THE EFFECTS OF JUNIPER LITTER DEPTH AND ALLELOPATHY ON TWO NATIVE SPECIES

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Chad S. Horman and Dr. Val Jo Anderson, Botany and Range Science Juniper (Juniperus spp.) forests cover a large percentage of the West and are continuing to invade grass/shrub ecotypes. This eventually leads to a reduced understory and lower productivity for grazing animals. This reduction in understory biomass is due to the competitiveness of this […]

Measuring Relative Reductions in Nitrous Oxide and Ammonia Gas Emissions Using Polymer Coated Urea by Photoacoustic Gas Analysis

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Joshua J. LeMonte and Dr. Bryan G. Hopkins, Plant and Wildlife Sciences Farmers typically apply relatively high rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizers, often in excess. This is because N is the mineral nutrient most commonly deficient in agricultural soils. Soil-plant system inefficiencies prevent complete utilization of the N, leaving residual N in the soil, wasting […]

Nucleic Acid Analysis of Black Dot infected Russet Norkotah Potato as Influenced by Environmental Potassium

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Mason Kearns and Dr. Brad Geary, Plant and Wildlife Sciences The purpose of our project was first to apply polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology in quantifying the infection levels of a disease in potato, and also to determine the result of varying potassium nutrition on fungal infection levels. The method currently used to assay infection […]

Molecular Mapping of the Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Resistance Gene Sw-7 in Tomato

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Keri G. Dockter, Derek S. O’Neil, David L. Price, John Scott, and Mikel R. Stevens, Plant and Wildlife Sciences Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), vectored by several thrips species, is the causal agent of devastating tomato crop losses in many areas of the world. Recently, field tests have demonstrated that there are TSWV isolates that […]

The Effect of Botulinum Neurotoxin on Lipid Monolayers

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Adam Dunstan and Dr. Richard Terry, Plant and Wildlife Sciences Soil carbon isotope analysis is a means by which, through chemical analysis of soils once used by ancient civilizations, we can ascertain where they may have been farming certain crops that leave a unique chemical “signature” in the ground. Under the guidance of Dr. Richard […]

Project Title Phytosiderophore Exudation in Turfgrass as a Measure of Susceptibility to Iron Chlorosis

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Emily Buxton and Dr. Von D. Jolley, Plant and Wildlife Sciences Introduction Fe is an essential nutrient in plants because it is directly involved in chloroplast development and the important reactions of photosynthesis. Although it is the fourth most abundant element in the earth’s crust (Tisdale et al., 1993), its bioavailability in calcareous soils is […]

Effects of Iron Fertilization on Potato Yield Parameters

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Joshua Buck and Dr. Bryan Hopkins, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences As world population increases the demand on agriculture to produce a sufficient amount of food has dramatically increased. However, agricultural lands in the US and worldwide are quickly disappearing to further urban development. Therefore it is essential that agricultural practices are reviewed and […]

Locating Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus N Gene Inserts in Tomato

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Ryan L. Walker and Dr. Mikel R. Stevens, Agronomy and Horticulture Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) of the genus Tospovirus is able to infect both the plant and the thrips vector (an insect). This unique method of transmission has allowed the various Tospovirus species to rapidly spread throughout the world. This virus is very adaptable […]

FRACTIONATION AND ISOLATION OF THE ANTI-TUMORAL ACTIVITY OF AN INDIGENOUS TONGAN MEDICINAL EXTRACT

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Steven D. Christenson and Drs. Gary M. Booth and Steven G. Wood Vai Haka is the Tongan name given to a medicinal extract prepared and prescribed by indigenous healers on the island kingdom of Tonga. Used as a treatment for morning sickness (hyper-emesis), the mixture is prepared by boiling the barks of four different rainforest […]

DotPopulation Genetic Analysis of Puma concolor Using Microsatellites

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Eric Swenson and Dr. Keith A. Crandall, Zoology The mountain lion, Puma concolor, is the last widespread species of top predator remaining in the United States (2). Despite this, P. concolor is the subject of annual hunts, except in Florida and South Dakota, where they are threatened, and California (4). The impact of hunting on […]