Digital Commons Network^™

Physico-Chemical Characteristics Of Storage-Ripened Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Fruits Varieties Of Eastern Tanzania, O C Othman, G P Mbogo

Tanzania Journal of Science

Two mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit varieties, Dodo and Viringe, from two localities of Eastern Tanzania, (Muheza in Tanga and Ifakara in Morogoro), were harvested as mature green fruits during early, mid and late season and allowed to ripen while stored at room temperature. The fruits were analyzed for their proximate composition (ash, titratable acidity, crude fat, crude fibre, moisture), reducing and total sugars content, ascorbic acid and total soluble solids content, concentration of four macro elements (Ca, Mg, K, Na) and seven heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn). The results showed that the mango fruits had …

Assessment Of Post-Harvest Technologies And Gender Relations In Maize Loss Reduction In Pangawe Village Eastern Tanzania, C P Rugumamu

Tanzania Journal of Science

In this paper the use of gender sensitive technologies in the reduction of post-harvest maize losses at farm level is advocated as a strategy for household food security. The study was conducted in Pangawe village, eastern Tanzania. It employed participatory approaches to investigate farmers’ perceptions on loss management. Storage trials were carried out to determine maize losses caused by insect pests in the sub-villages. Perceptions were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. ANOVA assessed losses in storage trials. Major post-harvest processes included farm field; en-route; homestead and storage. All activities except winnowing were carried out by both men and women at varying …

Evolution Of A Subtilisin-Like Protease Gene Family In The Grass Endophytic Fungus Epichloë Festucae, Michelle K. Bryant, Christopher L. Schardl, Uljana Hesse, Barry Scott

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Subtilisin-like proteases (SLPs) form a superfamily of enzymes that act to degrade protein substrates. In fungi, SLPs can play either a general nutritive role, or may play specific roles in cell metabolism, or as pathogenicity or virulence factors.

RESULTS: Fifteen different genes encoding SLPs were identified in the genome of the grass endophytic fungus Epichloë festucae. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these SLPs belong to four different subtilisin families: proteinase K, kexin, pyrolysin and subtilisin. The pattern of intron loss and gain is consistent with this phylogeny. E. festucae is exceptional in that it contains two kexin-like genes. Phylogenetic analysis …

Distinctive Interactions Of The Arabidopsis Homolog Of The 30 Kd Subunit Of The Cleavage And Polyadenylation Specificity Factor (Atcpsf30) With Other Polyadenylation Factor Subunits, Suryadevara Rao, Randy D. Dinkins, Arthur G. Hunt

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The Arabidopsis ortholog of the 30 kD subunit of the mammalian Cleavage and Polyadenylation Specificity Factor (AtCPSF30) is an RNA-binding endonuclease that is associated with other Arabidopsis CPSF subunits (orthologs of the 160, 100, and 73 kD subunits of CPSF). In order to further explore the functions of AtCPSF30, the subcellular distribution of the protein was examined by over-expressing fusion proteins containing fluorescent reporters linked to different CPSF subunits.

RESULTS: It was found that AtCPSF30 by itself localizes, not to the nucleus, but to the cytoplasm. AtCPSF30 could be found in the nucleus when co-expressed with AtCPSF160 or AtCPSF73(I), …

An Oral History Of The American Chestnut In Southern Appalachia Presentation, Bethany N. Baxter

American Chestnut Oral History Project

Bethany Baxter's defense presentation for the thesis entitled, An oral history of the American chestnut in Southern Appalachia, submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science.

Partitioning The Apical Domain Of The Arabidopsis Embryo Requires The Bobber1 Nudc Domain Protein, R. J. Jurkuta, Nicholas J. Kaplinsky, Jennifer Elizabeth Spindel , '10, M. K. Barton

Biology Faculty Works

The apical domain of the embryo is partitioned into distinct regions that will give rise to the cotyledons and the shoot apical meristem. In this article, we describe a novel screen to identify Arabidopsis thaliana embryo arrest mutants that are defective in this partitioning, and we describe the phenotype of one such mutant, bobber1. bobber1 mutants arrest at the globular stage of development, they express the meristem-specific SHOOTMERISTEMLESS gene throughout the top half of the embryo, and they fail to express the AINTEGUMENTA transcript normally found in cotyledons. Thus, BOBBER1 is required to limit the extent of the meristem domain …

Estimating Water Application Efficiency For Drip Irrigation Emitter Patterns On Banana, Alisson Jadavi Pereira Da Silva, Eugênio Ferreira Coelho, Jarbas Honorio De Miranda, Stephen Ray Workman

