Digital Commons Network^™

Soil Depth And Geographic Distance Modulate Bacterial Β-Diversity In Deep Soil Profiles Throughout The U.S. Corn Belt, Lucas Dantas Lopes, Stephanie L. Futrell, Emily E. Wright, Gerasimos J. Danalatos, Michael J. Castellano, Tony J. Vyn, Sotirios V. Archontoulis, Daniel P. Schachtman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Understanding how microbial communities are shaped across spatial dimensions is of fundamental importance in microbial ecology. However, most studies on soil biogeography have focused on the topsoil microbiome, while the factors driving the subsoil microbiome distribution are largely unknown. Here we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to analyse the factors underlying the bacterial β-diversity along vertical (0–240 cm of soil depth) and horizontal spatial dimensions (~500,000 km²) in the U.S. Corn Belt. With these data we tested whether the horizontal or vertical spatial variation had stronger impacts on the taxonomic (Bray-Curtis) and phylogenetic (weighted Unifrac) β-diversity. Additionally, we …

Graph Convolutional Network Using Adaptive Neighborhood Laplacian Matrix For Hyperspectral Images With Application To Rice Seed Image Classification, Jairo Orozco, Vidya Manian, Estefania Alfaro, Harkamal Walia, Balpreet K. Dhatt

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Graph convolutional neural network architectures combine feature extraction and convolutional layers for hyperspectral image classification. An adaptive neighborhood aggregation method based on statistical variance integrating the spatial information along with the spectral signature of the pixels is proposed for improving graph convolutional network classification of hyperspectral images. The spatial-spectral information is integrated into the adjacency matrix and processed by a single-layer graph convolutional network. The algorithm employs an adaptive neighborhood selection criteria conditioned by the class it belongs to. Compared to fixed window-based feature extraction, this method proves effective in capturing the spectral and spatial features with variable pixel neighborhood …

Harvest Aids Did Not Advance Maturity Of Non-Shatter Pennycress, Julija A. Cubins, Samantha Wells, Russ W. Gesch, Gregg A. Johnson, Maninder K. Walia, Ratan Chopra, M. David Marks, Rebecca D. Swenson, Katherine Anna Frels

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Reliance on summer annual crops in the Upper Midwest results in fallow land from late fall through early spring, providing opportunities to integrate winter crops, such as pennycress (Thlapsi arvense L.), onto the landscape. Pennycress agronomics have primarily been studied using unimproved wild-type lines prone to seed shatter, resulting in significant yield loss if not harvested early. However, high plant and seed moisture complicates harvest and seed storage. A new breeding line with a reducedshatter mutation made it possible to use harvest aids to reduce plant moisture without the risk of seed loss. The objectives of this study were …

An Annotated Checklist Of The Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae And Scarabaeidae, Subfamilies Aphodiinae And Scarabaeinae) Of Oaxaca, Mexico, Burt Kohlmann, Alfonsina Arriaga-Jiménez, Eder F. Mora-Aguilar

Insecta Mundi

Abstract. A checklist of the dung beetles (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae; Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae and Scara­baeinae) of Oaxaca, Mexico, is presented for the first time. The checklist contains 252 taxa, 15 Geotrupidae, 77 Aphodiinae, and 160 Scarabaeinae. The state includes 58 genera and 15 tribes, where Onthophagus is the most species-rich genus with 49 taxa, followed by Ataenius with 22, Canthon with 17 and Phanaeus with 15 taxa. Valid names, as well as synonyms, are provided. First records, notes on presently recognized spe­cies, nomenclatural problems, and biodiversity comparisons are included. Phanaeus dionysius Kohlmann, Arriaga-Jiménez and Rös, 2018 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) is re-established as …

A Push–Pull Strategy To Suppress Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Attacks On Pasture Cattle Via A Coconut Oil Fatty Acid Repellent Formulation And Traps With M-Cresol Lures, Alexander T. Lehmann, Gary J. Brewer, David J. Boxler, Junwei J. Zhu, Kathy Hanford, David Taylor, James A. Kenar, Steven C. Cermak, Jerome A. Hogsette

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Stable flies [Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)] are economically important pests of cattle and other livestock. As an alternative to conventional insecticides, we tested a push–pull management strategy using a coconut oil fatty acid repellent formulation and an attractant-added stable fly trap.

