Functional Genomics for Tolerance to Abiotic Stress in Cereals

The world food grain production needs to be doubled by the year 2050 to meet the ever growing demands of the population (Tilman et al., 2002). This goal needs to be achieved despite decreased arable land, dwindling water resources, and the environmental constraints such as drought, water logging, excess heat, frost, salinity, metal toxicity and nutrient imbalances, which cause major losses in cereal grain production. Drought, salinity and cold stress alone are known to cause nearly 35% of cereal crop losses throughout the world (Quarrie et al., 1999). The effectiveness of traditional breeding approaches to deal with the problem is limited due to complex nature of stress tolerance traits and due to incompatibility barriers encountered during transfer of genes from wild species to cultivated ones. Therefore, newer strategies need to be used for developing crop plants tha

Impact of Virtual Fence Technology on Yearling Steer Behavior, Performance, and Energetic Expenditure

Beef cattle production in the U.S. is largely dependent upon extensive rangelands like the Northern Great Plains. Solutions are needed to meet both the demand of animal-based protein products for a growing world population and the desire for producers to manage for several different ecosystem functions. Virtual fencing (VF) is an emerging precision technology that has the potential to revolutionize livestock management on extensive rangeland systems. However, the need to quantify animal behavior and performance differences using emerging precision technologies, like VenceTM, is ever growing. Thus, the objective of this research was to determine the impact of virtual fencing on steers in the Northern Great Plains. Steer behavior, performance, and energetic expenditure was compared between virtually fenced rotational grazing and season long continuous grazing. Global positioning systems (GPS) and daily weight data collected were used to create and validate a precision system model to determine Net energy for activity (NEmr_act) for rangeland cattle. We found that animal behavior (grazing and resting time), performance (average daily gain, ADG), and energetic expenditure (Mcals/hd/d) was not significantly impacted by treatment group. However, treatment group did affect walking time per day, with those in the VFR walking 0.03 hours more per day than those in the CG. Our findings match aspects of previous research on animal behavior and performance based on stocking rate. This would indicate that VF technology does not negatively impact animal production. This technology is a feasible tool for managers to use in many production settings to increase efficiency, reduce labor cost, and reduce time for meeting grazing objectives

The Rollamo 2006

https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/speccoll_yearbooks/1102/thumbnail.jp

1992 Apothecary

The Apothecary staff would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the seniors who successfully completed their three years of professional training at Southwestern Oklahoma State University School of Pharmacy. We trust that they will strive for excellence in all of their endeavors and that they will use the knowledge that they have gained at Southwestern to make further advances in the Pharmacy profession.https://dc.swosu.edu/apoth/1028/thumbnail.jp

The Physiological and Molecular Characteristics of Chemically Induced Abiotic Stress Resistant Mutants of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/298 on 12.04.2017 by CS (TIS)N-nitroso-N-ethyleurea (NEU) and N-nitroso-N-methyleurea (NMU) induced mutants and control plants had been maintained in in-vitro condition for 3 years by continuous sub-culturing and screened 2 generations for resistant mutants selection. In this study highly resistant mutants were regenerated and assessed by leaf discs assay for drought, salt and frost resistance to confirm the persistence of mutation over generations of subculture. Assessment was carried out using mannitol (drought stress), NaCl (salt stress) and freezing (frost stress). Cold-acclimated and non-acclimated leaves were assessed for frost resistance. Results confirmed the persistence of mutations in clones with enhanced tolerance levels to stresses over control plants. Response of individual mutants was different for each of the stresses, some mutants were resistant to two stresses whilst others demonstrated multiple resistance and no one mutant was resistant to a single stress. Acclimation at 4 °C appeared good enough to increase frost resistance compared to non-acclimation. Acclimation also tended to emphasis the difference between mutants and some mutants (K18 & K19) showed highly significant increase in frost resistance at -6 °C compared to control. Responses of in-vitro and in-vivo plants within a clone were correlated. Molecular and biochemical analysis was carried out with objectives (1) To investigate the presence of CBF/DREB1 and COR15 genes in cauliflower (2) To investigate whether the induced resistance can be attributed to the expression of these genes and proline level. The clones (mutants and control) were analyzed under cold acclimation (4 °C) and non-acclimation (22 °C). Total RNA was isolated after 3 h, 6 h, 24 h and 14 d acclimation. Proteins and free proline were isolated after 14 d acclimation. Under non-acclimation, RNA, protein and proline isolated once at end of experiment. cDNA was produced using RT-PCR, with specific primers the gene was detected only in acclimated clones and no PCR product appeared under non-acclimation. The PCR product was isolated, sequenced, and compared the nucleotides and deduced amino acid sequences with other plants. Very high resemblance (- 91 %) with Brassica species (BnCBF5/DREB1, BrDREB1 and BjDREB1B) were found and confirmed the first reporting of the transcription factor BoCBF/DREB1 in cauliflower. This resemblance was reduced to 67% when compared to other plants, confirms that this sequence is conserved in Brassica. The transcript level increased up to 24 h acclimation and then declined. The response of the mutants was different, some showed PCR product at 3 h while others only after 6 h and 24 h acclimation. Through SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, the COR15a protein was detected with specific antibodies obtained from MSU (USA), and the blots appeared in all clones under cold acclimation correlated with frost resistance but under non-acclimation the COR15a constitutively expressed only in 3 mutants with increased frost resistance that confirms the persistence of mutation. The genotypes showed positive correlation between BoCBF/DREB1 expression and frost resistance and this correlation was significant after 24 h and 14 d cold acclimation. The highest R² value was found between BoCBF/DREB1 expression at 14 d and EC% at -6 °C (93.43% of variation accounted for) followed by BoCBF/DREB1 expression at 24 h and EC% at -6 °C (82.57%). The proline level under acclimation increased about 8 times compared to non-acclimation and demonstrated positive and significant correlation with BoCBF/DREB1 expression. Proline also showed positive and significant correlation with frost resistance under cold acclimation but very weak under non-acclimation. The effect of cold acclimation on proline and total protein was evaluated and negative correlation was found to be non significant between free proline and total protein content in clones.Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakista

Switzerland and Sub-Saharan Africa in the Cold War, 1967-1979

In this volume Sabina Widmer analyses neutral Switzerland’s foreign policy in Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Somalia during the armed conflicts and regime changes of the late 1960s and 1970s, in a context of global Cold War and decolonisation.; Readership: All interested in Swiss foreign policy after 1945, neutrality during the Cold War, Africa in the Cold War, and European politics towards Africa

Understanding the impacts of crude oil and its induced abiotic stresses on agrifood production: a review

In many parts of the world, the agricultural sector is faced with a number of challenges including those arising from abiotic environmental stresses which are the key factors responsible for most reductions in agrifood production. Crude oil contamination, an abiotic stress factor and a common environmental contaminant, at toxic levels has negative impacts on plants. Although various attempts have been made to demonstrate the impact of abiotic stresses on crops, the underlying factors responsible for the effects of crude oil and its induced abiotic stresses on the composition of the stressed plants are poorly understood. Hence, this review provides an in-depth examination of the: (1) effect of petroleum hydrocarbons on plants; (2) impact of abiotic environmental stresses on crop quality; (3) mechanistic link between crude oil stress and its induced abiotic stresses; as well as (4) mode of action/plant response mechanism to these induced stresses. The paper clearly reveals the implications of crude oil-induced abiotic stresses arising from the soil-root-plant route and from direct application on plant leaves