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The objective of this work was to evaluate root and water distribution in irrigated banana (Musa sp.), in order to determine the water application efficiency for different drip irrigation emitter patterns. Three drip emitter patterns were studied: two 4-L h^-1 emitters per plant (T1), four 4-L h^-1 emitters per plant (T2), and five 4-L h^-1 emitters per plant (T3). The emitters were placed in a lateral line. In the treatment T3, the emitters formed a continuous strip. The cultivated area used was planted with banana cultivar BRS Tropical, with a 3-m spacing between rows and a …

Quantification Of Bt-Endotoxin Exposure Pathways In Carabid Food Webs Across Multiple Transgenic Events, Julie A. Peterson, John J. Obrycki, James D. Harwood

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

Despite the reported specificity of Bacillus thuringiensis proteins against target pests, a number of studies have indicated that the uptake of Bt-endotoxins from bioengineered crops could have negative effects on natural enemies. It is therefore essential to quantify exposure pathways in non-target arthropod food webs across multiple transgenic events. Adult ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were collected from transgenic corn fields expressing lepidopteran-specific Cry1Ab, coleopteran-specific Cry3Bb1, and both Cry1Ab and Cry3Bb1 (stacked event), as well as a non-transgenic isoline. Carabid gut-contents were screened for Cry1Ab Bt-endotoxin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Significant numbers of carabids tested positive for Cry1Ab from the lepidopteran-specific …

An Integrated Approach To Model The Establishment, Water Use And Growth Of New Perennial Pasture Species, Lalith D B Suriyagoda, M H. Ryan, Daniel Real, Hans Lambers, Michael Renton

Conference papers and presentations

Perennial pastures increase the sustainability of Australian cropping systems by increasing out of season water use, improving ground cover and helping to avoid dryland salinity. Medicago sativa (lucerne) is the most common perennial legume pasture and is adapted to a wide range of environments, but it does not persist well in areas with acid soils or low summer rainfall (Cocks 2001). Under these scenarios, native herbaceous perennial legumes, such as Cullen australasicum (Cocks 2001), and the exotic perennial pasture legume Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata (common name albo-tedera) are potential alternatives to the currently limited perennial forage options. However, the growth …

Section Abstracts: Botany

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Botany Section for the 87th Annual Virginia Academy of Science Meeting, May 27-29, 2009, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

Genetic And Phenotypic Characterization Of Plant Pathogen Inhibitory Streptomyces Isolates, Uylissa A. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Streptomyces are Gram-positive, filamentous bacteria that are readily isolated from soil and produce diverse secondary metabolites such as pigments and antibiotics. A survey of indigenous soil microbes from Rio Grande Valley agricultural soils revealed several isolates with broad inhibitory abilities against a range of soil-borne plant pathogens. The goal of this study was to characterize eleven of these potential biocontrol isolates both biochemically and genetically. Nutrient utilization profiles, 16S rDNA sequencing, and the presence of genes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis pathways (strBl, strR, strF, strN, strS and KS) on plasmids or the chromosome were investigated. Nutrient utilization profiling revealed that …

An Icosahedral Algal Virus Has A Complex Unique Vertex Decorated By A Spike, Mickaël V. Cherrier, Victor A. Kostyuchenko, Chuan Xiao, Valorie D. Bowman, Anthony J. Battisti, Xiaodong Yan, Paul R. Chipman, Timothy S. Baker, James L. Van Etten, Michael G. Rossmann

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Paramecium bursaria Chlorella virus-1 is an icosahedrally shaped, 1,900-Å-diameter virus that infects unicellular eukaryotic green algae. A 5-fold symmetric, 3D reconstruction using cryoelectron microscopy images has now shown that the quasiicosahedral virus has a unique vertex, with a pocket on the inside and a spike structure on the outside of the capsid. The pocket might contain enzymes for use in the initial stages of infection. The unique vertex consists of virally coded proteins, some of which have been identified. Comparison of shape, size, and location of the spike with similar features in bacteriophages T4 and P22 suggests that the spike …

Functional Characterization Of The Arabidopsis Β-Ketoacyl-Coenzyme A Reductase Candidates Of The Fatty Acid Elongase, Frédéric Beaudoin, Xianzhong Wu, Fengling Li, Richard P. Haslam, Jennifer E. Markham, Huanquan Zheng, Johnathan A. Napier, Ljerka Kunst

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

In plants, very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs; >18 carbon) are precursors of sphingolipids, triacylglycerols, cuticular waxes, and suberin. VLCFAs are synthesized by a multiprotein membrane-bound fatty acid elongation system that catalyzes four successive enzymatic reactions: condensation, reduction, dehydration, and a second reduction. A bioinformatics survey of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome has revealed two sequences homologous to YBR159w encoding a Saccharomyces cerevisiae β-ketoacyl reductase (KCR), which catalyzes the first reduction during VLCFA elongation. Expression analyses showed that both AtKCR1 and AtKCR2 genes were transcribed in siliques, flowers, inflorescence stems, leaves, as well as developing embryos, but only AtKCR1 …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, April 1, 2009 To June 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed over 187 miles (1,342 acres) of federal land by vehicle and foot in Clark County for incipient populations of exotic plants.
• Weed Sentry staff continue to survey never before surveyed sites, and trails and regions within Upper Las Vegas Wash CTA and Sloan Canyon NCA as requested by BLM managers
• In 2009 rare plant monitoring was completed. Data entry and analysis are in progress.

