Life Sciences Commons^™

Alternative Perennial Grasses For Bioenergy, John A. Guretzky

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In the 2006 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush proposed the Advanced Energy Initiative to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil through accelerated development of domestic, renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuels. A goal of the initiative was to make ethanol derived from cellulosic biomass (crop residues, fast-growing trees and grasses) cost competitive with grain ethanol by 2012. Transportation fuels derived from cellulose - the fibrous material of plants - offer an attractive alternative as an abundant, domestic and renewable resource.

The U.S. Department of Energy identified switchgrass as a model cellulosic crop because it combined …

Decomposition Of Bt And Non-Bt Corn Hybrid Residues In The Field, David D. Tarkalson, Stephen D. Kachman, Johannes M. H. Knops, Janice E. Thies, Charles S. Wortmann

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Results of a previous laboratory study indicated that six transgenic crops expressing the Cry1Ab insecticidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) decomposed at a slower rate than their respective non-Bt isolines. Consequently, litter decomposition rates, nitrogen cycling, and carbon pools may change in agricultural systems as the result of the widespread use of Bt crops. In this study, we assessed the decomposition rates and chemical composition of commonly grown hybrids of Bt and non-Bt isolines of corn (Zea mays L.) in the field. Leaves, stalks, and cobs from two Bt corn hybrids (Pioneer 34N44 Bt and NC+ 4990 Bt) and their …

Soil Carbon Storage By Switchgrass Grown For Bioenergy, Mark A. Liebig, Marty R. Schmer, Kenneth P. Vogel, Robert B. Mitchell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Life-cycle assessments (LCAs) of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) grown for bioenergy production require data on soil organic carbon (SOC) change and harvested C yields to accurately estimate net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To date, nearly all information on SOC change under switchgrass has been based on modeled assumptions or small plot research, both of which do not take into account spatial variability within or across sites for an agro-ecoregion. To address this need, we measured change in SOC and harvested C yield for switchgrass fields on ten farms in the central and northern Great Plains, USA (930 km latitudinal …

Switchgrass Biomass Simulation At Diverse Sites In The Northern Great Plains Of The U.S., Jim R. Kiniry, Marty R. Schmer, Kenneth P. Vogel, Robert B. Mitchell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The Agricultural Land Management Alternatives with Numerical Assessment Criteria (ALMANAC) model, originally developed and tested in Texas, needs to be tested for switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) simulation in more northerly locations. The Northern Great Plains of the U.S. has regionally adapted native populations of switchgrass and has excellent potential for growing switchgrass as a biofuel crop. The objective of this study was to adjust switchgrass parameters (potential leaf area index (DMLA) and degree days to maturity (PHU)) for northern sites and populations and to validate the model against switchgrass data from diverse sites in this region. Three or 4 …

Chapter 6: Nebraska Experience, S. R. Walker, J. C. Lund, D. G. Schumacher, P. A. Brakhage, B. C. Mcmanus, J. D. Miller, M. M. Augustine, J. J. Carney, R. S. Holland, Kyle D. Hoagland, John C. Holz, Todd M. Barrow, Donald C. Rundquist, Anatoly A. Gitelson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Nebraska agencies and public health organizations collaboratively addressed cyanobacterial issues for the first time after two dogs died within hours of drinking water from a small private lake south of Omaha on May 4, 2004. A necropsy on one of the dogs revealed that the cause of death was due to ingestion of Microcystin toxins. Within two weeks after the dog deaths, state and local officials jointly developed strategies for monitoring cyanobacterial blooms and issuing public health alerts and advisories. Weekly sampling of public lakes for microcystin toxins and cyanobacteria was initiated during the week of May 17, 2004. ELISA …

Modeling Responses Of Dryland Spring Triticale, Proso Millet And Foxtail Millet To Initial Soil Water In The High Plains, S. A. Saseendran, D. C. Nielsen, Drew J. Lyon, L. Ma, D. D. Baltensperger, G. Hoogenboom, L.R. Ahuja

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Dryland farming strategies in the High Plains must make efficient use of limited and variable precipitation and stored water in the soil profile for stable and sustainable farm productivity. Current research efforts focus on replacing summer fallow in the region with more profitable and environmentally sustainable spring and summer crops. In the absence of reliable precipitation forecasts for the crop growing season, farmers rely mainly upon knowledge of plant available water (PAW) in the soil profile at planting for making crop choice decisions. To develop a decision support strategy for crop selection based on initial PAW, experiments were conducted with …

