa-Orchardgrass Hays, W. K. Coblentz, P. C. Hoffman

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

During 2006 and 2007, forages from 3 individual hay harvests were utilized to assess the effects of spontaneous heating on concentrations of fiber components, 48-h neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility (NDFD), and in situ disappearance kinetics of NDF for large-round bales of mixed alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). Over the 3 harvests, 96 large-round bales were made at preset bale diameters of 0.9, 1.2, or 1.5 m, and at moisture concentrations ranging from 9.3 to 46.6%. Internal bale temperatures were monitored daily during an outdoor storage period, reaching maxima (MAX) of 77.2°C and 1,997 heating degree …

A Whole-Genome Assembly Of The Domestic Cow, Bos Taurus, Aleksey V. Zimin, Arthur L. Delcher, Liliana Florea, David R. Kelley, Michael C. Schatz, Daniela Puiu, Finnian Hanrahan, Geo Pertea, Curtis P. Van Tassell, Tad S. Sonstegard, Guillaume Marçais, Michael Roberts, Poorani Subramanian, James A. Yorke, Steven. L Salzberg

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Background: The genome of the domestic cow, Bos Taurus, was sequenced using a mixture of hierarchical and whole-genome shotgun sequencing methods.

Results: We have assembled the 35 million sequence reads and applied a variety of assembly improvement techniques, creating an assembly of 2.86 billion base pairs that has multiple improvements over previous assemblies: it is more complete, covering more of the genome; thousands of gaps have been closed; many erroneous inversions, deletions, and translocations have been corrected; and thousands of single-nucleotide errors have been corrected. Our evaluation using independent metrics demonstrates that the resulting assembly is substantially more accurate …

Expression And Functional Characterization Of The Plant Antimicrobial Snakin-1 And Defensin Recombinant Proteins, Natalia Kovalskaya, Rosemarie W. Hammond

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

In this study, for the first time, functionally active, recombinant, cysteine-rich plant proteins snakin-1 (SN1) and defensin (PTH1) were expressed and purified using a prokaryotic expression system. The overall level of antimicrobial activities of SN1 and PTH1 produced in Escherichia coli was commensurate with that of the same proteins previously obtained from plant tissues. Both proteins exhibited strong antibacterial activity against the phytopathogenic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus (50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) 1.5–8 lM) and antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungi Colletotrichum coccoides and Botrytis cinerea (IC₅₀ 5–14 lM). Significantly weaker activity was observed against Pseudomonas syringae …

Open Field Host Selection And Behavior By Tamarisk Beetles (Diorhabda Spp.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) In Biological Control Of Exotic Saltcedars (Tamarix Spp.) And Risks To Non-Target Athel (T. Aphylla) And Native Frankenia Spp., Patrick J. Moran, C. Jack Deloach, Tom L. Dudley, Joaquin Sanabria

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Biological control of invasive saltcedars (Tamarix spp.) in the western U.S. by exotic tamarisk leaf beetles, Diorhabda spp., first released in 2001 after 15 years of development, has been successful. In Texas, beetles from Crete, Greece were first released in 2004 and are providing control. However, adults alight, feed and oviposit on athel (Tamarix aphylla), an evergreen tree used for shade and as a windbreak in the southwestern U.S. and México, and occasionally feed on native Frankenia spp. plants. The ability of tamarisk beetles to establish on these potential field hosts was investigated in the field. In …

Efficacy And Safety Of Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) As A Novel Filth Fly Repellent, J. J. Zhu, X.-P. Zeng, D. Berkebile, H.-J. Du, Y. Tong, K. Qian

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is known for its pseudo-narcotic effects on cats. Recently, it has been reported as an effective mosquito repellent against several Aedes and Culex species, both topically and spatially. Our laboratory bioassays showed that catnip essential oil (at a dosage of 20 mg) resulted in average repellency rates of 96% against stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) and 79% against houseflies, Musca domestica (L.), respectively. This finding suggested that the application of repellent could be used as part of filth fly management. Further evaluations of catnip oil toxicity were conducted to provide a broad-spectrum safety profile of …

Physiological And Environmental Regulation Of Interannual Variability In Co2 Exchange On Rangelands In The Western United States, H. Wayne Polley, William Emmerich, James A. Bradford, Phillip L. Sims, Douglas H. Johnson, Nicanor Z. Saliendra, Tony Svejcar, Raymond Angell, Albert B. Frank, Rebecca L. Phillips, Keirith A. Snyder, Jack A. Morgan

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

For most ecosystems, net ecosystem exchange of CO₂ (NEE) varies within and among years in response to environmental change.We analyzed measurements of CO₂ exchange from eight native rangeland ecosystems in the western United States (58 site-years of data) in order to determine the contributions of photosynthetic and respiratory (physiological) components of CO₂ exchange to environmentally caused variation in NEE. Rangelands included Great Plains grasslands, desert shrubland, desert grasslands, and sagebrush steppe.

