Bell Pepper Cultivar Evaluation, Northern Indiana, 2004

This paper reports on twelve bell pepper cultivars that were evaluated at the Pinney-Purdue Ag Center in Wanatah, Indiana. Characteristics of interest included yield, and fruit quality, size and shape

Evaluation of Pumpkin Cultivars No-till Direct-seeded and No-till Transplanted into Wheat Stubble, Indiana 2004

Double-cropping pumpkins after wheat provides an opportunity to harvest a high-value crop off of land that might otherwise remain uncropped. In northern Indiana, many jacko- lantern pumpkin cultivars may not mature quickly enough to produce a crop when planted in mid-July. This project compared yield and fruit size of eight cultivars or lines when they were either direct-seeded or transplanted into wheat stubble

Supersweet and Augmented Sweet Corn Cultivar Evaluation for Northern Indiana, 2004

This paper reports on nineteen sweet corn cultivars including sh2 and augmented sh2 genetics that were evaluated at the Pinney-Purdue Ag Center, Wanatah, IN

Sweet Corn Population Effects on Yield and Ear Quality, 2007

Current recommendations for fresh market sweet corn suggest row spacing of 30 to 40 inches and in-row spacing of 8 to 10 inches for early varieties and 9 to 12 inches for late varieties. This corresponds to populations from 13,068 to 26,136 plants per acre. Variety trials at Pinney-Purdue Agricultural Center have been planted at row spacings of 30 or 36 inches and populations of 20,328 plants per acre. Some cultivars may perform well at higher populations. This trial was conducted to evaluate yield and ear characteristics of two cultivars at populations up to 50% higher than normally used in Purdue variety trials

Sugar-enhanced Sweet Corn Cultivar Evaluation for Northern Indiana, 2007

The Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service reported sweet corn for fresh market sales was harvested from 5,200 acres in Indiana in 2006 and had a total value of $7.6 million. Sweet corn fields are located throughout the state. In northern Indiana, bicolor corn is most commonly grown. Varieties with improved eating quality are of interest to both producers and consumers. Producers are also interested in yield, ear size, appearance, and agronomic characteristics. This paper reports on 11 sugar enhanced and synergistic sweet corn cultivars that were evaluated at the Pinney-Purdue Agricultural Center in Wanatah, Indiana

Pumpkin Cultivar Observation Trial, Indiana 2007

Pumpkins for decorative use are grown on more than 4,000 acres in Indiana. Combined acreage in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio represents about a quarter of pumpkins grown for decorative use in the United States. Successful pumpkin production requires the use of cultivars that yield well and produce pumpkins of the size, shape, color, and quality demanded by the market. There is keen interest in cultivars that also show resistance to powdery mildew. This trial was conducted to observe the performance of jack-o-lantern, pie, and mini-pumpkin cultivars in northern Indiana

Pumpkin Cultivar Evaluation, Indiana 2005

Pumpkins grown for Halloween and other decorative purposes continue to be an important crop for many Midwestern vegetable farmers. Breeders are developing new varieties with improved appearance and disease resistance or tolerance. This paper reports on yield and fruit size of nineteen varieties evaluated at the Pinney-Purdue Ag Center in Wanatah, Indiana

Tomato Seedling Performance in Commercial Organic Growing Media

Healthy transplants are critical to productivity in the field. For certified organic production in the United States, seedlings must be grown in media that meet the standards of the US Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. Many commercial organic media options are available, they vary substantially in composition, and it is unknown to what extent this influences seedling performance. This project compared tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedling emergence and growth in seven commercially available media for organic production and evaluated posttransplant performance. Tomato seedlings were grown in greenhouses at Wanatah, West Lafayette, and Vincennes, IN, USA. Chemical characteristics of the media measured in saturated media extract ranged as follows: pH 5.2–7.5; electrical conductivity (EC) 0.79–4.68 dS·m−1; 1–332 ppm nitrate-nitrogen, 5–69 ppm phosphorus, 41–451 ppm potassium, 78–714 ppm calcium, and 25–121 ppm magnesium. Higher media EC was associated with slower and less uniform seedling emergence and reduced total emergence. Seedling aboveground dry weights were significantly greater in media that contained compost. Relative performance in media containing compost varied across trials. The aboveground dry weight of tomato seedlings 4 weeks after transplanting did not differ for seedlings started in the five compost-based media, and those plants were significantly larger than plants started in the two media without compost. Larger plants tended to flower and set fruit earlier. Media testing protocols that predict nutrient supply over the production cycle could likely improve management in organic transplant production

Defining and unpacking the core concepts of pharmacology education

Pharmacology education currently lacks a research-based consensus on which core concepts all graduates should know and understand, as well as a valid and reliable means to assess core conceptual learning. The Core Concepts in Pharmacology Expert Group (CC-PEG) from Australia and New Zealand recently identified a set of core concepts of pharmacology education as a first step toward developing a concept inventory—a valid and reliable tool to assess learner attainment of concepts. In the current study, CC-PEG used established methodologies to define each concept and then unpack its key components. Expert working groups of three to seven educators were formed to unpack concepts within specific conceptual groupings: what the body does to the drug (pharmacokinetics); what the drug does to the body (pharmacodynamics); and system integration and modification of drug–response. First, a one-sentence definition was developed for each core concept. Next, sub-concepts were established for each core concept. These twenty core concepts, along with their respective definitions and sub-concepts, can provide pharmacology educators with a resource to guide the development of new curricula and the evaluation of existing curricula. The unpacking and articulation of these core concepts will also inform the development of a pharmacology concept inventory. We anticipate that these resources will advance further collaboration across the international pharmacology education community to improve curricula, teaching, assessment, and learning.Marina Santiago, Elizabeth A. Davis, Tina Hinton, Thomas A. Angelo, Alison Shield, Anna-Marie Babey, Barbara Kemp-Harper, Gregg Maynard, Hesham S. Al-Sallami, Ian F. Musgrave, Lynette B. Fernandes, Suong N. T. Ngo, Arthur Christopoulos, Paul J. Whit

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation