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Your search for ETD Program Plant Sciences resulted in 21 match(es).

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Ectomycorrhizal Fungi of Whitebark Pine (Pinus albicaulis) in the Northern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Author: Mohatt, Katherine Rose; Date: 2006-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is an integral component of subalpine ecosystems in the Western United States where it is considered a keystone species. The mature forests which colonize harsh treeline terrain provide habitat for flora and fauna an essential food source to grizzly bears, and are also important in watershed dynamics. Threats which have led to the decline of this tree species, up to 40-90% in parts of its range, include blister rust, mountain pine beetle, fire suppression, and climate change. Pines are obligate ectomycorrhizal symbionts, and host mutualistic fungi on their roo...; Download File | View full details

Effects of Native Ectomycorrhizal Fungi on Aspen Seedlings in Greenhouse Studies: Inoculation Methods, Fertilizer Regimes, and Plant Uptake of Selected Elements in Smelter-Impacted Soils: Author: Mahony, Christopher Paul; Date: 2006-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: In southwestern Montana, areas near Butte and Anaconda support little or no vegetation mainly because of impacts from copper mining. Aspen (Populus tremuloides) stands occur naturally in these areas and rely heavily on native mycorrhizal fungi to moderate below ground conditions. Aspen associates with over 60 species of mycorrhizal fungi, but only a subset occurs on acidic, low nutrient soils. For these reasons, and the fact that aspen is an important colonizing tree on disturbed landscapes, a study was undertaken to examine aspen and its native ectomycorrhizal fungi in pot studies for future ...; Download File | View full details

Genetics and Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci of Feed Quality-Related Traits in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.): Author: Abdel-Haleem, Hussein Ahmed; Date: 2005-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: The agricultural sector continues to outpace other industries in Montana. Cattle and calf production are 50% of Montana's agricultural cash receipts. Based on its moderate protein content and lower price, barley is an alternative to corn in finishing cattle diets. Most of Montana barley is produced for animal feed. The objective of this project is to encourage calf producers to retain more feeder calves in Montana by developing improved value feed barley for both the barley grower and cattle producers. Barley has been criticized for cattle feed because of its rapid digestion in the rumen, whic...; Download File | View full details

Molecular and Biochemical Characterization of Wheat (Triticum aestivum. L) Polyphenol Oxidases (PPOs): Author: Jukanti, Aravind Kumar; Date: 2005-12-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) from several Plant species, including wheat, have been implicated in the undesirable brown discoloration of food products. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) represents an interesting system to advance our understanding of Plant PPO function for two important reasons, namely (1) the large size an complexity of its (allohexaploid) genome, and (2) its economic importance. Prior to this study, the molecular and biochemical properties of wheat PPOs were largely unknown. To remedy this situation, we have performed several BLAST searches of expressed sequence tag (EST) databases...; Download File | View full details

Performance of Wheat Germplasm in Competitive Versus Non-Competitive Conditions: Author: Hansen, Kelly Anne; Date: 2004-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Selection of high yielding spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes, is the goal for most classical breeding programs in the United States. In a single seed descent breeding program intense selection is practiced in space Planted nurseries, although the ultimate goal is to have high yields in a densely seeded situation. The first objective of this study was to determine the correlations between physiological traits and yield influencing traits to final crop yield. The second objective was to determine if there are correlations between physiological and yield influencing traits in space versu...; Download File | View full details

Protein Mapping Spring Wheat Using a Mobile Near-Infrared Sensor and Terrain Modeling: Author: Meier, Corey Grant; Date: 2004-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: The feasibility of using a combine harvester mounted, Case New Holland ProSpectra™ Grain Analyzer to determine protein content of hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was tested at a level of accuracy of 0.5% protein. Should the sensor meet the target accuracy, it would be useful for on-farm segregation of wheat by protein content and for field mapping protein. Geo-referencing protein values in the field, at harvest, enables creation of protein maps to be used as surrogates for maps of soil nitrogen for directing variable rate nitrogen applications. Models were developed i...; Download File | View full details

Wheat Puroindolines Interact to Control Grain Hardness and Effect Ruminal Digestability of Starch in Cattle: Author: Swan, Catlynn Gail; Date: 2005-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Endosperm texture directly affects end-use and milling qualities of hexaploid wheat. Genetically, the Hardness (Ha) locus controls the majority of endosperm texture variation and contains the puroindoline a (pina) and b (pinb) genes. Soft kernel texture results from both puroindolines being in the wild-type form, while hard wheats have a mutation in either puroindoline. Molecularly, grain texture is regulated by the starch surface protein complex friabilin, consisting primarily of the two proteins, puroindoline A (PINA) and B (PINB). Recent studies suggest that grain hardness is correlated wit...; Download File | View full details

