Plant Breeding and Genetics Commons^™

Selection And Genetic Drift In North American Maize, Collin Lamkey

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

Characterizing the impact of selection and genetic drift in the formation of heterotic groups and patterns in maize can reveal important insights into the mechanism underlying adaptation, and the relative importance of each force in defining population structure. The objectives were to characterize the role selection for hybrid performance had in defining population structure in both a reciprocal full-sib selection (RFS) program and a large collection of historically important inbred lines.

The Illumina GoldenGate Assay was used to genotype the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Replicated Recurrent Selection (UNL-RpRS) program. Eight cycles of S1-progeny and RFS selection were conducted for an index …

Msh1-Induced Non-Genetic Variation Provides A Source Of Phenotypic Diversity In Sorghum Bicolor, Roberto De La Rosa Santamaria, Mon-Ray Shao, Guomei Wang, David O. Nino-Liu, Hardik Kundariya, Yashitola Wamboldt, Ismail M. Dweikat, Sally Ann Mackenzie

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

MutS Homolog 1 (MSH1) encodes a plant-specific protein that functions in mitochondria and chloroplasts. We showed previously that disruption or suppression of the MSH1 gene results in a process of developmental reprogramming that is heritable and non-genetic in subsequent generations. In Arabidopsis, this developmental reprogramming process is accompanied by striking changes in gene expression of organellar and stress response genes. This developmentally reprogrammed state, when used in crossing, results in a range of variation for plant growth potential. Here we investigate the implications of MSH1 modulation in a crop species. We found that MSH1-mediated phenotypic variation in Sorghum bicolor …

Chromosome Counts For Packera Paupercula Variety Gypsophila, Chad Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

New plant species develop when diploid plants (having two sets of chromosomes) spontaneously double their chromosomes and the resulting tetraploids (having four sets of chromosomes) are no longer able to back cross to diploid members of the population. The North American plant species Packera paupercula (balsam-leafed ragwort), is widespread and morphologically diverse. An isolated group of populations from the chalky soils of west-central Alabama was recently named Packera paupercula variety gypsophila (the chalk-loving balsam ragwort). The variety’s large diameter pollen grains suggest it may be tetraploid. This project attempts the first chromosome count for the variety by examining cells undergoing …

Characterization Of Fall Leaves As A Source Of Cellulosic Ethanol, Justin Burum

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Ethanol is becoming increasingly popular as a fossil fuel additive or substitute. However, current production of ethanol from corn impacts food prices and appears to have an overall low net yield. New sources need to be identified and new processes developed for ethanol production. Cellulosic ethanol is one such new source. Plant material contains a large amount of cellulose and other polysaccharides which are potential feed stocks for ethanol production. The purpose of this experiment was to characterize the polysaccharide, lignin, and ash content of fall leaves to estimate their potential for ethanol production. A slight modification of the NREL …

Expression Of 9/13 Hydroperoxide Lyase In Cucumber Leaves, Samee Ranginwala

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Fatty Acid 9/13-Hydroperoxide Lyase (9/13-HPL) in the cucumber plant is an enzyme that cleaves either 9- or 13-hydroperoxides of polyunsaturated fatty acids to form volatile C9 or C6 aldehydes respectively. Since these aldehydes may play a role in the plant’s defenses against pathogens (K. Matsui, et. al. Phytochemistry 67 (2006) 649-657), the enzyme is stress induced during vulnerable times such as when the plant is injured. In order to better understand how this enzyme is induced, we have developed a Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction method to quantitate levels of 9/13-HPL mRNA. In initial experiments, the effect of mechanical wounding …

Pengaruh Naungan Dan Konsentrasi Pupuk Organik Cair Terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Anggrek Phalaenopsis Hasil Persilangan Kultivar Sayukudion X Taida Snow, Yayat Rochayat Suradinata