Agricultural Systems: Agroecology And Rural Innovations For Development [Book Review], Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

To welcome yet another book on sustainable development, a reviewer must look for what is unique and what adds value to the volumes already published. In Agricultural Systems, editors Sieglinde Snapp and Barry Pound have assembled a collection of chapters that goes beyond the usual praise and criticism of the green revolution and the focus on economic development. Their book provides a first-hand story by people with lengthy experiences in the field, especially in Africa, who have developed and tested grassroots, participatory development approaches. The result is a valuable set of principles, strategies and case studies that paint a new …

Determining Optimum Planting Dates For Pearl Millet For Two Contrasting Environments Using A Modelling Approach, C. M. T. Soler, N. Maman, X. Zhang, S. C. Mason, G. Hoogenboom

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br.] is an important cereal crop in Niger, West Africa and a potential crop for the United States of America (USA). Only a few studies have been conducted in either country to identify the optimum planting dates for high and stable yields, in part because planting date experiments are resource-intensive. Crop simulation models can be an alternative research tool for determining optimum planting dates and other management practices. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the performance of the Cropping System Simulation Model (CSM)–CERES-Millet model for two contrasting environments, including Mead, …

A Case Study To Teach The Diagnostic Process: Determining The Cause Of Chlorosis In A Crop Of Cut Dicentra, Marci Spaw, Kimberley A. Williams, Laurie Hodges, Ellen T. Paparozzi, Ingrid L. Mallberg

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

This universally accessible, Web-based decision case presents the challenge of determining the cause of foliar chlorosis in a crop of dicentra (Dicentra spectabilis) being forced as a cut flower for Valentine's Day sales. The case study serves as a tool to promote the development of diagnostic skills for production dilemmas, including nutritional disorders, disease problems, and evaluation of the appropriateness of cultural practices, Cut dicentra is a minor crop and standard production practices are not well established. Solving this case requires that students research production protocol, as well as nutritional and pest problems, and determine whether they have …

Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping For Seed Mineral Concentrations In Two Arabidopsis Thaliana Recombinant Inbred Populations, Brian M. Waters, Michael A. Grusak

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Biofortification of foods, achieved by increasing the concentrations of minerals such as iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), is a goal of plant scientists. Understanding genes that influence seed mineral concentration in a model plant such as Arabidopsis could help in the development of nutritionally enhanced crop cultivars. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for seed concentrations of calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), Fe, potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and Zn was performed using two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, Columbia (Col) × Landsberg erecta (Ler) and Cape Verde Islands (Cvi) × Ler, grown …

Whole-Plant Mineral Partitioning Throughout The Life Cycle In Arabidopsis Thaliana Ecotypes Columbia, Landsberg Erecta, Cape Verde Islands, And The Mutant Line Ysl1ysl3, Brian M. Waters, Michael A. Grusak

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Minimal information exists on whole-plant dynamics of mineral flow through Arabidopsis thaliana or on the source tissues responsible for mineral export to developing seeds. Understanding these phenomena in a model plant could help in the development of nutritionally enhanced crop cultivars. A whole-plant partitioning study, using sequential harvests, was conducted to characterize growth and mineral concentrations and contents of rosettes, cauline leaves, stems, immature fruit, mature fruit hulls, and seeds of three WT lines (Col-0, Ler, and Cvi) and one mutant line (Col-0::ysl1ysl3). Shoot mineral content increased throughout the life cycle for all minerals, although tissue-specific …

When Does Nitrate Become A Risk For Humans?, David S. Powlson, Tom M. Addiscott, Nigel Benjamin, Kenneth G. Cassman, Theo M. De Kok, Hans Van Grinsven, Jean-Louis L'Hirondel, Alex A. Avery, Chris Van Kessel

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Is nitrate harmful to humans? Are the current limits for nitrate concentration in drinking water justified by science? There is substantial disagreement among scientists over the interpretation of evidence on the issue. There are two main health issues: the linkage between nitrate and (i) infant methaemoglobinaemia, also known as blue baby syndrome, and (ii) cancers of the digestive tract. The evidence for nitrate as a cause of these serious diseases remains controversial. On one hand there is evidence that shows there is no clear association between nitrate in drinking water and the two main health issues with which it has …

