Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Landscape Complexity And Habitat Management On Stemborer Colonization, Parasitism And Damage To Maize, Charles A.O. Midega, Mattias Jonsson, Zeyaur R. Khan, Barbara Ekbom

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Lepidopteran stemborers are a serious constraint to efficient production of maize in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most effective ways of managing these pests is through a habitat management system called push-pull. Landscape complexity has been shown to enhance biological control of insect pests, and therefore may influence effectiveness of habitat management systems designed to control pests. We studied the relative importance of the push-pull cropping system as a local effect and proportional cover of grassland as a landscape effect on (i) stemborer population density and damage to maize, and (ii) parasitism and mortality of stemborer life stages in western …

Perceptions Of The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program: A Survey Of Superintendents On University-Affiliated Golf Courses In The U.S., Jacob Joseph Kuban

Theses and Dissertations

This project assessed U.S. university-affiliated golf courses on their certification level in regards to the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for golf courses and the amount of college or university student involvement with the certification process. Certification through the ACSP is designed to recognize environmental stewardship and sustainable golf course management practices. A cross-sectional, self-administered online questionnaire was administered to U.S. university golf course superintendents via an online link to the survey in an e-mail message. The population of 120 university golf course superintendents was asked to participate. Data was analyzed using Qualtrics, SPSS, SAS, and Microsoft Excel. Questions were …

Inositol Transport And Catabolism In Sinorhizobium Meliloti, Ee Leng Choong, Mary Thwaites, Silvia Rossbach

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Atmospheric nitrogen is in a form that is unavailable to plants. Nevertheless, there are nitrogen fixing bacteria that can be found either free-living or in association with plants. Sinorhizobium meliloti is a symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium that infects legume plants such as alfalfa and induces specialized organs known as root nodules. In the nodule, the bacteria will fix the atmospheric nitrogen for use by the host plant, and in return, the plants supply the bacteria with carbon sources. Specialized carbon sources such as inositols may play a role in determining bacterial composition of the rhizosphere. The focus of this study is …

Characterization Of Microorganisms From Alfalfa Seeds Inoculants, Benedicte Diatta, Kalianna Kennoy, Silvia Rossbach

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Atmospheric nitrogen fixation can be accomplished by free living microorganisms or by symbiosis between legume plants and rhizobia. The symbiosis between the alfalfa plant and Sinorhizobium meliloti is one example of the symbiotic relationship between legume plants and rhizobia. During the symbiosis, the rhizobia fix nitrogen for the plant and the plant in return provides carbohydrates for the bacteria. In order to maximize the plant’s yield in agriculture, recent technologies used include seed inoculants. Seed inoculation methods rely on coating the seeds with plant-growth promoting bacteria. Besides nitrogen-fixing bacteria, the seeds may also be coated with microorganisms aiding in mineral …

Visual Responses Of Adult Asian Citrus Psyllid (Hemiptera: Liviidae) To Colored Sticky Traps On Citrus Trees, Mamoudou Setamou, A. Sanchez, R. R. Saldaña, J. M. Patt, Kenneth R. Summy

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The effects of five differently-colored sticky traps in capturing adult Diaphorina citri were evaluated in citrus orchards. Trap catches of D. citri were monitored fortnightly on blue, green, red, white and yellow sticky cards placed on three citrus varieties during D. citri active flight period from April to July in south Texas. Evaluation of mean trap catches of each color by repeated measures analysis of variance produced three separate groups: yellow traps caught significantly more D. citri adults than the other four traps; red and green traps caught significantly more D. citri than blue and white traps, which were not …

Nitrogen Rate Optimization For Grain Yield Within Fall And Spring Applications, Justin Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a comprehensive analysis of research, investigating the impact of fall and spring applied nitrogen at various rates on the vulnerability of fall applied nitrogen, nitrogen uptake, and corn yields. In addition, optimal nitrogen rates and timing were evaluated across East Central Illinois.

