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Articles 181 - 210 of 767

Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

Zoometric Measures In Llamas (Lama Glama) Of Rural Families In The T'Olar And Pajonal Natural Grazing Fields Of The Municipality Santiago De Machaca - Department Of La Paz, Eloy Tuco Cano Jan 2009

Zoometric Measures In Llamas (Lama Glama) Of Rural Families In The T'Olar And Pajonal Natural Grazing Fields Of The Municipality Santiago De Machaca - Department Of La Paz, Eloy Tuco Cano

Theses and Dissertations

Llamas have provided, and continue to provide, fiber, meat, skins, fertilizer and transport for the Andean people. In addition, they are part of the traditional and religious culture of the Aymara and the Quechua. Both are currently unaware of the productive qualities of llamas, especially those related to meat production, which is the principle product responsible for generating greater income for farmers. For this reason, 554 llamas were evaluated from a total of 3,693 in 2005. The llamas came from T’olar and Pajonal grasslands in the Santiago de Machaca region of La Paz, Bolivia and represented males and females from …

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Hair, Feces And Breath Isotope Fractionation In Alpacas (Llama Pacos), Llamas (Llama Glama) And Guanacos (Llama Guanacoe) From Bolivia And Chile, Lino Constancio Lopez Lopez Nov 2008

Hair, Feces And Breath Isotope Fractionation In Alpacas (Llama Pacos), Llamas (Llama Glama) And Guanacos (Llama Guanacoe) From Bolivia And Chile, Lino Constancio Lopez Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determinate carbon and nitrogen isotope fractionation in Bolivian and Chilean alpaca, llama and guanaco, hair, breath, plasma and feces. We also wanted to determine forage selection for these camelids using stable isotope technology. From the data, niche feeding and diet selection habits will determinate based on fecal composition. Bolivian sites were located near the high snow Altiplano Mountains at Tomarapi, Sajama, and at the Technical University Oruro's research center at Condoriri, Bolivia. Chilean samples were collected at INIA's (Instituto Nacional de Investigacion Agropecuaria) Kampenaike Research Station, Punta Arenas, Chile. Bolivian alpacas and llamas were 3 …

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Physical Mapping Of Ribosomal Genes In New World Members Of The Genus Chenopodium Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization, Maria C. Sederberg Oct 2008

Physical Mapping Of Ribosomal Genes In New World Members Of The Genus Chenopodium Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization, Maria C. Sederberg

Theses and Dissertations

The genus Chenopodium contains many economically important species in the New World, but is relatively understudied and poorly understood, especially in terms of evolutionary relationships. A better understanding of the structure of this genus could significantly help in breeding efforts on its cultivated members, notably the tetraploid C. quinoa and also certain varieties of C. berlandieri, also tetraploid. Of special concern is determining which diploid weed species are the most likely ancestors for C. quinoa, C. berlandieri, and the other tetraploid members of subsection Cellulata. The phylogeny can be understood in part by examining the ribosomal RNA loci and observing …

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Domain Duplication, Darwinian Selection, And The Origin Of The Globulin Seed Storage Proteins, Nathaniel S. Cannon Aug 2008

Domain Duplication, Darwinian Selection, And The Origin Of The Globulin Seed Storage Proteins, Nathaniel S. Cannon

Theses and Dissertations

The seed storage globulins found among virtually all spermatophytes comprise a multi-gene family of proteins with ancient evolutionary origins. The two main groups of storage globulins include the legumins (11S) and vicilins (7S), both of which play a main role in protein deposition and storage in the seed endosperm. Composed of two cupin domains (bicupin), these proteins have been recently noted not only for their close structural relationships among the two subfamilies (7S and 11S) but also for their similarity to other proteins such as germin-like proteins (GLP's), bacterial oxalate decarboxylases, and other cupin containing proteins. Previous studies have investigated …

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Arthropod And Plant Communities As Indicators Of Land Rehabilitation Effectiveness In A Semi-Arid Shrub-Steppe, Eric T. Gardner Jul 2008

Arthropod And Plant Communities As Indicators Of Land Rehabilitation Effectiveness In A Semi-Arid Shrub-Steppe, Eric T. Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

