Other Plant Sciences Commons^™

Generalist Bird Exhibits Site-Dependent Resource Selection, Samantha M. Cady, Craig A. Davis, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Rheinhardt Scholtz, Daniel R. Uden, Dirac Twidwell

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Quantifying resource selection (an organism's disproportionate use of available resources) is essential to infer habitat requirements of a species, develop management recommendations, predict species responses to changing conditions, and improve our understanding of the processes that underlie ecological patterns. Because study sites, even within the same region, can differ in both the amount and the arrangement of cover types, our objective was to determine whether proximal sites can yield markedly different resource selection results for a generalist bird, northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We used 5 years of telemetry locations and newly developed land cover data at two, geographically distinct but …

Evaluation Of Cool-Season Annuals Effect On Soil Health In Warm-Season Perennial Pastures In Southestern Us., Paola C. Muela Negrete

LSU Master's Theses

Perennial grass crops represent approximately 8 million hectares of the land area of the humid lower southeastern United States. These forage crops receive high rates of fertilizer, especially nitrogen (N), and near monoculture remains have often been treated with repeated applications of herbicides. Pasture management is crucial to improve soil properties in pasturelands. Common pasture management practices include introducing cool-season multispecies in warm-season pasture systems and forage harvest frequency of pasture systems. It is known that cool-season multispecies in warm-season pasture systems ensure cattle feeding during winter season and have beneficial effects on soil microbial biomass, soil organic matter (SOM), …

Data From A Public–Industry Partnership For Enhancing Corn Nitrogen Research, C J. Ransom, J D. Clark, G M. Bean, C J. Bandura, M Shafer, N R. Kitchen, J J. Camberato, P R. Carter, R B. Ferguson, F G. Fernandez, D W. Franzen, C.A.M. Laboski, D B. Myers, E D. Nafziger, J E. Sawyer, J F. Shanahan

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Improving corn (Zea mays L.) N management is pertinent to economic and environmental objectives. However, there are limited comprehensive data sources to develop and test N fertilizer decision aid tools across a wide geographic range of soil and weather scenarios. Therefore, a public-industry partnership was formed to conduct standardized corn N rate response field studies throughout the U.S. Midwest. This research was conducted using a standardized protocol at 49 site-years across eight states over the 2014 to 2016 growing seasons with many soil, plant, and weather related measurements. This note provides the data (found in supplemental files), outlines the data, …

Structural Insights Into The Functional Divergence Of Whib-Like Proteins In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Tao Wan, Magdalena Horova, Daisy Guiza Beltran, Shanren Li, Huey-Xian Wong, Li-Mei Zhang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

WhiB7 represents a distinct subclass of transcription factors in the WhiB-Like (Wbl) family, a unique group of iron-sulfur (4Fe-4S] cluster-containing proteins exclusive to the phylum of Actinobacteria. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), WhiB7 interacts with domain 4 of the primary sigma factor (σ_^A4) in the RNA polymerase holoenzyme and activates genes involved in multiple drug resistance and redox homeostasis. Here, we report crystal structures of the WhiB7:σ^A₄ complex alone and bound to its target promoter DNA at 1.55-Å and 2.6-Å resolution, respectively. These structures show how WhiB7 regulates gene expression by interacting with both …

Nebline, July 2021

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Smart Techniques Conserve Water in Your Yard

Building a Healthy Community: What Lincolnites Say

Recipe of the Month

Saving and Sing and Storing Garden Seeds

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Naturally Occurring Elements in Groundwater: Last in a Series - Uranium

UNL East Campus Discovery Days

Nebraska 4rs Nutrient Stewardship Field Day

Ants in the Home & Landscape

Lawn Care and Young Children: Creating a Safe and Fun Place to Play

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Marti Thomson

Summer Programming 4-H Interns

4-H Announcements for 4H'ers and Volunteers

Extension News

Extension Calendar

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Genetic Mechanisms Of Sugarcane Aphid Resistance In Grain Sorghum, Desalegn D. Serba, Xiaoxi Meng, James Schnable, Elfadil Bashir, J P. Michaud, P V. Vara Prasad, Ramasamy Perumal

