Digital Commons Network^™

Substantial Equivalence Assessment Of Transgenic Corn Plants, Martina Garda

Student Theses and Dissertations

Transgenic crops are regulated until they are judged to be as safe as non-transgenic plants. To grow them without permits, they must attain regulatory approval. . A lot of data are needed to show "substantial equivalence" and safety . This work deals with corn lines that contain cellulase genes. We hypothesize that no difference exists between Genetically Engineered (GE) and non-Genetically Engineered (non-GE) corn seeds at the morphological, protein, and DNA levels, except for the protein expressed specifically from the corresponding gene. This research will address concerns in commercializing GE crops, such as those containing a gene for either an …

Effect Of Nitrogen Source And Harvest Date On In Vitro True Digestible Dry Matter And Yield Of Switchgrass, Eastern Gama Grass And Switchgrass Mixture, Venkata Kiran Siddineni

Student Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of nitrogen source and harvest date on in vitro true digestible dry matter (IVTDDM) and dry matter yield of switchgrass (SW), gamagrass (EGG) and switchgrass-big bluestem-Illinois bundleflower grass mixture (SWM). Three grass species SW, EGG and SWM were fertilized with an equal amount of nitrogen (67.4 kg N/ha). Treatments were control (no added nitrogen), urea, poultry litter and municipal biosolids. Plots were arranged in four blocks in a completely randomized block design. Samples were collected from each plot at three harvest dates (June, July and August, 2010). Samples were analyzed …

Aronia Mitschurinii: Solving A Horticultural Enigma, Peter J. Leonard

Master's Theses

Aronia (Medik.), commonly known as chokeberry, is a taxonomically misunderstood genus currently experiencing a renaissance in North America as both an ornamental and fruit crop. Three species of chokeberry are commonly accepted as native in North America: A. arbutifolia (L.) Pers. red chokeberry; A. melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot, black chokeberry; and A. prunifolia (Marshall) Rehder, or purple chokeberry. In Europe a fourth species of human origin is recognized as Aronia mitschurinii (A.K.Skvortsov & Maitul.), or cultivated, black-fruited Aronia. It is widely speculated that this genotype originated in the early 20^th century with Russian pomologist Ivan Michurin, as the product …

Comparative Ecology Of Sarcobatus Baileyi And Sarcobatus Vermiculatus In Eastern California, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Alynn M. Martin, Molly R. Falasco, James H. Richards

Biology

Greasewood (Sarcobatus) is a succulent-leaved, halophytic shrub of North American origin. The genus comprises 2 species: Sarcobatus baileyi and Sarcobatus vermiculatus. Sarcobatus vermiculatus is common throughout much of western North America, but S. baileyi is much more limited in distribution and was previously thought to be endemic to Nevada. Here we document and describe a S. baileyi population in eastern California, comparing its morphology and ecology to an adjacent S. vermiculatus population. Morphologically, S. baileyi is smaller in stature but produces larger seeds; however, fewer S. baileyi seeds germinated and survived a 20-day laboratory incubation compared to seeds of S. …

Nebline, August 2011

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: For Many 4-H Families, County Fair is Quality Time Together

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

Lancaster County Super Fair Schedule & Map Special Pullout Section

Relationships Among Rubus (Rosaceae) Species Used In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yinu Wang

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of using plants therapeutically including multiple species of the genus Rubus (Rosaceae). Fruits and other parts of Rubus plants have had a significant effect on human health and nutrition in both ancient and modern times. The pharmacological effects of Rubus include anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-stress, anti-cancer and anti-aging properties. One of the current challenges limiting further development of Rubus resources in traditional Chinese medicine is a poor understanding of phylogenetic relationships among Rubus species in general and especially among Asian species, and also the need for additional studies of phytochemicals. Several confounding factors are …

Growing Oats In Western Australia For Hay And Grain, Raj Malik, Blakely Paynter, Cindy L. Webster, Amelia Mclarty

Bulletins 4000 -

The oat industry in Western Australia has made phenomenal progress in recent years with the discovery of new markets, the release of several high yielding varieties and the development of agronomic guidelines through rigorous research programs. Oat production in Western Australia for the domestic and export market has significantly increased over the past few years. Oats are now regarded as one of the most profitable cropping enterprises. Oat production is mainly export orientated and thus has a substantial economic influence on the agricultural industry.

In Western Australia, oats are grown for grain, for both milling and feed, and for hay. …

2012 Barley Variety Sowing Guide For Western Australia, Blakely Paynter, Andrea Hills, Harmohinder Dhammu

Bulletins 4000 -

This variety guide is designed as a quick reference to help growers determine which barley variety to grow in their region. It provides domestic and international market feedback, relative grain yield comparisons, disease ratings, agronomic information and herbicide tolerance ratings for all malting barley varieties, the new food variety and selected feed varieties.

