Plant Biology Commons^™

Industrial Hemp Biomass Negatively Affected By Herbicide Drift From Corn And Soybean Herbicides, Milos Zaric, Bruno Canella Vieira, Barbara Houston, Guilherme Sousa Alves, Samuel E. Wortman, Julie A. Peterson, Greg R. Kruger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The establishment of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fields near row crops has raised concerns about the potential adverse effects of herbicide drift on hemp production. This study examined hemp susceptibility to drift of herbicides registered for use in corn and/or soybeans. Herbicide solutions (2,4-D, dicamba, glufosinate, glyphosate, imazethapyr, lactofen, mesotrione) were applied separately in the wind tunnel (3.6 m s⁻¹ airspeed), simulating drift scenarios, with conventional TP95015EVS (TP) and air inclusion AI95015EVS (AI) flat fan nozzles calibrated to deliver 140 L ha⁻¹ carrier volume at 230 kPa. Mylar cards and hemp plants (20–25 cm tall) were placed …

Designing A Decision-Support Tool For Fertilizer Recommendations In Oil Palm Smallholders, Rana Farrasati

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

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), originally from West Africa, now accounts for 42% of global vegetable oil production and mainly includes key regions cultivated in tropical regions of Southeast Asia, West Africa, South America, and Central America. Despite its economic significance, the oil palm industry faces challenges of stagnant yields and large yield gaps, particularly among independent smallholders. These issues often stem from inadequate nutrient management practices and limited agronomic knowledge. Our objective was to quantify nutrient requirements for mature oil palm plantations as a basis to design a decision support tool (DST) for fertilizer recommendations. To do so, …

Bio-Based Sprayable Mulch For Weed Control In Row Crop Systems, Camila Chiaranda Rodrigues

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

Improving current crop productivity levels requires transformative advancements in management, engineering, and science. One of the main challenges is the increasing difficulty of weed management due to herbicide-resistant weeds. There is a growing need for alternative weed management methods to reduce pesticide use and improve environmental safety. An emerging technology that is being developed is spray-on films which could help address these challenges. Spray-on films are liquid solutions that after spraying on the soil will dry and form a physical barrier. The overall objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of a chicken feather bio-based sprayable mulch film …

Assessing The Above- And Belowground Productivity Of Fall-Planted Cover Crop Cultivars In Nebraska's Diverse Ecoregions, Bridget Mckinley

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

Cover crops (CC) provide essential ecosystem services including soil conservation, nutrient cycling, and weed suppression, through the accumulation of aboveground (AGB) and belowground (BGB) biomass. While AGB has been widely studied, BGB contributions, particularly root development and distribution, remain less understood. This study evaluated fall-planted CC across three Nebraska ecoregions, assessing AGB productivity, BGB biomass, and correlations between ground cover, plant height, and AGB.

Thirty treatments, including grasses, legumes, brassicas, and mixtures, were evaluated over two fall growing seasons (2022–2023 and 2023–2024) at three UNL research centers in northeast, west central, and west Nebraska. AGB was highest at west site …

Twas Facilitates Gene-Scale Trait Genetic Dissection Through Gene Expression, Structural Variations, And Alternative Splicing In Soybean, Delin Li, Qi Wang, Yu Tian, Xiangguang Lyv, Hao Zhang, Huilong Hong, Huawei Gao, Yan-Fei Li, Chaosen Zhao, Jiajun Wang, Ruizhen Wang, Jinliang Yang, Bin Liu, Patrick S. Schnable, James C. Schnable, Ying-Hui Li, Li-Juan Qiu

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identifies trait-associated loci, but identifying the causal genes can be a bottleneck, due in part to slow decay of linkage disequilibrium (LD). A transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) addresses this issue by identifying gene expression–phenotype associations or integrating gene expression quantitative trait loci with GWAS results. Here, we used self-pollinated soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) as a model to evaluate the application of TWAS to the genetic dissection of traits in plant species with slow LD decay. We generated RNA sequencing data for a soybean diversity panel and identified the genetic expression regulation of 29 …

Parkway Pocket Garden Maintenance Booklet, Plaster Creek Stewards

Print Materials

Parkway pocket gardens are designed for areas between the sidewalk and street, but without a basin and curb-cut. By replacing lawn in parkways with native plants, it can soak up rainwater that falls on the gardens, provide habitat and a food source for pollinators and birds, and increase biodiversity in your neighborhood. This maintenance guide covers the Michigan native plants that may be found in a parkway pocket garden, maintenance recommendations, and weeds you may encounter.

