Agricultural Roots in the Biological Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laughlin, Charles W.; And Others

1978-01-01

A wide variety of careers related to agriculture and based on studies of the biological sciences are discussed. The importance of agriculture in our society as well as the educational means to an agricultural career are outlined. (MDR)

Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Bureau of Vocational Services.

Designed for use in the Connecticut Regional Vocational Agriculture Centers, this curriculum provides exploratory and specialization units for four major areas of agriculture. These are Agriculture Mechanics, Animal Science, Natural Resources, and Plant Science. The exploratory units are required for grades 9 and 10, while the specialization units…

Morphological Plant Modeling: Unleashing Geometric and Topological Potential within the Plant Sciences

PubMed Central

Bucksch, Alexander; Atta-Boateng, Acheampong; Azihou, Akomian F.; Battogtokh, Dorjsuren; Baumgartner, Aly; Binder, Brad M.; Braybrook, Siobhan A.; Chang, Cynthia; Coneva, Viktoirya; DeWitt, Thomas J.; Fletcher, Alexander G.; Gehan, Malia A.; Diaz-Martinez, Diego Hernan; Hong, Lilan; Iyer-Pascuzzi, Anjali S.; Klein, Laura L.; Leiboff, Samuel; Li, Mao; Lynch, Jonathan P.; Maizel, Alexis; Maloof, Julin N.; Markelz, R. J. Cody; Martinez, Ciera C.; Miller, Laura A.; Mio, Washington; Palubicki, Wojtek; Poorter, Hendrik; Pradal, Christophe; Price, Charles A.; Puttonen, Eetu; Reese, John B.; Rellán-Álvarez, Rubén; Spalding, Edgar P.; Sparks, Erin E.; Topp, Christopher N.; Williams, Joseph H.; Chitwood, Daniel H.

2017-01-01

The geometries and topologies of leaves, flowers, roots, shoots, and their arrangements have fascinated plant biologists and mathematicians alike. As such, plant morphology is inherently mathematical in that it describes plant form and architecture with geometrical and topological techniques. Gaining an understanding of how to modify plant morphology, through molecular biology and breeding, aided by a mathematical perspective, is critical to improving agriculture, and the monitoring of ecosystems is vital to modeling a future with fewer natural resources. In this white paper, we begin with an overview in quantifying the form of plants and mathematical models of patterning in plants. We then explore the fundamental challenges that remain unanswered concerning plant morphology, from the barriers preventing the prediction of phenotype from genotype to modeling the movement of leaves in air streams. We end with a discussion concerning the education of plant morphology synthesizing biological and mathematical approaches and ways to facilitate research advances through outreach, cross-disciplinary training, and open science. Unleashing the potential of geometric and topological approaches in the plant sciences promises to transform our understanding of both plants and mathematics. PMID:28659934

Agriculture Cluster Brief. Vocational Education in Oregon.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galbraith, Gordon

This guide sets forth minimum approval criteria for vocational agriculture cluster programs in Oregon. The agriculture cluster program includes instruction in six areas: animal science, soil science, plant science, agricultural economics, agriculture mechanics, and leadership development. The information in the guide is intended for use by…

Assessing health in agriculture--towards a common research framework for soils, plants, animals, humans and ecosystems.

PubMed

Vieweger, Anja; Döring, Thomas F

2015-02-01

In agriculture and food systems, health-related research includes a vast diversity of topics. Nutritional, toxicological, pharmacological, epidemiological, behavioural, sociological, economic and political methods are used to study health in the five domains of soils, plants, livestock, humans and ecosystems. An idea developed in the early founding days of organic agriculture stated that the health of all domains is one and indivisible. Here we show that recent research reveals the existence and complex nature of such health links among domains. However, studies of health aspects in agriculture are often separated by disciplinary boundaries. This restrains the understanding of health in agricultural systems. Therefore we explore the opportunities and limitations of bringing perspectives together from the different domains. We review current approaches to define and assess health in agricultural contexts, comparing the state of the art of commonly used approaches and bringing together the presently disconnected debates in soil science, plant science, veterinary science and human medicine. Based on a qualitative literature analysis, we suggest that many health criteria fall into two paradigms: (1) the Growth Paradigm, where terms are primarily oriented towards continued growth; (2) the Boundary Paradigm, where terms focus on maintaining or coming back to a status quo, recognising system boundaries. Scientific health assessments in agricultural and food systems need to be explicit in terms of their position on the continuum between Growth Paradigm and Boundary Paradigm. Finally, we identify areas and concepts for a future direction of health assessment and research in agricultural and food systems. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

A science framework (SF) for agricultural sustainability.

PubMed

Ahmed, Ferdous; Al-Amin, Abul Q; Masud, Muhammad M; Kari, Fatimah; Mohamad, Zeeda

2015-09-01

The significance of Science Framework (SF) to date is receiving more acceptances all over the world to address agricultural sustainability. The professional views, however, advocate that the SF known as Mega Science Framework (MSF) in the transitional economies is not converging effectively in many ways for the agricultural sustainability. Specially, MSF in transitional economies is mostly incapable to identify barriers in agricultural research, inadequate to frame policy gaps with the goal of strategizing the desired sustainability in agricultural technology and innovation, inconsistent in finding to identify the inequities, and incompleteness to rebuild decisions. Therefore, this study critically evaluates the components of MSF in transitional economies and appraises the significance, dispute and illegitimate issue to achieve successful sustainable development. A sound and an effective MSF can be developed when there is an inter-linkage within principal components such as of (a) national priorities, (b) specific research on agricultural sustainability, (c) adequate agricultural research and innovation, and (d) alternative policy alteration. This maiden piece of research which is first its kind has been conducted in order to outline the policy direction to have an effective science framework for agricultural sustainability.

Milk Processing Plant Employee. Agricultural Cooperative Training. Vocational Agriculture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blaschke, Nolan; Page, Foy

This course of study is designed for the vocational agricultural student enrolled in an agricultural cooperative part-time training program in the area of milk processing occupations. The course consists of 11 units, each with 4 to 13 individual topics that milk processing plant employees should know. Subjects covered by the units are the…

Agriculture on Mars: Soils for Plant Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ming, D. W.

2016-01-01

Robotic rovers and landers have enabled the mineralogical, chemical, and physical characterization of loose, unconsolidated materials on the surface of Mars. Planetary scientists refer to the regolith material as "soil." NASA is currently planning to send humans to Mars in the mid 2030s. Early missions may rely on the use of onsite resources to enable exploration and self-sufficient outposts on Mars. The martian "soil" and surface environment contain all essential plant growth elements. The study of martian surface materials and how they might react as agricultural soils opens a new frontier for researchers in the soil science community. Other potential applications for surface "soils" include (i) sources for extraction of essential plant-growth nutrients, (ii) sources of O2, H2, CO2, and H2O, (iii) substrates for microbial populations in the degradation of wastes, and (iv) shielding materials surrounding outpost structures to protect humans, plants, and microorganisms from radiation. There are many challenges that will have to be addressed by soil scientists prior to human exploration over the next two decades.

Progress and Opportunities for Women in Agricultural Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuehl, R. J.; And Others

1987-01-01

Reviews the numerical gains that women have made in employment in the agricultural sciences in the last five years, and the career opportunities that currently exist. Discusses trends in recruiting women into the agricultural sciences, the increase in doctoral degrees conferred upon women, and the need for more women in agronomy and soil science.…

Science Credit for Agriculture: Perceived Support, Preferred Implementation Methods and Teacher Science Course Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Donald M.

1996-01-01

Arkansas agriculture teachers (213 of 259 surveyed) expressed support for granting science credit for agriculture (88.8%); 65.6% supported science credit for a limited number of agriculture courses. Blanket endorsement for all certified agriculture teachers was favored by 71.5%; 56.6% preferred endorsement only for certified teachers completing an…

Not all GMOs are crop plants: non-plant GMO applications in agriculture.

PubMed

Hokanson, K E; Dawson, W O; Handler, A M; Schetelig, M F; St Leger, R J

2014-12-01

Since tools of modern biotechnology have become available, the most commonly applied and often discussed genetically modified organisms are genetically modified crop plants, although genetic engineering is also being used successfully in organisms other than plants, including bacteria, fungi, insects, and viruses. Many of these organisms, as with crop plants, are being engineered for applications in agriculture, to control plant insect pests or diseases. This paper reviews the genetically modified non-plant organisms that have been the subject of permit approvals for environmental release by the United States Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service since the US began regulating genetically modified organisms. This is an indication of the breadth and progress of research in the area of non-plant genetically modified organisms. This review includes three examples of promising research on non-plant genetically modified organisms for application in agriculture: (1) insects for insect pest control using improved vector systems; (2) fungal pathogens of insects to control insect pests; and (3) virus for use as transient-expression vectors for disease control in plants.

Science IA (Agriscience). A Science Credit for Agriculture: Integrating Academic and Vocational Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricketts, Samuel C.

Because college-bound students often had trouble fitting agricultural education courses into their schedules, and because science teachers rejected the idea of giving a science credit for 2 years of agricultural education, a new integrated course was created in Tennessee. It is now called Science IA (Agriscience). It is taught by a teacher with an…

Science Laboratory Exercises for Vocational Agriculture Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Dale E.

This manual provides learning activities for use in two vocational agriculture courses--ornamental horticulture I and agricultural technology I. These activities are intended as aids in the teaching of application of science principles. An introductory chart gives a summary of how vocational agriculture objectives match objectives of specific…

Texas Agricultural Science Teachers' Attitudes toward Information Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Ryan; Williams, Robert

2012-01-01

The researchers sought to find the Agricultural Science teachers' attitude toward five innovations (Computer-Aided Design, Record Books, E-Mail Career Development Event Registration, and World Wide Web) of information technology. The population for this study consisted of all 333 secondary Agricultural science teachers from Texas FFA Areas V and…

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant sewage sludge as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in the environment The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Commercial Pesticides Applicator Manual: Agriculture - Plant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzwater, W. D.; And Others

This training manual provides information needed to meet the minimum EPA standards for certification as a commercial applicator of pesticides in the agriculture-plant pest control category. The text discusses identification and control of insects, diseases, nematodes, and weeds of agricultural crops. Proper use of application equipment and safety…

The Importance of Agriculture Science Course Sequencing in High Schools: A View from Collegiate Agriculture Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheelus, Robin P.

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the importance of Agriculture Science course sequencing in high schools, as a preparatory factor for students enrolled in collegiate agriculture classes. With the variety of courses listed in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Agriculture Science, it has been possible for counselors,…

Theme: The Role of Science in the Agricultural Education Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agricultural Education Magazine, 2002

2002-01-01

Thirteen theme articles discuss integration of science and agriculture, the role of science in agricultural education, biotechnology, agriscience in Tennessee and West Virginia, agriscience and program survival, modernization of agricultural education curriculum, agriscience and service learning, and biotechnology websites. (SK)

76 FR 37769 - Bayer CropScience LP; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, and Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2010-0102] Bayer CropScience LP; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, and Environmental Assessment... Herbicide Tolerance AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: We...

Software for pest-management science: computer models and databases from the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service.

PubMed

Wauchope, R Don; Ahuja, Lajpat R; Arnold, Jeffrey G; Bingner, Ron; Lowrance, Richard; van Genuchten, Martinus T; Adams, Larry D

2003-01-01

We present an overview of USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) computer models and databases related to pest-management science, emphasizing current developments in environmental risk assessment and management simulation models. The ARS has a unique national interdisciplinary team of researchers in surface and sub-surface hydrology, soil and plant science, systems analysis and pesticide science, who have networked to develop empirical and mechanistic computer models describing the behavior of pests, pest responses to controls and the environmental impact of pest-control methods. Historically, much of this work has been in support of production agriculture and in support of the conservation programs of our 'action agency' sister, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service). Because we are a public agency, our software/database products are generally offered without cost, unless they are developed in cooperation with a private-sector cooperator. Because ARS is a basic and applied research organization, with development of new science as our highest priority, these products tend to be offered on an 'as-is' basis with limited user support except for cooperating R&D relationship with other scientists. However, rapid changes in the technology for information analysis and communication continually challenge our way of doing business.

Vocational Agriculture Teachers' Opinions Relative to Selected Animal Science Competencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Larry G.; Groves, Ramsey

1986-01-01

The attitudes of 107 vocational agriculture teachers toward animal science competencies were compared to those of respondents to the National Agriculture Occupations Competency Study. The areas of disagreement indicate a need for increased cooperation between agricultural education and animal science departments in teacher preparation. (SK)

Plant-parasitic nematodes in Hawaiian agriculture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hawaii’s diverse and mild climate allows for the cultivation of many crops. The introduction of each crop plant brought along its associated nematode pests. These plant-parasitic nematodes became established and are now endemic to the islands. Plantation agriculture determined the major nematode ...

Functional roles of melatonin in plants, and perspectives in nutritional and agricultural science.

PubMed

Tan, Dun-Xian; Hardeland, Rudiger; Manchester, Lucien C; Korkmaz, Ahmet; Ma, Shuran; Rosales-Corral, Sergio; Reiter, Russel J

2012-01-01

The presence of melatonin in plants is universal. Evidence has confirmed that a major portion of the melatonin is synthesized by plants themselves even though a homologue of the classic arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) has not been identified as yet in plants. Thus, the serotonin N-acetylating enzyme in plants may differ greatly from the animal AANAT with regard to sequence and structure. This would imply multiple evolutionary origins of enzymes with these catalytic properties. A primary function of melatonin in plants is to serve as the first line of defence against internal and environmental oxidative stressors. The much higher melatonin levels in plants compared with those found in animals are thought to be a compensatory response by plants which lack means of mobility, unlike animals, as a means of coping with harsh environments. Importantly, remarkably high melatonin concentrations have been measured in popular beverages (coffee, tea, wine, and beer) and crops (corn, rice, wheat, barley, and oats). Billions of people worldwide consume these products daily. The beneficial effects of melatonin on human health derived from the consumption of these products must be considered. Evidence also indicates that melatonin has an ability to increase the production of crops. The mechanisms may involve the roles of melatonin in preservation of chlorophyll, promotion of photosynthesis, and stimulation of root development. Transgenic plants with enhanced melatonin content could probably lead to breakthroughs to increase crop production in agriculture and to improve the general health of humans.

Study Guide for TCT in Agriculture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sailors, Robert A.

This study guide was specifically designed for individuals preparing to take the Georgia Teacher Certification Test (TCT) in agriculture. The agriculture test was developed by the National Evaluation Systems, Inc. and educators in Georgia. The test covers 13 subareas: (1) plant science; (2) crop management; (3) animal science; (4) livestock and…

Paths for World-Class Universities in Agricultural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Zhimin; Kipchumba, Simon Kibet; Liu, Lu

2016-01-01

The top-ranking world-class universities in agricultural science denote those universities which are globally popular with agriculture-related subjects. The paper synthesizes the results of three different ranking scales (NTU, QS and ARWU) of top 50 universities in agriculture subject in 2013. The overlapped parts have been synchronized to derive…

Teaching Advanced Life Sciences in an Animal Context: Agricultural Science Teacher Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balschweid, Mark; Huerta, Alexandria

2008-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine agricultural science teacher comfort with a new high school Advanced Life Science: Animal course and determine their perceptions of student impact. The advanced science course is eligible for college credit. The teachers revealed they felt confident of their science background in preparation…

Agribusiness Management. The Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EASTCONN Regional Educational Services Center, North Windham, CT.

These materials in agribusiness management for the Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum were designed for use in the following areas: Animal Science; Plant Science; Agricultural Mechanics; and Natural Resources and Aquaculture. Each unit of this competency-based guide contains title of unit, unit length, grade level, objectives, teacher…

Minnesota Department of Education Agricultural Education Program Descriptions 01.0000-01.9095

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Department of Education, 2004

2004-01-01

This document provides a brief compilation of descriptions of agricultural education programs linked to Career and Technical Education (CTE) initiative in Minnesota. Agriculture Exploration courses focus on the animal sciences, plant sciences, natural resource sciences, agricultural business and marketing, and leadership development. Agribusiness…

Testing the effect of a science-enhanced curriculum on the science achievement and agricultural competency of secondary agricultural education students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, James Christopher

Scope and Method of Study. The purpose of this study was to determine if a science-enhanced curriculum produced by the Center for Agricultural and Environmental Research and Training (CAERT) taught in a secondary level animal science or horticulture course would improve students' understanding of selected scientific principles significantly, when compared to students who were instructed using a traditional curriculum. A secondary purpose was to determine the effect that the science-enhanced CAERT curriculum would have on students' agricultural knowledge when compared to students who were instructed using a traditional curriculum. The design of the study was ex post facto, causal comparative because no random assignment of the treatment group occurred. Findings and Conclusions. No statistically significant difference was found between the treatment and comparison groups regarding science achievement. However, the mean score of the treatment group was slightly larger than the comparison group indicating a slightly higher achievement level; a "Small" effect size (d = .16) for this difference was calculated. It was determined that a statistically significant difference (p < .05) existed in agriculture competency scores in animal science (p = .001) and horticulture (p = .000) as a result of the treatment. Moreover, this was considered to be a "very large" effect (d = 1.18) in animal science and a "large" effect (d = .92) in horticulture. When considering student achievement in science, this study found that the use of the science-enhanced CAERT curriculum did not result in a statistically significant increase (p < .05) in student performance as determined by the TerraNova3 science proficiency examination. However, students who were instructed using the CAERT curriculum scored better overall than those who were instructed using a "traditional" curriculum.

Starting a learning progression for agricultural literacy: A qualitative study of urban elementary student understandings of agricultural and science education benchmarks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, Alexander Jay

Science and agriculture professional organizations have argued for agricultural literacy as a goal for K-12 public education. Due to the complexity of our modern agri-food system, with social, economic, and environmental concerns embedded, an agriculturally literate society is needed for informed decision making, democratic participation, and system reform. While grade-span specific benchmarks for gauging agri-food system literacy have been developed, little attention has been paid to existing ideas individuals hold about the agri-food system, how these existing ideas relate to benchmarks, how experience shapes such ideas, or how ideas change overtime. Developing a body of knowledge on students' agri-food system understandings as they develop across K-12 grades can ground efforts seeking to promote a learning progression toward agricultural literacy. This study compares existing perceptions held by 18 upper elementary students from a large urban center in California to agri-food system literacy benchmarks and examines the perceptions against student background and experiences. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Constructivist theoretical perspectives framed the study. No student had ever grown their own food, raised a plant, or cared for an animal. Participation in school fieldtrips to farms or visits to a relative's garden were agricultural experiences most frequently mentioned. Students were able to identify common food items, but could not elaborate on their origins, especially those that were highly processed. Students' understanding of post-production activities (i.e. food processing, manufacturing, or food marketing) was not apparent. Students' understanding of farms reflected a 1900's subsistence farming operation commonly found in a literature written for the primary grades. Students were unaware that plants and animals were selected for production based on desired genetic traits. Obtaining

Are Teachers Ready to Integrate Science Concepts into Secondary Agriculture Programs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scales, Jason; Terry, Robert, Jr.; Torres, Robert M.

2009-01-01

For the past two decades, the idea of integrating more science concepts into the secondary agriculture curriculum has gained support. The purpose of this study was to assess the confidence and competence of agriculture instructors to teach concepts related to science. The sample was derived from the population of agriculture instructors teaching…

Agricultural Production: Program Planning Guide: Volume 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rich, William; Wood, Eugene

The program planning guide for agricultural production was written to assist Applied Biological and Agricultural Occupations (ABAO) teachers in enriching existing programs and/or to provide the basis for expansion of offerings to include additional materials for the cluster areas of animal science, plant science, farm mechanics, and farm business…

Global climate change and US agriculture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Richard M.; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Peart, Robert M.; Ritchie, Joe T.; Mccarl, Bruce A.

1990-01-01

Agricultural productivity is expected to be sensitive to global climate change. Models from atmospheric science, plant science, and agricultural economics are linked to explore this sensitivity. Although the results depend on the severity of climate change and the compensating effects of carbon dioxide on crop yields, the simulation suggests that irrigated acreage will expand and regional patterns of U.S. agriculture will shift. The impact of the U.S. economy strongly depends on which climate model is used.

