Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Soil Properties Associated With Land Management Practices In Western Kentucky, Ava Isaacs, Gracey Moffitt

Scholars Week

Soil Properties Associated with Land Management Practices in Western Kentucky

1. A. Isaacs, G. Moffitt, W. Sides, and Corey Hale

Mentor: Dr. I.P. Handayani

Hutson School of Agriculture, Murray State University, Kentucky, USA

Abstract

One of the most important factors regarding soil and plant health is nutrient availability and fertility. Of these two factors that were mentioned available potassium is a key component. With that being said we decided that it would be beneficial to see how potassium can be traced within the soil in various locations after fertilizer is applied. There were two parts to this experiment. Part one was …

Gene Discovery And Molecular Dissection Of Lignin Biosynthesis In Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne), A. Lidgett, M. Emmerling, R. Heath, R. Mcinnes, D. Lynch, A. Bartkowski, K. Fulgueras, T. Sawbridge, E. K. Ong, K. F. Smith, A. Mouradov, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Lignification of plant cell walls has been identified as a major factor limiting forage digestibility. It limits the amount of digestible energy available to livestock, resulting in an incomplete utilisation of cellulose and hemicellulose by ruminant animals. Modification of the lignin profile of ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) and fescues (Festuca spp.) is undertaken through modulating the expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of monolignols.

Identification Of Putative AtTt2 R2r3-Myb Transcription Factor Orthologues In Tanniferous Tissues Of L. Corniculatus Var. Japonicus Cv Gifu, D. N. Bryant, P. Bailey, P. Morris, Mark P. Robbins, C. Martin, T. Wang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

R2R3-MYB plant transcription factors are sequence–specific DNA-binding proteins, which regulate the expression of specific gene(s) following the R2R3 DNA-binding domain interacting with the corresponding promoter sequence(s). The biosynthetic pathway leading to the production of anthocyanins has been demonstrated to be under MYB transcriptional regulatory control (Cone et al., 1986), while the accumulation of proanthocyanidins (PAs) in Arabidopsis seed coats is determined by the R2R3-MYB AtTT2 (Nesi et al., 2001). Using an informatics approach, partial sequences of putative AtTT2 orthologues have been identified and cloned from the forage legume Lotus corniculatus var. japonicus cv Gifu.

A Leaf-Level Spectral Library To Support High-Throughput Plant Phenotyping: Predictive Accuracy And Model Transfer, Nuwan K. Wijewardane, Huichun Zhang, Jinliang Yang, James C. Schnable, Daniel P. Schachtman, Yufeng Ge

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Leaf-level hyperspectral reflectance has become an effective tool for high-throughput phenotyping of plant leaf traits due to its rapid, low-cost, multi-sensing, and non-destructive nature. However, collecting samples for model calibration can still be expensive, and models show poor transferability among different datasets. This study had three specific objectives: first, to assemble a large library of leaf hyperspectral data (n=2460) from maize and sorghum; second, to evaluate two machine-learning approaches to estimate nine leaf properties (chlorophyll, thickness, water content, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur); and third, to investigate the usefulness of this spectral library for predicting external datasets …

Protecting Wa Crops Issue 29 - April 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Protecting WA Crops

Protecting WA Crops Issue 29 - April 2023 contents:

• GRDC Perth Research Updates 2023 – Pathology and virology
• How long do sclerotinia sclerotia survive in WA?
• Insecticidal control of green peach aphid and turnip yellows virus: resistance threats, limitations, and future alternatives
• Meet Crop Protection team member – Jean Galloway

Efficacy Of Biocontrol Against Chrysomelid Pests In Lab Vs Field Studies: Potential Biases Of Setting And Phylogenetic Subgroups, Blake Hudson

2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference

The beetle family Chrysomelidae is a speciose group of voracious herbivores with a wide number of ecological implications. While some Chrysomelid species have been introduced or augmented as biological control agents of invasive plants, many other species have found success as economically important pests of field crops and stored grains, leading to severe yield losses in cucurbits, legumes, and other systems. Controlling such pests, especially in the field, is particularly difficult due to the timing of their complex life cycles, the fossorial nature of many species’ larvae, and ability to produce multiple generations in a single growing season. This study …

Pestfacts Wa Issue 01 - April 2023, Cindy L. Webster, Svetlana Micic, Janette Pratt, Jean Galloway, Adam H. Sparks

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA newsletter contents:

• Now is the time bait snails
• Black Portugue Millipedes
• Green bridge surveillance findings
• 2023 autumn winter insecticide spray guide is now available
• Pre-season climate and insect webinars are available online
• Canola blackleg risk forecasts
• Managing Ascochyta blight chickpea at seeding

Pestfacts Wa Issue 02 - April 2023, Cindy L. Webster, Svetlana Micic

PestFacts WA

PestFacts WA Issue 2 - April 2023 contents:

