7141 research outputs found
Sort by
Comparative Performance of Fungicides in Management of Phytophthora Root Rot on Boxwood
Get PDFNursery growers rely on fungicides to manage root rot disease of boxwood caused by Phytophthora nicotianae and P. cinnamomi. Repeated use of the same fungicide may lead to the fungicide resistance. In this study, fungicides pyraclostrobin + cyazofamid (Empress + Segway), ametoctradin + dimethomorph (Orvego), ametoctradin + dimethomorph alternated with pyraclostrobin (Orvego alt Empress), ametoctradin + dimethomorph alternated with fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin (Orvego alt Orkestra), and oxathiapiprolin (Segovis) were evaluated for their efficacy in managing Phytophthora root rot under greenhouse conditions in Tennessee. One-year-old container-grown boxwood ‘Green Velvet’ plants were inoculated with P. nicotianae or P. cinnamomi. The first applications of fungicide treatments were made preventatively as a drench 48 h before pathogen inoculation. Following inoculation, four applications of fungicide treatments were performed on a 14-day intervals. Initial and final plant height and width were measured. Total plant fresh weight and root fresh weight were measured at the end of the trials, and plants were evaluated for root rot severity (0% to 100% roots affected) and pathogen recovery. All fungicides significantly reduced root rot severity and pathogen recovery of P. nicotianae and P. cinnamomi. Ametoctradin + dimethomorph alternated with pyraclostrobin (Orvego alt Empress) provided similar protection against P. cinnamomi to that of a single application of ametoctradin + dimethomorph (Orvego) or oxathiapiprolin (Segovis). For P. nicotianae, ametoctradin + dimethomorph alternated with pyraclostrobin + fluzapyroxad (Orvego alt Orkestra) was found to be as effective as a single application of either ametoctradin + dimethomorph (Orvego) or oxathiapiprolin (Segovis) in one of the two trials. Effects of fungicides on plant growth such as height, width, total, and root fresh weight were not significant. These findings will be useful to nursery growers in selecting the right fungicide program for the management of root rot disease of boxwood caused by P. nicotianae and P. cinnamomi
Men\u27s Gender Socialization and Masculinity Effect on Men\u27s Expressed Fear of Crime
No full textThe purpose of this study was to investigate if men\u27s gender socialization and conformity to masculinity predict their expression of fear of crime. Through multiple measures, this study investigated men\u27s gender role conflict, conformity to masculinity, and fear of victimization to determine if these factors are related to men\u27s expression or lack thereof of crime. It hypothesized that race, age, higher conformity to masculine norms, and less gender role conflict relate to less expressed fear of crime. Forward Stepwise statistical analysis provided support for race and restrictive emotionality relating to expressed fear of crime
Investigating NodGRPs, GOLVEN10 Functions in Legume-Rhizobia Symbiosis and Root Architecture Control
No full textNitrogen is an essential nutrient required for plant growth and the first nutrient which becomes limiting in agricultural fields. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is an agronomically important biological process that results in natural input of nitrogen into agricultural soils. Legumes and soil bacteria called rhizobia that convert atmospheric nitrogen into readily available ammonia enter a partnership that leads to formation of specialized organs called nodules on legume roots. Small signaling peptides (SSPs) or peptide hormones are emerging regulators of root nodule formation and are fragments of larger polypeptides that range from five to 65 amino acids. SSPs are classified into subgroups such as post translationally modified peptides such as the GOLVEN/ROOT GROWTH FACTOR peptide family, Cysteine rich and Glycine Rich Peptides (GRPs). Although there are several studies investigating the first two subgroups, not much is known about the Glycine rich peptides. In the model legume Medicago truncatula there are 57 genes which encode glycine rich proteins, of which three have been implicated in rhizobial infection previously. Glycine rich peptides in nodules range between 60-250 amino acids and are characterized by an N-terminal secretion signal followed by stretches of glycine residues. The research is focused on the characterization of glycine rich proteins in root nodule development of M. truncatula, as they are induced during nodule development. Of the 57-glycine rich protein (NodGRP) genes, MtNodGRP31 is induced during late stages of nodule development upon inoculation with the rhizobia Sinorhizobium meliloti; these include 10 days post inoculation (dpi), 14dpi and 28dpi
COVID-19 Pandemic, Climate Change, and Conflicts on Agriculture: A Trio of Challenges to Global Food Security
Get PDFGlobal food security is a worldwide concern. Food insecurity is a significant threat to poverty and hunger eradication goals. Agriculture is one of the focal points in the global policy agenda. Increases in agricultural productivity through the incorporation of technological advances or expansion of cultivable land areas have been pushed forward. However, production growth has slowed in many parts of the world due to various endemic challenges, such as decreased investment in agricultural research, lack of infrastructure in rural areas, and increasing water scarcity. Climate change adversities in agriculture and food security are increasing. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected global food supply chains. Economic and social instability from the pandemic contribute to long-term disturbances. Additionally, conflicts such as war directly affect agriculture by environmental degradation, violence, and breaches of national and international trade agreements. A combination of food security and climate change challenges along with increased conflicts among nations and post-COVID-19 social and economic issues bring bigger and more serious threats to agriculture. This necessitates the strategic design of policies through multifaceted fields regarding food systems. In this comprehensive review, we explore how these three challenging factors, COVID-19, climate change, and conflicts, are interrelated, and how they affect food security. We discuss the impact of these issues on the agricultural sector, plus possible ways of preventing or overcoming such adverse effects
