Life Sciences Commons^™

Push-Pull Farming System Helps Insure Smallholder Maize Production Under Climate Change, Yann Clough, Wilhelm May, Timothy Luttermoser, Dickens Nyagol, Nikolaos Alexandridis, Frank Chidawanyika, Mattias Jonsson, Charles A.O. Midega, Katja Poveda, Zeyaur R. Khan

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Agroecological approaches harnessing in-field biodiversity have been highlighted as a sustainable way to reduce yield gaps, but long-term assessments of their ability to buffer production from weather extremes and increasing interannual and intraseasonal climate variability are scarce. Here, we analyze a 12-year dataset from 642 control vs. push-pull maize field pairs in western Kenya, where long-term climate trends include increasing temperatures and intensifying drought and rainfall. In push-pull, maize is intercropped with a fodder legume that improves soil fertility, suppresses weeds, and deters pests, and is bordered with fodder grasses attracting and suppressing the pests. We assess interactions between push-pull …

Nourishing Births: A Program Evaluation Proposal For Community-Based Nutrition Education, Food Access, And Garden Engagement Among Black Birthing People, Naa Deedei-Vera Hammond

Master's Projects and Capstones

Black birthing people in the United States continue to experience unequal maternal health outcomes, shaped in part by racism and barriers to nutritious food, culturally relevant health education, and supportive community spaces. While prenatal nutrition education and food assistance programs can provide important resources, information alone cannot address the challenges many people face when trying to access healthy and affordable food during pregnancy. The Nourishing Births Initiative is a proposed community-based maternal health program designed to respond to these needs by bringing together prenatal nutrition education, help connecting to food resources, community gardening, and peer support for Black birthing people …

Balancing Root-Zone Oxygenation And Rhizosphere Stability: The Impact Of Aeration And Hypoxia On Hydroponic Plant Growth, Christian D. Baker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As the global population and food demand continue to increase, growers must look to innovative and sustainable methods for plant cultivation. Hydroponics is a popular method of sustainable plant cultivation where plant roots are suspended over a liquid nutrient solution. Hydroponics uses less water compared to traditional agriculture because there is no evaporation or solution runoff. It also maximizes land use, requires fewer pesticides and herbicides, and enables year-round cultivation in controlled environments. However, indoor hydroponic systems rely on artificial lighting, which has higher energy costs than traditional farming methods. Optimizing growing conditions is therefore critical to ensure long-term economic …

Toward Optimizing Fruit Production In Utah Soils: Apple Salt Tolerance Screening And Tart Cherry Fertility Management, Kaitlin Dabbs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Fruit production in Utah can be challenging due to local climate and soil conditions. Tart cherries and apples are major fruit crops in Utah, and improvements to these cropping systems would be beneficial for farmers and local consumers. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate desired improvements for these crops. The first study looked for salt tolerance in ten new apple rootstocks. Salty soils can be found throughout the state limiting the land suitable for apple production. When grown in salty soils apple trees often have reduced growth and production potential. A specialized drip irrigation system was constructed in a greenhouse …

Harnessing Digital Twin (Dt) Technology For Food Security And Climate Resilience In Sub-Saharan Africa (Ssa), Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Francis Chianu, Siyabusa Mkuhlani, Francis Muthoni, John Michael Humphries Choptiany, Franck B.N. Tonle, Bonoukpoe M. Sokame, Mercy Lung’Aho

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces chronic food insecurity despite possessing approximately 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Field trials generate evidence but are costly and insufficiently scaled to address accelerating climate and demographic pressures. Digital twin (DT) technology, defined as the continuous, bidirectional virtual replication of physical systems using real-time data, supports monitoring, modelling, and optimisation of agrifood systems. To our knowledge, however, no published synthesis has examined DT agriculture research through the lens of SSA food systems or smallholder farming realities. A PRISMA-compliant systematic review was conducted across bibliographic databases using a pre-defined Boolean search and adapted PICOS eligibility …

Producer Organizations, Productivity And Sustainable Intensification Practices In Oil Palm Production, Martin Paul Tabe-Ojong, Abebayehu Girma Geffersa, Kibrom T. Sibhatu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Oil palm production is expanding in traditional farming and forested areas, especially in West and Central Africa around the Congo Forest Basin and mostly characterized by declining yields and yield gaps. Due to typically non-binding land access, independent producers tend to prioritize extensification over intensification, which has negative environmental consequences. Sustainable intensification (SI) of smallholder production is a guiding paradigm that aims to increase yields while minimizing negative environmental impacts. In this study, we examine the relationship between producer organizations (POs), sustainable intensification practices (SIPs), namely mulching and intercropping, and oil palm yields in Cameroon. We estimate actual and counterfactual …

