Botany Commons^™

Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation Of Dendrobium Orchid With The Flavanone 3-Hydroxylase Gene, Nuntipa Khumkarjorn, Sudarat Thanonkeo, Mamoru Yamada, Preekamol Klanrit, Pornthap Thanonkeo

Turkish Journal of Botany

The Ascocenda flavanone 3-hydroxylase (AcF3H) gene was successfully transformed into Dendrobium 5N white orchid plants using Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation. In this study, for the first time, we report the construction of a plant expression vector harboring the AcF3H gene using the Gateway cloning system. Protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) were cocultivated with the Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain AGL1 harboring the plant expression vector pGWB5-AcF3H, which contained the hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) gene as a selectable marker. The highest transformation efficiency (10.13%) was achieved when PLBs were cocultivated with Agrobacterium cells for 15 min. Three months after the transformation, the plantlets were regenerated, and the …

Yuhina Nigrimenta Blyth (Zosteropidae) As A Bird Pollinator Ofbrandisia Hancei Hook.F. (Scrophulariaceae) During Winter, Yifan Qian, Yun Xiang Li, Xuemei Zhang, Qiu Mei Quan

Turkish Journal of Botany

Winter-flowering plants commonly attract an insufficient number of pollinators. Harsh climate conditions, such as low temperature, make it impossible for insects to evolve as reliable pollinators. Birds can buffer against changes in weather to be more reliable pollinators for these kinds of plants, such as Brandisia hancei Hook.f. (Scrophulariaceae), a shrub endemic to the Northeast Sichuan Basin in China. In this study, the flower visitors, flowering phenology, pollinators, breeding system, and nectar availability of B. hancei Hook.f. were investigated. Results show that the flowering period duration was approximately 3 months for the whole population and more than 10 days per …

Investigation Of The Regulation Mechanism Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Anion Channel Slah2, Fen-Yong Yao, Guo-Ning Qi, Jamshaid Husssain

Turkish Journal of Botany

In recent years a slow-type anion channel (SLAC) family composing five members, including slow anion channel associated 1 (SLAC1) and four SLAC1 homologs (SLAHs), has been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. The anion channels are activated by calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs) and play crucial roles in mediating anion fluxes across plasma membranes. SLAH2 is specifically expressed in root stele cells and has been characterized as a nitrate-selective anion channel activated by CPK21 and CBL-interacting protein kinase 23 (CIPK23). However, the interaction between CPKs and SLAH2 and how it is regulated remains to be elucidated. In this study we found that SLAH2 …

Molecular Characterization Of Tocopherol Biosynthesisgenes From Olea Europaea (L.) Cv. Ayvalık, Fati̇h Sezer, Kemal Meli̇k Taşkin

Turkish Journal of Botany

Vitamin E is a group of compounds that includes metabolites known as tocopherols, which have high antioxidant activities. Tocopherols are synthesized in plants, and their beneficial effects on human health have been reported for diseases such as coronary heart disease and cancer. Here we report the full-length transcripts encoding vitamin E biosynthetic enzymes from fruit mesocarp tissues using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method for the first time in olives. We characterized the structure of the genes 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (PDS1), homogentisate phytyltransferase 1 (HPT1), vitamin E defective 3 (VTE3), tocopherol cyclase (VTE1), and gamma tocopherol methyltransferase (GTMT), which …

Genetic Diversity And Molecular Characterization Of Natural Pancratium Maritimum L. Populations By Dna Markers, Ceren Eli̇bol, Behi̇ye Banu Bi̇lgen

Turkish Journal of Botany

Bulbous plants play an important role in Turkey's biodiversity due to their great potential use in various industries. Sea daffodils (Pancratium maritimum), one aspect of Turkey's biological richness, represent an important bulbous plant that generally spreads on sand dunes and can be seen only on the Mediterranean coast and on its certain beaches in our country. In this study, the genetic structure and genetic diversity of four natural P. maritimum populations have been determined by RAPD and nrSSR primers. Eight RAPD and four nrSSR loci were analyzed. All RAPD and nrSSR loci, except SSR-20, were found to be polymorphic. Genetic …

