As in other species, it is possible that a homozygous red leafed (= redleaf) hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) tree would have brighter red coloration than a heterozygote and thus be more desirable as an ornamental. However, 'Fusco Rubra' and `Rode Zeller' both carry incompatibility allele S6 (thus cross-incompatible) and are...
Separation and isolation of organic analytes from environmental matrices such as soils,
water, plant, or animal tissue has traditionally involved the use of liquid solvent extractions.
Solvent-based extraction methods are often time-consuming, difficult to automate, and use
expensive solvents that generate hazardous waste and working conditions. The need for a...
The nursery industry plays a critical role in Oregon's economy. An increase in wood-boring insect, or borer, activity has impacted the industry. The goal of this research is to determine key borer species in the nursery industry, flight times so targeted spray schedules can be established, and assess grower knowledge...
Age-related decline in the capacity of endogenous antioxidant systems
complicates pharmaceutical use by the elderly by potentially increasing the toxicity of
some compounds. Of particular interest is chemical detoxification via glutathione (GSH)
and attendant GSH-requiring detoxification enzymes, e.g. GSH peroxidases (GPX) and
GSH S-transferase (GST). These enzymes have been shown...
Contamination of water sources due to the use of agricultural chemicals can be minimized through understanding the transport relationships for organic chemicals in soil environments. In this study we evaluated seven non-hazardous dyes that have properties which were consistent with application as surrogates to organic agro-chemicals to assess mobility through...
Northwest cherry cultivars including Prunus avium 'Bing', Prunus avium 'Rainier', Prunus avium 'Royal Anne' and Prunus cerasus 'Montmorency' were separated into epidermal tissue, flesh and pit and cryogenically milled with liquid nitrogen. These samples as well as whole samples from each variety were extracted with acetone followed by a chloroform...
Collaboration is crucial when advancing in scientific research. One person cannot
study all aspects of a system. That is why it is important for the scientific community to
communicate with each other and stay updated on research being conducted in other labs
around the world. In my research, I was...
Saturated soils undergo reduced conditions as microorganisms consume oxygen and require other terminal electron accepting processes for the mineralization of soil organic carbon. Currently, the soil redox potential has not been considered as important when sampling these soils for Fe, Mn, and P04. Since Fe- and Mn-oxides are electron sinks...
Biological control is the action of predators, parasitoids, or pathogens to maintain
a pest organism's population at lower numbers than would occur in the absence of the
agent. Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents for insect
pests. These nematodes infect insects and release a toxic bacterium that...
The following paper is an objective view on the viability of growing the truffle Tuber melanosporum in the Willamette Valley. Included in this study are the history of the truffle, biological cycle, habitat description, method of cultivation and an enterprise budget for commercial production in the Willamette Valley. The truffle,...
COUP-TF interacting protein 1 (CTIP1) is a novel C2H2 zinc finger protein that mediates transcriptional repression of ARP1, a member of the COUP-TF subfamily of orphan nuclear receptors [1]. Here we show that CTIP1 interacts with heterochromatin-associated protein 1 (HP1) in vitro and in cells. This
interaction suggests the existence...
South American waterweed, Elodea densa (Planch.) Casp., and Coontail Ceratophyllum demersum L., were studied for their potential to take up chromium and zinc and as a possible indicator of arsenic, cadmium, copper, and lead pollution. Plants were collected from the Willamette River in Oregon and exposed for 48 hours to...
Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens with a unique biphasic life cycle that consists of an infectious but non-dividing form, called elementary bodies (EB), and a noninfectious but metabolically active form, called reticulate bodies (RB). Chlamydia has an unusual process of cell division of which still remains uncharacterized subject matter;...
Saturated hydraulid conductivity (Ks) is a central soil physical property in determining water movement and contaminant transport through soils; hence modeling this system requires an accurate determination of K. Decimeter-scale KS measurements employing cores or infiltrometers are used frequently, but field-scale KS values are required to encompass the full range...
Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) infects red raspberry and black raspberry worldwide. Infection causes reduced vigor and drupelet abortion leading to crumbly fruit and reduced yields. While this crumbly fruit can still be used in juice, jam, and preserves, it cannot be used for the more valuable fresh and individually...
Llama reproductive physiology is unique when compared with other livestock species. Llamas carry 95-98% of all pregnancies in the left uterine horn. It is believed that there is a physiological difference between the uterine horns that contributes to this phenomenon. This study examined the uterine environment for protease and protease...
Squash varieties of Golden Delicious and Squash Hybrid NK 530 were grown in disk-till, strip-till, and no-till conservation tillage systems following a cover crop of'Monida' oats (Avena sativa L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.). Tillage systems were evaluated for effects on squash emergence and yield, weed density and biomass,...
A broad range of factors influence wine grape quality and manipulation of these factors has stimulated interest among grape growers, wine makers, and research scientists alike. One such factor affecting wine grape quality is crop level, particularly for Pinot noir. Since the capacity of a vine to ripen fruit depends...
Grain protein concentration of wheat is influenced by numerous factors. When determining a wheat variety's ability to produce protein, the plant's ability to uptake and translocate nitrogen is critical. A greenhouse study was conducted to assess differences in nitrogen use among different wheat varieties. The objective was to determine if...
Cucurbits are grown in production agriculture in Oregon as well as in smallholder agriculture in tropical South America. Experimental research was performed at the OSU Research Farm in 2001 with direct-seeded cucurbits, and literature reviews were conducted to develop a characterization of smallholder farming in tropical South America. The two...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are common pollutants of aquatic systems in urban environments. Due to their lipophilicity, persistence, toxicity and carcinogenicity, they are chemicals of considerable concern. The Portland Harbor includes a large industrial section with numerous current and historic sources for PAH contamination. Runoff from a large metropolitan area...
Cell lines deficient in certain genes of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system show a marked resistance to the cell killing or apoptotic effects of DNA alkylating agents. The molecular mechanism for this resistance is not yet understood, but is currently of great interest because of the recent use of...
Nitrosomonas europaea is an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizer that has been found to cometabolize various halogenated hydrocarbons. This ability to cometabolize various compounds (many of which are considered contaminants) has caused N. europaea to be considered a potential bioremediational organism. However, ifN. europaea is to be used for bioremediation purposes, it will...
A set of flour samples with protein content ranging from 9.7 - 13.3 % was used for this study to evaluate the effectiveness of HMW-GS, SEHPLC and mixograph characteristics as screening tools for noodle texture. The sample set had a large variation in HMW-GS composition with Payne score ranging from...
Sarcocystis neurona is the 1responsible for the disease Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). Exposure rates to S. neurona across the United States is about 50%, yet only about 2% of exposed horses develop EPM. The cell-mediated immune (CMI) response is hypothesized to be important for protective immunity against this disease. The...
The cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) is a serious
pest of cruciferous crops (i.e. broccoli, cabbage, turnip, rutabaga) in North America and
Europe (Coaker and Finch, 1971; Whistlecraft et al., 1985). The adult flies lay eggs
around the base and in cracks at the soil surface around wild...
This study examined the management situation for the Columbiaroot-knot nematode (Meloidogyne chitwoodi) in potato, using an approach with systems thinking and interactive meetings. The focus of current research for control of this nematode was evaluated. Control practices include crop rotation, and this study also evaluated popcorn cultivars for their potential...
This report examines the feasibility of using the bivalve Corbicula flumina as a biomarker for environmental contaminants in the Willamette River. Compounds such as DDT, dioxins, furans, and PCBs persist in the environment, pose health related concerns, and due to their lipophilic nature accumulate in biological organisms. The success of...
Port-Orford-cedar (POC) (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (A. Murl.) Parl) is an
important tree species native the coastal ranges of southern Oregon and northern
California. The tree is a false-cedar in the cypress (Cupressaceae) family and is used for
timber and planted as an ornamental. The tree in most of its native range...
