Digital Commons Network^™

Phyllotactic Regularity Requires The Paf1 Complex In Arabidopsis, Kateryna Fal, Mengying Liu, Assem Duisembekova, Yassin Refahi, Elizabeth S. Haswell, Olivier Hamant

Biology Faculty Research

In plants, aerial organs are initiated at stereotyped intervals, both spatially (every 137° in a pattern called phyllotaxis) and temporally (at prescribed time intervals called plastochrons). To investigate the molecular basis of such regularity, mutants with altered architecture have been isolated. However, most of them only exhibit plastochron defects and/or produce a new, albeit equally reproducible, phyllotactic pattern. This leaves open the question of a molecular control of phyllotaxis regularity. Here, we show that phyllotaxis regularity depends on the function of VIP proteins, components of the RNA polymerase II-associated factor 1 complex (Paf1c). Divergence angles between successive organs along the …

Evaluating The Impact Of Two Contrasting Tillage Practices On Soil Properties In Central Kentucky, Emily Cook

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Farming practices such as no tillage and plowing can institute change on soil physical and chemical characteristics. In this research, the effects of long-term conventional and no-tillage systems on the selected soil properties were determined in a continuous corn system on a farm with Maury silt loam soil. These samples were taken from University of Kentucky's Research Farm (Spindletop Farm). The field used was tilled in 1969 from bluegrass sod and the first time research was conduced was in 1970. Each plot is 20 ft. by 40 ft. and for many years each plot was split with winter cover crop …

Substantial Contribution Of Genetic Variation In The Expression Of Transcription Factors To Phenotypic Variation Revealed By Erd-Gwas, Hung-Ying Lin, Qiang Liu, Xiao Li, Jinliang Yang, Sanzhen Liu, Yinlian Huang, Michael J. Scanlon, Dan Nettleton, Patrick S. Schnable

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: There are significant limitations in existing methods for the genome-wide identification of genes whose expression patterns affect traits.

Results: The transcriptomes of five tissues from 27 genetically diverse maize inbred lines were deeply sequenced to identify genes exhibiting high and low levels of expression variation across tissues or genotypes. Transcription factors are enriched among genes with the most variation in expression across tissues, as well as among genes with higher-than-median levels of variation in expression across genotypes. In contrast, transcription factors are depleted among genes whose expression is either highly stable or highly variable across genotypes. We developed a …

Estimation Of Irrigation Requirements For Drip-Irrigated Maize In A Sub-Humid Climate, Liu Yang, Hai-Shun Yang, Jiu-Sheng Li, Yan-Feng Li, Hai-Jun Yan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Drip-irrigation is increasingly applied in maize (Zea mays L.) production in sub-humid region. It is critical to quantify irrigation requirements during different growth stages under diverse climatic conditions. In this study, the Hybrid-Maize model was calibrated and applied in a sub-humid Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China to estimate irrigation requirements for drip irrigated maize during different crop physiological development stages and under diverse agro-climatic conditions. Using dimensionless scales, the whole growing season of maize was divided into diverse development stages from planting to maturity. Drip-irrigation dates and irrigation amounts in each irrigation event were simulated and summarized in 30-year simulation …

Can Hemiparasitic Plants Stabilize Coexistence Of Multiple Competing Hosts?, Matthew Wittman, Steven A. Juliano

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Identifying Ecologically Relevant Scales Of Habitat Selection: Diel Habitat Selection In Elk, Caleb P. Roberts, James W. Cain Iii, Robert D. Cox

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Although organisms make resource selection decisions at multiple spatiotemporal scales, not all scales are ecologically relevant to any given organism. Ecological patterns and rhythms such as behavioral and climatic patterns may provide a consistent method for identifying ecologically relevant scales of habitat selection. Using elk (Cervus canadensis) as an example species, we sought to test the ability of behavioral patterns to empirically partition diel scales for modeling habitat selection. We used model selection to partition diel scales by shifts in dominant behavior and then used resource selection probability functions to model elk habitat selection hierarchically at diel scales within seasons. …

Phylogenetic Patterns Of Foliar Mineral Nutrient Accumulation Among Gypsophiles And Their Relatives In The Chihuahuan Desert, Clare Muller, Michael J. Moore, Zoe Feder, Helene Tiley, Rebecca E. Drenovsky

2017 Faculty Bibliography

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Gypsum endemism in plants (gypsophily) is common on gypsum outcrops worldwide, but little is known about the functional ecology of Chihuahuan Desert gypsophiles. We investigated whether leaf chemistry of gypsophile lineages from the northern Chihuahuan Desert are similar to leaves of related nonendemic (gypsovag) species relative to their soil chemistry. We expected widely distributed gypsophiles (hypothesized to be older lineages on gypsum) would have distinct leaf chemistry from narrowly distributed, relatively younger lineages endemic to gypsum and gypsovags, reflecting adaptation to gypsum.