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Summer 2009, Kevin E. Oliver, Dianne N. Bangle, E. Cayenne Engel, Lindsay P. Chiquoine, Scott R. Abella

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes

BLM and wildfire protection in the Mojave, studies of the sticky ringstem flowering phenology in Lake Mead NRA, restoration work within gypsum soils, post-fire response synthesis for Mojave and Sonoran deserts

Modelling Browning And Brown Spotting Of Mushrooms (Agaricus Bisporus) Stored In Controlled Environmental Conditions Using Image Analysis, Catherine Barry-Ryan, Jesus Maria Frias, Leixuri Aguirre, Helen Grogan

Articles

Mushrooms have a short postharvest shelf life compared to most vegetables, due to a very high metabolic activity and high water content, making them prone to microbial spoilage and to exhibit enzymatic browning. Storage conditions and natural product variability are both important factors that affect the management of mushrooms, and both of them can be managed using monitoring systems. In order to study the effect of the temperature and relative humidity on the whiteness decrease and appearance of brown spotting, an image analysis system was employed. Twenty five batches of mushrooms were subjected to combinations of three storage temperatures (T) …

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis, Quarterly Progress Report, April 1 — June 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Initiated a competitive hierarchy study.
• Monitored and maintained outplanting at Goodsprings.
• Completed more seed granivory trials at Goodsprings.
• Mentored student to completion of undergraduate research project.
• Monitored and maintained nursery plots.
• Revising article submitted to Journal of Arid Environments.

Methods To Identify Plant Metabolites, Deane L. Falcone, John M. Littleton

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Patents

This invention provides materials and methods to manipulate the plant genome at the level of single plant cells in culture resulting in the ability to assign metabolic functionality to plant genes involved in the production of biologically active molecules and to create a means of product discovery based on the biosynthetic capacity of plants. The materials to create an activation mutagenesis include incorporation of enhancer sequences from a plant viral promoter at random places in the plant genome via Agrobacterium mediated DNA transfer (T-DNA). The usefulness is that genes in the immediate vicinity of the incorporation were activated which allows …

Phylogenetic Analyses Reveal Monophyletic Origin Of The Ergot Alkaloid Gene Dmaw In Fungi, Miao Liu, Daniel G. Panaccione, Christopher L. Schardl

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Ergot alkaloids are indole-derived mycotoxins that are important in agriculture and medicine. Ergot alkaloids are produced by a few representatives of two distantly related fungal lineages, the Clavicipitaceae and the Trichocomaceae. Comparison of the ergot alkaloid gene clusters from these two lineages revealed differences in the relative positions and orientations of several genes. The question arose: is ergot alkaloid biosynthetic capability from a common origin? We used a molecular phylogenetic approach to gain insights into the evolution of ergot alkaloid biosynthesis. The 4-γ,γ-dimethylallyltryptophan synthase gene, dmaW, encodes the first step in the pathway. Amino acid sequences deduced …

Crop Bioengineering: Enormous Potential For Catalyzing International Development, Peter Gregory, Stanley P. Kowalski

Law Faculty Scholarship

[Excerpt] Bioengineering provides unique and dramatic opportunities for crop improvement. It can be used to develop crop varieties that would otherwise be unavailable and can facilitate much faster and more precise ways of developing improved varieties. It can help to increase yields and reliability and thus reduce food costs for the consumer while helping to control input costs for farmers through reduced applications of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer.

The extent to which this will be achieved depends on how effectively the global scientific community – including both the public and private sectors – can cooperate in harnessing the power of …

A Nonsense Mutation In A Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase Gene Is Responsible For The Sorghum Brown Midrib6 Phenotype1[W][Oa], Scott E. Sattler, Aaron J. Saathoff, Eric J. Haas, Nathan A. Palmer, Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Gautam Sarath, Jeffrey F. Pedersen

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

brown midrib6 (bmr6) affects phenylpropanoid metabolism, resulting in reduced lignin concentrations and altered lignin composition in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Recently, bmr6 plants were shown to have limited cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity (CAD; EC 1.1.1.195), the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of hydroxycinnamoyl aldehydes (monolignals) to monolignols. A candidate gene approach was taken to identify Bmr6. Two CAD genes (Sb02g024190 and Sb04g005950) were identified in the sorghum genome based on similarity to known CAD genes and through DNA sequencing a nonsense mutation was discovered in Sb04g005950 that results in a truncated protein lacking the NADPH-binding and C-terminal …

