Plants Commons^™

Endocidal Regulation Of Secondary Metabolites In The Producing Organisms, Shiyou Li, Ping Wang, Wei Yuan, Zushang Su, Steven H. Bullard

Faculty Publications

Secondary metabolites are defined as organic compounds that are not directly involved in the normal growth, development, and reproduction of an organism. They are widely believed to be responsible for interactions between the producing organism and its environment, with the producer avoiding their toxicities. In our experiments, however, none of the randomly selected 44 species representing different groups of plants and insects can avoid autotoxicity by its endogenous metabolites once made available. We coined the term endocides (endogenous biocides) to describe such metabolites that can poison or inhibit the parent via induced biosynthesis or external applications. Dosage-dependent endocides can selectively …

Mechanisms Of Adaptation In The Newly Invasive Species Brachypodium Sylvaticum (Hudson) Beauv., Gina Lola Marchini

Dissertations and Theses

It is common knowledge that invasive species cause worldwide ecological and economic damage, and are nearly impossible to eradicate. However, upon introduction to a novel environment, alien species should be the underdogs: They are present in small numbers, possess low genetic diversity, and have not adapted to the climate and competitors present in the new habitat. So, how are alien species able to invade an environment occupied by native species that have already adapted to the local environment? To discover some answers to this apparent paradox I conducted four ecological genetic studies that utilized the invasive species Brachypodium sylvaticum (Hudson) …

Anti-Tb And Antibacterial Activities Of Natural Products Extracts, Douglas Armstrong, Nathan Krause, Drew Frey

Faculty Scholarship – Chemistry

Samples of numerous plant species were received from the southwestern part of the USA from Richard Spjut, and plant samples were collected here in Illinois. All were extracted with typical solvents, giving crude residues, some of which were subjected to counter-current or flash chromatographic methods. Some of the crude extracts and chromatographic fractions had anti-tuberculosis and/or antibacterial activity.

In a general way, bioactive natural products are dealt with very well by Liang & Fang, 2006. More specifically, the southwestern part of the United States has a large variety of indigenous plants, many of which have not been investigated for their …

The Effect Of Pomegranate Juice Extract On The Hedgehog Signaling Pathway In Pancreatic Cancer, Veronica Gomez, Talia Shackelford, Autumn Tocchi, Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith

e-Research: A Journal of Undergraduate Work

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. There have been several reports indicating that phytochemicals in fruits can reduce the risk of cancer due to the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the polyphenols. Our lab has shown that pomegranate juice extract (PJE) has anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in human pancreatic cancer cells. In the past, we have shown that cells adhere more strongly to the plate when treated with PJE. This observation prompted an investigation of how PJE regulates cell adhesion proteins. Previously, our lab investigated E-cadherin, a cell adhesion protein. Upon activation …

Community Level Impacts Associated With The Invasion Of English Ivy (Hedera Spp.) In Forest Park: A Look At The Impacts Of Ivy On Community Composition And Soil Moisture, Sara Rose Copp

Dissertations and Theses

Invasive species degrade ecosystems by altering natural processes and decreasing the abundance and diversity of native flora. Communities with major fluctuations in resource supply allow invasive species to exploit limiting resources making the community prone to invasion. In the Pacific Northwest, urban forests characterized with limited light and seasonally limited soil moisture are being dominated by nonnative English ivy (Hedera spp). Three observational studies were conducted in the Southern end of Forest Park within the Balch Creek Subwatershed in Portland, Oregon in order to understand 1) how English ivy changes over three growing seasons, 2) how the native …

The Effects That Liquid And Solid Cattle Manure Have On The Water Quality Of Drainage Ditches In Putnam County, Ohio, Janelle Horstman

Honors Projects

Lake Erie has experienced harmful algal blooms with increased frequency since the mid-1990s due to excess nutrients from Rivers, such as the Maumee River, and largely agricultural watersheds. Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture contributes to eutrophication, algal blooms, and the degradation of water quality. This creates stress on aquatic fauna, reduced aesthetic quality, odor, and limits of the water for usage of drinking, recreation, and industry. This research paper asks what the contributions of having access to manure application records, soil records, and information about antibiotics have on what is known about manure management and antibiotic resistance, which has been …

Studies On Tracheorelaxant And Anti-Inflammatory Activities Of Rhizomes Of Polygonatum Verticillatum, Haroon Khan, Muhammad Saeed, Hassan Mehmood, Najeeb-Ur Rehman, Naveed Muhammad, Ikram-Ul Haq, Nadeem Ashraf, Kamal Eldin H El-Tahir, Anwar Gilani

