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Comparison Of Compositional Characteristics Of Protein Extracted From Spent Hemp Seed Cakes By One-Step Defatting With Organic Solvents Followed By Isoelectric Solubilization Precipitation Using Strong And Weak Acids, Miah Nicole Gathman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hemp seed cakes (HSC) are the byproduct of pressing hemp seeds for oil and are a significant agricultural waste product, with hundreds of tons produced annually. These nutrient-rich cakes have potential for sustainable applications in animal feed and food products. However, they could offer even greater value to the food industry through further extraction of the lipids and separation of the proteins they contain. Protein is a key nutritional component and companies are seeking cost-effective, time-efficient processes to concentrate protein from underutilized resources like HSC. Hexane (HEX) is a common solvent used in one-step defatting processes but may cause issue …

Evaluating The Adaptation Of Taro (Colocasia Esculenta) To West Virginia Climatic Conditions, Kayode Joseph Ajayi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Climate change impacts agriculture and food security across the globe, therefore higher temperatures could increase in the length of the growing period and new crops would take advantages of. Research was conducted in Morgantown, WV in 2022 and 2023 to understand the growth pattern of Taro in West Virginia, and to analyzing the chemical composition of the Taro plant. The experiment was a completely randomized design in direct planting-low tunnel technology (2 replications, and 10- plants/plot), and two fertilization treatments (fertilized and non-fertilized). Spacing was 1 m within and between rows. Data were subjected to ANOVA using SAS. Dependent variables …

Addressing Food Security In Cameroon, Stacy A. Adams, Ruth Abunaw Besong

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cameroon Africa has experience a period of nearly a decade of unrest as militants fight for independence for two Anglophone regions within a predominantly Francophone country. The English-speaking minority have felt aggrieved for continued erosion of rights by the central government. Protests have rapidly spread since 2016, causing closure of schools, businesses, and medical facilities. People have lost homes and been displaced, negatively affecting food production and crop availability. The United States Department of State leads an effort of diplomacy beyond emergency food relief through the Mandela Washington Fellowship that connects American professionals to innovative and impactful young African leaders. …

Contents, Discovery Editors

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

No abstract provided.

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

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

No abstract provided.

Best Management Practices: Sambucus Canadensis Propagation Techniques, Hannah Berendzen

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

American elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) is a fruit-bearing shrub native to North America, traditionally utilized for medicinal and culinary purposes. In recent years, its popularity has surged due to emerging research supporting its immune-boosting properties. Despite its growing demand, standardized best management practices for elderberry cultivation, particularly propagation techniques, remain lacking. This study aims to clarify propagation recommendations by examining the influence cutting size and stem diameter on rooting success. A field study was conducted from February to May 2024, in which one-node and two-node dormant hardwood elderberry cuttings of varying stem diameters were planted in small …

Optimization Of Transformation And Regeneration In The Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus), Sara M. Kilar

Masters Theses

In addition to their value as prized ornamentals, sunflowers are important crop species due to the nutritional value and high oil content of the seeds. Sunflower oil is a significant contributor to global seed oil production, which can be used as a food additive and cooking agent as well as a raw material for biodiesel production. While traditional breeding efforts have led to the development of many unique cultivars, genetically modified variations have proven more difficult due to the recalcitrance of sunflower plants to genetic transformation. As a result, facile and efficient transformation methods for sunflowers have the potential to …

Improving Reduced Tillage Vegetable Systems For The Northern Great Plains: How Does Early Season Soil Tarping (Solarization And Occultation) Reduce Weeds, Affect Soil Health, And Protect Yield?, Hannah Voye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil tarping (solarization and occultation) is a no-till weed management practice gaining popularity in the United States for small scale vegetable growers. While many studies have been conducted using variations of this tool in the Northeast United States, minimal research has been done in the windier, sunnier, Midwest climate. Our research explored the effectiveness of early spring solarization and occultation to manage weeds and produce viable onion yield in Eastern South Dakota. Occultation tarps placed in early spring included double sided black and white silage tarps with tarps placed black side up or white side up, each placed 6-, 4-, …

Determining The Susceptibility Status Of Red Sunflower Seed Weevil, Smicronyx Fulvus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) To Pyrethroid Insecticides, Aaron Lee Hargens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although sunflowers are native to North America, the early breeding efforts to improve sunflowers occurred outside of the continent. These hybrids were reintroduced to North America around 1875. In the early 1900’s, efforts to increase oil content were achieved by selective breeding of the reintroduced hybrids. Although this resulted in the development of improved sunflowers, many of the traits that conferred resistance to native insect pests were lost. One insect pest, the red sunflower seed weevil was noted as having caused sunflower production to rapidly decline and eventually end in Illinois and Missouri. Unfortunately, red sunflower seed weevils are still …