PlantGI: a database for searching gene indices in agricultural plants developed at NIAB, Korea

PubMed Central

Kim, Chang Kug; Choi, Ji Weon; Park, DongSuk; Kang, Man Jung; Seol, Young-Joo; Hyun, Do Yoon; Hahn, Jang Ho

2008-01-01

The Plant Gene Index (PlantGI) database is developed as a web-based search system with search capabilities for keywords to provide information on gene indices specifically for agricultural plants. The database contains specific Gene Index information for ten agricultural species, namely, rice, Chinese cabbage, wheat, maize, soybean, barley, mushroom, Arabidopsis, hot pepper and tomato. PlantGI differs from other Gene Index databases in being specific to agricultural plant species and thus complements services from similar other developments. The database includes options for interactive mining of EST CONTIGS and assembled EST data for user specific keyword queries. The current version of PlantGI contains a total of 34,000 EST CONTIGS data for rice (8488 records), wheat (8560 records), maize (4570 records), soybean (3726 records), barley (3417 records), Chinese cabbage (3602 records), tomato (1236 records), hot pepper (998 records), mushroom (130 records) and Arabidopsis (8 records). Availability The database is available for free at http://www.niab.go.kr/nabic/. PMID:18685722

Globalizing Agricultural Science and Education Programs for America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Washington, DC.

This document proposes an agenda for globalizing agricultural science and education which has implications for higher education, research, and extension programs at land-grant and similar universities. To enhance global competitiveness of U.S. agriculture through human resource development, institutions are urged to: globalize undergraduate and…

Plant genetics, sustainable agriculture and global food security.

PubMed

Ronald, Pamela

2011-05-01

The United States and the world face serious societal challenges in the areas of food, environment, energy, and health. Historically, advances in plant genetics have provided new knowledge and technologies needed to address these challenges. Plant genetics remains a key component of global food security, peace, and prosperity for the foreseeable future. Millions of lives depend upon the extent to which crop genetic improvement can keep pace with the growing global population, changing climate, and shrinking environmental resources. While there is still much to be learned about the biology of plant-environment interactions, the fundamental technologies of plant genetic improvement, including crop genetic engineering, are in place, and are expected to play crucial roles in meeting the chronic demands of global food security. However, genetically improved seed is only part of the solution. Such seed must be integrated into ecologically based farming systems and evaluated in light of their environmental, economic, and social impacts-the three pillars of sustainable agriculture. In this review, I describe some lessons learned, over the last decade, of how genetically engineered crops have been integrated into agricultural practices around the world and discuss their current and future contribution to sustainable agricultural systems.

The International Congress of Mechanical Engineering and Agricultural Sciences - CIIMCA 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remolina-Millán, Aduljay; Hernández-Arroyo, Emil

2014-06-01

The organizing committee of The International Congress of Mechanical Engineering and Agricultural Sciences - CIIMCA 2013 - are pleased to present CIIMCA-2013: the first international conference focused on subjects of materials science, mechanical engineering and renewable energy organized by Mechanical Engineering Faculty of the ''Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana'' in Bucaramanga, Colombia. This conference aims to be a place to produce discussions on whole topics of the congress, between the scientists of Colombia and the world. We strongly believe that knowledge is fundamental to the development of our countries. For that reason this multidisciplinary conference is looking forward to integrate engineering, agricultural science and nanoscience and nanotechnology to produce a synergy of this area of knowledge and to achieve scientific and technological developments. Agriculture is a very important topic for our conference; in Colombia, agricultural science needs more attention from the scientific community and the government. In the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering we are beginning to work on these issues to produce knowledge and improve the conditions in our country. The CIIMCA conference is a great opportunity to create interpersonal relationships and networks between scientists around the world. The interaction between scientists is very important in the process of the construction of knowledge. The general chairman encourages and invites you to make friends, relationships and participate strongly in the symposia and all program activities. PhD Aduljay Remolina-Millán Principal Chairman, International Mechanical Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Congress - CIIMCA Msc Emil Hernández-Arroyo Principal Chairman, International Mechanical Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Congress - CIIMCA Conference photograph Conference photograph 'Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana seccional Bucaramanga' host of the first International Mechanical Engineering and

The Impact of Agricultural Science Education on Performance in a Biology Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernest, Byron L.

The lack of student achievement in science is often cited in U.S. educational reports. At the study site, low student achievement in science has been an ongoing concern for administrators. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the impact of agricultural science education on student performance in a Biology course. Vygotsky's constructivist theory and Gardner's multiple intelligences theory provided the framework for the study. The quantitative research question examined the relationship between the completion of Fundamentals of Agriculture Science and Business course and student performance in Biology I. Teacher perceptions and experiences regarding the integration of science and agricultural curriculum and traditional science curriculum were examined qualitatively. A sequential explanatory design was employed using 3 years of data collected from 486 high school students and interviews with 10 teachers. Point-biserial correlation and chi square tests revealed statistically significant relationships between whether or not students completed Fundamentals of Agriculture Science and Business and Biology I course performance, as measured by the end of course assessment and the course grade. In the qualitative sequence, typological and inductive data analyses were applied to the interview data, and themes of student impact and teacher experience emerged. Social change implications may be possible through improved science education for students in this program. Agriculture science courses may be used to facilitate learning of complex science concepts, designing teacher collaboration and professional development for teaching science in a relevant context, and resultant improved student performance in science.

The Potential of Genetic Engineering in Agriculture to Affect Global Stability

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-17

manipulation in agriculture is thousands of years old, dating back to man’s first efforts of plant domestication. Over the last 200 years, and especially the...engineering.” In agriculture, genetic engineering describes the science of manipulating the genetic material (DNA) of plants by adding or taking...nature run its course. This paper does not delve into the science or even the raging safety debate over the use of genetic engineering in plants that

Biotechnology: An Assessment of Agricultural Science Teachers' Knowledge and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowen, Diana L.; Roberts, T. Grady; Wingenbach, Gary J.; Harlin, Julie F.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore agricultural science teachers' knowledge levels and attitudes toward biotechnology topics. The average agricultural science teacher in this study was a 37-year-old male who had taught for 12 years. He had a bachelor's degree and had lived or worked on a farm or ranch. He had not attended…

The Gatsby Plant Science Summer School: inspiring the next generation of plant science researchers.

PubMed

Levesley, Aurora; Jopson, Juliet; Knight, Celia

2012-04-01

We provide evidence from a 5-year study to show that a single concerted effort at the start of undergraduate study can have a clear and lasting effect on the attitudes of students toward plant science. Attendance at a week-long residential plant science summer school in the first year of an undergraduate degree resulted in many students changing courses to include more plant science and increased numbers of graduates selecting plant-based PhDs. The evidence shows that the Gatsby Plant Science Summer School has increased the pool of high-quality plant science related PhD applicants in the UK and has had a positive impact on students' career aspirations. The results are discussed within the context of enhancing the pipeline of future plant scientists and reversing the decline of this vulnerable and strategically important subject relevant to addressing food security and other major global challenges. We have shown that a single well-designed and timely intervention can influence future student behavior and as such offers a framework of potential use to other vulnerable disciplines.

A Philosophical Review of Science and Society within Agricultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKim, Aaron J.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Lambert, Misty D.; Balschweid, Mark A.

2017-01-01

We utilized philosophical and historical perspectives to analyze the interconnectedness between agricultural education, science, and society. Using historical evidence, the adaptive role of agricultural education was discussed and recommendations for future adaptability were described. Additionally, connections between agricultural education,…

Plant Science. IV-A-1 to IV-F-2. Basic V.A.I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Vocational Instructional Services.

This packet contains six units of informational materials and transparency masters, with accompanying scripts, for teachers to use in a plant science course in vocational agriculture. Designed especially for use in Texas, the first unit introduces the course through the following topics: economic importance of major crops, major areas of…

Agricultural Science and Mechanics I & II. Task Analyses. Competency-Based Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henrico County Public Schools, Glen Allen, VA. Virginia Vocational Curriculum Center.

This task analysis guide is intended to help teachers and administrators develop instructional materials and implement competency-based education in the agricultural science and mechanics courses. Section 1 contains a validated task inventory for agricultural science and mechanics I and II. For each task, applicable information pertaining to…

An Instrumental Case Study of Effective Science Integration in a Traditional Agricultural Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Marshall A.; Bunch, J. C.; Kelsey, Kathleen D.

2015-01-01

The integration of science and agriculture has been discussed since the inception of agricultural education. However, the standards-based focus in public secondary education and changing climate of agriculture has brought science integration back to the forefront. Though research has indicated that the integration of science into agricultural…

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

The Gatsby Plant Science Summer School: Inspiring the Next Generation of Plant Science Researchers[OA

PubMed Central

Levesley, Aurora; Jopson, Juliet; Knight, Celia

2012-01-01

We provide evidence from a 5-year study to show that a single concerted effort at the start of undergraduate study can have a clear and lasting effect on the attitudes of students toward plant science. Attendance at a week-long residential plant science summer school in the first year of an undergraduate degree resulted in many students changing courses to include more plant science and increased numbers of graduates selecting plant-based PhDs. The evidence shows that the Gatsby Plant Science Summer School has increased the pool of high-quality plant science related PhD applicants in the UK and has had a positive impact on students’ career aspirations. The results are discussed within the context of enhancing the pipeline of future plant scientists and reversing the decline of this vulnerable and strategically important subject relevant to addressing food security and other major global challenges. We have shown that a single well-designed and timely intervention can influence future student behavior and as such offers a framework of potential use to other vulnerable disciplines. PMID:22534129

Agricultural Education Science Activity--Nos. AS 1-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Agricultural Curriculum Materials Service.

This packet contains four science learning activities on the subject of animal science that can be used in agricultural education courses. The activities cover these topics: (1) identifying internal parasites in domestic livestock; (2) the effect of feed preparation on feed palatability and consumption; (3) determining the absorption abilities of…

Examining iPod Use by Texas Agricultural Science and Technology Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Miller, Kimberly A.; Roberts, T. Grady

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish baseline data regarding the adoption of iPods and similar technologies by agricultural science and technology teachers. The population consisted of all agricultural science and technology teachers in Texas. A sample of 310 was randomly drawn from the population. Study findings reveal that while…

Agricultural Plant Pest Control. Manual 93.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Agricultural Experiment Station.

This training manual provides information needed to meet the minimum EPA standards for certification as a commercial applicator of pesticides for the agricultural plant pest control category. The text discusses the insect pests including caterpillars, beetles, and soil inhabiting insects; diseases and nematodes; and weeds. Consideration is given…

The integrated web service and genome database for agricultural plants with biotechnology information.

PubMed

Kim, Changkug; Park, Dongsuk; Seol, Youngjoo; Hahn, Jangho

2011-01-01

The National Agricultural Biotechnology Information Center (NABIC) constructed an agricultural biology-based infrastructure and developed a Web based relational database for agricultural plants with biotechnology information. The NABIC has concentrated on functional genomics of major agricultural plants, building an integrated biotechnology database for agro-biotech information that focuses on genomics of major agricultural resources. This genome database provides annotated genome information from 1,039,823 records mapped to rice, Arabidopsis, and Chinese cabbage.

The integrated web service and genome database for agricultural plants with biotechnology information

PubMed Central

Kim, ChangKug; Park, DongSuk; Seol, YoungJoo; Hahn, JangHo

2011-01-01

The National Agricultural Biotechnology Information Center (NABIC) constructed an agricultural biology-based infrastructure and developed a Web based relational database for agricultural plants with biotechnology information. The NABIC has concentrated on functional genomics of major agricultural plants, building an integrated biotechnology database for agro-biotech information that focuses on genomics of major agricultural resources. This genome database provides annotated genome information from 1,039,823 records mapped to rice, Arabidopsis, and Chinese cabbage. PMID:21887015

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for..., AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS... sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants Program support...

Social Science Research on Biotechnology and Agriculture: A Critique.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buttel, Frederick H.

1989-01-01

Examines trends in social science research on biotechnology and agriculture. Discusses role of private industry's biotechnology "hype" in defining social science research policy in universities. Suggests that widespread promotion of biotechnology as "revolutionary" contributed to lack of academic scrutiny. Examines social…

Lessons from Women in the Agricultural Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rea, Jennette; And Others

1989-01-01

Discusses women who have made an impact in the agricultural sciences. Profiles Elizabeth Pickney, indigo; Jane Colden, botany; Harriet Strong, irrigation and flood control; Anna Comstock, nature studies; Alice Evans, bacteriology; Edith Patch, entomology; and Beatrix Potter, botany. (JOW)

Socioeconomic Impacts of Agricultural Processing Plants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leistritz, F. Larry; Sell, Randall S.

2001-01-01

Studies in four North Dakota communities that had suffered economic and population decline in the 1980s examined the economic and community impacts of new agricultural processing plants in the late 1990s, including effects on residents' incomes, total and school-age population, needs for day care and community services, housing needs, public…

Career Preparation in Agricultural Production: A Curriculum Guide for High School Vocational Agriculture. Test Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGhee, Max B., Comp.

This curriculum guide in agricultural production is one of 10 guides developed as part of a vocational project stressing agribusiness, natural resources, and environmental protection. The scope of this guide includes four occupational subgroups: animal science, plant science, farm mechanics, and farm business management. It is meant as an aid to…

Stress Levels of Agricultural Science Cooperating Teachers and Student Teachers: A Repeated Measures Comparative Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKim, Billy R.; Rayfield, John; Harlin, Julie; Adams, Andy

2013-01-01

This study compared job stress levels of Texas agricultural science cooperating teachers and Texas agricultural science student teachers across a semester. The research objectives included describing secondary agricultural science cooperating teachers and student teachers perceptions of stressors, by time of semester (beginning, middle, and end),…

Agricultural Biology, Science (Experimental): 5314.09.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basnett, Fred D.

This unit of instruction was designed as a laboratory study of soils, plants, crop improvements and pesticides, and gives consideration to fish farming, tropical fish, and careers in agriculture. The booklet lists the relevant state-adopted texts and states the performance objectives for the unit. It provides an outline of the course content and…

Insect-plant-pathogen interactions as shaped by future climate: effects on biology, distribution, and implications for agriculture.

PubMed

Trębicki, Piotr; Dáder, Beatriz; Vassiliadis, Simone; Fereres, Alberto

2017-12-01

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is the main anthropogenic gas which has drastically increased since the industrial revolution, and current concentrations are projected to double by the end of this century. As a consequence, elevated CO 2 is expected to alter the earths' climate, increase global temperatures and change weather patterns. This is likely to have both direct and indirect impacts on plants, insect pests, plant pathogens and their distribution, and is therefore problematic for the security of future food production. This review summarizes the latest findings and highlights current knowledge gaps regarding the influence of climate change on insect, plant and pathogen interactions with an emphasis on agriculture and food production. Direct effects of climate change, including increased CO 2 concentration, temperature, patterns of rainfall and severe weather events that impact insects (namely vectors of plant pathogens) are discussed. Elevated CO 2 and temperature, together with plant pathogen infection, can considerably change plant biochemistry and therefore plant defense responses. This can have substantial consequences on insect fecundity, feeding rates, survival, population size, and dispersal. Generally, changes in host plant quality due to elevated CO 2 (e.g., carbon to nitrogen ratios in C3 plants) negatively affect insect pests. However, compensatory feeding, increased population size and distribution have also been reported for some agricultural insect pests. This underlines the importance of additional research on more targeted, individual insect-plant scenarios at specific locations to fully understand the impact of a changing climate on insect-plant-pathogen interactions. © 2017 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Developing a Competency-Based Component for the Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EASTCONN Regional Educational Services Center, North Windham, CT.

Competencies are identified for the four primary instructional areas of the Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum: plant science, agricultural mechanics, natural resources, and animal science. The competencies for each instructional area are divided into those for exploratory units generally appropriate for instruction at the…

76 FR 21701 - Plant Variety Protection Board; Open Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-18

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Document No. AMS-ST-11-0028] Plant... meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board. DATES: May 11 and 12, 2011, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., open to the... CONTACT: Ms. Natalie Worku, Plant Variety Protection Office, Science and Technology Programs, Agricultural...

Agricultural and Science Education: A Socio-Analysis of Their Intersection and Positions within the Educational Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hains, Bryan J.; Hansen, Gary L.; Hustedde, Ronald J.

2017-01-01

It can be argued that agricultural science is one of the original forms of science education. However, over the past century, agricultural science education has habitually been perceived as an educational venue meant solely for production agriculturalists. When examining modern agricultural education we find it to be a minority within the broader…

Effects of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin on plant-soil systems: A review of their relevance for agricultural plant quality and public health

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Machado, J.; Campos, A.

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are recognized as an emerging environmental threat worldwide. Although microcystin-LR is the most frequently documented cyanotoxin, studies on cylindrospermopsin have been increasing due to the invasive nature of cylindrospermopsin-producing cyanobacteria. The number of studies regarding the effects of cyanotoxins on agricultural plants has increased in recent years, and it has been suggested that the presence of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin in irrigation water may cause toxic effects in edible plants. The uptake of these cyanotoxins by agricultural plants has been shown to induce morphological and physiological changes that lead to a potential loss of productivity. There is alsomore » evidence that edible terrestrial plants can bioaccumulate cyanotoxins in their tissues in a concentration dependent-manner. Moreover, the number of consecutive cycles of watering and planting in addition to the potential persistence of microcystin-LR and cylindrospermopsin in the environment are likely to result in groundwater contamination. The use of cyanotoxin-contaminated water for agricultural purposes may therefore represent a threat to both food security and food safety. However, the deleterious effects of cyanotoxins on agricultural plants and public health seem to be dependent on the concentrations studied, which in most cases are non-environmentally relevant. Interestingly, at ecologically relevant concentrations, the productivity and nutritional quality of some agricultural plants seem not to be impaired and may even be enhanced. However, studies assessing if the potential tolerance of agricultural plants to these concentrations can result in cyanotoxin and allergen accumulation in the edible tissues are lacking. This review combines the most current information available regarding this topic with a realistic assessment of the impact of cyanobacterial toxins on agricultural plants, groundwater quality and public health. - Highlights

Test Item Construction and Validation: Developing a Statewide Assessment for Agricultural Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera, Jennifer E.

2011-01-01

The State of New York Agriculture Science Education secondary program is required to have a certification exam for students to assess their agriculture science education experience as a Regent's requirement towards graduation. This paper focuses on the procedure used to develop and validate two content sub-test questions within a…

Diverse Applications of Electronic-Nose Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry

PubMed Central

Wilson, Alphus D.

2013-01-01

Electronic-nose (e-nose) instruments, derived from numerous types of aroma-sensor technologies, have been developed for a diversity of applications in the broad fields of agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in e-nose technologies within the plant sciences, including improvements in gas-sensor designs, innovations in data analysis and pattern-recognition algorithms, and progress in material science and systems integration methods, have led to significant benefits to both industries. Electronic noses have been used in a variety of commercial agricultural-related industries, including the agricultural sectors of agronomy, biochemical processing, botany, cell culture, plant cultivar selections, environmental monitoring, horticulture, pesticide detection, plant physiology and pathology. Applications in forestry include uses in chemotaxonomy, log tracking, wood and paper processing, forest management, forest health protection, and waste management. These aroma-detection applications have improved plant-based product attributes, quality, uniformity, and consistency in ways that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of production and manufacturing processes. This paper provides a comprehensive review and summary of a broad range of electronic-nose technologies and applications, developed specifically for the agriculture and forestry industries over the past thirty years, which have offered solutions that have greatly improved worldwide agricultural and agroforestry production systems. PMID:23396191

Diverse applications of electronic-nose technologies in agriculture and forestry.

PubMed

Wilson, Alphus D

2013-02-08

Electronic-nose (e-nose) instruments, derived from numerous types of aroma-sensor technologies, have been developed for a diversity of applications in the broad fields of agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in e-nose technologies within the plant sciences, including improvements in gas-sensor designs, innovations in data analysis and pattern-recognition algorithms, and progress in material science and systems integration methods, have led to significant benefits to both industries. Electronic noses have been used in a variety of commercial agricultural-related industries, including the agricultural sectors of agronomy, biochemical processing, botany, cell culture, plant cultivar selections, environmental monitoring, horticulture, pesticide detection, plant physiology and pathology. Applications in forestry include uses in chemotaxonomy, log tracking, wood and paper processing, forest management, forest health protection, and waste management. These aroma-detection applications have improved plant-based product attributes, quality, uniformity, and consistency in ways that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of production and manufacturing processes. This paper provides a comprehensive review and summary of a broad range of electronic-nose technologies and applications, developed specifically for the agriculture and forestry industries over the past thirty years, which have offered solutions that have greatly improved worldwide agricultural and agroforestry production systems.

