Life Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Different Insecticides And Fabric Types For Development Of Treated Targets For Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Control, Jerome Hogsette, Alyce Nalli, Lane Foil

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), once only a pest of pastured cattle, has become a serious pest of range cattle in the United States. Because of the difficulties associated with stable fly management under range conditions, a pesticide-impregnated cloth target is being developed as a management tool. We conducted studies to determine the influence of weather, time, fabric type, insecticide type, and insecticide concentration on the mortality of stable flies from a susceptible laboratory colony exposed for 30 s to treated cloth targets. We found that 100% of the flies exposed to trigger (Trigger-Royal Box, 65% polyester and …

Effect Of Lures And Trap Placement On Sand Fly And Mosquito Traps, Ulrich R. Bernier, David F. Hoel, Jerome Hogsette, Hanafi A. Hanafi, Daniel Kline

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Catches of mosquitoes and sand flies in CO₂ traps baited with three different lures and an unbaited control were compared. The lures examined were carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide plus l-octen-3-ol, and carbon dioxide plus human hair in ethanol. Studies using a 4 x 4 Latin square design, with 3 sets of 4 consecutive trap nights, were conducted between August 6 and September 10, 2007. The study site was the Bahrif Village, Aswan, Egypt. This location had high percentage of Phlebotomus papatasi in sand fly populations, and the low incidence of human cases of leishmaniasis. There were 2,152 sand flies …

Ultraviolet Light Traps: Design Affects Attraction And Capture, Jerome Hogsette

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Traps that use ultraviolet light as an attractant for flies are widely used in urban situations. To determine the differences in trap efficacy from design and lighting, pairs of traps were compared under laboratory conditions. Comparisons were made between traps with open fronts and with traps with restricted open fronts, black light bulbs, and black light blue bulbs, and glue boards with and without z-9-tricosene pheromone. In a windowless laboratory, pairs of traps were placed approximately 90 cm above the floor and 3 m apart. Fifty mixed-sex, 3- to 5-day-old house flies (Musca domestica) were released and …

Short Communication- An Update On The Diversity Of Wolbachia In Spalangia Spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), K.D. Floate, P.C. Coghlin, D. B. Taylor

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Results from 13 additional host populations improves resolution on the diversity of Wolbachia bacteria in Spalangia spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). These bacteria are of interest because they can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Manipulating Wolbachia infections may provide a method to improve the efficacy of biocontrol agents including Spalangia spp.

Parasitoid wasps (Pteromalidae: Hymenoptera) are of interest as biocontrol agents for pest flies (Diptera: Muscidae) of livestock confinements; e.g. dairies, cattle feedlots, poultry houses, swine barns. Many of these wasps are infected with Wolbachia bacteria that can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Wolbachia induce parthenogenesis in Muscidifurax uniraptor Kogan & Legner …

Managing And Enhancing Switchgrass As A Bioenergy Feedstock, Robert B. Mitchell, Kenneth Vogel

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has identified switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) as a viable perennial herbaceous feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production. Although switchgrass bioenergy research was initiated by USDA-ARS, Lincoln, NE, USA in 1990, switchgrass research has been conducted at this location since the 1930s. Consequently, a significant amount of genetic and agronomic research on switchgrass has been conducted for the Corn Belt and Central Great Plains of the USA that is directly applicable to its use as a biomass energy crop. Similar research must be conducted in other major agroecoregions to verify or modify switchgrass management …

A Gel-Based Reference Map Of The Porcine Hepatocyte Proteome, Thomas J. Caperna, Amy E. Shannon, Wesley M. Garrett

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The overall goal of our research is to characterize and identify gene expression profiles of porcine hepatic cells. In this study, we have prepared two-dimensional electrophoresis maps of cytosol and membrane fractions from freshly prepared hepatocytes which were pooled from three crossbred pigs (35–69 kg). Following isoelectric focusing with three pH range immobilized pH gradient strips (pH 3–6, 5–8 and 7–10) and staining the second dimension gels with colloidal Coomassie blue, 728 protein spots were picked and digested with trypsin. Extracted tryptic peptides were initially subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOF-MS) analysis for identification of proteins …