We describe a case study evaluating the ecological impact of Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass) invasion following fire disturbance and the effectiveness of revegetation in improving ecological integrity in a degraded semi-arid shrub steppe system. The effectiveness of rehabilitation efforts was assessed from measurements of arthropod richness, vegetation and arthropod community composition, and ground cover characteristics in three habitats: undisturbed, burned and weed-infested (B. tectorum), and burned and rehabilitated with native and non-native vegetation. Arthropods were collected in each habitat using pitfall traps. Differences in arthropod richness were compared using rarefaction curves. Non-metric multidimensional scaling, and non-parametric multivariate statistical procedures including …

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Evaluation Of Downy Mildew (Peronospora Farinosa F.Sp. Chenopodii) Resistance Among Quinoa Genotypes And Investigation Of P. Farinosa Growth Using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Leilani Kitz Jul 2008

Evaluation Of Downy Mildew (Peronospora Farinosa F.Sp. Chenopodii) Resistance Among Quinoa Genotypes And Investigation Of P. Farinosa Growth Using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Leilani Kitz

Theses and Dissertations

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a pseudocereal native to the Andean region of South America and a staple crop for subsistence farmers in the altiplano of Bolivia and Peru. Downy mildew is the most significant disease of quinoa caused by the pathogen Peronospora farinosa f.sp. chenopodii Byford. This disease greatly impacts quinoa crops with yield losses up to 99%. As fungicides are expensive for farmers, the development of resistant cultivars appears to be the most efficient means for controlling downy mildew. The quinoa germplasm bank contains high amounts of genetic diversity, some of which exhibit mildew resistance. Methods for evaluating …

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Studies On Transformation Of Tomato(Solanum Lycopersicum L.) And Arabidopsis Thaliana Using Chimerical Constructs Of Varying Tospoviral Origin, Joshua Nathaniel Cobb Jul 2008

Studies On Transformation Of Tomato(Solanum Lycopersicum L.) And Arabidopsis Thaliana Using Chimerical Constructs Of Varying Tospoviral Origin, Joshua Nathaniel Cobb

Theses and Dissertations

Pathogen derived resistance (PDR) is a recent breakthrough where plant hosts can be made to be resistant to viral infections through transformation with conserved viral genes. Given the severity of Tospovirus diseases worldwide (particularly in tomato), PDR has the potential to garner large yield returns where pathogen populations have overcome the established resistance. Tomato breeding lines FLA7804, FLA8044, and the research line MP1 were used in transformation experiments with potions of the Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) N-gene, and two other chimerical viral nucleocapsid gene constructs from, Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV), and Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV). We conducted 19 …

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Comparative Cytotoxicity Of An Fda-Approved Cancer Drug To Extracts Of Atriplex Confertifolia On Human Breast And Cervical Cancer Cells, Christopher James Capua Jul 2008

Comparative Cytotoxicity Of An Fda-Approved Cancer Drug To Extracts Of Atriplex Confertifolia On Human Breast And Cervical Cancer Cells, Christopher James Capua

Theses and Dissertations

The severity and number of people affected by cancer is a worldwide problem with millions of people affected annually. The search for treatment and cures of cancer continues to be a global effort. As part of this global effort, many natural products have been tested against cancer cell lines, most from plants located in tropical regions. However, this study reports that extracts of Atriplex confertifolia, a native North American plant, has significant bioactivity against human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, 435, and 231, and HeLa cells (cervical cancer cells). The bioactivity of A. confertifolia extracts of these cells lines was …

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Competitive Exclusion Of Cyanobacterial Species In The Great Salt Lake, Hillary Christine Roney Jul 2008

Competitive Exclusion Of Cyanobacterial Species In The Great Salt Lake, Hillary Christine Roney

Theses and Dissertations

Under Gause's principle two species cannot indefinitely occupy the same niche. The north and south arms of Great Salt Lake are separated by a rail causeway, resulting in salinity differences and color variation between the arms. Farmington Bay is also separated from the south arm by a vehicular causeway to Antelope Island. These causeways allow examination of competitive exclusion of cyanobacteria in the hypersaline environment of the Great Salt Lake. Cyanobacterial distributions partially map salinity, with Aphanothece halophytica proliferating in the north arm, and Nodularia spumigena in the south arm. I hypothesized that cyanobacterial species abundant north of the railway …