Jurnal Kultivasi

Percobaan ini bertujuan untuk menentukan persentase naungan dan konsentrasi pupuk organik cair yang terbaik terhadap pertumbuhan dan perkembangan tanaman anggrek Phalaenopsis hasil persilangan kultivar Sayukudion x Taida Snow. Dilaksanakan di Rumah Kaca Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Sumedang, dengan ketinggian tempat 700 meter dpl, pada bulan Oktober 2011 sampai Januari 2012. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Petak Terbagi dengan dua faktor dan tiga ulangan. Petak utama adalah persentase naungan (55 %, 65 %, 75 %) dan anak petak adalah konsentrasi pupuk organik cair (1 ml L-1, 2 ml L-1, 3 ml L-1). Perlakuan persentase naungan dan konsentrasi pupuk organik …

Are Local Filters Blind To Provenance? Ant Seed Predation Suppresses Exotic Plants More Than Natives, Dean Pearson, Nadia S. Icasatti, Jose L. Hierro, Benjamin J. Bird

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The question of whether species’ origins influence invasion outcomes has been a point of substantial debate in invasion ecology. Theoretically, colonization outcomes can be predicted based on how species’ traits interact with community filters, a process presumably blind to species’ origins. Yet, exotic plant introductions commonly result in monospecific plant densities not commonly seen in native assemblages, suggesting that exotic species may respond to community filters differently than natives. Here, we tested whether exotic and native species differed in their responses to a local community filter by examining how ant seed predation affected recruitment of eighteen native and exotic plant …

An Evaluation Of Watermelon (Citrullus Spp.) Germplasm For Additional Sources Of Resistance To The Twospotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus Urticae Koch)., Hector Cantu Jr.

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

Fourteen U.S plant introduction (PI) accessions of C. lanatus var. lanatus (4), C. lanatus var. citroides (5) C. colocynthis (5) and a known susceptible commercial cultivar ‘Sugar Baby’ were evaluated for resistance to the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, in a limited free-choice and free-choice bioassay under laboratory conditions. The limited free choice bioassay, involved nine Petri dish cages that held five randomly assigned leaves individually inoculated with two adult females and one adult male. Eggs, larva, and adults were counted over a nine day period. The free choice bioassay involved the even distribution of three mite infested …

Effects Of Culture Media And Plant Growth Regulators On Micropropagation Of Willow (Salix Matsudana ‘Golden Spiral’) And Hazelnut (Corylus Colurna ‘Te Terra Red), Dongxue Shi

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

The branches and leaves of Salix matsudana ‘Golden Spiral’ , willow, grow in a twisted manner, which makes it an important bonsai plant. Its mature stems have potential for the woody cut floral industry. Corylus colurna ‘ Te Terra Red’, hazelnut, distinguished by red or purple leaves in the spring, has potential ornamental value in the horticulture industry for landscape use. Micropropagation of these two plants could provide more and healthier plantlets for rapid commercial scale-up by the nursery industry. Nas and Read Medium (NRM) is a newer medium developed specifically for hazelnut species by Nas and Read based on …

Fall Seed Guide 2014, Teshome Regassa, P. Stephen Baenziger, Greg Kruger, Dipak Santra

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Crops include in this guide are winter wheat, winter barley, and triticale. You may receive this guide in the mail or through the University of Nebraska Extension network. The data and other information this guide is based on can be found at our web site: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/ varietytest/ and http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ncia. Additional information is available at the wheat variety virtual tour web site http://cropwatch.unl.edu/wheat/virtual or the winter wheat variety selection tool page http://citnews.unl.edu/winter_wheat_tool/index.shtml.