Central And Peripheral Administration Of Kisspeptin Activates Gonadotropin But Not Somatotropin Secretion In Prepubertal Gilts, Clay A. Lents, Neely L. Heidorn, C. Richard Barb, J. Joe Ford

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

It is well established that kisspeptin signaling is necessary for the onset of puberty in laboratory animals. However, the role that kisspeptin may have in regulating puberty in large domestic animals is unknown.We tested the hypothesis that either central or peripheral infusion of kisspeptin would stimulate gonadotropin and GH secretion in prepubertal gilts. In experiment 1, prepubertal gilts were fitted with i.c.v. cannula and indwelling jugular catheters. Animals were randomly assigned to receive 0, 10, or 100 μg kisspeptin in saline. In experiment 2, prepubertal gilts, fitted with indwelling jugular catheters, randomly received 0, 1, 2.5, or 5 mg kisspeptin …

Parentage-Based Dna Traceback In Beef And Dairy Cattle, Mike Heaton

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Why is animal ID needed?

Ways to physically label individual cattle

Disputes arise even when animal identification systems are in place

The dispute

The resolution

DNA is the label never removed from beef

A chromosome has genes and other DNA

Genes are encoded by sequences of DNA

What are SNPs?

Properties of SNPs

Ways to use DNA for traceback

Sometimes parentage testing is the last resort for DNA-based traceback

Using SNP markers for parentage

Accurate sire determination requires many DNA markers

Comparing the calf to the sire: elimination

Comparing the calf to a possible sire

The ideal parentage SNP markers …

Genetic Profiling To Determine Potential Origins Of Boll Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Captured In A Texas Eradication Zone: Endemicity, Immigration, Or Sabotage?, Kyung Seok Kim, Thomas W. Sappington, Charles T. Allen

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Thirty-seven boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), were captured in pheromone traps near Lubbock, TX, in the Southern High Plains/Caprock eradication zone during August-October 2006. No boll weevils had been captured in this zone or neighboring zones to the north earlier in the year, and only very low numbers had been captured in neighboring zones to the south and east. Therefore, the captures near Lubbock were unexpected. Five of the weevils captured the last week of August were preserved and genotyped at 10 microsatellite loci for comparison with a database of genotypes for 22 boll weevil populations sampled …

Use Of Microbial Transglutaminase And Nonmeat Proteins To Improve Functional Properties Of Low Nacl, Phosphate-Free Patties Made From Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Belly Flap Meat, Byungrok Min, Bartholomew W. Green

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This study was aimed at developing value-added low sodium chloride (NaCl), phosphate-free restructured patties using minced channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) belly flap meat. The effect of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) and nonmeat proteins (isolated soy protein, ISP, and whey protein concentrate, WPC; 1.7%, respectively) alone and in combinationwere evaluated to improve cooking yield and textural properties in patties with reduced NaCl and no phosphate. The concentration effect of MTGase (0.05% to 0.7%) was also studied. The addition of MTGase increased textural properties such as binding strength, hardness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and springiness, but decreased cooking yield of the patties ( …

Stocking Strategies For Production Of Litopenaeus Vannamei (Boone) In Amended Freshwater In Inland Ponds, Bartholomew W. Green

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The performance of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) under various stocking strategies was evaluated in earthen ponds filled with freshwater amended with major ions. Six 0.1-ha earthen ponds located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA, were filled with freshwater in 2003 and 2004, and potassium magnesium sulfate added to provide 50 mg K⁺ L^-1 and stock salt added to provide 0.5 g L^-1 salinity. In 2003, three ponds either were stocked with PL₁₅ shrimp (39 PL m^-2) for 125 d of grow out or with PL₂₅ shrimp for a 55-d (23 PL …

The Hawaii Fruit Fly Areawide Pest Management Programme, Roger I. Vargas, Ronald F. L. Mau, Eric B. Jang, Robert M. Faust, Lyle Wong

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are among the most economically important pests attacking soft fruits worldwide (White and Elson-Harris, 1992). Four invasive species Mediterranean fruit fly or medfly (Ceratitis capitata), melon fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae), oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) and the so-called Malaysian fruit fly or solanaceous fruit fly (Bactrocera latifrons) - have been devastating to Hawaiian agriculture for over 100 years by infesting more than 400 different host plants. These fruit flies:

• Jeopardize development of a diversified tropical fruit and vegetable industry.

