Agricultural Science Commons^™

Regulatory Control Of High Levels Of Carotenoid Accumulation In Potato Tubers, Xiangjun Zhou, Ryan Mcquinn, Zhangjun Fei, Anne-Marie A. Wolters, Joyce Van Eck, Charles Brown, James J. Giovannoni, Li Li

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers contain a wide range of carotenoid contents. To decipher the key factors controlling carotenoid levels in tubers, four potato lines (Atlantic, Désirée, 91E22 and POR03) were examined by a combination of biochemical, molecular and genomics approaches. These lines contained incremental levels of carotenoids, which were found to be associated with enhanced capacity of carotenoid biosynthesis as evident from norflurazon treatment. Microarray analysis of high and low carotenoid lines (POR03 versus Atlantic) revealed 381 genes that showed significantly differential expression. The carotenoid metabolic pathway genes b-carotene hydroxylase 2 (BCH2) and b-carotene hydroxylase 1 (BCH1), along …

Invited Commentary: Dietary Pattern Analysis, Fumiaki Imamura, Paul F. Jaques

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The analytic approaches used in nutritional epidemiology for dietary pattern analyses share common characteristics with those of genetic epidemiology. In this issue of the Journal, Gorst-Rasmussen et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2011;173(10):1097–1104) discuss one such approach. Application of methods used in genetic pattern analyses to nutritional epidemiology could prove valuable but raises important issues that need to be considered because dietary and genetic studies often address different types of questions in analyzing interrelated variables. These different aims require statistical methods that assume different characteristics of the underlying patterns. The authors briefly describe such differences to facilitate interpretation and …

Physiology And Endocrinology Symposium: Role Of The Oviduct In Maintaining Sustained Fertility In Hens, M. R. Bakst

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

In poultry, sperm transferred by natural mating or AI into the distal end of the vagina immediately begin their ascent to the uterovaginal junction (UVJ) at the anterior end of the vagina. However, due to an intense selection process in the vagina, less than 1% of the sperm transferred actually reach the UVJ. Those sperm that do reach the UVJ enter numerous tubular invaginations of the surface epithelium of the vagina located in the UVJ mucosa, collectively referred to as the sperm-storage tubules (SST). Sperm residing in the SST lumen are capable of surviving up to several weeks while retaining …

The Rural Growth Trifecta: Outdoor Amenities, Creative Class And Entrepreneurial Context, David A. Mcgranahan, Timothy R. Wojan, Dayton M. Lambert

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Recent work challenges the notion that attracting creative workers to a place is sufficient for generating local economic growth. In this article, we examine the problem of sustaining robust growth in the periphery of the USA, demonstrating the contingent nature of talent as an engine for economic growth. We test the hypothesis that rural growth in the knowledge economy is dependent on the ability to utilize new knowledge, perhaps generated elsewhere, in addressing local economic challenges. Tests confirm that the interaction of entrepreneurial context with the share of the workforce employed in the creative class is strongly associated with growth …

Upland Contribution Of Sediment And Runoff During Extreme Drought: A Study Of The 1947–1956 Drought In The Blackland Prairie, Texas, P.M. Allen, R.D. Harmel, J.A. Dunbar, J. G. Arnold

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The 1950s drought severely impacted a 1.1 million km² area in the central US. This drought, along with the famous 1930s drought, was among the most severe of the 20th century for large areas and is the drought of record for water supply planning in Texas. At the USDA-ARS Riesel Watersheds during the drought, average annual rainfall was reduced 27%, which produced 75% less runoff and 35% less sediment yield. Rainfall intensity during the drought was, however, typically greater than for the non-drought period. Based on long-term data from the Riesel Watersheds, the mean, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentile …

26th Hohenheim Consensus Conference, September 11, 2010 Scientific Substantiation Of Health Claims: Evidence-Based Nutrition, Hans Konrad Biesalski, Peter J. Aggett, Robert Anton, Paul S. Bernstein, Jeffrey Blumberg, Robert P. Heaney, Jeya Henry, John M. Nolan, David P. Richardson, Ben Van Ommen, Renger F. Witkamp, Ger T. Rijkers, Iris Zöllner

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Objective: The objective was to define the term evidence based nutrition on the basis of expert discussions and scientific evidence.