Morphology And Biomass Production Of Prairie Cordgrasson Marginal Lands, A. Boe, V Owens, J. Gonzalez-Hernandez, J. Stein, D. K. Lee, B. C. Koo

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Link.) is indigenous throughout most of the continental United States and Canada to 60°N latitude and is well suited to marginal land too wet for maize (Zea mays L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Evaluations of prairie cordgrass in Europe and North America indicated it has high potential for biomass production, relative to switchgrass, in short‐season areas. Our objective was to describe morphology and biomass production and partitioning in mature stands of ‘Red River’ prairie cordgrass and determine biomass production of natural populations on marginal land. This study was conducted from 2000 to …

Disruption Of Osysl15 Leads To Iron Inefficiency In Rice Plants, Sichul Lee, Jeff C. Chiecko, Sun A. Kim, Elsbeth L. Walker, Youngsook Lee, Mary Lou Guerinot, Gyhheung An

Dartmouth Scholarship

Uptake and translocation of metal nutrients are essential processes for plant growth. Graminaceous species release phytosiderophores that bind to Fe³⁺; these complexes are then transported across the plasma membrane. We have characterized OsYSL15, one of the rice (Oryza sativa) YS1-like (YSL) genes that are strongly induced by iron (Fe) deficiency. The OsYSL15 promoter fusion to β-glucuronidase showed that it was expressed in all root tissues when Fe was limited. In low-Fe leaves, the promoter became active in all tissues except epidermal cells. This activity was also detected in flowers and seeds. The OsYSL15:green …

Diversity, Distribution And Role Of Wild Crucifers In Major Cabbage And Kale Growing Areas Of Kenya, R. Kahuthia-Gathu, B. Löhr, H. M. Poehling, P. K. Mbugua

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

An investigation of the diversity and distribution of wild crucifer species and their importance for cultivated crucifers was conducted during 2005 and 2006 in the highland and mid-altitude semi-arid areas of Kenya. Thirteen species of wild crucifers in nine genera were recorded: Raphanus raphanistrum, Erucastrum arabicum, Sisymbrium officinale, Crambe kilimandscharica, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Rorippa nudiuscula, Ro. micrantha, Ro. microphylla, Lepidium bonariense, Coronopus didymus, Brassica rapa, B. juncea and an unidentified Brassica species. Highland areas had significantly higher species diversity and species richness than mid-altitude semi-arid areas. Species richness, diversity and evenness varied with season and location. Raphanus raphanistrum was the dominant …

Best Management Practices For Corn Production In South Dakota: Websites With Related Information, David E. Clay, Kurtis D. Reitsma

SDSU Extension Circulars

No abstract provided.

Best Management Practices For Corn Production In South Dakota: Recordkeeping, James A. Wilson, Kurtis D. Reitsma, David E. Clay

SDSU Extension Circulars

Recordkeeping is an important component of all crop production systems. The time that is spent maintaining careful records can help to improve the production, profit, and overall efficiency of the production enterprise. Records provide information needed to identify successes and failures.

Best Management Practices For Corn Production In South Dakota: Corn Grain Harvest, Daniel S. Humberg, Richard E. Nicolai, Kurtis D. Reitsma

SDSU Extension Circulars

Corn (grain) harvest can begin when grain moisture drops below 30%. However, most producers will allow corn to dry in the field until grain moisture is between 18 to 25%. Harvesting corn when grain moisture levels are high can result in excessive drying costs, kernel damage, and harvest loss from improper threshing. Allowing corn to stay in the field too long can result in excess harvest loss from stalk lodging, ear drop, or kernel shattering. An optimal harvest depends not only on the condition of the crop but also on the proper maintenance and adjustment of harvest and grain handling …

Best Management Practices For Corn Production In South Dakota: Corn Insect Pests, Michael A. Catangui, Billy W. Fuller, B. Wade French

SDSU Extension Circulars

Historically, the major corn insect pests have been corn rootworms (northern and western), European corn borer, and black cutworm. Bt-corn hybrids are effective against most of these pests. However, Bt-corn hybrids are not effective against corn leaf aphid, corn root aphid, sap beetles, corn rootworm adults, grasshoppers, white grubs, wireworms, seed corn beetle, and seed corn maggots. These insect pests can reduce corn yields. This chapter discusses the management and biology of important corn insect pests commonly observed in South Dakota.

Best Management Practices For Corn Production In South Dakota: Soil Fertility, David E. Clay, Kurtis D. Reitsma

SDSU Extension Circulars

Corn requires sufficient amounts of at least 14 nutrients for optimal production (fig. 7.1). Soil fertility strategies should consider soil residual plant nutrients, cost of fertilizer relative to the value of corn, and management techniques that increase efficiency.

Cover Page

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

No abstract provided.