Fungal Biotransformation Of Thin Stillage And Soybean Hulls And Bacterial Production Of Lysine In Ethanol Industry Co-Products, Bhawana Khadka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Thin stillage (TS) and whole stillage (WS) are major by-products of the corn ethanol industry. These by-products are generated in large quantities and contain nutrients that remain after yeast fermentation. Current industrial utilization of these by-products involves a series of downstream processing steps such as centrifugation and evaporation, which are energy-intensive and often result in nutrient losses. Traditionally, these by-products are dried to produce distillers dried grains with solubles. In this study, microbial fermentation was investigated as an alternative bioprocessing tool to expand the utilization of these by-products. The first objective was to explore the upcycling of TS, both alone …

Exploring Biostimulant Efficacy Under Limited Fertilizer And Water In Utah's Watermelon Production, Evan Christensen, Milena Oliveira, Prakriti Nepal, Youping Sun

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

The western U.S. has recently experienced some of the driest conditions on record, and Utah has been in a multi-year drought (2019-2023) that affected the agricultural sector, including vegetable producers. While vegetables are not a primary agricultural crop in Utah, they are still an important part of the horticultural economy with 763 farms growing 6,138 acres. As the fourth largest acreage vegetable crop in Utah (almost 10% of the acreage) watermelon and related crops in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae (nearly 36% of total vegetable acreage) are important to vegetable growers. Watermelon is a water-intensive crop and requires an adequate supply …

Analyzing The Population Structure Of The Rhizobia Associated With Astragalus Lentiginosus, Joshua Adam Melnick

Dissertations

Legumes are an incredibly diverse and agriculturally important family of plants. They have a special relationship with symbiotic bacteria known as rhizobia which fix nitrogen into ammonia within nodules on their roots. Astragalus is the largest plant genus on Earth, and the species Astragalus lentiginosus is extraordinarily diverse, consisting of approximately 40 varieties. However, the rhizobia of A. lentiginosus have never been studied. In this study, root nodules were extracted from 17 varieties of A. lentiginosus to obtain rhizobial strains and metagenomes. A. lentiginosus primarily associates with rhizobia from the genera Mesorhizobium and Allomesorhizobium. There was little evidence of horizontal …

Mathematical And Computational Modeling For Organic And Insect Frass Fertilizer Production: A Systematic Review, Malontema Katchali, Edward Richard, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Dennis Beesigamukama, Kennedy Senagi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Organic fertilizers have been identified as a sustainable agricultural practice that can enhance productivity and reduce environmental impact. Recently, the European Union defined and accepted insect frass as an innovative and emerging organic fertilizer. In the wider domain of organic fertilizers, mathematical and computational models have been developed to optimize their production and application conditions. However, with the advancement in policies and regulations, modelling has shifted towards efficiencies in the deployment of these technologies. Therefore, this paper reviews and critically analyzes the recent developments in the mathematical and computation modeling that have promoted various organic fertilizer products including insect frass. …

Contribution Of Different Frass Fertilizer Products On Enhanced Growth, Yield And Nutrient Quality Of Broccoli [Brassica Oleracea], Noella Kagehi, Dennis Beesigamukama, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Mathew P. Ngugi, Sevgan Subramanian, Fathiya M. Khamis

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Vegetables are crucial for food security and income, but in developing countries their production is hindered by low soil fertility. Although the insect frass fertilizer is a potential solution, its use is constrained by limited product choices. Unlike conventional fertilizers, which are available in different forms, the insect frass fertilizer is mostly available in solid form. Here, we evaluated the effects of different black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) products on broccoli [Brassica oleracea] growth, yield, and nutritional profiles. Solid, liquid BSFFF, chitin-fortified solid BSFFF, chitin-fortified liquid BSFFF, and commercial organic fertilizer (Safi) were applied at rates equivalent to 250 …