Novel Functional Roles For Perianthia And Seuss During Floral Organ Identity Specification, Floral Meristem Termination, And Gynoecial Development, April N. Wynn, Andrew A. Seaman, Ashley L. Jones, Robert G. Franks

Biological Sciences Research

The gynoecium is the female reproductive structure of angiosperm flowers. In Arabidopsis thaliana the gynoecium is composed of two carpels that are fused into a tube-like structure. As the gynoecial primordium arises from the floral meristem, a specialized meristematic structure, the carpel margin meristem (CMM), develops from portions of the medial gynoecial domain. The CMM is critical for reproductive competence because it gives rise to the ovules, the precursors of the seeds. Here we report a functional role for the transcription factor PERIANTHIA (PAN) in the development of the gynoecial medial domain and the formation of ovule primordia. This function …

[Sabbatical Report], Lawrence Alan Alice

Sabbatical Reports

My goals as proposed were to: 1) increase resolution and support for a chloroplast DNA phylogeny by acquiring more sequence data, 2) generate a robust nuclear DNA phylogeny by sequencing several single-copy genes, 3) use flow cytometry to estimate DNA quantity per cell (i.e., ploidy level) in R. ursinus and NCGR specimens of unknown ploidy level, 4) identify highly variable DNA microsatellite (or simple-sequence repeats) regions to assess genetic diversity in R. bartonianus and test species boundaries, and 5) prepare and submit manuscripts if sufficient data have been generated.

Stars, Long Fingers, And Signals: A Study On Grass Species Diversity, Density, Frequency, And Veld Analysis At Ndarakwai Wildlife Ranch, Reena Walker, Theresa Schaffner

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study was the first step to assessing veld quality and grass species diversity at Ndarakwai Wildlife Ranch in West Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in an effort to better inform management decisions that affect grasses and grazers. Our study was performed from April 5 to April 26, 2014. We utilized compass line quadrat method (n=600) in six sub-populations within three sample frames to achieve non-representative, random data set on richness, diversity, frequency, and density, with metadata from which we extrapolated veld indicators through secondary-source knowledge. Across all sample frames, we found 43 specimens: identified 29 to species, 7 to genus, and left …

A Functional Framework For Improved Management Of Western North American Aspen (Populus Tremuloides Michx.), Paul C. Rogers, Simon M. Landhausser, Bradley D. Pinno, Ronald J. Ryel

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Quaking or trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) forests occur in highly diverse setting across North America. However, management of distinct communities has long relied on a single aspen to-conifer successional model. We examine a variety of aspen dominated stand types in the western portion of its range as ecological systems; avoiding an exclusive focus on seral dynamics or single species management. We build a case for a large-scale functional aspen typology based on existing literature. Aspen functional types are defined as aspen communities that differ markedly in their physical and biological processes. The framework presented here describes two “functional types” …

Nebline, April 2014

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Backyard Farmer -- Six Decades of Growing Gardeners and Protecting the Environment

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Home & Family Living

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

Special Pullout Section: Weed Awareness

Section Abstracts: Botany

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Botany Section for the 92nd Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 13-15, 2014, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia

A New Species Of Cybianthus (Myrsinaceae) From Tobago And Venezuela, John J. Pipoly Iii, Jon M. Ricketson

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

ybianthus pittierianus Pipoly & Ricketson (Myrsinaceae) is described from Tobago, and its taxonomic relationships are discussed. This species is often confused with C. rostratus (Hassk.) G. Agostini owing to its free portions of the filaments being longer than the anthers, and leaves with similar elliptic shapes and with petioles less than 1.2 cm. However, C. pittierianus is easily distinguished from C. rostratus by the former's leaf blade apices abruptly acute to short-acuminate (vs. long-acuminate to caudate), with secondary veins in 18 to 24 pairs (vs. 28 to 32 pairs), corollas 2.4–3 mm (vs. 2.1–2.5 mm), and corolla lobes chartaceous (vs. …

Lectotypification Of Ardisia Dawnaea (Myrsinaceae), Jon M. Ricketson, John J. Pipoly Iii

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

A taxonomically complex issue regarding Ardisia gracilis Lace, A. dawnaea C. E. Parkinson, and A. dawnensis M. P. Nayar & G. S. Giri (Myrsinaceae) from Burma [Myanmar] is discussed and resolved with the lectotypification of A. dawnaea.