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Using A Chelator-Buffered Nutrient System To Study Phosphorus, Manganese And Zinc Interactions In Russet Burbank Potato, Steven A. Barben Jul 2008

Using A Chelator-Buffered Nutrient System To Study Phosphorus, Manganese And Zinc Interactions In Russet Burbank Potato, Steven A. Barben

Theses and Dissertations

Potato production requires high phosphorus (P) application with potential negative environmental or nutritional consequences for potato as well as for subsequent crops. Impacts of high available P on yield and plant nutrition of species in potato cropping rotations are inadequately understood, and could result in antagonistic interactions with cationic micronutrients such as zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn). Three hydroponic experiments were conducted with Russet Burbank potato to elucidate P and Zn relationships and associated interactions with other nutrients. In the first experiment, P solution concentration was constant at 256 µM while Zn concentration varied: 0.1, 2, 6, 18, 54, 162 …

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Effect Of Ca And Ph On Disease Severity Of Pink Rot Phytophthora Erythroseptica In Russett Norkotah Potato Solanum Tuberosum, Jared H. Benson Jul 2008

Effect Of Ca And Ph On Disease Severity Of Pink Rot Phytophthora Erythroseptica In Russett Norkotah Potato Solanum Tuberosum, Jared H. Benson

Theses and Dissertations

Phytophthora erythroseptica Pethyb. is a devastating fungal pathogen of potato (Solanum tuberosum). The pathogen causes a disease known as pink rot. Pink rot results in necrosis and decay of tubers; and is responsible for major losses pre and post harvest. Attributes of the disease are progressing toward epidemic proportions. To help prevent such dramatic outbreaks of the disease, understanding the factors associated with incidence will provide opportunities to control the pathogen. A link between pH and disease severity has been observed. We studied the effects of pH and Ca to determine their influence on disease development. Low pH and Ca …

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Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus Idahoensis) Habitat Use, Activity Patterns And Conservation In Relationship To Habitat Treatments, Janet E. Lee Jun 2008

Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus Idahoensis) Habitat Use, Activity Patterns And Conservation In Relationship To Habitat Treatments, Janet E. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined activity patterns and habitat use of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) in mechanically treated and untreated areas in south-central Utah 2005-2008. We monitored fecal pellet plots in continuous sagebrush habitat as well as along treatment edges to record deposition and leporid presence over timed periods. Pygmy rabbit use of big sagebrush was higher than black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and mountain cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus nuttallii ) (P< 0.01) relative to treated areas (P <0.01). We also compared pygmy rabbit use of areas with continuous sagebrush to residual sagebrush in a sample of mechanically treated areas. Our results suggest a treatment effect with higher (P <0.01) average counts of pygmy rabbit pellets in areas with continuous sagebrush compared to sagebrush strips and islands within treated areas. Before the big sagebrush biotype inhabited by pygmy rabbits is treated to reduce the occurrence and dominance of big sagebrush, we recommend managers consider two options. The first is no treatment, thus preserving, as is, the critical habitat of the pygmy rabbit and other sympatric big sagebrush obligate species of wildlife. The second option cautiously introduces the first prescription of habitat treatment ever recommended in relationship to the pygmy rabbit. This prescription includes recommended widths of the treated areas, seed mixes, widths of the preserved intact big sagebrush habitat for pygmy rabbits as well as suggested grazing systems for domestic livestock. Activity patterns of pygmy rabbits at their burrow were documented through the use of remote cameras. Photographs were analyzed for temporal and seasonal patterns of activity. Our results suggested that time of day was important in the activity level of pygmy rabbits while season was not. Pygmy rabbits were active during all time periods of the day but the greatest levels of activity occurred at night. Numerous other wildlife species were recorded by our remote cameras including other species of leporids, birds, rodents, reptiles and terrestrial predators.

