We constructed small high-yielding binary Ti vectors with a bacterial tetracycline resistance gene to facilitate efficient cloning afforded by the Gateway Technology (Invitrogen) for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated...We constructed small high-yielding binary Ti vectors with a bacterial tetracycline resistance gene to facilitate efficient cloning afforded by the Gateway Technology (Invitrogen) for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of higher plants. The Gateway Technology vectors are kanamycin-based, thus tetracycline-based destination and expression vectors are easily selected for the antibiotic resistance in the Escherichia coli media. We reduced the size of the tetracycline resistance gene TetC from pBR322 to 1468 bp containing 1191 bp of the coding region, 93 bp of 5’-upstream, and 184 bp 3’-downstream region. The final size of binary Ti vector skeleton pLSU11 is 5034 bp. pLSU12 and 13 have the kanamycin resistance NPTII gene as a plant-selectable marker. pLSU13?and 15 contain the hygromycin resistance HPH gene as a selection marker. pLSU13 and 15 also have the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene in addition to the plant selection marker. We also constructed a mobilizable version of tetracycline-based binary Ti vector pLSU16 in which the mob function of ColE1 replicon was maintained for mobilization of the binary vector from E. coli to A. tumefaciens by tri-parental mating. The final size of binary Ti vector skeleton pLSU16 is 5580 bp. New tetracycline- based binary Ti vectors pLSU12 were found as effective as kanamycin-based vector pLSU2 in promoting a 10-fold increase in fresh weight yield of kanamycin-resistant calli after A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco leaf discs. Using the Gateway Technology we introduced the plant-expressible GUSgene to the T-DNA of binary Ti vector pLSU12. Expression of the β-glucuronidase enzyme activity was demonstrated by histochemical staining of the GUS activity in transformed tobacco leaf discs.展开更多
Rice sheath blight disease （ShB）, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, gives rise to significant grain yield losses. The present study evaluated the efficacy of Integral, the commercial liquid formulation of Bacillus subti...Rice sheath blight disease （ShB）, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, gives rise to significant grain yield losses. The present study evaluated the efficacy of Integral, the commercial liquid formulation of Bacillus subtilis strain MBI 600, against rice ShB and for plant growth promotion. In greenhouse studies, four log concentrations of Integral （from 2.2×10^6 to 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL） were used as seed treatment （ST）. After 25 d, seedlings were dipped （SD） into Integral prior to transplanting. At 30 d after transplanting （DAT）, leaf sheaths were inoculated with immature sclerotia of the pathogen. At 45 DAT, a foliar spray （FS） with Integral was applied to some treatments. The fungicide control was 50% carbendazim at 1.0 g/L, and a nontreated control was also included. Overall, there were 10 treatments, each with five replications. ShB severity was rated at 52 DAT, and seedling height and number of tillers per plant were rated at 60 DAT. In 2009, two field trials evaluated Integral at 2.2×10^8 and 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL. Integral was applied as ST, and seedlings were produced in a nursery bed. After 32 d, seedlings were treated with Integral as SD and transplanted into 10 m^2 blocks. Foliar sprays were given at 45 and 60 DAT. There were seven treatments, each with eight replications arranged as a factorial randomized complete block design. At 20 DAT, the plots were broadcast inoculated with R. solani produced on rice grains. Seedling height before transplanting, ShB severity at 90 DAT, and grain yield at harvest were recorded. Integral at 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL provided significant increase of seedling heights over other treatments under greenhouse conditions. The Integral treatments of ST ＋ SD ＋ FS at 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL significantly suppressed ShB over other treatments. In field studies, Integral provided significant increase of seedling height in nursery, and number of tillers per plant, compared with the control. ShB severity was significantly suppressed with higher concentrations of Integral compared to lower concentrations. Grain yield were the highest at an Integral concentration of 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL. Overall, Integral significantly reduced ShB severity, enhanced seedling growth, number of tillers per plant and grain yield as ST ＋ SD ＋ FS at the concentration of 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL under the conditions evaluated.展开更多
