Life Sciences Commons^™

Examination Of Greenhouse Conditions That Influence Scale Infestation Rates On Begonia, Madeline M. Cusick

Honors College Theses

Scale insects are common pests within greenhouse and agricultural settings. I quantified scale infestation on Begonia x Richmondensis, also known as the Dragon Wing begonia, within the Armstrong Campus Greenhouse from March to November of 2023. Six different treatments accounted for variations in sunlight, humidity, and temperature within the greenhouse with the goal of determining the insect’s preferred environmental conditions. Morphological comparisons were also made between host plant Dragon Wing begonia and other begonias present within the greenhouse. Analysis indicated a significant difference in scale presence on replicate plants by zone and sunlight treatments, with more plants hosting at least …

Bioregenerative Dietary Supplementation: Optimizing Brassica Production For Space Travel Through Light Intensity, Photoperiod, And Harvest Methodology, Ethan W. Darby

Masters Theses

Bioregenerative dietary supplementation, a component of bioregenerative life support, will be necessary for the success of future exploration-length space endeavors. Plants, as autotrophic producers of calories, nutrients, and oxygen, will be indispensable in the development of these systems. Previous work has identified leafy greens from the genus Brassica as promising candidates for in-flight production of necessary human nutrients such as vitamins C, B₁, and K₁, in addition to β-carotene, the primary vitamin A precursor in the human diet. These plants also produce lutein and zeaxanthin, two compounds important in protecting the eye from radiation-induced damage, as …

Developing Recommendations For Broad Mite, Polyphagotarsonemus Latus Banks, In Blackberry, Rubus Subgenus Rubus, Jared Bradley Linn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Broad mite, (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), is an economically important pest of blackberry production across the world. Since it was first reported on primocane-fruiting blackberries in 2010, little work has gone into developing IPM tools and understanding impact on floricane-fruiting cultivars. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate the effect of broad mite feeding on floricane-fruiting cultivars of blackberry, develop an efficient and accurate field scouting strategy, and investigate the impact of cultivar and trellising technique on the development of broad mite populations. Experiments consisted of evaluating floricane fruiting cultivars by quantifying broad mite populations and cataloging their …

A Genome Wide Association Study Of Heat Tolerance In Snap Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris), Morgan Stone

All Theses

Bean production in the United States has decreased while the temperatures have been steadily increasing, reaching new highs each year. Heat stress is detrimental to common bean (also known as snap bean) production. Symptoms of heat stress include decrease in pollen viability, shriveling of pods, and pod abortion making them unmarketable. Pod production of 323 snap bean accessions from a large diversity panel was assessed in a randomized complete block design with field trials at two different times in the spring season. The results show a significant decrease in the number of pods produced per plant and weight of pods …

Rapid Leaf Senescence Symptoms Are Related To Carbohydrate Depletion In Cut Chrysanthemums, And Strategies For The Symptoms Reduction, Shara Ortiz Carvajal

All Theses

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum ×morifolium) is the second-largest exported cut flower worldwide; however, some cultivars exhibit rapid leaf senescence during their first week of vase life. This phenomenon negatively impacts consumer perception of plant quality, and its cause has been unknown. Experiments were performed in Colombia on cut chrysanthemums shipped to the U.S. for vase-life evaluation. After 10 d, the severity of leaf senescence symptoms was recorded. Experiments examined the effect of flower form [disbud (one flower per stem) versus spray (5-10 flowers per stem)], the effect of time of harvest (A.M. versus P.M.), and sugar sources (dextrose, fructose, mannitol, and sucrose) …

Containerized Satsuma Mandarin Production Under Protective Screens As A Management Strategy, Anna Timmerman

LSU Master's Theses

Many of the world’s citrus growing regions are experiencing challenges related to citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) caused by the presumed bacterial agent Candidatus Liberibacter spp. HLB is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) and through propagation of infected citrus material. HLB impacts tree health as well as fruit development, ripening, and quality of the resulting citrus fruit, often leading to an unmarketable product. Producers are growing citrus in high density orchards underneath protective screening material that excludes the Asian citrus psyllid, preventing new HLB infections. Four ultra-high containerized tree spacings of 2 feet …

