Digital Commons Network^™

Drivers Of Recruitment For A Population Of Cutthroat Trout In Northern Utah, Abbigail Lane, Austin Garner

Student Research Symposium

• Understanding recruitment dynamics informs effective management of sensitive populations (Camp et al. 2020).

Latency To Approach Social Olfactory Stimuli In Female Coyotes: Pairmate Vs Sibling, Jenny Malm, Caroline Long

Student Research Symposium

• Scent marking is a common form of communication among mammals, including coyotes¹.

Qualitative Assessment Of Coyote Olfactory Behavior In Response To Urine Stimuli, Sophie Isom, Caroline Long

Student Research Symposium

• The coyote (Canis latrans) marks territorial boundaries with scent cues.¹

South African Plants With Potential Applications In Traditional Medicine For Wound Healing, Salome Mahlo

Oxford ICSB

Skin infections are primarily fungal and bacterial attacks on the skin. The aim of the study was to investigate medicinal plants used for the treatment of wound infections by the local people and traditional health practitioners. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality, Limpopo Province to identify plant species used to treat skin infections. Guided fieldwork and a semi-structured questionnaire were used to gather information from the traditional healers. A questionnaire was designed to gather information on the common names, plant parts used, preparation, administration, and illnesses treated were recorded for each species. In the current …

Diet, Bioaccumulation Of Heavy Metals, And Population Genomics Of Narrow-Barred Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus Commerson) From The Arabian Gulf, Shaima Malik

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Marine organisms are integral part of marine ecosystems, forming complex feeding interactions. Large predatory fish are especially important because they often govern food web structures through top-down influences. The narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) is an ecologically and economically important fish species that feeds on small forage fish. The current study focuses on three aspects of the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (diet, bioaccumulation of heavy metals and population genomics). This species is considered near-threatened, as its population has been declining due to anthropogenic stressors. The Arabian Gulf experiences continuous natural stressors, which are further exacerbated by human activities, impacting the marine …

Does Bacillus Mycoides Inhibit The Growth Of Botrytis Cinerea?, Jaymen Brough, Macy Brooks, Jackson Bronsell, Brent Bowler

Student Research Symposium

Botrytis cinerea is a fungal pathogen shown to threaten agricultural stability. In attempts to find biological controls against such pathogens, some bacteria have demonstrated antifungal properties. Among these, Bacillus mycoides has been identified as a potential producer of antifungal agents that may be relevant to agricultural, horticultural, and medical settings (Kahn et al., 2018). In an effort to identify the effectiveness of B. mycoides as an antifungal biological control, we have tested whether Bacillus mycoides inhibits the fungal growth of Botrytis cinerea.

Exploring The Role Of Ethanol In Bumblebee-Yeast Interactions, Austen Grizzell

Student Research Symposium

Why care? Bumblebees are known to be attracted to yeasts present in nectar when foraging. Yeasts produce ethanol via fermentation of sugars found in flower nectar and bee honey. Ethanol may act as a foraging cue for bumblebee species. This has wider implications for plant-pollinator interactions, including the pollination of dozens of bumblebee-pollinated crops such as tomato, eggplant, and strawberries.

Utilizing Enzymatic Microalgae Hydrolysates For Cellular Agriculture, Maelyn Andreasen, Sophia Hessami, Eli Sheley, Elise Barton

Student Research Symposium

UPSIDE Foods is working to produce chicken products to address the growing global food insecurity crisis.¹ Industrial scalability is limited due to the requirements of cell culture. Through collaboration with the company, we are working to supplement their existing media to drive costs down and improve cell viability.

Ashwagandha – Is It Safe? A Toxicologist’S Perspective, Mukesh Summan

Oxford ICSB

Withania somnifera (WS) also known as ashwagandha is a herb commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine with recorded use dating back centuries. Different plant parts including roots, leaves, fruits, seeds and stems are purported to have various biological actions such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-stress, anti-anxiety when used alone or in combination with other plants. Despite this long history of use as a traditional herb in Indian medicine and world-wide as a food supplement, regulatory health authorities have begun to question the safety of WS due clinical cases of herb-induced liver injury from products labelled as containing ashwagandha and concerns for WS …

Gastric Survivability Of Streptomyces Narbonensis, Laramie Johnson, Laurel Hilterbrand, Ephraim Mohr, Eliza Lewis

Student Research Symposium

Human sciences and medicine have continually been advancing, and taken off in the last few centuries. This has included the development of many new medicines, antibiotics, and disinfectants. Antibiotics have to be able to survive and perform its duty within the human body, despite the changes in pH that occur naturally within the body in response to stimuli (Cotter, 2003). If a bacteria is unable to adapt to the pH environment of the human body in which it is placed, it will not be able to survive and continue to reproduce. The bacteria may be able to adapt via membrane …

Mathematical Modeling Of Color Perception Using Differential Equation, Siavash Pooretemad

Student Research Symposium

Color perception begins in the retina, where three cone types (L, M, S) detect light and initiate neural signals. These signals are processed by horizontal and bipolar cells to form opponent color channels: red-green (RG), yellow-blue (YB), and light-dark (LD). Perception is not solely based on physical input but also shaped by neural adaptation and context.

