Botany Commons^™

Shortening Harvest Interval, Reaping Benefits? A Study On Harvest Practices In Oil Palm Smallholder Farming Systems In Indonesia, Rosanne E. De Vos, Lisa Nurfalah, Fatima A. Tenorio, Ya Li Lim, Juan Pablo Monzon, Christopher R. Donough, Hendra Sugianto, Asri A. Dwiyahreni, Nurul L. Winarni, Nadia Mulani, Gilang Ramadhan, Muhammad Ali Imran, Antonius P. Tito, Pandu Sulistiawan, Muhammad Khoirul, Rana Farrasati, Iput Pradiko, Patricio Grassini, Maja Slingerland

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

CONTEXT: Smallholders are responsible for a large share of global palm oil production. Yet, in Indonesia, the main palm oil producing country, smallholders’ yields remain low. Better management practices, including short harvest interval (HI, the number of days between two harvest rounds), could help to raise smallholder yields. However, at present, HI is long in smallholder fields and the drivers underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE: We explored agronomic, socio-economic, and institutional factors that underlie harvesting practices in independent oil palm smallholder farming systems in Indonesia to assess scope for sustainable intensification through shorter HI and reduced …

Exotic Herbivores And Fire Energy Drive Standing Herbaceous Biomass But Do Not Alter Compositional Patterns In A Semiarid Savanna Ecosystem, Virginia D. Preiss, Carissa L. Wonkka, Devan A. Mcgranahan, Alexandra G. Lodge, Matthew B. Dickinson, Kathleen L. Kavanagh, Heath D. Starns, Douglas R. Tolleson, Morgan L. Treadwell, Dirac L. Twidwell Jr, William E. Rogers

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Questions: Fire regime alterations are pushing open ecosystems worldwide past tipping points where alternative steady states characterized by woody dominance prevail. This reduces the frequency and intensity of surface fires, further limiting their effectiveness for controlling cover of woody plants. In addition, grazing pressure (exotic or native grazers) can reinforce woody encroachment by potentially reducing fine-fuel loads. We investigated the effects of different fire energies on the herbaceous plant community, together with mammalian wildlife herbivory (exotic and native combined) exclusion, to inform best management practices.

Location: Texas semi-arid savanna, southern Great Plains, USA.

Methods: We conducted an …

Effects Of Annual Weather Variation On Peak Herbaceous Yield Date In Sagebrush Steppe, Jonathan Bates, Dustin Johnson, Kirk W. Davies, Tony Svejcar, Stuart Hardegree

Western North American Naturalist

Interannual climate variability impacts forage yield in semiarid rangelands, but it also affects the timing of peak yields. Knowledge of peak standing crop or yield dates would be useful when planning fieldwork for various research or management activities and for developing more accurate models linking herbage production to climatic variables. In this study, herbaceous yield was measured every 2 weeks (April–August) over an 8-year period in a Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) community in southeastern Oregon. Date of peak yield (Julian day) was calculated for morphological groups (tall perennial bunchgrasses, perennial forbs, annual forbs), Sandberg bluegrass …

Soil Seed Bank Composition And Spatial Distribution In A Cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum L.)–Dominated Rangeland In Colorado, Usa, Ryan W. R. Schroeder, Jayne L. Jonas, M. Nikki Grant-Hoffman, Mark W. Paschke

Western North American Naturalist

Invasion by nonnative annual plants that form prolific seed banks, including Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass), throughout western North America is a major natural resource concern. Even with known economic and ecological implications, soil seed banks and their potential to impact ecological restoration in arid and semiarid ecosystems are poorly understood. Quantifying the regenerative potential of the soil seed bank—the living seeds in the soil profile and on the soil surface—can help natural resource managers make decisions to increase the likelihood of restoration success. We analyzed the germinable soil seed bank composition and distribution of a rangeland site in western Colorado …

Evaluation Of Native Plant Communities On Nebraska Game And Parks Commission State Parks, Robert F. Steinauer

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

This report evaluates the Native Plant Communities on Nebraska Game and Parks Commission State Parks East Region, also known as Region 3, which includes much of northeast and extreme eastern Nebraska, including portions of the lower Niobrara, Elkhorn and Platte Rivers and nearly the entire east border formed by the Missouri River. Fifteen state-listed threatened and endangered species have been recorded within the boundaries of Region 3 within the last twenty years. Several of these occupy habitats within major river channels.