Effects Of Fertigation Versus Palletized Fertilizer On Height And Caliper Growth In Oaks, Zachary M. Davis

LSU Master's Theses

The Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns led to an increase in revenue and production for green industry products in early 2020. In Study 1. an evaluation of fertigation (liquid feed, quick release) and controlled release fertilizers (CRFs, slow release) were applied to container-grown (7 gallon) live oak (Quercus virginiana) and Nutall oak (Quercus nuttallii) trees (100% Liquid feed, 0% CRF, 67% Liquid feed, 33% CRF, 33% Liquid feed, 67% CRF, 100% Liquid feed, 0% CRF). Live oak trees fertilized with CRFs had increased stem calipers (>30%). Nuttall stem caliper and height were significantly increased by …

Black Experiences With Community Gardening In Southeast Louisiana, Kiarah Craft

LSU Master's Theses

Community gardens have been rising in popularity over the past few years (Mayers, 2023). In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people across the United States have decided that it is crucial to grow their own food and develop sustainability within their community. Historically, Black communities have been underserved and ignored, especially in relation to food security and community safety (White, 2019, Penniman, 2018). The purpose of this study was to collect information about the effects of community-based gardening programs on Black people in Southeast Louisiana. Additionally, the researcher would like to gain knowledge regarding the reasons that Black people …

Soil Health As Influenced By The Integration Of Cover Crops And Poultry Litter In North-Central Mississippi, Nikitha Reddy Kovvuri

Theses and Dissertations

Soil health-based agricultural management practices are widely promoted to improve soil structure, infiltration and reduce erosion. This study was conducted at two locations in North-Central Mississippi to evaluate the influence of different cover crop species and poultry litter on soil health that can impact crop production, climate change, and resilience. The results indicated that the cover crops showed a little effect on some soil health indicators compared to control treatment. However, in one location, rye, and a mixture of cover crops decreased bulk density and increased available water content and organic matter. The poultry litter had a positive effect on …

Impacts Of Cover Crop, Soil Steaming, And Plastic Mulch On Field-Grown Tomato Production And Virus-Induced Gene Silencing In Antirrhinum, Penstemon, Petunia, Rosa, And Rudbeckia, Brenton Andrew Earl Breland

Theses and Dissertations

Weeds and soil-borne diseases can cause large yield losses in field-grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production. Techniques have been developed to reduce soil-based problems. In this study, we evaluated the impacts of cover crops, soil steaming, and plastic mulch to reduce weed and disease pressure in field-grown tomatoes. Four cover crop treatments were grown in the fall and winter before spring planting. Soils were steamed to a target temperature of 71.1 °C for 0, 5, or 20 minutes. Plastic mulch was also used on half of the rows. Yield, weed densities, and disease incidence were recorded.

Reduced flowering time …

The Influence Of Spectral Quality On Primary And Secondary Metabolism Of Hydroponically Grown Basil, Hunter Albright Hammock

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the influence of spectral quality from supplemental lighting and seasonal changes on primary and secondary metabolism in hydroponically grown greenhouse basil. It aims to enhance understanding of plant/light interactions and provide practical insights for light emitting diode (LED) manufacturers and commercial growers. The research is premised on the hypothesis that altering spectral quality can significantly impact primary and secondary metabolism, potentially improving flavor and increasing phytonutrients with health benefits. This project involved four phases, each building on the results of the previous ones. In Phase 1, different basil varieties were evaluated to determine aroma volatile profiles and …

Salinity In Propagation: Germination And Juvenile Acclimatization Of Wetland Halophytes Using Saline Irrigation, Morgan Tomlin

All Theses

The introduction of poor water quality into commercial nursery crop production is predicated on optimized methods that apply saline irrigation without compromising plant success and health. Halophytes have many mechanisms of salt tolerance; however, these are greatly tied to physiological and developmental maturity. Thus, evaluating salt tolerance of halophytic crops (Hibiscus moscheutos and Kosteletzkya virginica) during seed germination and juvenile phases of life may provide insight into the efficacy of integrating poor quality water in horticultural operations.