Cloning And Characterization Of A Caesalpinoid (Chamaecrista Fasciculata) Hemoglobin: The Structural Transition From A Nonsymbiotic Hemoglobin To A Leghemoglobin, Sabarinathan K. Gopalasubramaniam, Frank A. Kovacs, Fernando Violante-Mota, Paul Twigg, Raul Arredondo-Peter, Gautam Sarath

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Nonsymbiotic hemoglobins (nsHbs) and leghemoglobins (Lbs) are plant proteins that can reversibly bind O₂ and other ligands. The nsHbs are hexacoordinate and appear to modulate cellular concentrations of NO and maintain energy levels under hypoxic conditions. The Lbs are pentacoordinate and facilitate the diffusion of O₂ to symbiotic bacteroids within legume root nodules. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that all plant Hbs evolved from a common ancestor and that Lbs originated from nsHbs. However, little is known about the structural intermediates that occurred during the evolution of pentacoordinate Lbs from hexacoordinate nsHbs. We have cloned and characterized a …

Genetic Background Impacts Soluble And Cell Wall-Bound Aromatics In Brown Midrib Mutants Of Sorghum, Nathan A. Palmer, Scott Sattler, Aaron J. Saathoff, Deanna Funnell, Jeffrey Pedersen, Gautam Sarath

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.). Moench) BMR-6 and BMR-12 encode cinnamylalcohol dehydrogenase and caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase, respectively. We have evaluated the impact of two bmr alleles, bmr-6 and bmr-12, respectively, on soluble and wall-bound aromatics in near isogenic, wild-type (WT), bmr-6, bmr-12 and double-mutant (DM; bmr-6 and bmr-12) plants in two genetic backgrounds, RTx430 and Wheatland. Immunoblots confirmed that COMT protein was essentially absent in bmr-12 and DM plants, but was present in bmr-6 and WT plants. In contrast, although CAD activity was not detected in bmr-6 and DM plants, …

Effect Of Sorghum Seedlings, And Previous Crop, On Soil Fluorescent Pseudomonas Spp., Deanna L. Funnell-Harris, Jeffrey Pedersen, David B. Marx

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Hypotheses in which sorghum seedlings [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] of different genotypes will differentially modify soil microorganisms and will affect subsequent planting of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings, were tested. Wheat cultivar Lewjain, and sorghum genotypes Redlan and RTx433, were planted into soils previously planted with wheat or sorghum in growth chamber experiments. Total culturable fungi and oomycetes, and fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. numbers (cfu) were determined. Pseudomonads were screened for hydrogen cyanide (HCN) production, for the presence of the phlD gene for 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol production (Phl) and for a region of the operon involved in phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) production. …

Agricultural Systems: Agroecology And Rural Innovations For Development, Edited By Sieglinde Snapp And Barry Pound [Book Review], Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

To welcome yet another book on sustainable development, a reviewer must look for what is unique and what adds value to the volumes already published. In Agricultural Systems, editors Sieglinde Snapp and Barry Pound have assembled a collection of chapters that goes beyond the usual praise and criticism of the green revolution and the focus on economic development. Their book provides a first-hand story by people with lengthy experiences in the field, especially in Africa, who have developed and tested grassroots, participatory development approaches. The result is a valuable set of principles, strategies and case studies that paint a new …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate And Weather Dictate Nutritive Value Of Fall Stockpiled Bermudagrass, John A. Guretzky, Jeff Ball, Billy J. Cook

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Stockpiled bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. ‘Midland’] as a standing forage may meet nutritional needs of beef cows during winter. Our objective was to evaluate accumulation and nutritive value of fall stockpiled bermudagrass in response to N fertilization rate, N application date, and harvest date. Research was conducted near Burneyville, OK from 2000 to 2003. Fertilization rates included 0, 50, 100, and 150 lb N per acre applied on 15 August, 1 September, 15 September, 1 October, and 15 October. Forage accumulation was measured 10 days after the first killing frost; thereafter, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), …

Forage Yields From 2007-2008 Small Grains, John A. Guretzky, M. Saha, J. Baker, S. Norton

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction

In an effort to assist producers in Oklahoma and Texas judge variety performance, the Noble Foundation has held trials to determine forage and grain yields of commercially available varieties and advanced experimental lines of small grains. The objective of this report is to summarize yields from the 2007-2008 trials.