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (SCA), has become a major pest of grain sorghum since its appearance in the USA. Several grain sorghum parental lines are moderately resistant to the SCA. However, the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying this resistance are poorly understood, which has constrained breeding for improved resistance. RNA-Seq was used to conduct transcriptomics analysis on a moderately resistant genotype (TAM428) and a susceptible genotype (Tx2737) to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance. Differential expression analysis revealed differences in transcriptomic profile between the two genotypes at multiple time points after infestation by SCA. Six gene …

Fostering A Climate-Smart Intensification For Oil Palm, Juan Pablo Monzon, Maja A. Slingerland, Suroso Rahutomo, Fahmuddin Agus, Thomas Oberthür, José F. Andrade, Antoine Couëdel, Juan I. Rattalino Edreira, Willem Hekman, Rob Van Den Beuken, Fandi Hidayat, Iput Pradiko, Dwi K.G. Purwantomo, Christopher R. Donough, Hendra Sugianto, Ya Li Lim, Thomas Farrell, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Oil palm production in Indonesia illustrates the intense pressure that exists worldwide to convert natural ecosystems to agricultural production. Oil palm production has increased because of expansion of cultivated area rather than due to average-yield increases. We used a data-rich modelling approach to investigate how intensification on existing plantations could help Indonesia meet palm oil demand while preserving fragile ecosystems. We found that average current yield represents 62% and 53% of the attainable yield in large and smallholder plantations, respectively. Narrowing yield gaps via improved agronomic management, together with a limited expansion that excludes fragile ecosystems, would save 2.6 million …

Biocomposites Of Low-Density Polyethylene Plus Wood Flour Or Flax Straw: Biodegradation Kinetics Across Three Environments, Anna K. Zykova, Petr V. Pantyukhov, Elena E. Mastalygina, Christian Chaverri-Ramos, Svetlana G. Nikolaeva, Jose J. Saavedra-Arias, Anatoly A. Popov, Sam E. Wortman, Matheus Poletto

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential for biocomposite films to biodegrade in diverse climatic environments. Biocomposite films based on polyethylene and 30 wt.% of two lignocellulosic fillers (wood flour or flax straw) of different size fractions were prepared and studied. The developed composite films were characterized by satisfactory mechanical properties that allows the use of these materials for various applications. The biodegradability was evaluated in soil across three environments: laboratory conditions, an open field in Russia, and an open field in Costa Rica. All the samples lost weight and tensile strength during biodegradation tests, which was …

Physical–Chemical Properties, Droplet Size, And Efficacy Of Dicamba Plus Glyphosate Tank Mixture Influenced By Adjuvants, Estefania Gomiero Polli, Guilherme Sousa Alves, Joao Victor De Oliveira, Greg Robert Kruger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Dicamba plus glyphosate tank mixture have been largely adopted for postemergence weed control after the development of dicamba-tolerant crops. Ammonium sulfate is commonly used as water conditioner (WC) to increase glyphosate efficacy, but its use is restricted for dicamba herbicides. The use of non-AMS water conditioner and other adjuvants could be a way to optimize efficacy of this tank mixture while mitigating herbicide off-target movement. The objective of this study was to determine the physical–chemical properties and droplet size distribution of dicamba and glyphosate solutions with and without non-AMS WC alone and tank mixed with other adjuvants and evaluate the …

Critical Time For Weed Removal In Corn As Influenced By Planting Pattern And Pre Herbicides, Dejan Nedeljkovic, Stevan Knezevic, Dragana Bozic, Sava Vrbnicanin

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Determining the critical time for weed removal (CTWR) is essential for the development of an integrated weed management plan. Therefore, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of two planting patterns (standard and twin-row) with and without PRE-applied herbicides on CTWR in corn. Experiments were laid out in a split-plot arrangement with two main plots: (i) standard row planting (SRP) that is 70 cm wide, and (ii) twin-row planting (TRP) with 50 cm distance between each set of double rows. Each main plot was divided into two sub-plots (with and without PRE herbicides). The sub-sub-plots consisted of seven weed …