Diet Ph, And Viscosity Affect Development And Survival Of Screwworm Larvae (Diptera: Calliphoridae), M. F. Chaudhury, Steven R. Skoda

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The effects of dietary pH and viscosity on larval development of the New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), were studied in the laboratory using a gel-based and a cellulose fiber-based media. The mean initial pH of the standard gelled diet was lower (6.5 ± 0.3) than that of the standard cellulose fiber-based diet (6.8 ± 0.6). As larval development progressed, these values decreased to below 6.0 possibly due to the accumulation of acidic metabolic waste. Diets formulated with higher initial pH (7.5) produced a slightly larger and greater number of pupae compared with those for untreated standard diets. …

Farmers And Nature Conservation: What Is Known About Attitudes, Context Factors And Actions Affecting Conservation?, Johan Ahnström, Jenny Höckert, Hanna L. Bergea, Charles A. Francis, Peter Skelton, Lars Hallgren

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Farmers’ attitudes towards viability of specific conservation practices or actions strongly impact their decisions on adoption and change. This review of ‘attitude’ information reveals a wide range of perceptions about what conservation means and what the impacts of adoption will mean in economic and environmental terms. Farmers operate in a tight financial situation, and in parts of the world they are highly dependent on government subsidies, and cannot afford to risk losing that support. Use of conservation practices is most effective when these are understood in the context of the individual farm, and decisions are rooted in land and resource …

Bulked Segregant Analysis Using The Goldengate Assay To Locate The Rpp3 Locus That Confers Resistance To Soybean Rust In Soybean, D. L. Hyten, James R. Smith, Reid D. Frederick, Mark L. Tucker, Qijian Song, P. B. Cregan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Few resistance loci to soybean rust (SBR), caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd., have been genetically mapped and linked to molecular markers that can be used for marker assisted selection. New technologies are available for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping that can be used to rapidly map traits controlled by single loci such as resistance to SBR. Our objective was to demonstrate that the highthroughput SNP genotyping method known as the GoldenGate assay can be used to perform bulked segregant analysis (BSA) to fi nd candidate regions to facilitate effi cient mapping of a dominant resistant locus to SBR designated Rpp3 …

Mapping And Confirmation Of A New Allele At Rpp1 From Soybean Pi 594538a Conferring Rb Lesion–Type Resistance To Soybean Rust, Nanda Chakraborty, Joe Curley, Reid D. Frederick, D. L. Hyten, Randall L. Nelson, Glen L. Hartman, Brian W. Diers

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi (H. Sydow & Sydow), is a destructive soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] disease and identification of new resistance genes is essential for effective rust management. Our research objectives were to map and confirm the location of resistance gene(s) in PI 594538A using a population of 98 F_3:4 lines from across between PI 594538A (reddish-brown [RB] lesions) and the susceptible cultivar Loda (tan [TAN] lesions). The lines were inoculated with the P. pachyrhizi isolate ZM01-1 from Zimbabwe. The RB resistance in PI 594538A mapped on linkage group G as a single dominant gene. …

Agroecology As A Science, A Movement And A Practice: A Review, A. Wezel, S. Bellon, T. Doré, Charles A. Francis, D. Vallod, C. David

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Agroecology involves various approaches to solve actual challenges of agricultural production. Though agroecology initially dealt primarily with crop production and protection aspects, in recent decades new dimensions such as environmental, social, economic, ethical and development issues are becoming relevant. Today, the term ‘agroecology’ means either a scientific discipline, agricultural practice, or political or social movement. Here we study the different meanings of agroecology. For that we analyse the historical development of agroecology. We present examples from USA, Brazil, Germany, and France. We study and discuss the evolution of different meanings agroecology. The use of the term agroecology can be traced …

Detection And Validation Of Single Feature Polymorphisms Using Rna Expression Data From A Rice Genome Array, Sung-Hyun Kim, Prasanna R. Bhat, Xinping Cui, Harkamal Walia, Jin Xu, Steve Wanamaker, Abdelbagi M. Ismail, Clyde Wilson, Timothy J. Close

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: A large number of genetic variations have been identified in rice. Such variations must in many cases control phenotypic differences in abiotic stress tolerance and other traits. A single feature polymorphism (SFP) is an oligonucleotide array-based polymorphism which can be used for identification of SNPs or insertion/deletions (INDELs) for high throughput genotyping and high density mapping. Here we applied SFP markers to a lingering question about the source of salt tolerance in a particular rice recombinant inbred line (RIL) derived from a salt tolerant and salt sensitive parent. Results: Expression data obtained by hybridizing RNA to an oligonucleotide array …

Antibiotic Use In Animal Production: Environmental Concerns, Teshome H. Regassa, Richard K. Koelsch, Charles S. Wortmann, Richard F. Randle, Akwasi A. Abunyewa

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction

Antibiotic1 use in animal production has led to improved feed use efficiency and increased growth rates. In turn, these resulted in reduced food production costs and reduced excrement of manure nutrients which may cause pollution problems.