Summer- And Fall-Planted Cover Crops Across Nebraska: Assessing Performance Using Aerial Imagery And Evaluating Short-Term Soil Impacts, Grace Emperatriz Pacheco Jiron

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

Cover crops are widely recognized for improving soil health and promoting sustainability in agricultural systems. Despite the increasing use of monitoring tools like aerial imagery, their application in evaluating summer-planted cover crops in the Great Plains remains limited, hindering effective management strategies. Fall-planted cover crops provide long-term environmental benefits, including enhanced soil quality and erosion control; however, understanding their short-term effects on soil properties is crucial for encouraging adoption. This study assessed summer- and fall-planted cover crops across Nebraska, integrating aerial imagery and soil health analyses.

Over two years, fifteen summer-planted monocultures and five mixtures were evaluated for establishment, biomass …

Dissecting The Genetic Architecture Of Sunflower Disc Diameter Using Genome-Wide Association Study, Yavuz Delen, Ravi V. Mural, Semra Palali-Delen, Gen Xu, James C. Schnable, Ismail M. Dweikat, Jinliang Yang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plays an essential role in meeting the demand for edible oil worldwide. The yield of sunflower seeds encompasses several component traits, including the disc diameter. Over three consecutive years, 2019, 2020, and 2022, we assessed phenotypic variation in disc diameter across a diverse set of sunflower accessions (N = 342) in replicated field trials. Upon aggregating the phenotypic data from multiple years, we estimated the broad sense heritability (H²) of the disc diameter trait to be 0.88. A subset of N = 274 accessions was genotyped by using the tunable genotyping-by-sequencing (tGBS) method, …

How Much Green To Keep The Garden Clean? An Analysis Of The Willingness To Pay (Wtp) Of Home Gardeners For Biowrap Technology, Gengchen Cai, Kanij Fatema, Karina A. Schoengold

Cornhusker Economics

A research team from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kansas State University, and South Dakota School of Mines are working on creating an alternative product that would use locally available materials to create a spray-on, biodegradable polymer that can suppress weeds and will biodegrade in a timeframe that is amenable to crop production. We broadly refer to this technology as BioWRAP (Bioplastics with Regenerative Agricultural Properties).

Our results show that the home garden market is potentially a significant one for a BioWRAP product. Continued work in the development of the BioWRAP technology is necessary to determine what the cost of a …

Association Mapping Of Important Agronomic Traits In Mucuna Pruriens (L.) Dc., Patrush Lepcha, Mahesh Shekhar, Leelambika Murugesan, Mahammad Jaheer, Ratan Chopra, Vikas Belamkar, Narayana Sathyanarayana

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background The tropical legume Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. can meet three agricultural needs: low-cost protein, highvalue medicines, and green manure or cover crops. But like other underutilized crops, it needs more modern breeding resources. Identifying marker-trait associations (MTAs) can facilitate marker-assisted breeding and crop improvement. Recent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of identifying MTAs using a small number of accessions (< 100). We have characterized a panel of 70 M. pruriens accessions across two consecutive years and performed association analysis for 16 phenotypic traits related to seed (seed length, seed width, seed thickness, seed yield per plant, hundred seed weight); pod (pod length, pod width, number of pods …

Key Stages In The Growth And Maturity Of Field Pea, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Many farm operations rely on a clear understanding of the stage of crop development. This factsheet describes key growth stages of field pea, which will aid growers and their advisers in determining the appropriate timing for the application of herbicides, crop-topping, swathing, and harvest.

There is likely to be considerable variability in a crop, particularly at maturity and harvest. Therefore, it is often necessary to estimate the average or majority development stage of a crop. At first, this is best done numerically, but with experience it can be done by eye.