Knowledge And Acceptance Of Insects As Feed Source For Poultry Production In Conflict Affected Regions Of Cameroon, Chaba F. Ambele, Ngantu Harrison, Shaphan Y. Chia, Zewdu Abro, Komivi S. Akutse, Akum E. Akumeyam, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Globally, insects are increasingly being considered as sustainable and complementary feeds for poultry production. However, there is a lack of information on the perception of people in vulnerable and conflict-affected communities in Cameroon. This paper presents a survey on awareness and willingness to integrate insect meals in poultry feeds in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. During this survey, purposive and snowball sampling procedures were used to collect data from 253 households. Among those interviewed, 32% were internally displaced people and 68% residents. In general, 97% of the respondents were aware that insects are a natural food source for …

Unpacking The Benefits Of Black Soldier Fly Frass Fertilizer Towards Nematode Suppression And Potato Production, Emmanuel O. Anedo, Dennis Beesigamukama, Benson Mochoge, Nicholas K. Korir, Solveig Haukeland, Xavier Cheseto, Moses Nyongesa, Patrick Pwaipwai, Sevgan Subramanian, Abdou Tenkouano, Betty Kibaara, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Potato production is hindered by soil degradation and nematode infestation. Mineral fertilizers and synthetic nematicides are costly and cause negative impacts on humans and the environment, while organic fertilizers are less effective for soil health and nematode management. This study demonstrates the contribution of black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) in nematode suppression and potato productivity when compared to commercial mineral fertilizer, organic fertilizer (SAFI), and nematicide. The on-farm experiments consisted of eight treatments: BSFFF, SAFI, BSFFF+5%chitin, NPK+nematicide, 50%BSFFF+50%NPK, 50%SAFI+50%NPK, 50%BSFFF+5% chitin+50%NPK, and control (unfertilized soil). Results revealed that all fertilizer treatments significantly increased potato growth, number of tubers (34 …

Do Rates Matter? Validation Of Insect Frass Fertilizer Rates In A Vegetable Intensified Push-Pull Technology For Optimal Sustainable Production, Priscilla Mwikali Kimuli, Dennis Beesigamukama, Judy Wambua, Bonoukpoe Mawuko Sokame, Chrysantus Mbi Tanga, Frank Chidawanyika, Sevgan Subramanian, Daniel Munyao Mutyambai

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Push–pull system intensification with vegetables (VIPPT) has contributed significantly in maintaining good control of lepidopteran pests and parasitic weeds with additional food and nutritional security benefits. However, the impact of integration of different rates of black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) in the VIPPT to enhance productivity, has not been explored. This study investigated the effects of different BSFFF application rates on growth performance, pest infestation severity, diversity of natural enemies and yield of kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) grown under VIPPT in two agroecological zones. Plants were grown in soils amended with five different levels of BSFFF (0, …

The Role Of Information And Communication Technologies-Based Extension In Agriculture: Application, Opportunities And Challenges, Kelvin Mulungu, Menale Kassie, Maurice Tschopp

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Limited access to information about new technologies is a major barrier to agricultural productivity. To bridge this information gap, agricultural extension services increasingly use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to provide timely and actionable information to farmers. This systematic review analyses evidence from 49 studies examining the impact of ICT interventions including mobile apps, SMS messaging, educational videos, and voice calling services on awareness, agricultural practices adoption, yields, and income. The review reveals that 76% of studies reported increased adoption of good agricultural practices, 60% demonstrated improved awareness, 74% indicated higher yields, and 68% observed enhanced incomes. Cereals, particularly maize, …

Nature-Based Land Management Practices And Yield Dynamics In Oil Palm Production: Insights From Indonesian Smallholder Growers, Kibrom T. Sibhatu, Martin Paul Tabe-Ojong, Hermanto Siregar

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Nature-based land management (NLM) practices are increasingly promoted for their potential to bridge yield gaps and increase overall crop production. Yet, the extent of NLM adoption, the factors driving it, and its impact on yields remain unknown, particularly among smallholder farmers. This study addresses this knowledge gap using a unique three-round panel dataset from independent smallholder oil palm growers in Indonesia, focusing on three main NLM practices: composting, manual weeding, and organic soil amendments (SA) using lime and gypsum. We employ panel data estimators and a multivariate probit model to examine the yield effects of these practices and assess any …

Longitudinal And Ensemble Modeling Of Beef Cattle Feed And Water Intakes, Nathan El Blake

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Beef cattle production remains a cornerstone of global food systems, providing highly bioavailable protein and essential micronutrients that are difficult to secure from plant-based foods alone. Yet this production is also resource-intensive, requiring substantial land, feed, and water inputs while contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Efficiency of dry matter intake (DMI) and water intake (WI) is central to both productivity and sustainability, but accurate measurement of these traits—particularly in grazing systems—remains a major limitation. National WI standards continue to rely on pen-level data collected in the 1950s, while most existing DMI prediction equations perform poorly when applied beyond the …

