Digital Commons Network^™

Tracing Ancient Healing Practices Through The Hibiscus, Lyn Tackett

McNair Scholars Program Summer Research Symposium

Abstract: By studying traditional healing practices, we can provide new information that may help solve archaeological mysteries as well as offer new perspectives to modern medicine. For example, Hibiscus tea has long been in use throughout Africa and Asia, yet little research has been done into the origins of this medicine and whether early cultures traded that information. Trichomes and plant morphology of three species of Hibiscus native to Africa, China and India ( Hibiscus sabdariffa, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and Hibiscus syriacus) were studied using microscopy. The results were compared to known medicinal claims and ancient documents including trade maps and …

A Public–Industry Partnership For Enhancing Corn Nitrogen Research And Datasets: Project Description, Methodology, And Outcomes, Newell R. Kitchen, John F. Shanahan, Curtis J. Ransom, Christopher J. Bandura, Gregory M. Bean, James J. Camberato, Paul R. Carter, Jason D. Clark, Richard B. Ferguson, Fabian G. Fernandez, David W. Franzen, Carrie A.M. Laboski, Emerson D. Nafziger, Zhisheng Qing, John E. Sawyer, Matt Shafer

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Due to economic and environmental consequences of N lost from fertilizer applications in corn (Zea mays L.), considerable public and industry attention has been devoted to the development of N decision tools. Needed are research and databases and associated metadata, at numerous locations and years to represent a wide geographic range of soil and weather scenarios, for evaluating tool performance. The goals of this research were to conduct standardized corn N rate response field studies to evaluate the performance of multiple public-domain N decision tools across diverse soils and environmental conditions, develop and publish new agronomic science for improved …

Correlation Of Trichome Density And Length And Polyphenol Fluorescence With Susceptibility Of Five Cucurbits To Didymella Bryoniae, Gabriel Rennberger, A. P. Keinath, M. Hess

Publications

The fungal pathogen Didymella bryoniae causes gummy stem blight and black rot on a broad spectrum of cucurbits. However the substantial differences in susceptibility among Cucurbitaceae are not well studied. Susceptibility was characterized with muskmelon (Cucumis melo), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), and zucchini (C. pepo). Lesion diameters on leaf disks inoculated with agar plugs were measured 7 days after inoculation, and the necrotized areas of leaf disks inoculated with conidial suspensions were measured 48 h after inoculation (hai). For each species, the number of trichomes …

Comparison Of Understory Chemical And Mechanical Treatments To Promote Regeneration Of Desirable Forestland Species, Rebecca Rachael Tyler

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Invasive woody plants and trees can have a negative impact on desired tree regeneration in the understory of forest stands, and forage density in grassland sites. An assessment of chemical and mechanical treatments on woody plants in the understory of forestland and in grassland is needed. Two experiments were set up in two forest stands and in two grassland/forest edge sites, with two treatment times during the growing season in the first year of the study. On the forestland sites, chemical and mechanical treatments were applied on undesired woody plants to see if they effect the regeneration of desired tree …

Forage News [2017-08], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Possible Causes of Yellowing Alfalfa
• Dung Beetles: Underground Allies
• Don't Overlook Johnsongrass

Nebline, August 2017

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Back-to-School Nutrition

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events

Special pullout section: Lancaster County Super Fair 2017 Schedule & Map

Characterization Of The Relationships Between Soybean Yield, Trifoliolate Leaf Chloride Concentration, And Cultivar Chloride Inclusion/Exclusion Rating, Dillon Cox

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chloride toxicity is recognized as yield limiting problem in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production. Limited information is available to accurately diagnose and manage Cl toxicity. The only recommendation for Cl toxicity management is to plant an excluder cultivar, however the cultivar Cl sensitivity rating system (excluder, includer, and mixed) does not appear to capture the variability in cultivar Cl tolerance. The objectives of this research were to i) develop critical tissue-Cl concentrations in which yield loss occurs for excluder and includer cultivars and ii) investigate the variability in cultivar Cl ratings. A study was conducted across five site-years using …