Our rainfed plots in Keith County were lost to hail damage. Last season we had moist soil conditions at planting for the majority of the locations. There was good …

Identification Of Quantitative Trait Loci / Genes For Low-Stachyose And High-Sucrose Content In Soybean Seeds, Sandra Liliana Florez Palacios

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Seed carbohydrate content is an important aspect in breeding for food-grade soybeans commercialized in the soyfood market. Sucrose and stachyose are the primary carbohydrates in soybean seed. Sucrose affects the quality and taste of various soyfoods such as tofu, soymilk, and natto; however, consumption of soy-based products with high stachyose concentrations can cause diarrhea and flatulence. A mutant line (V99-5089) with high-sucrose and low-stachyose has been identified. The objectives of this research were: 1) to identify sucrose QTLs in a F2-derived mapping population; 2) to investigate the genetic relationship between two low-stachyose sources, V99-5089 and the germplasm line PI200508; and …

Selection On Crop-Derived Traits And Qtl In Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Crop-Wild Hybrids Under Water Stress, Birkin R. Owart, Jonathan Corbi, John M. Burke, Jennifer M. Dechaine

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Locally relevant conditions, such as water stress in irrigated agricultural regions, should be considered when assessing the risk of crop allele introgression into wild populations following hybridization. Although research in cultivars has suggested that domestication traits may reduce fecundity under water stress as compared to wild-like phenotypes, this has not been investigated in crop-wild hybrids. In this study, we examine phenotypic selection acting on, as well as the genetic architecture of vegetative, reproductive, and physiological characteristics in an experimental population of sunflower crop-wild hybrids grown under wild-like low water conditions. Crop-derived petiole length and head diameter were favored in low …

Registration Of ‘Ci0947bmr’ Sorghum, O. R. Portillo, R. Clara-Valencia, J. Ramírez, R. Estebez, M. Hernández, A. Morán, R. Obando, N. Gutiérrez, R. Tinoco-Mora, N. De Gracia, D. Herrera, Luis Orlindo Tedeschi, W. L. Rooney

INTSORMIL Scientific Publications

The sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivar CI0947bmr (Reg. No. CV-137, PI 672153) was jointly developed and released by the Centro Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria y Forestal (CENTA) research program in El Salvador and the Texas A&M Agrilife Research sorghum breeding program in 2013. CI0947bmr is a brown midrib (bmr), dual-purpose sorghum selected for productivity in Central American environments. CI0947bmr was developed from a pedigree breeding program, and it was derived from a BC₁F₂ population of the pedigree B03292bmr/Tortillero//Tortillero. All generation advancement and selection were completed in San Andres, El Salvador. To confirm performance …

Functional Genomics Of Maize Endosperm Maturation And Protein Quality, Lingling Yuan

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

Maize is one of the most important cereal crops and widely cultivated throughout the world. The study on maize kernel development including protein quality improvement is essential for removing dietary protein deficiency because of the lack of essential amino acids, especially lysine and tryptophan, in maize kernel. Quality Protein Maize (QPM) is a hard kernel variant of the high-lysine mutant, opaque-2. We created opaque QPM variants to identify opaque-2 modifier genes and to investigate deletion mutagenesis combined with Illumina sequencing as a maize functional genomics tool. A K0326Y-QPM deletion mutant, line 107, was null for the 27- and 50-kD …

Characterization Of Genetically Modified High Biomass Producing Tobacco Plant, Pankaj Singh Kuhar

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

Global warming and peak oil has clouded our energy security. In light of this situation, bioethanol as emerged as one of the most amenable solutions to the problem. However bioethanol has its own shortcomings and transgenics seem imperative to exploit its full potential. A high biomass producing line in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) was identified during a routine genetic transformation, termed giant recombinant (GR). To characterize the phenotype of the giant line, growth rate and lignocellulosic composition was analyzed relative to the non-transgenic control line. The GR line accounted for 240% more biomass than the untransformed line …

Genome Sequence Of The Listia Angolensis Microsymbiont Microvirga Lotononidis Strain Wsm3557ᵀ, Wayne Reeve, Julie Kaye Ardley, Rui Tian, Sofie E. De Meyer, Jason Terpolilli, Vanessa Melino, Ravi P. Tiwari, Ronald J. Yates, Graham William O'Hara, John Gregory Howieson, Mohamed Ninawi, Xiaojing Zhang, David Bruce, Chris Detter, Roxanne Tapia, Cliff Han, Chia-Lin Wei, Marcel Huntemann, James Han, I-Min Chen, Konstantinos Mavromatis, Victor Markowitz, Ernest Szeto, Natalia Ivanova, Ioanna Pagani, Amrita Pati, Lynne Goodwin, Tanja Woyke, Nikos Kyrpides