• Require that commercial fruits undergo quarantine treatment prior …

Comparison Of Corn And Switchgrass On Marginal Soils For Bioenergy, Gary E. Varvel, Kenneth P. Vogel, Robert B. Mitchell, R. F. Follett, J. M. Kimble

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Crop residues such as corn (Zea mays L.) stover are viewed as an abundant and inexpensive source of biomass that can be removed from fields to produce bioenergy. Assumptions revised form include that with minimum or no-tillage farming methods, there will be no deleterious production or environmental effects. A long-term field study was established in eastern Nebraska, USA, to compare the switchgrass managed as a biomass energy crop versus no-till corn on a non-irrigated site, marginal for row-crop production, in the western Corn Belt. Our objective in this paper is to report on corn stover removal effects on corn …

Chapter 7. Nitrogen In Groundwater Associated With Agricultural Systems, M. R. Burkartaus D, J. D. Stoner

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Nitrogen, particularly in the form of nitrate, is the most common contaminant in aquifer systems (Freeze and Cherry, 1979). Hallberg (1989) points to agriculture as the most substantial anthropogenic source of nitrate, and Keeney (1986) suggests that this is caused by the intensive and extensive land-use activities associated with crops and animal production. The discussion of the occurrence of nitrogen in groundwater beneath agricultural systems is presented by examining the factors influencing aquifer vulnerability to nitrogen contamination, and by characterizing the geographic distribution of groundwater contamination by nitrogen. Factors that influence aquifer vulnerability are presented in the context of exposure …

Biotinyl-Methyl 4-(Amidomethyl)Benzoate Is A Competitive Inhibitor Of Human Biotinidase, Keyna Kobza, Kittichai Chaiseeda, Gautam Sarath, James M. Takacs, Janos Zempleni

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Posttranslational modification of histones by biotinylation can be catalyzed by both biotinidase (BTD) and holocarboxylase synthetase. Biotinylation of histones is an important epigenetic mechanism to regulate gene expression, DNA repair, and chromatin remodeling. The role of BTD in histone biotinylation is somewhat ambiguous, given that BTD also catalyzes removal of the biotin tag from histones. Here, we sought to develop BTD inhibitors for future studies of the role of BTD in altering chromatin structure. We adopted an existing colorimetric BTD assay for use in a novel 96-well plate format to permit high-throughput screening of potential inhibitors. Biotin analogs were chemically …

Hessian Fly, Jeffrey J. Stuart, Ming-Shun Chen, Marion O. Harris

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) is a gall-forming insect (Harris et al. 2006) with several attributes that make it suitable for genetic analysis: a short life cycle (30 days), a small genome (158 Mb) (Johnston et al. 2004), and polytene chromosomes. The reproductive biology and behavior of the insect also make it an attractive model (Harris and Rose 1989,1990; Bergh et al. 1990; Kanno and Harris 2000; Morris et al. 2000; Harris et al. 2001). Compared to most plant-feeding insects, Hessian flies can be reared in a small space. Unlike gall-forming aphid species, the Hessian fly is always …

Effects Of Agricultural Conservation Practices On Fish And Wildlife, Stuart R. Gagnon, Joseph R. Makuch, Cassandra Y. Harper

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This bibliography, in two volumes, is part of a multi-volume set developed by the Water Quality Information Center at the National Agricultural Library in support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP). The bibliography is a guide to recent scientific literature covering effects of agricultural conservation practices on fish and wildlife. The citations listed here provide information on how conservation programs and practices designed to improve fish and wildlife habitat, as well as those intended for other purposes, e.g., water quality improvement, affect various aquatic and terrestrial fauna.