Methods and procedures: The method used is the established Hohenheim Consensus Conference. The term “Hohenheim Consensus Conference” defines conferences dealing with nutrition-related topics. The major aim of the conference is to review the state of the art of a given topic with experts from different areas (basic science, clinicians, epidemiologists, etc.). Based on eight to 12 questions, the experts discuss short answers and try to come to a consensus. A scientifically based text is formulated that justifies the …

Response Of Tribolium Castaneum And Tribolium Confusum Adults To Vertical Black Shapes And Its Potential To Improve Trap Capture, Altair A. Semeao, James F. Campbell, R. Jeff Whitworth, Phillip E. Sloderbeck

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum can be monitored in food processing facilities using traps baited with pheromones and kairomones, but beetle response to traps might be enhanced by adding visual cues. Against a white background, T. castaneum adults were more likely to visit black pillars than white pillars when presented with a choice (e.g., 73% of beetles visited black and 17% visiting white pillar), and visits to black pillars increased with pillar height. When tested against a black background, beetles did not show a significant preference for either color pillar regardless of height. When comparing beetle’s captures in pheromone/kairomone baited …

Effect Of Maternal Restraint Stress During Gestation On Temporal Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroendocrine And Immune Responses Of Progeny, C.T. Collier, P.N. Williams, J.A. Carroll, T.H. Welsh Jr, J.C. Laurenz

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The impact of gestational dam restraint stress on progeny immune and neuroendocrine temporal hormone responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge was assessed. Maternal stress (5-min snout snare restraint stress during days 84 to 112 of gestation) increased (P < 0.05) the magnitude of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-6, epinephrine (E), norepinephrine, and serum amyloid A (SAA) production following LPS infusion in the offspring. Moreover, these effects appear to be dependent on gender for TNF-α, E, and cortisol production. However, maternal stress did not affect (P < 0.05) the normalization of proinflammatory cytokines or neuroendocrine hormones produced following LPS. Collectively, these results indicate that maternal stress impacts aspects of the proinflammatory cytokine and stress hormone response in their progeny following LPS dosing of the offspring. This response is potentially responsible in part for the resultant changes to SAA production. Because several of the changes observed here are dependent on pig gender, these results are also the first evidence that inherent epigenetic factors coupled with maternal stress impact the cumulative response to stress and LPS in young pigs.

Influence Of Ensiling Time And Inoculation On Alteration Of The Starch-Protein Matrix In High-Moisture Corn, P. C. Hoffman, N. M. Esser, R. D. Shaver, W. K. Coblentz, M. P. Scott, A. L. Bodnar, R. J. Schmidt, R. C. Charley

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The fates of hydrophobic zein proteins, which encapsulate corn starch to create vitreous endosperm, have not been investigated in high-moisture corn (HMC). To assess influences of ensiling time and inoculation on zein proteins in HMC, quadruplicate samples of 2 random corn hybrids (A and B), containing 25.7 and 29.3% moisture, were ground, inoculated with (I) or without 600,000 cfu/g of Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 (Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Milwaukee, WI), and ensiled for 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 240 d. Nutrient composition [crude protein (CP), starch, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber], fermentation (pH, lactate, and acetate), and protein degradation …

Changes In Mineral Concentrations And Phosphorus Profile During Dry-Grind Processing Of Corn Into Ethanol, Keshun Liu, Jianchun Han

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

For determining variation in mineral composition and phosphorus (P) profile among streams of dry-grind ethanol production, samples of ground corn, intermediate streams, and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) were obtained from three commercial plants. Most attributes (dry matter concentrations) increased significantly from corn to cooked slurry but fermentation caused most significant increase in all attributes. During centrifugation, more minerals went into thin stillage than wet grains, making minerals most concentrated in the former. Mineral increase in DDGS over corn was about 3 fold, except for Na, S, Ca, and Fe. The first three had much higher fold of increase, …