• Mites and lucerne flea have started hatching
• European and native earwigs
• Slugs and snails have started to lay eggs

Evaluating Species-Specific Replenishment Solution Effects On Plant Growth And Root Zone Nutrients With Hydroponic Arugula (Eruca Sativa L.) And Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.), Lauren L. Houston, Ryan W. Dickson, Matthew B. Bertucci, Trenton L. Roberts

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Managing nutrients in recirculating solutions can be challenging in hydroponic production, and poor management practices can rapidly result in root zone nutrient imbalances in reduced yield. Using mass balance principles to formulate hydroponic replenishment solutions is a proposed strategy to reduce nutrient imbalances and the need to periodically replace the hydroponic solution. Objectives were to (1) formulate species-specific nutrient replenishment solutions for arugula (Eruca sativa L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) using mass balance principles and (2) evaluate the effects of using these replenishment solutions on plant growth and root zone nutrients over time. In the first experiment, …

Experimentation On Nebraska Farms For Sustaining Soil Health Management, Fernanda Souza Krupek

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Soil health management practices have increasingly been promoted across US agroecosystems to address many interrelated environmental and economic food system challenges. Sustaining conservation behavior – through farmer’s adoption and continued use of practices – is key for achieving many soil health-related intended social-ecological benefits. Using a range of scientific methods, from lab-based experiments to on-farm research to farmer interviews, the overall objective of this dissertation research was to explore soil and human dimension considerations to design farming and knowledge transfer systems for sustaining soil health management in the US Midwest. In a multivariate analysis of ten on-farm research sites, we …

Characterization Of Physical And Biochemical Traits In Wheat And Corn Plants Using High Throughput Image Analysis, Kantilata Thapa

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Plant phenotyping has been recognized as a rapidly growing field of research due to the labor-intensive, destructive, and time-consuming nature of traditional phenotyping methods. These phenotyping bottlenecks can be addressed by advancements in image-based phenotyping like RGB and hyperspectral imaging for the assessment of plant traits important for breeding purposes. This study aims (1) to characterize the physical and biochemical traits of wheat and corn plants using RGB and hyperspectral imaging in the greenhouse, and (2) to estimate leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content using hyperspectral imaging and an analytical spectral device (ASD spectrometer) and compare the …

Arkansas Cotton Variety Test 2022, F. Bourland, A. Beach, B. Milano, B. Guest, C. Kennedy, L. Martin, B. Robertson

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The primary goal of the Arkansas Cotton Variety Test is to provide unbiased data regarding the agronomic performance of cotton varieties and advanced breeding lines in the major cotton-growing areas of Arkansas. This information helps seed companies establish marketing strategies and assists producers in choosing varieties to plant. These annual evaluations will then facilitate the inclusion of new, improved genetic material in Arkansas cotton production. Adaptation of varieties is determined by evaluating the lines at five University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture research sites (Manila, Keiser, Judd Hill, Marianna, and Rohwer). The 2022 tests at Rohwer were adversely affected …

Foliar Expression Of Candidate Genes Involved In Condensed Tannin Biosynthesis In White Clover (Trifolium Repens), Stephen N. Panter, J. Simmonds, A. Winkworth, A. Mouradov, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Bloat disease in cattle and sheep is caused by the rapid microbial degradation of protein-rich fodder in the rumen. This leads to the production of protein foams that trap gases, causing bloat, a condition that is often fatal to livestock and costly to farmers. Condensed tannins (CTs) are phenolic polymers produced by the phenylpropanoid pathway of plants (Figure 1). CTs bind to proteins under acidic to neutral conditions, such as those present in the rumen, slowing their breakdown. A diet with a CT content of between 2% and 4% by dry weight, which is provided by some pasture legumes (e.g. …

Discovery, Isolation And Characterisation Of Promoters In White Clover (Trifolium Repens), C. M. Labandera, Y. H. Lin, E. Ludlow, M. Emmerling, U. John, P. W. Sale, C. Pallaghy, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The availability of a suite of promoters with a range of spatial, temporal and inducible expression patterns is of significant importance to control targeted expression of genes for molecular breeding in forage species. A range of resources and tools have been developed for promoter isolation and characterisation in white clover (Trifolium repens L.), including a comprehensive BAC library and a 15K unigene microarray.