Comparative Morphological And Cytogenetic Study Of Five Asparagus (Asparagaceae) Species From Algeria Including The Endemic A. Altissimus Munby, Kenza Boubetra, Nabila Amirouche, Rachid Amirouche

Turkish Journal of Botany

Forty wild populations belonging to five Asparagus species including the endemic A. altissimus were sampled in an east-west bioclimatic gradient of North Algeria. More than 250 individuals were taxonomically examined and karyologically investigated. Meiotic behavior was analyzed for each species. New chromosome numbers were consistent with the base number x = 10 for the genus Asparagus, and two cytotypes, diploid and hexaploid, were observed. Four species were found to have 2n = 20 chromosomes, highlighting the prominence of diploidy in North Africa. One polyploid with 2n = 60 is reported here as the first karyological information on the endemic A. …

Nomenclatural And Taxonomic Notes On Plantago Myosuros (Plantaginaceae) And Its Synonymy, Gustavo Hassemer

Turkish Journal of Botany

Plantago myosuros is an herbaceous plant species native to South America that is naturalized in parts of Europe. Here, I designate a lectotype for the name P. myosuros and for two of its synonyms, P. nigritella and P. rojasii. I also propose the synonymization of the currently accepted P. myosuros subsp. humilior with P. myosuros. Images of the lectotypes of these four names are provided.

Polyphenols Content And Antioxidant Activity Of Artemisia Sieversiana Willd. In Western Pamir, Gulazor Miravalova, Sh. Kurbonbekova, Sh. Satorov, Akobir Mirzorahimov, Dovudsho Navruzshoev, Vyacheslav Dushenkov, M. Vakhidova

Publications and Research

Polyphenols content and antioxidant activity in Artemisia sieversiana Willd. were investigated in relation to the altitude of the plant growth in the Western Pamir region. Antioxidant activity generally correlated with the polyphenols content. However, no significant association was found between an altitude of the sample collection and polyphenols content or antioxidant activity.

Mapping And Analyzing The Spatial Distribution Of Thetribe Triticeae Dumort. (Poaceae) In Turkey, Hakan Mete Doğan, Evren Cabi̇, Musa Doğan

Turkish Journal of Botany

Triticeae Dumort. (Poaceae), or true grasses, the fifth-largest plant family in the world, are of great importance in terms of human life and civilization. Therefore, understanding the spatial distribution of the family members is important for botanists, plant producers, and breeders. Turkey is one of two gene centers of this family. In this study, the spatial distribution of Triticeae in Turkey was mapped in geographic information systems (GIS) by utilizing a large number of specimens collected from 1006 georeferenced sampling sites between 2004 and 2010. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was carried out in order to understand the spatial distribution of …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Benthic Diatom Flora In Lake Stechlin, Germany, Beáta Szabó, Judit Padisak, Géza B. Selmeczy, Lothar Krienitz, Peter Casper, Csilla Stenger-Kovács

Turkish Journal of Botany

Phytoplankton and planktonic centric diatoms of Lake Stechlin have been extensively studied, while attached diatoms have received much less scientific interest. In the present study, the composition of benthic diatoms and their diversity metrics were determined and compared along the shoreline of the lake in spring 2013 and autumn 2014. Overall, 118 taxa classified in 52 genera were found, of which 15 species belonged to threat categories of the Red List for Central Europe. Species richness (33 ± 4), Shannon diversity (2.47 ± 0.23), and species composition did not show any differences between different basins. Besides the spatial homogeneity, considerable …

A Karyomorphological Study On The Genus Muscari Mill. Growing In Kahramanmaraş (Turkey), Serpi̇l Demi̇rci̇ Kayiran, Fatma Neri̇man Özhatay