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Microvirga lotononidis is a recently described species of root-nodule bacteria that is an effective nitrogen- (N2) fixing microsymbiont of the symbiotically specific African legume Listia angolensis (Welw. ex Bak.) B.-E. van Wyk & Boatwr. M. lotononidis possesses several properties that are unusual in root-nodule bacteria, including pigmentation and the ability to grow at temperatures of up to 45°C. Strain WSM3557T is an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod isolated from a L. angolensis root nodule collected in Chipata, Zambia in 1963. This is the first report of a complete genome sequence for the genus Microvirga. Here we describe the features …

Genome Sequence Of Rhizobium Leguminosarum Bv Trifolii Strain Wsm1689, The Microsymbiont Of The One Flowered Clover Trifolium Uniflorum, Jason Terpolilli, Tian Rui, Ronald J. Yates, John Gregory Howieson, Philip Poole, Christine Munk, Roxanne Tapia, Cliff Han, Victor Markowitz, Reddy Tatiparthi, Konstantinos Mavromatis, Natalia Ivanova, Amrita Pati, Lynne Goodwin, Tanja Woyke, Nikos Kyrpides, Wayne Reeve

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a soil-inhabiting bacterium that has the capacity to be an effective N2-fixing microsymbiont of Trifolium (clover) species. R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii strain WSM1689 is an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod that was isolated from a root nodule of Trifolium uniflorum collected on the edge of a valley 6 km from Eggares on the Greek Island of Naxos. Although WSM1689 is capable of highly effective N2-fixation with T. uniflorum, it is either unable to nodulate or unable to fix N2 with a wide range of both perennial and annual clovers originating from Europe, North America …

Improving Cocoa Production Through Lean: A Case Study Of The Ghanaian Cocoa Industry, Kwasi Boateng

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cocoa has been useful in several ways, especially to countries that produce it and consumers all over the world. Its benefits range from improving economies to satisfying millions all over the world who desire one cocoa product or the other. The production of cocoa however is not without its own attendant problems. Aging tree stock, spread of diseases, and production capacity problems are, but a few of many challenges that seed gardens that produce cocoa face. This study investigated the pollination process on selected seed gardens in Ghana, the second largest world producer of cocoa. The purpose of this study …

Comparison Of Five Major Trichome Regulatory Genes In Brassica Villosa With Orthologues Within The Brassicaceae, Naghabushana K. Nayidu, Sateesh Kagale, Ali Taheri, Thushan S. Withana-Gamage, Isobel A. P. Parkin, Andrew G. Sharpe, Margaret Y. Gruber

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Coding sequences for major trichome regulatory genes, including the positive regulators GLABRA 1(GL1), GLABRA 2 (GL2), ENHANCER OF GLABRA 3 (EGL3), and TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA 1 (TTG1) and the negative regulator TRIPTYCHON (TRY), were cloned from wild Brassica villosa, which is characterized by dense trichome coverage over most of the plant. Transcript (FPKM) levels from RNA sequencing indicated much higher expression of the GL2 and TTG1 regulatory genes in B. villosa leaves compared with expression levels of GL1 and EGL3 genes in either B. villosa or the reference genome species, glabrous B. oleracea; however, cotyledon TTG1 expression was high in …

Influence Of Ultraviolet Radiation On Cell Wall Constituents In Reduced-Lignin Mutants Of Corn And Sorghum, Brock Bermel

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Brown midrib mutants (BMR) of corn (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) have reduced lignin content and have recently gained popularity in Southern Minnesota as forage material for grazing animals. These mutants have lowered expression of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase and caffeic O-methyltransferase enzymes in the phenylpropanoid pathway responsible for the construction of the cinnamyl alcohol subunits of lignin. Lignin is found in the secondary cell wall of higher plants, along with substantial amounts of cellulose and hemicellulose polysaccharides. Reduced lignin increases livestock digestibility of these plants, but may also increase susceptibility to environmental stress and lodging. …