Antimicrobial peptide production and plant-based expression systems for medical and agricultural biotechnology.

PubMed

Holaskova, Edita; Galuszka, Petr; Frebort, Ivo; Oz, M Tufan

2015-11-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are vital components of the innate immune system of nearly all living organisms. They generally act in the first line of defense against various pathogenic bacteria, parasites, enveloped viruses and fungi. These low molecular mass peptides are considered prospective therapeutic agents due to their broad-spectrum rapid activity, low cytotoxicity to mammalian cells and unique mode of action which hinders emergence of pathogen resistance. In addition to medical use, AMPs can also be employed for development of innovative approaches for plant protection in agriculture. Conferred disease resistance by AMPs might help us surmount losses in yield, quality and safety of agricultural products due to plant pathogens. Heterologous expression in plant-based systems, also called plant molecular farming, offers cost-effective large-scale production which is regarded as one of the most important factors for clinical or agricultural use of AMPs. This review presents various types of AMPs as well as plant-based platforms ranging from cell suspensions to whole plants employed for peptide production. Although AMP production in plants holds great promises for medicine and agriculture, specific technical limitations regarding product yield, function and stability still remain. Additionally, establishment of particular stable expression systems employing plants or plant tissues generally requires extended time scale for platform development compared to certain other heterologous systems. Therefore, fast and promising tools for evaluation of plant-based expression strategies and assessment of function and stability of the heterologously produced AMPs are critical for molecular farming and plant protection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Beyond knowledge transfer: The social construction of autonomous academic science in university-industry agricultural biotechnology research collaborations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biscotti, Dina Louise

Autonomy is a social product. Although some might view autonomy as the absence of social interference in individual action, it is in fact produced through social institutions. It enables social actors to act; it is the justification for the allocation of enormous public resources into institutions classified as "public" or "nonprofit;" it can lead to innovation; and, significantly, it is key to the public acceptance of new technologies. In this dissertation, I analyze the social construction of autonomy for academic science in U.S. university-industry agricultural biotechnology research collaborations. University-industry relationships (UIRs) are a site of concern about the influence of commercial interests on academic science. Agricultural biotechnology is a contentious technology that has prompted questions about the ecological and public health implications of genetically-modified plants and animals. It has also spurred awareness of the industrialization of agriculture and accelerating corporate control of the global food system. Through analysis of in-depth interviews with over 200 scientists and administrators from nine U.S. research universities and thirty agricultural biotechnology companies, I find that both the academy and industry have a vested interest in the social construction of the academy as an autonomous space from which claims to objective, disinterested scientific knowledge can be made. These claims influence government regulation, as well as grower and public acceptance of agricultural biotechnology products. I argue that the social production of autonomy for academic science can be observed in narratives and practices related to: (1) the framing of when, how and why academic scientists collaborate with industry, (2) the meanings ascribed to and the uses deemed appropriate for industry monies in academic research, and (3) the dissemination of research results into the public domain through publications and patents. These narratives and practices

Tools for Using Citizen Science in Environmental, Agricultural, and Natural Resources Extension Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stofer, Kathryn A.

2017-01-01

Citizen science is quickly becoming a valuable tool in the Extension professional's tool kit. This is the case whether you are a 4-H agent looking to involve youth in agriscience and agriculture-related science, technology, engineering, and math experiential learning activities or an agriculture and natural resources agent seeking to help…

Historical agriculture alters the effects of fire on understory plant beta diversity.

PubMed

Mattingly, W Brett; Orrock, John L; Collins, Cathy D; Brudvig, Lars A; Damschen, Ellen I; Veldman, Joseph W; Walker, Joan L

2015-02-01

Land-use legacies are known to shape the diversity and distribution of plant communities, but we lack an understanding of whether historical land use influences community responses to contemporary disturbances. Because human-modified landscapes often bear a history of multiple land-use activities, this contingency can challenge our understanding of land-use impacts on plant diversity. We address this contingency by evaluating how beta diversity (the spatial variability of species composition), an important component of regional biodiversity, is shaped by interactions between historical agriculture and prescribed fire, two prominent disturbances that are often coincident in terrestrial ecosystems. At three study locations spanning 450 km in the southeastern United States, we surveyed longleaf pine woodland understory plant communities across 232 remnant and post-agricultural sites with differing prescribed fire regimes. Our results demonstrate that agricultural legacies are a strong predictor of beta diversity, but the direction of this land-use effect differed among the three study locations. Further, although beta diversity increased with prescribed fire frequency at each study location, this effect was influenced by agricultural land-use history, such that positive fire effects were only documented among sites that lacked a history of agriculture at two of our three study locations. Our study not only highlights the role of historical agriculture in shaping beta diversity in a fire-maintained ecosystem but also illustrates how this effect can be contingent upon fire regime and geographic location. We suggest that interactions among historical and contemporary land-use activities may help to explain dissimilarities in plant communities among sites in human-dominated landscapes.

Science at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, 1868-1893

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Linda Bart

Science had a variety of uses at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, a private, missionary school supported by northern whites and Virginia's black land grant school from 1872 to 1920. Samuel Chapman Armstrong, principal for the first twenty-five years (1868-1893), advocated not classical but scientific studies, primarily as applied science to improve lives and "civilize" blacks and Indians. Agriculture and mechanics were practiced in Hampton's industries, where students worked their way through school. They were organized for production rather than instruction, though Armstrong claimed that labor had a moral value and that practical experience was valuable learning. In contrast to works by James D. Anderson and Donald Spivey, this study stresses the pragmatic, business purposes of Hampton's industries rather than any ideological agenda. Problems with providing specialized facilities, apparatus, and teachers made it difficult for Hampton to provide rigorous, graded science instruction. Students learned of practical applications of science in agricultural lectures and in such classes as physiology. However, the curriculum was designed for teacher training, using broad, elementary science for general knowledge, to train minds, and to make adult remedial language lessons more effective. Not surprisingly, very few graduates pursued careers which required more than general science studies. Besides the utilitarian and disciplinary purposes, Hampton used science to discourage superstitious ideas in religion. Armstrong also argued for racially distinctive education for blacks and Indians on the basis of scientific ideas about cultural evolution and inheritance of the experience of past generations. In practice, however, Hampton teachers adapted mainstream tools and methods of instruction. Not all teachers shared Armstrong's racial views, and several demonstrated concern for students, confidence in their ability, and professional interest in advancing them as

Workshop on Agricultural Air Quality: State of the science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aneja, Viney P.; Blunden, Jessica; Roelle, Paul A.; Schlesinger, William H.; Knighton, Raymond; Niyogi, Dev; Gilliam, Wendell; Jennings, Greg; Duke, Clifford S.

The first Workshop on Agricultural Air Quality: State of the Science was held at the Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland from 4 to 8 June 2006. This international conference assembled approximately 350 people representing 25 nations from 5 continents, with disciplines ranging from atmospheric chemistry to soil science. The workshop was designed as an open forum in which participants could openly exchange the most current knowledge and learn about numerous international perspectives regarding agricultural air quality. Participants represented many stakeholder groups concerned with the growing need to assess agricultural impacts on the atmosphere and to develop beneficial policies to improve air quality. The workshop focused on identifying methods to improve emissions inventories and best management practices for agriculture. Workshop participants also made recommendations for technological and methodological improvements in current emissions measurement and modeling practices. The workshop commenced with a session on agricultural emissions and was followed by international perspectives from the United States, Europe, Australia, India, and South America. This paper summarizes the findings and issues of the workshop and articulates future research needs. These needs were identified in three general areas: (1) improvement of emissions measurement; (2) development of appropriate emission factors; and (3) implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to minimize negative environmental impacts. Improvements in the appropriate measurements will inform decisions regarding US farming practices. A need was demonstrated for a national/international network to monitor atmospheric emissions from agriculture and their subsequent depositions to surrounding areas. Information collected through such a program may be used to assess model performance and could be critical for evaluating any future regulatory policies or BMPs. The workshop concluded that efforts to maximize

Investigating Community Factors as Predictors of Rural 11th-Grade Agricultural Science Students' Choice of Careers in Agriculture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adedokun, Omolola A.; Balschweid, Mark A.

2008-01-01

This study investigates the links between community contexts/factors and rural 11th-grade agricultural science students' choice of careers in agriculture. A logistic regression model was developed and tested to examine the extent to which nine measures of community contexts (i.e., membership in FFA, membership in 4-H, community attachment,…

Starting a Learning Progression for Agricultural Literacy: A Qualitative Study of Urban Elementary Student Understandings of Agricultural and Science Education Benchmarks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Alexander Jay

2010-01-01

Science and agriculture professional organizations have argued for agricultural literacy as a goal for K-12 public education. Due to the complexity of our modern agri-food system, with social, economic, and environmental concerns embedded, an agriculturally literate society is needed for informed decision making, democratic participation, and…

Agriculture Supplies & Services. Volume 1 of 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansas State Univ., Manhattan.

The first of three volumes included in a secondary agricultural supplies and services curriculum guide, this volume contains units of instruction in two major areas: (1) plant and soil science and (2) leadership (Future Farmers of America). Typical of the nineteen units included in the first section are the following: Plant Insect Control, Plant…

Creating an agricultural world order: regional plant protection problems and international phytopathology, 1878-1939.

PubMed

Castonguay, Stéphane

2010-01-01

Beginning in 1878 with the International Phylloxera Convention of Berne, international conventions have sought to relieve national agricultural industries from two specific burdens. First, by defining phytosanitary practices to be enforced by national plant protection services, these conventions attempted to prevent the introduction of plant diseases and pests into national territories from which they were previously absent. Second, by standardizing these practices - especially through the design of a unique certificate of inspection - the conventions attempted to eliminate barriers such as quarantines affection international agricultural trade. The succession of phytopathological conventions seemed to epitomize the coalescence of an international community against agricultural pests. What actually coalesced was bio-geopolitics wherein plant pathologists and economic entomologists from North America and the British Empire questioned the so-called internationality of the environmental and economic specificities of continental European agriculture, embodied in "international" conventions. Although an international phenomenon, the dissemination of agricultural pests provided opportunities for cooperation on a strictly regional albeit transnational basis that pitted bio-geopolitical spaces against each other. This article retraces the formation of these spaces by analyzing the deliberations of committees and congresses that gathered to define an international agricultural order based on the means to prevent the spread of plant diseases and pests.

Transformations in Higher Education in Agricultural and Food Sciences in Central and Eastern Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruffio, P.; Barloy, J.

1995-01-01

From an analysis of educational reform and the teaching crisis in agricultural/food sciences in Central and Eastern Europe emerged three key issues: (1) redefinition of the role of agricultural/food science managers; (2) replacement of production orientation with a comprehensive approach to rural development; and (3) recognition of the educational…

Teaching the Nature of Science in a Course in Sustainable Agriculture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cessna, Stephen; Neufeld, Douglas Graber; Horst, S. Jeanne

2013-01-01

Claims of the (non-)sustainability of a given agricultural practice generally hinge on scientific evidence and the reliability of that evidence, or at least the perception of its reliability. Advocates of sustainable agriculture may dismiss science as purely subjective, or at the other extreme, may inappropriately elevate scientific findings to…

Fire frequency, agricultural history and the multivariate control of pine savanna understorey plant diversity

Treesearch

Joseph W. Veldman; Lars A. Brudvig; Ellen I. Damschen; John L. Orrock; W. Brett Mattingly; Joan L. Walker

2014-01-01

Question: Human-altered disturbance regimes and agricultural land uses are broadly associated with reduced plant species diversity in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, we seek to understand how fire frequency and agricultural land-use history influence savanna understorey plant diversity through complex relationships (i.e. indirect effects) among multiple...

Potential Applications of Polyamines in Agriculture and Plant Biotechnology.

PubMed

Tiburcio, Antonio F; Alcázar, Rubén

2018-01-01

The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine have been implicated in a myriad of biological functions in many organisms. Research done during the last decades has accumulated a large body of evidence demonstrating that polyamines are key modulators of plant growth and development. Different experimental approaches have been employed including the measurement of endogenous polyamine levels and the activities of polyamine metabolic enzymes, the study of the effects resulting from exogenous polyamine applications and chemical or genetic manipulation of endogenous polyamine titers. This chapter reviews the role of PAs in seed germination, root development, plant architecture, in vitro plant regeneration, flowering and plant senescence. Evidence presented here indicates that polyamines should be regarded as plant growth regulators with potential applications in agriculture and plant biotechnology.

History, achievements, and future challenges of Japanse Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosaki, Takashi

2013-04-01

Modern soil science was introduced just after the reformation of Japan in 1867 by Max Fesca, Oskar Kellner and other German teachers together with their Japanese students, who were traced back to Justus von Liebig and thus started studying and teaching soils based on agrogeology and agricultural chemistry. After the German teachers left, the graduates from agricultural colleges formed the Foundation of Agricultural Sciences in 1887, based on which the Society of the Science of Soil and Manure, Japan, was established in 1927. The research, education and extension activities then expanded to Korea, Manchuria and Inner Mongolia as well as Taiwan and Sakhalin in accordance with a military invasion to China and Southeast Asian countries until the end of WWII. After WWII together with the reformation guided by the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Allied Forces, soils research and educational units increased in number in the universities and governmental institutions. The society started publication of the journal in English, "Soils and Plant Food" in 1955, which was renamed to "Soil Science and Plant Nutrition (SSPN)" in 1961. There formed a variety of discussion groups in the society such as soil microbiology, pedology, clay science, soil physics, plant physiology, and forest environment, which became independent in the 1960s. Economic growth of Japan in the 1970s accomplished self-sufficiency in rice production and extended the range of crop to grow, however, a variety of environmental issues came out. A new division was established in the society for solving soil-related environmental problems. The society became more involved in international activities and hosted a number of international conferences, workshops, etc., the most significant of which was the 14th International Congress of Soil Science at Kyoto in 1990. The society proposed there a regional organization to cope with the unique issues, e.g. improvement of paddy rice cultivation, for Asian countries and

Rhetorical Structure of Research Articles in Agricultural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Huimin; Wannaruk, Anchalee

2014-01-01

Although the rhetorical structure of research articles (RA) has been extensively examined from individual sections to complete IMRD sections regarding different disciplines, no research has been addressed to the overall rhetorical structure of RAs as a whole entity in the field of agricultural science. In this study, we analyzed 45 agricultural…

Agricultural Education Science Activity--Nos. GGEB 1-2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Agricultural Curriculum Materials Service.

This packet contains two science learning activities that can be used in agricultural education courses. The first activity, "Using Ethanol as a Solvent," is intended to help students describe the characteristics of a solvent, to enhance student observational skills dealing with physical changes, and to demonstrate the acid or alkaline…

Agricultural Education Science Activity--Nos. AEM 1-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Agricultural Curriculum Materials Service.

This packet contains four science learning activities that can be used in agricultural education courses. The activities cover these topics: (1) determining the effect of air pressure on fluid flow; (2) how lubrication and oil viscosity affect friction; (3) determining relative strengths of wood fasteners; and (4) determining the effects of…

Science Education in Two-Year Colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckwith, Miriam M.

Agricultural and natural resources education in two-year colleges is examined as revealed by a study of science education that involved: (1) a review of the literature, (2) an examination of 175 college catalogs and class schedules from colleges nationwide, and (3) a survey of 1,275 science teachers. Part I of the study report discusses…

Special Examination of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houston, Rashada; King, Jeanine; McKee, Benny

In response to a legislative request, the efficiency of program operations of the University of Floridas Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) was evaluated using data from multiple sources. IFAS is the entity responsible for carrying out the University of Floridas land grant mission. IFAS offers programs in agriculture, family and…

Agriculture and Biology Teaching. Science and Technology Education Document Series 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, A. N.; Pritchard, Alan J.

The six-chapter document is part of Unesco's Science and Technology Education Programme to encourage an international exchange of ideas and information on science and technology education. Chapters discuss: (1) development of agriculture (beginning and modern); (2) agroecosystems (land utilization, soils, food production, irrigation, and…

Who Needs Plants? Science (Experimental).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ropeik, Bernard H.; Kleinman, David Z.

The basic elective course in introductory botany is designed for secondary students who probably will not continue study in plant science. The objectives of the course are to help the student 1) identify, compare and differentiate types of plants; 2) identify plant cell structures; 3) distinguish between helpful and harmful plants; 4) predict…

Natuculture Systems: Addressing Students' STEM and Agriculture Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joyce, Alexander Augusto

The purpose of this study was to assess the inclusion of a Natuculture systems learning experience into selected high school STEM courses to determine high school students' interests in majoring in STEM and for pursuing careers in agricultural sciences. Natuculture is defined as "any human-made system that mimics nature in human-disturbed landscapes". The research occurred at an urban area high school located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Fifty-three students in grades 9-12 participated during an academic semester learning experience which included planting, maintenance, & harvesting for an oasissofa. Data was collected using a questionnaire and reflective journals to gather students' attitudes towards agriculture and science and knowledge towards agriculture. Results showed that while the experiences did not improve students' interest in pursuing careers in agricultural sciences, overall, they did increase their knowledge of concepts related to agriculture. It was concluded that students benefit from experiential learning experiences. Based on the study, it is recommended that future research follow up with students to learn of their educational and career choices in agriculture and future learning experiences include curricula that integrates agricultural topics with STEM courses.

Role of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria in Agricultural Sustainability-A Review.

PubMed

Vejan, Pravin; Abdullah, Rosazlin; Khadiran, Tumirah; Ismail, Salmah; Nasrulhaq Boyce, Amru

2016-04-29

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) shows an important role in the sustainable agriculture industry. The increasing demand for crop production with a significant reduction of synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides use is a big challenge nowadays. The use of PGPR has been proven to be an environmentally sound way of increasing crop yields by facilitating plant growth through either a direct or indirect mechanism. The mechanisms of PGPR include regulating hormonal and nutritional balance, inducing resistance against plant pathogens, and solubilizing nutrients for easy uptake by plants. In addition, PGPR show synergistic and antagonistic interactions with microorganisms within the rhizosphere and beyond in bulk soil, which indirectly boosts plant growth rate. There are many bacteria species that act as PGPR, described in the literature as successful for improving plant growth. However, there is a gap between the mode of action (mechanism) of the PGPR for plant growth and the role of the PGPR as biofertilizer-thus the importance of nano-encapsulation technology in improving the efficacy of PGPR. Hence, this review bridges the gap mentioned and summarizes the mechanism of PGPR as a biofertilizer for agricultural sustainability.

Entomopathogenic and plant pathogenic nematodes as opposing forces in agriculture.

PubMed

Kenney, Eric; Eleftherianos, Ioannis

2016-01-01

Plant-parasitic nematodes are responsible for substantial damages within the agriculture industry every year, which is a challenge that has thus far gone largely unimpeded. Chemical nematicides have been employed with varying degrees of success, but their implementation can be cumbersome, and furthermore they could potentially be neutralising an otherwise positive effect from the entomopathogenic nematodes that coexist with plant-parasitic nematodes in soil environments and provide protection for plants against insect pests. Recent research has explored the potential of employing entomopathogenic nematodes to protect plants from plant-parasitic nematodes, while providing their standard degree of protection against insects. The interactions involved are highly complex, due to both the three-organism system and the assortment of variables present in a soil environment, but a strong collection of evidence has accumulated regarding the suppressive capacity of certain entomopathogenic nematodes and their mutualistic bacteria, in the context of limiting the infectivity of plant-parasitic nematodes. Specific factors produced by certain entomopathogenic nematode complexes during the process of insect infection appear to have a selectively nematicidal, or at least repellant, effect on plant-parasitic nematodes. Using this information, an opportunity has formed to adapt this relationship to large-scale, field conditions and potentially relieve the agricultural industry of one of its most substantial burdens. Copyright © 2015 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, Skills, or Attitudes/Beliefs: The Contexts of Agricultural Literacy in Upper-Elementary Science Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vallera, Farah L.; Bodzin, Alec M.