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Duplicate Gene Expression In Allopolyploid Gossypium Reveals Two Temporally Distinct Phases Of Expression Evolution, Joshua Udall, Lex E. Flagel, Dan Nettleton, Jonathan F. Wendel Apr 2008

Duplicate Gene Expression In Allopolyploid Gossypium Reveals Two Temporally Distinct Phases Of Expression Evolution, Joshua Udall, Lex E. Flagel, Dan Nettleton, Jonathan F. Wendel

Faculty Publications

Polyploidy has played a prominent role in shaping the genomic architecture of the angiosperms. Through allopolyploidization, several modern Gossypium (cotton) species contain two divergent, although largely redundant genomes. Owing to this redundancy, these genomes can play host to an array of evolutionary processes that act on duplicate genes. Results- We compared homoeolog (genes duplicated by polyploidy) contributions to the transcriptome of a natural allopolyploid and a synthetic interspecific F1 hybrid, both derived from a merger between diploid species from the Gossypium A-genome and D-genome groups. Relative levels of A- and D-genome contributions to the petal transcriptome were determined for 1,383 …

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The Maya Footprint: Soil Resources Of Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico, Ryan V. Sweetwood Mar 2008

The Maya Footprint: Soil Resources Of Chunchucmil, Yucatan, Mexico, Ryan V. Sweetwood

Theses and Dissertations

Agricultural yields in Northwest Yucatán are constrained by climate, thin soils, and low fertility. Despite this, the ancient Maya city of Chunchucmil Yucatán, Mexico, boasted an immense, dense, and wealthy population during the Middle Classic period (ca A.D. 400-700). Soil physical and chemical properties were explored to determine how the ancient Maya of Chunchucmil fed themselves. Soil profiles were collected from various locations within ancient Chunchucmil's suspected sustaining area. The physical and chemical properties, carbon isotopes, black carbon, and coprostanols of soil profiles sampled were compared to ancient rural settlement and remotely sensed images, such as AIRSAR (airborne synthetic aperture …

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Expression And Evolutionary Relationships Of The Chenopodium Quinoa 11s Seed Storage Protein Gene, Mikel Stevens, Peter J. Maughan, Daniel J. Fairbanks, Marie R. B. Balzotti, Jennifer N. Thornton, David A. Mcclellan, Eric N. Jellen, Craig E. Coleman Feb 2008

Expression And Evolutionary Relationships Of The Chenopodium Quinoa 11s Seed Storage Protein Gene, Mikel Stevens, Peter J. Maughan, Daniel J. Fairbanks, Marie R. B. Balzotti, Jennifer N. Thornton, David A. Mcclellan, Eric N. Jellen, Craig E. Coleman

Faculty Publications

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a food crop cultivated by subsistence farmers and commercial growers on the high Andean plateau, primarily in Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. Present interest in quinoa is due to its tolerance of harsh environments and its nutritional value. It is thought that the seed storage proteins of quinoa, particularly the 11S globulins and 2S albumins, are responsible for the relatively high protein content and ideal amino acid balance of the quinoa seed. Here we report the genomic and cDNA sequences for two 11S genes representing two orthologous loci from the quinoa genome. Important features of the …

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Effect Of Food Deprivation On The Metabolic Profile Of Llamas (Lama Glama) In The Letanias Experimental Station - Viacha, Edwin Eddy Ali Quisbert Jan 2008

Effect Of Food Deprivation On The Metabolic Profile Of Llamas (Lama Glama) In The Letanias Experimental Station - Viacha, Edwin Eddy Ali Quisbert

Theses and Dissertations

In the highlands, where regular agriculture and livestock are not viable, raising camelids is the only means of subsistence for rural families. While grazing during the dry season in the high Andean region, llamas face serious nutritional deficiencies due to limited forage availability. This study was done at the experimental station of the Benson Agriculture and Food Institute located in the community of Letanias which is in the municipality of Viacha. The objective was to determine the effect of food deprivation on the metabolic profile of blood plasma (concentration of urea-nitrogen, total protein, albumin, and creatinine) as well as the …

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Effect Of Three Cryoconservation Diluents On Sperm Motility And Vitality In The Ejaculate Of Bulbourethal-Ectomized Llamas (Lama Glama), Department Of La Paz, Edwin Eddy Maceda Tintaya Jan 2008

Effect Of Three Cryoconservation Diluents On Sperm Motility And Vitality In The Ejaculate Of Bulbourethal-Ectomized Llamas (Lama Glama), Department Of La Paz, Edwin Eddy Maceda Tintaya