Adaptation Of The Australian Parastagonospora Nodorum Population To Alterations In The Host, Huyen T T Phan, Manisha Shankar, Darcy A B Jones, Eiko Furuki, Kasia Rybak, Fiona Kamphuis, Hossein Golzar, Richard P. Oliver

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) is an economically important fungal disease of wheat caused by Parastagonospora nodorum. It is primarily controlled by the breeding of resistant wheat cultivars, but experience over the last 50 years shows that new pathogen populations soon evolve that are more virulent on the current popular cultivars. In this study, we assembled a panel of 360 P. nodorum isolates. The collection resolved into eight subpopulations. One core and seven transient populations were found possessing contrasting characters in term of spatial and temporal distribution, mating-type, effector haplotypes and patterns of intact and degraded copies of a Tc-1 mariner …

Part Ii: Sustainable Irrigation Practices For Cut Flowers, Chloe Seeborg, Melanie Stock, Burdette Barker, Alex Rodriguez, Jonathan D. Meyer

All Current Publications

Sustainable irrigation uses crop and environmental information to guide the frequency (how often) and amount (how much) of water to apply. Without this balance, poor irrigation practices can result, causing crop stress from too little or too much water, nutrient loss and contamination, or wasted water that drains below the root zone. This fact sheet covers the basics of soil water storage, crop water demand, considerations for designating irrigation zones, using free weather stations, and water conservation strategies for gardens and small farms, with a focus on cut flowers.

Preliminary Investigations Into Measuring Cold Hardiness Of Passiflora Hybrids, Eric Stafne, Haley Williams, Jenny Ryals, Blair Sampson

Publications

Measuring cold hardiness of Passionfruit (Passiflora spp.) is an area of significant interest, especially in new regions where the crop is expanding. However, few studies have explored it in a controlled manner. A previous study by Quesada (1992) revealed that lethal temperatures (LT50) for P. edulis f. flavicarpa were -9 to -10.5°C and -10 to -12.5°C for P. edulis f. edulis. Another species, P. incarnata, was also tested and found to have a cold hardiness level of -11.1 to -13.5°C. In the present study, differential thermal analysis was used on roots of P. incarnata selections from different …

Carbamate Toxicosis In Carnaby’S Cockatoos (Zanda Latirostris) In A Drying Climate, A Le Souef, Z M. Kissane, David Forshaw, K J. Riley, K Payne, T Hawkins, J Coggins, J M. Shephard, R Vaughn-Higgins, K S. Warren

Climate Science Research Articles

Pesticide exposure poses a growing threat to the health of wild avian populations worldwide. This report documents the first detections of agricultural chemicals in the tissues of wild Carnaby’s cockatoos (Zanda latirostris) in Western Australia. The events, characterised by morbidity and mortality, occurred in a national park near Perth, following periods of elevated summer temperatures over two seasons. Toxicological analysis of liver and digestive tract contents identified multiple pesticides and an herbicide, including methomyl, a highly toxic carbamate insecticide. Hot weather conditions preceding the events potentially increased the cockatoos’ use of alternative water sources for drinking, such as those in …

Floras, Manuals, & Checklists Of The Vascular Plants Of North America: A Bibliography, James P. Smith Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.

The Weed Flora Of California: A Checklist, James P. Smith Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.

Vascular Plants With Medicinal Properties, James P. Smith Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.

Updated Records And Confirmed Colonies Of The Asian Needle Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Brachyponera Chinensis) In Mississippi, Joseph A. Macgown, Kaitlin M. Baudier, Santos Portugal

Midsouth Entomologist

No abstract, this is a short communication.

Time-Normalized Evapotranspiration Reveals Substantial Nighttime Water Loss In A Controlled-Environment System, Claudia Garrido-Ruiz, Bruce Bugbee, Juan D. González-Teruel, Sarah Schreck, Scott B. Jones

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Efficient water management in closed-loop plant production systems requires accurate characterization of evapotranspiration (ET), because crop water loss influences atmospheric moisture conditions within the controlled environment. Day–night ET dynamics were quantified in the Engineering Development Unit of the Utah Reusable Root Module, a zero-discharge system for controlled-environment crop production.

Volumetric water content was monitored at high temporal resolution using two electromagnetic sensors installed at different depths within five independent root modules with different surface-containment configurations. Hourly ET was derived from water-content depletion and cross-checked against irrigation inputs. Following seedling emergence, system ET increased from < 1 L d⁻¹ to approximately 3 L d⁻¹ by day 12. During rapid growth, defined as the four consecutive days when system ET exceeded this threshold, hourly ET differed significantly among four light-period categories, with daytime ET highest, followed by night-transition, day-transition, and nighttime ET.

Although the cumulative daily nighttime-to-daytime ET …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Gardening Indoors, Rita Hagevik, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

Extending your growing season is a great way to produce more food earlier in spring, later in fall, or even during winter. One of the best ways to do this is to use indoor gardening and greenhouse systems, which let you grow plants beyond what is possible outdoors or alongside outdoor growing. This guide focuses on soil-based indoor gardening.