2016-01-01

Agricultural literacy connects knowledge, skills, and attitudes/beliefs (KSABs) about agriculture to KSABs in environmental education, education for sustainable development, and science education identified in recent reform initiatives. This study conducted a content analysis of 12 current upper-elementary U.S. science textbooks and curriculum…

Nanoparticle-plant interaction: Implications in energy, environment, and agriculture.

PubMed

Rai, Prabhat Kumar; Kumar, Vanish; Lee, SangSoo; Raza, Nadeem; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Ok, Yong Sik; Tsang, Daniel C W

2018-06-14

In the recent techno-scientific revolution, nanotechnology has gained popularity at a rapid pace in different sectors and disciplines, specifically environmental, sensing, bioenergy, and agricultural systems. Controlled, easy, economical, and safe synthesis of nanomaterials is desired for the development of new-age nanotechnology. In general, nanomaterial synthesis techniques, such as chemical synthesis, are not completely safe or environmentally friendly due to harmful chemicals used or to toxic by-products produced. Moreover, a few nanomaterials are present as by-product during washing process, which may accumulate in water, air, and soil system to pose serious threats to plants, animals, and microbes. In contrast, using plants for nanomaterial (especially nanoparticle) synthesis has proven to be environmentally safe and economical. The role of plants as a source of nanoparticles is also likely to expand the number of options for sustainable green renewable energy, especially in biorefineries. Despite several advantages of nanotechnology, the nano-revolution has aroused concerns in terms of the fate of nanoparticles in the environment because of the potential health impacts caused by nanotoxicity upon their release. In the present panoramic review, we discuss the possibility that a multitudinous array of nanoparticles may find applications convergent with human welfare based on the synthesis of diverse nanoparticles from plants and their extracts. The significance of plant-nanoparticle interactions has been elucidated further for nanoparticle synthesis, applications of nanoparticles, and the disadvantages of using plants for synthesizing nanoparticles. Finally, we discuss future prospects of plant-nanoparticle interactions in relation to the environment, energy, and agriculture with implications in nanotechnology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effect of agricultural application of municipal sewage sludge on plant-soil system: A review].

PubMed

Liu, Meng Jiao; Xia, Shao Pan; Wang, Jun; Ma, Qing Xu; Wang, Zhong Qiang; Wu, Liang Huan

2017-12-01

Currently, reasonable disposal of municipal sewage sludge is one of the important issues in the field of resources and environmental science. Sludge is rich in large amounts of organic matter and available nutrients, promoting soil fertility, soil physical structure and biological properties. However, sludge contains a variety of heavy metals, organic contaminants and other hazardous substance, especially heavy metals, which are the bottlenecks of agricultural application of sludge. To improve the sewage sludge utilization efficiency and decrease the effect on soil, this essay made a summary on domestic and foreign studies on plant-soil interaction ecosystem with sewage sludge to provide a theoretical basis and scientific guidance for advancing sewage sludge utilization efficiency.

Ultrasonic Sensing of Plant Water Needs for Agriculture

PubMed Central

Gómez Álvarez-Arenas, Tomas; Gil-Pelegrin, Eustaquio; Ealo Cuello, Joao; Fariñas, Maria Dolores; Sancho-Knapik, Domingo; Collazos Burbano, David Alejandro; Peguero-Pina, Jose Javier

2016-01-01

Fresh water is a key natural resource for food production, sanitation and industrial uses and has a high environmental value. The largest water use worldwide (~70%) corresponds to irrigation in agriculture, where use of water is becoming essential to maintain productivity. Efficient irrigation control largely depends on having access to reliable information about the actual plant water needs. Therefore, fast, portable and non-invasive sensing techniques able to measure water requirements directly on the plant are essential to face the huge challenge posed by the extensive water use in agriculture, the increasing water shortage and the impact of climate change. Non-contact resonant ultrasonic spectroscopy (NC-RUS) in the frequency range 0.1–1.2 MHz has revealed as an efficient and powerful non-destructive, non-invasive and in vivo sensing technique for leaves of different plant species. In particular, NC-RUS allows determining surface mass, thickness and elastic modulus of the leaves. Hence, valuable information can be obtained about water content and turgor pressure. This work analyzes and reviews the main requirements for sensors, electronics, signal processing and data analysis in order to develop a fast, portable, robust and non-invasive NC-RUS system to monitor variations in leaves water content or turgor pressure. A sensing prototype is proposed, described and, as application example, used to study two different species: Vitis vinifera and Coffea arabica, whose leaves present thickness resonances in two different frequency bands (400–900 kHz and 200–400 kHz, respectively), These species are representative of two different climates and are related to two high-added value agricultural products where efficient irrigation management can be critical. Moreover, the technique can also be applied to other species and similar results can be obtained. PMID:27428968

Ultrasonic Sensing of Plant Water Needs for Agriculture.

PubMed

Gómez Álvarez-Arenas, Tomas; Gil-Pelegrin, Eustaquio; Ealo Cuello, Joao; Fariñas, Maria Dolores; Sancho-Knapik, Domingo; Collazos Burbano, David Alejandro; Peguero-Pina, Jose Javier

2016-07-14

Fresh water is a key natural resource for food production, sanitation and industrial uses and has a high environmental value. The largest water use worldwide (~70%) corresponds to irrigation in agriculture, where use of water is becoming essential to maintain productivity. Efficient irrigation control largely depends on having access to reliable information about the actual plant water needs. Therefore, fast, portable and non-invasive sensing techniques able to measure water requirements directly on the plant are essential to face the huge challenge posed by the extensive water use in agriculture, the increasing water shortage and the impact of climate change. Non-contact resonant ultrasonic spectroscopy (NC-RUS) in the frequency range 0.1-1.2 MHz has revealed as an efficient and powerful non-destructive, non-invasive and in vivo sensing technique for leaves of different plant species. In particular, NC-RUS allows determining surface mass, thickness and elastic modulus of the leaves. Hence, valuable information can be obtained about water content and turgor pressure. This work analyzes and reviews the main requirements for sensors, electronics, signal processing and data analysis in order to develop a fast, portable, robust and non-invasive NC-RUS system to monitor variations in leaves water content or turgor pressure. A sensing prototype is proposed, described and, as application example, used to study two different species: Vitis vinifera and Coffea arabica, whose leaves present thickness resonances in two different frequency bands (400-900 kHz and 200-400 kHz, respectively), These species are representative of two different climates and are related to two high-added value agricultural products where efficient irrigation management can be critical. Moreover, the technique can also be applied to other species and similar results can be obtained.

Changing techniques in crop plant classification: molecularization at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany during the 1980s.

PubMed

Holmes, Matthew

2017-04-01

Modern methods of analysing biological materials, including protein and DNA sequencing, are increasingly the objects of historical study. Yet twentieth-century taxonomic techniques have been overlooked in one of their most important contexts: agricultural botany. This paper addresses this omission by harnessing unexamined archival material from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), a British plant science organization. During the 1980s the NIAB carried out three overlapping research programmes in crop identification and analysis: electrophoresis, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and machine vision systems. For each of these three programmes, contemporary economic, statutory and scientific factors behind their uptake by the NIAB are discussed. This approach reveals significant links between taxonomic practice at the NIAB and historical questions around agricultural research, intellectual property and scientific values. Such links are of further importance given that the techniques developed by researchers at the NIAB during the 1980s remain part of crop classification guidelines issued by international bodies today.

78 FR 37200 - Plant Variety Protection Board; Open Teleconference Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Document No. AMS-ST-13-0019] Plant... an open meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board. DATES: July 31, 2013 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m... CONTACT: Ms. Jennifer Banks, Plant Variety Protection Office, Science and Technology Programs...

A novel model for estimating organic chemical bioconcentration in agricultural plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hung, H.; Mackay, D.; Di Guardo, A.

1995-12-31

There is increasing recognition that much human and wildlife exposure to organic contaminants can be traced through the food chain to bioconcentration in vegetation. For risk assessment, there is a need for an accurate model to predict organic chemical concentrations in plants. Existing models range from relatively simple correlations of concentrations using octanol-water or octanol-air partition coefficients, to complex models involving extensive physiological data. To satisfy the need for a relatively accurate model of intermediate complexity, a novel approach has been devised to predict organic chemical concentrations in agricultural plants as a function of soil and air concentrations, without themore » need for extensive plant physiological data. The plant is treated as three compartments, namely, leaves, roots and stems (including fruit and seeds). Data readily available from the literature, including chemical properties, volume, density and composition of each compartment; metabolic and growth rate of plant; and readily obtainable environmental conditions at the site are required as input. Results calculated from the model are compared with observed and experimentally-determined concentrations. It is suggested that the model, which includes a physiological database for agricultural plants, gives acceptably accurate predictions of chemical partitioning between plants, air and soil.« less

Urban Elementary Students' Conceptions of Learning Goals for Agricultural Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trexler, Cary J.; Hess, Alexander J.; Hayes, Kathryn N.

2013-01-01

Nationally, both science and agricultural education professional organizations have identified agriculture as a fundamental technology to be studied by students, with the goal of achieving an understanding of the agri-food system necessary for democratic participation. Benchmarks representing the content that K-12 children need to understand about…

Vocational Agriculture 4. A Curriculum Guide. 12th Grade. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeder, Dean

The curriculum guide for Vocational Agriculture 4 (Grade 12) contains 27 color-coded units of instruction organized into four sections: farm business management, leadership and careers, plant and soil science, and agricultural mechanics. The instructional units are designed to account for 60% of an instructor's time, the remaining 40% is left to…

The Impact of Agricultural Science Education on Performance in a Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernest, Byron L.

2014-01-01

The lack of student achievement in science is often cited in U.S. educational reports. At the study site, low student achievement in science has been an ongoing concern for administrators. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the impact of agricultural science education on student performance in a Biology course. Vygotsky's…

Interactions Among Plants, Insects, and Microbes: Elucidation of Inter-Organismal Chemical Communications in Agricultural Ecology.

PubMed

Beck, John J; Alborn, Hans; Block, Anna; Christensen, Shawn A; Hunter, Charles T; Rering, Caitlin C; Seidl-Adams, Irmgard; Stuhl, Charles; Torto, Baldwyn; Tumlinson, James H

2018-06-12

The last two decades have witnessed a sustained increase in the study of plant-emitted volatiles and their role in plant-insect, plant-microbe and plant-plant interactions. While each of these binary systems involves complex chemical and biochemical processes between two organisms, the progression of increasing complexity of a ternary system (i.e., plant-insect-microbe), and the study of a ternary system requires non-trivial planning. This planning can include: an experimental design that factors in potential overarching ecological interactions regarding the binary or ternary system; correctly identifying and understanding unexpected observations that may occur during the experiment; and, thorough interpretation of the resultant data. This challenge of planning, performing and interpreting a plant's defensive response to multiple biotic stressors will be even greater when abiotic stressors (i.e., temperature or water) are factored into the system. To fully understand the system, we need to not only continue to investigate and understand the volatile profiles, but also include and understand the biochemistry of the plant's response to these stressors. In this paper, we provide examples and discuss interaction considerations with respect to how readers and future authors of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry can contribute their expertise toward the extraction and interpretation of chemical information exchanged between agricultural commodities and their associated pests. This holistic, multidisciplinary and thoughtful approach to interactions of plants, insects, and microbes, and the resultant response of the plants, can lead to a better understanding of agricultural ecology, in turn leading to practical and viable solutions to agricultural problems.

Exploring Resource Sharing between Secondary School Teachers of Agriculture and Science Departments Nationally.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dormody, Thomas J.

1992-01-01

A survey of 372 secondary agriculture teachers received 274 responses showing a majority of agriculture and science departments share resources, although at low levels. Many more predicted future sharing. Equipment and supplies were most often shared, instructional services least often. (SK)

The regulation of agricultural biotechnology: science shows a better way.

PubMed

Miller, Henry I

2010-11-30

National and international regulation of recombinant DNA-modified, or 'genetically engineered' (also referred to as 'genetically modified' or GM), organisms is unscientific and illogical, a lamentable illustration of the maxim that bad science makes bad law. Instead of regulatory scrutiny that is proportional to risk, the degree of oversight is actually inversely proportional to risk. The current approach to regulation, which captures for case-by-case review organisms to be field tested or commercialized according to the techniques used to construct them rather than their properties, flies in the face of scientific consensus. This approach has been costly in terms of economic losses and human suffering. The poorest of the poor have suffered the most because of hugely inflated development costs of genetically engineered plants and food. A model for regulation of field trials known as the 'Stanford Model' is designed to assess risks of new agricultural introductions - whether or not the organisms are genetically engineered, and independent of the genetic modification techniques employed. It offers a scientific, rational, risk-based basis for field trial regulations. Using this sort of model for regulatory review would not only better protect human health and the environment, but would also permit more expeditious development and more widespread use of new plants and seeds. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by Agricultural Science and Extension Teachers in Abuja, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabi, Olugbenga Omotayo

2016-01-01

This study examined adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by agricultural science and extension teachers in Abuja, Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives are to: identify the background and demographic characteristics of agricultural science and extension teachers in the study area; examine the factors influencing adoption…

Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-Income Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barros, Vicente

2008-09-01

During recent months, another sign of the global fragility to sustain the increasing human demand for resources has appeared with merciless cruelty. Increasing food prices, paradoxically driven to a large extent by the rapid economic growth of vast regions of the emerging world, are affecting hundreds of millions of the poorest people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. As described in Science for Agriculture and Rural Development in Low-Income Countries, most of the poorest people in these low-income countries live in rural areas and are engaged in agriculture or related activities. Because many people in these areas are engaged in subsistence agriculture, they do not share in the added income derived from higher market prices for food.

Synthetic antimicrobial peptides as agricultural pesticides for plant-disease control.

PubMed

Montesinos, Emilio; Bardají, Eduard

2008-07-01

There is a need of antimicrobial compounds in agriculture for plant-disease control, with low toxicity and reduced negative environmental impact. Antimicrobial peptides are produced by living organisms and offer strong possibilities in agriculture because new compounds can be developed based on natural structures with improved properties of activity, specificity, biodegradability, and toxicity. Design of new molecules has been achieved using combinatorial-chemistry procedures coupled to high-throughput screening systems and data processing with design-of-experiments (DOE) methodology to obtain QSAR equation models and optimized compounds. Upon selection of best candidates with low cytotoxicity and moderate stability to protease digestion, anti-infective activity has been evaluated in plant-pathogen model systems. Suitable compounds have been submitted to acute toxicity testing in higher organisms and exhibited a low toxicity profile in a mouse model. Large-scale production can be achieved by solution organic or chemoenzymatic procedures in the case of very small peptides, but, in many cases, production can be performed by biotechnological methods using genetically modified microorganisms (fermentation) or transgenic crops (plant biofactories).

Virus-Bacteria Interactions: Implications and Potential for the Applied and Agricultural Sciences.

PubMed

Moore, Matthew D; Jaykus, Lee-Ann

2018-02-02

Eukaryotic virus-bacteria interactions have recently become an emerging topic of study due to multiple significant examples related to human pathogens of clinical interest. However, such omnipresent and likely important interactions for viruses and bacteria relevant to the applied and agricultural sciences have not been reviewed or compiled. The fundamental basis of this review is that these interactions have importance and deserve more investigation, as numerous potential consequences and applications arising from their discovery are relevant to the applied sciences. The purpose of this review is to highlight and summarize eukaryotic virus-bacteria findings in the food/water, horticultural, and animal sciences. In many cases in the agricultural sciences, mechanistic understandings of the effects of virus-bacteria interactions remain unstudied, and many studies solely focus on co-infections of bacterial and viral pathogens. Given recent findings relative to human viral pathogens, further research related to virus-bacteria interactions would likely result in numerous discoveries and beneficial applications.

State of science of phosphorus modeling in tile drained agricultural systems using APEX

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Phosphorus losses through tile drained systems in agricultural landscapes may be causing the persistent eutrophication problems observed in surface water. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the state of the science in the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model related to surf...

Plant Hormones: How They Affect Root Formation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinhard, Diana Hereda

This science study aid, produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, includes a series of plant rooting activities for secondary science classes. The material in the pamphlet is written for students and includes background information on plant hormones, a vocabulary list, and five learning activities. Objectives, needed materials, and…

Role of transgenic plants in agriculture and biopharming.

PubMed

Ahmad, Parvaiz; Ashraf, Muhammad; Younis, Muhammad; Hu, Xiangyang; Kumar, Ashwani; Akram, Nudrat Aisha; Al-Qurainy, F

2012-01-01

At present, environmental degradation and the consistently growing population are two main problems on the planet earth. Fulfilling the needs of this growing population is quite difficult from the limited arable land available on the globe. Although there are legal, social and political barriers to the utilization of biotechnology, advances in this field have substantially improved agriculture and human life to a great extent. One of the vital tools of biotechnology is genetic engineering (GE) which is used to modify plants, animals and microorganisms according to desired needs. In fact, genetic engineering facilitates the transfer of desired characteristics into other plants which is not possible through conventional plant breeding. A variety of crops have been engineered for enhanced resistance to a multitude of stresses such as herbicides, insecticides, viruses and a combination of biotic and abiotic stresses in different crops including rice, mustard, maize, potato, tomato, etc. Apart from the use of GE in agriculture, it is being extensively employed to modify the plants for enhanced production of vaccines, hormones, etc. Vaccines against certain diseases are certainly available in the market, but most of them are very costly. Developing countries cannot afford the disease control through such cost-intensive vaccines. Alternatively, efforts are being made to produce edible vaccines which are cheap and have many advantages over the commercialized vaccines. Transgenic plants generated for this purpose are capable of expressing recombinant proteins including viral and bacterial antigens and antibodies. Common food plants like banana, tomato, rice, carrot, etc. have been used to produce vaccines against certain diseases like hepatitis B, cholera, HIV, etc. Thus, the up- and down-regulation of desired genes which are used for the modification of plants have a marked role in the improvement of genetic crops. In this review, we have comprehensively discussed the role

In pursuit of a science of agriculture: the role of statistics in field experiments.

PubMed

Parolini, Giuditta

2015-09-01

Since the beginning of the twentieth century statistics has reshaped the experimental cultures of agricultural research taking part in the subtle dialectic between the epistemic and the material that is proper to experimental systems. This transformation has become especially relevant in field trials and the paper will examine the British agricultural institution, Rothamsted Experimental Station, where statistical methods nowadays popular in the planning and analysis of field experiments were developed in the 1920s. At Rothamsted statistics promoted randomisation over systematic arrangements, factorisation over one-question trials, and emphasised the importance of the experimental error in assessing field trials. These changes in methodology transformed also the material culture of agricultural science, and a new body, the Field Plots Committee, was created to manage the field research of the agricultural institution. Although successful, the vision of field experimentation proposed by the Rothamsted statisticians was not unproblematic. Experimental scientists closely linked to the farming community questioned it in favour of a field research that could be more easily understood by farmers. The clash between the two agendas reveals how the role attributed to statistics in field experimentation defined different pursuits of agricultural research, alternately conceived of as a scientists' science or as a farmers' science.

The Cultural Adaptation Process of Agricultural and Life Sciences Students on Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conner, Nathan William

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how undergraduate students in a college of agricultural and life sciences experienced cultural adaptation during short-term study abroad programs. The specific objectives of this study were to describe how undergraduate students in the college of agricultural and life sciences experienced culture throughout…

The impact of whole-plant instruction of preservice teachers' understanding of plant science principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hypolite, Christine Collins

The purpose of this research was to determine how an inquiry-based, whole-plant instructional strategy would affect preservice elementary teachers' understanding of plant science principles. This study probed: what preservice teachers know about plant biology concepts before and after instruction, their views of the interrelatedness of plant parts and the environment, how growing a plant affects preservice teachers' understanding, and which types of activity-rich plant themes studies, if any, affect preservice elementary teachers' understandings. The participants in the study were enrolled in two elementary science methods class sections at a state university. Each group was administered a preinstructional test at the beginning of the study. The treatment group participated in inquiry-based activities related to the Principles of Plant Biology (American Society of Plant Biologists, 2001), while the comparison group studied those same concepts through traditional instructional methods. A focus group was formed from the treatment group to participate in co-concept mapping sessions. The participants' understandings were assessed through artifacts from activities, a comparison of pre- and postinstructional tests, and the concept maps generated by the focus group. Results of the research indicated that the whole-plant, inquiry-based instructional strategy can be applied to teach preservice elementary teachers plant biology while modeling the human constructivist approach. The results further indicated that this approach enhanced their understanding of plant science content knowledge, as well as pedagogical knowledge. The results also showed that a whole-plant approach to teaching plant science concepts is an instructional strategy that is feasible for the elementary school. The theoretical framework for this study was Human Constructivist learning theory (Mintzes & Wandersee, 1998). The content knowledge and instructional strategy was informed by the Principles of Plant

Monitoring of full-scale hydrodynamic cavitation pretreatment in agricultural biogas plant.

PubMed

Garuti, Mirco; Langone, Michela; Fabbri, Claudio; Piccinini, Sergio

2018-01-01

The implementation of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) pretreatment for enhancing the methane potential from agricultural biomasses was evaluated in a full scale agricultural biogas plant, with molasses and corn meal as a supplementary energy source. HC batch tests were run to investigate the influence on methane production, particle size and viscosity of specific energy input. 470kJ/kgTS was chosen for the full-scale implementation. Nearly 6-months of operational data showed that the HC pretreatment maximized the specific methane production of about 10%, allowing the biogas plant to get out of the fluctuating markets of supplementary energy sources and to reduce the methane emissions. HC influenced viscosity and particle size of digestate, contributing to reduce the energy demand for mixing, heating and pumping. In the light of the obtained results the HC process appears to be an attractive and energetically promising alternative to other pretreatments for the degradation of biomasses in biogas plant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reflections on the reproductive sciences in agriculture in the UK and US, ca. 1900-2000+.

PubMed

Clarke, Adele E

2007-06-01

This paper provides a brief comparative overview of the development of the reproductive sciences especially in agriculture in the UK and the US. It begins with the establishment by F. H. A. Marshall in 1910 of the boundaries that framed the reproductive sciences as distinct from genetics and embryology. It then examines how and where the reproductive sciences were taken up in agricultural research settings, focusing on the differential development of US and UK institutions. The reproductive sciences were also pursued in medical and biological settings, and I discuss how the intersections among all three allowed the circulation of both ideas and scientists' careers. Across the twentieth century, scientific leadership in the reproductive sciences alternated between the UK and US, and these patterns are elucidated. I conclude with thoughts on future research that might emphasize the elaboration of industrialization processes in agriculture and new capacities to transform both reproductive processes and their products--life itself--as biopower comes to be more ambitiously understood as extending across all species.

Combined hydrogen and carbon isotopes of plant waxes as an indicator of drought impacts on ancient Maya agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, P. M.; Pagani, M.; Eglinton, T. I.; Brenner, M.; Hodell, D. A.; Curtis, J. H.

2012-12-01

There is increasing evidence suggesting that a series of droughts in the Yucatan Peninsula coincided with the Terminal Classic decline of the Classic Maya civilization (ca. 1250 to 1000 years BP). However, there is little evidence directly linking climatic change and changes in human activities in this region. In this study we combine plant-wax δD, δ13C, and Δ14C analyses in two lake sediment cores from southeastern Mexico and northern Guatemala to develop coupled records of hydroclimate variability and human-driven vegetation change. Plant-wax specific Δ14C ages indicate a large input of pre-aged plant waxes into lake sediment. Comparison of plant-wax δD records with other regional hydroclimate proxy records suggest that plant-wax ages are evenly distributed around plant-wax radiocarbon ages, and that applying an age model based on plant-wax radiocarbon ages is appropriate for these lake sediments. We evaluate how differences in plant-wax age distributions influence stable isotope records to assess the age uncertainty associated with records of climate and vegetation change derived from plant-wax stable isotopes. In this low-elevation tropical environment plant-wax δ13C is largely controlled by the relative abundance of C3 and C4 plants. The ancient Maya practiced widespread maize (C4) agriculture and strongly influenced regional C3-C4 vegetation dynamics. Under natural conditions C4 plant coverage and plant-wax δ13C would tend to co-vary positively since C4 plants are well adapted for dry conditions. Under ancient Maya land-use, however, this relationship is likely to be decoupled, since drought would have disrupted C4 agriculture. Combined analysis of plant-wax δD and δ13C from both lakes indicates increasingly divergent trends following ca. 3500 years BP, around the onset of widespread ancient Maya agriculture. After this time high plant-wax δD values tend to correspond with low plant-wax δ13C values and vice versa. This pattern is consistent with

Animal Science, Including Instruction in Agricultural Mechanics, Careers, Leadership, and Supervised Occupational Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri State Dept. of Education, Jefferson City. Agricultural Education Section.

Developed and reviewed by a committee of 16 teachers, the state supervisory staff, and the teacher education staff, this curriculum guide is for vocational agriculture teacher use with ninth grade students interested in agricultural occupations. Some objectives for this 1-year course in animal science are--(1) to develop competencies in…

Cultural plant propagation center: Things to consider

Treesearch

John W. Jr. Bartok

2005-01-01

There are many career opportunities in horticulture, plant science, and other agricultural disciplines. Horticulture is one of the fastest growing segments of agriculture. Students that gain experience in greenhouse techniques have an advantage when applying for a job.

USU research helps agriculture enter the space age

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salisbury, F. B.

1987-01-01

Research at the Utah State University College of Agriculture that is relevant to the space life sciences is reviewed. Specific programs detailed are gravitropism of dicot stems, maximization of wheat yields for use in space exploration, and plant development processes in wheat in microgravity.

Big Data in Plant Science: Resources and Data Mining Tools for Plant Genomics and Proteomics.

PubMed

Popescu, George V; Noutsos, Christos; Popescu, Sorina C

2016-01-01

In modern plant biology, progress is increasingly defined by the scientists' ability to gather and analyze data sets of high volume and complexity, otherwise known as "big data". Arguably, the largest increase in the volume of plant data sets over the last decade is a consequence of the application of the next-generation sequencing and mass-spectrometry technologies to the study of experimental model and crop plants. The increase in quantity and complexity of biological data brings challenges, mostly associated with data acquisition, processing, and sharing within the scientific community. Nonetheless, big data in plant science create unique opportunities in advancing our understanding of complex biological processes at a level of accuracy without precedence, and establish a base for the plant systems biology. In this chapter, we summarize the major drivers of big data in plant science and big data initiatives in life sciences with a focus on the scope and impact of iPlant, a representative cyberinfrastructure platform for plant science.

Environmental and Agricultural Sciences. Georgia Core Standards for Occupational Clusters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia Univ., Athens. Dept. of Occupational Studies.

This document lists core standards and occupational knowledge amd skills that have been identified/validated by industry as necessary to all Georgia students in secondary-level environmental and agricultural sciences programs. First, foundation skills are grouped as follows: basic skills (reading, writing, arithmetic/mathematics, listening,…

An Evaluation of Successful Collaboration among Agricultural Science Teachers and Extension Agents in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Harlin, Julie F.; Rayfield, John

2011-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate collaboration between agricultural science teachers and Extension agents in Texas from the perspective of successful collaboration. Programs, leaders, and participants in both agricultural education and Extension can be impacted positively through collaboration. However, successful collaboration…

Islands of knowledge: science and agriculture in the history of Latin America and the Caribbean.

PubMed

Fernández Prieto, Leida

2013-12-01

This essay explores the participation of Latin America and the Caribbean in the construction and circulation of tropical agricultural science during the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. It uses the term "islands of knowledge" to underscore the idea that each producing region across the global tropics, including Latin America and the Caribbean, was instrumental in the creation, adoption, and application of scientific procedures. At the same time, it emphasizes the value of interchange and interconnection between these regions, as well as the many and heterogeneous local areas, for analyzing what it calls "global archipelago agricultural scientific knowledge." This focus challenges the traditional center/periphery hierarchy and opens it to a wider vision of science and practice in agriculture. This essay shows how writing in related areas of research--specifically, commodity histories, biological exchange studies, and knowledge exchange studies--introduces approaches and case studies that are useful for the history of tropical agricultural science. In particular, this work provides analytical frameworks for developing studies of exchanges across the Global South.

Agricultural Science Teachers' Barriers, Roles, and Information Source Preferences for Teaching Biotechnology Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowen, Diana L.; Wingenbach, Gary J.; Roberts, T. Grady; Harlin, Julie F.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine barriers, roles, and information source preferences for teaching agricultural biotechnology topics. Agricultural science teachers were described primarily as 37 year-old males who had taught for 12 years, had bachelor's degrees, and had lived or worked on a farm or ranch. Equipment was perceived as the…

Assessing elements of an extended evolutionary synthesis for plant domestication and agricultural origin research

PubMed Central

Piperno, Dolores R.

2017-01-01

The development of agricultural societies, one of the most transformative events in human and ecological history, was made possible by plant and animal domestication. Plant domestication began 12,000–10,000 y ago in a number of major world areas, including the New World tropics, Southwest Asia, and China, during a period of profound global environmental perturbations as the Pleistocene epoch ended and transitioned into the Holocene. Domestication is at its heart an evolutionary process, and for many prehistorians evolutionary theory has been foundational in investigating agricultural origins. Similarly, geneticists working largely with modern crops and their living wild progenitors have documented some of the mechanisms that underwrote phenotypic transformations from wild to domesticated species. Ever-improving analytic methods for retrieval of empirical data from archaeological sites, together with advances in genetic, genomic, epigenetic, and experimental research on living crop plants and wild progenitors, suggest that three fields of study currently little applied to plant domestication processes may be necessary to understand these transformations across a range of species important in early prehistoric agriculture. These fields are phenotypic (developmental) plasticity, niche construction theory, and epigenetics with transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. All are central in a controversy about whether an Extended Evolutionary Synthesis is needed to reconceptualize how evolutionary change occurs. An exploration of their present and potential utility in domestication study shows that all three fields have considerable promise in elucidating important issues in plant domestication and in agricultural origin and dispersal research and should be increasingly applied to these issues. PMID:28576881

Plant growth promotion in cereal and leguminous agricultural important plants: from microorganism capacities to crop production.

PubMed

Pérez-Montaño, F; Alías-Villegas, C; Bellogín, R A; del Cerro, P; Espuny, M R; Jiménez-Guerrero, I; López-Baena, F J; Ollero, F J; Cubo, T

2014-01-01

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are free-living bacteria which actively colonize plant roots, exerting beneficial effects on plant development. The PGPR may (i) promote the plant growth either by using their own metabolism (solubilizing phosphates, producing hormones or fixing nitrogen) or directly affecting the plant metabolism (increasing the uptake of water and minerals), enhancing root development, increasing the enzymatic activity of the plant or "helping" other beneficial microorganisms to enhance their action on the plants; (ii) or may promote the plant growth by suppressing plant pathogens. These abilities are of great agriculture importance in terms of improving soil fertility and crop yield, thus reducing the negative impact of chemical fertilizers on the environment. The progress in the last decade in using PGPR in a variety of plants (maize, rice, wheat, soybean and bean) along with their mechanism of action are summarized and discussed here. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Agricultural Science Lab Activities. Instructor Guide. Volume 27, Number 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Gregory W.; And Others

This instructor guide contains 20 laboratory activities for grades 9-10 Agricultural Science I-II classes. The activities are cross-referenced to Missouri Core Competencies and Key Skills. The activities are organized into the following areas: introductory (microscope use); animal nutrition (absorption of nutrients, bacteria and disease, enzyme…

THE USE OF CHEMICALS AS PLANT REGULATORS. AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS TECHNOLOGY, NUMBER 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center for Vocational and Technical Education.

ONE OF A SERIES DESIGNED TO ASSIST TEACHERS IN PREPARING POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS FOR AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL OCCUPATIONS, THIS MODULE IS SPECIFICALLY CONCERNED WITH CHEMICALS AS PLANT REGULATORS. IT WAS DEVELOPED BY A NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON THE BASIS OF DATA FROM STATE STUDIES. SECTIONS INCLUDE -- (1) CHEMICALS AS MODIFIERS OF PLANT GROWTH, (2)…

Ontologies as integrative tools for plant science

PubMed Central

Walls, Ramona L.; Athreya, Balaji; Cooper, Laurel; Elser, Justin; Gandolfo, Maria A.; Jaiswal, Pankaj; Mungall, Christopher J.; Preece, Justin; Rensing, Stefan; Smith, Barry; Stevenson, Dennis W.

2012-01-01

Premise of the study Bio-ontologies are essential tools for accessing and analyzing the rapidly growing pool of plant genomic and phenomic data. Ontologies provide structured vocabularies to support consistent aggregation of data and a semantic framework for automated analyses and reasoning. They are a key component of the semantic web. Methods This paper provides background on what bio-ontologies are, why they are relevant to botany, and the principles of ontology development. It includes an overview of ontologies and related resources that are relevant to plant science, with a detailed description of the Plant Ontology (PO). We discuss the challenges of building an ontology that covers all green plants (Viridiplantae). Key results Ontologies can advance plant science in four keys areas: (1) comparative genetics, genomics, phenomics, and development; (2) taxonomy and systematics; (3) semantic applications; and (4) education. Conclusions Bio-ontologies offer a flexible framework for comparative plant biology, based on common botanical understanding. As genomic and phenomic data become available for more species, we anticipate that the annotation of data with ontology terms will become less centralized, while at the same time, the need for cross-species queries will become more common, causing more researchers in plant science to turn to ontologies. PMID:22847540

Agricultural implications of the Fukushima nuclear accident

PubMed Central

Nakanishi, Tomoko M.

2016-01-01

More than 4 years has passed since the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Immediately after the accident, 40 to 50 academic staff of the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Tokyo created an independent team to monitor the behavior of the radioactive materials in the field and their effects on agricultural farm lands, forests, rivers, animals, etc. When the radioactive nuclides from the nuclear power plant fell, they were instantly adsorbed at the site where they first touched; consequently, the fallout was found as scattered spots on the surface of anything that was exposed to the air at the time of the accident. The adsorption has become stronger over time, so the radioactive nuclides are now difficult to remove. The findings of our study regarding the wide range of effects on agricultural fields are summarized in this report. PMID:27538845

Fabrication Of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Using Agricultural Crop Plant Leaf Extracts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajani, P.; SriSindhura, K.; Prasad, T. N. V. K. V.; Hussain, O. M.; Sudhakar, P.; Latha, P.; Balakrishna, M.; Kambala, V.; Reddy, K. Raja

2010-10-01

Nanoparticles are being viewed as fundamental building blocks of nanotechnology. Biosynthesis of nanoparticles by plant extracts is currently under exploitation. Use of agricultural crop plant extracts for synthesis of metal nanoparticles would add a new dimension to the agricultural sector in the utilization of crop waste. Silver has long been recognized as having an inhibitory effect towards many bacterial strains and microorganisms commonly present in medical and industrial processes. Four pulse crop plants and three cereal crop plants (Vigna radiata, Arachis hypogaea, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus, Zea mays, Pennisetum glaucum, Sorghum vulgare) were used and compared for their extra cellular synthesis of metallic silver nanoparticles. Stable silver nanoparticles were formed by treating aqueous solution of AgNO3 with the plant leaf extracts as reducing agent at temperatures 50 °C-95 °C. UV-Visible spectroscopy was utilized to monitor the formation of silver nanoparticles. XRD analysis of formed silver nanoparticles revealed face centered cubic structure with (111), (200), (220) and (311) planes. SEM and EDAX analysis confirm the size of the formed silver nanoparticles to be in the range of 50-200 nm. Our proposed work offers a enviro-friendly method for biogenic silver nanoparticles production. This could provide a faster synthesis rate comparable to those of chemical methods and potentially be used in areas such as cosmetics, food and medical applications.

Toward Martian agriculture: responses of plants to hypobaria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corey, Kenneth A.; Barta, Daniel J.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2002-01-01

The recent surge of interest in human missions to Mars has also generated considerable interest in the responses of plants to hypobaria (reduced atmospheric pressure), particularly among those in the advanced life support community. Potential for in situ resource utilization, challenges in meeting engineering constraints for mass and energy, the prospect of using lightweight plant growth structures on Mars, and the minimal literature on plant responses to low pressure all suggest much needed research in this area. However, the limited literature on hypobaria combined with previous findings on plant responses to atmospheric composition and established principles of mass transfer of gases suggest that some plants will be capable of tolerating and growing at pressures below 20 kPa; and for other species, perhaps as low as 5-10 kPa. In addition, normal and perhaps enhanced growth of many plants will likely occur at reduced partial pressures of oxygen (e.g., 5 kPa). Growth of plants at such low and partial pressures indicates the feasibility of cultivating plants in lightweight, transparent "greenhouses" on the surface of Mars or in other extraterrestrial or extreme environment locations. There are numerous, accessible terrestrial analogs for moderately low pressure ranges, but not for very low and extremely low atmospheric pressures. Research pertaining to very low pressures has been historically restricted to the use of vacuum chambers. Future research prospects, approaches, and priorities for plant growth experiments at low pressure are considered and discussed as they apply to prospects for Martian agriculture.

Recognising Differences in Weed and Crop Species Recognition Skills of Agriculture Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burrows, Geoffrey E.

2012-01-01

Students in an agricultural science degree were surveyed to assess their ability to recognise plants of agricultural importance. The survey consisted of high quality images of 25 species. Students were surveyed at the start of their studies in first year, and at various times during their second year of studies. At the start of their studies…

Revising and Updating the Animal Science Components of the Connecticut Vocational Agriculture Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mannebach, Alfred J.; And Others

This guide is intended for use in teaching Connecticut's revised animal science curriculum at regional vocational agriculture centers. Like its predecessor, this curriculum includes exploratory (intended for grades 9 and 10) and specialized (intended for grades 11 and 12) animal science units and is based on the following major areas of…

"What we need is a crop ecologist": ecology and agricultural science in Progressive-era America.

PubMed

Hersey, Mark D

2011-01-01

Though they are often seen as foils for each other, ecology and agricultural science co-evolved. With shared roots in late nineteenth-century botany, ecologists and agronomists fostered important connections during the Progressive era that have been largely overlooked despite a number of finely nuanced studies of ecology's origins. But if 'applied ecology' once effectively meant agriculture, over the course of the first decades of the twentieth century the relationship between ecology and scientific agriculture grew strained. Agriculturists narrowed their focus to increasing yields, and ecologists sought to establish their discipline as a distant theoretical science and so distanced themselves from its agricultural applications. By the end of World War I, the process of disciplinary specialization was well underway. In time, the two disciplines diverged so completely that the once vital connections between them were obscured and forgotten.

Parasitic plants in agriculture: Chemical ecology of germination and host-plant location as targets for sustainable control: A review

Treesearch

Justin B. Runyon; John F. Tooker; Mark C. Mescher; Consuelo M. De Moraes

2009-01-01

Parasitic plants are among the most problematic pests of agricultural crops worldwide. Effective means of control are generally lacking, in part because of the close physiological connection between the established parasite and host plant hindering efficient control using traditional methods. Seed germination and host location are critical early-growth stages that...

Science, technique, technology: passages between matter and knowledge in imperial Chinese agriculture.

PubMed

Bray, Francesca

2008-09-01

Many historians today prefer to speak of knowledge and practice rather than science and technology. Here I argue for the value of reinstating the terms science, techniques and technology as tools for a more precise analysis of governmentality and the workings of power. My tactic is to use these three categories and their articulations to highlight flows between matter and ideas in the production and reproduction of knowledge. In any society, agriculture offers a wonderfully rich case of how ideas, material goods and social relations interweave. In China agronomy was a science of state, the basis of legitimate rule. I compare different genres of agronomic treatise to highlight what officials, landowners and peasants respectively contributed to, and expected from, this charged natural knowledge. I ask how new forms of textual and graphic inscription for encoding agronomic knowledge facilitated its dissemination and ask how successful this knowledge proved when rematerialized and tested as concrete artefacts or techniques. I highlight forms of innovation in response to crisis, and outline the overlapping interpretative frameworks within which the material applications of Chinese agricultural science confirmed and extended its truth across space and time.

Agricultural Awareness Days: Integrating Agricultural Partnerships and STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Brian T.; Wilkinson, Carol A.; Shepherd, Pamela J.