This project models color perception using a differential equation approach, simulating how color contrast and adaptation emerge from interactions between photoreceptors and lateral inhibition.

We hypothesize that a system of differential equations can model how retinal cone cells respond to and process light intensity, …

Laparoscopic Articulating Arm: In Collaboration With The Xenocor Saberscope, Zac Hastings, Lizbeth Pugliese, Rebecca Sweeten, Dallin Thomas, Dallin Treasure-Areno

Student Research Symposium

• Laparoscopy a minimally invasive procedure performed through small incisions using a laparoscope, a camera-equipped instrument, along with specialized tools.

• Laparotomy or "open" surgery, requires a large incision to perform an abdominal operation.

Peribacillus Simplex Does Not Exhibit Antimicrobial Properties Against Staphylococcus, Dallin Thomas, Jordan Wheeler, Natalie Yoho

Student Research Symposium

Antibiotics are powerful drugs that combat previously fatal diseases. These miracle drugs have saved countless lives, but have the tendency to be misused. They are used incorrectly to treat patients who don't need them, and given to animals for non therapeutic use. Antibiotics are also known to pollute soils and groundwater all around the world (3). As antibiotics are found more readily in the environment, they encourage evolution, recombination, and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria (5). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (6) antibiotic resistance kills at least 1.27 million people worldwide for diseases that used to …

Potential Of Microsatellite Markers For Genetic Assessment Of Scalloped Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Homarus) Populations In Al Sharqiyah Governorate And Their Application In Specie’S Fishery Management, Huda Al-Brashdi

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Spiny lobster is one of the highest-priced seafood worldwide. Its fishery contributes well to the country's income and is considered one of the important export items to other countries. However, its annual catch declined sharply. Studying the stock is important for proper fishery management because stock responds differently to overexploitation and adaptation, therefore different stocks need different conservation plan. In this study, the genetic diversity and population differentiation of 50 P. homarus (the most present spiny lobster subspecies in Oman) from two regions (Al-Ashkharah and Masirah) of Al Sharqyah governorate were studied using 49 microsatellite markers. The results showed that …

Bioactive Compounds From Omani Soft Corals Belonging To Genera Sarcophyton And Sinularia, Bait-Maqbool Sh, S Dobretsov

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Soft corals are marine invertebrates belonging to the class Anthozoa and are rich in bioactive substances that provide their defense and protection from predators, pathogens, and other unfavorable organisms. Seven soft coral species belonging to the genera Sarcophyton and Sinularia were collected from Omani water and extracted and their antibacterial and antifungal properties were tested using the agar-disk diffusion method and a MicroResp technique. Potential compounds that were present in the species were characterized using GC-MS analysis. The results showed that the soft coral species have anti-bacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas tunicata. The GC-MS analysis found …

Marine Natural Products With Cytotoxic Properties Against Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, I. A.I. A. Burney

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a common gynecological cancer and a leading cause of death, especially because the tumors develop resistance to cisplatin. New compounds are needed to achieve better disease control and survival. We examined the cytotoxic effect of Gallic acid (GA), Hymenialdisine, and Malformin A1 (MA1) on human ovarian cancer cells. Cytotoxicity was tested using cisplatin-sensitive (A2780s) and cisplatin-resistant (A2780cp) ovarian cancer cell lines, and a normal ovarian tissue cell line (HOSE6-3) using AlamarBlue assay, Hoechst dye, and flow cytometry, and the genes and proteins of interest were assessed using western blot, and qRT-PCR. The IC50 of Hymenialdisine …

Screening Of Probiotics From Indigenous Omani Natural Products For Potential Use In The Aquaculture Industry, Gilha Yoon

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Probiotics can enhance the growth performance and disease resistance of aquatic animals. Probiotics can influence digestive physiology through the secretion of exogenous digestive enzymes, facilitating the utilization of nutrients, and resulting in improvements in growth performance. The objectives of the present study were to reduce fish diseases, minimize the usage of antibiotics, and promote national policy on aquatic health management in Oman through enhancing immune stimulation mechanisms with probiotics from indigenous Omani products and finally to promote Oman’s aquaculture industry. Thirty-five kinds of edible products were screened. After the primary screening process, only 3 products contained appropriate amounts of probiotics, …

