Sweetpotatoes are a highly nutritious staple crop, playing an important role in global nutritional security. Although the majority of research in the United States (U.S.) focuses on the cultivation of the storage roots, both the leaves and roots are edible. Sweetpotatoes are indigenous to the Andes Region of South America;...
This dissertation consists of four studies of Populus and Eucalyptus biotechnology and genomic science: 1) induction of floral sterility by tapetal expression of the ribonuclease Barnase in Populus; 2) CRISPR Cas9-mediated gene editing targeting LEAFY (LFY) and AGAMOUS (AG) homologs in Populus; 3) induction of floral sterility by CRISPR Cas9...
Landscape plants are highly diverse and nursery producers often grow thousands of taxa to satisfy the varied needs and aesthetic tastes of consumers. Related to this diversity, ornamental plant breeders must be nimble and diverse in their approach. Two seemingly disparate studies were conducted to investigate improving ornamental shrubs –...
Halyomorpha halys Stål, brown marmorated stink bug or BMSB, is now present in 43 US states. A native of eastern Asia, this pest can feed on ~200 different plant species damaging bark, leaves, buds, stems, and fruits. Many of these plant species include wild plants, ornamentals, and agricultural crops. BMSB...
As recent interest has grown in the connections between how food is produced, distributed and consumed, and the overall health of food systems for people and the environment, a movement toward localizing food systems has emerged. In Lincoln County, Oregon, citizens, restaurateurs and university extension faculty, among others, have started...
In recent years, there has been renewed interest in black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis L.) breeding. This has been spurred by an increase in black raspberry consumption due to studies that have shown them to be particularly high in anthocyanin content indicating high levels of antioxidants. Present cultivars are ill adapted...