METHODS: We collected leaves from 23 gypsophiles and related nonendemic taxa growing on nongypsum …

Photosensing And Thermosensing By Phytochrome B Require Both Proximal And Distal Allosteric Features Within The Dimeric Photoreceptor, E Sethe Burgie, Adam N. Bussell, Shu-Hui Lye, Tong Wang, Weiming Hu, Katrice E. Mcloughlin, Erin L. Weber, Huilin Li, Richard D. Vierstra

Biology Faculty Research

Phytochromes (Phys) encompass a diverse collection of bilin-containing photoreceptors that help plants and microorganisms perceive light through photointerconversion between red light (Pr) and far-red light (Pfr)-absorbing states. In addition, Pfr reverts thermally back to Pr via a highly enthalpic process that enables temperature sensation in plants and possibly other organisms. Through domain analysis of the Arabidopsis PhyB isoform assembled recombinantly, coupled with measurements of solution size, photoconversion, and thermal reversion, we identified both proximal and distal features that influence all three metrics. Included are the downstream C-terminal histidine kinase-related domain known to promote dimerization and a conserved patch just upstream …

Managing Opuntioid Cacti In Australia - Best Practice Control Manual For Austrocylindropuntia, Cylindropuntia And Optunia Species, M. R. Sheehan, S. Potter

Biosecurity published reports

The twenty-seven species of opuntioid cacti that are recognised as Weeds of National Significance are some of Australia's worst weeds. They grow over a wide climatic range and have impacted on pastoral and agricultural use of large tracts of land; pose an environmental risk to wildlife; and reduce aesthetic and recreational use, with direct impact on human safety.

Weedy infestations occur in all states and territories. Some are extensive, covering hundreds of thousands of hectares with a significant potential for range expansion

Over time there has been a substantial effort by government, industry, landholders and community groups to manage opuntioid …

Characterization Of A Novel Mitochondrial Plasmid In Brassica, Mackenzie Strehle

UCARE: Research Products

Possessing some of the largest and most complex genomes of any eukaryotic organelles, plant mitochondria are notorious for their rapidly rearranging genetic framework. In addition to containing a large and complex mitochondrial genome, the mitochondria of several plants in the genus Brassica have also been shown to contain an independent, self-replicating linear plasmid. Interestingly, the plasmid appears to be able to move independently between the cytoplasm and the mitochondria, and it can be paternally inherited, unlike the rest of the mitochondrial genome. The plasmid also has features similar to those of adenoviruses, including terminal inverted repeats and covalently bound proteins …

Effects Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Fertilizer And Topsoil Amendment On Native Plant Cover In Roadside Revegetation Projects, Heidi L. Hillhouse, Walter H. Schacht, Jonathan M. Soper, Carol E. Wienhold

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Establishing vegetation on roadsides following construction can be challenging, especially for relatively slow growing native species. Topsoil is generally removed during construction, and the surface soil following construction (“cut-slope soils”) is often compacted and low in nutrients, providing poor growing conditions for vegetation. Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) protocols have historically called for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization when planting roadside vegetation following construction, but these recommendations were developed for cool-season grass plantings and most current plantings use slower-establishing, native warmseason grasses that may benefit less than expected from current planting protocols. We evaluated the effects of nitrogen and …

Respons Tanaman Gandum Akibat Pemberian Sitokinin Berbagai Konsentrasi Dan Waktu Aplikasi Di Dataran Medium Jatinangor, Fiky Yulianto Wicaksono, Asyifa Fiani Putri, Yuyun Yuwariah, Yudithia Maxiselly, Tati Nurmala

Jurnal Kultivasi

Pertumbuhan dan hasil gandum (Triticum aestivum L.) diketahui dapat ditingkatkan dengan pemberian sitokinin. Sitokinin berperan juga dalam menunda penuaan daun gandum dan mengurangi cekaman panas di dataran medium. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh interaksi berbagai konsentrasi sitokinin dengan berbagai waktu aplikasinya terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman gandum. Penelitian menggunakan metode percobaan yang dilakukan di kebun percobaan Ciparanje Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Sumedang mulai bulan November 2016 sampai dengan Februari 2017. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok, sementara rancangan perlakuan adalah faktorial. Perlakuan terdiri dari dua faktor, yaitu konsentrasi sitokinin (3 taraf) dan waktu aplikasi (5 taraf). …