Antibacterial Activity Of Moroccan Saffron By-Product Extracts Against Clavibacter Michiganensis Subsp. Michiganensis: The Causal Agent Of Tomato’S Bacterial Canker, Mamouni Rachid, Zineb Khadfy, Jadouali Si Mohamed, Atifi Hajar, Tahiri Abdelghani, Karra Youssef, Qessaoui Redouan, Chartier Agnes, Nehme Reine

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Moroccan saffron (Crocus sativus) floral by-products on the causal agent of bacterial canker of tomato caused by Clavibacter Michiganesis subsp Michiganesis (CMM). This work intends to replace chemical treatment methods with ecological, safe, and less expensive methods using extracts of saffron by-products. The phytochemical screening and the antioxidant activity of saffron by-products were studied. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts of saffron by-products was determined using the agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the saffron by-product extracts were determined by the dilution method using 96-well microplates. The …

Wild Olive In Oman And Its Conservation A Review, Thuraiya Al-Jabri, Alastair Culham, Richard Ellis

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

The wild olive, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G.Don) Cif is one of the three dominant species of the common tree exits in the ecosystem of the mountains of northern and southern Oman. There are insufficient studies about the use, ecology and preservation of this species in Oman. The mountain ecosystem habitation is highly sensitive to disturbances and not easy to rehabilitate. These disturbances are caused by range of anthropogenic effects, such as urbanisation, climate change, overgrazing, introducing non-native species, as well as naturally occurring insects pests and diseases. Introduction of cultivated olive orchards (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea) …

Enhancing Soil Properties And Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus L.) Growth Through Biochar And Ash Derived From Indigenous Plants Maerua Crassifolia And Saccharum Kajkaiense, M. Mumtaz Khan, Ishaq Al-Kindi, Rhonda Janke, Waleed Al-Busaidi, Abdul Rehman Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Tahir Ikram

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Locally produced soil amendments can play a vital role in sustainable agriculture, enhancing soil quality and crop plant growth. This study investigated the impact of locally sourced biochar (BC) and ash, obtained from Maerua crassifolia Forssk. (wood), and Saccharum kajkaiense, Melderis (grass) on soil properties and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) biomass. We assessed different application rates (10% and 20%), either separately or combined with the potting soil/peat (Biomix). Biomix application reduced soil pH (7.9),and increased soil organic mater (OM) (51.9%), NO3-1 (17.5%) levels, water holding capacity (WHC) (22.9%), and dry biomass (37.7%) of okra compared no Biomix application. Among BC and …

Fruit Flies Fauna, Bio-Ecology, Economic Importance And Management With An Overview Of The Current State Of Knowledge In The Sultanate Of Oman And The Arabian Peninsula, Ali K. Alwahaibi, Sara M. Alansari

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Fruit fly species are important pests of fruit trees and vegetables.They cause significant economic losses due to the damage they cause to fruit and quarantine regulations preventing fruit export. This review was divided into two sections: a general world summary of the currently available literature on fruit flies and a more focused summary of fruit flies in Oman and neighboring countries of the Arabian Peninsula. The world summary covered the latest available information about fruit flies in terms of their general taxonomy, feeding patterns, life cycle, host plants, natural enemies, economic importance, and management tactics. Information was presented about the …

Occurrence Of An Old World Begomovirus Complex Infecting Radish In South Of Nepal, Muhammad Shafiq Shahid, Bhuvan J. Pudashini

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Radish (Raphanus sativus) leaf curl disease (RLCD) characterized by yellowing, color breaking, and mosaic symptoms were observed in a garden at Chitwan, Southern Nepal. Polymerase chain reaction using Taq DNA polymerase followed by rolling circle amplification using φ29 polymerase identified an Old World begomovirus complex linked with the RLCD. Pairwise sequence identity with SDT (Sequence Demarcation Tool) analysis coupled with phylogenetic analysis confirmed an Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV) and Tomato leaf curl Java betasatellite (ToLCJaB) was responsible to cause RLCD. This study provided initial evidence that radish plants were naturally infected with AYVV and ToLCuJaB in southern Nepal.

Combined Use Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculants And Potassium Silicate For Improving Drought Tolerance In Cucumber, Ali Al-Hinai, Rhonda Janke, Ewald Sieverding, Daniel Menezes-Blackburn

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Drought stress is one of the most serious abiotic stresses that cause significant reductions in plant growth and yield in many areas around the world. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) improve plant drought tolerance by extending the root zone through extraradical hyphae exploration of soil micropores. This study evaluated the combined application of AMF and potassium silicate (PS) to improve the drought tolerance of cucumber plants. Cucumber plants were grown under two watering regimes: drought-stressed 60% water holding capacity (WHC) and unstressed 80%WHC, and three mycorrhizal inoculation treatments (control, native AMF: quick root colonizer species, and commercial AMF) with or without …