RESULTS: In our field trials we found that weekly applications of a push–pull strategy can reduce stable fly populations on cattle as well as a standard insecticide (permethrin). We also found that the efficacy periods of the push–pull and permethrin treatments following on-animal application were equivalent. Traps with an attractant lure used as the pull component of the …

Taxonomic Placement And Nomenclatural Revisions For Five Species Of Neotropical Buprestidae (Coleoptera), Norman E. Woodley

Insecta Mundi

Autarcontes lopezi Fisher, 1925 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is transferred to the genus Agrilus Curtis, 1825 (new combination). Colobogaster bella Kirsch, 1873, is transferred to the genus Chrysobothris Eschscholtz, 1829 (new combination). Ectinogonia isamarae Moore, 1994, is resurrected as the valid name for the species previously called E. obscuripennis Cobos, 1954, as the latter is unavailable as infrasubspecific. Conognatha jakobsoni Obenberger, 1928, is resurrected over C. germaini Théry in Hoscheck, 1934, as the for­mer name has priority. Callimicra lucida Waterhouse, 1889, is resurrected as the valid name over C. hoscheki Obenberger, 1922, which has been used due to …

Nesting Behavior Of The Spider Wasp Calopompilus Pyrrhomelas (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), Frank E. Kurczewski, Marshal Hedin, Rick C. West

Insecta Mundi

The nesting behavior of the spider wasp Calopompilus pyrrhomelas (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsini) is described for the first time based on independent observations and photographic series from Oak­land, Alameda County, CA; Denio, Humboldt County, NV; and Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, Marin County, CA, respectively. The three wasps captured, immobilized, and provisioned the spider’s own burrows with Cal­isoga longitarsis (Simon) (Nemesiidae) and Antrodiaetus montanus (Chamberlin and Ivie) (Antrodiaetidae).

The genus Calopompilus Ashmead is one of the “most primitive” genera in the family Pompilidae as evidenced by its broad hind wings and anal lobe, lack of specialization in wing venation, stout “scolioid” body structure, and …

Stictoleptura Cordigera (Füssli, 1775) (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae: Lepturini), A New Alien Longhorn Beetle Introduced In Chile, José Mondaca, Guido Rebolledo, Francesco Vitali

Insecta Mundi

The Palaearctic longhorn beetle Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli, 1775) (Cerambycidae: Lepturinae: Lepturini) is recorded for the first time in Chile, based on specimens collected in a rural locality of the Maule Region. This new record is the first in the New World and increases to eleven the number of exotic cerambycids introduced and established in the Chilean territory. A brief diagnosis for recognition of the species and data about its distribution and natural history are provided. The possible route of entry of this cerambycid into Chile is discussed.

Stictoleptura cordigera (Füssli, 1775) is a polyphagous, saproxylic, anthophilous cerambycid widely distributed in …

Ciclo De Vida Hamadryas Chloe Chloe (Stoll 1787) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Biblidinae) En Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia, Estefany M. Figueroa, Ximena A. León, Fredy Montero Abril

Insecta Mundi

Resumen. Se describe el Ciclo de Vida de Hamadryas chloe chloe (Stoll, 1787) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Biblidinae). Se desarrolla en sus etapas inmaduras usando como planta hospedante a Dalechampia scandens Linnaeus 1753 (Euphorbiaceae). El tiempo para la determinación del ciclo en condiciones de laboratorio desde la postura de los huevos hasta la emergencia de los adultos fue de 30–32 días en promedio. Se encontró asociado a los huevos de la especie un parasitoide de la familia Encyrtidae. La especie mantiene características morfológicas similares al género como setas prominentes en la cabeza y cuerpo de las larvas, especialmente en instares superiores. Se …

A Role For Heritable Transcriptomic Variation In Maize Adaptation To Temperate Environments, Guangchao Sun, Huihui Yu, Peng Wang, Martha Lopez‑Guerrero, Ravi V. Mural, Olivier N. Mizero, Marcin Grzybowski, Baoxing Song, Karin V. Van Dijk, Daniel P. Schachtman, Chi Zhang, James C. Schnable

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Background: Transcription bridges genetic information and phenotypes. Here, we evaluated how changes in transcriptional regulation enable maize (Zea mays), a crop originally domesticated in the tropics, to adapt to temperate environments.