Surveyed areas which contained habitat for legally protected species include Dead Timber State Recreation Area, Indian Cave State Park, …

Targeted Sequencing Of The Panicum Miliaceum Gene Space And Genotyping Of Variant Sites From Population Genetics Studies, Combined In A Single Assay, As A Tool For Broomcorn Millet Assisted Breeding, Gabriele Magris, Serena Foria, Silvano Ciani, Dipak K. Santra, Ombretta Polenghi, Virna Cerne, Michele Morgante, Gabriele Di Gaspero

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a prehistorical cereal, today cultivated as a minor crop with low yields but with a renewed interest for its high water use effciency and gluten-free grains. To reverse the downward trend in broomcorn millet cultivation, the crop needs genetic improvement and creation of novel genetic variation to increase productivity. In order to facilitate genomics-assisted breeding, we designed a reduced representation genome-sequencing assay that investigates 1.8% of the nuclear DNA in a targeted and reproducible way, with an intensity of genomic sampling that is a direct function of local recombination rate. We used this …

Indigenous Lakadong Turmeric Of Meghalaya And Its Future Prospects, Manjit Kumar Ray, Dipak K. Santra, Piyush Kumar Mishra, Saurav Das

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has long been used in traditional Indian medicine. India accounts for 80% of total global turmeric production. Lakadong turmeric gets its name from the tiny village of Lakadong, which is located in the foothills of the Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, India. It is known for having a high curcumin content of more than 7%, as opposed to 2 - 4% in regular varieties. The tribes of this region brought Lakadong turmeric from the forest and domesticated it for medicinal purposes centuries ago. Growth in local coal industries and a gradual decline in the market have …

Isolation Of Arabidopsis Thaliana Plants Homozygous For An Insertional Inactivation Mutation Within Atprp4., Sydney Raitz, Timothy D. Trott

Research in Biology

The AtPRP4 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana has been shown to function in several specific parts of the plant’s cell wall. It is shown to be expressed in the seeds, radicles, roots, leaves, inflorescences, and embryos of Arabidopsis thaliana. These patterns have suggested unique functions for ATPRP4 in determining cell-type-specific wall structure during the development of a plant as well as contributing to defense reactions against physical damage to the plant and pathogen infection within the plant. In this study, a simple DNA prep was performed on the true leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. Subsequent PCR reactions were performed using …

Examining The Restoration Potential Of Prescribed Fire And Tree Girdling Treatments On A Fire Dependent Ecosystem: Ecosystem Responses And Management Implications, Rebecca Daigle

Masters Theses

Oak savannas have greatly declined since the 1800s and management is needed to maintain these rare community types. A combination of prescribed burns and mechanical thinning are a common practice to increase forb abundance and biodiversity. This study examines the viability of another technique to thin the canopy called girdling, which was used in conjunction with low-intensity prescribed burns. Early summer prescribed burns were conducted in 2017, 2019, and 2021, while girdling treatments were implemented in 2017 and 2019. The study was conducted in Kent County, Michigan at two degraded former oak savanna communities. In 2022, we collected data to …

Insights On The Distribution Of Struthanthus Palmeri Kuijt (Loranthaceae), The Northernmost Species Of The Genus, Mónica I. Miguel-Vázquez, Yasser S. López De Olmos-Reyes, Maria Guadalupe Maldonado-Borja, Rosa Cerros-Tlatilpa

Western North American Naturalist

Struthanthus (Loranthaceae) is native to the Americas, and several species occur in Mexico, some of which are endemic, such as S. palmeri. Within the genus, S. palmeri has the northernmost distribution, inhabiting the arid environments of northwestern Mexico near the border with the United States. In this study, the known distribution of the species was updated. The elevation, hosts, and vegetation types where S. palmeri occurs were compiled to infer its potential distribution, using ecological niche modeling. Based on the results, the endemic status of S. palmeri is reinforced. This taxon occurs in several types of vegetation, from near …

Effect Of Cutting Management On The Forage Production And Quality Of Tepary Bean (Phaseolus Acutifolius A. Gray), Travis W. Witt, Brian K. Northup, Timothy G. Porch, Santos Barrera, Carlos A. Urrea

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) is an underutilized drought tolerant annual legume, originating from the Sonoran Desert, that may be a beneficial forage/hay for beef cattle in the Southern Great Plains of the US (SGP). The SGP has erratic rainfall and periods of intermittent drought exacerbated by high summer temperatures. In 2020 and 2021, a split-plot design was used to evaluate 13 genotypes of tepary bean and a forage soybean (control) at El Reno, OK, USA to compare production of plant biomass and forage nutritive value parameters under seven harvest regimes. Genotypes were used as the main plot …

Investigating The Role Of Plant Traits And Interactions In Emergent Wetland Nutrient Removal, Andrew Ryan Sample

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing wetland restoration in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley has been identified as a method to reduce nutrient loading in the Gulf of Mexico. Wetlands have historically been used to treat water through processes facilitated by wetland plants, and relatively few species and plant traits have been identified as important in carrying out these processes. This study focuses on some of those species and traits and aims to identify species differences and plant traits that may be important for wetland nutrient mitigation. Chapter I provides background information on nutrient pollution, wetland biogeochemical mechanisms for nutrient sequestration, and the focal species …

Reproductive Ecology And Bee Associates Of Packard’S Milkvetch (Astragalus Packardiae), A Rare Plant Endemic To Southwestern Idaho, Justin R. Fulkerson, C. Lynn Kinter