Vegetation fractional coverage (VFC) is one of the key indicators of vegetation distribution. In the work a measurement-based model was developed to derive total forest VFC (TG) as well as the VFC of trees (T) and shr...Vegetation fractional coverage (VFC) is one of the key indicators of vegetation distribution. In the work a measurement-based model was developed to derive total forest VFC (TG) as well as the VFC of trees (T) and shrub-grasses (G) separately in a subtropical forest area in Nanjing, China. Both upward and downward photographs were taken with a digital camera in 72 quadrats (10 m × 10 m each). Fifteen models were established and validated. Models jointly using both T and G performed better than those using the T and G separately. The best model, TG = T + G- 1.134 × T × G- 0.025 (R2 = 0.9115, P < 0.01, root mean squared error = 0.0789), is recommended for application. This model provides a good way to obtain total forest VFC values through taking tree and shrub-grass photos on ground below tree canopy rather than above tree canopy.展开更多
The importance of controlled temperature during the four-days co-cultivation period was evaluated under the most physiologically relevant conditions for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco (Ni...The importance of controlled temperature during the four-days co-cultivation period was evaluated under the most physiologically relevant conditions for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi (nn, Smith)) leaf disks. We compared the effect of temperatures ranging from 15°C, 18°C, 20°C, 22°C to 25°C on the stable expression of β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity of 14 days old hygromycin-selected leaf disks, and on the increase in the fresh weight yield of 28 days old kanamycin-selected calli. The highest average of GUS activity was obtained at 20°C among the five temperatures tested although the difference between the 18°C and 20°C treatment was not statistically significant. The GUS activity at 15°C was statistically lower than those at 18°C and 20°C. The GUS activity in 22°C treatment was an intermediate between the highest (18/20°C) and second highest averages (15°C), and was not statistically significantly different. The lowest average of GUS activity was observed at 25°C. The highest increase in the plate average of fresh weight yield was obtained at 20°C among the five temperature tested. The 20°C treatment was statistically significantly better than the 15°C and 18°C treatments. The 20°C co-cultivation treatment resulted in the higher FW yield than 22°C and 25°C even though the differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, low co-cultivation temperature at 20°C resulted in the reproducible maximum increase in both the fresh weight yield and stable expression of GUS activity after transformation of tobacco leaf disks.展开更多
Coastal erosion, subsidence, salt water intrusion, and hypoxia are forces that impact Louisiana and beyond. The objective of this research was to determine the extent of land loss due to erosion and establish the best...Coastal erosion, subsidence, salt water intrusion, and hypoxia are forces that impact Louisiana and beyond. The objective of this research was to determine the extent of land loss due to erosion and establish the best Spartina (S.) species to ameliorate the coast. Using graph theory in the Geometer’s Sketch Pad program, progressive land loss from Isles Dernieres was determined from 1853 to 2005. This was accomplished using Pick’s Theorem (A = I + B/2 - 1), where A = total land area, I = interior intersections, and B = boundary intersections. The analysis indicated that there had been more than ninety percent land loss from 1853 to 2005. Additionally, four plants from each Spartina species (alterniflora, patens, and spartinae) were planted and flooded in four containers, respectively, filled with potting soil, and a non-vegetated control was included in this same manner. Dissolved oxygen was measured three times a week under three different temperature regimes, twenty-two, thirty, and ten degrees Celsius, respectively. This resulted in the control group diffusing the most oxygen at twenty-two degrees Celsius, the S. alterniflora diffusing the most oxygen at thirty degrees Celsius, and all the species diffusing statistically similar oxygen levels at ten degrees Celsius. After six months of flooded conditions, penetration and subsidence were measured. The vegetated soils required the greatest penetration forces and subsided the least. Oxygen diffusion is dependent on plant species and temperature. The penetration and subsidence results also support the conclusion that plants can reduce land loss and preserve the coastline.展开更多
Lead (Pb) in the urban environment can have a negative effect on human health, especially children’s health. Reducing elevated Pb exposure in the home landscape is essential. The purpose of this study was to determin...Lead (Pb) in the urban environment can have a negative effect on human health, especially children’s health. Reducing elevated Pb exposure in the home landscape is essential. The purpose of this study was to determine which ornamental groundcover landscape plants uptake Pb from contaminated soil. Plants for both shade and sun were selected. Plants for shade [Brake fern (</span><i><span>Pteris</span></i><span> <i>vittata</i></span><span>), Asian Jasmine (</span><i><span>Trachelospermum</span></i><span> <i>asiaticum</i></span><span>), “Big Blue” Liriope </span></span></span><span><span><span><span>(</span><i><span>Liriope</span></i><span> <i>muscari</i></span><span>), and St. Augustinegrass (</span><i><span>Stenotaphrum</span></i><span> <i><span>secundatum</span></i><span>)</span></span><span>] and sun [Variegated Liriope (</span><i><span>Liriope</span></i><span> <i><span>muscari</span></i><span> “</span><i><span>Variegata</span></i><span>”</span></span><span>), Asian Jasmine </span><span><span>(</span><i><span>Trachelospermum</span></i> <i><span>asiaticum</span></i></span><span>), Asparagus Fern (</span><i><span>Asparagus</span></i><span> <i>setaceus</i></span><span>), </span><span>a</span><span>nd Bermudagrass (</span><i><span>Cynodon</span></i><span> <i>dactylon</i></span><span>)] adapted landscape groundcover plants successfully assimilated Pb grown in soil containing 250 ppm and 500 ppm Pb concentrations. Additionally, soil movement at both 25 mph and 50 mph wind speed was significantly different, with increased soil movement at 50 mph. Therefore, it was determined that landscape plants adapted to both sun and shade can help remove Pb from contaminated soils and stabilize soil particles reducing the movement of soil and be aesthetically pleasing.展开更多
Sweet sorghum has been suggested as a feedstock into the sugarcane mills for sucrose production in Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Sweet sorghum is widely grown by subsistence farmers and matures in 3 to 6 months in February,...Sweet sorghum has been suggested as a feedstock into the sugarcane mills for sucrose production in Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Sweet sorghum is widely grown by subsistence farmers and matures in 3 to 6 months in February, March and April, before sugarcane harvesting begins. Sweet sorghum has low sucrose content that is difficult to extract during processing. The hypothesis of the study was that sweet sorghum was a potential feedstock to sugarcane mills for the production of sugar and ethanol. The objective of this study was to investigate the trends in starch and sucrose content of four sweet sorghum genotypes namely M337, M81-E, Theis and Topper, and evaluate the potential of sweet sorghum as a feed stock for sugar and ethanol production. The sorghum juice was collected on August 10, August 24, September 8, September 18 and October 2, 2006 and starch and sucrose content were determined. There were significant （P 〈 0.001） genotypes by sampling date interaction effects. Both starch and sucrose content increased with crop sampling date. Genotypes M337 and Theis were late maturing for sucrose content compared to M81-E and Topper. All genotypes except M337 produced no significant increase in starch after 101DAP. Trends in sucrose and starch content were similar, indicating the reason sucrose was difficult to extract from sweet sorghum. The impact of this study would be boosting the incomes of small scale growers who would be subcontracted by the sugar mills to produce sweet sorghum as a feedstock to the mills before sugarcane matures.展开更多
This review chronicles the development of the plant binary vectors of Ti plasmid in Agrobacterium tumefaciens during the last 30 years. A binary vector strategy was designed in 1983 to separate the T-DNA region in a s...This review chronicles the development of the plant binary vectors of Ti plasmid in Agrobacterium tumefaciens during the last 30 years. A binary vector strategy was designed in 1983 to separate the T-DNA region in a small plasmid from the virulence genes in avirulent T-DNA-less Ti plasmid. The small plant vectors with the T-DNA region have been simply now called binary Ti vectors. A binary Ti vector consist of a broad host-range replicon for propagation in A. tumeraciens, an antibiotic resistance gene for bacterial selection and the T-DNA region that would be transferred to the plant genome via the bacterial virulence machinery. The T-DNA region delimited by the right and left border sequences contains an antibiotic resistance gene for plant selection, reporter gene, and/or any genes of interest. The ColEI replicon was also added to the plasmid backbone to enhance the propagation in Escherichia coli. A general trend in the binary vector development has been to increase the plasmid stability during a long co-cultivation period of A. tumefaciens with the target host plant tissues. A second trend is to understand the molecular mechanism of broad host-range replication, and to use it to reduce the size of plasmid for ease in cloning and for higher plasmid yield in E. coli. The broad host-range replicon of VS1 was shown to be a choice of replicon over those of pRK2, pRi and pSA because of the superior stability and of small well-defined replicon. Newly developed plant binary vectors pLSU has the small size of plasmid backbone (4566 bp) consisting of VS1 replicon (2654 bp), ColE1 replicon (715 bp), a bacterial kanamycin (999 bp) or tetracycline resistance gene, and the T-DNA region (152 bp).展开更多
Resurrection fern has a unique ability to maintain cell wall integrity when the plant cell is desiccated. It uses proteins such as late embryogenesis proteins and heat shock proteins to maintain their cellular functio...Resurrection fern has a unique ability to maintain cell wall integrity when the plant cell is desiccated. It uses proteins such as late embryogenesis proteins and heat shock proteins to maintain their cellular functions. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effects of environmental stressors on the physiological response of the resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides). The physiological response of resurrection fern plants was subjected to various temperatures (-50°C, 0°C, 25°C, and 50°C) for 7 days. Results indicated that there was a significant difference between hydrated and desiccated ferns based on the temperature. Additionally, electrolyte leakage measurements confirmed cell damage following exposure to temperature extremes of -50°C and 50°C.展开更多
