Horticulture Commons^™

Identification Of Putative Snp Markers Associated With Resistance To Egyptian Loose Smut Race(S) In Spring Barley, Kamal A.M. Abo-Elyousr, Amira M.I. Mourad, P. Stephen Baenziger, Abdelaal H.A. Shehata, Peter E. Eckstein, Aaron D. Beattie, Ahmed Sallam

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Loose smut (LS) disease is a serious problem that affects barley yield. Breeding of resistant cultivars and identifying new genes controlling LS has received very little attention. Therefore, it is important to understand the genetic basis of LS control in order to genetically improve LS resistance. To address this challenge, a set of 57 highly diverse barley genotypes were inoculated with Egyptian loose smut race(s) and the infected seeds/plants were evaluated in two growing seasons. Loose smut resistance (%) was scored on each genotype. High genetic variation was found among all tested genotypes indicating considerable differences in LS resistance that …

Sorghum Association Panel Whole-Genome Sequencing Establishes Cornerstone Resource For Dissecting Genomic Diversity, J. Lucas Boatwright, Sirjan Sapkota, Hongyu Jin, James C. Schnable, Zachary Brenton, Richard Boyles, Stephen Kresovich

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Association mapping panels represent foundational resources for understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity and serve to advance plant breeding by exploring genetic variation across diverse accessions. We report the whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 400 sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) accessions from the Sorghum Association Panel (SAP) at an average coverage of 38× (25–72×), enabling the development of a high-density genomic marker set of 43 983 694 variants including single-nucleotide polymorphisms (approximately 38 million), insertions/deletions (indels) (approximately 5 million), and copy number variants (CNVs) (approximately 170 000). We observe slightly more deletions among indels and a much higher prevalence …

Nebline, June/July 2022

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Tick Tips for Tick “Season”

Contribute to Data on Nebraska Statewide Tick Distribution

Tips for Staying Hydrated by Kayla Colgrove

Recipe of the Month: Orange Slushie by Kayla Colgrove

Miniature Gardens: A fun way to get your child interested in gardening by Sarah Browning

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Managing Hard Water by Becky Scheurman

So You’ve Inherited a Farm, Now What?

Listen to CropWatch Podcast

Young Kids Learning in the Kitchen by Hayley Jackson

Free Beg Bug Programs

Next Chapter at Nebraska

Babysitting Training for 5th–10th Graders, June 9

Plant Science Online Contests

4-H Council Golf Tournament …

Recombination Hotspots In Soybean [Glycine Max (L.) Merr.], Samantha J. Mcconaughy

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

Recombination allows for the exchange of genetic material between two parents which plant breeders exploit to make new and improved varieties. This recombination is not distributed evenly across the chromosome. In crops, it mostly occurs in the euchromatic regions of the genome and even then, recombination is focused into recombination hotspots flanked by recombination cold spots. Understanding the distribution of these hotspots along with the sequence motifs associated with them may lead to methods that enable breeders to better exploit recombination in breeding.

In chapter 1 background information on recombination, recombination hotspots detection methods, landscape of recombination (describe recombination patterns …

Identification Of Candidate Genes And Genomic Selection For Seed Protein In Soybean Breeding Pipeline, Jun Qin, Fengmin Wang, Qingsong Zhao, Ainong Shi, Tiantian Zhao, Qijian Song, Waltram Ravelombola, Hongzhou An, Long Yan, Chunyan Yang, Mengchen Zhang

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soybean is a primary meal protein for human consumption, poultry, and livestock feed. In this study, quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling protein content was explored via genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and linkage mapping approaches based on 284 soybean accessions and 180 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), respectively, which were evaluated for protein content for 4 years. A total of 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with protein content were detected using mixed linear model (MLM) and general linear model (GLM) methods in Tassel and 5 QTLs using Bayesian interval mapping (IM), single-trait multiple interval mapping (SMIM), single-trait composite interval mapping maximum …

Extending The Garden Season, Taun Beddes, Michael Caron, Sheriden M. Hansen, Jaydee Gunnell

All Current Publications

Many homeowners have the dream of growing fresh vegetables year-round. Unfortunately, in colder climates, this is only possible using a complete greenhouse with supplemental heating/cooling and lights. Greenhouses can be excessively expensive to maintain and heat, making them impractical for most homeowners. This is not only due to cold winter temperatures but shorter day lengths and lower available light that must be offset artificially. There are practical, less expensive ways to obtain self-grown produce earlier and later in the growing season, though, by using season-extending techniques. These include using equipment such as cold frames, high tunnels, low tunnels, floating row …

Water-Wise Landscape Ideas For Existing Landscapes, Shital Poudyal

All Current Publications

This fact sheet outlines five easy ways to convert an existing landscape to a water-wise landscape without substantial renovation for those who do not have the time, resources, or expertise to renovate the existing landscape completely.