2014-01-01

In the United States there is a need to educate young children in science, technology, and agriculture. Through collaboration with many agricultural groups, the Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Education Center has set up a program that works with 3rd grade students and teachers to reinforce the science that has been taught in the…

Design of System Scheme and Operationmechanism on Agricultural Science &Technology Information Service System `110'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yongchang; Hu, Zhiquan; Xiao, Bilin; Li, Quanxin

Agricultural science & technology information service system ‘110’ (ASTISS-110), connected through unitary telephone hotline as well as multipurpose service of the network, television and video etc, is one of the most characteristic content of the Chinese rural informatization. ASTISS-110 is a low cost and high efficiency way to make the agricultural science & technology achievements extension and achieve the combination of science & technology with farmers in the rural area. This paper would primary focus on the ASTISS-110 foundation and system principle. On basis of its main functions and system objectives, we put forward the combination of the ‘Sky- Land-People’ technical solution, and analyze the management operation mechanism from commonweal service, enterprise management and commercialization operation.

When Defining Agriculture and Science, Explicit Is Not a Bad Word

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stofer, Kathryn A.; Newberry, Milton G., III

2017-01-01

"Agriscience" is an emerging field at the intersection of recently separate fields of "agriculture" and "science." For meaningful communication with and engagement of public audiences around agriscience, researchers, educators, and the public must have a consensus definition. We used personal meaning mapping to…

Agricultural Education as a Medium for the Transmission of Western Science during British Rule in Malaya, 1905-1957

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arman, Ezwan; Mamat, Mohd Zufri; Hasbullah, Maisarah

2016-01-01

This paper traces the transmission of Western science through the agricultural education sector during the British colonial administration of Malaya. This education system included three levels: elementary, intermediate and the school of agriculture. To understand the process by which Western science was transmitted in Malaya, Basalla's model was…

Electromagnetic Spectrum. 7th and 8th Grade Agriculture Science Curriculum. Teacher Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This curriculum guide, the second in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on the electromagnetic spectrum prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for…

Electrospun nanofibres in agriculture and the food industry: a review.

PubMed

Noruzi, Masumeh

2016-11-01

The interesting characteristics of electrospun nanofibres, such as high surface-to-volume ratio, nanoporosity, and high safety, make them suitable candidates for use in a variety of applications. In the recent decade, electrospun nanofibres have been applied to different potential fields such as filtration, wound dressing, drug delivery, etc. and a significant number of review papers have been published in these fields. However, the use of electrospun nanofibres in agriculture is comparatively novel and is still in its infancy. In this paper, the specific applications of electrospun nanofibres in agriculture and food science, including plant protection using pheromone-loaded nanofibres, plant protection using encapsulation of biocontrol agents, preparation of protective clothes for farm workers, encapsulation of agrochemical materials, deoxyribonucleic acid extraction in agricultural research studies, pre-concentration and measurement of pesticides in crops and environmental samples, preparation of nanobiosensors for pesticide detection, encapsulation of food materials, fabrication of food packaging materials, and filtration of beverage products are reviewed and discussed. This paper may help researchers develop the use of electrospun nanofibres in agriculture and food science to address some serious problems such as the intensive use of pesticides. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

BRC4Env, a network of Biological Resource Centres for research in environmental and agricultural sciences.

PubMed

Mougin, Christian; Artige, Emmanuelle; Marchand, Frédéric; Mondy, Samuel; Ratié, Céline; Sellier, Nadine; Castagnone-Sereno, Philippe; D'Acier, Armelle Cœur; Esmenjaud, Daniel; Faivre-Primot, Céline; Granjon, Laurent; Hamelet, Valérie; Lange, Frederic; Pagès, Sylvie; Rimet, Frédéric; Ris, Nicolas; Sallé, Guillaume

2018-04-19

The Biological Resource Centre for the Environment BRC4Env is a network of Biological Resource Centres (BRCs) and collections whose leading objectives are to improve the visibility of genetic and biological resources maintained by its BRCs and collections and to facilitate their use by a large research community, from agriculture research to life sciences and environmental sciences. Its added value relies on sharing skills, harmonizing practices, triggering projects in comparative biology, and ultimately proposing a single-entry portal to facilitate access to documented samples, taking into account the partnership policies of research institutions as well as the legal frame which varies with the biological nature of resources. BRC4Env currently includes three BRCs: the Centre for Soil Genetic Resources of the platform GenoSol, in partnership with the European Conservatory of Soil Samples; the Egg Parasitoids Collection (EP-Coll); and the collection of ichthyological samples, Colisa. BRC4Env is also associated to several biological collections: microbial consortia (entomopathogenic bacteria, freshwater microalgae…), terrestrial arthropods, nematodes (plant parasitic, entomopathogenic, animal parasitic...), and small mammals. The BRCs and collections of BRC4Env are involved in partnership with academic scientists, as well as private companies, in the fields of medicinal mining, biocontrol, sustainable agriculture, and additional sectors. Moreover, the staff of the BRCs is involved in many training courses for students from French licence degree to Ph.D, engineers, as well as ongoing training.

Pesticides residues and metals in plant products from agricultural area of Belgrade, Serbia.

PubMed

Ethorđević, Tijana; Ethurović, Rada

2012-03-01

The objective of study was to assess the levels of selected metals and pesticides in plant products from agricultural area of Belgrade, Serbia in order to indicate their possible sources and risks of contamination and to evaluate their sanitary probity and safety. The concentrations of cadmium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc were below limits established by national and international regulations (maximum found concentrations were 0.028, 1.91, 11.16, 1.77, 0.605, 0.073 and 1.76 mg kg(-1) respectively). Only residue of one of examined pesticides was found in amount below MRL (bifenthrin 2.46 μg kg(-1)) in only one of analysed samples, while others were below detection limits. Obtained results indicate that crops from examined agricultural areas are unpolluted by contaminants used for plant protection and nutrition, indicating good agricultural practice regarding pesticides and fertilizer usage as well as moderate industrial production within examined areas.

Electrical Energy. 7th and 8th Grade Agriculture Science Curriculum. Teacher Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This curriculum guide, the fifth in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on electrical energy prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades…

Solar Energy. 7th and 8th Grade Agriculture Science Curriculum. Teacher Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This curriculum guide, the third in a set of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on solar energy prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades 8-10…

Toward a new generation of agricultural system data, models, and knowledge products: State of agricultural systems science.

PubMed

Jones, James W; Antle, John M; Basso, Bruno; Boote, Kenneth J; Conant, Richard T; Foster, Ian; Godfray, H Charles J; Herrero, Mario; Howitt, Richard E; Janssen, Sander; Keating, Brian A; Munoz-Carpena, Rafael; Porter, Cheryl H; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Wheeler, Tim R

2017-07-01

We review the current state of agricultural systems science, focusing in particular on the capabilities and limitations of agricultural systems models. We discuss the state of models relative to five different Use Cases spanning field, farm, landscape, regional, and global spatial scales and engaging questions in past, current, and future time periods. Contributions from multiple disciplines have made major advances relevant to a wide range of agricultural system model applications at various spatial and temporal scales. Although current agricultural systems models have features that are needed for the Use Cases, we found that all of them have limitations and need to be improved. We identified common limitations across all Use Cases, namely 1) a scarcity of data for developing, evaluating, and applying agricultural system models and 2) inadequate knowledge systems that effectively communicate model results to society. We argue that these limitations are greater obstacles to progress than gaps in conceptual theory or available methods for using system models. New initiatives on open data show promise for addressing the data problem, but there also needs to be a cultural change among agricultural researchers to ensure that data for addressing the range of Use Cases are available for future model improvements and applications. We conclude that multiple platforms and multiple models are needed for model applications for different purposes. The Use Cases provide a useful framework for considering capabilities and limitations of existing models and data.

Toward a New Generation of Agricultural System Data, Models, and Knowledge Products: State of Agricultural Systems Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, James W.; Antle, John M.; Basso, Bruno; Boote, Kenneth J.; Conant, Richard T.; Foster, Ian; Godfray, H. Charles J.; Herrero, Mario; Howitt, Richard E.; Janssen, Sander;

Toward a new generation of agricultural system data, models, and knowledge products: State of agricultural systems science

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, James W.; Antle, John M.; Basso, Bruno

We review the current state of agricultural systems science, focusing in particular on the capabilities and limitations of agricultural systems models. We discuss the state of models relative to five different Use Cases spanning field, farm, landscape, regional, and global spatial scales and engaging questions in past, current, and future time periods. Contributions from multiple disciplines have made major advances relevant to a wide range of agricultural system model applications at various spatial and temporal scales. Although current agricultural systems models have features that are needed for the Use Cases, we found that all of them have limitations and needmore » to be improved. We identified common limitations across all Use Cases, namely 1) a scarcity of data for developing, evaluating, and applying agricultural system models and 2) inadequate knowledge systems that effectively communicate model results to society. We argue that these limitations are greater obstacles to progress than gaps in conceptual theory or available methods for using system models. New initiatives on open data show promise for addressing the data problem, but there also needs to be a cultural change among agricultural researchers to ensure that data for addressing the range of Use Cases are available for future model improvements and applications. We conclude that multiple platforms and multiple models are needed for model applications for different purposes. The Use Cases provide a useful framework for considering capabilities and limitations of existing models and data.« less

Plant Science View on Biohybrid Development

PubMed Central

Skrzypczak, Tomasz; Krela, Rafał; Kwiatkowski, Wojciech; Wadurkar, Shraddha; Smoczyńska, Aleksandra; Wojtaszek, Przemysław

2017-01-01

Biohybrid consists of a living organism or cell and at least one engineered component. Designing robot–plant biohybrids is a great challenge: it requires interdisciplinary reconsideration of capabilities intimate specific to the biology of plants. Envisioned advances should improve agricultural/horticultural/social practice and could open new directions in utilization of plants by humans. Proper biohybrid cooperation depends upon effective communication. During evolution, plants developed many ways to communicate with each other, with animals, and with microorganisms. The most notable examples are: the use of phytohormones, rapid long-distance signaling, gravity, and light perception. These processes can now be intentionally re-shaped to establish plant–robot communication. In this article, we focus on plants physiological and molecular processes that could be used in bio-hybrids. We show phototropism and biomechanics as promising ways of effective communication, resulting in an alteration in plant architecture, and discuss the specifics of plants anatomy, physiology and development with regards to the bio-hybrids. Moreover, we discuss ways how robots could influence plants growth and development and present aims, ideas, and realized projects of plant–robot biohybrids. PMID:28856135

Agricultural Communications Students' Awareness and Perceptions of Biotechnology Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingenbach, Gary J.; Rutherford, Tracy A.; Dunsford, Deborah W.

2003-01-01

Agricultural communications students (n=330) from 11 universities were most aware of biotechnology effects on food, less aware of effects on health and the environment. They were somewhat accepting of genetic modifications for plants, not humans. Sources of biotechnology knowledge were science classes, labs, and university professors' beliefs.…

Linking agricultural practices, mycorrhizal fungi, and traits mediating plant-insect interactions.

PubMed

Barber, Nicholas A; Kiers, E Toby; Theis, Nina; Hazzard, Ruth V; Adler, Lynn S

2013-10-01

Agricultural management has profound effects on soil communities. Activities such as fertilizer inputs can modify the composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities, which form important symbioses with the roots of most crop plants. Intensive conventional agricultural management may select for less mutualistic AMF with reduced benefits to host plants compared to organic management, but these differences are poorly understood. AMF are generally evaluated based on their direct growth effects on plants. However, mycorrhizal colonization also may alter plant traits such as tissue nutrients, defensive chemistry, or floral traits, which mediate important plant-insect interactions like herbivory and pollination. To determine the effect of AMF from different farming practices on plant performance and traits that putatively mediate species interactions, we performed a greenhouse study by inoculating Cucumis sativus (cucumber, Cucurbitaceae) with AMF from conventional farms, organic farms, and a commercial AMF inoculum. We measured growth and a suite of plant traits hypothesized to be important predictors of herbivore resistance and pollinator attraction. Several leaf and root traits and flower production were significantly affected by AMF inoculum. Both conventional and organic AMF reduced leaf P content but increased Na content compared to control and commercial AMF. Leaf defenses were unaffected by AMF treatments, but conventional AMF increased root cucurbitacin C, the primary defensive chemical of C. sativus, compared to organic AMF. These effects may have important consequences for herbivore preference and population dynamics. AMF from both organic and conventional farms decreased flower production relative to commercial and control treatments, which may reduce pollinator attraction and plant reproduction. AMF from both farm types also reduced seed germination, but effects on plant growth were limited. Our results suggest that studies only considering AMF

Geometagenomics illuminates the impact of agriculture on the distribution and prevalence of plant viruses at the ecosystem scale.

PubMed

Bernardo, Pauline; Charles-Dominique, Tristan; Barakat, Mohamed; Ortet, Philippe; Fernandez, Emmanuel; Filloux, Denis; Hartnady, Penelope; Rebelo, Tony A; Cousins, Stephen R; Mesleard, François; Cohez, Damien; Yavercovski, Nicole; Varsani, Arvind; Harkins, Gordon W; Peterschmitt, Michel; Malmstrom, Carolyn M; Martin, Darren P; Roumagnac, Philippe

2018-01-01

Disease emergence events regularly result from human activities such as agriculture, which frequently brings large populations of genetically uniform hosts into contact with potential pathogens. Although viruses cause nearly 50% of emerging plant diseases, there is little systematic information about virus distribution across agro-ecological interfaces and large gaps in understanding of virus diversity in nature. Here we applied a novel landscape-scale geometagenomics approach to examine relationships between agricultural land use and distributions of plant-associated viruses in two Mediterranean-climate biodiversity hotspots (Western Cape region of South Africa and Rhône river delta region of France). In total, we analysed 1725 geo-referenced plant samples collected over two years from 4.5 × 4.5 km 2 grids spanning farmlands and adjacent uncultivated vegetation. We found substantial virus prevalence (25.8-35.7%) in all ecosystems, but prevalence and identified family-level virus diversity were greatest in cultivated areas, with some virus families displaying strong agricultural associations. Our survey revealed 94 previously unknown virus species, primarily from uncultivated plants. This is the first effort to systematically evaluate plant-associated viromes across broad agro-ecological interfaces. Our findings indicate that agriculture substantially influences plant virus distributions and highlight the extent of current ignorance about the diversity and roles of viruses in nature.

Plant Content in the National Science Education Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hershey, David R.

2005-01-01

The National Science Education Standards (NSES) provides few resources for teaching about plants. To assure students understand and appreciate plants, the author advocates teaching about plants as a basic biological concept, avoiding animal chauvinism in biology coursework, correcting pseudoscience and anthropomorphisms about plants, and making…

Changes in agricultural carbon emissions and factors that influence agricultural carbon emissions based on different stages in Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Xiong, Chuanhe; Yang, Degang; Xia, Fuqiang; Huo, Jinwei

2016-11-10

Xinjiang's agricultural carbon emissions showed three stages of change, i.e., continued to rise, declined and continued to rise, during 1991-2014. The agriculture belonged to the "low emissions and high efficiency" agriculture category, with a lower agricultural carbon emission intensity. By using the logarithmic mean divisia index decomposition method, agricultural carbon emissions were decomposed into an efficiency factor, a structure factor, an economy factor, and a labour factor. We divided the study period into five stages based on the changes in efficiency factor and economy factor. Xinjiang showed different agricultural carbon emission characteristics at different stages. The degree of impact on agricultural carbon emissions at these stages depended on the combined effect of planting-animal husbandry carbon intensity and agricultural labour productivity. The economy factor was the critical factor to promote the increase in agricultural carbon emissions, while the main inhibiting factor for agricultural carbon emissions was the efficiency factor. The labour factor became more and more obvious in increasing agricultural carbon emissions. Finally, we discuss policy recommendations in terms of the main factors, including the development of agricultural science and technology (S&T), the establishment of three major mechanisms and transfer of rural labour in ethnic areas.

Oregon's Agricultural Progress | | Oregon State University

Science.gov Websites

Education All in a Day's (and Night's) Work Science in the Midst of Conflict The Future of Agriculture: a future of agriculture The Future of Agricultural Science Education The Future of Agricultural Science of Agriculture: a Panel Discussion The Future of Agriculture: a Panel Discussion Five views of the

The iPlant Collaborative: Cyberinfrastructure for Plant Biology.

PubMed

Goff, Stephen A; Vaughn, Matthew; McKay, Sheldon; Lyons, Eric; Stapleton, Ann E; Gessler, Damian; Matasci, Naim; Wang, Liya; Hanlon, Matthew; Lenards, Andrew; Muir, Andy; Merchant, Nirav; Lowry, Sonya; Mock, Stephen; Helmke, Matthew; Kubach, Adam; Narro, Martha; Hopkins, Nicole; Micklos, David; Hilgert, Uwe; Gonzales, Michael; Jordan, Chris; Skidmore, Edwin; Dooley, Rion; Cazes, John; McLay, Robert; Lu, Zhenyuan; Pasternak, Shiran; Koesterke, Lars; Piel, William H; Grene, Ruth; Noutsos, Christos; Gendler, Karla; Feng, Xin; Tang, Chunlao; Lent, Monica; Kim, Seung-Jin; Kvilekval, Kristian; Manjunath, B S; Tannen, Val; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Sanderson, Michael; Welch, Stephen M; Cranston, Karen A; Soltis, Pamela; Soltis, Doug; O'Meara, Brian; Ane, Cecile; Brutnell, Tom; Kleibenstein, Daniel J; White, Jeffery W; Leebens-Mack, James; Donoghue, Michael J; Spalding, Edgar P; Vision, Todd J; Myers, Christopher R; Lowenthal, David; Enquist, Brian J; Boyle, Brad; Akoglu, Ali; Andrews, Greg; Ram, Sudha; Ware, Doreen; Stein, Lincoln; Stanzione, Dan

2011-01-01

The iPlant Collaborative (iPlant) is a United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project that aims to create an innovative, comprehensive, and foundational cyberinfrastructure in support of plant biology research (PSCIC, 2006). iPlant is developing cyberinfrastructure that uniquely enables scientists throughout the diverse fields that comprise plant biology to address Grand Challenges in new ways, to stimulate and facilitate cross-disciplinary research, to promote biology and computer science research interactions, and to train the next generation of scientists on the use of cyberinfrastructure in research and education. Meeting humanity's projected demands for agricultural and forest products and the expectation that natural ecosystems be managed sustainably will require synergies from the application of information technologies. The iPlant cyberinfrastructure design is based on an unprecedented period of research community input, and leverages developments in high-performance computing, data storage, and cyberinfrastructure for the physical sciences. iPlant is an open-source project with application programming interfaces that allow the community to extend the infrastructure to meet its needs. iPlant is sponsoring community-driven workshops addressing specific scientific questions via analysis tool integration and hypothesis testing. These workshops teach researchers how to add bioinformatics tools and/or datasets into the iPlant cyberinfrastructure enabling plant scientists to perform complex analyses on large datasets without the need to master the command-line or high-performance computational services.