Loss of ammonia-nitrogen to volatilization and the over application of phosphorus in agricultural wastewaters has led to excess phosphorus build up in topsoil and in surface waters. In order to increase the usable amo...Loss of ammonia-nitrogen to volatilization and the over application of phosphorus in agricultural wastewaters has led to excess phosphorus build up in topsoil and in surface waters. In order to increase the usable amount nitrogen in agricultural wastewaters, the wastewaters underwent a nitrogen treatment process consisting of a hanging basket biological filter. The filters utilized never before used biological growth media, rice hulls, to assist in the formation of a mature biofilms as the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate. The filter design was used on a lab scale that treated both artificial wastewater and dairy parlor wastewater treated with a lime precipitation step for phosphorus treatment. The filters were tested to see if bio-fouling occurred in the filter media bed under high nitrogen loading, if the rice hulls could withstand an extended time frame as bacterial growth media, and to see if the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate would occur. A 50% reduction in ammonia occurred between 30 and 48 hrs in each trial with eventual nitrite oxidation reported in the final two trials. Statistical analysis preformed determined that the ammonia removal rates at the beginning of both the synthetic wastewater and dairy parlor wastewater ten-day tests were statistically similar, but varied toward the end of the trials.展开更多
The essential oil industry has led a rapidly growing market in American herbal medicine. The global essential oil industry was valued at an estimated 18.6 billion USD in 2020 and is expected to have a compound annual ...The essential oil industry has led a rapidly growing market in American herbal medicine. The global essential oil industry was valued at an estimated 18.6 billion USD in 2020 and is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% from 2020 to 2027. “Essential oil” is a broad term used to describe volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are often associated with a plant’s essence or aroma. These molecules are commonly extracted from a variety of different plant structures by steam distillation and cold pressing. Essential oils function as a defense against insects, bacteria, fungi, and other stressors, such as drought and cold. The most industrially important of this class of compounds are monoterpenes, steam-volatile constituents which are the most abundant terpenes throughout plants. Essential oils may include monoterpenes (two isoprene units), sesquiterpenes (three isoprene units), ketones, and phenolics. Phenolics include flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins.展开更多
Air pollution is defined as the presence of a substance in the atmosphere that is harmful to human health, living things, and/or has a negative impact on the environment. A plant such as Tillandsia recurvata, ball mos...Air pollution is defined as the presence of a substance in the atmosphere that is harmful to human health, living things, and/or has a negative impact on the environment. A plant such as Tillandsia recurvata, ball moss, could be used as an inexpensive biological indicator for urban pollution. The purpose of this research was to determine if ball moss could be used as a biological indicator of urban pollution and retain oil pollution. Multiple sites were identified and grouped by vehicular traffic frequency (counts) using the Louisiana State Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) traffic data to randomly select five low (0.0 - 7000), and five medium/high frequency (7001 to >14,000) traffic counts in locations within Baton Rouge, La. city limits. Differential analysis determined that harvested ball moss tissue levels from areas with low traffic (<0.05 level) contained lower S concentrations than plants tested from high traffic counts. In a second study, dried Tillandsia recurvata plant tissue accumulated greater oil weight than absorbent paper towels. Tillandsia recurvata absorbed and/or retained oil at a greater ratio of oil than its own mass. Therefore, the results of each experiment indicated that Tillandsia recurvata may successfully function as a biological indicator and serve as an oil retentionist on a small-scale test. Further research is needed on a larger-scale area to confirm the efficacy of ball mosses for controlling water pollution in-situ.展开更多