On the other hand, antibiotic use leads to antibiotic resistance and a possible reduction in effectiveness of treatment options for both animals and humans. This publication addresses these issues.

Disease-causing microorganisms2, including bacteria,are the most diverse and numerous organisms on earth. Diverse in their habitat, environmental adaptation, and mechanisms of reproduction, they have short generations with high multiplication rates. Such characteristics help develop …

Fluid Fertilizer’S Role In Sustaining Soils Used For Bio-Fuels Production, John L. Kovar, Douglas Karlen

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The short- and long-term effects on soil nutrient cycling, physical properties, and biological activity of striving for higher grain yields and removing crop residues for bio-fuels production must be understood to provide more quantitative crop and soil management guidelines. This study focuses on potassium (K) and sulfur (S) requirements of corn (Zea mays L.) grown for bioenergy feedstock production. Our objectives for 2008 were to: i) evaluate the performance of several S fertilizers, including liquid ammonium thiosulfate (12-0-0-26S), as S sources for corn grown in Iowa, and ii) establish a comprehensive tillage, nutrient management, crop residue removal, and cover …

Genotypic Variability In Mineral Composition Of Switchgrass, H. M. El-Nashaar, G. Banowetz, S.M. Griffith, M. D. Casler, Kenneth P. Vogel

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a warm season perennial grass with great potential as an energy crop in the USA. It is widely adapted to many regions of the country, produces large amounts of biomass, serves as a useful forage grass, and provides ecosystem services that benefit soil and water quality and wildlife. Biological and thermochemical technologies are being developed to convert herbaceous biomass, including switchgrass, to energy. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of genotype and production environment on the concentration of minerals that affect the suitability of switchgrass for thermochemical conversion and to …

Comparison Of Passive And Active Canopy Sensors For The Estimation Of Vine Biomass Production, Stamatis Stamatiadis, Dimitris Taskos, Eleftheria Tsadila, Calliopi Christofides, Christos Tsadilas, James S. Schepers

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Recent advances in optical designs and electronic circuits have allowed the transition from passive to active proximal sensors. Instead of relying on the reflectance of natural sunlight, the active sensors measure the reflectance of modulated light from the crop and so they can operate under all lighting conditions. This study compared the potential of active and passive canopy sensors for predicting biomass production in 25–32 randomly selected positions of a Merlot vineyard. Both sensors provided estimates of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from a nadir view of the canopy at veraison that were good predictors of pruning weight. Although …

Comparative Metabolism Of Benzo(A)Pyrene By Ovarian Microsomes Of Various Species, Deacqunita L. Harris, Ashley C. Huderson, Mohammad S. Niaz, J. Joe Ford, Anthony E. Archibong, Aramandla Ramesh

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Knowledge of the ability of the female reproductive system to metabolize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is critical to the diagnosis and management of female infertility and for risk assessment purposes. The PAHs are a family of widespread pollutants that are released into the environment from automobile exhausts, cigarette smoke, burning of refuse, industrial emissions, and hazardous waste sites. In exposed animals, PAHs become activated to reactive metabolites that interfere with target organ function and as a consequence cause toxicity. The extent of susceptibility to PAH exposure may depend on the ability of animals to metabolize these chemicals. The present study …

Protocol For Indicator Scoring In The Soil Management Assessment Framework (Smaf), Brian J. Wienhold, D. L. Karlen, S.S. Andrews, D. E. Stott

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Assessment tools are needed to evaluate agronomic management effects on critical soil functions such as carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling and water partitioning. These tools need to be flexible in terms of selection of soil functions to be assessed and indicators to be measured to ensure that assessments are appropriate for the management goals. The soil management assessment framework (SMAF) is being developed to meet this need. The SMAF uses soil physical, chemical and biological indicator data to assess management effects on soil function using a three-step process for (1) indicator selection, (2) indicator interpretation and (3) integration into an index. …

Morphology Of The Turkey Vagina With And Without An Egg Mass In The Uterus, M. R. Bakst, V. Akuffo

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

In this study we examined the gross anatomy of the uterus and vagina in turkeys in egg production. With no uterine egg mass, removal of the tunica serosa that enclosed the uterus revealed deep periodic in-folding of the muscularis transversely circumscribing the sac-like segment. When the connective tissue embracing the neutral buffered formalin fixed vagina was completely teased free, the exposed tubular segment was shaped as a counter-clockwise spiral or as a series of angular, random bends. The uterovaginal junction was flush with the uterine mucosa or projected slightly into the uterine lumen. With a uterine egg mass, the deep …