Result: We generated 572 unique RNA-seq datasets from the roots of 340 maize genotypes. Genes involved in core processes such as cell division, chromosome organization and cytoskeleton organization showed lower heritability of gene expression, while genes involved in anti-oxidation activity exhibited higher expression heritability. An expression genome-wide association study (eGWAS) identified 19,602 expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 11,444 genes. A GWAS …

A Role For Heritable Transcriptomic Variation In Maize Adaptation To Temperate Environments, Guangchao Sun, Huihui Yu, Peng Wang, Martha Lopez‑Guerrero, Ravi V. Mural, Olivier N. Mizero, Marcin Grzybowski, Baoxing Song, Karin V. Van Dijk, Daniel P. Schachtman, Chi Zhang, James C. Schnable

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: Transcription bridges genetic information and phenotypes. Here, we evaluated how changes in transcriptional regulation enable maize (Zea mays), a crop originally domesticated in the tropics, to adapt to temperate environments.

Result: We generated 572 unique RNA-seq datasets from the roots of 340 maize genotypes. Genes involved in core processes such as cell division, chromosome organization and cytoskeleton organization showed lower heritability of gene expression, while genes involved in anti-oxidation activity exhibited higher expression heritability. An expression genome-wide association study (eGWAS) identified 19,602 expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 11,444 genes. A …

Recombination Hotspots In Soybean [Glycine Max (L.) Merr.], Samantha Mcconaughy, Keenan L. Amundsen, Qijian Song, Vince Pantalone, D. Hyten

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Recombination allows for the exchange of genetic material between two parents, which plant breeders exploit to make improved cultivars. This recombination is not distributed evenly across the chromosome. Recombination mostly occurs in euchromatic regions of the genome and even then, recombination is focused into clusters of crossovers termed recombination hotspots. Understanding the distribution of these hotspots along with the sequence motifs associated with them may lead to methods that enable breeders to better exploit recombination in breeding. To map recombination hotspots and identify sequence motifs associated with hotspots in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], two biparental recombinant inbred lines …

Invertebrate Metrics Based On Few Abundant Taxa Outperform Functional And Taxonomic Composition As Indicators Of Agricultural Impacts In Atlantic Rainforest Streams, Rafael Feijó‑Lima, Steven A. Thomas, Flavia Tromboni, Eugenia Zandonà, Eduardo F. Silva‑Junior, Timothy P. Moulton

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Metacommunity studies have demonstrated that local macroinvertebrate communities are structured not only by local environmental conditions but also by spatial processes. Effective bioassessment tools should account for spatial processes while doing so with the least amount of cost. In this study, we applied variance partition techniques based on redundancy analysis to assess the performance of three sets of benthic invertebrate metrics in detecting agricultural land-use effects in a SE Brazil rainforest watershed. Macroinvertebrate data were analyzed separately regarding their taxonomic, functional structure and bioindicator metrics developed for the study region. We stipulated that groups of metrics most sensitive to land-use …

Small Rnas >26 Nt In Length Associate With Ago1 And Are Upregulated By Nutrient Deprivation In The Alga Chlamydomonas, Yingshan Li, Eun-Jeong Kim, Adam Voshall, Etsuko Moriyama, Heriberto D. Cerutti

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Small RNAs (sRNAs) associate with ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins forming effector complexes with key roles in gene regulation and defense responses against molecular parasites. In multicellular eukaryotes, extensive duplication and diversification of RNA interference (RNAi) components have resulted in intricate pathways for epigenetic control of gene expression. The unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii also has a complex RNAi machinery, including 3 AGOs and 3 DICER-like proteins. However, little is known about the biogenesis and function of most endogenous sRNAs. We demonstrate here that Chlamydomonas contains uncommonly long (>26 nt) sRNAs that associate preferentially with AGO1. Somewhat reminiscent of animal PIWI-interacting RNAs, …

Federated Learning Framework Integrating Refined Cnn And Deep Regression Forests, Daniel Nolte, Omid Bazgir, Souparno Ghosh, Ranadip Pal