A Common Garden Experiment Suggests Local Adaptation In Stomata Size But Not Stomata Density In Common Milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca), Alyssa Gundel

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Local adaptation is a common process that occurs in organisms with wide geographic ranges to maximize fitness in different environments. One specific species that has been shown to have certain locally adapted traits is Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca. A handful of these traits include height, stem count, number of leaves, and length and width of the leaves. The size and density of stomata, the pores underneath the leaf used for gas exchange and transpiration, may also be influenced by environmental conditions; however, this relationship has not been studied in common milkweed. In order to analyze population-level differences in the density …

Effects Of Pruning Timing, Leaf Removal, And Shoot Thinning On 'Midsouth' Winegrape Quality In South Mississippi, Haley Nicole Williams

Theses and Dissertations

‘MidSouth’, a relatively low maintenance interspecific hybrid bunch grape currently grown in South Mississippi, has low sugar and high acid levels for red wine use. Two studies, conducted at the Mississippi State University McNeill Research Unit in 2020 and 2021, determined the effects of pruning timing, leaf removal, and shoot thinning on ‘MidSouth’ development and fruit and wine quality. Treatments in the first study included early versus normal pruning timing, both with and without leaf removal, and treatments in the second study included leaf removal, shoot thinning, and control vines. Cluster temperatures, leaf chlorophyll, berries per cluster, berry and cluster …

Nebline, May 2022

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Insect and Disease Control for Organic Vegetable Gardeners by Sarah Browning

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

An Egg-cellent Choice!

Recipe of the Month: Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Hash by Alyssa Havlovic

It’s Time for Private Well Maintenance by Becky Scheurman

Cash Rent Survey

Composting Demonstrations

Monarchs, Migration & Milkweed by Kait Chapman

Getting Outside to Play by Hayley Jackson

4th Graders Learn About “Farm to Fork” at Ag Festival

4-H Clubs Helped at Kiwanis Karnival

Support Local 4-H Youth During “Give to Lincoln Day”

4-H Achievement Celebration

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Rick Waldron

3 Lancaster County …

An Investigation Of Factors Affecting The Rooting Ability Of Hardwood Muscadine Cuttings And Genetic Diversity Of Wild And Cultivated Muscadine Grapes (Vitis Rotundifolia Michx.), Kenneth Buck

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia syn. Muscadinia rotundifolia) is a grape species native to the southeastern United States. Muscadines are one of three grape species in subgenus Muscadinia with a chromosome number of 2n=40 (V. rotundifolia, V. munsoniana, and V. popenoei), making them genetically distinct from the European wine and table grape (Vitis vinifera) and other species in subgenus Euvitis. Rooting hardwood cuttings from muscadine vines has traditionally been considered an exceptionally difficult task. Many previous studies observed almost no root formation, leading to a general consensus that muscadines should either be propagated by softwood cuttings or vegetative layering. However, the …

Economic Viability Of Weed Management Strategies In High-Tunnel Tomato, Gracie Morrison

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cost-effective weed suppression is an important consideration for tomato growers. Growers often choose methods which minimize hand labor, as hand weeding can be prohibitively expensive. This project determined economic viability of high tunnel tomatoes treated with several methods of weed control, both organic and chemical. These methods included: 2-week hand weeding, 1-week hand weeding, preemergent, straw, landscape fabric, and untreated weedy control plots. These treatments were applied to randomized blocks in a high-tunnel. Weeding, planting, and harvest were all timed to determine labor and material costs of weed management strategy implementation. After harvest, marketable yield was weighed to determine revenue. …

Managing Stress Tolerance On Warm-Season Putting Greens In The Transition Zone, Thomas Edward Walton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of warm-season putting greens in the transition zone has increased in recent years. Ultradwarf bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) is the most prevalent warm-season putting green selection in the transition zone, however, newly developed greens-type zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) cultivars represent another potential selection for golf courses. The two major limitations of warm-season grasses in the transition zone are a general lack of cold- and shade-tolerance. Protective covers are essential to protect ultradwarf bermudagrass putting greens in the winter months. Unfortunately, golf courses can still experience winterkill underneath protective covers. Two field trials were conducted …