Characterization Of Microorganisms From Alfalfa Seeds Inoculants, Benedicte Diatta, Kalianna Kennoy, Silvia Rossbach

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

Atmospheric nitrogen fixation can be accomplished by free living microorganisms or by symbiosis between legume plants and rhizobia. The symbiosis between the alfalfa plant and Sinorhizobium meliloti is one example of the symbiotic relationship between legume plants and rhizobia. During the symbiosis, the rhizobia fix nitrogen for the plant and the plant in return provides carbohydrates for the bacteria. In order to maximize the plant’s yield in agriculture, recent technologies used include seed inoculants. Seed inoculation methods rely on coating the seeds with plant-growth promoting bacteria. Besides nitrogen-fixing bacteria, the seeds may also be coated with microorganisms aiding in mineral …

Novel Functional Roles For Perianthia And Seuss During Floral Organ Identity Specification, Floral Meristem Termination, And Gynoecial Development, April N. Wynn, Andrew A. Seaman, Ashley L. Jones, Robert G. Franks

Biological Sciences Research

The gynoecium is the female reproductive structure of angiosperm flowers. In Arabidopsis thaliana the gynoecium is composed of two carpels that are fused into a tube-like structure. As the gynoecial primordium arises from the floral meristem, a specialized meristematic structure, the carpel margin meristem (CMM), develops from portions of the medial gynoecial domain. The CMM is critical for reproductive competence because it gives rise to the ovules, the precursors of the seeds. Here we report a functional role for the transcription factor PERIANTHIA (PAN) in the development of the gynoecial medial domain and the formation of ovule primordia. This function …

Pengaruh Jarak Tanam Berbeda Pada Berbagai Dosis Pupuk Organik Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Jagung Hibrida P-12 Di Jatinangor, Agus Wahyudin, Ruminta, D. C. Bachtiar

Jurnal Kultivasi

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh jarak tanam dan dosis pupuk organik kandang domba yang memberikan pengaruh terbaik terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung Hibrida P-12. Percobaan dilaksanakan di Kebun Percobaan Ciparanje, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor, Kabupaten Sumedang, dengan ketinggian tempat ±750 meter di atas permukaan laut, dari bulan Maret sampai Juli 2013. Metode percobaan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok yang terdiri dari 9 perlakuan dan diulang tiga kali. Perlakuannya adalah sebagai berikut: Jarak tanam 75 x 25 cm + 2t/ha pupuk kandang, jarak tanam 75 x 25 cm + 1t/ha pupuk kandang, jarak tanam 75 x 25 cm …

Qtl Architecture Of Reproductive Fitness Characters In Brassica Rapa, Jennifer M. Dechaine, Marcus T. Brock, Cynthia Weinig

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Background

Reproductive output is critical to both agronomists seeking to increase seed yield and to evolutionary biologists interested in understanding natural selection. We examine the genetic architecture of diverse reproductive fitness traits in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from a crop (seed oil) × wild-like (rapid cycling) genotype of Brassica rapa in field and greenhouse environments.

Results

Several fitness traits showed strong correlations and QTL-colocalization across environments (days to bolting, fruit length and seed color). Total fruit number was uncorrelated across environments and most QTL affecting this trait were correspondingly environment-specific. Most fitness components were positively correlated, consistent with life-history …

Unprecedented Heterogeneity In The Synonymous Substitution Rate Within A Plant Genome, Andan Zhu, Wenhu Guo, Kanika Jain, Jeffrey P. Mower

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

The synonymous substitution rate varies widely among species, but it is generally quite stable within a genome due to the absence of strong selective pressures. In plants, plastid genes tend to evolve faster than mitochondrial genes, rate variation among species generally correlates between the mitochondrial and plastid genomes, and few examples of intragenomic rate heterogeneity exist. To study the extent of substitution rate variation between and within plant organellar genomes, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial and plastid genomes from the bugleweed, Ajuga reptans, which was previously shown to exhibit rate heterogeneity for several mitochondrial genes. Substitution rates were accelerated specifically …