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of three different diluents used during the cryopreservation process on the motility and vitality of sperm cells. The three diluters used in this study were: A) trice-serum-egg yolk-glycerin, B) serum-egg yolk-glycerin, and C) Dulbecco’s serum-egg-yolk- glycerin. Diluters were tested in proportions of 64-15-15-6% (N1), 54-20-20-6% (N2), and 44-35-15-6% (N3). Llama semen was collected at the Mejoramiento Genético y Diagnóstico Clínico Del Servicio Agropecuario (SEDAG) in the Los Andes Province of the Department of La Paz. The procedure took place at the Unidad Académica Campesina de Tiahuanaco by a direct optimized …

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Ecological Factors Determining Nesting Habitat For American Avocets, Landon R. Jones Jan 2008

Ecological Factors Determining Nesting Habitat For American Avocets, Landon R. Jones

Student Works

The American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a large shorebird that breeds and congregates in open, shallow, saline wetlands (Robinson et al. 1997). Its long, curved bill is well adapted for stirring up and feeding on invertebrates from the benthos. Because they fill such a narrow habitat niche, the majority of avocets concentrate in the thousands to breed in a few hot spots such as Mono Lake in California, and the Great Salt Lake in Utah (Robinson et al. 1997). Avocets arrive at the Great Salt Lake in late March and nest from mid-April to mid-July (Sordahl 1981). They require 15-20 …

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Calcium Dynamics Affecting Egg Production, Skeletal Integrity, And Egg Coloration In Ring-Necked Pheasants (Phasianus Colchicus), Landon R. Jones Dec 2007

Calcium Dynamics Affecting Egg Production, Skeletal Integrity, And Egg Coloration In Ring-Necked Pheasants (Phasianus Colchicus), Landon R. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

These 4 chapters represent manuscripts formatted for submission to journals based on an experiment conducted on Ring-necked Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). Calcium limits the distribution of this species, which produces 7-15 eggs per clutch. They may renest up to 5 times per breeding season on a diet low in calcium. The first chapter examines egg production in laying hens on 7 different diets from 0.19-4.47% calcium in the absence of calcium loading. Calcium-loaded pheasants store calcium in medullary bone before an experiment and can draw on this surplus during egg production, possibly skewing experimental results. We measured egg production, egg characteristics, …

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A Study Of Habitat Variables Associated With Northern Goshawk Nest Site Activity On The Three National Forests In Southern Utah, Keeli Shea Marvel Dec 2007

A Study Of Habitat Variables Associated With Northern Goshawk Nest Site Activity On The Three National Forests In Southern Utah, Keeli Shea Marvel

Theses and Dissertations

The Northern Goshawk has been a species of concern since its decline in the early 1990s, which has been attributed in part to loss of critical breeding and wintering habitat. Nest site selection of goshawks has been correlated with certain specific site characteristics including, but not limited to, forest species composition, forest stand size, diameter of nest tree, percent cover, tree height, site slope, and aspect. The goshawk holds the status of a Management Indicator Species (MIS) on all of the six national forests in Utah. This status requires annual monitoring to track goshawk numbers and to address any activities …

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Beneficial Fungal Interactions Resulting In Accelerated Germination Of Astragalus Utahensis, A Hard-Seeded Legume, Sean D. Eldredge Dec 2007

Beneficial Fungal Interactions Resulting In Accelerated Germination Of Astragalus Utahensis, A Hard-Seeded Legume, Sean D. Eldredge

Theses and Dissertations

Seed germination is pivotal in the life cycle of native plants in a restorative context because initiation of the metabolic processes critical to establishment is key to survival in such a competitive environment. Dormancy characteristics of some native plants including the subject species, Astragalus utahensis, have evolved mechanisms to control germination in order to maintain a seed bank and ensure germination at the right time under optimal conditions. In vitro germination studies confirm beneficial interactions between Alternaria and Aspergillus fungi and Astragalus utahensis seed. Inoculated seed trials (1.0 x 106 spores/mL) exhibited a highly significant difference in percent germination between …

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Trapping, Survival, And Probable Causes Of Mortality Of Chukar Partridge, Aaron Clark Robinson Nov 2007

Trapping, Survival, And Probable Causes Of Mortality Of Chukar Partridge, Aaron Clark Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

We present an efficient and effective method for trapping chukars (Alectoris chukar) on artificial water sources. We compared a B-trap, a prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) walk-in trap, a modified quail recall trap, and a newly designed Utah walk-in-funnel trap. Our Utah funnel trap outperformed standard techniques by more than 65%, and exceeded previous published results by 35%. Use of this method allows researchers and managers the ability to capture large numbers of Chukars relatively efficiently. With appropriate modifications this design is applicable for capturing a variety of bird species using small water developments. Chukars (Alectoris chukar) have been introduced throughout …