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%, …

Evaluation Of Screening Methods To Detect Heat Stress In Diverse Cotton Genotypes, Mathilda M. Van Der Westhuizen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is sensitive to heat stress (HS) during reproductive development. The objective of this study was to evaluate different screening methods for identification of heat tolerance in cotton genotypes. Three growth chamber studies and four field trials were conducted from 2014 to 2017 using genotypes Arkot 9704, VH260, DP 210 B2RF and DP393. Measurements were made of membrane leakage (ML), chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF), glutathione reductase (GR), and sucrose concentration. In the growth chambers, measurements were made at 30 and 40°C and at 2, 4 and 6 hours of HS, as well as 3 and 7 days after …

Msh1-Mediated Non-Genetic Phenotypic Variation In Plants: Prospects For Epigenetic Breeding In Sorghum Bicolor, Dikungwa Ketumile

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

Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world, and is the primary staple food for many people in developing countries. Like other major crops, its improvement is constrained by depletion of genetic diversity within breeding germplasm. Investigated in this study is the unique creation of non-genetic phenotypic variation through altering MutS Homolog1 (MSH1), a plant-specific gene, and the potential it presents for sorghum improvement. Suppression of MSH1 results in non-genetic developmental reprogramming. The derived MSH1 memory lines, when used in crossing, result in heritable phenotypic variation that enhances plant vigor and agronomic performance. A …

Space Use, Resource Selection, And Survival Of Reintroduced Bighorn Sheep, Rusty Wade Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Successful management of bighorn sheep depends on understanding the mechanisms responsible for population growth or decline, habitat selection, and utilization distribution after translocations. We studied a declining population of desert bighorn sheep in the North San Rafael Swell, Utah to determine birthdates of neonates, demographics, limiting factors, population size, probable cause of death, production, and survival. We documented 19 mortalities attributed to a variety of causes including cougar predation (n = 10, 53%), bluetongue virus (n = 2, 11%), reproductive complications (n = 2, 11%), hunter harvest (n = 1, 5%), and unknown (n = 4, 21%). Annual survival of …

B. R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research Studies 2016, R. J. Norman, K.A. K. Moldenhauer

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Microbiota, Diet, And Energy Production In The Alpaca, Courtney Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

The alpaca is a small South American camelid (SAC) that is an important production animal in Peru, especially among the highly impoverished communities of the high Andes, and raised for its fiber and meat. Alpacas are highly reliant on the microbes within their digestive tracts to digest the plant material they consume; volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are released as a byproduct of this microbial fermentation and used as a major source of energy by the alpaca. To explore optimal parameters for alpaca microbiome analysis, performed 16S rRNA gene surveys on alpaca C1 and fecal samples that had been extracted using …

Cultivar, Season Extension, Fertilizer Trials Of Swiss Chard And Pedagogy Of Assessing Cultivars Using Technology, Chanelle Angeny

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract. Diversity of species is a cornerstone of horticulture, and the constant stream of new plant cultivars broadens the palette of options available to the industry. Fifteen Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) cultivars were evaluated during the fall/winter of 2014-2015 season (season 1) and 27 cultivars during the fall/winter of 2015-2016 season (season 2) to determine the best performing cultivars for production and landscape use for east Texas and the southeast by assessing survivability and yield. There was an increase in production of 3.0 ± 0.5 g per plant per harvest under the low tunnel. The cultivar …

Why Organic Resources And Current Fertilizer Formulations In Southern Africa Cannot Sustain Maize Productivity: Evidence From A Long-Term Experiment In Zimbabwe, Tongai J. Mtangadura, Florence Mtambanengwe, Hatirarami Nezomba, Jairos Rurinda, Paul Mapfumo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sustainability of maize-based cropping systems is a major challenge for southern Africa, yet the demand for maize as staple food and animal feed in the region continues to increase. A study was conducted on a sandy clay loam (220 g clay kg-1 soil) at Domboshawa in Zimbabwe to investigate the long-term effects of organic resource quality and application rate, and nitrogen (N) fertilization on soil chemical properties and maize (Zea mays L.) productivity. Crotalaria juncea (high quality), Calliandra calothyrsus (medium quality), cattle manure (variable quality), maize stover and Pinus patula sawdust (both low quality) were incorporated into soil at 4.0 …

Volume 2, Chapter 16-2: Birds And Bryophytic Food Sources, Janice M. Glime

Bryophyte Ecology Subchapters

No abstract provided.