Department of Statistics: Faculty Publications

Predictive learning from medical data incurs additional challenge due to concerns over privacy and security of personal data. Federated learning, intentionally structured to preserve high level of privacy, is emerging to be an attractive way to generate cross-silo predictions in medical scenarios. However, the impact of severe population-level heterogeneity on federated learners is not well explored. In this article, we propose a methodology to detect presence of population heterogeneity in federated settings and propose a solution to handle such heterogeneity by developing a federated version of Deep Regression Forests. Additionally, we demonstrate that the recently conceptualized REpresentation of Features as …

Federated Learning Framework Integrating Refined Cnn And Deep Regression Forests, Daniel Nolte, Omid Bazgir, Souparno Ghosh, Ranadip Pal

Department of Statistics: Faculty Publications

Predictive learning from medical data incurs additional challenge due to concerns over privacy and security of personal data. Federated learning, intentionally structured to preserve high level of privacy, is emerging to be an attractive way to generate cross-silo predictions in medical scenarios. However, the impact of severe population-level heterogeneity on federated learners is not well explored. In this article, we propose a methodology to detect presence of population heterogeneity in federated settings and propose a solution to handle such heterogeneity by developing a federated version of Deep Regression Forests. Additionally, we demonstrate that the recently conceptualized REpresentation of Features as …

Evaluation Of Peroxyacetic Acid, Liquid Buffered Vinegar, And Cultured Dextrose Fermentate As Potential Antimicrobial Interventions For Raw Chicken Livers, Leslie Pearl M. Cancio, Mary-Grace C. Danao, Gary Sullivan, Byron D. Chaves

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

This study aimed to evaluate the use of peroxyacetic acid (PAA), buffered vinegar (BV), and cultured dextrose fermentate (CDF) to reduce Salmonella on artificially inoculated raw chicken livers, one of the most consumed offal around the world. Samples were inoculated with a 5-strain cocktail of poultry-borne Salmonella to obtain 10⁶ CFU/g and immersed for 90 s with agitation in one of the following treatments: distilled water (control), 450 ppm PAA, 2.0% (w/v) BV, or 1.5% (w/v) CDF, prior to storing at 4^oC. Salmonella was enumerated on XLD agar and monitored for 14 days. Data were analyzed using …

Atlas Of Ticks (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) In Germany: 1st Data Update, Franz Rubel, Stefan Zaenker, Alexander Weigand, Dieter Weber, Lidia Chitimia-Dobler, Olaf Kahl

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

The first data update of the atlas of ticks in Germany published in 2021 is presented here. This atlas provides maps based on georeferenced tick locations of 21 species endemic in Germany as well as three tick species that are regularly imported to Germany. The data update includes the following numbers of newly georeferenced tick locations: 17 Argas reflexus, 79 Carios vespertilionis, 2 Dermacentor marginatus, 43 Dermacentor reticulatus, 4 Haemaphysalis concinna, 3 Haemaphysalis punctata, 3 Hyalomma rufipes, 3 Ixodes apronophorus, 9 Ixodes arboricola, 1 Ixodes ariadnae, 30 Ixodes canisuga, …

Soybean GmSaul1, A Bona Fide U-Box E3 Ligase, Negatively Regulates Immunity Likely Through Repressing The Activation Of GmMpk3, Jun-Mei Li, Mei-Yan Ye, Chaofeng Wang, Xiao-Han Ma, Ni-Ni Wu, Chen-Li Zhong, Yanjun Zhang, Ninghui Cheng, Paul A. Nakata, Lirong Zeng, Jian-Zhong Liu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

E3 ubiquitin ligases play important roles in plant immunity, but their role in soybean has not been investigated previously. Here, we used Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV)-mediated virusinduced gene silencing (VIGS) to investigate the function of GmSAUL1 (Senescence-Associated E3 Ubiquitin Ligase 1) homologs in soybean. When two closely related SAUL1 homologs were silenced simultaneously, the soybean plants displayed autoimmune phenotypes, which were significantly alleviated by high temperature, suggesting that GmSAUL1a/1b might be guarded by an R protein. Interestingly, silencing GmSAUL1a/1b resulted in the decreased activation of GmMPK6, but increased activation of GmMPK3 in response to flg22, …

Fresh Produce As A Potential Vector And Reservoir For Human Bacterial Pathogens: Revealing The Ambiguity Of Interaction And Transmission, Ahmed Esmael, Rashad R. Al-Hindi, Raed S. Albiheyri, Mona G. Alharbi, Amani A. R. Filimban, Mazen S. Alseghayer, Abdulaziz M. Almaneea, Meshari Ahmed Alhadlaq, Jumaa Ayubu, Addisu D. Teklemariam