In the past 80 years, Louisiana has lost over one million acres in land, affecting plants and crustaceans that live in these environments. The first objective of this research was to determine the relationship between...In the past 80 years, Louisiana has lost over one million acres in land, affecting plants and crustaceans that live in these environments. The first objective of this research was to determine the relationship between diffused oxygen in water and time with the behavioral and physiological health of Callinectes sapidus (blue crab) and Procambarus clarkii (crawfish). After 24 hours, manual dexterity, or the amount of time it takes for a crustacean to flip itself over increased under hypoxic conditions. Hemolymph was extracted and tested for lactate, glucose, and protein. Crawfish were also exposed to this same procedure. An additional crawfish study comparing Spartina plants to assimilate oxygen for aeration compared to mechanical aeration was conducted. The hypoxic groups for all three studies at the 0.05 level had a significantly greater manual dexterity time and greater amounts of lactate and glucose. The protein was significantly higher in hypoxia-exposed crawfish. Time and aeration affect the health of crustaceans, and plants were shown to effectively provide normoxic oxygen levels at a similar level as mechanical aeration. These studies support the importance of marsh grasses for the coast and crustacean viability.展开更多
文摘We constructed small high-yielding binary Ti vectors with a bacterial tetracycline resistance gene to facilitate efficient cloning afforded by the Gateway Technology (Invitrogen) for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of higher plants. The Gateway Technology vectors are kanamycin-based, thus tetracycline-based destination and expression vectors are easily selected for the antibiotic resistance in the Escherichia coli media. We reduced the size of the tetracycline resistance gene TetC from pBR322 to 1468 bp containing 1191 bp of the coding region, 93 bp of 5’-upstream, and 184 bp 3’-downstream region. The final size of binary Ti vector skeleton pLSU11 is 5034 bp. pLSU12 and 13 have the kanamycin resistance NPTII gene as a plant-selectable marker. pLSU13?and 15 contain the hygromycin resistance HPH gene as a selection marker. pLSU13 and 15 also have the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene in addition to the plant selection marker. We also constructed a mobilizable version of tetracycline-based binary Ti vector pLSU16 in which the mob function of ColE1 replicon was maintained for mobilization of the binary vector from E. coli to A. tumefaciens by tri-parental mating. The final size of binary Ti vector skeleton pLSU16 is 5580 bp. New tetracycline- based binary Ti vectors pLSU12 were found as effective as kanamycin-based vector pLSU2 in promoting a 10-fold increase in fresh weight yield of kanamycin-resistant calli after A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco leaf discs. Using the Gateway Technology we introduced the plant-expressible GUSgene to the T-DNA of binary Ti vector pLSU12. Expression of the β-glucuronidase enzyme activity was demonstrated by histochemical staining of the GUS activity in transformed tobacco leaf discs.
文摘Rice sheath blight disease （ShB）, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, gives rise to significant grain yield losses. The present study evaluated the efficacy of Integral, the commercial liquid formulation of Bacillus subtilis strain MBI 600, against rice ShB and for plant growth promotion. In greenhouse studies, four log concentrations of Integral （from 2.2×10^6 to 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL） were used as seed treatment （ST）. After 25 d, seedlings were dipped （SD） into Integral prior to transplanting. At 30 d after transplanting （DAT）, leaf sheaths were inoculated with immature sclerotia of the pathogen. At 45 DAT, a foliar spray （FS） with Integral was applied to some treatments. The fungicide control was 50% carbendazim at 1.0 g/L, and a nontreated control was also included. Overall, there were 10 treatments, each with five replications. ShB severity was rated at 52 DAT, and seedling height and number of tillers per plant were rated at 60 DAT. In 2009, two field trials evaluated Integral at 2.2×10^8 and 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL. Integral was applied as ST, and seedlings were produced in a nursery bed. After 32 d, seedlings were treated with Integral as SD and transplanted into 10 m^2 blocks. Foliar sprays were given at 45 and 60 DAT. There were seven treatments, each with eight replications arranged as a factorial randomized complete block design. At 20 DAT, the plots were broadcast inoculated with R. solani produced on rice grains. Seedling height before transplanting, ShB severity at 90 DAT, and grain yield at harvest were recorded. Integral at 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL provided significant increase of seedling heights over other treatments under greenhouse conditions. The Integral treatments of ST ＋ SD ＋ FS at 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL significantly suppressed ShB over other treatments. In field studies, Integral provided significant increase of seedling height in nursery, and number of tillers per plant, compared with the control. ShB severity was significantly suppressed with higher concentrations of Integral compared to lower concentrations. Grain yield were the highest at an Integral concentration of 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL. Overall, Integral significantly reduced ShB severity, enhanced seedling growth, number of tillers per plant and grain yield as ST ＋ SD ＋ FS at the concentration of 2.2×10^9 cfu/mL under the conditions evaluated.