Stress defense in rice: how jasmonates enhance resistance to osmotic stress

Pflanzen haben die Fähigkeit, durch abiotischen und biotischen Stress verursachte Schäden zu lindern. Phytohormone spielen eine sehr wichtige Rolle bei der Anpassung an diese Arten von Stress. Um die Rolle von Jasmonat bei der Anpassung an osmotischen Stress zu erforschen, wurde eine Jasmonsäure (JA) - Biosynthesemutante (cpm2) von Reis, die in der Funktion der ALLENOXID CYCLASE (AOC) beeinträchtigt ist, und der entsprechende Wildtyp (WT) auf ihre Reaktionen nach Behandlung mit Polyethylenglycol (PEG) 6000 untersucht. Der WT zeigte Toleranz gegenüber osmotischem Stress, der einen vorübergehenden Anstieg von JA und JA-Isoleucin (JA-Ile) in Sprossen induzierte, der einem Anstieg der Abscisinsäure (ABA) voraus ging. In den Wurzeln war das Muster des hormonellen Anstiegs ähnlich, aber die Antwort schien schneller zu sein. In cpm2-Pflanzen wurden jedoch extrem niedrige Konzentrationen von 12-Oxophytodiensäure (OPDA), JA und JA-Ile nachgewiesen, unabhängig davon, ob sie mit PEG 6000 behandelt wurden oder nicht. In cpm2-Sprossen stieg ABA weniger an als bei WT, wenn sie osmotischem Stress ausgesetzt waren, während ABA-Level in Wurzeln etwas höher waren. Dies legt nahe, dass Jasmonate an der Regulation der ABA-Biosynthese als Antwort auf osmotischen Stress in Blättern beteiligt sind. Bei osmotischem Stress könnte das erste hormonelle Signal eine Zunahme von Jasmonaten sein, und die Akkumulation von JA im frühen Stadium von osmotischem Stress könnte zu einem späteren Anstieg der ABA führen, da WT-Sprosse mehr ABA akkumulieren wenn sie osmotischem Stress ausgesetzt sind. In Reis scheinen jedoch beide hormonellen Wege mehr oder weniger unabhängig durch osmotischen Stress induziert zu werden, da Jasmonate früher als ABA und ABA sogar in Abwesenheit von JA induziert wurde. Wenn Pflanzen osmotischem Stress ausgesetzt sind, ist die Funktion von JA in Sprossen und Wurzeln nicht genau gleich. Kurzfristig war der Anstieg der JAs in den Wurzeln vorübergehend, während die JAs in den Sprossen im Laufe der Zeit akkumuliert wurden. Daher werden JAs hauptsächlich während einer ersten Reaktion auf diese Art von Stress gebildet. JAs werden genutzt, um molekulare Signale zu induzieren, die zur Anregung des Abwehrsystems in Wurzeln führen. Im Gegensatz dazu helfen JAs im Spross wahrscheinlich, dass sich die Pflanze durch bestimmte morphologische und physiologische Veränderungen an die raue Umwelt anpassen kann, um Wasser effizienter zu nutzen, da JAs ständig zunehmen, was mit dem Phänotyp der größeren Toleranz gegenüber osmotischem Stress korreliert. Auf längere Sicht kann JA zu einer Zunahme von Kronenwurzeln in Reaktion auf osmotischen Stress in Reis führen, was dazu beitragen kann, dass die Pflanzen mehr Wasser aus der Umgebung aufnehmen können und resistenter gegen osmotischen Stress werden. Schließlich stellen wir auch verschiedene mögliche Mechanismen vor, um zu erklären, wie JA die osmotische Stressabwehr in Reis induziert. JA ist teilweise an der Regulation der ABA-Biosynthese in Reaktion auf osmotischen Stress in Blättern beteiligt. JA selbst und die Anreicherung von ABA induzierten das Schließen der Stomata, was in der Folge zu einer geringen Transpiration und Zurückhaltung von Wasser in den Blättern führen und das Ziel erreichen kann, sich an osmotischen Stress anzupassen. Zweitens hängt die ROS-Akkumulation mit dem endogenen JA zusammen, insbesondere kann der Anstieg von JA zu einer Abnahme des ROS-Gehalts unter osmotischen Stressbedingungen führen. Es ist zwar nicht klar, ob die Abnahme von ROS durch die blockierte Synthese verursacht wird, die aus JA resultiert, oder der Mechanismus der Eliminierung von ROS in Gegenwart von JA verstärkt ist. Wir denken, dass die Hemmung von ROS in WT die Pflanzen vor weiteren oxidativen Schäden bewahrt, da der Gehalt an Superoxid in cpm2 sehr hoch und aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach schädlich für Reis ist. Drittens korrelierte JA mit der Regulierung der Ressourcenverteilung in Pflanzen – insbesondere mit der Regulation einiger Aminosäuren und Sekundärmetaboliten, welche die Pflanzenresistenz gegenüber osmotischem Stress erhöhen könnten. Diese Funktion von JA kann jedoch das übermäßige Wachstum (wie cpm2) von Reis hemmen und auch zum Schutz vor anderen Arten von biotischem und abiotischem Stress beitragen, da die meisten Aminosäuren und sekundären Metabolite eher der Verteidigung als dem Wachstum dienen. Letztendlich kann JA Pflanzen helfen, sich an den langfristigen osmotischen Stress anzupassen, indem sie die morphologischen Eigenschaften von Pflanzen, insbesondere die Konstruktion des Wurzelsystems, anpasst. Die Funktion von JA beim Schutz vor osmotischem Stress ist jedoch altersabhängig. Da die Verteilung von Ressourcen in jedem Stadium des Pflanzenwachstums unterschiedlich sein kann, kann auch die Anpassungsfunktion von JA an osmotischen Stress im Laufe der Zeit unterschiedlich sein

Expert Testimony And Scientific Evidence

Handout from a day-long lecture on expert and scientific testimony at the Maryland Judicial Institute