Microbial And Plant Biodiversity In Appalachian Agroecosystems And Their Implications For Soil Health, Kinsey Reed Close

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The sustainability of agricultural landscapes depends on understanding the complex interactions between plants, soil, and microbes. In Appalachia, a region shaped by complex terrain and long histories of human and ecological interaction, small family farms produce hay, livestock, and row crops. These agroecosystems, though often treated as “artificial” by many ecologists, have the potential to support both food production and biodiversity conservation if managed with an understanding of ecological complexity. This dissertation examines how plant and microbial diversity interact with soil and management to influence nutrient cycling, soil health, and long-term resilience in Appalachian agricultural systems. A literature review revealed …

Rice Plants Response To Modulation Of The Erecta Signaling, Yasmin Vasques Berchembrock, Flavia Barbos Silva Botelho, Bhuvan Pathak, Shan Zhao, Vibha Srivastava

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The ERECTA family of receptors (ERfs), encoding leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs), can regulate multiple aspects of plant development and abiotic stress responses. The rice (Oryza sativa) genome contains three ERfs, namely ERECTA 1 (OsER1), ERECTA 2 (OsER2), and ERECTA-LIKE (OsERL). However, there is limited information currently available on their expression pattern during the plant developmental stages. The expression pattern of OsERfs genes at reproductive stages from the booting (R2) to milk (R6) stage in Nipponbare cultivar and the transgenic plants expressing a truncated Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER) lacking the kinase domain (triangle Kinase) were studied. The triangle Kinase functions as …

They Forgot We Were Seeds: Critical Counter-Narratives Supporting Culturally Informed Community Seed Work, Florentina Rodriguez

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This Professional Innovation dissertation utilizes Critical Counter-Narrative both as research methodology to generate narrative reflections and as praxis for liberatory transformation. Through research vignettes adapted from the author’s experience with critical collaborative autoethnographic seed work, this study produced critical counter-narratives aimed at addressing inequities in small-scale seed systems. These counter-narratives were incorporated into curriculum materials synthesized as an educational toolkit for a professional research

sister-project: the new Culturally Informed Community Seed Pledge and Code of Ethics (CICSP/COE). This project seeks to address disparity and extractive practices; outline relational pathways for reciprocity and respecting communities of origin; and provide evaluation metrics …

Determination Of Manganese Concentration In Forages, Soil, Sewage Water Of Three Suburban Areas Of Sargodha, Pakistan, Iqra Anwar, Zafar Iqbal Khan, Kafeel Ahmad, Naila Riaz, Faiza Zubair, Asma Ashfaq, Muhammad Fahad Ullah, Farzana Siddique, Ijaz Rasool Noorka, Abid Ejaz, Maloofa Manzoor, Umbreen Bibi, Hafiza Memona Nazir, Saif Ullah

Journal of Bioresource Management

For irrigation of soil utilization of wastewater has risen significantly in the past few years. This wastewater often have large amount of trace elements and heavy metals, many of which are non-essential and harmful to living organisms such as plants, animals, and humans. In Pakistan, particularly around suburban areas, it is common to use this polluted water for growing vegetables. When such water is used for irrigation over an extended period of time, toxic substances can accumulate in the soil, potentially causing toxicity to plants and degrading soil quality. The samples analyzed in the study were prepared using the wet …

Weed Incursion Of Irrigated Forage–Forb Mixtures Under Mob Grazing Or Mowing In The Mountain West Usa, Jennifer Macadam, Jared Gibbons, Xin Dai

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Improving the quality of irrigated pastures can increase the profitability of ruminant production systems. Increasing pasture plant biodiversity is beneficial for ruminants, pollinators, and soil health, but it is challenging to manage weed incursion in seeded mixed-species pastures. This study assessed the weed incursion that resulted when forage legumes or grasses were seeded as binary mixtures with one of four non-legume forbs. Defoliation occurred at 6-week intervals as either mowing or mob grazing. Forbs were chicory, plantain, Lewis flax, or small burnet and forages were alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, creeping foxtail, intermediate wheatgrass, kura clover, meadow bromegrass, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, reed …

Investigation And Computational Analysis Of The Iqd Gene Family In Common Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.): Expression Profiling Under Salt Stress, Tarik Kirlioğlu, Aybüke Okay, Emi̇ne Sümer Aras, İlker Büyük