A New Combination In Ardisia (Myrsinaceae) From Vietnam, Jon M. Ricketson, John J. Pipoly Iii

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The lectotypification of Ardisia tinctoria Pit. and subsequent reidentification of the type material as A. quinquegona Blume subsp. quinquegona resulted in two collections being orphaned under the name A. tinctoria var. microcarpa Pit. We elect to elevate the variety name A. tinctoria var. microcarpa and, here, propose the following new combination, A. microcarpa (Pit.) Ricketson & Pipoly, comb. et stat. nov., to accommodate these orphaned collections.

Application And Timing Effects Of Qoi And Dmi Fungicides And A Foliar Fertilizer On Overall Plant Health And Grain Yield In Corn, Jason Phillip Geis

Open Access Theses

The use of fungicides on corn has recently increased as a result of higher grain market prices, changes in cropping practices, higher disease incidence and severity, and the availability and marketing claims of new fungicides. Some of the marketed potential "plant health(TM)" benefits include improved tolerance to drought and heat, improved N utilization, and increased stalk strength. Previous studies have displayed delayed canopy senescence, changes in water use efficiency, and reduced ozone damage in controlled environments. Foliar fertilization has also increased in popularity in recent years due to an increase in grain prices, manufacturer claims, and product availability.

Large-scale field …

Towards The Development Of Ash Varieties Resistant To Emerald Ash Borer, Lindsay Ann Kolich

Open Access Theses

The emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a destructive invasive beetle from Asia which has killed millions of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) throughout North America. This phloem-feeding borer is capable of killing otherwise healthy trees and colonizes trees as small as saplings - most affected trees die within four years of colonization. Asian ash species (i.e., Manchurian and Chinese) appear to be more resistant to EAB than those native to North America (e.g., green, white, and black ash). In this project we use reciprocal and conspecific grafts of these five ash species to determine the …

Investigation Of Macrophomina Phaseolina On Soybeans From A Regional Perspective, Zachary Forbes Sexton

Open Access Theses

The fungal pathogen, Macrophomina phaseolina, causes the disease charcoal rot (CR), which greatly impacts soybean production. Host resistance to CR is the primary means of managing this disease, yet resistance in commercial soybean cultivars in Maturity Groups (MG) I-III is currently unknown. Thirty (30) and sixty-seven (67) entries to the 2012 Wisconsin (MG I-II) and Indiana (MG II-III) Soybean Variety Trials, respectively, were evaluated for resistance to CR using a cut-stem assay. Disease was characterized as an area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) based on lesion development and resistance assessed in relation to the resistant check (DT97-4290). In each …

Biochar And Vermicompost Amendments In Vegetable Cropping Systems: Impacts On Soil Quality, Soil-Borne Pathogens And Crop Productivity, Nathan Lee Shoaf

Open Access Theses

Amending soils with biochar and vermicompost has the potential to provide multiple benefits for specialty crops including pathogen suppression and increased crop productivity. Oomycete pathogens such as Phytophthora capsici can devastate crop fields and they are difficult to control presenting significant management challenges for Midwestern growers. Soils amended with a microbially-inoculated softwood biochar increased carrot root growth relative to the control and corn stover biochar in 2011, while the corn stover biochar also increased carrot root growth relative to the control, but only in two varieties. Neither biochar treatment influenced carrot growth in 2012. In greenhouse trials, vermicompost amendments provided …

Effects Of Wheat Grain Moisture: Quality, Germination, And Relationship To Accumulated Growing Degree Days, Kirsten Thomas