Turkish Journal of Botany

The karyotypes and idiograms of nine Muscari Mill. species from 21 populations distributed in Kahramanmaraş province, southern Turkey, were examined: M. armeniacum Leichtlin ex Baker 2n = 18 (diploid); M. aucheri (Boiss.) Baker 2n = 18 (diploid); M. anatolicum Cowley & Özhatay 2n = 27 (triploid); M. neglectum Guss. 2n = 18 (diploid), 36 (tetraploid), 54 (hexaploid); M. parviflorum Desf. 2n = 36 (tetraploid); M. babachii Eker & Koyuncu 2n = 18 (diploid); M. comosum Miller 2n = 18 (diploid); M. tenuiflorum Tausch 2n = 18 (diploid); and M. azureum Fenzl 2n = 18 (diploid). M. anatolicum is an endemic …

Entoloma Mengsongense Sp. Nov. (Entolomataceae, Agaricales),A Remarkable Blue Mushroom From Yunnan Province, China, Aseni Navoda Ediriweera, Samantha Chandranath Karunarathna, Jianchu Xu, Kevin David Hyde, Peter Edward Mortimer

Turkish Journal of Botany

A new agaric species, Entoloma mengsongense, is described and illustrated from samples collected in Mengsong, Yunnan Province, China. Microscopic observations were carried out to describe the micro- and macromorphological characteristics of specimens, and molecular identification was performed to verify the novelty of the species. The species is mainly recognized by its conical to plano-concave pileus, with yellowish brown fibril and 4?8 × 4?6 µm sized, cuboid?quadrate basidiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analysis using ITS sequence data also indicated that this is a new species closely related to E. virescens and E. hochstetteri. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic differences separate E. mengsongense from all …

First Data On The Taxonomic Diversity Of The Portulaca Oleracea Aggregate (Portulacaceae) In Iran, Mohammad Amini Rad, Sepideh Sajedi, Gianniantonio Domina

Turkish Journal of Botany

The review of specimens from Iran belonging to the Portulaca oleracea L. aggregate resulted in the recognition of six microspecies: P. cypria Danin, P. granulatostellulata (Poelln.) Ricceri & Arrigoni, P. nitida (Danin & H.G.Baker) Ricceri & Arrigoni, P. rausii Danin, P. socotrana Domina & Raimondo, and P. trituberculata Danin, Domina & Raimondo, all reported for the first time for the flora of Iran. The identification was based on the microscopic study of seeds. It is noted that P. oleracea is not confirmed for Iran. Distribution data and an identification key for Portulaca microspecies in Iran are presented.

Assessment Of Canopy Chlorophyll Content Retrieval In Maize And Soybean: Implications Of Hysteresis On The Development Of Generic Algorithms, Yi Peng, Anthony L. Nguy-Robertson, Timothy J. Arkebauer, Anatoly A. Gitelson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Canopy chlorophyll content (Chl) closely relates to plant photosynthetic capacity, nitrogen status and productivity. The goal of this study is to develop remote sensing techniques for accurate estimation of canopy Chl during the entire growing season without re-parameterization of algorithms for two contrasting crop species, maize and soybean. These two crops represent different biochemical mechanisms of photosynthesis, leaf structure and canopy architecture. The relationships between canopy Chl and reflectance, collected at close range and resampled to bands of the Multi Spectral Instrument (MSI) aboard Sentinel-2, were analyzed in samples taken across the entirety of the growing seasons in three irrigated …

Stress-Responsive Pathways And Small Rna Changes Distinguish Variable Developmental Phenotypes Caused By Msh1 Loss, Mon-Ray Shao, Sunil Kumar Kenchanmane Raju, John D. Laurie, Robersy Sanchez, Sally A. Mackenzie

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: Proper regulation of nuclear-encoded, organelle-targeted genes is crucial for plastid and mitochondrial function. Among these genes, MutS Homolog 1 (MSH1) is notable for generating an assortment of mutant phenotypes with varying degrees of penetrance and pleiotropy. Stronger phenotypes have been connected to stress tolerance and epigenetic changes, and in Arabidopsis T-DNA mutants, two generations of homozygosity with the msh1 insertion are required before severe phenotypes begin to emerge. These observations prompted us to examine how msh1 mutants contrast according to generation and phenotype by profiling their respective transcriptomes and small RNA populations.