Novel Genotypes Of The Subtropical Grass Eragrostis Curvula For The Analysis Of Apomixis (Diplospory), S. Cardone, P. Polci, J. P. Selva, M. Mecchia, S. C. Pessino, P. Voigt, G. C. Spangenberg, V. Echenique

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees is a variable grass native to Southern Africa. Its several forms, known as lovegrasses, were introduced to Australia, USA and Argentina as forage perennial grasses. Apomixis is a common trait in the genus Eragrostis, with diplospory being the most frequent type. Sexual reproduction also occurs in Eragrostis, although not frequently. Since most tetraploid Eragrostis lines are apomictic, the generation of a sexual tetraploid strain is a requirement for linkage analysis of the gene(s) governing the apomictic character. Furthermore, isogenic lines of the same ploidy, reproducing alternatively by sexuality or apomixes, represent an ideal system …

Isolation And Characterisation Of Genes Encoding Malate Synthesis And Transport Determinants In The Aluminum-Tolerant Australian Weeping-Grass (Microlaena Stipoides), R. M. Polotnianka, E. Ribarev, L. Mackin, K. A. Sivakumaran, G. D. Nugent, U. P. John, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Acid soils cover some 40% of the Earth’s arable land where they represent a major limitation to plant production. Plant growth on acid soils is primarily limited due to aluminium (Al) solubilized by acidity into toxic Al³⁺ cations which will inhibit root growth resulting in poor uptake of water and nutrients. Many important pasture species lack sufficient Al tolerance within their germplasm to allow effective breeding for this character.

Development And Use Of A Tool For Automated Alignments Of Genes In The Rice Bac's Genbank Card Against Other Species, P. Barre, G. Darrieutort, J. Auzanneau, B. Julier

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In many cases, the analysis of the genetic bases of any trait requires molecular markers and if possible co-dominant PCR-based ones. In perennial fodder species, the number of publicly available markers (microsatellites and Sequence Tagged Site (STS)) is limited. Our goal is to use sequences from model grass species, i.e. rice, wheat, maize, barley, in L. perenne in order to develop STS markers in interesting regions such as under a QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) or around a candidate gene,. As the genome sequence of rice is now available, the objective was to use the sequences of genes included in the …

Application Of Molecular Markers Derived From Medicago Truncatula In White Clover (Trifolium Repens L.), C. Jones, M. T. Abberton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

White clover is the major forage legume of temperate areas. Genome maps have been produced recently (Jones et al., 2003; Barrett et al., 2004) and the location of QTL for important agricultural traits reported (Abberton et al., 2004). White clover is closely related to the model legume Medicago truncatula and there is likely to be considerable benefit in applying genomic resources from model to crop. However, the extent of synteny between the species must be established. Here we present preliminary results detailing progress towards this goal.

Screening Of Perennial Grasses And A Mutant Maize Collection By Fourier-Transformed Infrared (Ftir) Spectroscopy For Improved Biofuel Traits, S. C. Thain, P. Morris, S. Hawkins, C. Morris, I. S. Donnison

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Currently the potential of biomass crops, including grasses, is limited because most species have not been bred for this purpose. However traits such as lignification, phenolic cross-linking and carbohydrate accessibility, which are also important for nutritive quality in forage grasses, can affect potential biofuel quality in applications such as combustion, fast-pyrolysis or fermentation. A collection of Lolium and Festuca species known to exhibit a range of lignin, cell wall phenolic and carbohydrate concentrations have been used to test optimum characteristics for biofuel processing. This collection formed a “calibration” set for subsequent high through-put FTIR chemical screening of additional plant lines: …

A Proposal For An International Transcriptome Initiative For Forage And Turf: Microarray Tools For Expression Profiling In Ryegrass, Clover And Grass Endophytes, T. Webster, N. Nguyen, C. Rhodes, S. A. Felitti, R. Chapman, D. Edwards, G. C. Spangenberg

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Knowledge of the expression pattern of genes provides a valuable insight into gene function and role in determining the observed heritable phenotype. High–density cDNA and oligonucleotide microarrays represent powerful tools for transcriptome analysis to gain an understanding of gene expression patterns for thousands of genes. Internationally coordinated efforts in transcriptome analyses and sharing of microarray resources will benefit the advancement of our understanding of gene function in forage and turf species.

Establishment Of Wildflower Islands To Enhance Roadside Health, Ecological Value, And Aesthetics Phase Ii, Jackson Ebbers, Heidi L. Hillhouse, John A. Guretsky, Thomas J. Weissling

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Louisiana Resident Perceptions On Invasive Aquatic Plant Species And Their Management, Anna Ribbeck

LSU Master's Theses

Determining the public perception of invasive species in Louisiana is an important tool to help shape and develop future management decisions, educational material and ultimately public policy. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of adult Louisiana residents regarding invasive aquatic plant species and their management. An online survey was used to collect data on registered Louisiana residential boaters’ perceptions towards invasive aquatic plants and their management. A postcard with a quick response code leading to the survey was mailed to 6,000 randomly selected Louisiana registered residential boaters. Of the 230 Louisiana registered boaters that …

Screening Genes For Association With Loci For Nitrogen-Use Efficiency In Perennial Ryegrass By PyrosequencingTm, O. Dolstra, D. Dees, J. -D. Driesprong, E. N. Van Loo