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program (973 Program) of China (No.2007CB407206)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40371053)
文摘Vegetation fractional coverage (VFC) is one of the key indicators of vegetation distribution. In the work a measurement-based model was developed to derive total forest VFC (TG) as well as the VFC of trees (T) and shrub-grasses (G) separately in a subtropical forest area in Nanjing, China. Both upward and downward photographs were taken with a digital camera in 72 quadrats (10 m × 10 m each). Fifteen models were established and validated. Models jointly using both T and G performed better than those using the T and G separately. The best model, TG = T + G- 1.134 × T × G- 0.025 (R2 = 0.9115, P < 0.01, root mean squared error = 0.0789), is recommended for application. This model provides a good way to obtain total forest VFC values through taking tree and shrub-grass photos on ground below tree canopy rather than above tree canopy.
文摘The importance of controlled temperature during the four-days co-cultivation period was evaluated under the most physiologically relevant conditions for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi (nn, Smith)) leaf disks. We compared the effect of temperatures ranging from 15°C, 18°C, 20°C, 22°C to 25°C on the stable expression of β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity of 14 days old hygromycin-selected leaf disks, and on the increase in the fresh weight yield of 28 days old kanamycin-selected calli. The highest average of GUS activity was obtained at 20°C among the five temperatures tested although the difference between the 18°C and 20°C treatment was not statistically significant. The GUS activity at 15°C was statistically lower than those at 18°C and 20°C. The GUS activity in 22°C treatment was an intermediate between the highest (18/20°C) and second highest averages (15°C), and was not statistically significantly different. The lowest average of GUS activity was observed at 25°C. The highest increase in the plate average of fresh weight yield was obtained at 20°C among the five temperature tested. The 20°C treatment was statistically significantly better than the 15°C and 18°C treatments. The 20°C co-cultivation treatment resulted in the higher FW yield than 22°C and 25°C even though the differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, low co-cultivation temperature at 20°C resulted in the reproducible maximum increase in both the fresh weight yield and stable expression of GUS activity after transformation of tobacco leaf disks.
文摘Coastal erosion, subsidence, salt water intrusion, and hypoxia are forces that impact Louisiana and beyond. The objective of this research was to determine the extent of land loss due to erosion and establish the best Spartina (S.) species to ameliorate the coast. Using graph theory in the Geometer’s Sketch Pad program, progressive land loss from Isles Dernieres was determined from 1853 to 2005. This was accomplished using Pick’s Theorem (A = I + B/2 - 1), where A = total land area, I = interior intersections, and B = boundary intersections. The analysis indicated that there had been more than ninety percent land loss from 1853 to 2005. Additionally, four plants from each Spartina species (alterniflora, patens, and spartinae) were planted and flooded in four containers, respectively, filled with potting soil, and a non-vegetated control was included in this same manner. Dissolved oxygen was measured three times a week under three different temperature regimes, twenty-two, thirty, and ten degrees Celsius, respectively. This resulted in the control group diffusing the most oxygen at twenty-two degrees Celsius, the S. alterniflora diffusing the most oxygen at thirty degrees Celsius, and all the species diffusing statistically similar oxygen levels at ten degrees Celsius. After six months of flooded conditions, penetration and subsidence were measured. The vegetated soils required the greatest penetration forces and subsided the least. Oxygen diffusion is dependent on plant species and temperature. The penetration and subsidence results also support the conclusion that plants can reduce land loss and preserve the coastline.