Exploration Of Genes Controlling Grain Yield Heterosis In Hybrid Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Utilizing 3ʹ Rna Sequencing, Nichole Lynn Miller

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

The implementation and future success of hybrid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is impacted by breeders’ inability to create consistent high yielding, high heterosis hybrids. This research addresses this problem by conducting an exploration of transcriptomes from hybrids and parent lines to determine what genes are active in heterotic or non-heterotic hybrids and how their level of expression can explain the phenotype of grain yield heterosis. Using hybrids that showed positive mid-parent heterosis (MPH), classified as heterotic in our study, and negative or no difference MPH hybrids, classified as non-heterotic, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) potentially related to heterosis and hybrid …

Research Report: High Tunnel Tomato Fruit Cluster Pruning, Caterina Roman, Rebecca G. Sideman

Faculty Publications

Tomatoes are a high value crop grown worldwide. Indeterminate varieties are commonly grown in high tunnel structures throughout New England for the fresh market. Indeterminate tomato plants often suffer from a phenomenon called ‘June drop’ in which the plant’s first four to five cluster of fruit set perfectly but the subsequent two to three clusters have poor set and plant productivity drops suddenly. While cluster thinning (e.g., reducing the number of fruit allowed to mature per cluster) has been successfully shown to increase fruit size, it has generally not increased marketable yield. We hypothesized that reducing the fruit load by …

Integration Of Medicinal Fungi Into The Heber W. Youngken Jr. Medicinal Garden, Anthony Makashov

Senior Honors Projects

The Heber W. Youngken Jr. Medicinal Garden is a one-of-a-kind resource that houses close to 300 medicinal plants and is filled to the brim with educational opportunities. For the College of Pharmacy, this garden has been the centerpiece of many classes taught here at the University of Rhode Island and has roots as a physical teaching space. While the garden contains a plethora of plant species, medicinal fungi have yet to have been included in the garden, despite their relevance as both sources of pharmaceutical drug discovery and as natural products with inherent physiological benefits themselves. The purpose of my …

Wayne E. Sabbe Arkansas Soil Fertility Studies 2021, Nathan A. Slaton

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Rapid technological changes in crop management and production require that the research efforts be presented in an expeditious manner. The contributions of soil fertility and fertilizers are major production factors in all Arkansas crops. The studies described within will allow producers to compare their practices with the university’s research efforts. Additionally, soil-test data and fertilizer sales are presented to allow comparisons among years, crops, and other areas within Arkansas.

Genetic Control Of Prickles And Plant Height In Blackberry, Carmen Johns

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The fresh-market blackberry (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus Watson) industry has been expanding for the past two decades. Blackberry market growth can be attributed to many factors including expanded production regions, improved production systems, and release of superior cultivars. Blackberry breeding is a time- and labor-intensive process which would benefit from implementation of molecular markers for highly heritable, important traits. Next generation sequencing, a high-quality reference genome, and software capable of analyzing this complex genome were applied in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to reveal maker-trait associations related to prickles and plant height variation in fresh-market blackberry. In 2020 and 2021, …

Genome-Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction For Bacterial Wilt Resistance In Common Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris) Core Collection, Bazgha Zia, Ainong Shi, Dotun Olaoye, Haizheng Xiong, Waltram Ravelombola, Paul Gepts, Howard F. Schwartz, Mark A. Brick, Kristen Otto, Barry Ogg, Senyu Chen

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is one of the major legume crops cultivated worldwide. Bacterial wilt (BW) of common bean (Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens), being a seed-borne disease, has been a challenge in common bean producing regions. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted to identify SNP markers associated with BW resistance in the USDA common bean core collection. A total of 168 accessions were evaluated for resistance against three different isolates of BW. Our study identified a total of 14 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with the resistance to BW isolates 528, 557, and 597 …

Evaluation, Characterization, And Utilization Of Weed-Suppressive Sweetpotato Cultivars For Sustainable Weed Management, Isabel Schlegel Werle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a low-technology, subsistence crop that enhances food and nutrition security particularly in developing nations. Weed interference with the crop can reduce sweetpotato storage root yields and product quality. Current weed management practices in sweetpotato include PRE or POST herbicides application, cultivation, mowing, or handweeding. Unlike row crops, herbicide options for sweetpotato are few; therefore, alternative weed control practices are needed. The overall objective of this research was to determine the weed suppressive ability of several sweetpotato cultivars. This research also provides information about cover crop use for weed suppression in sweetpotato production in Arkansas. Field …