The Rate Of Shattercane X Sorghum Hybridization In Situ, Jared J. Schmidt

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

Cultivated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor subsp. bicolor) can interbreed with its close weedy relative shattercane (S. bicolor subsp. drummondii). The introduction of traits from cultivated sorghum into a shattercane population could contribute to the invasiveness of the wild shattercane population. An in situ experiment was conducted across two years to determine the potential for pollen-mediated gene flow from grain sorghum to shattercane. Shattercane with juicy midrib (dd) was planted in a soybean field in concentric arcs at varying distances from a sorghum pollen source with dry midrib (DD). The arcs were placed …

Gata-Family Transcription Factors In Magnaporthe Oryzae, Cristian F. Quispe

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

The filamentous fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, responsible for blast rice disease, destroys around 10-30% of the rice crop annually. Infection begins when the specialized infection structure, the appressorium, generates enormous internal turgor pressure through the accumulation of glycerol. This turgor acts on a penetration peg emerging at the base of the cell, causing it to breach the leaf surface allowing its infection.

The enzyme trehalose-6- phosphate synthase (Tps1) is a central regulator of the transition from appressorium development to infectious hyphal growth. In the first chapter we show that initiation of rice blast disease requires a regulatory mechanism involving an …

Remarkable Features Of The Hotdog-Fold Thioesterases Involved In Phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) Biosynthesis, Joshua R. Widhalm

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

Phylloquinone (vitamin K₁) is a bipartite molecule, consisting of a naphthoquinone ring attached to a phytyl side chain, that is synthesized by plants and certain cyanobacteria to serve as an electron carrier in photosystem I. The coupling of the ring and isoprenyl moieties relies on the cleavage of the CoA-thioester linkage with 1,4-dihydroxy-2- naphthoate (DHNA). It has long been a mystery if this hydrolysis is an enzymatic or chemical process. Using comparative genomics, protein biochemistry, genetics and metabolic profiling, we identified a cyanobacterial thioesterase responsible for the in vivo hydrolysis of DHNA-CoA. This enzyme bears a signature domain …

B. R. Wells Rice Research Studies 2010, R. J. Norman, K. A. K. Moldenhauer

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2010 Rice Research Verification Program ( RRVP) was conducted on twenty-two commercial rice fields across the state. Counties rarticirating in the program included Arkansas, Ashley, Chicot, Clark, Clay, Cross, Desha, Drew, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lonoke, Mississippi, Phillips, Poinsett (2 fields), Prairie, Randolph, St. Francis, and White for a total of 1456 acres. Grain yield in the 2010 RRVP averaged 167 bu/acre ranging from 113 to 215 bu/acre. The 2010 RRVP average yield was 25 bu/acre greater than the estimated Arkansas state average of 142 bu/acre. The highest yielding field was in Clay County with a grain yield …

Identification Of Salt-Induced Changes In Leaf And Root Proteomes Of The Wild Tomato, Solanum Chilense, Suping Zhou, Roger J. Sauvé, Zong Liu, Sasikiran Reddy, Sarabjit Bhatti, Simon D. Hucko, Tara Fish, Theodore W. Thannhauser

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

This article reports salt-induced changes in leaf and root proteomes after wild tomato (Solanum chilense) plants were treated with 200 mmNaCl. In leaf tissues, a total of 176 protein spots showed significant changes (P < 0.05), of which 104 spots were induced and 72 spots suppressed. Salt-induced proteins are associated with the following pathways: photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, glyoxylate shunt, glycine cleavage system, branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, protein folding, defense and cellular protection, signal transduction, ion transport, and antioxidant activities. Suppressed proteins belong to the following categories: oxidative phosphorylation pathway, photorespiration and protein translational machinery, oxidative stress, and ATPases. In root tissues, 106 protein spots changed significantly (P< 0.05) after the salt treatment, 63 spots were induced, and 43 suppressed by salt treatment. Salt-induced proteins are associated with the following functional pathways: regeneration of S-adenosyl methionine, protein folding, selective ion transport, antioxidants and defense mechanism, signal transduction and gene expression regulation, and branched-chain amino acid synthesis. Salt-suppressed proteins are receptor kinase proteins, peroxidases and germin-like proteins, malate dehydrogenase, and glycine dehydrogenase. In this study, different members of proteins were identified from leaf and root tissues after plants were subjected to salt treatment. These proteins represent …

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid– Containing Toxic Plants (Senecio, Crotalaria, Cynoglossum, Amsinckia, Heliotropium, And Echium Spp.), Bryan L. Stegelmeier

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

Many problematic pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA)-containing plants are foreign invasive weeds that invade pastures, fields, and ranges, and contaminate feeds and food. Others are native plants that may increase or expand on field edges or in disturbed areas. Most are unpalatable, only becoming a problem for livestock when alternative forages are unavailable, or when they are included in hay and other harvested feeds. Human poisoning is most often a result of contaminated grain or flour, although several poisonings have resulted from the use of PA-containing herbal preparations. Major PA plants and their specific health-related characteristics are discussed individually.