The iPlant Collaborative: Cyberinfrastructure for Plant Biology

PubMed Central

Goff, Stephen A.; Vaughn, Matthew; McKay, Sheldon; Lyons, Eric; Stapleton, Ann E.; Gessler, Damian; Matasci, Naim; Wang, Liya; Hanlon, Matthew; Lenards, Andrew; Muir, Andy; Merchant, Nirav; Lowry, Sonya; Mock, Stephen; Helmke, Matthew; Kubach, Adam; Narro, Martha; Hopkins, Nicole; Micklos, David; Hilgert, Uwe; Gonzales, Michael; Jordan, Chris; Skidmore, Edwin; Dooley, Rion; Cazes, John; McLay, Robert; Lu, Zhenyuan; Pasternak, Shiran; Koesterke, Lars; Piel, William H.; Grene, Ruth; Noutsos, Christos; Gendler, Karla; Feng, Xin; Tang, Chunlao; Lent, Monica; Kim, Seung-Jin; Kvilekval, Kristian; Manjunath, B. S.; Tannen, Val; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Sanderson, Michael; Welch, Stephen M.; Cranston, Karen A.; Soltis, Pamela; Soltis, Doug; O'Meara, Brian; Ane, Cecile; Brutnell, Tom; Kleibenstein, Daniel J.; White, Jeffery W.; Leebens-Mack, James; Donoghue, Michael J.; Spalding, Edgar P.; Vision, Todd J.; Myers, Christopher R.; Lowenthal, David; Enquist, Brian J.; Boyle, Brad; Akoglu, Ali; Andrews, Greg; Ram, Sudha; Ware, Doreen; Stein, Lincoln; Stanzione, Dan

2011-01-01

The iPlant Collaborative (iPlant) is a United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project that aims to create an innovative, comprehensive, and foundational cyberinfrastructure in support of plant biology research (PSCIC, 2006). iPlant is developing cyberinfrastructure that uniquely enables scientists throughout the diverse fields that comprise plant biology to address Grand Challenges in new ways, to stimulate and facilitate cross-disciplinary research, to promote biology and computer science research interactions, and to train the next generation of scientists on the use of cyberinfrastructure in research and education. Meeting humanity's projected demands for agricultural and forest products and the expectation that natural ecosystems be managed sustainably will require synergies from the application of information technologies. The iPlant cyberinfrastructure design is based on an unprecedented period of research community input, and leverages developments in high-performance computing, data storage, and cyberinfrastructure for the physical sciences. iPlant is an open-source project with application programming interfaces that allow the community to extend the infrastructure to meet its needs. iPlant is sponsoring community-driven workshops addressing specific scientific questions via analysis tool integration and hypothesis testing. These workshops teach researchers how to add bioinformatics tools and/or datasets into the iPlant cyberinfrastructure enabling plant scientists to perform complex analyses on large datasets without the need to master the command-line or high-performance computational services. PMID:22645531

Chemical Control of Plant Growth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agricultural Research Center (USDA), Beltsville, MD.

Seven experiments are presented in this Science Study Aid to help students investigate the control of plant growth with chemicals. Plant growth regulators, weed control, and chemical pruning are the topics studied in the experiments which are based on investigations that have been and are being conducted at the U. S. Agricultural Research Center,…

Relationship between humanity and plant natural resources – in the context of food and agriculture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agriculture, the domestication, culture, and management of plants and animals, has led to profound social changes in human evolution and development; it can be considered as the basis for civilization. Roughly 12,000 years ago agriculture appeared independently in several parts of the world. A natur...

Enhancing the Undergraduate Experience: The Role of a Student Organization for Preservice Agricultural Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, T. Grady; Harlin, Julie F.; Murphrey, Theresa P.; Dooley, Kim E.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if a need exists to establish an organization specifically for preservice agricultural science teachers and if so, the attributes of such an organization. Selected peer preservice agricultural education programs were examined and focus groups were conducted with preservice and inservice teachers. Results…

How a Serious Digital Game Affected Students' Animal Science and Mathematical Competence in Agricultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunch, J. C.; Robinson, J. Shane; Edwards, M. Craig; Antonenko, Pavlo D.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the lecture and discussion teaching methods and digital game-based learning on student achievement in agriculture and mathematics regarding a unit on swine diseases in animal science courses offered through secondary agricultural education programs in Oklahoma. Three research questions…

Current challenges and future perspectives of plant and agricultural biotechnology.

PubMed

Moshelion, Menachem; Altman, Arie

2015-06-01

Advances in understanding plant biology, novel genetic resources, genome modification, and omics technologies generate new solutions for food security and novel biomaterials production under changing environmental conditions. New gene and germplasm candidates that are anticipated to lead to improved crop yields and other plant traits under stress have to pass long development phases based on trial and error using large-scale field evaluation. Therefore, quantitative, objective, and automated screening methods combined with decision-making algorithms are likely to have many advantages, enabling rapid screening of the most promising crop lines at an early stage followed by final mandatory field experiments. The combination of novel molecular tools, screening technologies, and economic evaluation should become the main goal of the plant biotechnological revolution in agriculture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Home | National Agricultural Library

Science.gov Websites

Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture Ag /items/collectionKey.... 5/2/2018: Data Science and Agriculture Webinar Join us for our next webinar on Akshat Pant discuss applications and aspects of data science as it relates to agriculture. Read further

Feminist Knowledge Claims, Local Knowledge, and Gender Divisions of Agricultural Labor: Constructing a Successor Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Shelley; Welsh, Rick

1995-01-01

Issues raised by feminist epistemic critiques of social science are used to examine local (farmer-based) knowledge of agriculture and its contribution to analyses of agricultural sustainability. Focuses on the on-farm gender division of labor as critical in constituting the family farm, and elaborates how different experiences of men and women…

Agricultural Science and Technology Teachers' Perceptions of iPod and Mp3 Technology Integration into Curricular and Cocurricular Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Miller, Kimberly A.; Roberts, T. Grady

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe agricultural science and technology teachers' reaction to iPod and mp3 technology use and potential use in both curricular and cocurricular activities. A total of 112 unique respondents provided written responses to open-ended questions. Study findings reveal that agricultural science and technology…

Using the Discipline of Agricultural Engineering to Integrate Math and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foutz, Tim; Navarro, Maria; Hill, Roger B.; Thompson, Sidney A.; Miller, Kathy; Riddleberger, Deborah

2011-01-01

An outcome of a 1998 forum sponsored by the National Research Council was a recognition that topics related to food production and agriculture are excellent mechanisms for integrating science topics taught in the K-12 education system and for providing many avenues for inquiry based and project based learning. The engineering design process is…

Eavesdropping on plant-insect-microbe chemical communications in agricultural ecology: a virtual issue on semiochemicals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Studies of plant-insect interactions, and more recently the interactions among plants, insects, and microbes, have revealed that volatiles often facilitate insect movement, aggregation, and host location by herbivores, predators and parasitoids, all of which could be used to help protect agriculture...

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research programs on microbes for management of plant-parasitic nematodes.

PubMed

Meyer, Susan L F

2003-01-01

Restrictions on the use of conventional nematicides have increased the need for new methods of managing plant-parasitic nematodes. Consequently, nematode-antagonistic microbes, and active compounds produced by such organisms, are being explored as potential additions to management practices. Programs in this area at the USDA Agricultural Research Service investigate applied biocontrol agents, naturally occurring beneficial soil microbes and natural compounds. Specific research topics include use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and cultural practices for management of root-knot and ring nematodes, determination of management strategies that enhance activity of naturally occurring Pasteuria species (bacterial obligate parasites of nematodes), studies on interactions between biocontrol bacteria and bacterial-feeding nematodes, and screening of microbes for compounds active against plant-parasitic nematodes. Some studies involve biocontrol agents that are active against nematodes and soil-borne plant-pathogenic fungi, or combinations of beneficial bacteria and fungi, to manage a spectrum of plant diseases or to increase efficacy over a broader range of environmental conditions. Effective methods or agents identified in the research programs are investigated as additions to existing management systems for plant-parasitic nematodes.

Changes in agricultural carbon emissions and factors that influence agricultural carbon emissions based on different stages in Xinjiang, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Chuanhe; Yang, Degang; Xia, Fuqiang; Huo, Jinwei

2016-11-01

Xinjiang’s agricultural carbon emissions showed three stages of change, i.e., continued to rise, declined and continued to rise, during 1991-2014. The agriculture belonged to the “low emissions and high efficiency” agriculture category, with a lower agricultural carbon emission intensity. By using the logarithmic mean divisia index decomposition method, agricultural carbon emissions were decomposed into an efficiency factor, a structure factor, an economy factor, and a labour factor. We divided the study period into five stages based on the changes in efficiency factor and economy factor. Xinjiang showed different agricultural carbon emission characteristics at different stages. The degree of impact on agricultural carbon emissions at these stages depended on the combined effect of planting-animal husbandry carbon intensity and agricultural labour productivity. The economy factor was the critical factor to promote the increase in agricultural carbon emissions, while the main inhibiting factor for agricultural carbon emissions was the efficiency factor. The labour factor became more and more obvious in increasing agricultural carbon emissions. Finally, we discuss policy recommendations in terms of the main factors, including the development of agricultural science and technology (S&T), the establishment of three major mechanisms and transfer of rural labour in ethnic areas.

Changes in agricultural carbon emissions and factors that influence agricultural carbon emissions based on different stages in Xinjiang, China

PubMed Central

Xiong, Chuanhe; Yang, Degang; Xia, Fuqiang; Huo, Jinwei

2016-01-01

Xinjiang’s agricultural carbon emissions showed three stages of change, i.e., continued to rise, declined and continued to rise, during 1991–2014. The agriculture belonged to the “low emissions and high efficiency” agriculture category, with a lower agricultural carbon emission intensity. By using the logarithmic mean divisia index decomposition method, agricultural carbon emissions were decomposed into an efficiency factor, a structure factor, an economy factor, and a labour factor. We divided the study period into five stages based on the changes in efficiency factor and economy factor. Xinjiang showed different agricultural carbon emission characteristics at different stages. The degree of impact on agricultural carbon emissions at these stages depended on the combined effect of planting-animal husbandry carbon intensity and agricultural labour productivity. The economy factor was the critical factor to promote the increase in agricultural carbon emissions, while the main inhibiting factor for agricultural carbon emissions was the efficiency factor. The labour factor became more and more obvious in increasing agricultural carbon emissions. Finally, we discuss policy recommendations in terms of the main factors, including the development of agricultural science and technology (S&T), the establishment of three major mechanisms and transfer of rural labour in ethnic areas. PMID:27830739

Understanding the Information Needs of Academic Scholars in Agricultural and Biological Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuruppu, Pali U.; Gruber, Anne Marie

2006-01-01

This study investigates the information needs of faculty and graduate students in agricultural and biological sciences. Qualitative research methods, interviews and focus groups, were used to examine what types of information these scholars need for their research, teaching and learning, how they seek that information, and perceptions. The…

Exploring the nature of science through courage and purpose: a case study of Nikolai Vavilov and plant biodiversity.

PubMed

Cohen, Joel I; Loskutov, Igor G

2016-01-01

Historical biographies facilitate teaching the 'nature of science'. This case study focuses on how Nikolai Vavilov's unrelenting sense of purpose, courage, and charismatic personality was maintained during violent revolutionary change in Russia. The rediscovery of Gregor Mendel's laws of inheritance provided Vavilov with a scientific foundation for crop improvement, this foundation was later bolstered by Vavilov's personal drive to conserve plant biodiversity. As he advanced theories and pragmatic approaches for genetic improvement and conservation of plants, political leaders in Russian came to reject Mendel's principles and eventually Vavilov's work. This rejection occurred because Joseph Stalin was desperate for a quick remedy to the famine and suffering from forced collective agriculture. Vavilov's work continued, modernizing Russian crop research while inspiring other scientists to save seeds stored in the world's first gene bank. Three themes illustrating the nature of science help examine Vavilov's life: explaining natural phenomena, uncompromising human endeavor, and revising scientific knowledge. The case study concludes with four questions to stimulate student inquiry and self-guided research. They also deepen student understanding of Vavilov's personal sacrifices to ensure use and conservation of plant biodiversity.

The phytotronist and the phenotype: plant physiology, Big Science, and a Cold War biology of the whole plant.

PubMed

Munns, David P D

2015-04-01

This paper describes how, from the early twentieth century, and especially in the early Cold War era, the plant physiologists considered their discipline ideally suited among all the plant sciences to study and explain biological functions and processes, and ranked their discipline among the dominant forms of the biological sciences. At their apex in the late-1960s, the plant physiologists laid claim to having discovered nothing less than the "basic laws of physiology." This paper unwraps that claim, showing that it emerged from the construction of monumental big science laboratories known as phytotrons that gave control over the growing environment. Control meant that plant physiologists claimed to be able to produce a standard phenotype valid for experimental biology. Invoking the standards of the physical sciences, the plant physiologists heralded basic biological science from the phytotronic produced phenotype. In the context of the Cold War era, the ability to pursue basic science represented the highest pinnacle of standing within the scientific community. More broadly, I suggest that by recovering the history of an underappreciated discipline, plant physiology, and by establishing the centrality of the story of the plant sciences in the history of biology can historians understand the massive changes wrought to biology by the conceptual emergence of the molecular understanding of life, the dominance of the discipline of molecular biology, and the rise of biotechnology in the 1980s. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using microbial community interactions within plant microbiomes to advance an evergreen agricultural revolution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Innovative plant breeding and technology transfer fostered the Green Revolution, which transformed agriculture worldwide by increasing grain yields in developing countries. The Green Revolution temporarily alleviated world hunger, but also reduced biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestr...

Microfluidics for food, agriculture and biosystems industries.

PubMed

Neethirajan, Suresh; Kobayashi, Isao; Nakajima, Mitsutoshi; Wu, Dan; Nandagopal, Saravanan; Lin, Francis

2011-05-07

Microfluidics, a rapidly emerging enabling technology has the potential to revolutionize food, agriculture and biosystems industries. Examples of potential applications of microfluidics in food industry include nano-particle encapsulation of fish oil, monitoring pathogens and toxins in food and water supplies, micro-nano-filtration for improving food quality, detection of antibiotics in dairy food products, and generation of novel food structures. In addition, microfluidics enables applications in agriculture and animal sciences such as nutrients monitoring and plant cells sorting for improving crop quality and production, effective delivery of biopesticides, simplified in vitro fertilization for animal breeding, animal health monitoring, vaccination and therapeutics. Lastly, microfluidics provides new approaches for bioenergy research. This paper synthesizes information of selected microfluidics-based applications for food, agriculture and biosystems industries. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Plant Hormesis Management with Biostimulants of Biotic Origin in Agriculture.

PubMed

Vargas-Hernandez, Marcela; Macias-Bobadilla, Israel; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon G; Romero-Gomez, Sergio de J; Rico-Garcia, Enrique; Ocampo-Velazquez, Rosalia V; Alvarez-Arquieta, Luz de L; Torres-Pacheco, Irineo

2017-01-01

Over time plants developed complex mechanisms in order to adapt themselves to the environment. Plant innate immunity is one of the most important mechanisms for the environmental adaptation. A myriad of secondary metabolites with nutraceutical features are produced by the plant immune system in order to get adaptation to new environments that provoke stress (stressors). Hormesis is a phenomenon by which a stressor (i.e., toxins, herbicides, etc.) stimulates the cellular stress response, including secondary metabolites production, in order to help organisms to establish adaptive responses. Hormetins of biotic origin (i.e., biostimulants or biological control compounds), in certain doses might enhance plant performance, however, in excessive doses they are commonly deleterious. Biostimulants or biological control compounds of biotic origin are called "elicitors" that have widely been studied as inducers of plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The plant response toward elicitors is reminiscent of hormetic responses toward toxins in several organisms. Thus, controlled management of hormetic responses in plants using these types of compounds is expected to be an important tool to increase nutraceutical quality of plant food and trying to minimize negative effects on yields. The aim of this review is to analyze the potential for agriculture that the use of biostimulants and biological control compounds of biotic origin could have in the management of the plant hormesis. The use of homolog DNA as biostimulant or biological control compound in crop production is also discussed.

Plant Hormesis Management with Biostimulants of Biotic Origin in Agriculture

PubMed Central

Vargas-Hernandez, Marcela; Macias-Bobadilla, Israel; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon G.; Romero-Gomez, Sergio de J.; Rico-Garcia, Enrique; Ocampo-Velazquez, Rosalia V.; Alvarez-Arquieta, Luz de L.; Torres-Pacheco, Irineo

2017-01-01

Over time plants developed complex mechanisms in order to adapt themselves to the environment. Plant innate immunity is one of the most important mechanisms for the environmental adaptation. A myriad of secondary metabolites with nutraceutical features are produced by the plant immune system in order to get adaptation to new environments that provoke stress (stressors). Hormesis is a phenomenon by which a stressor (i.e., toxins, herbicides, etc.) stimulates the cellular stress response, including secondary metabolites production, in order to help organisms to establish adaptive responses. Hormetins of biotic origin (i.e., biostimulants or biological control compounds), in certain doses might enhance plant performance, however, in excessive doses they are commonly deleterious. Biostimulants or biological control compounds of biotic origin are called “elicitors” that have widely been studied as inducers of plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The plant response toward elicitors is reminiscent of hormetic responses toward toxins in several organisms. Thus, controlled management of hormetic responses in plants using these types of compounds is expected to be an important tool to increase nutraceutical quality of plant food and trying to minimize negative effects on yields. The aim of this review is to analyze the potential for agriculture that the use of biostimulants and biological control compounds of biotic origin could have in the management of the plant hormesis. The use of homolog DNA as biostimulant or biological control compound in crop production is also discussed. PMID:29081787

Transportation of part supply improvement in agricultural machinery assembly plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saysaman, Anusit; Chutima, Parames

2018-02-01

This research focused on the problem caused by the transportation of part supply in agricultural machinery assembly plant in Thailand, which is one of the processes that are critical to the whole production process. If poorly managed, it will affect transportation of part supply, the emergence of sink cost, quality problems, and the ability to respond to the needs of the customers in time. Since the competition in the agricultural machinery market is more intense, the efficiency of part transportation process has to be improved. In this study, the process of transporting parts of the plant was studied and it was found that the efficiency of the process of transporting parts from the sub assembly line to its main assembly line was 83%. The approach to the performance improvement is done by using the Lean tool to limit wastes based on the ECRS principle and applying pull production system by changing the transportation method to operate as milkrun for transportation of parts to synchronize with the part demands of the main assembly line. After the transportation of parts from sub-assembly line to the main assembly line was improved, the efficiency raised to 98% and transportation process cost was saved to 540,000 Baht per year.

Diverse Applications of Electronic-Nose Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry

Treesearch

Alphus D. Wilson

2013-01-01

Electronic-nose (e-nose) instruments, derived from numerous types of aroma-sensor technologies, have been developed for a diversity of applications in the broad fields of agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in e-nose technologies within the plant sciences, including improvements in gas-sensor designs, innovations in data analysis and pattern-recognition...

Introduction: contexts and concepts of adaptability and plasticity in 20th-century plant science.

PubMed

Baranski, Marci; Peirson, B R Erick

2015-04-01

Nowhere is the problem of understanding the complex linkages between organisms and their environments more apparent than in the science of plants. Today, efforts by scientists to predict and manage the biological consequences of shifting global and regional climates depend on understanding how organisms respond morphologically, physiologically, and behaviorally to changes in their environments. Investigating organismal "adaptability" (or "plasticity") is rarely straightforward, prompting controversy and discourse among and between ecologists and agricultural scientists. Concepts like agro-climatic adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, and genotype-environment interaction (GxE) are key to those debates, and their complex histories have imbued them with assumptions and meanings that are consequential but often opaque. This special section explores the diverse ways in which organismal adaptability has been conceptualized and investigated in the second half of the 20th century, and the multifarious political, economic, environmental, and intellectual contexts in which those conceptions have emerged and evolved. The papers in this section bring together perspectives from the histories of agriculture, population ecology, evolutionary theory, and plant physiology, cutting across Asian, North American, and British contexts. As a whole, this section highlights not only the diversity of meanings of "adaptability" and "plasticity," but also the complex linkages between those meanings, the scientific practices and technologies in which they are embedded, and the ends toward which those practices and technologies are employed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mating vibrational signal transmission through and between plants of an agricultural pest, the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The agricultural pest, glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis, relies primarily on successful vibrational communication across its home plant. Males and females engage in a vibrational duet to identify correct species, attractiveness of mate, and location on the plant. The signal...

[Development of Plant Metabolomics and Medicinal Plant Genomics].

PubMed

Saito, Kazuki

2018-01-01

 A variety of chemicals produced by plants, often referred to as 'phytochemicals', have been used as medicines, food, fuels and industrial raw materials. Recent advances in the study of genomics and metabolomics in plant science have accelerated our understanding of the mechanisms, regulation and evolution of the biosynthesis of specialized plant products. We can now address such questions as how the metabolomic diversity of plants is originated at the levels of genome, and how we should apply this knowledge to drug discovery, industry and agriculture. Our research group has focused on metabolomics-based functional genomics over the last 15 years and we have developed a new research area called 'Phytochemical Genomics'. In this review, the development of a research platform for plant metabolomics is discussed first, to provide a better understanding of the chemical diversity of plants. Then, representative applications of metabolomics to functional genomics in a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, are described. The extension of integrated multi-omics analyses to non-model specialized plants, e.g., medicinal plants, is presented, including the identification of novel genes, metabolites and networks for the biosynthesis of flavonoids, alkaloids, sulfur-containing metabolites and terpenoids. Further, functional genomics studies on a variety of medicinal plants is presented. I also discuss future trends in pharmacognosy and related sciences.

