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....
Seed germination sensu stricto is defined as the physiological events before the radicle tip ruptures the covering tissues. The ability of the radicle to elongate (or germination potential) is observed in developing embryos prior to completion of seed maturation. When embryos at early developmental stages, such as globular, heart, torpedo...
Seed dormancy is defined as the inability of viable seeds to germinate under conditionsotherwise favorable for germination. Dormancy provides a strategy for seeds to germinateat an appropriate time. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a major hormone involved in the regulationof seed dormancy. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of dormancy, the twoexperimental...
New highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). were developed from several sources. The markers were characterized, and segregation in a mapping population allowed to assign them to linkage groups. Their transferability across genera and species in the Betulaceae family was investigated. SSR markers...
Pollen development is an important process in male flower development, the timing of which may be correlated with time of pollen shed in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). Early to very late blooming cultivars were identified and the relationship of microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis, and time of pollen shed were studied in...
Several plant hormones, including ethylene and jasmonates, are known to mediate responses against biotic and abiotic stress. The first and second objectives of this thesis were (i) to elucidate the role of ethylene in defense responses against Botrytis cinerea and specifically (ii) to determine the potential contribution of ethylene response...
The neuroendocrine system of the gut plays a significant role in regulating intestinal motor and sensory functions, as well as modulating inflammation in the intestine. The intestinal mucosa is the dominant site of serotonin (5HT) synthesis in mammals, with more than 95% of the intestinal 5HT being present in the...
European hazelnut, Corylus avellana L., is the only economically important nut crop
in the family Betulaceae. One of the threats to the hazelnut industry in the Pacific
Northwest is the fungal disease eastern filbert blight (EFB) caused by the
pyrenomycete Anisogramma anomala. Host genetic resistance to EFB identified in the...
In mature Arabidopsis seeds, the testa (seed coat) is no longer a living tissue. Thus,
major sites of gene expression in imbibed seeds are the internal living tissues such
as the embryo and the endosperm. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of seed
germination, the gene regulation in these two tissues...
The purpose of this study was to determine what levels of community satisfaction
and personal and household characteristics would result in a model of retirees and pre-retirees
and their propensity to move. This study assessed the relationship between certain
socio-demographic variables and feelings of overall satisfaction as well as satisfaction...