Four seed priming methods (hydropriming, proline priming, low concentration halopriming, and high concentration halopriming) were evaluated as pre-sowing techniques to ameliorate …

Evaluation Of Drought Tolerance In Usda Tomato Germplasm And Genome-Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction Of Fusarium Wilt Resistance In Common Bean Core Collection, Kenani Edward Chiwina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drought stress and Fusarium wilt disease present significant challenges to plant growth and agricultural productivity, particularly affecting crops such as tomato and common beans. To address these issues, researchers have extensively evaluated germplasm collections under field and greenhouse conditions to identify genotypes with drought tolerance and disease resistance. This study aimed to achieve two objectives. Firstly, we conducted a phenotypic evaluation of drought tolerance in USDA tomato germplasm to identify drought-tolerant accessions for future breeding programs targeting enhanced drought tolerance in tomato cultivars. Secondly, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic prediction (GP) on USDA common bean germplasm …

Evaluation Of Biochar Rate And Hemp Cultivar For The Phytoremediation Of Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil From The Tar Creek Superfund Site, Dietrich Thurston

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soil contamination by cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) at the Tar Creek Superfund site in Northeast Oklahoma remains a threat to the environment and local ecosystem. Phytoremediation by industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and the use of biochar (BC) have been independently shown to be effective methods to remediate heavy-metal-contaminated soils. The objective of this greenhouse study was to evaluate the effects of industrial hemp cultivar (‘Carmagnola’ and ‘Jinma’), BC rate (0, 2, 5, and 10% by volume), soil contamination level (low, medium, and high), and their interactions on above- and belowground (AG and BG, respectively) plant dry …

Evaluating The Effect Of Biochar Soil Amendments On Belonolaimus Longicaudatus Populations Damaging Bermudagrass In South Carolina, Malone Thomason

All Theses

Belonolaimus longicaudatus Rau, (1958) (sting nematode) is a prevalent plant-parasitic nematode found in association with Cynodon spp. (bermudagrass) in South Carolina (Ye et al., 2012). Due to the persistence of the pest, long-term management strategies are necessary. Applications of biochar and compost amendments have reduced nematodes in various crop systems, but research on turfgrass systems is limited. The objectives of the studies were to determine: (1) The effect of topdressing or soil incorporated biochar amendments on sting nematode populations, and (2) The effect of topdressing or soil incorporated amendments on turf quality. A field study was established to examine topdressings …

Screening A Set Of Tomato Genotypes For Resistance To Bacterial Wilt And A Genomic Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction For Yield-Related Traits In ‘Lcp 85-384’. I. Sugarcane, Theresa Makawa Phiri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis comprises two studies that focused on screening tomato genotypes for bacterial wilt resistance and a genome-wide association study and genomic prediction for yield-related traits in sugarcane with the aim of contributing to the breeding programs. In the first chapter, 40 tomato accessions from the USDA collection were evaluated for their resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum isolate P822 under controlled greenhouse conditions. The plants were inoculated, and disease symptoms were visually assessed. Disease severity was rated on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 represented no wilting and 4 indicated complete leaf wilting. Among the tested accessions, five (PI …

Molecular Identification Of Oomycete Species Associated With Woody Plants In Louisiana And Survey Of Oomycete Species Associated With Live Oak Trees Planted On The Louisiana State University Campus, Hamilton Crockett

LSU Master's Theses

Three Oomycetes genera, Phytophthora, Phytopythium and Pythium, contain many important plant pathogens. Historically, Phytophthora infestans, responsible for the great Irish potato famine, and Phytophthora ramorum, causal agent of sudden oak death disease, are the two better-known high impact pathogens. The LSU AgCenter Plant Diagnostic Center (PDC) has been isolating putative Phytophthora and related species from combined root and soil samples collected from various woody ornamentals and trees for over a decade. In August of 2016, Louisiana received torrential rains, which resulted in historic flooding in several southern parishes. During subsequent years, the PDC staff isolated a …

Biochemical Characterization Of Date Palm (Phoniex Dactylifera L) Seeds Maintained At Microgravity In Outer Space Iss, Shamma Khalid Aldhaheri