Results: Using RNA-seq, we analyze …

Influence Of Olfactory And Visual Cover On Nest Site Selection And Nest Success For Grassland-Nesting Birds, Dillon T. Fogarty, Dwayne Elmore, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Scott R. Loss

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Habitat selection by animals is influenced by and mitigates the effects of predation and environmental extremes. For birds, nest site selection is crucial to offspring production because nests are exposed to extreme weather and predation pressure. Predators that forage using olfaction often dominate nest predator communities; therefore, factors that influence olfactory detection (e.g., airflow and weather variables, including turbulence and moisture) should influence nest site selection and survival. However, few studies have assessed the importance of olfactory cover for habitat selection and survival. We assessed whether ground-nesting birds select nest sites based on visual and/or olfactory cover. Additionally, we assessed …

Patterns Of Gene Expression In Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera) Neonates, Challenged With Cry34ab1, Cry35ab1 And Cry34/35ab1, Based On Next-Generation Sequencing, Haichuan Wang, Seong-Il Eyun, Kanika Arora, Sek Yee Tan, Premchand Gandra, Etsuko N. Moriyama, Chitvan Khajuria, Jessica D. Jurzenski, Huarong Li, Maia Donahue, Kenneth E. Narva, Blair Siegfried

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

With Next Generation Sequencing technologies, high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNAseq) was conducted to examine gene expression in neonates of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (LeConte) (Western Corn Rootworm, WCR) challenged with individual proteins of the binary Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins, Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab1, and the combination of Cry34/Cry35Ab1, which together are active against rootworm larvae. Integrated results of three different statistical comparisons identified 114 and 1300 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in the Cry34Ab1 and Cry34/35Ab1 treatment, respectively, as compared to the control. No DETs were identified in the Cry35Ab1 treatment. Putative Bt binding receptors previously identified in other insect species were not identified …

Interaction Of 2,4-D Or Dicamba With Glufosinate For Control Of Glyphosate-Resistant Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia Trifida L.) In Glufosinate-Resistant Maize (Zea Mays L.), Zahoor A. Ganie, Amit J. Jhala

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) giant ragweed is a problematic broadleaf weed in crops including maize and soybean in the Midwestern United States. Commercialization of crops with 2,4-D or dicamba and glufosinate resistance will allow post-emergence (POST) applications of these herbicides. Therefore, information is needed on how 2,4-D/dicamba will interact with glufosinate in various rate combinations. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the interaction of glufosinate plus 2,4-D and/or dicamba for control of GR giant ragweed, and to determine their effect on GR giant ragweed density, biomass, maize injury, and yield. Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 in a …

Changes In Soil Microbial Communities After 10 Years Of Winter Wheat Cultivation Versus Fallow In An Organic-Poor Soil In The Loess Plateau Of China, Hui Tian, Hui Wang, Xiaoli Hui, Zhaohui Wang, Rhae A. Drijber, Jinshan Liu

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Agricultural management methods, such as cultivation or fallowing, have led to significant changes in soil fertility and hence, crop yield. Such changes may have stemmed from changes in soil microbial communities and associated biogeochemical processes. This phenomenon is particularly true in organic-poor soil in the Loess Plateau of China. In this study, we examined three existing soil management regimes as part of a 10-year field experiment and evaluated their effects on fungal and bacterial community structures by performing high-throughput 454 pyrosequencing. These management regimes were (i) fertilized winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (FW), (ii) continuous …

Regeneration And Invasion Of Cottonwood Riparian Forest Following Wildfire, Carissa L. Wonkka, Dirac L. Twidwell Jr., Christine H. Bielski, Craig R. Allen, Michael C. Stambaugh

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Populus deltoides is considered to be a weak resprouter and highly susceptible to wildfire, but few post-wildfire studies have tracked P. deltoides response and resprouting within the Great Plains of North America. Following a wildfire in southwestern Kansas, U.S.A., we surveyed burned and unburned areas of a cottonwood riparian forest along the Cimarron River that included a major understory invader, tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.). We tested the following hypotheses, which are consistent with the current understanding of P. deltoides response to wildfire in the Great Plains: (1) regeneration of P. deltoides will be low in areas burned by the …