Greater Aperture Counteracts Effects Of Reduced Stomatal Density On Water Use Efficiency: A Case Study On Sugarcane And Meta-Analysis, Daniel Lunn, Baskaran Kannan, Amandine Germon, Alistair Leverett, Thomas E. Clemente, Fredy Altpeter, Andrew D.B. Leakey

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Stomata regulate CO₂ and water vapor exchange between leaves and the atmosphere. Stomata are a target for engineering to improve crop intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE). One example is by expressing genes that lower stomatal density (SD) and reduce stomatal conductance (g_sw). However, the quantitative relationship between reduced SD, g_sw, and the mechanisms underlying it is poorly understood. We addressed this knowledge gap using low-SD sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid) as a case study alongside a meta-analysis of data from 10 species. Transgenic expression of EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR 2 from Sorghum bicolor (SbEPF2) in sugarcane …

Revisiting Fr13a For Submergence Tolerance: Beyond The Sub1a Gene, Waseem Hussain, Mahender Anumalla, Abdelbagi M. Ismail, Harkamal Walia, Vistas Kumar Singh, Ajay Kohli, Sankalp Bhosale, Hans Bhardwaj

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Rice landrace FR13A is the original donor of the SUB1A gene. FR13A harbors hidden genetic variation that surpasses the submergence tolerance level of SUB1A. Here, we provide an overview of the unique features of FR13A associated with exceptional recovery ability that have been overlooked since the significant discovery of the SUB1 locus. We present a detailed overview of how to underpin the new genes associated with the recovery ability seen in FR13A. Finally, we propose a unique approach to develop rice cultivars that surpass submergence tolerance beyond the SUB1 locus from FR13A.

Evaluating A Precision Sprayer For Detecting Weeds And Spraying Herbicides In Real Time (Spot Spray) For Weed Management In Corn And Soybean, Adam Eric Leise

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

Herbicide sprayers are becoming larger and more efficient in applications in crop fields. A precise and efficient herbicide application is advantageous in effective weed control. New precision sprayers were introduced in hopes of reducing the amount of herbicide applied. Greeneye Technology and John Deere have developed precision sprayers for the detection of weeds in crop fields, which come equipped with a dual tank system that allows for two different herbicides to be separated from tank to tip. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the broadleaf and grass weed control efficacy of spot spray (SS) technology when applied in …

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Research Studies 2023, Jason Kelley, Travis Faske

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The 2023 edition of the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Research Studies Series includes research results on topics pertaining to corn and grain sorghum production, including weed, disease, and insect management; economics; irrigation; agronomics; soil fertility; mycotoxins; cover crop management; and research verification program results. Our objective is to capture and broadly distribute the results of research projects funded by the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Board. The intended audience includes producers and their advisors, current investigators, and future researchers. The Series serves as a citable archive of research results.

Tissue‑ And Time‑Dependent Metabolite Profiles During Early Grain Development Under Normal And High Night‑Time Temperature Conditions, Nathan Abshire, Andrew L. Hauck, Harkamal Walia, Toshihiro Obata

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background Wheat grain development in the first few days after pollination determines the number of endosperm cells that influence grain yield potential and is susceptible to various environmental conditions, including high night temperatures (HNTs). Flag leaves and seed-associated bracts (glumes, awn, palea, and lemma) provide nutrients to the developing seed. However, the specific metabolic roles of these tissues are uncertain, especially their dynamics at different developmental stages and the time in a day. Tissue- and time-dependent metabolite profiling may hint at the metabolic roles of tissues and the mechanisms of how HNTs affect daytime metabolic status in early grain development. …

Adopting Yield-Improving Practices To Meet Maize Demand In Sub-Saharan Africa Without Cropland Expansion, Fernando Aramburu-Merlos, Fatima A. M. Tenorio, Nester Mashingaidze, Alex Sananka, Stephen Aston, Jonathan J. Ojeda, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Maize demand in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase 2.3 times during the next 30 years driven by demographic and dietary changes. Over the past two decades, the area croppedwithmaize has expanded by 17million hectares in the region, with limited yield increase. Following this trend could potentially result in further maize cropland expansion and the need for imports to satisfy domestic demand. Here, we use data collected from 14,773 smallholder fields in the region to identify agronomic practices that can improve farm yield gains. We find that agronomic practices related to cultivar selection, and nutrient, pest, and crop management can …

Evaluating The Yield Of Surviving Plants From Early-Season Hail Damage In Corn: A Field Survey, I. P. Lisboa, Christopher A. Proctor, R W. Elmore, A. J. Mcmechan, N. D. Mueller, J. Wilson, G. Zobeck, Aaron Nygren, A. Bastidas, Osler Ortez