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background: The present study describes the tracheorelaxant and anti-inflammatory effects of Polygonatum verticillatum which may support its medicinal use in hyperactive airway complaints and inflammatory disorders.
Methods: The tracheorelaxant activity of crude extract of the rhizomes of P. verticillatum (PR) was assessed in isolated guinea-pig tracheal tissues immersed in tissue organ bath filled with Tyrode's solution and a continuous supply of carbogen gas (95% O2 and 5% CO2). The contractile and relaxant responses of the tissue were measured using isometric transducers coupled with Power-Lab data acquisition system. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model, while the …

Phytochemistry And Pharmacology Of Plants From The Ginger Family, Zingiberaceae, Hans Wohlmuth

Dr Hans Wohlmuth

This thesis reports on a series of investigations into the phytochemistry and pharmacology of plants belonging to the ginger family, Zingiberaceae (incl. Costaceae). The work falls into two main parts. The first part examines the pungent compounds and essential oil in 17 clones of ginger (Zingiber officinale) with a view to identify one or more with unique chemistry and consequent particular therapeutic (or flavouring) prospects. The second part comprises the screening of 41 taxa for inhibition of PGE2 and other biological activities, with the primary aim of identifying species with potential anti-inflammatory activity. This part tested the hypothesis that the …

A Literature Review Of The Health Effects Of A Plant Based Diet Versus An Animal Based Diet, James Cote

Senior Honors Theses

Health and nutrition can mean a myriad of things to many people in today’s culture. The majority of the time people are unaware of the proper nutrients their body needs and how to get them from food. This thesis will seek to expose the health benefits that are associated with consuming a raw plant-based die, offering a more profound and encompassing view on nutrition. Investigating further into today’s most common diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer and autoimmune disorders, it will seek to discover and answer why we have so many health issues. This thesis will discuss the …

Effects Of Planting Date, Harvest Date, And Environmental Conditions On Germination Of Forage Kochia Accessions, Cody F. Creech

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Forage kochia is used to re-seed areas in harsh environments that have been infested by annual weeds or disturbed by repetitive fires. It is an introduced perennial semi-shrub that is valuable to livestock and wildlife as a forage. The seed of forage kochia is very unpredictable and successful establishment in areas of low precipitation where it is utilized has often been erratic. Forage kochia seeding failures are costly and leave the land vulnerable to further degradation and erosion. This study was conducted to investigate how germination of forage kochia is affected by different harvest and planting dates, age of seed, …

The Relationship Between Salinity And Drought Tolerance In Turfgrasses And Woody Species, Nisa Leksungnoen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Both salt and water deficit make it difficult for plants to uptake water from soil. Thus, plants under those conditions may respond and deal with them similarly. The overall objectives of this study were to 1) determine visual appearance and physiological responses, and mechanisms to deal with salt and water deficit of turfgrasses and woody species, and 2) determine the relationship between salt and water deficit tolerance ability in those species.

Five turfgrass entries, ‘Gazelle’ and ‘Matador’ tall fescue (TF), ‘Midnight’ Kentucky bluegrass (KBG), PI368233 (Tolerant KBG), and PI372742 (Susceptible KBG), and three woody species, bigtooth maple (xeric-non saline), bigleaf …

Influence Of Soil Microorganisms On Plant Growth And Fitness, Benjamin Jayne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most terrestrial plants benefit from symbiosis with soil microorganisms. Symbiotic bacteria and fungi have wide-ranging effects on host plants, including improved nutrition, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. Association with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) can enhance growth and protect plants from environmental stressors while they share products of photosynthesis with the resident fungi. Scores of studies indicate that mycorrhizal plants are more resistant to drought stress than their non-mycorrhizal counterparts. Use of microbes as a plant and soil supplement in home gardens represents a sustainable alternative to resource-intensive inputs and may allow for reduced water use. I investigated the effects of …

Sera Of Iga Nephropathy Patients Contain A Heterogeneous Population Of Relatively Cationic Alpha-Heavy Chains, Onn Haji Hashim

Onn Haji Hashim

Sera of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients and normal subjects were analysed by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis. Densitometric analysis of the 2-D gels of IgAN patients and normal subjects revealed that their protein maps were comparable. There was no shift of pI values in the major alpha-heavy chain spots. However, the volume of the alpha-heavy chain bands were differently distributed. Distribution was significantly lower at the anionic region in IgAN patients (mean anionic:cationic ratio of 1.184 +/- 0.311) as compared to normal healthy controls (mean anionic:cationic ratio of 2.139 +/- 0.538). Our data are in support of the previously reported findings …