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The application of marker-assisted selection to improve quantitative traits in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is cumbersome. It requires a priori knowledge on the association of markers and genes. The knowledge on the chromosomal location of major genes for quantitative traits as well as on gene sequences is rapidly growing. However, determination of the genetic constitution of parents prior to their use in breeding still is impractical. More realistic is to collect association data along with the testing activities needed for breeding new varieties. This study uses changes in allele frequency due to selection as a criterion for gene-trait …

Gene-Associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (Snp) Discovery In Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.), J. W. Forster, N. O. I. Cogan, A. C. Vecchies, R. C. Ponting, M. C. Drayton, J. George, J. L. Dumsday, G. C. Spangenberg, K. F. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is the most important grass species for temperate pasture systems world-wide. Varietal improvement programs for this obligate outbreeding species are based on polycrossing of multiple parents to produce heterogeneous synthetic populations. The complexity of breeding systems creates challenges and opportunities for molecular marker technology development and implementation. Previous research has led to: the generation of a comprehensive suite of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, reference genetic map construction, comparative genetic studies, QTL identification, and population structure analysis. Emphasis has now shifted from the use of anonymous genetic markers linked to trait-specific genes to the …

Isolation Of Candidate Genes Involved In Cold Temperatures Response In Festuca Pratensis Huds., Using Suppression Subtractive Hybridisation And Microarray Approaches, H. Rudi, V. Alm, L. Opseth, A. Larsen, O. A. Rognli

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this work was to isolate candidate genes which are differentially expressed following cold-acclimation and develop SNPs to test for associations between candidate genes and frost tolerance. The ability to develop sufficient levels of tolerance against freezing temperatures through cold-acclimation (hardening) is crucial for survival of grasses and winter cereals in temperate climate. Meadow fescue (Festauca pratensis Huds.) is one of the most important forage grass species in Northern Europe. The preference of Festuca instead of Lolium in Norway is due to its superior combination of winter hardiness and forage quality.

Positive Effect Of Increased Aflp Diversity Among Parental Plants On Yield Of Polycross Progenies In Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.), R. Kölliker, B. Boller, F. Widmer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In outbreeding forage crops such as perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), genetic diversity among parental plants may greatly influence the success of a cultivar through mechanisms such as heterosis and inbreeding depression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to select polycross parents with contrasting levels of genetic diversity and to analyse genetic diversity and agronomic performance of first and second generation synthetic progenies (Syn1, Syn2).

Ryegrass Astra: A Web-Based Resource For Lolium Est Analysis, G. C. Spangenberg, T. Sawbridge, E. K. Ong, C. G. Love, T. A. Erwin, E. G. Logan, D. Edwards

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a major grass species of temperate pastoral agriculture.

Genomic Constitution Of Festulolium Varieties, D. Kopecky, V. Cernoch, R. Capka, J. Dolezel

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Hybrids between species of ryegrass (Lolium) and fescue (Festuca) combine useful agronomical characteristics such as rapid establishment from seed and fodder quality from ryegrass and tolerance against abiotic and biotic stressses from fescue. The superior potential of hybrids has stimulated breeding programs generating so called Festulolium varieties. While the varieties have been evaluated extensively for their agronomic characteristics, little information is publicly available on their genomic constitution. The aim of our study was to analyse genomic constitution of a representative set of commercially available European Festulolium cultivars. To do this, we have employed genomic in situ …

Genetic Changes Over Breeding Generations Of Festulolium, M. Ghesquière, P. Barre, L. Barrot

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Festulolium hybrids are a valuable breeding source for tolerance to abiotic stress and to make grass more persistent under drought and in cold environments. In 2004, the EU Commission enlarged the definition of Festulolium which may now include all hybrids between Lolium sp. and Festuca sp. and not only those between L. multiflorum and F. pratensis. We here report allele frequencies at two unlinked PCR-based marker loci in populations derived from tetraploid (2n=4x=28) L. multiflorum x F. glaucescens hybrids where breeding history enables us to test the effects of selection vs that of genetic drift.

Development And Testing Of Novel Chloroplast Markers For Perennial Ryegrass From De Novo Sequencing And In Silico Sequences, S. Mcgrath, T. R. Hodkinson, S. Barth

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Chloroplast DNA is uniparentally inherited and non-recombinant in Lolium perenne. These properties make the chloroplast genome a useful tool for studying inter- and intra- specific relationships. Previous genetic studies on L. perenne have used chloroplast sequence data. However, the relative lack of variation in the chloroplast genome limits its usefulness for analysis at the single individual level within a species. However, chloroplast SSR markers have recently been shown to have high levels of polymorphism (Provan et al., 2004). This is the first study to design and employ such markers for L. perenne. The objectives of this study …