Weedy Vascular Plants Of The United States, James P. Smith Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Leonardite And Gibberellic Acid On Plant Stand And Ear Height In Early-Season Sweet Corn, Charlie Rohwer, Jesen Hosch

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Sweet corn planted early in the season can suffer from poor germination due to low soil temperatures. In addition, low ear height of early-season hybrids can make hand- or machine-harvest more challenging. We tested impacts of two in-furrow leonardite treatments on germination and ear height, and a single application of a commercial gibberellic acid product (Proliant) on ear height. Sweet corn was planted on 5 May in southern Minnesota. We tested 14 sweet corn hybrids, including sugary-enhanced, synergistic, and supersweet. We found no impact of leonardite or Proliant on sweet corn stand or ear height. Three hybrids (‘Sprinter XR’, ‘Kickoff …

Horticultural Diplomacy: A Framework For Growing Culturally Aware Gardeners, Stephen Stresow-Cortez, Stephen Reiners, Ashley Miller Helmholdt

Journal of Extension

Derived from person-to-person diplomacy models, a ``horticultural diplomacy'' framework was implemented in a statewide vegetable variety trial program for two seasons to introduce Master Gardeners to diverse crops and cultures. Scaffolding learning with relevant recipes, bed groupings, community tasting events, and collecting community (citizen) science data helped participants build garden skills, gain a greater appreciation for other cultures, and inform new educational materials. Horticultural diplomacy is part of a deliberate effort aimed at growing food and building understanding among (primarily White) volunteers. The techniques that helped make this program successful, adaptable to other garden programs, and aspects that require improvements …

Growing South Dakota (Fall 2026), College Of Agriculture, Food And, Environmental Sciences

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

[Page] 2 Support from donors helping set SDSU dairy graduates above the rest
[Page] 4 A decade of impact: Celebrating 10 years of cow-calf, swine education and research facilitates
[Page] 8 98-year-old donor keeps decades-long scholarship going in honor of late husband
[Page] 11 Looking back at Michele Dudash's tenure in academia
[Page] 12Giving students opportunities, experience to build their futures
[Page] 16 A Jackrabbit's journey in growing agricultural leadership
[Page] 18 Building South Dakota's next generation of rural veterinarians
[Page] 19 Conservation: A family affair
[Page] 20 South Dakota Water Resources Institute finds solutions to South Dakota's water challenges …

Beyond Nutrients: Frass Fertilizer Legacy Effects For Sustainable Nematode Management In Potato–African Nightshade Rotation Systems, Emmanuel O. Anedo, Dennis Beesigamukama, Benson Mochoge, Nicholas K. Korir, Solveig Haukeland, Xavier Cheseto, Moses Nyongesa, Patrick Pwaipwai, Sevgan Subramanian, Abdou Tenkouano, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The utilization of insect frass fertilizer in crop production systems has recently gained significant global interest, but there has been limited evidence of its residual benefits in rotational cropping systems. The legacy effects of black soldier frass fertilizers (BSFFF), conventional organic fertilizer (SAFI), inorganic fertilizer (NPK), synthetic nematicide, and their combinations on potato cyst nematode (PCN) management under potato-African nightshade rotational farming systems were investigated. Eight treatments were evaluated: BSFFF, SAFI, chitin-fortified BSFFF (BSFFF+5chitin), NPK + nematicide, combination of BSFFF and NPK so that each supplies 50% of the nitrogen required by potato (50BSFFF+50NPK), combination of SAFI and NPK so …

Grains, Seeds And Hay Industry Funding Scheme: 2026-29 Strategic Plan, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

Industry Funding Schemes (IFS) are a powerful effort fuelled by industry support and steered by industry stakeholders. The Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS addresses pest and disease threats that pose a high risk to profitability or production into the grains, seed and hay industry in Western Australia.

The Grains, Seed and Hay IFS is managed by an Industry Management Committee, composed of dedicated producers and growers. As a crucial link between industry and government, our IFS collaborates closely with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) who manage the BAM regulation list and deliver impactful programs.

Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum Elaeagnifolium) Undergoes Guild-Specific Transcriptomic Reprogramming Against Chewing Versus Piercing Sucking Herbivory, Arunsaikumar Karrem, Matthew Terry, Jagdish Jaba, Rupesh R. Kariyat

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Solanum elaeagnifolium (silverleaf nightshade, SLN) is a globally invasive perennial weed with reproductive plasticity and complex defence systems that significantly impact crop yields by invading fields of staple, commercial and ornamental crops. Despite being a host to multiple insect herbivores, the molecular programming enabling its rapid adaptation to defend against diverse feeding guilds remains poorly resolved. Here, we report a comprehensive de novo transcriptomic assembly and comparative analysis of S. elaeagnifolium challenged by two distinct herbivores: the piercing-sucking generalist cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora and the chewing specialist tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. Differential gene expression analysis revealed a massive difference …

Keys To The Families Of Vascular Plants In Northwestern California, James P. Smith Jr, John O. Sawyer Jr

Botanical Studies

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Profiles In Fermented Artemisia Annua Leaf Extract, Mabitine Daniel Malo, Ohemu Adaofoyi Isaiah, Igaznda Terhemba James, Obamuwe Rebecca Joy, Ugber Erdoo Charity, Itodo Monday Christopher

Journal of Bioresource Management

This study evaluated the presence, profile and concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the fermented leaf extract of Artemisia annua, a medicinal plant widely used for its antimalarial and skin-benefiting properties. Given the plant’s increased use in Nigerian traditional medicine, this research examines how fermentation a process known to enhance bioactive compound availability may influence PAH levels, which are of concern due to their carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic effects. The A. annua leaves were fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures and subsequently analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect and quantify PAHs. The analysis identified 24 distinct PAH …

Multivariate Ecological Assessment Of Flora Of Village Karri Haider, District Tank, Kp, Numan Khan, Muhammad Azeem, Muhammad Adnan Hamza, Muhammad Aleem, Arshad Rasool, Ammara Wakeel, Sehrish Sadia

Journal of Bioresource Management

Spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation change are influenced by multiple factors, including the physical environment, land-use history, prior disturbance, and initial vegetation composition. The primary aim of this study was to understand floristic vegetation features, species diversity, and the classification of plant communities in Village Karri Haider, District Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Samples were collected from each transect using quadrats of 1 m × 1 m for herbs. Soil from three quadrats was mixed to make composite samples, and soil elements were quantified through laboratory analyses. Two surveys were conducted from July to December, 2023. In the first survey, …

Saffron By-Products As Underused Resources: An Ethnobotanical Survey And Phytochemical Study In The Taliouine Region, Zineb Khadfy, Rachid Mamouni, Sm Jadouali, Imane Kasimi, Hajar Atifi, Abd Elghani Tahiri, Youssef Karra

Journal of Bioresource Management

Saffron (Crocus sativus ) is a very traditional plant in Morocco, especially in the Taliouine region. Saffron stigmas are traditionally used as a food additive due to their secondary metabolites. Our study aims to assess the traditional uses of saffron by-products, generated after the harvest of saffron stigmas, by local populations of Taliouine and regions. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted with 42 local people in six communities. The survey consisted of two parts: the first part was about the demographic information of the respondents (name, age, sex, and level of education.). While the second part concerns questions that target …

Genetic Improvement Of Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) For Enhancing Grain Yield And Adaptability Under Changing Climate, Muhammad Umer Farooq, Fida Hussain, Mehvish Makhdoom, Najaf Batool, Javed Ahmad, Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Minahel Shahzadi

Journal of Bioresource Management

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a fundamental major crop that serves a critical role in ensuring worldwide food availability and sustainability, particularly in developing countries such as Pakistan. Its productivity and yield stability are increasingly threatened by climate change induced stresses such as heat, drought, salinity, evolving pests and disease dynamics. These abiotic and biotic stresses disturb key biological and developmental processes, consequently leading to a decline in grain production and quality. This review synthesizes recent advances in wheat genetic improvement, focusing on breeding strategies and emerging technologies for enhancing grain yield and climate resilience. i.e., how genetic variation, …

Antiplasmodial Activity Of Detarium Senegalense J.F.Gmel. (Fabaceae) Stembark Ethanol Extract, Cletus Anes Ukwubile, Hananiya Hamza Milagawanda

Journal of Bioresource Management

Malaria is a persistent public health impediment in sub-Saharan Africa, necessitating an incessant search for new, effective, and low-cost antimalarial agents from medicinal plants. This study was designed to evaluate the antiplasmodial efficacy of the ethanol crude extract of the stembark of Detarium senegalense. Standard methods were employed to identify the major secondary metabolites. In vivo antiplasmodial activity of the extract in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice was carried out as per the standard suppression test. The LD₅₀ was elicited in mice using a standard procedure. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of important bioactive components such as alkaloids, flavonoids, …

Construction And Use Of Strawberry Planting Tools For Transplanting Bare Root Strawberry Transplants, Justin Ballew, Zachary Snipes, Christiana Paige Huss, Brittney King

Horticulture

Planting strawberries requires a degree of attention and skill to ensure that transplants are set at the correct depth and that their roots are not folded or bunched in the planting holes. This article describes how to construct and use a simple, cost-effective planting tool that makes proper planting easier for workers. Plans for constructing the tools are included, as are links to English and Spanish training videos.