The Gmo/Ge Debate, Joanna K. Sax

Texas A&M Law Review

We live longer and healthier lives because advances in science create easier and better ways to sustain and survive. Society has an intricate relationship with biotechnology. Vaccines save lives. Fluoridated water decreases dental issues. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections. Nuclear power is a form of clean energy. With any emerging technology, the benefits do not exist in a vacuum, thus, negative consequences result as well. Our widespread uses of antibiotics are creating antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Our research into nuclear energy also facilitated the creation of nuclear bombs. Perhaps it is human nature to use scientific advances for good and for …

Recognizing Challenges And Opportunities In The Quest To End Hunger, Jennifer Williams Zwagerman

Texas A&M Law Review

As an attorney and professor that does not focus on intellectual property law, I was a bit apprehensive about providing a keynote address for a Symposium focusing on “Agriculture, Intellectual Property, and Feeding the World in the 21st Century.” As I thought about this topic, knowing that there were other speakers who would focus more on the IP issues and technical aspects of various topics, I kept coming back to the importance of technology as we worktowards the goal of feeding the world, and the many ways in which innovation plays a role in meeting that goal. It also brought …

Plant Mechanosensitive Ion Channels: An Ocean Of Possibilities, Debarati Basu, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

Mechanosensitive ion channels, transmembrane proteins that directly couple mechanical stimuli to ion flux, serve to sense and respond to changes in membrane tension in all branches of life. In plants, mechanosensitive channels have been implicated in the perception of important mechanical stimuli such as osmotic pressure, touch, gravity, and pathogenic invasion. Indeed, three established families of plant mechanosensitive ion channels play roles in cell and organelle osmoregulation and root mechanosensing - and it is likely that many other channels and functions await discovery. Inspired by recent discoveries in bacterial and animal systems, we are beginning to establish the conserved and …

Identification Of Hydrated And Dehydrated Lipids And Protein Secondary Structures In Seeds Of Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum) Line, Diwas Kumar Silwal, Nsoki Phambu, Bharat Pokharel, Ahmad Naseer Aziz

Chemistry Faculty Research

Cottonseeds from two parents (TM-1 and 3-79) and their 17 progeny (chromosomal substitution) lines were analyzed for various secondary structures of proteins and moisture content of lipids, separately in hulls and kernels. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used on mature seeds from Upland cotton (G. hirsutum) progeny lines and parents. Based on secondary structures of proteins and hydration levels of lipids, differences were observed among the cottonseeds. The two progeny lines – CS-B12sh and CS-B22sh retained lipid moisture content and protein secondary structures similar to both parents, while CS-B06, CS-B15sh and CS-B16 remained distinct from either parent. On the …

Control Of Glyphosate-Resistant Common Ragweed (Ambrosia Artemisiifolia L.) In Glufosinate-Resistant Soybean [Glycine Max (L.) Merr], Ethann R. Barnes, Stevan Z. Knezevic, Peter H. Sikkema, John L. Lindquist, Amit J. Jhala

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Common ragweed emerges early in the season in Nebraska, USA and is competitive with soybean; therefore, preplant herbicides are important for effective control. Glyphosate has been used as a preplant control option; however, confirmation of glyphosate-resistant (GR) common ragweed in Nebraska necessitates evaluating other herbicide options. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the efficacy of preplant (PP) herbicides followed by (fb) glufosinate alone or in tank-mixture with imazethapyr, acetochlor, or S-metolachlor applied post-emergence (POST) for control of GR common ragweed in glufosinate-resistant soybean; (2) their effect on common ragweed density, biomass, and soybean yield; and (3) the …

Pinching And Spacing Effects On Cut Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Production In East Texas, Rebecca B. Burnett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three experiments evaluated pinching and spacing on Helianthus annuus in East Texas to determine their effects on growth and development. Experiment 1 was designed to determine the effects of pinching nodes 1, 2, 3, or 4 on ‘Pro Cut Gold’ sunflowers. Results from experiment 1 showed non-pinched plants produced marketable stem lengths and flower sizes, while pinched plants’ stem length, stem diameter, flower diameter, and disk diameter decreased compared to the non-pinched plants. The objective for experiment 2 was to evaluate pinching and spacing treatments on ‘Pro Cut Gold’ sunflowers. All spacings for non-pinched plants in experiment 2 produced marketable …

Pengaruh Konsentrasi Zat Pengatur Tumbuh Alami Dan Sintetik Terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Teh (Camellia Sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) Klon Gmb 7 Setelah Centering, Silfiya Amaliyana Saefas, Santi Rosniawaty, Yudithia Maxiselly