文摘Lead (Pb) in the urban environment can have a negative effect on human health, especially children’s health. Reducing elevated Pb exposure in the home landscape is essential. The purpose of this study was to determine which ornamental groundcover landscape plants uptake Pb from contaminated soil. Plants for both shade and sun were selected. Plants for shade [Brake fern (</span><i><span>Pteris</span></i><span> <i>vittata</i></span><span>), Asian Jasmine (</span><i><span>Trachelospermum</span></i><span> <i>asiaticum</i></span><span>), “Big Blue” Liriope </span></span></span><span><span><span><span>(</span><i><span>Liriope</span></i><span> <i>muscari</i></span><span>), and St. Augustinegrass (</span><i><span>Stenotaphrum</span></i><span> <i><span>secundatum</span></i><span>)</span></span><span>] and sun [Variegated Liriope (</span><i><span>Liriope</span></i><span> <i><span>muscari</span></i><span> “</span><i><span>Variegata</span></i><span>”</span></span><span>), Asian Jasmine </span><span><span>(</span><i><span>Trachelospermum</span></i> <i><span>asiaticum</span></i></span><span>), Asparagus Fern (</span><i><span>Asparagus</span></i><span> <i>setaceus</i></span><span>), </span><span>a</span><span>nd Bermudagrass (</span><i><span>Cynodon</span></i><span> <i>dactylon</i></span><span>)] adapted landscape groundcover plants successfully assimilated Pb grown in soil containing 250 ppm and 500 ppm Pb concentrations. Additionally, soil movement at both 25 mph and 50 mph wind speed was significantly different, with increased soil movement at 50 mph. Therefore, it was determined that landscape plants adapted to both sun and shade can help remove Pb from contaminated soils and stabilize soil particles reducing the movement of soil and be aesthetically pleasing.
文摘Sweet sorghum has been suggested as a feedstock into the sugarcane mills for sucrose production in Zimbabwe and Swaziland. Sweet sorghum is widely grown by subsistence farmers and matures in 3 to 6 months in February, March and April, before sugarcane harvesting begins. Sweet sorghum has low sucrose content that is difficult to extract during processing. The hypothesis of the study was that sweet sorghum was a potential feedstock to sugarcane mills for the production of sugar and ethanol. The objective of this study was to investigate the trends in starch and sucrose content of four sweet sorghum genotypes namely M337, M81-E, Theis and Topper, and evaluate the potential of sweet sorghum as a feed stock for sugar and ethanol production. The sorghum juice was collected on August 10, August 24, September 8, September 18 and October 2, 2006 and starch and sucrose content were determined. There were significant （P 〈 0.001） genotypes by sampling date interaction effects. Both starch and sucrose content increased with crop sampling date. Genotypes M337 and Theis were late maturing for sucrose content compared to M81-E and Topper. All genotypes except M337 produced no significant increase in starch after 101DAP. Trends in sucrose and starch content were similar, indicating the reason sucrose was difficult to extract from sweet sorghum. The impact of this study would be boosting the incomes of small scale growers who would be subcontracted by the sugar mills to produce sweet sorghum as a feedstock to the mills before sugarcane matures.
文摘This review chronicles the development of the plant binary vectors of Ti plasmid in Agrobacterium tumefaciens during the last 30 years. A binary vector strategy was designed in 1983 to separate the T-DNA region in a small plasmid from the virulence genes in avirulent T-DNA-less Ti plasmid. The small plant vectors with the T-DNA region have been simply now called binary Ti vectors. A binary Ti vector consist of a broad host-range replicon for propagation in A. tumeraciens, an antibiotic resistance gene for bacterial selection and the T-DNA region that would be transferred to the plant genome via the bacterial virulence machinery. The T-DNA region delimited by the right and left border sequences contains an antibiotic resistance gene for plant selection, reporter gene, and/or any genes of interest. The ColEI replicon was also added to the plasmid backbone to enhance the propagation in Escherichia coli. A general trend in the binary vector development has been to increase the plasmid stability during a long co-cultivation period of A. tumefaciens with the target host plant tissues. A second trend is to understand the molecular mechanism of broad host-range replication, and to use it to reduce the size of plasmid for ease in cloning and for higher plasmid yield in E. coli. The broad host-range replicon of VS1 was shown to be a choice of replicon over those of pRK2, pRi and pSA because of the superior stability and of small well-defined replicon. Newly developed plant binary vectors pLSU has the small size of plasmid backbone (4566 bp) consisting of VS1 replicon (2654 bp), ColE1 replicon (715 bp), a bacterial kanamycin (999 bp) or tetracycline resistance gene, and the T-DNA region (152 bp).