A Use Of Turmeric (Curcuma Longa) In Poultry Nutrition: A Review, Rafea Khulel

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a plant used in herbal medicine that has been used to treat many health problems in poultry, as antibacterial, and antifungal, promoting growth and improving the intestinal environment and immunity. The aim of this article was to review the research focused on using turmeric (Curcuma Longa) in rations of broilers and layers on performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, egg production, and egg quality characteristics. Most research indicated that turmeric addition to broiler rations improved productive traits (i.e. body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion), increased livability and had insignificant effects on carcass traits (i.e. …

Influence Of Seed Pretreated In Sodium Chloride On The Salt Tolerance Of Cherry Radish (Raphanus Sativus L.)., Idress A. Al-Gehani

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sodium chloride (NaCl) seed soaking on seed germination and plant growth of cherry radish (Raphanus sativus L.) under saline conditions. Seeds were pretreated by soaking in NaCl solutions at concentrations of 0, 1500, 3000 and 4500 ppm. The pretreated seeds were divided into two groups: the first group was germinated in Petri dishes, and the second group was sown in pots. Both groups were irrigated with different concentrations of salinity (tap water, 1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm NaCl). The results indicated that the salinity of the irrigation water decreased the seed …

Potential Use Of Zataria Multiflora Essential Oil To Control Postharvest Aspergillus Flavus Fruit Rot Of Strawberry, Rethinasamy Velazhahan

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Postharvest fruit rot is a major problem in strawberry production chain worldwide. Aspergillus sp. is one of the major fungi associated with fruit rot of strawberry. In this study, an Aspergillus flavus was isolated from a rotten strawberry fruit. Based on the nucleotide sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions of rDNA, the fungus was confirmed as A. flavus. Pathogenicity of the isolated fungus was confirmed by artificially inoculating strawberry fruits under laboratory conditions. This strain was capable of producing aflatoxin B1 in vitro as determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Postharvest dip treatment of mature strawberry fruits with …

Antagonistic Bacterial Strains Isolated From Cabbage Rhizosphere Release Antimicrobial Volatile Organic Compounds Against Pythium Aphanidermatum, Rethinasamy Velazhahan

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

In a previous study, we isolated four antagonistic bacterial strains viz., Pseudomonas aeruginosa B1-SQU, Pseudomonas indica B2-SQU, Serratia marcescens B3-SQU and Pseudomonas brenneri B4-SQU from the rhizosphere of cabbage which suppressed damping-off in cabbage caused by Pythium aphanidermatum. In this study, potential of these bacterial isolates to produce antimicrobial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) against P. aphanidermatum was tested. The results of the two-sealed-base-plates assay revealed that all four bacterial strains produced VOCs against P. aphanidermatum with the maximum inhibition with P. brenneri B4-SQU followed by S. marcescens B3-SQU, P. aeruginosa B1-SQU and P. indica B2-SQU. Solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas …

Abstracts Of The First International Conference On Plant Protection (Icpp), Agrscied Jams

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Abstracts of the First International Conferenceon Plant Protection (ICPP)

Assessment Of Aflatoxin B1 Content And Aflatoxigenic Molds In Imported Food Commodities In Muscat, Oman, Alaa Khamis Sulaiman Al-Alawi, Ahad Ahmed Said Al-Mandhari, Issa Hashil Al-Mahmooli, Majida Mohammad Ali Al-Harrasi, Ismail Mohamed Al-Bulushi, Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi, Rethinasamy Velazhahan

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Aflatoxins, mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus are considered as serious food safety and human health issues due to their hepatotoxic effects. In the present study, the occurrence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), the most potent human liver carcinogen, and prevalence of toxigenic isolates of Aspergillus spp. were assessed in 140 food commodities in Muscat markets, Oman, and the 95 quarantined imported food commodities. These samples consisted of rice, corn, peanut, red chilli powder, soybean, dried dates and tree nuts. AFB1 was analyzed using competitive ELISA/LC-MS and the aflatoxigenic fungi were detected using plating technique followed by molecular identification. …

Effect Of Intermittent Frying On The Stability Of Vitamins A And D In Commercially Fortified Oils, Mohamed Al-Khusaibi, Seham Al-Amri, Nasser Al-Habsi, Md. Shafiur Rahman

Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences

Fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids are very sensitive to high temperature and oxidation. In this study, stability of vitamins A and D, and physiochemical changes were investigated in two types of oils, palm olein (PO) and a blend of PO and sunflower oil (OB). The intermittent frying was performed at two different temperatures 160 and 190 °C. Batches of French fries (500 g) were fried in a deep-fat fryer for 5 cycles, a cycle per day. In each cycle, food was fried every 15 min with a total frying time of 5 h per day. Oil samples were taken at …