Genome-Guided Phylo-Transcriptomic Methods And The Nuclear Phylogentic Tree Of The Paniceae Grasses, Jacob D. Washburn, James C. Schnable, Gavin C. Conant, Thomas P. Brutnell, Ying Shao, Yang Zhang, Martha Ludwig, Gerrit Davidse, J. Chris Pires

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The past few years have witnessed a paradigm shift in molecular systematics from phylogenetic methods (using one or a few genes) to those that can be described as phylogenomics (phylogenetic inference with entire genomes). One approach that has recently emerged is phylo-transcriptomics (transcriptome-based phylogenetic inference). As in any phylogenetics experiment, accurate orthology inference is critical to phylo-transcriptomics. To date, most analyses have inferred orthology based either on pure sequence similarity or using gene-tree approaches. The use of conserved genome synteny in orthology detection has been relatively under-employed in phylogenetics, mainly due to the cost of sequencing genomes. While current trends …

Genetic Basis Of The Very Short Life Cycle Of ‘Apogee’ Wheat, Genqiao Li, Rungravee Boontung, Carol Powers, Vikas Belamkar, Tianrong Huang, Fang Miao, P. Stephen Baenziger, Liuling Yan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: ‘Apogee’ has a very short life cycle among wheat cultivars (flowering 25 days after planting under a long day and without vernalization), and it is a unique genetic material that can be used to accelerate cycling breeding lines. However, little is known about the genetic basis of the super-short life of Apogee wheat.

Results: In this study, Apogee was crossed with a strong winter wheat cultivar ‘Overland’, and 858 F₂ plants were generated and tested in a greenhouse under constant warm temperature and long days. Apogee wheat was found to have the early alleles for four flowering time …

Genome-Wide Characterization Of Non-Reference Transposable Element Insertion Polymorphisms Reveals Genetic Diversity In Tropical And Temperate Maize, Xianjun Lai, James C. Schnable, Zhengqiao Liao, Jie Xu, Gengyun Zhang, Chuan Li, Erliang Hu, Tingzhao Rong, Yunbi Xu, Yanli Li

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: Maize was originally domesticated in a tropical environment but is now widely cultivated at temperate latitudes. Temperate and tropical maize populations have diverged both genotypically and phenotypically. Tropical maize lines grown in temperate environments usually exhibit delayed flowering, pollination, and seed set, which reduces their grain yield relative to temperate adapted maize lines. One potential mechanism by which temperate maize may have adapted to a new environment is novel transposable element insertions, which can influence gene regulation. Recent advances in sequencing technology have made it possible to study variation in transposon content and insertion location in large sets of …

Long-Term Tillage Impact On Soil Hydraulic Properties, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Brian J. Weinhold, Virginia L. Jin, Marty R. Schmer, Leonard C. Kibet

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

An improved understanding of the impact of tillage systems on soil hydraulic properties is necessary to conserve and manage soil water under a changing climate. The objective of this study was to specifically measure soil hydraulic properties (total porosity, water infiltration, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water retention characteristics) in no-till, chisel plow, disk, and moldboard plow systems under rainfed continuous corn (Zea mays L.) after 35 yr on silty clay loam soils in eastern Nebraska. We measured ponded water infiltration (positive soil water pressure) and tension (-1 kPa matric potential) infiltration to exclude macropore (>125 mm diameter) flow. …

Reversing Resistance To Tembotrione In An Amaranthus Tuberculatus (Var. Rudis) Population From Nebraska, Usa With Cytochrome P450 Inhibitors, Maxwel C. Oliveira, Todd A. Gaines, Franck E. Dayan, Eric L. Patterson, Amit J. Jhala, Stevan Z. Knezevic

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background: A population of Amaranthus tuberculatus (var. rudis) was confirmed resistant to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)-inhibitor herbicides (mesotrione, tembotrione, and topramezone) in a seed corn/soybean rotation in Nebraska. Further investigation confirmed a non-target-site resistance mechanism in this population. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of cytochrome P450 inhibitors in restoring the efficacy of HPPD-inhibitor herbicides on the HPPD-inhibitor resistant A. tuberculatus population from Nebraska, USA (HPPD-R).