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 …

Effect Assessment Of Tio2 Nanoparticles Exposure On Medicago By Monitoring Morphophysiology, Charles Towey

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In recent years titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) have been ingredients in everything from paints to cosmetics, and even in some kinds of food. This growth in use has resulted in a substantial increase in the amount of titanium released into the environment, which could have detrimental effects on nearby plant and animal life. Currently, the number of studies conducted on the effects of TiO₂NPs is quite small, especially when it comes to edible crops. Because of this lack of research data, this study has been designed to assess the effect of TiO₂ NPs exposure on …

The Interacting Roles Of Climate, Soils, And Plant Production On Soil Microbial Communities At A Continental Scale, M. P. Waldrop, J. M. Holloway, D. B. Smith, M. B. Goldhaber, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, K. M. Scow, R. Dick, D. Howard, B. Wylie, J. B. Grace

2017 Faculty Bibliography

Soil microbial communities control critical ecosystem processes such as decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil organic matter formation. Continental scale patterns in the composition and functioning of microbial communities are related to climatic, biotic, and edaphic factors such as temperature and precipitation, plant community composition, and soil carbon, nitrogen, and pH. Although these relationships have been well explored individually, the examination of the factors that may act directly on microbial communities vs. those that may act indirectly through other ecosystem properties has not been well developed. To further such understanding, we utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate a set of …

Foliar Mineral Accumulation Patterns Of Gypsophiles And Their Relatives From The Usa And Spain, Clare Muller

Masters Theses

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 non-endemic (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. We collected leaves from 23 gypsophiles and related non-endemic taxa growing on non-gypsum soils. Soils and leaves were analyzed for …

Dissecting The Genetic Basis Of Salt Tolerance In Rice (Oryza Sativa), Malachy Thomas Campbell

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

Excessive salt is a major factor limiting crop productivity. Rice is an important food crop worldwide, and provides a major source of calories for billions of people in tropical and subtropical developing countries. In many regions throughout Southeast Asia, rice is grown in low-lying coastal regions, which are prone to ingress by seawater. Rice is highly sensitive to salt stress, with mild salinity resulting in large reductions in yield. Improving salt tolerance in rice is essential for ensuring food security for many individuals throughput the developing world.

In this work, the overall goals were to characterize a diverse collection of …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Nutrient Composition And Digestibility Of California Perennial And Annual Grasses At Four Stages Of Growth, Elaina Cromer

Master's Theses

Beef products represent the fourth largest agricultural commodity in the state of California, valuing more than $3 billion from 2013 to 2015 (CDFA, 2016) and procure 90% of the income for the range livestock industry (FRAP, 2003). Forages found on California’s coastal, desert, foothill, and mountain ranges are the basis of the state’s beef cattle industry. Understanding their nutritional quality of these forages is important for their effective use (George et al., 2001a; Waterman et al., 2014). The objectives of this research were to investigate the nutritional characteristics, and in situ digestbilities in Angus beef cattle, of common California annual …

Growing South Dakota (Summer 2017), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

This issue contains the 2016 SDSU Extension Annual Report.

Page] 2 From the Director
[Page] 3 WaterTouches Everything, Multi-State Network Strives to Enhance Water Stewardship
[Page] 6 From RubbleTo Renewal, Unique Art Project Helps Delmont Community Heal
[Page] 7 Future Focused, Community Development Program Helps Harness Ideas Into Action
[Page] 8 Health Help, Statewide Program Strives To Help Individuals Better Manage Chronic Health Condition
[Page] 10 Making An Impact, Master Gardener Program Helps Individuals & Communities Flourish
[Page] 12 Statewide Highlights & Happenings
[Page] 14 Outreach to Youth, Programs Foster Engagement With Diverse Youth Audiences
[Page] 17 A Look At …

The Yield Gap: Closing The Gap By Widening The Approach, Katherine A. Snyder, Sriyanie Miththapala, Rolf Sommer, Juliet Braslow