Phenologymms: A Program To Simulate Crop Phenological Responses To Water Stress, Gregory S. Mcmaster, Da Edmunds, W.W. Wilhelm, D.C. Nielsen, P.V.V. Prasad, J.C. Ascough Ii

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Crop phenology is fundamental for understanding crop growth and development, and increasingly influences many agricultural management practices. Water deficits are one environmental factor that can influence crop phenology through shortening or lengthening the developmental phase, yet the phenological responses to water deficits have rarely been quantified. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of a decision support technology software tool, PhenologyMMS Vl.2, developed to simulate the phenology of various crops for varying levels of soil water. The program is intended to be simple to use, requires minimal information for calibration, and can be incorporated into other crop …

Determination Of Representative Elementary Areas For Soil Redoximorphic Features Identified By Digital Image Processing, T. Kevin O'Donnell, Keith W. Goyne, Randall J. Miles, Claire Baffaut, Stephen H. Anderson, Kenneth A. Sudduth

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Photography has been a welcome tool in documenting and conveying qualitative soil information. When coupled with image analysis software, the usefulness of digital cameras can be increased to advance the field of micropedology. The determination of a representative elementary area (REA) still remains a critical information need for soil scientists so that field measurements are independent of sample size and account for spatial heterogeneity. An objective of this study was to define and determine an REA for Low Chroma and High Chroma soil redoximorphic features (SRFs) present in claypan soils of northeastern Missouri, USA using a digital camera and image …

Evaluation Of Two Mutants Of Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis As Candidates For A Live Attenuated Vaccine For Johne’S Disease, Kun Taek Park, Andrew J. Allen, John P. Bannantine, Keun Seok Seo, Mary J. Hamilton, Gaber S. Abdellrazeq, Heba M. Rihan, Amanda Grimm, William C. Davis

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Control of Johne’s disease, caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, has been difficult because of a lack of an effective vaccine. To address this problem we used targeted gene disruption to develop candidate mutants with impaired capacity to survive ex vivo and in vivo to test as a vaccine. We selected relA and pknG, genes known to be important virulence factors in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis, for initial studies. Deletion mutants were made in a wild type Map (K10) and its recombinant strain expressing the green fluorescent protein (K10-GFP). Comparison of survival in an ex vivo …

Improving In-Season Nitrogen Recommendations For Maize Using An Active Sensor, J. Schmidt, D. Beegle, Q. Q. Zhu, R. Sripada

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

An active crop canopy reflectance sensor could be used to increase N-use efficiency in maize (Zea mays L.), if temporal and spatial variability in soil N availability and plant demand are adequately accounted for with an in-season N application. Our objective was to evaluate the success of using an active canopy sensor for developing maize N recommendations. This study was conducted in 21 farmers’ fields from 2007 to 2009, representing the maize production regions of east central and southeastern Pennsylvania, USA. Four blocks at each site included seven sidedress N rates (0–280 kgNha⁻¹) and one at-planting N …

A Comparison Of Internal And External Lipids Of Nondiapausing And Diapause Initiation Phase Adult Colorado Potato Beetles, Leptinotarsa Decemlineata, George D. Yocum, James S. Buckner, Charlotte L. Fatland

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, reared under diapause-inducing conditions will emerge fromthe soil as an adult and enter the diapause initiation phase, a periodwheremetabolic reserves are stockpiled before the beetles enter the nonfeeding diapause maintenance phase. Internal and external lipids were characterized during the diapause initiation phase (IP) and compared to the lipid profiles of nondiapausing adults. The primary internal lipids of both diapause IP and nondiapausing adults are triacylglycerols. Only trace amounts of internal lipids were detected in day 1 diapause IP adults. A dramatic increase in internal lipids was observed between day 7 and day 15 …