文摘Resurrection fern has a unique ability to maintain cell wall integrity when the plant cell is desiccated. It uses proteins such as late embryogenesis proteins and heat shock proteins to maintain their cellular functions. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the effects of environmental stressors on the physiological response of the resurrection fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides). The physiological response of resurrection fern plants was subjected to various temperatures (-50°C, 0°C, 25°C, and 50°C) for 7 days. Results indicated that there was a significant difference between hydrated and desiccated ferns based on the temperature. Additionally, electrolyte leakage measurements confirmed cell damage following exposure to temperature extremes of -50°C and 50°C.
文摘Loss of ammonia-nitrogen to volatilization and the over application of phosphorus in agricultural wastewaters has led to excess phosphorus build up in topsoil and in surface waters. In order to increase the usable amount nitrogen in agricultural wastewaters, the wastewaters underwent a nitrogen treatment process consisting of a hanging basket biological filter. The filters utilized never before used biological growth media, rice hulls, to assist in the formation of a mature biofilms as the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate. The filter design was used on a lab scale that treated both artificial wastewater and dairy parlor wastewater treated with a lime precipitation step for phosphorus treatment. The filters were tested to see if bio-fouling occurred in the filter media bed under high nitrogen loading, if the rice hulls could withstand an extended time frame as bacterial growth media, and to see if the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate would occur. A 50% reduction in ammonia occurred between 30 and 48 hrs in each trial with eventual nitrite oxidation reported in the final two trials. Statistical analysis preformed determined that the ammonia removal rates at the beginning of both the synthetic wastewater and dairy parlor wastewater ten-day tests were statistically similar, but varied toward the end of the trials.
文摘The essential oil industry has led a rapidly growing market in American herbal medicine. The global essential oil industry was valued at an estimated 18.6 billion USD in 2020 and is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% from 2020 to 2027. “Essential oil” is a broad term used to describe volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are often associated with a plant’s essence or aroma. These molecules are commonly extracted from a variety of different plant structures by steam distillation and cold pressing. Essential oils function as a defense against insects, bacteria, fungi, and other stressors, such as drought and cold. The most industrially important of this class of compounds are monoterpenes, steam-volatile constituents which are the most abundant terpenes throughout plants. Essential oils may include monoterpenes (two isoprene units), sesquiterpenes (three isoprene units), ketones, and phenolics. Phenolics include flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins.
文摘Air pollution is defined as the presence of a substance in the atmosphere that is harmful to human health, living things, and/or has a negative impact on the environment. A plant such as Tillandsia recurvata, ball moss, could be used as an inexpensive biological indicator for urban pollution. The purpose of this research was to determine if ball moss could be used as a biological indicator of urban pollution and retain oil pollution. Multiple sites were identified and grouped by vehicular traffic frequency (counts) using the Louisiana State Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) traffic data to randomly select five low (0.0 - 7000), and five medium/high frequency (7001 to >14,000) traffic counts in locations within Baton Rouge, La. city limits. Differential analysis determined that harvested ball moss tissue levels from areas with low traffic (<0.05 level) contained lower S concentrations than plants tested from high traffic counts. In a second study, dried Tillandsia recurvata plant tissue accumulated greater oil weight than absorbent paper towels. Tillandsia recurvata absorbed and/or retained oil at a greater ratio of oil than its own mass. Therefore, the results of each experiment indicated that Tillandsia recurvata may successfully function as a biological indicator and serve as an oil retentionist on a small-scale test. Further research is needed on a larger-scale area to confirm the efficacy of ball mosses for controlling water pollution in-situ.
文摘In the past 80 years, Louisiana has lost over one million acres in land, affecting plants and crustaceans that live in these environments. The first objective of this research was to determine the relationship between diffused oxygen in water and time with the behavioral and physiological health of Callinectes sapidus (blue crab) and Procambarus clarkii (crawfish). After 24 hours, manual dexterity, or the amount of time it takes for a crustacean to flip itself over increased under hypoxic conditions. Hemolymph was extracted and tested for lactate, glucose, and protein. Crawfish were also exposed to this same procedure. An additional crawfish study comparing Spartina plants to assimilate oxygen for aeration compared to mechanical aeration was conducted. The hypoxic groups for all three studies at the 0.05 level had a significantly greater manual dexterity time and greater amounts of lactate and glucose. The protein was significantly higher in hypoxia-exposed crawfish. Time and aeration affect the health of crustaceans, and plants were shown to effectively provide normoxic oxygen levels at a similar level as mechanical aeration. These studies support the importance of marsh grasses for the coast and crustacean viability.
