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Forage News [2010-02], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Roundup Ready Alfalfa: Comment Period Deadline February 16, 2010
• 30th Anniversary Kentucky Alfalfa Conference
• Plan Now to Attend AGA Annual Conference, Feb. 4-7, Lexington
• Does Amount of "Hard" Alfalfa Seed Really Matter?
• What's Eating your Orchardgrass
• Forages at KCA
• Heart of America Grazing Conference
• Hay and Horses
• Grazing 101: Enroll in 2010 Kentucky Grazing School
• Clovers in Kentucky
• Commercial Hay Dryer Made in Kentucky

Very-Long-Chain Fatty Acids Are Involved In Polar Auxin Transport And Developmental Patterning In Arabidopsis, Françoise Roudier, Lionel Gissot, Frédéric Beaudoin, Richard Haslam, Louise V. Michaelson, Jessica Marion, Diana Molino, Amparo Lima, Liên Bach, Halima Morin, Frédérique Tellier, Jean-Christophe Palauqui, Yannick Bellec, Charlotte Renne, Martine Miquel, Marco Dacosta, Julien Vignard, Christine Rochat, Jennifer E. Markham, Patrick Moreau, Jonathan Napier, Jean-Denis Faure

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are essential for many aspects of plant development and necessary for the synthesis of seed storage triacylglycerols, epicuticular waxes, and sphingolipids. Identification of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase PASTICCINO3 and the 3-hydroxy acyl-CoA dehydratase PASTICCINO2 revealed that VLCFAs are important for cell proliferation and tissue patterning. Here, we show that the immunophilin PASTICCINO1 (PAS1) is also required for VLCFA synthesis. Impairment of PAS1 function results in reduction of VLCFA levels that particularly affects the composition of sphingolipids, known to be important for cell polarity in animals. Moreover, PAS1 associates with several enzymes of …

Arabidopsis Rna-Dependent Rna Polymerases And Dicer-Like Proteins In Antiviral Defense And Small Interfering Rna Biogenesis During Turnip Mosaic Virus Infection, Hernan Garcia-Ruiz, Atsushi Takeda, Elisabeth J. Chapman, Christopher M. Sullivan, Noah Fahlgren, Katherine J. Brempelis, James C. Carrington

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Plants respond to virus infections by activation of RNA-based silencing, which limits infection at both the single-cell and system levels. Viruses encode RNA silencing suppressor proteins that interfere with this response. Wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana is immune to silencing suppressor (HC-Pro)-deficient Turnip mosaic virus, but immunity was lost in the absence of DICER-LIKE proteins DCL4 and DCL2. Systematic analysis of susceptibility and small RNA formation in Arabidopsis mutants lacking combinations of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDR) and DCL proteins revealed that the vast majority of virus derived small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were dependent on DCL4 and RDR1, although full antiviral defense …

Implications Of The Plastid Genome Sequence Of Typha (Typhaceae, Poales) For Understanding Genome Evolution In Poaceae, Mary M. Guisinger, Timothy W. Chumley, Jennifer V. Kuehl, Jeffrey L. Boore, Robert K. Jansen

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Plastid genomes of the grasses (Poaceae) are unusual in their organization and rates of sequence evolution. There has been a recent surge in the availability of grass plastid genome sequences, but a comprehensive comparative analysis of genome evolution has not been performed that includes any related families in the Poales. We report on the plastid genome of Typha latifolia, the first non-grass Poales sequenced to date, and we present comparisons of genome organization and sequence evolution within Poales. Our results confirm that grass plastid genomes exhibit acceleration in both genomic rearrangements and nucleotide substitutions. Poaceae have multiple structural rearrangements, including …

Genetic Variation In Past And Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based On Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants, Eric S. Menges, Rebecca W. Dolan, Robert Pickert, Rebecca Yahr, Doria R. Gordon

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

If genetic variation is often positively correlated with population sizes and the presence of nearby populations and suitable habitats, landscape proxies could inform conservation decisions without genetic analyses. For six Florida scrub endemic plants (Dicerandra frutescens, Eryngium cuneifolium, Hypericum cumulicola, Liatris ohlingerae, Nolina brittoniana, and Warea carteri), we relate two measures of genetic variation, expected heterozygosity and alleles per polymorphic locus (APL), to population size and landscape variables. Presettlement areas were estimated based on soil preferences and GIS soils maps. Four species showed no genetic patterns related to population or landscape factors. The …

Role Of Clover "Down On The Farm", Don Sorrell

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

In an effort to evaluate the Role of Clover ”Down on the Farm”, a survey was developed and then e-mailed to Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agents in Kentucky. Agents were asked to complete the survey based on their estimate of use and importance of clover in their particular county. Thirtytwo (32) surveys were returned. The following is a summary of those returned surveys.