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Economic losses due to hailstorms acrossUS corn fields occur every year.Hailstorms result in leaf defoliation, decreasing photosynthetic area and impairing carbon assimilation and crop yield for all corn (Zea mays L.) development stages. However, more attention is often given to stand reductions rather than damage to stems or leaf defoliation. During the 2014 growing season, a natural hail event affected many areas of eastern Nebraska. Twelve affected corn fields were surveyed and included in this study. An injury score scale (1–5) was developed based on various injury and severity levels before the V6 (6-leaf corn growth stage) (six-collared leaves). …

Natural Variation In Lonely Guy-Like 1 Regulates Rice Grain Weight Under Warmer Night Conditions, Jaspreet Sandhu, Larissa Irvin, Anil Kumar Chandaran, Shohei Oguro, Puneet Paul, Balpreet Dhatt, Waseem Hussain, Shannon S. Cunningham, Cherryl O. Quinones, Argelia Lorence, Maria Arlene Adviento-Borbe, Paul E. Staswick, Gota Morota, Harkamal Walia

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Global nighttime temperatures are rising at twice the rate of daytime temperatures and pose a challenge for rice (Oryza sativa) production. High nighttime temperature (HNT) stress affects rice yield by reducing grain weight, size, and fertility. Although the genes associated with these yield parameters have been identified and characterized under normal temperatures, the genetic basis of grain weight regulation under HNT stress remains less explored. We examined the natural variation for rice single grain weight (SGW) under HNT stress imposed during grain development. A genome-wide association analysis identified several loci associated with grain weight under HNT stress. A …

Barley Production: Effects Of Weather Damage And Varietal Purity On Quality, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Australian barley is regarded for its quality and suitability for both malting and animal feed, although varietal differences and environmental conditions during production can influence its quality.

On-Farm Nitrogen And Irrigation Management Strategies To Protect Groundwater Quality In The Bazile Groundwater Management Area, Arshdeep Singh

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

Increasing groundwater nitrate (NO₃-N) contamination has raised significant environmental and health concerns in the irrigated sandy soils of Nebraska. Four studies were conducted to evaluate the impact the impact of 1) static (NE Yield Goal) vs. dynamic nitrogen (N) recommendations tools (Maize-N, Canopy Reflectance Sensing, Granular, and Adapt-N), 2) three N (optimum, suboptimum, and low) and irrigation rates (farmer’s full irrigation (FIT), 80% FIT, and 60% FIT), 3) conventional N sources vs. enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs), and 4) multiple N splits (2, 3, 4, and 5-N splits) on agronomic (maize yield), environmental (NO3-N leaching), and economic returns (return …

Establishment Of Wildflower Islands To Enhance Roadside Health, Ecological Value, And Aesthetics, Jackson Ebbers

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

Roadsides provide an abundant opportunity to increase connectivity of fragmented landscapes with diminishing floral resources for pollinating insects. The ecological value of these sites is often overlooked as quality habitat for pollinators, particularly monarch butterflies, which have been experiencing severe declines due to loss of habitat and loss of milkweeds that provide food for their larvae. Land managers across the nation are realizing the potential of roadsides to provide high quality floral resources for the benefit of insects and other wildlife. Current wildflower seed mixes used by state transportation departments are often low diversity and may only be implemented following …

Public Horticulture: Process And Design Of The Lincoln Botanical Garden, Brad Kindler

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

Beginning in 2012, the local non-profit, The Lincoln Botanical Garden, began organizing the conceptual design and creation of a glass conservatory within a botanical garden in Lincoln, Nebraska. These proposed urban enhancements seek to fill a gap in garden amenities in the city by providing year-round access to public horticulture programming and education.

This project, Public Horticulture: Process and Design of the Lincoln Botanical Garden, documents these efforts and makes design recommendations for a themed Glacial Erratic Garden that could be constructed within the botanical garden.

Advisors: Ellen Paparozzi and Sam Wortman

Overexpression Of Msdreb1c Modulates Growth And Improves Forage Quality In Tetraploid Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.), Yangyang Zhang, Zhen Wang, Fan Zhang, Xue Wang, Yajing Li, Ruicai Long, Mingna Li, Xianyang Li, Quanzhen Wang, Qingchuan Yang, Junmei Kang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

DREB has been reported to be involved in plant growth and response to environmental factors. However, the function of DREB in growth and development has not been elucidated in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a perennial tetraploid forage cultivated worldwide. In this study, an ortholog of MtDREB1C was characterized from alfalfa and named MsDREB1C accordingly. MsDREB1C was significantly induced by abiotic stress. The transcription factor MsDREB1C resided in the nucleus and had self-transactivation activity. The MsDREB1C overexpression (OE) alfalfa displayed growth retardation under both long-day and short-day conditions, which was supported by decreased MsGA20ox and upregulated MsGA2ox in the OE …