Background: A population of Amaranthus tuberculatus (var. rudis) was confirmed resistant to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)-inhibitor herbicides (mesotrione, tembotrione, and topramezone) in a seed corn/soybean rotation in Nebraska. Further investigation confirmed …

Can Cover Crop Use Allow Increased Levels Of Corn Residue Removal For Biofuel In Irrigated And Rainfed Systems?, S. J. Ruis, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Paul J. Jasa, R. B. Ferguson, G. Slater

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal at high rates can result in negative impacts to soil ecosystem services. The use of cover crops could be a potential strategy to ameliorate any adverse effects of residue removal while allowing greater removal levels. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine changes in water erosion potential, soil organic C (SOC) and total N concentration, and crop yields under early- and late-terminated cover crop (CC) combined with five levels of corn residue removal after 3 years on rainfed and irrigated no-till continuous corn in Nebraska. Treatments were no CC, early- and …

Using An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle To Evaluate Nitrogen Variability And Height Effect With An Active Crop Canopy Sensor, Brian Krienke, Richard B. Ferguson, Michael Schlemmer, Kyle Holland, David B. Marx, Kent M. Eskridge

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Ground-based active sensors have been used in the past with success in detecting nitrogen (N) variability within maize production systems. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) presents an opportunity to evaluate N variability with unique advantages compared to ground-based systems. The objectives of this study were to: determine if a UAV was a suitable platform for use with an active crop canopy sensor to monitor in-season N status of maize, if UAV’s were a suitable platform, is the UAV and active sensor platform a suitable substitute for current handheld methods, and is there a height effect that may be …

Dissecting The Genetic Basis Of Local Adaptation In Soybean, Nonoy B. Bandillo, Justin E. Anderson, Michael B. Kantar, Robert M. Stupar, James E. Specht, George L. Graef, Aaron J. Lorenz

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soybean (Glycine max) is the most widely grown oilseed in the world and is an important source of protein for both humans and livestock. Soybean is widely adapted to both temperate and tropical regions, but a changing climate demands a better understanding of adaptation to specific environmental conditions. Here, we explore genetic variation in a collection of 3,012 georeferenced, locally adapted landraces from a broad geographical range to help elucidate the genetic basis of local adaptation. We used geographic origin, environmental data and dense genome-wide SNP data to perform an environmental association analysis and discover loci displaying steep …

Comparison Of Organic And Integrated Nutrient Management Strategies For Reducing Soil N2O Emissions, Rebecca F. Graham, Samuel E. Wortman, Cameron M. Pittelkow

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

To prevent nutrient limitations to crop growth, nitrogen is often applied in agricultural systems in the form of organic inputs (e.g., crop residues, manure, compost, etc.) or inorganic fertilizer. Inorganic nitrogen fertilizer has large environmental and economic costs, particularly for low-input smallholder farming systems. The concept of combining organic, inorganic, and biological nutrient sources through Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) is increasingly promoted as a means of improving nutrient use efficiency by matching soil nutrient availability with crop demand. While the majority of previous research on INM has focused on soil quality and yield, potential climate change impacts have rarely been …

Rooting For Food Security In Sub-Saharan Africa, Nicolas Guilpart, Patricio Grassini, Justin Van Wart, Haishun Yang, Martin K. Van Ittersum, Lenny G.J. Van Bussel, Joost Wolf, Lieven Claessens, Johan G.B. Leenaars, Kenneth G. Cassman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

There is a persistent narrative about the potential of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to be a ‘grain breadbasket’ because of large gaps between current low yields and yield potential with good management, and vast land resources with adequate rainfall. However, rigorous evaluation of the extent to which soils can support high, stable yields has been limited by lack of data on rootable soil depth of sufficient quality and spatial resolution. Here we use location-specific climate data, a robust spatial upscaling approach, and crop simulation to assess sensitivity of rainfed maize yields to root-zone water holding capacity. We find that SSA could …