Evaluation Of Constitutive Iron Reductase (Atfro2) Expression On Mineral Accumulation And Distribution In Soybean (Glycine Max. L), Marta W. Vasconcelos, Thomas E. Clemente, Michael A. Grusak

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Iron is an important micronutrient in human and plant nutrition. Adequate iron nutrition during crop production is central for assuring appropriate iron concentrations in the harvestable organs, for human food or animal feed. The whole-plant movement of iron involves several processes, including the reduction of ferric to ferrous iron at several locations throughout the plant, prior to transmembrane trafficking of ferrous iron. In this study, soybean plants that constitutively expressed the AtFRO2 iron reductase gene were analyzed for leaf iron reductase activity, as well as the effect of this transgene's expression on root, leaf, pod wall, and seed mineral concentrations. …

Identification Of Rna Silencing Components In Soybean And Sorghum, Xiang Liu, Tao Lu, Yongchao Dou, Bin Yu, Chi Zhang

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Background: RNA silencing is a process triggered by 21–24 small RNAs to repress gene expression. Many organisms including plants use RNA silencing to regulate development and physiology, and to maintain genome stability. Plants possess two classes of small RNAs: microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). The frameworks of miRNA and siRNA pathways have been established in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis).

Results: Here we report the identification of putative genes that are required for the generation and function of miRNAs and siRNAs in soybean and sorghum, based on knowledge obtained from Arabidopsis. The gene families, including …

Methylation Protects Micrornas From An Ago1- Associated Activity That Uridylates 5′ Rna Fragments Generated By Ago1 Cleavage, Guodong Ren, Meng Xie, Shuxin Zhang, Carissa Vinovskis, Xuemei Chen, Bin Yu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

In plants, methylation catalyzed by HEN1 (small RNA methyl transferase) prevents microRNAs (miRNAs) from degradation triggered by uridylation. Howmethylation antagonizes uridylation of miRNAs in vivo is not well understood. In addition, 5′ RNA fragments (5′ fragments) produced by miRNA-mediated RNA cleavage can be uridylated in plants and animals. However, the biological significance of this modification is unknown, and enzymes uridylating 5′ fragments remain to be identified. Here, we report that in Arabidopsis, HEN1 suppressor 1 (HESO1, a miRNA nucleotidyl transferase) uridylates 5′ fragments to trigger their degradation.We also show that Argonaute 1 (AGO1), the effector protein of miRNAs, interacts …

Small Rnas Meet Their Targets: When Methylation Defends Mirnas From Uridylation, Guodong Ren, Xuemei Chen, Bin Yu

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Small RNAs are incorporated into Argonaute protein-containing complexes to guide the silencing of target RNAs in both animals and plants. The abundance of endogenous small RNAs is precisely controlled at multiple levels including transcription, processing and Argonaute loading. In addition to these processes, 3' end modification of small RNAs, the topic of a research area that has rapidly evolved over the last several years, adds another layer of regulation of their abundance, diversity and function. Here, we review our recent understanding of small RNA 3' end methylation and tailing.

College Students’ Perceptions Regarding Sensory Aspects Of Conventionally Produced And Unconventionally Produced Foods: Implications For Marketing To The Millennial Generation, Christina Crowder, Catherine W. Shoulders, K. Jill Rucker

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Consumers vote every day on which products line the shelves of grocery stores, co-ops, and niche markets. Public unrest with regard to the environmental, animal welfare, food purity, and human health impacts of agricultural production practices have led to the rise of unconventionally produced (UP) food products. While the sales of UP foods is increasing, studies regarding the qualities of such products that impact consumer purchases have yielded inconsistent results. This study examined students’ perceptions of sensory aspects of conventionally produced (CP) and UP foods to better understand how sensory aspects impact decisions to purchase. Students reported consistent perceptions regarding …