Evaluating Consistency Across Multiple Neospectra (Compact Fourier Transform Near-Infrared) Spectrometers For Estimating Common Soil Properties, Sadia M. Mitu, Colleen Smith, Jonathan Sanderman, Richard R. Ferguson, Keith Shepherd, Yufeng Ge

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Rapid and cost-effective techniques for soil analysis are essential to guide sustainable land management and production agriculture. This study aimed at evaluating the performance and consistency of portable handheld Fourier-transform near-infrared spectrometers and the NeoSpectra scanners in estimating 12 common soil physical and chemical properties including pH; organic carbon (OC); inorganic carbon (IC); total nitrogen (TN); cation exchange capacity (CEC); clay, silt, and sand fractions; and exchangeable potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). A diverse set of samples (n = 600) were retrieved from a national-scale soil archive of the Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory of USDA-NRCS …

Accurate Measurement Of Field Size Is Essential For Analysis Of Smallholder Survey Data, Rica Joy Flor, Shen Yuan, Gonzalo Rizzo, Fahmuddin Agus, Anny Ruth P. Pame, Akhara Ouk, Rathmuny Then, Sokheng Keo, Virender Kumar, Particio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Context: Agronomic surveys play a vital role in identifying on-farm yield constraints and opportunities to increase productivity, input-use efficiency, and farmer profit. These surveys typically rely on farmer-reported data, where crop yield and applied inputs per hectare are estimated based on farmer-reported total harvested output and applied inputs per field and associated field size. At question is how accurate field size is, which is vital in the case of smallholders as small inaccuracies can lead to large biases in estimated yield and inputs.

Objectives: The goals of this study are to assess current approaches to determine field size …

Phenotypic Diversity For Morpho-Agronomic Traits In The Us Proso Millet (Panicum Miliaceum L.) Core Collection, Santosh G. Rajput, Rituraj Khound, Dipak K. Santra

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a short-season annual crop known for high water-use efficiency and drought tolerance. The low water requirement makes this ancient grain an excellent rotational crop for the winter wheat-based dryland cropping system in theHigh Plains of theUnited States. The genetic base of the commonly grown US cultivars is very narrow. Assessment of proso millet germplasm for agronomic traits is essential for its efficient utilization in the genetic improvement of this crop. The objectives of this study were to (1) characterize the US proso millet germplasm based on nine important morpho-agronomic traits and (2) classify …

Examination Of Greenhouse Conditions That Influence Scale Infestation Rates On Begonia, Madeline M. Cusick

Honors College Theses

Scale insects are common pests within greenhouse and agricultural settings. I quantified scale infestation on Begonia x Richmondensis, also known as the Dragon Wing begonia, within the Armstrong Campus Greenhouse from March to November of 2023. Six different treatments accounted for variations in sunlight, humidity, and temperature within the greenhouse with the goal of determining the insect’s preferred environmental conditions. Morphological comparisons were also made between host plant Dragon Wing begonia and other begonias present within the greenhouse. Analysis indicated a significant difference in scale presence on replicate plants by zone and sunlight treatments, with more plants hosting at least …

Soil Health Cycle, Bijesh Maharjan, Saurav Das, Vesh R. Thapa, Bharat Sharma Acharya

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soil health is pivotal to agricultural sustainability. Promoting and sustaining soil health management is challenging since it involves many interdependent components and steps and is an iterative process. Herein, the soil health cycle (SHC) is proposed as a soil health management cycle encompassing human dimensions, management practices, and their effects on soil health indicators (SHIs), leading to subsequent impacts on soil functions. The SHC provides a structure for an iterative testing of changes to improve soil health. A systematic review of research publications was also conducted using the Web of Science database supplemented by Elicit AI and Scopus API searches …

Providing Pest Management Education For Home Gardeners In Utah, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

In January 2024, Utah State University (USU) Extension's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program launched a three-part class series targeting Utah's home gardeners. The goal was to enhance their abilities in identifying and managing insect and plant diseases. With over 200 participants, the series notably increased the knowledge of attendees. This initiative aligns with the USU Extension IPM program's mission to promote sustainable pest management practices across Utah, evidencing its commitment to environmental stewardship and community education.