The development of winter 6-row malting barley varieties is an objective of the OSU program. The program's winter germplasm is quite susceptible to Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV). The program recently released the spring 2-row variety Orca, which carries the Yd2 gene for BYDV resistance. The objective of this project...
Auxin and ethylene regulate many important aspects of plant growth and development and are
essential to the plants survival. They help regulate such diverse processes as cell elongation,
growth of adventitious roots, fruit growth, germination, and a variety of other processes. Few
studies have examined how the hormones auxin and...
Little is known about Frankia, a gram-positive, nitrogen-fixing bacterium, because of the difficulty associated with isolating pure cultures. This nitrogen-fixing symbiosis involves Frankia and the roots of actinorhizal host plants belonging to eight plant families and 25 genera. These plants are important pioneer species traditionally found in nitrogen-poor soils and....
A genetic selection study to determine the effects on egg hatchability and subsequent chick performance of Japanese quail eggs incubated at a 38.9° C (102° F) dry bulb temperature (Selected, S) when compared to 37.8 C (100°F) (Control, C) was conducted for four consecutive generations. Eggs from a randomly mated...
The acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) is among the most common primary cavity nesters of the Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) woodlands. Understanding their selection of granary sites is important in evaluating habitat quality and management actions. I hypothesized that granary locations would be consistent with the optimal foraging theory. Site...
The diageotropica (dgt) mutation has been proposed to affect either auxin
perception or responsiveness in tomato plants. Auxins and cytokinins are plant
growth regulators known to interact with each other via a variety of mechanisms.
Here, we report the interactions of auxins and cytokinins in VFN8 wild-type and
dgt mutant...
Ontogenetic niche shifts are critical times in a fish's life that need to be passed for
survival, growth and recruitment (Gerking 1994, Osenberg et al. 1994). These niche
shifts are identified by a change in feeding from one prey type to another. These shifts in
feeding occur throughout growth and...
Motivation: It can take considerable amounts of time and effort to use existing computational tools to analyze a small RNA sequence for the purpose of determining if it is characteristic of microRNA. It is similarly tedious to search for homologs to known microRNA sequences in the rapidly growing collection of...
Five new anti-zebrafish cytochrome P450 (CYP) antipeptide polyclonal antibodies were tested for tissue specificity using immunohistochemistry. The antibodies are for the zebrafish CYPs IA, 2K6, 2K7, 3A65 and 3C1. Three of these antibodies were also compared to existing antibodies made against CYP isozymes in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Individual staining...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of usually planar
compounds consisting of fused aromatic rings that are formed by the incomplete
combustion of organic materials. PAHs are ubiquitous in the environment, coming from
a number of sources, such as cigarette smoke, the burning of wood for residential heating,
and...
Evaporative loss rates of pesticides, following application to turfgrass, were measured using the Backward-Time Lagrangian stochastic Dispersion model (Flesch, Wilson, Journal of Applied Meteorology, 34, pp. 1320-1332. All pesticides were applied to a 22.8 m x 22.8 m orchard ryegrass turf plot near Corvallis, Oregon. Solar radiation, ambient temperature, surface...
Indole-3-carbinol (13C), a metabolite of glucobrassicin, is found in cruciferous vegetables. It is able to act as an inhibitor or promoter of carcinogenesis depending on the species, the carcinogen and when it is given in relation to the carcinogen. This is probably due to the fact that it reacts in...
A lexicon to define the sensory properties of melted Cheddar cheese was created
using a trained descriptive panel. The lexicon characterized appearance (surface rupture,
meltedness, oiliness, and edge browning) and texture (stringiness, stretchiness,
springiness, firmness, toothpull, smoothness, cohesiveness, denseness, and chewiness).
Three brands of commercially available shredded Cheddar cheese were...
The psychoactive component of marijuana, A9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is known
to have effects in humans that are mediated by the cannabinoid receptor (CB 1). Although a great deal of research has been done to confirm the interaction of exogenous cannabinoids with the CB 1 receptor, little is known about the receptor's...