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The consumer demand for fresh produce (vegetables and fruits) has considerably increased since the 1980s for more nutritious foods and healthier life practices, particularly in developed countries. Currently, several foodborne outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce. The global rise in fresh produce associated with human infections may be due to the use of wastewater or any contaminated water for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, the firm attachment of the foodborne pathogens on the plant surface, and the internalization of these agents deep inside the tissue of the plant, poor disinfection practices and human consumption of raw fresh produce. …

Dwarfism And Gigantism Drive Human-Mediated Extinctions On Islands, Roberto Rozzi, Mark V. Lomolino, Alexandra A.E. Van Der Geer, Daniele Silvestro, S. Kathleen Lyons, Pere Bover, Josep A. Alcover, Ana Benítez-López, Cheng-Hsiu Tsai, Masaki Fujita, Mugino O. Kubo, Janinie Ochoa, Matthew E, Scarborough, Samuel T. Turvey, Alexander Zizka, Jonathan M. Chase

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Islands have long been recognized as distinctive evolutionary arenas leading to morphologically divergent species, such as dwarfs and giants. We assessed how body size evolution in island mammals may have exacerbated their vulnerability, as well as how human arrival has contributed to their past and ongoing extinctions, by integrating data on 1231 extant and 350 extinct species from islands and paleo islands worldwide spanning the past 23 million years. We found that the likelihood of extinction and of endangerment are highest in the most extreme island dwarfs and giants. Extinction risk of insular mammals was compounded by the arrival of …

Spoilage Pseudomonas Survive Common Thermal Processing Schedules And Grow In Emulsified Meat During Extended Vacuum Storage, Samuel C. Watson, Rebecca A. Furbeck, Samodha C. Fernando, Byron D. Chaves, Gary Sullivan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Some Pseudomonas species are common meat spoilage bacteria that are often associated with the spoilage of fresh meat. The recently reported ability of these bacteria to also spoil cooked and vacuum packaged meat products has created the need to investigate all potential routes of spoilage they may be able to utilize. The objective of this experiment was to determine if spoilage Pseudomonas spp. survive thermal processing and grow during refrigerated storage under vacuum. Pseudomonas spp. isolates collected from spoiled turkey products were inoculated into a salted and seasoned meat emulsion that was vacuum sealed and thermally treated to final temperatures …

The Concentration Of Heavy Metals In Lincoln Nebraska's Tap Water, Evan Neuhaus

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Heavy metals are commonplace in nature, and are typically found in scarce quantities in all drinking sources. However, in high enough concentrations, they can have a myriad of negative health effects. This study seeks to find the concentrations of such metals in the Lincoln water supply utilizing the resources of the Water Center at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. To test for discrete concentrations of trace elements, a method of using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was implemented. ICP-MS uses plasma to ionize and atomize a sample which is then filtered into a series of cones into a …

Large And Stable Genome Edits At The Sorghum Alpha Kafirin Locus Result In Changes In Chromatin Accessibility And Globally Increased Expression Of Genes Encoding Lysine Enrichment, J. Preston Hurst, Abou Yobi, Aixia Li, Shirley Sato, Thomas E. Clemente, Ruthie Angelovici

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sorghum is a resilient and widely cultivated grain crop used for feed and food. However, it’s grain is deficient in lysine, an essential amino acid. This is due to the primary seed storage proteins, the alpha-kafirins, lacking lysine. It has been observed that reductions in alpha-kafirin protein results in rebalancing of the seed proteome and a corresponding increase in non-kafirin proteins which leads to an increased lysine content. However, the mechanisms underlying proteome rebalancing are unclear. This study characterizes a previously developed gene edited sorghum line, with deletions at the alpha kafirin locus.