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The Ecology Of Translocated Greater Sage-Grouse In Strawberry Valley, Utah, Rick Joseph Baxter Nov 2007

The Ecology Of Translocated Greater Sage-Grouse In Strawberry Valley, Utah, Rick Joseph Baxter

Theses and Dissertations

Manuscript No. 1 Translocations of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have been attempted in 7 states and one Canadian province with very little success. To recover a small remnant population and test the efficacy of sage-grouse translocations, we captured and transported 137 adult female sage-grouse from 2 source populations to a release site in Strawberry Valley, Utah during March-April 2003-2005. The resident population of sage-grouse in Strawberry Valley was approximately 150 breeding birds prior to the release. We radiomarked each female and documented survival, movements, reproductive effort, flocking with resident grouse, and lek attendance. We used Program MARK to calculate annual …

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Assessment Of Genetic Diversity In The Usda And Cip-Fao International Nursery Collections Of Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa Willd.) Using Microsatellite Markers, S. A. Christensen, D. B. Pratt, C. Pratt, P. T. Nelson, M. R. Stevens, Eric N. Jellen, Craig E. Coleman, Daniel J. Fairbanks, A. Bonifacio, Michael J. Maughan Aug 2007

Assessment Of Genetic Diversity In The Usda And Cip-Fao International Nursery Collections Of Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa Willd.) Using Microsatellite Markers, S. A. Christensen, D. B. Pratt, C. Pratt, P. T. Nelson, M. R. Stevens, Eric N. Jellen, Craig E. Coleman, Daniel J. Fairbanks, A. Bonifacio, Michael J. Maughan

Faculty Publications

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a staple food crop for millions of impoverished rural inhabitants of Andean South America where it has been cultivated for millennia. Interest in quinoa, due largely to its superior nutritional characteristics, is fuelling a growing export market and has led to an increased focus on genetic research and the development of quinoa breeding programmes throughout South America. The success of these breeding programmes will rely heavily on the development of core germplasm collections and germplasm conservation. We report the development of a set of fluorescence-tagged microsatellite molecular markers that can be used to characterize genetic …

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Cloning And Characterization Of The Salt Overly Sensitive 1 (Sos1) Gene In Chenopodium Quinoa Willd., Taylor Brian Turner Jul 2007

Cloning And Characterization Of The Salt Overly Sensitive 1 (Sos1) Gene In Chenopodium Quinoa Willd., Taylor Brian Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Salt tolerance is a commercially important trait that affects plant species around the globe. Cellular response to saline environments is a well studied but complex system that is far from being completely understood. The SALT OVERLY SENSITIVE 1 (SOS1) gene is a critical component of salt tolerance in many species, encoding a plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter that plays an important role in germination and growth in saline environments. Here we report a preliminary investigation of salt tolerance in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). Quinoa is a halophytic grain crop of the Chenopodiaceae family with impressive nutritional content and an increasing world-wide …

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Development And Characterization Of Microsatellite Markers For The Grain Amaranths (Amaranthus Spp. L.), Melanie Ann Mallory Jul 2007

Development And Characterization Of Microsatellite Markers For The Grain Amaranths (Amaranthus Spp. L.), Melanie Ann Mallory

Theses and Dissertations

The grain amaranths (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., A. cruentus L., and A. caudatus L.) are important pseudocereals native to the Americas that have received increased attention for their nutritional content, specifically their balance of amino acids. The objective of this project was to produce and characterize a set of highly informative, reproducible microsatellite markers for the grain amaranths. A total of 1457 clones were sequenced from three genomic libraries enriched for the microsatellite motifs AAC, AAT and AC. Of these, 353 (24%) contained unique microsatellites. An additional 29 microsatellite loci were identified among 728 BAC-end sequences of a newly developed amaranth …

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The Prolamins Of Pearl Millet, Christian B. Ricks Jul 2007