Characterization of the Arabidopsis Compact Inflorescence 3 (cif3) Mutant and Identification of the cif3 Gene Product as a Chloroplast Localized Putative ATPase: Author: Cameron, Jeffrey Carlyle; Date: 2005-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: A new mutant of Arabidopsis, that exhibits very short inflorescence internodes in contrast to the wild-type raceme structure, was isolated from an Agrobacterium tumifaciens T-DNA insertion screen. This Plant closely resembles the previously described compact inflorescence (cif1) mutant (Goosey and Sharrock, 2001). The cif1 trait was shown to require altered alleles of two genes; a recessive mutation at the cif1 gene and a naturally occurring unlinked dominant allele, CIF2. Although the phenotypes of cif1 and the new mutant are similar, complementation tests show that they are different genes, ...; Download File | View full details

Intermountain West Native and Adapted Grass Species and their Management for Turfgrass Applications: Author: Day, Toby Richard; Date: 2006-08-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: This research addresses irrigation and water use of native and adapted grasses for turfgrass application. For this purpose, plots were established at the MSU Horticulture Research Farm, Bozeman, MT. The selected native and adapted grass species include 12 single species and 12 mixed species stands of Cody buffalograss, Foothills Canada bluegrass, Bad River blue grama, sheep fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, muttongrass, and wheatgrasses: Sodar streambank, Road Crest crested, Rosana western, and Critana thickspike with Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue as introduced species. A line source irrigation...; Download File | View full details

Clarkia: Genetic Basis of Sister Species Divergence Clarkia concinna x Clarkia breweri: Author: Henry, Amanda Ann (Shaffer); Date: 2006-08-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: The genetic changes accompanying speciation provide insight into the mode and tempo of phenotypic divergence. A genetic linkage map of Clarkia was used to investigate the genetic basis of several morphological differences between two closely related Plant taxa with divergent pollination syndromes, C. concinna and C. breweri. The genetic linkage map of the hybrid genome contained 40 markers on 11 linkage groups. In this study, the genetics of eight floral and vegetative traits were analyzed in a segregating C. concinna x C. breweri F2 population (N=95) and in replicates of the parentals, F1 hyb...; Download File | View full details

Plant Species Diversity in the Sagebrush Steppe of Montana: Author: Seipel, Timothy Fridolin; Date: 2006-12-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is abundant in Montana and is an obvious part of an assemblage of Plant species.This community of Plants; the sagebrush steppe contains a mixture of grasses, early and late season forbs and shrubs. It is found in semi-arid valleys and plains of Montana and the intermountain western United States, and has received much research attention regarding increasing livestock forage, or of wildlife's dependence on the sagebrush steppe Plant communities.Yet, little information on Plant species diversity exists. This thesis was undertaken to describe the Plant species div...; Download File | View full details

Risk Assessment of Plant-Based Pharmaceuticals and Biologics: Author: Shama, Leslie Marie; Date: 2006-12-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Biotechnology is evolving to produce pharmaceutical proteins in Plants. Plantbased pharmaceutical production creates concerns of exposure in an open environment and contamination of the food supply. Consequently, quantitative human health and ecological risk assessments were conducted for aprotinin, gastric lipase, and LT-B expressed in maize. A comparative, qualitative risk assessment was conducted for conventionally derived and Plant-cell derived Newcastle disease virus vaccine. Effect and exposure scenarios were modeled for each quantitative risk assessment and each scenario was based on a ...; Download File | View full details

Puroindolines: Their Control Over Wheat Grain Hardness and Influence on Milling and Bread Baking Traits: Author: Hogg, Andrew Charles; Date: 2004-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Wheat grain is sold based upon several physiochemical characteristics, one of the most important being grain texture. Grain texture in wheat directly affects many end use qualities such as milling yield, break flour yield, and starch damage. The Hardness (Ha) locus located on the short arm of chromosome 5D is known to control grain hardness in wheat. This locus contains the puroindoline a (pina) and puroindoline b (pinb) genes. All wheats to date that have mutations in pina or pinb are hard textured, while wheats possessing both the 'soft type' pina-D1a and pinb-D1a sequences are soft. Further...; Download File | View full details

Identifying Regions of Conserved Synteny Between Pea (Pisum spp.), Lentil (Lens spp.), and Bean (Phaseolus spp.): Author: Moffet, Matthew Durwin; Date: 2006-12-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: The identification of conserved synteny in legumes can facilitate many different types of gene discovery. Techniques like marker assisted selection and the candidate gene approach can benefit greatly by identifying conserved synteny and genes located within those regions. Both Pisum and Phaseolus have detailed linkage maps, but a limited number of markers have been located in both species. In the present study I mapped 21 genes in Phaseolus vulgaris, 16 of which had already been located on the Lens and Pisum sativum linkage maps, the markers were used to look for conserved synteny between Pisu...; Download File | View full details