Jurnal Kultivasi

Tanaman teh merupakan tanaman tahunan yang memiliki organ target pucuk. Tanaman teh dapat ditingkatkan pertumbuhannya dengan pemeliharaan berupa centering dan pemberian zat pengatur tumbuh (ZPT) sitokinin pada fase TBM. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh konsentrasi zat pengatur tumbuh alami atau sintetik yang berpengaruh paling baik terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman teh klon GMB 7 setelah centering. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada bulan November 2016 sampai Maret 2017 di kebun percobaan Ciparanje, Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Kabupaten Sumedang, Jawa Barat. Penelitian ini menguji beberapa konsentrasi zat pengatur tumbuh (ZPT) sitokinin, yaitu air kelapa sebagai ZPT alami pada konsentrasi 25%, 50%, 75% dan Benzil …

Impact Of Seed Protein Alleles From Three Soybean Sources On Seed Composition And Agronomic Traits, Lillian F. Brzostowski, Timothy I. Pruski, James Specht, Brian W. Diers

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Evaluation of seed protein alleles in soybean populations showed that an increase in protein concentration is generally associated with a decrease in oil concentration and yield.

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] meal is one of the most important plant-based protein sources in the world. Developing cultivars high in seed protein concentration and seed yield is a difficult task because the traits have an inverse relationship. Over two decades ago, a protein quantitative trait loci (QTL) was mapped on chromosome (chr) 20, and this QTL has been mapped to the same position in several studies and given the confirmed QTL …

Pengaruh Dosis Silika Terhadap Karakter Fisiologı Dan Hasil Tanaman Padi (Oryza Sativa L.) Kultivar Lokal Poso (Kultıvar 36-Super Dan Tagolu), Wan Priando Tampoma, Tati Nurmala, Meddy Rachmadi

Jurnal Kultivasi

Padi (Oryza sativa L.) merupakan salah satu jenis tanaman yang memegang peran penting di Indonesia dalam memenuhi kebutuhan pangan. Tanaman padi kultivar lokal merupakan salah satu jenis padi yang memiliki poduktivitas rendah. Pemberian silika pada pertanaman padi dapat membantu mengoptimalkan pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman padi. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh silika terhadap karakter agronomi kultivar lokal Poso. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah menggunakan Rancangan Petak Terbagi (RPT). Faktor pertama sebagai petak utama terdiri dua taraf perlakuan yaitu K1 (Kultivar 36-Super) dan K2 (Kultivar Tagolu). Sedangkan faktor ke dua sebagai anak petak terdiri atas 4 taraf …

Respons Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Benih Kentang G0 Di Dataran Medium Terhadap Waktu Dan Cara Aplikasi Paklobutrazol, Nuzula Suci Azima, Anne Nuraini, Sumadi, Jajang Sauman Hamdani

Jurnal Kultivasi

Aplikasi paklobutrazol pada penanaman kentang di dataran medium dapat mengurangi sintesis giberelin yang menyebabkan penurunan hasil kentang. Efektifitas paklobutrazol tidak hanya dipengaruhi oleh konsentrasi, tetapi juga waktu dan cara aplikasinya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memperoleh waktu dan cara aplikasi paklobutrazol yang memberikan pengaruh paling baik dalam meningkatkan hasil benih kentang G0 di dataran medium. Rancangan penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) Faktorial dengan 3 ulangan. Perlakuannya terdiri dari waktu aplikasi paklobutrazol yaitu 28, 35 dan 42 HST (Hari Setelah Tanam) dan cara aplikasi paklobutrazol yaitu disemprot ke daun, disiram ke media tanam dan kombinasi antara penyemprotan ke daun dan …

Another Route For Amino Acid Production?: Reverse Genetic Probing For A Functional Cytosolic Shikimate Pathway In Plants, Gabrielle C. Buck, Joseph Lynch, Natalia Dudareva

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The shikimate pathway is a metabolic pathway that produces the three aromatic amino acids—phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine—which are essential to human diets and necessary for many plant functions. Consequently, the shikimate pathway is commonly targeted for antibiotic and herbicide strategies as well as genetic engineering in several fields. This pathway is known to be localized in the plastids, or double membrane-bound organelles, of plant cells; however, there is enzymatic evidence of another shikimate pathway in the cell fluid, or cytosol. To determine whether a complete cytosolic shikimate pathway exists, we used a modified gene for the first enzyme of the …

Differentially Regulated Orthologs In Sorghum And The Subgenomes Of Maize, Yang Zhang, Daniel W. Ngu, Daniel Santana De Carvalho, Zhikai Liang, Yumou Qiu, Rebecca Roston, James C. Schnable