Sweet Sorghum Genotypes Tolerant And Sensitive To Nitrogen Stress Select Distinct Root Endosphere And Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities, Lucas Dantas Lopes, Yen Ning Chai, Ellen L. Marsh, John F. Rajewski, Ismail Dweikat, Daniel P. Schachtman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The belowground microbiomes have many beneficial functions that assist plant growth, including nutrient cycling, acquisition and transport, as well as alleviation of stresses caused by nutrient limitations such as nitrogen (N). Here we analyzed the root endosphere, rhizosphere and soil bacterial communities of seven sweet sorghum genotypes differing in sensitivity to N-stress. Sorghum genotypes were grown in fields with no (low-N) or sufficient (high-N) N. The dry shoot weight ratio (low-N/high-N) was used to determine N-stress sensitivity. Our hypothesis was that genotypes tolerant and sensitive to N-stress select distinct bacterial communities. The endosphere and rhizosphere bacterial community structure were significantly …

Meta-Analysis Identifies Pleiotropic Loci Controlling Phenotypic Trade-Offs In Sorghum, Ravi V. Mural, Marcin Grzybowski, Miao Chenyong, Alyssa Damke, Sirjan Sapkota, Richard E. Boyles, Maria G. Salas Fernandez, Patrick S. Schnable, Brandi Sigmon, Stephen Kresovich, James C. Schnable

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Community association populations are composed of phenotypically and genetically diverse accessions. Once these populations are genotyped, the resulting marker data can be reused by different groups investigating the genetic basis of different traits. Because the same genotypes are observed and scored for a wide range of traits in different environments, these populations represent a unique resource to investigate pleiotropy. Here, we assembled a set of 234 separate trait datasets for the Sorghum Association Panel, a group of 406 sorghum genotypes widely employed by the sorghum genetics community. Comparison of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted with two independently generated marker sets …

Nebline, June 2021

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Choosing Quality Child Care: Guidance For Parents

Eastern Carpenter Bees

Eating for Brain Health

Recipe of the Month

Naturally Occurring Contaminants, Part 4 of a Series — Arsenic

Efficiency Is Key To Profit On Stocker Cattle

Common Grub Control Questions

Garden Guide: Things to do This Month

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Jen & Jesse Metcalf

4th Graders Learn About “Farm to Fork” During Virtual Ag Festival

Statewide 4-H Companion Animal Challenge Results

Extension News

Extension Calendar

STEM Zoom Workshops in June

Seeking Lancaster County Fair Historic Memorabilia and Stories

Rhizosphere Microbiomes In A Historical Maize-Soybean Rotation System Respond To Host Species And Nitrogen Fertilization At The Genus And Subgenus Levels, Michael A. Meier, Martha G. Lopez-Guerrero, Ming Guo, Marty Schmer, Josh Herr, James Schnable, James R. Alfano, Jinliang Yang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Root-associated microbes are key players in plant health, disease resistance, and nitrogen (N) use efficiency. It remains largely unclear how the interplay of biological and environmental factors affects rhizobiome dynamics in agricultural systems. In this study, we quantified the composition of rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial communities associated with maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) in a long-term crop rotation study under conventional fertilization and low-N regimes. Over two growing seasons, we evaluated the effects of environmental conditions and several treatment factors on the abundance of rhizosphere- and soil-colonizing microbial taxa. Time of sampling, host plant species, …

Morphophysiological And Molecular Characterization Of Millet (Panicum Miliaceum L.) Varieties For Crop Improvement In Western Europe, Massimo Vischi, Nicola Zorzin, Maria Bernhart, Johanna Winkler, Dipak Santra, Carla Pappalardo, Stefano Marchetti

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background

Global warming and issues in favour of a more sustainable agriculture suggest a reconsideration of minor cereals in European agrosystems. Compared to other summer crops, proso millet has a remarkable drought resistance and could be used to improve crop rotation and biodiversity. Proso millet is also increasingly sought by industry to produce novel foods such as those designed for celiac patients. In this study, a thorough characterization of 11, commercially available, proso millet (Panicum milliaceum L.) varieties was carried out as a preliminary step for crop reintroduction and breeding in Western Europe.