Nebline, July 2011

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Urban Agriculture is a Growing Trend

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

The Effects Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (Am) Fungal And Garlic Mustard Introductions On Native Am Fungal Diversity, Alexander M. Koch, Pedro M. Antunes, Kathryn Barto, Don Cipollini, Daniel L. Mummey, John N. Klironomos

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduced, non-native organisms are of global concern, because biological invasions can negatively affect local communities. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities have not been well studied in this context. AM fungi are abundant in most soils, forming symbiotic root-associations with many plant species. Commercial AM fungal inocula are increasingly spread worldwide, because of potentially beneficial effects on plant growth. In contrast, some invasive plant species, such as the non-mycorrhizal Alliaria petiolata, can negatively influence AM fungi. In a greenhouse study we examined changes in the structure of a local Canadian AM fungal community in response to inoculation by foreign AM fungi …

Evaluation Of Algorithm Thresholds For Crop Canopy Sensor-Based In-Season Nitrogen Application In Corn, Brian Theodore Krienke

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

Nitrogen fertilizer is frequently the most limiting nutrient in corn production. Typically most nitrogen is applied before planting. Since nitrogen can leave the soil system fairly easily, the result can be an inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizer. Previous research has shown increased efficiency with no reduction in yield by applying nitrogen later in the season when the crop is actively growing, with rates regulated spatially through the use of active crop canopy sensors. This study evaluated the potential for N cutoff thresholds using a sufficiency index as the threshold value for areas with poor stand or an unrecoverable N deficiency. …

Effects Of Xenobiotics And Phytotoxins On Reproduction In Food Animals, Kip E. Panter, Bryan L. Stegelmeier

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

The influence of natural toxicants and anthropogenic compounds on reproduction in food animals is significant in its economic impact, and the subject requires more research and further experimental substantiation. Confounding factors such as stress, nutritional status, season of the year, animal species involved, genetic variability, disease conditions, management factors, and so forth exacerbate the difficulty of making an accurate diagnosis and thereby may impede progress to improve reproductive performance on an individual operation. The interaction between the reproductive system and xenobiotics (reproductive toxicology) is a relatively new area of study and a subject of increasing interest, especially in the area …

Sweet Sorghum As An Alternative Cellulosic Biofuel In Eastern Kentucky, Sarah A. Hazenfield

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Sarah A. Hazenfield in June of 2011.

Forage News [2011-06], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• American Forage and Grassland Council Annual Meeting
• UK All Commodity Field Day
• Equine Exhibit Expanded for UK All Commodity Field Day
• Clover PowerPoint Released
• Kentucky Grazing School
• Alfalfa Intensive Training Seminar
• New Page added to Forage Website
• New Native Warm-Season Grasses Publications Available
• Filming Completed on Forage DVD
• Harvesting and Managing Flooded Forage
• Spraying Roundup Ready Alfalfa
• Net Wrap Cuts Losses, Saves Time
• Keys to a Profitable Forage Program

Nebline, June 2011

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Lower Platte South Natural Resources District Trails in Lancaster County Offer Recreation & Education

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

Savvy About Succulents, Mardel Runnels, Jessica Paulisich

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to create an educational booklet explaining that succulents make fantastic SAE projects. The booklet was designed to be helpful to both high school students and high school instructors. All students enrolled in agriculture programs have projects known as SAE’s. This booklet includes a variety of topics that are relevant to having an SAE project. All information was based on industry statistics and information gained from courses. The booklet can be distributed both electronically and in a print version. The major consideration in the design of this project was to develop a booklet that would …

Compost Tea And Milk To Suppress Powdery Mildew (Podosphaera Xanthii) On Pumpkins And Evaluation Of Horticultural Pots Made From Recyclable Fibers Under Field Conditions, Matthew Debacco