Theses

The UAE’s vision to reach space dates to 1976 when Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan met with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Apollo group; this meeting marked the first attempt of UAE to enter the field of space science. The UAE is currently one of the top countries executing space missions and research. This research focuses on the biochemical characterization of date palm seeds that are sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in outer space. The research methodology involves biochemical analysis of seeds maintained under two different environmental conditions-microgravity and standard gravity. In total, 30–45 seeds …

The Influence Of Overwatering, Underwatering, And Waterlogging On The Growth Of Kale (Brassica Oleracea Var. Acephala), Skyler R. Brazel

Theses and Dissertations

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted that there will be increases in precipitation and heat-induced drought events globally. Information on kale response to waterlogging is minimal. The purpose of this project was to identify the response of kale to three treatments of water stress: underwatering, overwatering, and waterlogging. Plant pigments analyzed displayed a varied response to underwatering and overwatering, with concentrations changing with maturity but with reductions and no changes, respectively, at full harvest maturity. Glucosinolate concentrations were also influenced by maturity and increased under waterlogging and underwatering but no differences with overwatering. Overall, water stress to any …

Multiomic Explorations Of Fruit Texture And Postharvest Quality In Blackberry And Muscadine Grape, Thomas Mason Chizk

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For most fresh-market fruit crops, texture is an important trait that strongly affects both shipping potential and consumer opinion. Efficient, scalable phenotyping methods are required by breeding programs to effectively select for improvements to fruit texture quality. In muscadine, we have developed a recommendation for characterizing complex muscadine grape texture profiles by comparing the results of breeders’ ratings, descriptive sensory panel results, and an array of instrumental protocols. Regression models were constructed to predict awareness of skins, crispness, hardness, and visual separation explaining 85%, 91%, 82%, and 83% of variance respectively. Genotypes that scored most highly in breeders’ ratings of …

Meta-Analysis Of The Effects Of Endophytes And Their Secondary Metabolites On Herbivory From Insects, Derrick Taylor

All Theses

Endophyte-infected plants have reduced the level of herbivory. The defense to herbivory can vary due to the metabolites in the plant and the method of feeding from the pest. Secondary metabolites produced by the endophytes are mainly alkaloids. The associations between endophytes and some alkaloid groups are studied in greater detail. The lack of research of certain alkaloid groups ultimately means that some alkaloids had more data that could be analyzed. As a result, the alkaloid groups were not evenly represented in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis analyzed the relative effectiveness of the metabolites or endophytes in each of the articles …

Effect Of Nanobubble-Oxygenated Water For Irrigation Of Sand-Based Golf Course Putting Greens, Eric Deboer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanobubbles (NBs) are sub-micron, stable cavities of gas. The properties of NBs theoretically allow long bubble residence times and high gas dissolution rates resulting in the supersaturation of oxygen in water. Adequate soil aeration is a constant concern for producers of agricultural and horticultural crops. Because of their unique properties, NBs have been investigated for oxygenating water used in the irrigation of various agricultural and horticultural crops to increase soil oxygen concentration. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is the most widely used turfgrass for golf course putting green surfaces. Golf course superintendents use various methods to increase soil oxygen in …

Investigating Effect Of Seed Source And Developing Germination Protocols To Improve Success In Restoration Of Arkansas Tallgrass Prairies, Rhiannon Spencerosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

American tallgrass prairie has faced losses estimated at 87-98% of original land area since European settlement. Native seeds are often used to supplement struggling or extinct plant populations in tallgrass prairie restoration and establishment sites. Two main considerations in restoration and establishment are from where to source seed and how to obtain high germination rates. In order to determine the effect of seed source, a common garden experiment was performed in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2022 with five prairie species: Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem), Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama), Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), and Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass). Seed was …

Evaluating Form And Function Of Groundcovers And Their Environmental Impacts In Louisiana Landscapes, Thomas Maxwell Mckeown

LSU Master's Theses

Increasing environmental concerns are encouraging the adoption of sustainable landscapes that have environmental, social, and financial benefits. Ornamental groundcover systems are touted as sustainable landscape features due to the associated decreased demand of water, fertilizer, pesticide, and maintenance; however, limited research exists on soil property effects, planting density, weed density, or consumer preferences of groundcovers. This study was aimed to gain a more thorough understanding of ornamental groundcovers systems and their environmental impacts. The effects of groundcover growth habit (matting; bunching) and irrigation delivery (micro spray; overhead) on soil temperature, volumetric water content (VWC), and electric conductivity (EC) along with …