Phenotypic Variability for Root Traits in Andean Common Beans Grown with and without Aluminum Stress Conditions
Get PDFGenetic variation in wild relatives, GenBank accessions, landraces, and cultivars can unlock key alleles for the traits of interest for breeding programs. Breeding programs often utilize different strategies to quantify the source of heritable variation for target traits. One neglected area of study is the root traits of diverse genotypes, and this is especially the case for aluminum toxicity effects on legumes such as the common bean, which is the most used pulse for direct human consumption. This study evaluated 267 genotypes of common bean that were part of the global Andean Diversity Panel (ADP), consisting mainly of genotypes assembled from public and private breeding programs in Africa and North America, as well as elite lines and land races from the USDA. The ADP was evaluated for root traits at the seedling stage in the Tennessee State University (TSU) greenhouse using a hydroponic system with a standard nutrient solution with and without aluminum (Al). The recorded data on the roots per trial were fit to a linear mixed model for the analysis of variance in order to test for the genotype differences. Adjusted means considered replication and blocks within replication as random effects and genotypes as fixed effects. These were then used for Pearson correlation tests and for principal component analysis (PCA), where the first two vectors accounted for 94.5% and 93% of the explained variation under the control and Al-treatment conditions, respectively. Genotypes were clustered based on the morphology of roots in response to Al-toxicity treatment using the Euclidean distance and Ward’s hierarchical agglomerative clustering method, identifying four distinctive groups significant at p \u3c 0.01. The intra-cluster distance was lower than the inter-cluster distances, which indicated a heterogeneous and homogeneous nature between and within clusters, respectively. The results suggest that crossing between accessions from two of the clusters would result in the maximum genetic segregation. One cluster was found to have a higher Al-toxicity tolerance than the others
Faculty Knowledge, Beliefs, and Willingness to Provide ADA Accommodations
No full textThe purpose of this quantitative research study was to describe the faculty’s knowledge, beliefs, and willingness to provide ADA accommodations to students with disabilities at a Southern HBCU. The sample used in this study was 70 full-time and part-time instructors who taught during the Spring of 2023 at a Southern HBCU. The study utilized a theoretical framework of critical disability theory. Two survey instruments used in a previous study were utilized in this research study. The first utilized a 12-question Likert scale survey to measure faculty knowledge, history, and beliefs about ADA accommodations. The second used a 22-question Likert scale survey to examine faculty’s willingness to provide ADA accommodations. Two demographic questions determined whether a significant difference exists when considering the faculty’s study area and their years of experience. The results of percentage and frequency counts showed that 84.29% of the participants were familiar with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990). The results of percentage and frequency counts showed that 100% of the participants understood the term “disability.” While these terms were understood, faculty lacked knowledge of ADA accommodations. One-way ANOVA was utilized to determine that no significant differences exist when considering the faculty’s area of study and their years of experience when examining their knowledge of ADA accommodations and willingness to provide ADA accommodations to students with disabilities. This study indicates a need for faculty training in ADA accommodations for students with disabilities at a Southern HBCU
Global Impact of Open Educational Resources (OER): Malawi Teacher Center
No full textThis research study examined the leadership awareness and understanding of Open Educational Resources (OER) for educational access and affordability of teaching and learning resources in Malawi, Africa. According to UNESCO: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (2023) low-income countries, like Malawi, have limited access, due to economic hardships, in accessing current education resources for teachers and students in post-secondary education. Data were collected from an online survey from instructors at the Malawi Teacher Center. The major findings included: Although nearly all the Malawi instructors (95%) are aware of OER; only sixteen percent (16%) of the teachers reported that they were very knowledgeable. A little over one-fourth (26%) of the teachers surveyed are not knowledgeable at all. Quality of improvement in education and increased professional development in OER were the top expectations of the Malawi teachers regarding OER. The top three benefits of OER cited by the Malawi teachers were: OER was easy to find materials for subject area; OER was low-cost compared to other materials; and OER was easy to share. The most important benefit of using OER reported by the teachers was that the materials were available 24/7. The top three challenges of OER reported by the Malawi instructors were: time to search for quality materials, training for OER, and time for upgrading curriculum and lessons. All teachers reported that textbooks are a major challenge for students. Reported supports needed for OER, in order of importance, included: professional development, Internet, and resources