Master's Theses

Powdery mildew (caused by Podosphaera xanthii) a common problem for vegetable growers, and the cost of controlling the disease with fungicides to the growers and the environment is high. An alternative approach for control using methods approved for organic production are sprays based on teas made from compost, both actively aerated (ACT) and non-aerated (NCT) compost teas, and sprays made from diluted milk. We evaluated these sprays for control of powdery mildew on pumpkins in field trials in Connecticut in 2008 and 2009, and in greenhouse trials in 2009. We also evaluated the compost teas and milk in the greenhouse …

Prescribed Fire Effects On The Summer And Fall Herbs Of Mesic Deciduous Forests, Margaret Wilder

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

After years of fire suppression, high intensity forest fires were destructive to surrounding areas. Historically, fire was common in the eastern United States, but was suppressed over the past century, and recently has become a major tool in forest management. But to date, there have been no studies on the influence of fire on mesic sites in the eastern United States. Because fire is being reintroduced as a management practice, it is critical to know the influence of fire in this region. This study seeks to understand the influences of fire on summer and fall herbs in the western mesophytic …

Grinders Convert Sorghum Into Flour, Intsormil

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

To help contend rising wheat costs Central American bakers are looking for alternative ways to produce their baked products at a low cost without sacrificing nutritional value or taste. Sorghum flour is the answer to their problems. Sorghum flour is about half the cost of wheat flour so using sorghum flour helps bakers save money and make more of a profit. Particle size of sorghum flour must be sufficiently fine in order to substitute for wheat flour in baking recipes. However, small grinders adequate for family level bakers have not been available in Central America. That is until a collaborative …

Heat-Induced Proteome Changes In Tomato Leaves, Suping Zhou, Roger J. Sauvé, Zong Liu, Sasikiran Reddy, Sarabjit Bhatti, Simon D. Hucko, Yang Yong, Tara Fish, Theodore W. Thannhauser

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Three tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivars [Walter LA3465 (heat-tolerant), Edkawi LA 2711 (unknown heat tolerance, salt-tolerant), and LA1310 (cherry tomato)] were compared for changes in leaf proteomes after heat treatment. Seedlings with four fully expanded leaves were subjected to heat treatment of 39/25 °C at a 16:8 h light–dark cycle for 7 days. Leaves were collected at 1200 hr, 4 h after the light cycle started. For ‘Walter’ LA3465, heat-suppressed proteins were geranylgeranyl reductase, ferredoxin-NADP (+) reductase, Rubisco activase, transketolase, phosphoglycerate kinase precursor, fructose–bisphosphate aldolase, glyoxisomal malate dehydrogenase, catalase, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, and methionine synthase. Two enzymes were induced, cytosolic …

Generation Of Transgenic Medicago Sativa Overexpressing "Osmotin-Chitinase" Gene Chimera, Jahnavi Reddy Kancharla

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Medicago is widely used as a forage crop. It is often susceptible to various pathogenic infections and exhibits low growth in drought and extreme climatic conditions. In the current study, a strategy was developed for over-expressing an “Osmotin-Chitinase” gene chimera in transgenic Medicago that could potentially confer resistance to different biotic and abiotic stresses. Seed germination of several cultivars of Medicago (M. sativa ssp. sativa, M. sativa ssp. falcata, M. sativa ssp. caerulea, M. truncatula, and M. Rugosa) was tested to determine the cultivars with good germination rates. Among these, M. sativa ssp. sativa showed an …

The Western Kentucky University Teaching Gardens: Landscape Design And Establishment Plan, Claudia Stetter

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to design a landscape plan for Teaching Gardens at the Western Kentucky University Agriculture Research and Education Center. The landscape plans were selected based upon the available 5.3 acres surrounding the greenhouse, vineyard, and Exposition Center. Planning included goals and objectives, analysis of the available site, landscape design plans, and connecting the Teaching Gardens to the current curriculum. This thesis also includes related areas to the development of Teaching Gardens such as: summary of courses with related topics to Teaching Gardens, programs that will be used throughout the community, and a listing of current …

Nebline, May 2011

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Nature, Gardening & Science Come Together in the Butterfly Garden

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

Simultaneous Optimization Of Macronutrient Factors In Plant Tissue Culture Using Turmeric (Curcuma Longa L.) As A Model, Sean Halloran

All Theses

Murashige and Skoog 1962 performed one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) experimentation in order to regenerate tobacco callus on semi-solid agar medium. This work became an established medium for tissue culture micropropagation and experimentation. Micropropagation is done in niche markets with herbaceous perennials, among other crops, and the optimization of various inputs to produce maximal responses is a necessary step towards process development. This current study of macronutrient factors simultaneously altered media volume, amount of tissue (plants per vessel), sucrose, nitrogen (as NO3- and NH4+ ions), and K+ in a d-optimal design space with only 55 experimental units (including 5 true replicates). The first …