Oil Productivity And Composition Of Sunflower As A Function Of Hybrid And Planting Date, Valtcho D. Zheljazkov, Brady A. Vick, Brian S. Baldwin, Normie Buehring, Christine Coker, Tess Astatkie, Billy Johnson

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a potential cash crop for the southeastern United States for production of cooking oil or biodiesel. Two years (2006 and 2007) of experiments were conducted at each of five locations in Mississippi to evaluate the effect of planting date (April 20, May 20, and June 20), and hybrid (DKF3875, DKF2990, DKF3510, DKF3901, PR63M80, PR62A91, PR63A21, PR63M91, and PR64H41) on seed yield, oil content, and oil composition of sunflower. Seed oil concentration varied from 25 to 47%. The oleic acid concentration in the oil was greater than 85% for DKF3510 and PR64H41, above 65% for …

Quality And Agronomic Effects Of Three High-Molecular-Weight Glutenin Subunit Transgenic Events In Winter Wheat, Robert A. Graybosch, Bradford Seabourn, Yuanhong R. Chen, Ann E. Blechl

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Quality and agronomic effects of three transgenic high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) events were characterized in advanced generation breeding lines of hard winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in three Nebraska crop years. Two or the transgenic events studied, Dy10-E and B52a-6, ovenexpress HMW-GS IDY10, while the third event, Dx5 +Dy10-H, overexpresses HMW-GS IDx5 and to a much lesser extent. IDY10. In addition, novel proteins possessing solubility characteristics defined as HMW-GS were present in Dx5+Dy10-H and B52a-6. Average grain yield of lines derived from the three transgenic events was statistically lower than that of a group of control cultivars …

Evaluation Of Propane Combustion Traps For The Collection Of Phlebotomus Papatasi (Scopoli) In Southern Israel, Daniel Kline, Gunter Miller, Jerome Hogsette

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of eleven commercial models of propane combustion traps for catching male and female Phlebotomus papatasi. The traps differed in physical appearance, amount of carbon dioxide produced and released, type and location of capturing device, and the method by which the trap suction fans were powered. The traps tested were the Mosquito Magnet^™(MM)-Pro, MM-Liberty, MM-Liberty Plus, MM-Defender, SkeeterVac^®(SV)-35, SV-27, Mosquito Deleto™(MD)-2200, MD-2500, MT150-Power Trap, and two models of The Guardian Mosquito Traps (MK-01 and MK-12). All trap models except the SV-35, the SV-27, the MD-2500, and the MK-12 attracted …

Effect Of Coal Combustion By-Products On Phosphorus Runoff From A Coastal Plain Soil, Keisha N. Johnson, Arthur L. Allen, Peter J. A. Kleinman, Fawzy M. Hashem, Andrew N. Sharpley, William L. Stout

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Coal combustion by-products can lower soil phosphorus (P) solubility, but few studies have assessed their effect on runoff P. A soil with elevated P content was amended with fluidized bed combustion ash, flue gas desulfurization gypsum, and anthracite refuse ash at rates of 0–40 g kg⁻¹ soil, and runoff from small plots was monitored over 3 years. In the first year, by-products lowered dissolved P in runoff by up to 47% below the untreated control; however, effects did not persist into the remaining years of the study. Total P losses were not significantly affected by coal combustion by-products, likely …

Antibody Recognition Of Porcine Circovirus Type 2 Capsid Protein Epitopes After Vaccination, Infection, And Disease, Benjamin R. Trible, Maureen Kerrigan, Nicholas Crossland, Megan Potter, Kay Faaberg, Richard Hesse, Raymond R. R. Rowland

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) codes for the 233-amino-acid capsid protein (CP). Baculovirus-based vaccines that express only ORF2 are protective against clinical disease following experimental challenge or natural infection. The goal of this study was to identify regions in CP preferentially recognized by sera from experimentally infected and vaccinated pigs and to compare these responses to those of pigs diagnosed with porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD), including porcine multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS). The approach was to react porcine sera with CP polypeptide fragments followed by finer mapping studies …