Leaves of healthy strawberry plants were inoculated with either vinclozolin-sensitive or vinclozolin-resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea at one of three concentrations: 5x104, 1x105, and 5x105 conidia/ml. One week following inoculation, representative leaves were harvested and cut into 9mm2 leaf pieces. Some pieces were immediately plated onto selective Botrytis medium while...
An analytical method was adapted to extract semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs) from conifer needles. Needles from Abies concolor
(white fir) and Pinus contortas (lodgepole pine) from Sequoia National Park (SNP) were collected during the summer of 2003, and analyzed for SOCs. The goal of this research was to determine differences...
Surfactants, or surface active agents, are the active ingredients in detergents used for
domestic cleaning applications, such as dish washing and laundering. They are effective cleaning
agents by concentrating at interfacial regions, lowering the surface tension of water, and forming
micelles that solubilize oils (West, 1992). Surfactants are amphiphilic, because...
The timber and Christmas tree industries are important components of the Pacific Northwest economy. A goal of both industries is to produce high quality trees with high growth rates. Accomplishing this requires increased genetic quality of the trees grown. Tissue culture provides the most promise for propagating these superior genotypes....
Horticultural and nursery crops are the leading agricultural commodity in Oregon. Among currently grown nursery plants, Verbena x hybrida is a staple ornamental. It is grown and shipped worldwide, thus requiring a high level of certainty concerning the plants’ health and potential viability. V. x hybrida cultivars have been infected...
Pole-sized, live western larch Larix occidentalis Nutt.) were inoculated with Ophiostoma pseudotsugae(Rumb.) von Arx or Leptographium abietinum (Peck) Wingf., two blue stain fungi associated with the Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonous pseudotsugae Hopkins), to assess their pathogenicity. Inoculation with O. pseudotsugae resulted in a significantly greater percentage of necrotic phloem compared to...
While previous experiments on the physiological activity of primary and secondary cyanolichens have been done, an analysis of photomorphs has never been attempted. Photomorphs of Peltigera britannica (Gyelnik) Hotan-Hartw. & Tonsberg were studied to compare the physiological response of a primary cyanolichen to an additional symbiotic partner (green algea) while...
Kincaid's lupine (Lupinus sulphureus ssp. kincaidii [Smith] Phillips) is a federally listed Threatened plant of Willamette Valley prairies. Both low reproduction, due to seed coat dormancy, and competition from invasive plants may threaten the longterm viability of this species. In separate studies, I investigated seed germination and an invasive species...
Previous research suggests a link between litter size in ewes and differential excretion of fecal hormones. An accurate test for fetal number would be useful to sheep producers and a fecal hormone response could be utilized in such a test. Fifteen previously categorized fecal hormones were analyzed within fecal samples...
Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii), an ornamental native to China, is an invasive species in Oregon and many other areas. In Oregon, butterfly bush invades disturbed areas, particularly riparian areas. The Oregon nursery industry has the highest farm-gate value of all agricultural commodities and butterfly bush is a significant plant to...
Much interest has recently been shown in using fecal samples to monitor
hormone concentrations in free-roaming animal populations. This process is noninvasive
and, therefore, provides easy sample collection and assures no stress-related,
physiological responses that might alter the hormonal data. Concerns have been
expressed, however, that the hormone concentrations detected...
The ionotropic glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate the majority of excitatory neurotransmission in the brain. The three classes of ionotropic glutamate receptors are alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), and kainite. These three classes have unique subunits. NMDA receptors play important roles in development, forms of synaptic plasticity,...
Rapid and accurate analytical methods are needed to assess the impacts of agricultural chemicals on soil and water resources. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) was evaluated as an alternative method to conventional liquid-liquid extraction for the quantitative analysis of the herbicide DCPA and its metabolites in ground waters. Strong anion exchange (SAX)...
Seasonal reducing conditions play an important role in the cycling of nutrients and soil pore water chemical constituents in the Willamette Valley. Long periods of soil saturation lead microorganisms utilizing organic matter as their carbon source to find alternative electron acceptors other than oxygen. Once oxygen has been depleted microorganisms...