Turkish Journal of Botany

Common bean is one of the most nutritionally important legumes because of its high-quality protein content. While its genome has been widely studied however, the IQD gene family has not been extensively investigated in common bean to date. The IQD proteins (IQ-67 domain), a type of calmodulin-binding protein, are involved in plant growth and development, as well as the plant's response to environmental stressors. In this study, thirty-six PvIQD genes were discovered and their proteins were found to be classified into four groups according to the phylogenetic tree. The proteins which are encoded by PvIQD genes with similar exon-intron pattern …

Genome-Wide Identification And Characterization Of The Lea Gene Family In Common Bean And The Role Of The Dehydrin Gene Pvhdn3 In Enhancing Salt And Drought Tolerance In Transgenic Tobacco Plant., Gökhan Gökdemi̇r, Zafer Seçgin, Karam Mostafa, Mohamed Farah Abdulla, Musa Kavas

Turkish Journal of Botany

Global climate change exposes crops to numerous abiotic and biotic stress factors, significantly threatening their growth, development, and overall productivity. Among the various abiotic stresses, salt and drought are the most detrimental, having a severe impact on yield stability. Late Embryogenesis Abundant proteins (LEA) represent a broad and varied class of polypeptides that accumulate in response to cellular dehydration across diverse organisms. Nonetheless, there has been a scarcity of studies on this protein family in common beans prior to this investigation. In this study, we identified 69 members of the LEA gene family in common bean, characterized by conserved LEA …

Innovations In Plant Genome Editing And Biotechnology: Addressing Global Agricultural Challenges, Bayram Ali̇ Yerli̇kaya, Karam Mostafa, Abdullah Aydin, Seher Yerli̇kaya, Momna Mehmood, Ni̇sa Nur Yilmaz, Kubi̇lay Yildirim, Musa Kavas

Turkish Journal of Botany

Developments in genome editing and plant biotechnology in recent years, especially CRISPR-Cas9 and RNA interference (RNAi) technologies, offer essential tools for solving global agricultural problems that are worsened by climate change and the increasing food demand caused by the rising world population. This review focuses on the urgent need to feed a growing global population. It explores how key biotechnological tools can enhance crop resilience and nutritional quality amid climate variability and extreme weather. The applicability of CRISPR-Cas technologies in the development of climate-friendly, more nutritious, and higher-yielding crops has opened a biotechnological avenue for the development of both transgenic …

Identification Of Genes Associated With Zinc And Copper Concentrations In Walnut (Juglans Regia L.) By Gwas Analysis, Berfi̇n Nazlican Kaman, Bülent Yağmur, Erdal Orman, Muhammed Bahatti̇n Tanyolaç, Duygu Ateş

Turkish Journal of Botany

154 walnut genotypes from various geographic regions were analyzed in the study. Micronutrient concentrations of zinc (Zn) ranged from 1.61 to 8.98 mg/100 g, and the concentrations of copper (Cu) varied between 0.12 and 0.38 mg/100 g. 16,473 SNPs were generated using Diversity Array Technology (DArT) for genome-wide association (GWAS) studies. The Mixed Linear Model (MLM) utilizing the Q + K model revealed seven associated markers for the element Zn in 2021 and four in 2022. The MLM (Q + K) model indicated two associated markers for the element Cu in 2021 and three in 2022. The markers found in …

Exploring The Population Structure And Genetic Diversity In Apple Germplasm Using Ipbs-Retrotransposon Markers, Aigul Madenova, Angsagan Kuan, Amjad Ali, Muhammad Azhar Nadeem, Muhammad Tanveer Altaf, Balnur Kabylbekova, Dinara Kaldybaeva, Ti̇mur Turdi̇yev, Faheem Shahzad Baloch

Turkish Journal of Botany

The apple (Malus domestica [Suckow] Borkh) is economically and culturally significant worldwide, thriving in temperate regions. This study examined genetic variations among 52 apple accessions from three research centers in Kazakhstan using the iPBS-retrotransposons marker system. Out of 35 screened markers, 12 highly polymorphic markers were selected for PCR amplification, resulting in 280 bands, 279 of which were polymorphic, yielding a 99.64% polymorphism rate. Genetic diversity indices showed substantial variation: effective number of alleles (ne=1.655), Shannon's information index (I=0.373), gene diversity (h=0.549), and an average genetic distance of 1.2. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that 98.80% of the …