Increasing Wheat Hardness Locus Functionality by Increasing Puroindoline Copy Number and Introduction of Novel Alleles: Author: Campbell, Jackie Bridget; Date: 2007-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain hardness affects many end product quality traits and is controlled primarily by the Hardness (Ha) locus that contains the Puroindoline a and b genes. All soft hexaploid wheats carry the same wild-type alleles Pina-D1a and Pinb-D1a and hard wheats carry a mutation in Pina or Pinb. In order to explore variation in the Puroindolines two approaches were pursued to increase Ha locus functionality. First Ha locus functionality was modified through a non-transgenic increase in Pin dosage. Here we tested the heritability and end product quality effects of increased P...; Download File | View full details

Genetic Routes to Modulate Rate of Dry-Matter Disappearance of Barley Grain in the Rumen of Cattle: Author: Jewell, Jeremy Burke; Date: 2007-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Recent research has identified important characteristics of barley grain as feed for cattle. Of these, low ruminal dry-matter digestibility (DMD) is of particular importance as it is highly correlated with animal performance and with animal health. This research attempts to identify genetic loci that contribute to the ruminal DMD of barley grain. The utility of the barley ant18 mutation for decreasing ruminal DMD was investigated. The DMD of several barley cultivars and their ant18 mutations was investigated in a randomized complete block design in two environments. Genotype by environment int...; Download File | View full details

The Role of Puroidoline A and B upon Grain Endosperm Texture, End-Use Quality Traits and Physicochemical Association of Starch in Wheat: Author: Wanjugi, Humphrey Wainaina; Date: 2007-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: Endosperm texture in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is controlled by the Pina and Pinb genes that together comprise the Hardness (Ha) locus, and is an important criterion affecting end-product quality. The Ha encodes friabilin, a 15 kD protein primarily composed of Puroindoline A (PINA) and Puroindoline B (PINB). Both PINA and PINB interact with starch leading to a soft endosperm, but the physicochemical mechanism controlling endosperm texture is not clearly understood. Here, I isolated the role of PINA and PINB individually and in combination upon grain hardness, milling and bread baking traits...; Download File | View full details

Determining the Suitability of Native Grasses for Highway Revegetation Sod: Author: Stott, Lance Vear; Date: 2007-08-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: In past years, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has used hydroseeding, imprinting and drill seeding methods to revegetate highway construction sites with varying degrees of success. Ecological concerns have led researchers to consider using native species for revegetation as they are better suited to local environments, require less maintenance and do not pose a threat to adjacent ecosystems. In addition, the urgency for stabilizing areas of high erosion potential and that of establishing native Plant cover quickly in order to prevent non-native Plant and weed establishme...; Download File | View full details

Management Options for Producers who Traditionally Plant Barley for Grain or Forage: Author: Boss, Darrin Lewis; Date: 2007-12-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: The objective of the experiment was to evaluate barley management options by varying seed band width, seeding rates, and harvest endpoint under dryland production conditions in Northern Montana. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with a factorial arrangement and was conducted for three years. Treatments consisted of two cultivars (‘Harrington’ and ‘Haybet’), two band widths (125 mm and 193 mm), and three seeding rates (140, 184 and 226 seeds m-2). Year effects were significant. All established Plant populations were lower than planned. Band ...; Download File | View full details

Analysis of Nitrogen Reallocation from Senescing Barley Leaves: Characterization of the Influence of a High-Grain Protein Content Locus on Chromosome Six, and Molecular Cloning and Heterologous Expression of a Serine Carboxypeptidase: Author: Heidlebaugh, Nancy Marie; Date: 2008-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: In cereals, senescence is a highly regulated and organized process in which the nutrients located in the leaves are translocated to the developing seeds. During this process multiple signaling cascades are activated either up-regulating or down-regulating senescence related genes. The majority of the nitrogen to be remobilized is located in the leaves in plastidial proteins, especially Rubisco. These proteins must be degraded before their components can be translocated to be reutilized in the seeds. The mechanism for plastidial protein degradation is largely unknown at this time. Proteases loc...; Download File | View full details

The pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. to Wheat Stem Sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae): Author: Sun, Zhitan; Date: 2008-05-15; Program: Plant Sciences; Abstract: The wheat stem sawfly is the most destructive insect pest in both winter wheat and spring wheat production in the northern Great Plains. The sawfly is univoltine, and spends all immature stages within protective wheat stems, which explains the difficulty in controlling populations. However, the almost continuous inhabitation of stems also makes larvae more vulnerable to invasion by microorganisms colonizing both living stems and postharvest stubble. Fusarium spp. were frequently isolated from fungalcolonized larval cadavers, and were found to be the major lethal factors for overwintering larva...; Download File | View full details

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