Open Access Theses

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a cereal crop of global importance. As global demand increases, it is essential to increase the quality and efficiency of crop production. Harvesting wheat early provides an opportunity for increased grain quality, and it may also allow the grower to double-crop soybean ( Glycine max L.) after wheat more effectively. Our objectives were to determine if harvesting grain early, at high moisture would, 1) increase milling and baking quality and 2) improve germination potential. As a result of these objectives, we will develop a model to predict dry-down of wheat. Five soft red …

Quantifying Subsurface Hydrology Effects On Chemical Transport In Agriculture Drainage Ditches Using A 20 Meter Flume, Colton Eugene Yoder

Open Access Theses

Agriculture drainage ditches serve as the veins of the Midwestern agricultural landscapes. The transport of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in these ditches affects both local and downstream ecosystems. Although much research has already been conducted on chemical transport in streams and drainage ditches, as well as through drainage tiles, there has not been sufficient research on the effects of subsurface hydrology on nutrient storage and interactions between the stream water and the hyporheic zone. In this study, a 20-meter flume was filled with ditch sediment from Marshall Ditch at Purdue University's Agronomy Center for Research and Education in West Lafayette, …

Quality Changes In Hermetically Stored Corn Caused By Fungi And Sitophilus Zeamais, Nda-Agyima Addae-Mensah K

Open Access Theses

Hermetic storage has been shown to be effective in controlling insect pests and maintaining grain quality of dry grains at 13% moisture and below. However, the feasibility and use of hermetic storage for grains at intermediate mid-moisture levels under the influence of the sub-Saharan African weather conditions is relatively unknown. Hermetic storage experiments were conducted on grade 1 "6297 and 6333 VT RIB" hybrid corn under controlled temperature conditions at 10 degrees centigrade and 25 degrees centigrade at target approximate moisture content levels of 11, 15, 18 and 21% wet basis for a total storage period of 6 months. Corn …

Induced Transcriptional Profiling Of Phenylpropanoid Pathway Genes Increased Flavonoid And Lignin Content In Arabidopsis Leaves In Response To Microbial Products, Mohammad Babar Ali, David H. Mcnear

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The production and use of biologically derived soil additives is one of the fastest growing sectors of the fertilizer industry. These products have been shown to improve crop yields while at the same time reducing fertilizer inputs to and nutrient loss from cropland. The mechanisms driving the changes in primary productivity and soil processes are poorly understood and little is known about changes in secondary productivity associated with the use of microbial products. Here we investigate secondary metabolic responses to a biologically derived soil additive by monitoring changes in the phenlypropanoid (PP) pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana.

RESULTS: This study …

Vision And Change Through The Genome Consortium For Active Teaching Using Next-Generation Sequencing (Gcat-Seek), Vincent Buonaccorsi, Mark Peterson, Gina Lamendella, Jeff Newman, Nancy Trun, Tammy Tobin, Andres Aguilar, Arthur G. Hunt, Craig Praul, Deborah Grove, Jim Roney, Wade Roberts

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Sexual Dimorphism Of Staminate- And Pistillate-Phase Flowers Of Saponaria Officinalis (Bouncing Bet) Affects Pollinator Behavior And Seed Set, Dana A. Dudle, Leah M. Freestone, Peter Konieczny, Michael B. Tobin, Michael M. Britton

Biology Faculty publications

The sequential separation of male and female function in flowers of dichogamous species allows for the evolution of differing morphologies that maximize fitness through seed siring and seed set. We examined staminate- and pistillate-phase flowers of protandrous Saponaria officinalis for dimorphism in floral traits and their effects on pollinator attraction and seed set. Pistillate-phase flowers have larger petals, greater mass, and are pinker in color, but due to a shape change, pistillate-phase flowers have smaller corolla diameters than staminate-phase flowers. There was no difference in nectar volume or sugar content one day after anthesis, and minimal evidence for UV nectar …