Methods

The cultivars under evaluation were …

Evaluation Of Masculinization Treatments To Produce Feminized Hemp Seed (Cannabis Sativa L.), Ted Fitzgerald, J. Wyatt Brown

Master's Theses

Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) develops plants with either male or female flowers, and growers of hemp greatly prefer female flowers which bear the glandular trichomes that contain cannabinoids. Feminized (all female) seeds are highly desired, which are produced by crossing a female plant with a masculinized female plant. Masculinization is achieved through the inhibition of ethylene and/or addition of gibberellins before flower initiation in female plants. The hemp industry uses silver thiosulfate (STS) to masculinize hemp, but spraying silver poses environmental concerns. This study compared STS to three other ethylene-inhibiting agents: aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), cobalt nitrate (CBN), and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). Treatments …

Improved Taste And Texture In Novel Popcorn Varieties Compared To Conventional Lines, Leandra Parsons, Oscar Rodriguez, David R. Holding

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Abstract Quality Protein Popcorn (QPP) varieties were bred out of a unique germplasm pool derived from Quality Protein dent Maize and conventional popcorn lines. To identify and compare distinctive characteristics within this population, a new sensory method was employed that coupled hedonic numeric rankings of common sensory traits appearance, aroma, texture, and taste with an “overall likability” score while requiring the selection of specific descriptors for taste and texture. Participants tasted six popcorn cultivars, rated each sample based on sensory factors, and offered specific descriptors for taste and texture. This sensory method identified two QPP hybrids with higher overall likability …

Coleoptile Length Comparison Of Three Winter Small Grain Cereals Adapted To The Great Plains, M. Alam, M. Kashif, Amanda Easterly, F. Wang, J. D. Boehm Jr., P. Stephen Baenziger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Successful crop stand establishment is critical to realize high yield potential, which is dependent on depth of seed placement to access soil moisture. The coleoptile determines sowing depth by its length and ability to emerge from depth. This study was conducted to assess coleoptile length among three sets of three Great Plains winter small grain cereals—wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and triticale (X triticosecale Wittm.)—and to evaluate the effect of the Rht-B1b dwarfing allele on coleoptile length in wheat and triticale. Fifty seeds of each genotype were sown in wet germination paper in two …

Samphires (Tecticornia Species) For Dryland Salinity Management In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Samphire is the common name for native plants from the genus Tecticornia (synonym Halosarcia). Although slower growing than saltbush and bluebush species, samphires have higher tolerance to saline conditions and waterlogging, and are common in waterlogged saline areas of south-west Western Australia.

Samphire is not a desirable grazing species.

Estimation Of Household Smoke-Exposure Risk Using Demographic And Health Survey (Dhs) Data, Mazbahul G. Ahamad, Fahian Tanin

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

We introduce Stata and R codes to estimate the household smoke-exposure risk (SER) variable using cooking fuel- and cooking place-related information obtained from country-level demographic and health survey (DHS) data. Two categories of cooking fuels (smoke-producing and non-smoke producing fuels) and two categories of cooking places (indoor and outdoor) are used to estimate the household SER. Finally, household SER is classified into four levels of risk: high (cooking indoor using smoke-producing fuels), medium (cooking outdoor using smoke-producing fuels), low (cooking indoor using non-smoke-producing fuels), and very low (cooking outdoor using non-smoke-producing fuels). An example of a household SER calculation using …

Techniques To Improve The Volume, Texture And Nutritional Quality Of Gluten-Free Bread, Zachary Christman

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

This article highlights the use of soy flour to improve the protein and fiber of gluten free bread. Also, the use of an extrusion process on soybean and corn flour blends improves the volume and texture of the bread. A full listing of the ingredients and method for production of higher quality gluten free bread is included.

Pasture Legumes And Grasses For Saline Land In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

The productivity of saline and waterlogged land can be markedly increased by using salt tolerant legumes and grasses, in mixtures. The mix is particularly important for increasing the productivity and profitability of saltbush-based pastures. The information is relevant to the south-west agricultural region of Western Australia.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides this information on the tolerance and establishment of salt tolerant legumes and grasses to improve the productivity and profitability of saline land.

Saltbushes For Dryland Salinity Management In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Saltland pastures always have a range of plant species, even in dense saltbush plantations. Saltbush will often change the watertable and surface soil characteristics enough for other plants to colonise. The understorey plants are often the most productive component of saltbush pastures.

This page provides information about each of the saltbushes that can be used in these mixed salt-tolerant pastures.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that saltland management is part of a whole farm – or preferable whole catchment – plan.

Tall Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum Ponticum) For Dryland Salinity Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum) has been widely planted in Western Australia on saline land in the southern agricultural areas, on land that shows signs of salt and is not permanently waterlogged.

The information provided here assumes that tall wheatgrass is being grazed effectively by livestock.