Establishing Clovers In Pasture And Hay Fields, Garry D. Lacefield

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Pasture renovation means to renew and improve. In Kentucky, this usually means adding lime and fertilizer, controlling weeds and insects and planting a legume such as red clover and/or white clover. The primary benefits come as a result of getting legumes established in grass-dominated fields.

Estimating Clover Percentage In Your Pasture, S. Ray Smith

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

You often hear Extension Agents and Extension Specialists talk about how important it is to add clover to your grass pastures. We talk about the advantage of free nitrogen, the added forage quality and yield, the benefit of diluting the toxic effects of tall fescue, and many other benefits. Usually after I give a presentation promoting all the benefits of clover the first question from the audience is, “How much clover do I need?” My standard answer is that 30 to 40% clover provides many of these benefits without compromising grass productivity. In fact, 30 to 40% clover in a …

Why Grow Clovers?, Don Ball, Garry D. Lacefield

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

Clovers have long been viewed as being special and beneficial pasture plants, but recently the incentives livestock producers have to grow them have further increased. Why are many people more interested than ever in growing clovers in pastures as companion species with grasses? Here are several reasons that collectively make a compelling case.

Foreword [2010], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Forage Symposium at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Convention

No abstract provided.

Ethylene Receptors Function As Components Of High-Molecular-Mass Protein Complexes In Arabidopsis, Yi-Feng Chen, Zhiyong Gao, Robert J. Kerris, Wuyi Wang, Brad M. Binder, G. Eric Schaller

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: The gaseous plant hormone ethylene is perceived in Arabidopsis thaliana by a five-member receptor family composed of ETR1, ERS1, ETR2, ERS2, and EIN4. Methodology/Principal Findings: Gel-filtration analysis of ethylene receptors solubilized from Arabidopsis membranes demonstrates that the receptors exist as components of high-molecular-mass protein complexes. The ERS1 protein complex exhibits an ethylene-induced change in size consistent with ligand-mediated nucleation of protein-protein interactions. Deletion analysis supports the participation of multiple domains from ETR1 in formation of the protein complex, and also demonstrates that targeting to and retention of ETR1 at the endoplasmic reticulum only requires the first 147 amino acids …

Crystal Structure Of A Virus-Encoded Putative Glycosyltransferase, Yi Xiang, Ulrich Baxa, Ying Zhang, Alasdair C. Steven, Gentry L. Lewis, James L. Van Etten, Michael G. Rossmann

James Van Etten Publications

The chloroviruses (family Phycodnaviridae), unlike most viruses, encode some, if not most, of the enzymes involved in the glycosylation of their structural proteins. Annotation of the gene product B736L from chlorovirus NY-2A suggests that it is a glycosyltransferase. The structure of the recombinantly expressed B736L protein was determined by X-ray crystallography to 2.3-Å resolution, and the protein was shown to have two nucleotide-binding folds like other glycosyltransferase type B enzymes. This is the second structure of a chlorovirus-encoded glycosyltransferase and the first structure of a chlorovirus type B enzyme to be determined. B736L is a retaining enzyme and belongs …

Importance Of Myxomycetes In Biological Research And Teaching, Harold W. Keller, Sydney E. Everhart

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Myxomycetes, the true slime molds, are highlighted in research and teaching that emphasizes various stages of the life cycle as experimental models. Past and current phylogenetic classifications of Myxomycetes on the tree of life are presented. Life cycle stages are illustrated, described, and discussed. Simple laboratory demonstrations and experiments are described that include spore germination, spore release, and moist chamber cultures utilizing organic matter from various microhabitats. Novel compounds isolated from fruiting bodies and plasmodia of 22 myxomycete species are tabulated, some of which exhibit biological activity that function as antibiotics, antimicrobials, and are cytotoxic to cancer cells. Aeroallergens include …

Resource Management Plan: Calamus Reservoir, Nebraska Great Plains Region, Bureau Of Reclamation

United States Bureau of Land Management: Staff Publications

The Calamus Reservoir Resource Management Plan (RMP) serves as a guidance document for land and resource management at the Calamus Reservoir and Kent Diversion Dam project areas. Calamus Reservoir and Kent Diversion Dam are components of the features and facilities constructed as part of the North Loup Division. This RMP has been developed cooperatively between the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (Commission). The Commission manages both Calamus Reservoir and Kent Diversion Dam for Reclamation under a long term lease agreement.