Western North American Naturalist

Conservation of rare plants is dependent on identifying mechanisms that limit their population or persistence. Successful pollination of flowers is one life history trait that is often limiting in plants occurring in fragmented landscapes. We studied pollinator associates and seed production in Astragalus packardiae (= A. cusickii var. packardiae, Packard’s milkvetch), a narrow endemic that is imperiled as a result of nonnative annual grasses, increased wildfire, recreational off-highway vehicle use, and livestock use. We used pollinator exclusion bags to examine the breeding system of Packard’s milkvetch. We collected and videotaped floral visitors to determine the makeup of the associates …

Lunchbox Hydroponics, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Growing plants with hydroponics is less complicated than it may appear when the fundamentals of the system are understood. This publication provides instruction on the construction of a simple hydroponic prototype suitable for school or youth education programs. The fundamentals of hydroponics, basic design of a solution system, seed starting, creating a nutrient solution, and plant care are explored through this engaging project. This prototype can successfully be used to grow small edible and herb plants in the classroom or at home.

The Effects Of Dormant Season Burning And Flooding On Invasive Cattail, Typha X Glauca, On Rainy Lake And Lake Kabetogama In Northern Minnesota, Erika Meints

All NMU Master's Theses

Typha x glauca is one of the most invasive plants in North America. The plant exhibits hybrid vigor and displaces native flora by rapidly forming dense monotypic stands that can break free from the substrate and form floating mat types when established. I tested the effects of prescribed burning, on Typha x glauca in wetlands to adjacent large lakes in Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota. My team surveyed four wetlands that were burned in late winter of 2020-21, and six that were unburned controls. Pre-burn data was also collected for all ten wetlands. Pre-flooding data from other wetlands within …

Impacts Of Urbanization On Pollination Success For Common Milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca), David Rockow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization is among the greatest threats to biodiversity on the planet, and is projected to increase in magnitude in coming years. This growing threat makes it important to better understand how urbanization may impact vital ecosystem services, such as pollination. Studies on the impact of urbanization on pollination vary wildly in their findings. This study analyzed multiple aspects of pollination success in common milkweed populations varying in urbanization level, including insect community composition, pollen removal/deposition, and fruit/seed production. By analyzing multiple pollination aspects we can determine the overall mechanism in which urbanization instills on the entire pollination process. Overall, urbanization …

Patterns And Drivers Of Wiregrass Gap Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris Mill.) Woodland Succession As Part Of Restoration Efforts, Armin Weise

All Theses

Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) communities are widespread throughout the Southeastern United States with a dominant understory vegetation of wiregrass (Aristida spp.) in most of its range. A small area in central South Carolina that is naturally free of wiregrass is called the “Wiregrass Gap”. Here, the understory vegetation is dominated by bluestems grasses (Andropogon spp. and Schizachyrium spp.) which drive the disturbance regime of frequent low-intensity fire. The successful establishment of these grasses is key for longleaf pine woodland restoration efforts in this region, but few resources detail the ecological drivers at play that enable successful restoration in these longleaf …

Vascular Plants Of The Caribou-Targhee National Forest And Curlew National Grassland In Southeastern Idaho, Western Wyoming, And Northern Utah, Michael Daines

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Due to a historical paucity of collections from and the absence of a comprehensive floristic treatment for parts of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Curlew National Grassland, an updated inventory for the area was needed. I present an annotated checklist of the vascular plants documented from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Curlew National Grassland. A total of new 3189 voucher specimens were collected for this project in 2021 and 2022. To compile the annotated checklist, I consulted both newly collected specimens and specimen data from online botanical databases. A total of 1557 taxa (species, subspecies, varieties, and hybrids), 1423 species …

Increasing Rye Cover Crop Biomass Production After Corn Residue Removal To Balance Economics And Soil Health, Sabrina J. Ruis, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Paul J. Jasa, Glen Slater, Richard B. Ferguson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Low or variable cover crop (CC) biomass production could limit CC benefits. Longer CC growing periods via late termination could increase CC benefits, especially under limited crop residue return. We studied whether early (2–3 wk before planting)- or late (at planting)-terminated winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CC maintains soil properties, crop yields, and farm income under 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal in rainfed and irrigated no-till in the U.S. Great Plains after 6 yr. Early-terminated CCs produced < 1 Mg ha^-1 of biomass while late-terminated CCs averaged 1.6 Mg ha^-1 at the rainfed …

Unraveling Prevalence And Effects Of Deleterious Mutations In Maize Elite Lines Across Decades Of Modern Breeding, Shichao Sun, Baobao Wang, Changyu Li, Gen Xu, Jinliang Yang, Matthew B. Hufford, Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra, Haiyang Wang, Li Wang

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Future breeding is likely to involve the detection and removal of deleterious alleles, which are mutations that negatively affect crop fitness. However, little is known about the prevalence of such mutations and their effects on phenotypic traits in the context of modern crop breeding. To address this, we examined the number and frequency of deleterious mutations in 350 elite maize inbred lines developed over the past few decades in China and the United States. Our findings reveal an accumulation of weakly deleterious mutations and a decrease in strongly deleterious mutations, indicating the dominant effects of genetic drift and purifying selection …