Trial Procedures

The small grains tests were conducted at the Noble Foundation Dupy Farm near Gene Autry and the Red River Demonstration and Research Farm (RRF) near Burneyville, Okla. Soils were a Dale silt loam at Dupy and a Minco fine sandy loam at RRF. Ten sources contributed entries to …

Forage Yields From 2007-2008 Annual Ryegrass, John A. Guretzky, S. Norton

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction

In an effort to assist cattle producers in Oklahoma and Texas judge forage crop performance, a trial was held to determine forage yield of commercially available varieties and advanced experimental lines of annual ryegrass. The objective of this report is to summarize results from the 2008 trial.

Materials and Methods

The trial was conducted on a Wilson silt loam at the Noble Foundation Headquarters Farm near Ardmore, Okla. The trial consisted of 25 entries contributed from seven sources (Table 1). The entries were seeded in a clean-tilled seedbed on Sept. 17, 2007. Each entry was drilled in 5- by …

Importance And Effect Of Nitrogen On Crop Quality And Health, Jürg Blumenthal, David D. Baltensperger, Kenneth G. Cassman, Stephen Mason, Alexander Pavlista

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Nitrogen (N) is often the most limiting factor in crop production. Hence, application of fertilizer nitrogen results in higher biomass yields and protein yield and concentration in plant tissue is commonly increased. Nitrogen often affects amino acid composition of protein and in turn its nutritional quality. In cereals, abundant supply of nitrogen decreases the relative proportion of lysine and threonine, thus, reducing the biological value of the protein. Increasing nitrogen supply generally improves kernel integrity and strength, resulting in better milling properties of the grain. In oil seed crops, protein levels are increased upon nitrogen fertilization, whereas oil concentration is …

Harvester Ant Nests Improve Recovery Performance Of Drought Impacted Vegetation In Grazing Regimes Of Semiarid Savanna, Texas, Nancy Nicolai, Fred Smeins, Jerry Cook

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Vegetation composition is often dictated by grazing intensity in semiarid savannas; recovery following drought may depend on pre drought species composition. Nests of the red harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, affect the dynamics, composition and recovery of post drought communities due to their larger size, greater seed production and higher perennial grass richness. We hypothesized that vegetation at ant nests would survive drought and recover faster than vegetation in the surrounding grasslands, but that individual and population recovery would depend on plant species composition, which, in turn, would be influenced by grazing intensity. We assessed nest influence on density, cover, …

Characterization Of The Folate Salvage Enzyme P-Aminobenzoylglutamate Hydrolase In Plants, Gale G. Bozzo, Gilles J. C. Basset, Valeria Naponelli, Alexandre Noiriel, Jesse F. Gregory Iii, Andrew D. Hanson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Folates break down in vivo to give pterin and p-aminobenzoylglutamate (pABAGlu) fragments, the latter usually having a polyglutamyl tail. Pilot studies have shown that plants can hydrolyze pABAGlu and its polyglutamates to p-aminobenzoate, a folate biosynthesis precursor. The enzymatic basis of this hydrolysis was further investigated. pABAGlu hydrolase activity was found in all species and organs tested; activity levels implied that the proteins responsible are very rare. The activity was located in cytosol/vacuole and mitochondrial fractions of pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaves, and column chromatography of the activity from Arabidopsis tissues indicated at …

Detection And Quantification Of Vitamin K1 Quinol In Leaf Tissues, Chloë Van Oostende, Joshua R. Widhalm, Gilles J.C. Basset

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Phylloquinone (2-methyl-3-phytyl-1,4-naphthoquinone; vitamin K₁) is vital to plants. It is responsible for the oneelectron transfer at the A1 site of photosystem I, a process that involves turnover between the quinone and semi-quinone forms of phylloquinone. Using HPLC coupled with fluorometric detection to analyze Arabidopsis leaf extracts, we detected a third redox form of phylloquinone corresponding to its fully reduced – quinol–naphthoquinone ring (PhQH₂). A method was developed to quantify PhQH₂ and its corresponding oxidized quinone (PhQ) counterpart in a single HPLC run. PhQH₂ was found in leaves of all dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous species tested, …

Registration Of ‘Darrell’ Wheat, A. M. H. Ibrahim, S. D. Haley, P. S. Baenziger, Y. Jin, M. A. C. Langham, J. Rickertsen, S. Kalsbeck, R. Little, J. Ingemansen, O. K. Chung, B. W. Seabourn, G. H. Bai, Ming-Shun Chen, D. V. Mcvey