The RMP provides information regarding project characteristics, land and water use, cultural resources, endangered …

Sorghum: An Ancient, Healthy And Nutritious Old World Cereal, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, John Lindsay

INTSORMIL Scientific Publications

Sorghum is Africa’s contribution to the small number of elite grains that supply about 85% of the world’s food energy. Only four other foods rice, wheat, maize, and potatoes are consumed in greater amounts by the human race. Sorghum is the dietary staple of more than 500 million people in more than 30 countries of the semi arid tropics, thus being one of the most familiar foods in the world (Board on Science and Technology for International Development, 1996). Sorghum is a truly ancient grain. Dahlberg and Wasylikowa (1996) reported on sorghum remains found in the Nabta Playa archaeological site …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Lianas During 50 Years Of Succession To Temperate Forest, Laura Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Although they are important components of forest communities, the general ecology and spatiotemporal patterns of temperate lianas during forest regeneration are largely unknown. The dependence of lianas on other plants for physical support makes them a potentially important driver of community dynamics. We examined 50 years of vegetation data from an old-field succession study to determine the dynamics and community controls on liana expansion within the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Four lianas, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis spp., occurred in enough abundance for detailed analyses. In general, liana cover peaked during mid-succession (20–30 years post-abandonment) …

Maria Sibylla Merian's Frogs, Kay Etheridge

Biology Faculty Publications

Maria Sibylla Merian (German, 1647-1717) is best known for her magnificent 1705 publication, Metamorphosis insectorum surinamensium, although she published earlier works on insect metamorphosis. Merian wrote the text and painted all of the illustrations for her books, and for the early volumes she produced most of the engravings. Contemporary scholarship has focused primarily on Merian's detailed images of lepidopteran and host plant life cycles, but Merian's Surinam album also portrays anuram metamorphosis, including the first European depiction of Pipa pipa.

Turnover Of Mature Mirnas And Sirnas In Plants And Algae, Heriberto Cerutti, Fadia Ibrahim

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

rnicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) play important roles in gene regulation and defense responses against transposons and viruses in eukaryotes. These small RNAs generally trigger the silencing of cognate sequences through a variety of mechanisms, including RNA degradation, translational inhibition, and transcriptional repression. In the past few years, the synthesis and the mode of action of miRNAs and siRNAs have attracted great attention. However, relatively little is known about mechanisms of quality control during small RNA biogenesis as well as those that regulate mature small RNA stability. Recent studies in Arabidopsis thaliana and Caenorhahditis elegans have implicated 3′-to-5′ …

Γ-Zeins Are Essential For Endosperm Modification In Quality Protein Maize, Yongrui Wu, David R. Holding, Joachim Messing

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Essential amino acids like lysine and tryptophan are deficient in corn meal because of the abundance of zein storage proteins that lack these amino acids. A naturalmutant, opaque 2 (o2) causes reduction of zeins,anincreaseofnonzeinproteins,andas a consequence, adoubling of lysine levels.However, o2’s soft inferior kernels precluded its commercial use. Breeders subsequently overcame kernel softness, selectingseveral quantitative loci (QTLs), called o2modifiers,without losing the high-lysine trait. These maize lines are known as “quality protein maize” (QPM). One of the QTLs is linked to the 27-kDa γ-zein locus on chromosome 7S. Moreover, QPM lines have 2- to 3-fold higher levels of the 27-kDa γ-zein, …

A Putative Rna-Binding Protein Positively Regulates Salicylic Acid–Mediated Immunity In Arabidopsis, Yiping Qi, Kenichi Tsuda, Anna Joe, Masanao Sato, Le V. Nguyen, Jane Glazebrook, James R. Alfano, Jerry D. Cohen, Fumiaki Katagiri

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

RNA-binding proteins (RBP) can control gene expression at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Plants respond to pathogen infection with rapid reprogramming of gene expression. However, little is known about how plant RBP function in plant immunity. Here, we describe the involvement of an RBP, Arabidopsis thaliana RNA-binding protein-defense related 1 (AtRBP-DR1; At4g03110), in resistance to the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. AtRBP-DR1 loss-of-function mutants showed enhanced susceptibility to P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Overexpression of AtRBP-DR1 led to enhanced resistance to P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 strains and dwarfism. The hypersensitive response triggered by P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 …

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Western Australian Part Of The Nullarbor Region, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, A K. Gardner, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 2005 and 2007, describes and maps the natural resources of the region. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area's natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The Nullarbor region has …

The Seed, Scott Josiah, Kim Todd, Terri James, Bob Henrickson, John Knorr, Vaughn Hammond

Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: Publications

In our increasingly urbanized environment, our connection to the outdoors, wildlife and the sources of food that sustain us can grow more distant. One fruitful and fun way to strengthen that connection to the outdoors is to create an “edible land- scape” by adding food-producing plants to conventional residential or acreage landscapes. Edible landscapes can be just as attractive as ornamental landscapes, combining fruit and nut trees, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers or berry bushes in aesthetically pleasing designs.