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The yield gap has arisen again as a focus for agricultural research to ensure food security and economic growth for farmers around the world. To examine this renewed interest, we carried out a review of key literature in the field of yield gap analysis to identify important gaps in research and analysis. In so doing, both the complexities in yield gap studies emerged along with some significant omissions. Much of the literature and research on the yield gap has been framed by larger concerns and initiatives to raise agricultural productivity. This focus has led to an emphasis on technical solutions …

Symbiosis With Nitrogen-Fixing Rhizobia Influences Plant Defense Strategy And Plant-Predator Interactions, Adrienne Louise Godschalx

Dissertations and Theses

As sessile organisms, plants evolved a plethora of defenses against their attackers. Given the role of plants as a primary food source for many organisms, plant defense has important implications for community ecology. Surprisingly, despite the potential to alter entire food webs and communities, the factors determining plant investment in defense are not well-understood, and are even less understood considering the numerous symbiotic interactions in the same plant. Legume-rhizobia symbioses engineer ecosystems by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere in trade for plant photosynthates, yet connecting symbiotic resource exchange to food web interactions has yet to be established. Here I test …

Genomic Approaches For Improvement Of Understudied Grasses, Keenan Amundsen, Gautam Sarath, Teresa Donze-Reiner

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Assessing Parturition Date Synchrony For North Dakota Ungulates, Eric S. Michel, Jonathan A. Jenks, William F. Jensen

The Prairie Naturalist

Reproductive parameters such as conception date, and therefore parturition date, influence offspring characteristics such as sex ratio and birth mass. For example, late-conceiving reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) produced more female than male offspring compared to those who conceived early (Holand et al. 2006). Females that conceive later and therefore give birth later also can produce lighter offspring compared to those who conceive early (Schwartz et al. 1994, Holand et al. 2006). Because birth mass is positively related to adult body mass (Michel et al. 2015), conception and parturition date likely affect adult phenotype. In turn, this may influence survival because heavy …

Notes: Examining The Potential Competitive Effects Of Ventenata Dubia On Annual And Perennial Grasses, Shawn Mckay, Lesley R. Morris, Christopher E. Morris, Elizabeth A. Leger

The Prairie Naturalist

Portions of the United States are becoming increasingly dominated by annual species, with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae [L.] Nevski) as the most common and well-known invaders (Bansal et al. 2014). Other invasive annual species also are present and increasing in abundance, including ventenata (Ventenata dubia [Leers] Coss.), an invasive annual grass that has been expanding within the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, and Great Plains regions of the United States. Ventenata was first reported in North America in 1952 in Washington (Old and Callihan 1987) and has since spread to 7 western states in the USA (CA, …

Diel And Monthly Movement Rates By Migratory And Resident Female Pronghorn, Paul F. Jones, T. Andrew Hurly, Chelsea Jensen, Karl Zimmer, Andrew Jakes

The Prairie Naturalist

Animal movement patterns are variable, with certain species primarily being diurnal and others nocturnal. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are regarded as diurnal animals moving predominately during daylight hours. Anecdotal accounts, however, suggest that pronghorn move during the night but the extent, frequency, and importance of these nocturnal movement behaviors are unknown. To evaluate movements, we combined global positioning system relocation data from collared female pronghorn in the Northern Sagebrush Steppe between 2003 and 2007 with sunrise/sunset data within a geographical information system platform. We assessed whether mean and maximum movement rates were influenced by diel period (dawn, day, dusk, and night), …

Returns To Research And Outreach For Integrated Pest Management Of Western Flower Thrips Infesting French Bean And Tomato In Kenya, E. A. Mujuka, H. Affognon, B. W. Muriithi, S. Subramanian, P. Irungu, J. Mburu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is a major invasive pest that causes extensive yield losses in French bean and tomato in Kenya. Thrips management is based on the application of pesticides. In addition to increased environmental risks associated with pesticides, frequent use of these chemicals increases production costs and pesticide resistance. Furthermore, exports are restricted due to non-compliance to maximum residue levels in important consumer export markets, especially the European Union (EU). This study was conducted to estimate the potential benefits of the effectiveness of the icipe-developed strategy for control of western flower thrips before dissemination of the technology in Kenya, …