Methods: A single consensus …

Large And Stable Genome Edits At The Sorghum Alpha Kafirin Locus Result In Changes In Chromatin Accessibility And Globally Increased Expression Of Genes Encoding Lysine Enrichment, J. Preston Hurst, Abou Yobi, Aixia Li, Shirley Sato, Thomas E. Clemente, Ruthie Angelovici, David R. Holding

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sorghum is a resilient and widely cultivated grain crop used for feed and food. However, it’s grain is deficient in lysine, an essential amino acid. This is due to the primary seed storage proteins, the alpha-kafirins, lacking lysine. It has been observed that reductions in alpha-kafirin protein results in rebalancing of the seed proteome and a corresponding increase in non-kafirin proteins which leads to an increased lysine content. However, the mechanisms underlying proteome rebalancing are unclear. This study characterizes a previously developed gene edited sorghum line, with deletions at the alpha kafirin locus.

Methods: A single consensus …

Editorial: Inter-Organ Crosstalk During Exercise In Health And Disease: Extracellular Vesicles As New Kids On The Block, Kenneth Verboven, Ivan Jose Vechetti Jr

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Within exercise physiology, the study of factors potentially mediating interorgan crosstalk during and after exercise is a fascinating field of research. As exercise activates a plethora of metabolic pathways in several tissues, organs and systems, examining the underlying biological mechanisms contributing to exercise related metabolic benefits is imperative. Since two decades, the skeletal muscle is known to secrete humoral factors into the circulation in response to exercise, originally described as “myokines” by Pedersen et al. (2003). These myokines are now well known and extensively studied in the field of exercise science (Pedersen and Febbraio, 2012). Interestingly, exercise also triggers other …

Drought Affects Sex Ratio And Growth Of Painted Turtles In A Long-Term Study In Nebraska, Larkin A. Powell, Ellen P. Dolph, Charrissa R. Neil

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Climate forecasts suggest the Great Plains of North America have increased risk of droughts during global warming. Environmental factors have potential to influence turtle populations in aquatic habitats through temperature-dependent sex determination and influences on food availability. Long-term studies are critical to evaluate the influence of climatic variation on turtles. We used a 12-year set of mark-recapture data collected from painted turtles (Chrysemys picta, n = 162) in a pond in Keith County, Nebraska during 2005–2016 to assess variation in sex ratio and growth dynamics. Southwest Nebraska experienced two periods of drought during our study (Palmer Hydrologic Drought …

Genome Assembly Of The Brassicaceae Diploid Orychophragmus Violaceus Reveals Complex Whole-Genome Duplication And Evolution Of Dihydroxy Fatty Acid Metabolism, Fan Huang, Peng Chen, Xinyu Tang, Ting Zhong, Taihua Yang, Chinedu Charles Nwafor, Chao Yang, Xianhong Ge, Hong An, Zaiyun Li, Edgar B. Cahoon, Chunyu Zhang

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Orychophragmus violaceus is a Brassicaceae species widely cultivated in China, particularly as a winter cover crop in northern China because of its low-temperature tolerance and low water demand. Recently, O. violaceus has also been cultivated as a potential industrial oilseed crop because of its abundant 24- carbon dihydroxy fatty acids (diOH-FAs), which contribute to superior high-temperature lubricant properties. In this study, we performed de novo assembly of the O. violaceus genome. Whole-genome synteny analysis of the genomes of its relatives demonstrated that O. violaceus is a diploid that has undergone an extra whole-genome duplication (WGD) after the Brassicaceae-specific α-WGD event, …

Plant Breeding Advancements With “Crispr-Cas” Genome Editing Technologies Will Assist Future Food Security, M. Ahmad

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Genome editing techniques are being used to modify plant breeding, which might increase food production sustainably by 2050. A product made feasible by genome editing is becoming better known, because of looser regulation and widespread acceptance. The world’s population and food supply would never have increased proportionally under current farming practices. The development of plants and food production has been greatly impacted by global warming and climate change. Therefore, minimizing these effects is crucial for agricultural production that is sustainable. Crops are becoming more resilient to abiotic stress because of sophisticated agricultural practices and a better understanding of the abiotic …

High-Risk Sexual Behavior In Nebraska Adolescents; History, Risk Factors, And Mediation, Kiya Hudson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

High-risk sexual behavior is a public health crisis that impacts adolescents at staggering rates. In Nebraska, rates of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases have been on the rise over the last four years. The problem this paper addresses is the need to fill in the gaps in knowledge surrounding high-risk sexual behavior in Nebraska adolescents. It is important to address these gaps in knowledge because currently, we are failing our adolescents when it comes to providing them with all of the necessary skills, information, and tools to lead a healthy life. When we know how …