Natural And Synthetic Viniferins Associated With The Grapevine Disease Young Vine Decline, David Michael Mcginnis

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Grapevine disease has been thc subject of intense research amongst viticulturists over the last few decades, especially during the 1990's. There has been discoveries that suggest grapevine disease is commonly caused by fungal pathogens. One of the most common fungi that the vine may become infected by is known as Botrytis cinerea. B. cinerea is capable of attacking the grapevine which in turn will lead to bunch rot in the grape clusters. This disease has been researched in great detail during the past several years and is one of only few microorganisms that have actually been identified. Phaeoacremrmium chnlmydospnrum …

Galactose-Binding Lectin From The Seeds Of Champedak (Artocarpus Integer): Sequences Of Its Subunits And Interactions With Human Serum O-Glycosylated Glycoproteins, Onn Haji Hashim

Onn Haji Hashim

Our group has previously reported the isolation, partial characterisation, and application of a Galbeta1-3GalNAc- and IgA1-reactive lectin from the seeds of champedak (Artocarpus integer). In the present study, we have subjected the purified lectin to reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and sequenced its subunits. Determination of the N-terminal sequence of the first 47 residues of the large subunit demonstrated at least 95% homology to the N-terminal sequence of the alpha chains of a few other galactose-binding Artocarpus lectins, The two smaller subunits of the lectin, each comprised of 21 amino acid residues, demonstrated minor sequence variability. Their sequences were generally …

Isolation Of A Mannose-Binding And Ige- And Igm-Reactive Lectin From The Seeds Of Artocarpus Integer, Onn Haji Hashim

Onn Haji Hashim

A mannose-binding lectin, termed champedak lectin-M, was isolated from an extract of the crude seeds of champedak (Artocarpus integer). On gel filtration chromatography, the lectin eluted in a single peak at elution volumes corresponding to 64 kDa, SDS-PAGE showed the mannose-binding lectin to be composed of 16.8 kDa polypeptides with some of the polypeptides being disulphide-linked to give dimers. When tested with all isotypes of immunoglobulins, champedak lectin-M demonstrated a selective strong interaction with human IgE and IgM, and a weak interaction with IgA2, The binding interactions of lectin-M were metal ion independent. The lectin was also shown to interact …

Dissolution And Precipitation Of Gypsum In The Soil Under Irrigation, Badier J. Alawi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two soils were used in this soil column study. Yolo loam soil a non-calcareous, non-gypsiferous soil from central California and Vernal soil a calcareous soil from eastern Utah.

Initial studies were conducted where the solubilities of pure CaC0₃ and CaS0₄ ' 2H₂0 were determined in the presence of Logan river water, a KCl solution (2.8 mmhos/cm) and a K₂S0₄ solution (2. 7 mmhos/cm). Gypsum was more soluble in the KCl solution than in the K₂S0₄ solution. The solubility product of both gypsum and lime were determined from the analytical …

Mitochondrial Activity Of Hardened And Nonhardened Rye (Secale Cereale) Plants Exposed To Freezing Temperatures, Bryce D. Bennett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Five day old dark-grown seedlings of Secale cereale variety "cougar" grown at 20 C were subjected to hardening at 2 C in daily increments from 0 to 7 days, to temperature stress at -5 C for 0, 1, and 3 days, and to recovery at 20 C for 0, 1, and 3 days. Unhardened plants were killed by temperature stress but as the time of hardening increased fewer plants were killed. After 5 days of hardening all plants survived subsequent freezing stress.

Mitochondria were isolated from the plants after they received various combinations of the three temperature treatments. There were …

Ice Nuclei Inventory: Wasatch Weather Modification Experimental Area, William F. Slusser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several large sources of ice nuclei were identified for the Wasatch Weather Modification Experimental Area. When stable air masses remained over the area for several days, ice nuclei concentrations as large as 1750 per liter (measured at -20 C) were found at the surface. Concentrations as large as 6000 per liter were measured with an airborne ice nuclei counter over the smelter industry of the Salt Lake Valley. Ice nuclei concentrations during storm periods were usually less than 3 per liter, indicating an excellent potential for increasing precipitation amounts over the Wasatch Mountains through the release of artificial ice nuclei. …

Potato Variety Trial As A Step Of A Potato Breeding Program, Gonzalo Claure-Vallejo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A potato varietal trial, the equivalent of the final step in a potato breeding and testing program was conducted in 1972 at the Farmington Experimental Sub-station, Farmington, Utah. The test consisted of twelve named varieties and two numbered selections.