Initial Response Of Evapotranspiration From Tallgrass Prairie Vegetation To Co2 At Subambient To Elevated Concentrations, H. W. Polley, H. B. Johnson, P. A. Fay, J. Sanabria

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

A series of weighing lysimeters in which tallgrass prairie species had been planted were exposed to a subambient to elevated gradient in CO₂ in a field chamber. Lysimeters with intact monoliths of three soil types were represented along the CO₂ gradient. We used regression analysis to determine how CO₂ effects on evapotranspiration per unit of soil surface area (ET_soil) and per unit of leaf area (ET_la) depended on variation in leaf area index (LAI) and diurnal changes in environmental variables during the initial 6 weeks of CO₂ treatment.

Interannual Variability In Carbon Dioxide Fluxes And Flux–Climate Relationships On Grazed And Ungrazed Northern Mixed-Grass Prairie, H. Wayne Polley, Albert B. Frank, Joaquin Sanabria, Rebecca L. Phillips

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The annual carbon (C) budget of grasslands is highly dynamic, dependent on grazing history and on effects of interannual variability (IAV) in climate on carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes. Variability in climatic drivers may directly affect fluxes, but also may indirectly affect fluxes by altering the response of the biota to the environment, an effect termed ‘functional change’.

Modeling Trench Sidewall And Bottom Flow In On-Site Wastewater Systems, S. D. Finch, D. E. Radcliffe, L. T. West

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Little is known about how much wastewater infiltrates the soil via the trench sidewall versus the trench bottom in on-site wastewater systems. Our objectives were to develop a method of simulating trench bottom and sidewall flow using a two-dimensional numerical computer model that would include the trench within the model space and determine how much sidewall flow would occur under steady-state conditions. We used HYDRUS-2D to simulate water flow in a two-dimensional cross section of a conventional gravel-filled trench and the surrounding drainfield.

Environmental Management Of Grazing Lands Final Report, Kevin Wagner, Larry Redmon, Terry Gentry, Darren Harmel, Allan Jones

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Bacteria levels are the number one cause of water quality impairment in Texas. Several recent Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) in Texas, such as those implemented in the Peach Creek and Leon River watersheds, have identified grazing cattle as a contributor to bacterial water quality impairments in those watersheds through both direct deposition and runoff of their fecal matter to streams. To address this issue, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funded this project to assist with development and delivery of technical information and support to ranchers on protection and …

Tillage Effects On Soil Quality Indicators And Nematode Abundance In Loessial Soil Under Long- Term No-Till Production, R. B. Mendoza, T. G. Franti, John W. Doran, Thomas O. Powers, C. W. Zanner

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Soil quality indicators and nematode abundance were characterized in a loessial soil under long-term conservation tillage to evaluate the effects of no-till, double-disk, chisel, and moldboard plow treatments. Indicators included soil electrical conductivity (EC), soil texture, soil organic matter (SOM), and total particulate organic matter (tPOM). Nematode abundance was positively correlated with EC, silt content, and total POM and negatively correlated with clay content. Clay content was the main source of variation among soil quality indicators and was negatively correlated with nematode abundance and most indicators. The gain in SOM in the no-till system amounted to 10887 kg over the …

Hydraulic Core Extraction: Cutting Device For Soil–Root Studies, T. S. Kornecki, S. A. Prior, G. B. Runion, H. H. Rogers, D. C. Erbach

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

A critical objective of belowground research is to collect and process representative soil samples. Mechanical devices have been developed to quickly take soil cores in the field; however, techniques to rapidly process large-diameter soil cores are lacking. Our objective was to design and construct a soil extraction–cutting system that could effectively reduce processing time. Soil cores were extracted from large diameter steel core tubes using a custom hydraulic cylinder device that vertically pushes the soil core to a desired depth increment before cutting in a horizontal direction with another hydraulically driven device. As many as eight large cores per hour …

Epic Evaluation Of The Impact Of Poultry Litter Application Timing On Nutrient Losses, H. Allen Torbert, Thomas J. Gerik, Wyatte L. Harman, Jimmy R. Williams, Melanie Magre

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Recently, changes in the utilization practices of animal manures for fertilization have been encouraged to reduce the potential of nonpoint pollution of lakes and streams from agricultural land. However, the potential impact of changing some of these practices has not been fully studied. The objective of this study was to examine the potential impact of limiting poultry litter application times on nutrient movement important to water quality. The WinEPIC model was used to simulate poultry litter applications during the winter months and chemical fertilizer application, with both cool season and warm season grass pastures on the major soil regions of …