Relationships among soil pH, redox potential, and ferrous iron content data obtained from
various field and lab methods were determined, with the following 4 objectives:
1.) Compare pH values obtained in the field to those obtained in the lab
2.) Evaluate different methods to measure pH in field
3.) Determine...
The highly conserved multi-protein mismatch repair (MMR) system is known for its ability to correct post replication errors in genomic DNA. A hallmark of MMR deficiency in all organisms is microsatellite instability. The initiating proteins in the eukaryotic MMR system are hetrodimers formed with an integral MSH2 subunit and one...
Gaps in the forest canopy allow more light to reach the understory. Since
light in the understory is heterogeneous, understanding the physiological
processes in gaps and non-gaps will improve estimates of carbon balance. This
research outlines an approach for defining carbon balance for Salal (Gaultheria
shallon Pursh.), a dominant understory...
Legislation to reduce the annual limit of field burning in Oregon has led to increased study of
alternative non-thermal grass-seed management methods. Of these methods, non-thermal residue
management, in combination with crop rotations and different tillage practices, offer potential to
equal or exceed crop production of conventional thermal production systems....
Soil CO2 efflux is a major contributor of CO2 to the atmosphere. The rate that CO2 is respired out of the soil is called the soil flux (Fs). Many variables alter Fs. These variables differ drastically in the variety of ecosystems found on the earth. It is important to understand...
Little is known about upland agricultural grassland soil invertebrate composition and its contribution to ecosystem functioning. Soil-dwelling organisms play a central role in soil formation, plant nutrition, and are significant food contributors for organisms in several trophic levels. Information is needed about mesofauna seasonal population and composition trends throughout the...
Deforestation, intensive agriculture and chemical use all can cause long-lastingn negative impacts on soil health. With all the vital functions that soils perform and the potential for further soil degradation, it is important that standards of soil quality or soil health be implemented. Soil aggregation is considered to be a...
Crystallizing a virus can be difficult and not always successful. Forty-eight salts, buffers, and precipitating agents were used in the hanging drop preparations in attempts to crystallize the San Miguel sea lion virus type 5 (SMSV-5). The first attempt resulted in 22 of the 48 solutions forming a precipitate. The...
Various vineyard practices influence the quality of a wine. In 1999, three levels of nitrogen (N), two levels of tillage and two levels of irrigation were applied to Pinot noir grape cultivars at Benton Lane Vineyards in the Southern Willamette Valley. N treatments were zero, soil and foliar applications. Every...
Plasminogen activators (PAs) have been implicated in: ovulation, oocyte maturation, fertilization, implantation, and many other reproductive activities. Three pathways have been implicated in the activation of the PA regulatory system. These include the conventional PKC and cAMP-dependent signaling pathways, and also an independent pathway thought to be regulated by protein...
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to examine trace element concentration in treerings over three and half centuries to assess macro-trends of environmental change. Tree-rings of a 350+ year old mammoth ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were analyzed for element concentration and evaluated versus local and global historical events....
An organisms' genotype may not be reflected in its phenotype. For example, epistasis - the interaction of non-allelic genes can cause deviations from expected phenotypic ratios. The epistatic interaction between the hooded (Kap) and short-awned (lks2) loci in barley (Hordeum vulgare) precludes the localization of the Kap locus, based on...
Studies were conducted to assess influencing the effectiveness of sheep for grazing control of false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum) an invasive grass species. Orphan lambs were exposed to false brome via grass extract in their milk and naturally reared lambs were exposed by grazing dense stands of false brome with their...
Organophosphate insecticides may produce sublethal, adverse effects on salmonid
growth, reproduction, maturation, swimming, and feeding. Chlorpyrifos, an
organophosphate insecticide, was detected by the Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality in the Hood River and tributaries during March 1999 at levels exceeding state
water quality standards in the range of 0.011-0.482 μg/L....