Quantifying The Carbon Stored And Sequestered By The Trees On Pomona College’S Campus, Paola A. Giron-Carson

Scripps Senior Theses

We are experiencing a climate crisis that must be confronted with strategic mitigation. Pomona College contributes to the climate crisis through its emissions for which there is a baseline record. However there is no baseline record of the climate mitigation currently performed by the trees on Pomona’s campus through carbon storage. This study seeks to determine a current baseline quantity of carbon stored and sequestrated by Pomona’s trees as well as possible courses of climate mitigation for Pomona College to take. Initial information gathering was conducted through interviews with several stakeholders. This study was conducted using data collected prior to …

Distribution And Soil Characteristics Associated With The Neches River Rose-Mallow (Hibiscus Dasycalyx), Morgan E. Langlinais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Neches River rose-mallow, Hibiscus dasycalyx, is a rare herbaceous perennial endemic to East Texas. The threatened, obligate wetland species is currently at risk of being lost in the wild due to habitat loss, encroachment of nonnative and native plant species, and hybridization with two other Hibiscus congeners, Hibiscus laevis and Hibiscus moscheutos. Known locations of each of the three Hibiscus species were used to measure select soil characteristics and habitat variables associated with each of the rose-mallows. H. dasycalyx was concluded to be associated with more fertile soils and slightly more canopy coverage than H. laevis and …

Evaluation Of Warm Season Vegetables Using Sustainable Production Practices, Jacob Arthur

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable practices were evaluated for the production of two warm season vegetable crops, tomato and chile peppers. The first study investigated the plant vegetative growth, fruit production timing, yield components and fruit quality of three hybrid and three heirloom tomato cultivars grown in a high tunnel using grafted and non-grafted plants. Grafting the selected tomato cultivars with the two rootstock types did not alter total marketable yield of any cultivar, but affected overall stem diameter, fruit color, and β-carotene concentrations of tested tomato cultivars. The second study evaluated the plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of nine heirloom chile pepper …

Non-Traditional Adjuvants And Methods For Applying Root-Promoting Compounds In Commercial Cutting Propagation, Anthony Turner Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

The nursery/greenhouse industry is innovative. There have been several reports in the popular literature of non-traditional adjuvants used in plant propagation; however, these claims have never been evaluated in a scientific setting. Five studies, conducted at the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville in 2019 and 2021 determined the impact that adding honey to water-soluble auxin solutions and surfactants to foliar applied auxin solutions on physiological responses associated with adventitious root formation. Treatments in studies presented in chapters two and three included three honey sources (multiflora, local, and Manuka). Honey-infused water-soluble auxin solutions affected plant species but not in …

Unveiling The Potential Of Calcium And Natamycin For Botrytis Blight Management On Cut Roses, Melissa Munoz

All Dissertations

Botrytis blight caused by the fungus Botritys cinerea is the most devastating disease of cut roses. The extensive use of fungicides used for Botrytis blight management during cut rose production and postharvest represents a severe threat in terms of fungicide resistance development as has been previously reported. Additionally, health concerns for growers and the environment are growing in recent years making consumers more aware of the fungicides in the products that they consume including ornamentals. This scenario highlights the importance of searching for alternative products to synthetic fungicides. During this research, the use of calcium as an alternative management strategy …

Exploring Soil-Tree Interactions After Applying Organic Matter Amendments To Peach Orchards In The Subtropical Climate Of The Southeastern United States, Brian Lawrence

All Dissertations

Soil disturbance from the cultivation and intensive management of orchards in hot and humid subtropical climates can reduce soil organic matter (OM). This research explored how the addition of OM amendments impact soil and tree parameters in two field studies and how proximity to OM may elicit unique genomic response of peach roots in a split-root pot study. The first field study applied two rates of compost (1x and 2x) and subsequently reduced fertilizer applications annually to a virgin and replant orchard location. While both compost rates successfully replaced fertilizers, only the 2x rate in the replant location increased soil …