Good Vibrations? Structure And Function Of The Cloacal Tip Of Male Australian Maluridae, Melissah Rowe, Murray R. Bakst, Stephen Pruett-Jones

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

When females mate multiply, sperm competition can generate strong selection for traits that provide males with a fertilisation advantage. This study examined the cloacal tip, a unique morphological structure of males that appears to be associated with sperm competition in Australian Maluridae. Species in this group appear to experience a range of sperm competition intensities and exhibit a diversity of associated reproductive adaptations and behaviours. A prominent cloacal tip was present in the striated grasswren Amytornis striatus striatus, and superb Malurus cyaneus cyanochlamys, splendid M. splendens melanotus, red-backed M. melanocephalus and white winged fairy-wrens M. leucopterus leuconotus …

History And Ecological Basis For Areawide Pest Management, Norman C. Elliott, David W. Onstad, Michael J. Brewer

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The traditional approach to pest management is to treat the crop or commodity in a particular management unit before an economically significant infestation of the pest has developed. Determining the need to take corrective action is based on the economic threshold concept, which forms the basis of most integrated pest management programmes (Metcalf and Luckman, 1975). Areawide pest management (AWPM) can be contrasted with traditional pest management in that pest management tactics are used over a broad spatial area, often treating the whole area simultaneously to maintain the pest below economic levels or, in some cases, completely eradicate it. A …

Establishing Inter-Agency, Multidisciplinary Areawide Pest Management Programmes, Robert M. Nowierski, Hendrik J. Meyer

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Pest management today usually comprises multiple complex tactics that transcend disciplines, geographical regions, climatic zones, production/management systems, production scales and economic strata. Solutions to priority problems involve research, education and extension professionals. But, equally important to project success are the users of the knowledge generated and the end-users of the 'products'. Setting a direction for the future goals, IPM has been an important activity for the 'community' of constituents who share concerns for future pest management.

Under the leadership of the USDA and land grant universities, a road map for IPM has been developed with extensive participation of diverse stakeholders. …

Stored-Grain Insect Areawide Pest Management, David W. Hagstrum, Paul W. Flinn, Carl R. Reed, Thomas W. Phillips

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Wheat is harvested in the USA from June in the southern part of the wheat-growing region until August in the northern part (Ragstrum and Reid, 1988). Grain temperature, grain moisture and storage time are the main factors determining the risk of economic losses from insect infestation. Wheat harvested in June in southern regions is generally at higher risk because grain temperature is suitable for insect movement and reproduction for a longer time than is wheat harvested in August in northern regions. Currently, management of insect pests in the wheat marketing system is usually sufficiently effective to slow insect population growth …

Areawide Suppression Of Fire Ants, M. D. Aubuchon, R. K. Vander Meer

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta and S. richteri, were inadvertently introduced into the USA in the early 1900s and currently inhabit over 129 million ha in Puerto Rico and 12 southern states, from Texas to Virginia (Callcott and Collins, 1996; USDA-APHIS map). Imported fire ants have also become established in isolated sites in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Maryland. Strict quarantine procedures have limited the spread of this pest (Lockley and Collins, 1990), but eventually populations will expand westward in increasing numbers in New Mexico, Arizona and California. They will also move upward along the Pacific coast, southward …

Salt Cedar Areawide Pest Management In The Western Usa, Raymond I. Carruthers, C. Jack Deloach, John C. Herr, Gerald L. Anderson, Allen E. Knutson

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Salt cedar (Tamarix spp. (Tamaricaceae: Tamaricales)) is a group of exotic shrubs to small trees that have invaded many riparian areas and lake shores across western North America. Of the 54 species known worldwide (Baum, 1967, 1968), ten species of salt cedars have been introduced into the USA (Crins, 1989), primarily from their countries of origin across Europe and Central Asia. They are also native in Africa and the Indian subcontinent of Asia. No species from the entire family Tamaricaceae are native to North America, and only a restricted group of six species of more distantly related …