Responses Of The Carnivorous Pink Spoonleaf Sundew (Drosera Capillaris) To Nitrogen Addition, Phosphorus Addition, And Simulated Fire, Karina Rodriguez Castillo

Honors Theses

This study investigated how the carnivorous plant, Drosera capillaris(pink sundew), responded to changes in the resources of its habitat, the fire-prone, nutrient-poor wet savannas. It is of interest to determine what soil nutrient(s), nitrogen or phosphorus, limits the survival and growth of pink sundew, and to what extent, if any, does fire affect the survival and growth of this carnivorous plant. My field experiments had twenty plots with two replicate groups consisting of four pink sundews in each plot. From the fall of 2017 to the fall of 2019, only half of the plots were clipped annually, and there …

Nebline, May 2021

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Building Health Equity in Lincoln: Extension Launches Health Equity Coalition

Recipe of the Month

Intensive Gardening Techniques

Garden Guide Things to Do This Month

Naturally Occurring Elements in Groundwater--Part 3 of a Series — Fluoride

Cash Rent Survey

Preparing for the Inevitable: Japanese Beetles

Challenge Accepted! Children Thrive Outside

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Rusty & Heidi Hanley

4-H Announcements for 4-H'ers and Volunteers

Clover College: June 15–18, 2021

EXTENSION CALENDAR

4-H’ers Qualify for State Speech & PSA Contest

4-H Horse Stampede Results

Interactive Effects Of Soil And Browsing On Big Sagebrush: Implications For Restoration Success, Kyle Nehring

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Heterogeneity in landscape conditions (e.g., soil types) precludes a “one size fits all” management strategy across large landscapes. New management approaches that explicitly account for heterogeneous landscapes (and the variable conditions therein) will be required to maintain habitat quality. In particular, we require an improved mechanistic understanding of how the outcomes of conservation and restoration actions are contingent upon a) contextual abiotic factors (e.g., moisture availability mediated by soils and precipitation) and b) their interactions with biotic factors (e.g., browsing wildlife).

We propose to answer fundamental questions about how big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), the foundational species for sagebrush …

Factors Affecting Irrigation Water Use In Southwest Missouri And Soil Microbial Response To Irrigation And Crop Residue, Shirley M. Dobbs

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Sustainable use of water resources in Southwest Missouri requires a better understanding of factors that influence groundwater use by crop producers. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of weather patterns and edaphic factors on water used for agricultural irrigation. Groundwater withdrawal data from 14 high-use agricultural irrigation wells were monitored between 2009 and 2016 as part of the Southwest Missouri Irrigation Project. Stepwise and linear regression was used to assess the relationship of weather and edaphic factors in response to annual water use from each well. Precipitation volume, number of precipitation events, average maximum and minimum …

Origin Of Agricultural Plant Pathogens: Diversity And Pathogenicity Of Rhizoctonia Fungi Associated With Native Prairie Grasses In The Sandhills Of Nebraska, Srikanth Kodati, Anthony O. Adesemoye, Gary Y. Yuen, Jerry Volesky, Sydney E. Everhart

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The Sandhills of Nebraska is a complex ecosystem, covering 50,000 km² in central and western Nebraska and predominantly of virgin grassland. Grasslands are the most widespread vegetation in the U.S. and once dominated regions are currently cultivated croplands, so it stands to reason that some of the current plant pathogens of cultivated crops originated from grasslands, particularly soilborne plant pathogens. The anamorphic genus Rhizoctonia includes genetically diverse organisms that are known to be necrotrophic fungal pathogens, saprophytes, mycorrhiza of orchids, and biocontrol agents. This study aimed to evaluate the diversity of Rhizoctonia spp. on four native grasses in the …

Changes In Subcellular Localization Of Host Proteins Induced By Plant Viruses, Rosalba Rodriguez-Pena, Kaoutar El Mounadi, Hernan Garcia-Ruiz

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Viruses are dependent on host factors at all parts of the infection cycle, such as translation, genome replication, encapsidation, and cell-to-cell and systemic movement. RNA viruses replicate their genome in compartments associated with the endoplasmic reticulum, chloroplasts, and mitochondria or peroxisome membranes. In contrast, DNA viruses replicate in the nucleus. Viral infection causes changes in plant gene expression and in the subcellular localization of some host proteins. These changes may support or inhibit virus accumulation and spread. Here, we review host proteins that change their subcellular localization in the presence of a plant virus. The most frequent change is the …