The Prolamins Of Pearl Millet, Christian B. Ricks

Theses and Dissertations

Although work on the prolamins of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) has revealed partial amino acid sequences for several alcohol-soluble storage proteins (Marcellino et al. 2002) the genes encoding them have not yet been isolated. We constructed a cDNA library from developing P. glaucum seed tissue and screened it using maize zein gene probes to isolate several α-prolamin-like gene sequences. The proteins encoded by these genes generally fall into two size classes: 20.6kD and 27.1kD, which we call the 21kD and 27kD pennisetins. Both proteins are similar in composition and sequence to α-prolamins from maize, sorghum and Coix. Protein bodies that …

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Spotted Cotton Oligonucleotide Microarrays For Gene Expression Analysis, Joshua Udall, Lex E. Flagel, Foo Chung, Andrew W. Woodward, Ran Hovav, Ryan A. Rapp, Jordan M. Swanson, Jinsuk J. Lee, Alan R. Gingle, Dan Nettleton, Christopher D. Town, Z. Jeffrey Chen, Jonathan F. Wendel Mar 2007

Spotted Cotton Oligonucleotide Microarrays For Gene Expression Analysis, Joshua Udall, Lex E. Flagel, Foo Chung, Andrew W. Woodward, Ran Hovav, Ryan A. Rapp, Jordan M. Swanson, Jinsuk J. Lee, Alan R. Gingle, Dan Nettleton, Christopher D. Town, Z. Jeffrey Chen, Jonathan F. Wendel

Faculty Publications

Microarrays offer a powerful tool for diverse applications plant biology and crop improvement. Recently, two comprehensive assemblies of cotton ESTs were constructed based on three Gossypium species. Using these assemblies as templates, we describe the design and creation and of a publicly available oligonucleotide array for cotton, useful for all four of the cultivated species. Results: Synthetic oligonucleotide probes were generated from exemplar sequences of a global assembly of 211,397 cotton ESTs derived from <50 different cDNA libraries representing many different tissue types and tissue treatments. A total of 22,787 oligonucleotide probes are included on the arrays, optimized to target the diversity of the transcriptome and previously studied cotton genes, transcription factors, and genes with homology to Arabidopsis. A small portion of the oligonucleotides target unidentified protein coding sequences, thereby providing an element of gene discovery. Because many oligonucleotides were based on ESTs from fiber-specific cDNA libraries, the microarray has direct application for analysis of the fiber transcriptome. To illustrate the utility of the microarray, we hybridized labeled bud and leaf cDNAs from G. hirsutum and demonstrate technical consistency of results. Conclusion: The cotton oligonucleotide microarray provides a reproducible platform for transcription profiling in cotton, and is made publicly available through http://cottonevolution.info.

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Analyses Of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Translocation Release Methods And Chick Survival In Strawberry Valley, Utah, Jordan P. Hennefer Mar 2007

Analyses Of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Translocation Release Methods And Chick Survival In Strawberry Valley, Utah, Jordan P. Hennefer

Theses and Dissertations

Manuscript No. 1 Recent research has indicated that low nest success and juvenile survival of Greater Sage-Grouse may be responsible for population declines. Recent technological advances in micro-transmitters have made radio-telemetry studies on Sage-Grouse chicks more common. Radio-telemetry enables monitoring of individual chicks and broods during a critical period of their life history. The exact cause of low chick recruitment in Strawberry Valley has not been well understood. In 2006, a chick mortality study using micro-transmitters was initiated to (1) determine the causes of chick mortality, (2) calculate overall chick survival, (3) compare chick survival in the Strawberry Valley population …

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Variables Associated With Northern Goshawk Nesting On The Dixie National Forest, J. Jorgensen, R. L. Rodriguez, Landon R. Jones Jan 2007

Variables Associated With Northern Goshawk Nesting On The Dixie National Forest, J. Jorgensen, R. L. Rodriguez, Landon R. Jones

Student Works

The Northern Goshawk (Accipiter genii/is) is a large forest raptor in the northern hemisphere that preys on small to medium-sized birds and mammals in mature forests (Squires and Reynolds 1997). Because forest structure and composition in the southwest have undergone significant change since pre-settlement times due to fire suppression, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, mining, and recreational use (Reynolds et al. 1992), the goshawk has been listed as a Forest Service sensitive species for Region 4, which includes the Dixie National Forest in Utah. This ranking dictates that for all actions on the Forest, effects to the species must be addressed. …

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