Humming Birds: Pollination Facts And Fancy, W. John Hayden

Biology Faculty Publications

Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), the 2014 VNPS Wildflower of the Year, is a classic example of a hummingbird-pollinated flower: bright red petals, often with contrasting yellow tones in the corolla throat, provide visual attraction, drawing hummingbirds to the flowers, where they are rewarded with a rich supply of nectar. Whereas hummingbirds have good color vision, they have a poor sense of smell. So it is not surprising that coral honeysuckle flowers are nearly scentless, at least to the human nose; even modern analytical instruments detect only traces of volatile molecules emanating from them. And open coral honeysuckle flowers, …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2014), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

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

This issue contains the SDSU Extension 2013 Annual Report.

[Page] 2 The New SDSU Extension: Two Years Later, Change Has Brought New Successes
[Page] 4 Your 24-7 Connection: iGrow.org Makes SDSU Extension Easily Accessible, Responsive
[Page] 5 SDSU Regional Extension Centers: Your Front Door To SDSU
[Pages] 6-7 Leading The Challenge: Projects To Address Food Security, Financial Knowledge Underway
[Pages] 8-9 Regional Collaboration: SET Grants & Food Networks Initiated
[Pages] 10-11 Encouraging & Empowering: Native American Program Assists Reservations In Striving For Healthy Food, Healthy Communities & Youth Science Programming
[Page] 12 Evaluating Yields: Crop Performance Testing Provides Important, Unbiased …

The Ethnobotany Of Pistacia Eurycarpa Yalt. In Iraqi-Kurdistan: Its Uses, Chemical Composition, And Anti-Biotic Activity Of Its Resin, Peter W. Schafran

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Pistacia eurycarpa Yalt. is a wild relative of pistachio (P. vera L.} that grows in the Zagros Mountains. For the Kurds who inhabit these mountains the tree has practical and cultural applications. All parts of this tree have a use, for structural materials, food, and medicine. While weII known in this region, the ethnobotany of P. eurycarpa is unknown in the outside world. I spent May and June of 2011 - 2013 in Sulaimani, Kurdistan, Iraq, collecting information on this tree. In this time period I was able to witness the harvest of unripe fruits. Information about the tree …

Mn-Euvering Manganese: The Role Of Transporter Gene Family Members In Manganese Uptake And Mobilization In Plants, Amanda L. Socha, Mary Lou Guerinot

Dartmouth Scholarship

Manganese (Mn), an essential trace element, is important for plant health. In plants, Mn serves as a cofactor in essential processes such as photosynthesis, lipid biosynthesis and oxidative stress. Mn deficient plants exhibit decreased growth and yield and are more susceptible to pathogens and damage at freezing temperatures. Mn deficiency is most prominent on alkaline soils with approximately one third of the world’s soils being too alkaline for optimal crop production. Despite the importance of Mn in plant development, relatively little is known about how it traffics between plant tissues and into and out of organelles. Several gene transporter families …

Pengaruh Jarak Tanam Berbeda Pada Berbagai Dosis Pupuk Organik Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Jagung Hibrida P-12 Di Jatinangor, Agus Wahyudin, Ruminta, D. C. Bachtiar

Jurnal Kultivasi

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh jarak tanam dan dosis pupuk organik kandang domba yang memberikan pengaruh terbaik terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung Hibrida P-12. Percobaan dilaksanakan di Kebun Percobaan Ciparanje, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Kabupaten Sumedang, dengan ketinggian tempat ±750 meter di atas permukaan laut, dari bulan Maret sampai Juli 2013. Metode percobaan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok yang terdiri dari 9 perlakuan dan diulang tiga kali. Perlakuannya adalah sebagai berikut: Jarak tanam 75 x 25 cm + 2t/ha pupuk kandang, jarak tanam 75 x 25 cm + 1t/ha pupuk kandang, jarak tanam 75 x 25 cm …