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

‘Darrell’ (Reg. No. CV-1024, PI 644224) hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed by the South Dakota State University–Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 2006 to seed producers by the South Dakota State University–Agricultural Experiment Station and the University of Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station. Darrell was selected from the cross 2076-W12-11/‘Karl 92’ (PI 564245)//NE89526. NE89526 is an experimental line from the University of Nebraska with the pedigree ‘Lancota’ (CI 17389) selection/’Siouxland’ (PI 483469)//TX792729. 2076-W12-11 is an unreleased experimental line that originated from a population with an unidentified pedigree. Darrell was selected as an F3:4 line in 1998 …

Forage Potential Of Temperate Legumes With Perennial Grasses In The Southern Plains, John A. Guretzky, Twain Butler, Matt Mattox

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION

Rising costs of N fertilizer coupled with evidence of improved forage production and quality has increased interest among beef cattle producers in legume-grass mixtures for pasture. Our objectives were to evaluate forage yields of temperate legumes seeded with perennial grasses in the Southern Plains. Replicated field trials were established in 2006 at Burneyville, OK; Vashti, TX; and Stephenville, TX, to evaluate potential legume dry matter (DM) yields under different soil and rainfall regimes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Burneyville. Legumes were broadcast-seeded and lightly raked by hand within individual 3 x 5 m plots in an existing stand of eastern gamagrass …

Influence Of Planting Date And Weed Interference On Sweet Corn Growth And Development, Martin M. Williams Ii, John L. Lindquist

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Crop planting date and canopy density influence interactions between weeds and sweet corn (Zea mays L.); however, little is known about sweet corn growth response to weed interference. Field studies were conducted in 2004 and 2005 near Urbana, IL, to quantify the influence of planting date and weed interference on growth of sweet corn height, leaf area, aboveground biomass, and phenological development. Crop growth response to weed interference (presence or absence) was determined for sweet corn planted early May (EARLY) and late June (LATE). Dominant weed species included barnyard-grass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.], common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album …

Switchgrass Establishment Requires Patience, John A. Guretzky

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

As a leader in bioenergy research and development, the Noble Foundation is evaluating the agronomics and economics of switchgrass as a bioenergy crop. Switchgrass is a native range and pasture grass that has been identified by state and national leaders as a potential crop to be grown, harvested and converted into ethanol. Slow seedling establishment has previously limited adoption of switchgrass in forage production. Presently, scientists in the Noble Foundation's Agricultural and Forage Improvement divisions are researching ways to improve switchgrass establishment. Here is what we know, and don't know, about the process.

Food And Fuel For All: Realistic Or Foolish?, Kenneth G. Cassman, Adam J. Liska

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In 2005, few would have predicted the current revolution in global agriculture that is being driven by a sudden rise in the price of petroleum and a rapid expansion of global biofuel production from grain, sugar, and oilseed crops. The result has been a convergence of valuation between petroleum and agricultural commodities such that food prices are likely to rise substantially. While countries with adequate resources to support an expansion of biofuel crop production will benefit from this convergence, developing countries and regions that consistently experience food shortages or rely on food imports will face greater food insecurity. To avoid …

Can Organic Agriculture Feed The World?, Catherine Badgley, Ivette Perfecto, Kenneth Cassman , Responder, Jim Hendrix , Responder

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

During the past 30 years there has been a steady decrease in funding allocated to agricultural research in both developed and developing countries because of the widespread view that food insecurity is primarily caused by poverty and a lack of purchasing power rather than the inability to produce enough food. However, these views are being challenged by three global mega-trends: (1) a steady decrease in arable land area suitable for intensive food crop production as a result of farmland conversion to urban, industrial and recreational uses, (2) a steady reduction in the relative rate of yield gain for the major …

Redistribution Of Crop Residues During Row Cultivation Creates A Biologically Enhanced Environment For Soil Microorganisms, M. Susana Grigera, Rhae A. Drijber, Brian J. Wienhold

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Formation of ridges during row cultivation creates microsites that could enhance spatial heterogeneity of soil properties, such as organic C, and thereby influence soil microbial communities. A study was conducted during 2003 near Shelton, NE, on a corn (Zea mays L.) field mapped using apparent electrical conductivity (ECa). New ridges were built each year with a row cultivator when corn reached the V3–V4 growth stage. Cultivation increased labile C fractions and soil microbial biomass in the row position for all ECa classes. Canonical discrimination analysis showed no clear differences in relative abundance of specific microbial groups among ECa classes …