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Identifying interspecies changes in gene regulation, one of the two primary sources of phenotypic variation, is challenging on a genome-wide scale. The use of paired time-course data on cold-responsive gene expression in maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) allowed us to identify differentially regulated orthologs. While the majority of cold-responsive transcriptional regulation of conserved gene pairs is species specific, the initial transcriptional responses to cold appear to be more conserved than later responses. In maize, the promoters of genes with conserved transcriptional responses to cold tend to contain more micrococcal nuclease hypersensitive sites in their …

Mushroom Inoculation On Switchgrass Feedstock During Storage: Effects Of Subsequent Pre-Processing For Intended Biofuels Production, Amandeep Singh Turay

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this project was to examine the effect of fungal treatment and liquid hot water pretreatment of switchgrass combine in view of increasing glucose release. The fungal treatment consisted of incubating Pleurotus ostreatus in square switchgrass bales, at 50% moisture content for 25 days, 54 days, and 82 days. The digestibility of the switchgrass biomass was subsequently evaluated using Accelerase 1500 enzyme. Lignin is an important barrier to enzymatic hydrolysis, and it was stipulated that incubation with P. ostreatus would disrupt plant cell walls, resulting in enhanced saccharification. Three different concentrations of P. ostreatus were evaluated: 0%, 2%, …

The Impact Of Climate And Elevation On The Growth And Mortality Of Piñon Pine, Alice M. Fretz

Biology ETDs

The Southwestern United States is currently experiencing severe drought, resulting in the mortality of many tree species. Piñon-juniper woodlands are an extensive biome in the Southwest, and are highly vulnerable to extended periods of drought that lead to tree mortality. Specifically, Pinus edulis populations are decreasing due to increasingly arid conditions. I used dendrochronology to investigate how tree growth rings of Pinus edulis reflect severe drought in living and dead trees. I also investigated how severe drought affects Pinus edulis along an altitudinal gradient. Tree core samples were taken from currently living and dead trees, as well as from trees …

Molecular And Culture-Based Assessment Of Root/Crown Rot Fungal/Oomycete Complex Of Bean In Mozambique, Suzana Vanessa Ismael Fernandes

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Dry edible beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) play an important role in food security, alleviating hunger and malnutrition and adding value to the economy in Mozambique. Recently, root/crown rot (RCR) has caused yield losses in bean fields in Mozambique. A diverse taxa of fungi and oomycetes have been associated with RCR. However, in Mozambique little information on root rot is available. The purpose of this study is to use Illumina sequencing platform, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture-based methods to identify the primary pathogens associated with RCR in Mozambique. A total of 88 plants showing symptoms of RCR disease were …

Inferring Foliar Water Uptake Using Stable Isotopes Of Water, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Marco M. Lehmann, Lucas A. Cernusak, Matthias Arend, Rolf T.W. Siegwolf

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

A growing number of studies have described the direct absorption of water into leaves, a phenomenon known as foliar water uptake. The resultant increase in the amount of water in the leaf can be important for plant function. Exposing leaves to isotopically enriched or depleted water sources has become a common method for establishing whether or not a plant is capable of carrying out foliar water uptake. However, a careful inspection of our understanding of the fluxes of water isotopes between leaves and the atmosphere under high humidity conditions shows that there can clearly be isotopic exchange between the two …

Cellular And Molecular Targets Of Menthol Actions, Murat Oz, Eslam El Nebrisi, Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Frank Christopher Howarth, Lina T. Al Kury

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Menthol belongs to monoterpene class of a structurally diverse group of phytochemicals found in plant-derived essential oils. Menthol is widely used in pharmaceuticals, confectionary, oral hygiene products, pesticides, cosmetics, and as a flavoring agent. In addition, menthol is known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. Recently, there has been renewed awareness in comprehending the biological and pharmacological effects of menthol. TRP channels have been demonstrated to mediate the cooling actions ofmenthol. There has been new evidence demonstrating thatmenthol can significantly influence the functional characteristics of a number of different kinds of ligand and voltage-gated ion channels, indicating that at …

Life Behind The Wall: Sensing Mechanical Cues In Plants, Olivier Hamant, Elizabeth S. Haswell

Biology Faculty Research

There is increasing evidence that all cells sense mechanical forces in order to perform their functions. In animals, mechanotransduction has been studied during the establishment of cell polarity, fate, and division in single cells, and increasingly is studied in the context of a multicellular tissue. What about plant systems? Our goal in this review is to summarize what is known about the perception of mechanical cues in plants, and to provide a brief comparison with animals.