This study measured the yielding capacity of new potato varieties and selections during one growing season at one location in Utah. Yields were compared with those of the older accepted varieties grown in the state and used as control or standard varieties in the varietal trial.

This study provided valuable information for growers and processors in determining the suitability of these …

Boron Movement In Soil Columns, Joseph William Stucki

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three adsorption theories--Langmuir, B.E.T., and Freundlich--were applied to boron interaction with Aiken clay loam and Vernal sandy loam soils to determine which bests describes the system.

Column studies were conducted to obtain constants related to mass fluid flow and fluid dispersion within the column. An inert ion was used to obtain the pore volume and to calculate the fluid dispersion coefficient. These data were used to solve the material balance equation by the explicit numerical method developed by Lai for a digital computer. The output from the computer was a predicted profile boron distribution within the soil column.

The soil …

Nutrients And Phytoplankton In Hyrum Lake, Robert Bruce Murray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current investigation indicates that the routine appearance of a noxious blue-green algal bloom of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, in Hyrum Lake, a reservoir in northern Utah is a result of excess phosphorus. Data indicate that the algal growth is initiated by phosphorus liberated from the phosphorus rich bottom sediments, and at a time when nitrogen is present in excess in the lake relative to phosphorus.

Results indicate that the Little Bear River is the major source of nitrogen and phosphorus contributing to the eutrophication of Hyrum Lake. Nitrogen and phosphorus fluctuations in the Little Bear River proved to be concurrent with …

Nitrogen Movement Under Irrigated Corn As Influenced By Nitrogen Source And Rate, Douglas C. Muir

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine nitrogen movements under a fall applied fertilizer as affected by rate of application of fertilizer, type of fertilizer carrier, and by crop grown. Two nitrogen fertilizers, calcium nitrate and ammonium sulfate, were applied in the fall of 1970. The soil profile was sampled in the spring of 1971 and again in the fall of 1971. Nitrate-nitrogen from both the calcium nitrate and the ammonium sulfate applications was found to have moved significantly from the time of application to the time of spring soil sampling. Two effects from the high rate of both …

Reed Canarygrass Germination At Five Seed Maturity Stages And Sixteen Seed Treatments, Richard N. Peaden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) has long been recognized as adapted to wetlands and those subject to periodic flooding. In Utah, Wilson (1955) estimate that 40 percent of the valley bottom land is flooded at least part of the year. Much of this land is very dry late in the summer. Forages such as Alsike clover tolerate flooding and some salt but do not perform well under drouth. Work by Bolton (1946) indicated that flooding for 49 day did not cause serious permanent damage to Reed canarygrass. The author has observed Reed canarygrass growing in a shallow reservoir which …

A Cyto-Taxonomic Study Of The Genus Geranium Within The Wasatch Region, Richard J. Shaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The western North American species of the genus Geranium have never been satisfactorily clarified. The perennial, indigenous species of this interesting group have been particularly confusing. One important reason for confusion in this group is the fact that the taxonomic problems of the perennial species have never been studied from the genetic point of view. A sound delimitation of specific and subspecific boundaries and phylogenetic relationships cannot be achieved without the application of cyto-genetic principles.

In respect to the cytological phase of this study, the author has placed emphasis on chromosome numbers in order to show evidences for and possible …

Factors Affecting The Translocation Of Herbicides In Mesquite (Prosopis Juliflora), Dale W. Young

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The control of mesquite is a major range problem in the Southwest. Mesquite is a thorny, woody shrub or tree that has infested 75 million acres of valuable range and pasture land in this region. It competes with grasses and other valuable plants for sunlight, moisture, and plant food. Mesquite also acts as a serious barrier to the handling of cattle on the range.

The Isolation Of Some Nonsymbiotic Nitrogen Fixing Organisms Occurring In Some Utah Soils, Richard B. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Plants require ten elements in appreciable quantity and several others in smaller amount for their continued and normal growth. Three of these necessary elements, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are most important because they occur in the soil in quantities which are usually small in proportion to that needed by the plants. Of these three, nitrogen is in most cases the limiting factor because of the ease with which it may be leached from the soil and comparatively large amount assimilated by plants. These factors coupled with the inhibiting high cost of artificially replacing it in the form of commercial fertilizers, …

The Effect Of Different Methods Of Handling Chicken Manure On The Viability Of Weed Seed, Golden L. Stoker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is well known that weeds spread and are perpetuated by means of seed and vegetative reproduction. The seeds in turn are spread by various agencies such as wind, water, animals and man. These agencies are aided by especially adapted seed mechanisms for dissemination.