The Seed, Bob Henrickson, Justin R. Evertson

Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: Publications

Too often, groundcovers are not considered when new landscape plantings are installed. Traditionally, the soil surface of new planting beds that incorporate trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials is covered with a 2-3” layer of organic mulch. The organic mulch helps to conserve moisture, control weeds and give the landscape a uniform, finished look. However, it usually takes a number of years before the plants mature, prompting a yearly top-dressing of mulch to keep the open areas covered. This yearly addition of mulch can be relatively expensive and excessive mulch can build up on the soil. It can also be a …

Nebline, January 2010

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Tips for Positive Interactions with Tweens

Farm Views

Horticulture

Food & Fitness

Home & Family Living

Environmental Focus

Urban Agriculture

4-H & Youth

Community Focus

Extension Calendar

Nutrition Education Program

Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs

and other extension news and events

Annual Report Special Pullout Section

Translational Inhibition By Micrornas In Plants, Bin Yu, Hai Wang

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 21–24 nucleotide riboregulators, which selectively repress gene expression through transcript cleavage and/or translational inhibition. It was thought that most plant miRNAs act through target transcript cleavage due to the high degree of complementarity between miRNAs and their targets. However, recent studies have suggested widespread translational inhibition by miRNAs in plants. The mechanisms underlining translational inhibition by plant miRNAs are largely unknown, but existing evidence has indicated that plants and animals share some mechanistic similarity of translational inhibition. Translational inhibition by miRNAs has been shown to regulate floral patterning, floral timing, and stress responses. This chapter covers recent …

Production Of Premium Waxflowers, Kevin Seaton, Nikki Poulish

Bulletins 4000 -

The cut flower trade is a highly competitive global market. Waxflowers are grown around the world—often in countries with lower cost structures or closer proximity to our main markets. Western Australian producers can only compete if their product stands out from the crowd in terms of quality, presentation and uniqueness, however, it still has to represent good value for money.

Permanent Genetic Resources Added To The Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 February 2010–31 March 2010, D. Aurelle, M. R. Pooler, T. A. Rinehart, B. E. Scheffler, Molecular Ecology Resources Primer Development Consortium

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

This article documents the addition of 228 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Anser cygnoides, Apodemus flavicollis, Athene noctua, Cercis canadensis, Glis glis, Gubernatrix cristata, Haliotis tuberculata, Helianthus maximiliani, Laricobius nigrinus, Laricobius rubidus, Neoheligmonella granjoni, Nephrops norvegicus, Oenanthe javanica, Paramuricea clavata, Pyrrhura orcesi and Samanea saman. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Apodemus sylvaticus, Laricobius laticollis and Laricobius osakensis (a proposed new species currently being described).

Forage News [2010-01], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Forages at KCA
• Heart of America Grazing Conference
• 30th Anniversary Alfalfa Conference
• Tall Fescue for the Twenty-First Century
• Grazing Conference Photos
• Hay Testing
• Growing Alfalfa in the South
• New Forage Variety Test Reports
• American Grassfed Association Coming Back to Lexington
• Consider Joining KFGC in 2010
• Comment Period on RR Alfalfa - December 18, 2009 - February 16, 2010

The Role Of Cuticle, Fatty Acids, And Lipid Signaling In Plant Defense, Ye Xia

Theses and Dissertations--Plant Pathology

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is initiated upon recognition of specific microbial effectors by cognate plant resistance proteins and immunizes distal tissues of plants against secondary infections. SAR involves the generation of a mobile signal at the site of primary infection, which then translocates to and activates defense responses in the distal tissues via some unknown mechanism(s). This study shows that an ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN 4 (ACP4), GLABRA1 (GL1) and ACYL CARRIER BINDING PROTEINS (ACBP) are required for the processing of the mobile SAR signal in distal tissues of Arabidopsis. Although acp4, gl1 and acbp plants generate the mobile signal, …

Individuality In Gut Microbiota Composition Is A Complex Polygenic Trait Shaped By Multiple Environmental And Host Genetic Factors, Andrew K. Benson, Scott A. Kelly, Ryan Legge, Fangrui Ma, Soo Jen Low, Jaehyoung Kim, Min Zhang, Phaik Lyn Oh, Derrick Nehrenberg, Kunjie Huab, Stephen D. Kachman, Etsuko N. Moriyama, Jens Walter, Daniel A. Peterson, Daniel Pomp

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

In vertebrates, including humans, individuals harbor gut microbial communities whose species composition and relative proportions of dominant microbial groups are tremendously varied. Although external and stochastic factors clearly contribute to the individuality of the microbiota, the fundamental principles dictating how environmental factors and host genetic factors combine to shape this complex ecosystem are largely unknown and require systematic study. Here we examined factors that affect microbiota composition in a large (n = 645) mouse advanced intercross line originating from a cross between C57BL/6J and an ICR-derived outbred line (HR). Quantitative pyrosequencing of the microbiota defined a core measurable microbiota …