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES FOR STUDENTS IN AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES, PROCEEDINGS OF A CONFERENCE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC.

REPORTED ARE THE PROCEEDINGS OF A 1966 CONFERENCE WHICH DEALT WITH UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS FOR STUDENTS IN AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES. THE 167 EDUCATORS (MOSTLY DEANS AND DIRECTORS OF RESIDENT INSTRUCTION) WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CONFERENCE REPRESENTED AGRICULTURE, RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES, THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, AND…

Lab to farm: applying research on plant genetics and genomics to crop improvement.

PubMed

Ronald, Pamela C

2014-06-01

Over the last 300 years, plant science research has provided important knowledge and technologies for advancing the sustainability of agriculture. In this Essay, I describe how basic research advances have been translated into crop improvement, explore some lessons learned, and discuss the potential for current and future contribution of plant genetic improvement technologies to continue to enhance food security and agricultural sustainability.

Energy for agriculture. A computerized information retrieval system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stout, B.A.; Myers, C.A.

Energy may come from the sun or the earth or be the product of plant materials or agricultural wastes. Whatever its source, energy is indispensable to our way of life, beginning with the production, processing, and distribution of abundant, high quality food and fiber supplies. This specialized bibliography on the subject of energy for agriculture contains 2613 citations to the literature for 1973 through May 1979. Originally issued by Michigan State University (MSU), it is being reprinted and distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The literature citations will be incorporated into AGRICOLA (Agricultural On-Line Access), the comprehensive bibliographic datamore » base maintained by Technical Information Systems (TIS), a component of USDA's Science and Education Administration (SEA). The citations and the listing of research projects will be combined with other relevant references to provide a continuously updated source of information on energy programs in the agricultural field. No abstracts are included.« less

Third international congress of plant molecular biology: Molecular biology of plant growth and development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hallick, R.B.

The Congress was held October 6-11, 1991 in Tucson with approximately 3000 scientists attending and over 300 oral presentations and 1800 posters. Plant molecular biology is one of the most rapidly developing areas of the biological sciences. Recent advances in the ability to isolate genes, to study their expression, and to create transgenic plants have had a major impact on our understanding of the many fundamental plant processes. In addition, new approaches have been created to improve plants for agricultural purposes. This is a book of presentation and posters from the conference.

Agricultural Production.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehigh County Area Vocational-Technical School, Schnecksville, PA.

This brochure describes the philosophy and scope of a secondary-level course in agricultural production. Addressed in the individual units of the course are the following topics: careers in agriculture and agribusiness, animal science and livestock production, agronomy, agricultural mechanics, supervised occupational experience programs, and the…

A comparison of the herbicide tolerances of rare and common plants in an agricultural landscape.

PubMed

Egan, J Franklin; Graham, Ian M; Mortensen, David A

2014-03-01

Declining plant biodiversity in agroecosystems has often been attributed to escalating use of chemical herbicides, but other changes in farming systems, including the clearing of seminatural habitat fragments, confound the influence of herbicides. The present study introduces a new approach to evaluate the impacts of herbicide pollution on plant communities at landscape or regional scales. If herbicides are in fact a key factor shaping agricultural plant diversity, one would expect to see the signal of past herbicide impacts in the current plant community composition of an intensively farmed region, with common, successful species more tolerant to widely used herbicides than rare or declining species. Data from an extensive field survey of plant diversity in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA, were compared with herbicide bioassay experiments in a greenhouse to test the hypothesis that common species possess higher herbicide tolerances than rare species. Five congeneric pairs of rare and common species were treated with 3 commonly used herbicide modes of action in bioassay experiments, and few significant differences were found in the tolerances of rare species relative to common species. These preliminary results suggest that other factors beyond herbicide exposure may be more important in shaping the distribution and abundance of plant species diversity across an agricultural landscape. © 2014 SETAC.

Plant protection and growth stimulation by microorganisms: biotechnological applications of Bacilli in agriculture.

PubMed

Pérez-García, Alejandro; Romero, Diego; de Vicente, Antonio

2011-04-01

The increasing demand for a steady, healthy food supply requires an efficient control of the major pests and plant diseases. Current management practices are based largely on the application of synthetic pesticides. The excessive use of agrochemicals has caused serious environmental and health problems. Therefore, there is a growing demand for new and safer methods to replace or at least supplement the existing control strategies. Biological control, that is, the use of natural antagonists to combat pests or plant diseases has emerged as a promising alternative to chemical pesticides. The Bacilli offer a number of advantages for their application in agricultural biotechnology. Several Bacillus-based products have been marketed as microbial pesticides, fungicides or fertilisers. Bacillus-based biopesticides are widely used in conventional agriculture, by contrast, implementation of Bacillus-based biofungicides and biofertilizers is still a pending issue. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using geomorphological variables to predict the spatial distribution of plant species in agricultural drainage networks.

PubMed

Rudi, Gabrielle; Bailly, Jean-Stéphane; Vinatier, Fabrice

2018-01-01

To optimize ecosystem services provided by agricultural drainage networks (ditches) in headwater catchments, we need to manage the spatial distribution of plant species living in these networks. Geomorphological variables have been shown to be important predictors of plant distribution in other ecosystems because they control the water regime, the sediment deposition rates and the sun exposure in the ditches. Whether such variables may be used to predict plant distribution in agricultural drainage networks is unknown. We collected presence and absence data for 10 herbaceous plant species in a subset of a network of drainage ditches (35 km long) within a Mediterranean agricultural catchment. We simulated their spatial distribution with GLM and Maxent model using geomorphological variables and distance to natural lands and roads. Models were validated using k-fold cross-validation. We then compared the mean Area Under the Curve (AUC) values obtained for each model and other metrics issued from the confusion matrices between observed and predicted variables. Based on the results of all metrics, the models were efficient at predicting the distribution of seven species out of ten, confirming the relevance of geomorphological variables and distance to natural lands and roads to explain the occurrence of plant species in this Mediterranean catchment. In particular, the importance of the landscape geomorphological variables, ie the importance of the geomorphological features encompassing a broad environment around the ditch, has been highlighted. This suggests that agro-ecological measures for managing ecosystem services provided by ditch plants should focus on the control of the hydrological and sedimentological connectivity at the catchment scale. For example, the density of the ditch network could be modified or the spatial distribution of vegetative filter strips used for sediment trapping could be optimized. In addition, the vegetative filter strips could constitute

Determining the Science, Agriculture and Natural Resource, and Youth Leadership Outcomes for Students Participating in an Innovative Middle School Agriscience Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skelton, Peter; Stair, Kristin S.; Dormody, Tom; Vanleeuwen, Dawn

2014-01-01

The Memorial Middle School Agricultural Extension and Education Center (MMSAEEC) located in Las Vegas, New Mexico is a youth science center focusing on agriculture and natural resources. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study of the MMSAEEC teaching and learning model was to determine if differences exist in science achievement, agriculture…

Determinants and impacts of public agricultural research in Japan: Product level evidence on agricultural Kosetsushi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukugawa, Nobuya

2017-12-01

The public sector is an important source of agricultural research as the agricultural sector in many countries consists of a number of individual farmers who have difficulty in bearing the cost of research and development. Public institutes for testing and research called Kosetsushi help agriculture and manufacturing improve labor productivity through technology transfer activities, whereby constituting an important component of regional innovation systems in Japan. This study establishes panel data of agricultural Kosetsushi and examines whether their research activities are responsive to local needs and which type of research effort is conducive to the promotion of agricultural product innovations. Estimation results reveal variations across plants in the impacts of agricultural clusters on research on the plant conducted by Kosetsushi located in the cluster. A positive impact is observed only for vegetable while negative or statistically insignificant relationships are found for rice, fruit, and flower. The impact of research on plant breeding on agricultural product innovations also varies across plants. Policy implications of the major findings are discussed.

Research Progress on the use of Plant Allelopathy in Agriculture and the Physiological and Ecological Mechanisms of Allelopathy

PubMed Central

Cheng, Fang; Cheng, Zhihui

2015-01-01

Allelopathy is a common biological phenomenon by which one organism produces biochemicals that influence the growth, survival, development, and reproduction of other organisms. These biochemicals are known as allelochemicals and have beneficial or detrimental effects on target organisms. Plant allelopathy is one of the modes of interaction between receptor and donor plants and may exert either positive effects (e.g., for agricultural management, such as weed control, crop protection, or crop re-establishment) or negative effects (e.g., autotoxicity, soil sickness, or biological invasion). To ensure sustainable agricultural development, it is important to exploit cultivation systems that take advantage of the stimulatory/inhibitory influence of allelopathic plants to regulate plant growth and development and to avoid allelopathic autotoxicity. Allelochemicals can potentially be used as growth regulators, herbicides, insecticides, and antimicrobial crop protection products. Here, we reviewed the plant allelopathy management practices applied in agriculture and the underlying allelopathic mechanisms described in the literature. The major points addressed are as follows: (1) Description of management practices related to allelopathy and allelochemicals in agriculture. (2) Discussion of the progress regarding the mode of action of allelochemicals and the physiological mechanisms of allelopathy, consisting of the influence on cell micro- and ultra-structure, cell division and elongation, membrane permeability, oxidative and antioxidant systems, growth regulation systems, respiration, enzyme synthesis and metabolism, photosynthesis, mineral ion uptake, protein and nucleic acid synthesis. (3) Evaluation of the effect of ecological mechanisms exerted by allelopathy on microorganisms and the ecological environment. (4) Discussion of existing problems and proposal for future research directions in this field to provide a useful reference for future studies on plant

Lab to Farm: Applying Research on Plant Genetics and Genomics to Crop Improvement

PubMed Central

Ronald, Pamela C.

2014-01-01

Over the last 300 years, plant science research has provided important knowledge and technologies for advancing the sustainability of agriculture. In this Essay, I describe how basic research advances have been translated into crop improvement, explore some lessons learned, and discuss the potential for current and future contribution of plant genetic improvement technologies to continue to enhance food security and agricultural sustainability. PMID:24915201

From the USDA: Educating the Next Generation: Funding Opportunities in Food, Agricultural, Natural Resources, and Social Sciences Education.

PubMed

Parker, Joyce E; Wagner, David J

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides leadership, capacity, and funds to support the continuing development of a safe and competitive agricultural system. Many of the agency's educational programs are led by the Division of Community and Education (DOCE). These programs span agricultural education, enhancing agricultural literacy through both formal and nonformal education. Here, we have highlighted funding opportunities within DOCE that enhance agricultural education and literacy by supporting the improvement of students' critical communication, leadership skills, and experiential learning opportunities. Some of these programs include opportunities for which students can apply, while others focus on faculty applications. Opportunities faculty can apply for may support student-recruitment and student-retention techniques, curriculum development, innovative teaching methods, and institutional capacity-building programs. Overall, these programs foster a diverse workforce in agricultural science that matches the increasing diversity of the country. © 2016 J. E. Parker and D. J. Wagner. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Mechanisms for Enhancing Teachers' Effectiveness in the Implementation of Agricultural Science Programme in Secondary Schools in Afikpo Education Zone of Ebonyi State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndem, Joseph Ukah

2016-01-01

Poor performance of students in agricultural science at the internal and external examinations has been attributed to ineffectiveness of the agricultural science teachers at the secondary schools in Afikpo education zone of Ebonyi State, therefore, this research determined the mechanisms for enhancing the teachers' effectiveness in the…

Does extensive agriculture influence the concentration of trace elements in the aquatic plant Veronica anagallis-aquatica?

PubMed

Kroflič, Ana; Germ, Mateja; Golob, Aleksandra; Stibilj, Vekoslava

2018-04-15

The present study describes the influence of extensive agriculture on the concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Cd, Se, Pb and Zn in sediments and in the aquatic plant Veronica anagallis-aquatica. The investigation, spanning 4 years, was conducted on three watercourses in Slovenia (Pšata, Lipsenjščica and Žerovniščica) flowing through agricultural areas. The different sampling sites were chosen on the basis of the presence of different activities in these regions: dairy farming, stock raising and extensive agriculture. The concentrations of the selected elements in sediments and V. anagallis-aquatica were below the literature background values. The distribution of the selected elements among different plant parts (roots, stems and leaves) were also investigated. The majority of the studied elements, with the exception of Zn and Cu, were accumulated mainly in root tissues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Basic Program of Vocational Agriculture in Louisiana. Ag I and Ag II (9th and 10th Grades). Volume III. Bulletin 1690-III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Baton Rouge. Div. of Vocational Education.

This curriculum guide, the third volume of the series, outlines the basic program of vocational agriculture for Louisiana students in the ninth and tenth grades. Covered in the five units on plant science are growth processes of plants, cultural practices for plants, insects affecting plants, seed and plant selection, and diseases that affect…

Improving Agricultural Science Teachers' Work Attitude in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria: The Financial Initiative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben, Camilus Bassey

2014-01-01

This research study carried out to investigate the influence of financial incentive initiatives on agricultural teachers' work attitude in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. One hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A total sample of 150 agricultural science teachers and 150 students drawn…

Anaerobic co-digestion plants for the revaluation of agricultural waste: Sustainable location sites from a GIS analysis.

PubMed

Villamar, Cristina Alejandra; Rivera, Diego; Aguayo, Mauricio

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to establish sustainably feasible areas for the implementation of anaerobic co-digestion plants for agricultural wastes (cattle/swine slurries and cereal crop wastes). The methodology was based on the use of geographic information systems (GIS), the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and map algebra generated from hedges related to environmental, social and economic constraints. The GIS model obtained was applied to a region of Chile (Bío Bío Region) as a case study showing the energy potential (205 MW-h) of agricultural wastes (swine/cattle manures and cereal crop wastes) and thereby assessing its energy contribution (3.5%) at country level (Chile). From this model, it was possible to spatially identify the influence of each factor (environmental, economic and social) when defining suitable areas for the siting of anaerobic co-digestion plants. In conclusion, GIS-based models establish appropriate areas for the location of anaerobic co-digestion plants in the revaluation of agricultural waste from the production of energy through biogas production. © The Author(s) 2016.

PlantingScience: Fostering student research through scientific inquiry and online mentorship

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

PlantingScience is an inquiry and science mentorship program, led by the Botanical Society of America and supported by 14 Scientific Society partners that brings together students (middle school through high school), plant scientists (as mentors), and teachers from across the nation. Using several l...

RNAi technologies in agricultural biotechnology: The Toxicology Forum 40th Annual Summer Meeting.

PubMed

Sherman, James H; Munyikwa, Tichafa; Chan, Stephen Y; Petrick, Jay S; Witwer, Kenneth W; Choudhuri, Supratim

2015-11-01

During the 40th Annual Meeting of The Toxicology Forum, the current and potential future science, regulations, and politics of agricultural biotechnology were presented and discussed. The meeting session described herein focused on the technology of RNA interference (RNAi) in agriculture. The general process by which RNAi works, currently registered RNAi-based plant traits, example RNAi-based traits in development, potential use of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) as topically applied pesticide active ingredients, research related to the safety of RNAi, biological barriers to ingested dsRNA, recent regulatory RNAi science reviews, and regulatory considerations related to the use of RNAi in agriculture were discussed. Participants generally agreed that the current regulatory framework is robust and appropriate for evaluating the safety of RNAi employed in agricultural biotechnology and were also supportive of the use of RNAi to develop improved crop traits. However, as with any emerging technology, the potential range of future products, potential future regulatory frameworks, and public acceptance of the technology will continue to evolve. As such, continuing dialogue was encouraged to promote education of consumers and science-based regulations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plant biology research and training for the 21st century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelly, K.

1992-12-31

The committee was assembled in response to a request from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the US Department of Energy (DoE). The leadership of these agencies asked the National Academy of Sciences through the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the status of plant-science research in the United States in light of the opportunities arising from advances inother areas of biology. NRC was asked to suggest ways of accelerating the application of these new biologic concepts and tools to research in plant science with the aim of enhancing the acquisition of new knowledgemore » about plants. The charge to the committee was to examine the following: Organizations, departments, and institutions conducting plant biology research; human resources involved in plant biology research; graduate training programs in plant biology; federal, state, and private sources of support for plant-biology research; the role of industry in conducting and supporting plant-biology research; the international status of US plant-biology research; and the relationship of plant biology to leading-edge research in biology.« less

Plant biology research and training for the 21st century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelly, K.

1992-01-01

The committee was assembled in response to a request from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the US Department of Energy (DoE). The leadership of these agencies asked the National Academy of Sciences through the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the status of plant-science research in the United States in light of the opportunities arising from advances inother areas of biology. NRC was asked to suggest ways of accelerating the application of these new biologic concepts and tools to research in plant science with the aim of enhancing the acquisition of new knowledgemore » about plants. The charge to the committee was to examine the following: Organizations, departments, and institutions conducting plant biology research; human resources involved in plant biology research; graduate training programs in plant biology; federal, state, and private sources of support for plant-biology research; the role of industry in conducting and supporting plant-biology research; the international status of US plant-biology research; and the relationship of plant biology to leading-edge research in biology.« less

Science of Agricultural Plants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murdock, Ashleigh Barbee, Ed.

2010-01-01

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

Design And Control Of Agricultural Robot For Tomato Plants Treatment And Harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembiring, Arnes; Budiman, Arif; Lestari, Yuyun D.

2017-12-01

Although Indonesia is one of the biggest agricultural country in the world, implementation of robotic technology, otomation and efficiency enhancement in agriculture process hasn’t extensive yet. This research proposed a low cost agricultural robot architecture. The robot could help farmer to survey their farm area, treat the tomato plants and harvest the ripe tomatoes. Communication between farmer and robot was facilitated by wireless line using radio wave to reach wide area (120m radius). The radio wave was combinated with Bluetooth to simplify the communication between robot and farmer’s Android smartphone. The robot was equipped with a camera, so the farmers could survey the farm situation through 7 inch monitor display real time. The farmers controlled the robot and arm movement through an user interface in Android smartphone. The user interface contains control icons that allow farmers to control the robot movement (formard, reverse, turn right and turn left) and cut the spotty leaves or harvest the ripe tomatoes.

Agricultural anaerobic digestion power plants in Ireland and Germany: policy and practice.

PubMed

Auer, Agathe; Vande Burgt, Nathan H; Abram, Florence; Barry, Gerald; Fenton, Owen; Markey, Bryan K; Nolan, Stephen; Richards, Karl; Bolton, Declan; De Waal, Theo; Gordon, Stephen V; O'Flaherty, Vincent; Whyte, Paul; Zintl, Annetta

2017-02-01

The process of anaerobic digestion (AD) is valued as a carbon-neutral energy source, while simultaneously treating organic waste, making it safer for disposal or use as a fertilizer on agricultural land. The AD process in many European nations, such as Germany, has grown from use of small, localized digesters to the operation of large-scale treatment facilities, which contribute significantly to national renewable energy quotas. However, these large AD plants are costly to run and demand intensive farming of energy crops for feedstock. Current policy in Germany has transitioned to support funding for smaller digesters, while also limiting the use of energy crops. AD within Ireland, as a new technology, is affected by ambiguous governmental policies concerning waste and energy. A clear governmental strategy supporting on-site AD processing of agricultural waste will significantly reduce Ireland's carbon footprint, improve the safety and bioavailability of agricultural waste, and provide an indigenous renewable energy source. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The impact of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in modern agriculture: A review.

PubMed

Raman, Ruchir

2017-10-02

Genetic modification in plants was first recorded 10,000 years ago in Southwest Asia where humans first bred plants through artificial selection and selective breeding. Since then, advancements in agriculture science and technology have brought about the current GM crop revolution. GM crops are promising to mitigate current and future problems in commercial agriculture, with proven case studies in Indian cotton and Australian canola. However, controversial studies such as the Monarch Butterfly study (1999) and the Séralini affair (2012) along with current problems linked to insect resistance and potential health risks have jeopardised its standing with the public and policymakers, even leading to full and partial bans in certain countries. Nevertheless, the current growth rate of the GM seed market at 9.83-10% CAGR along with promising research avenues in biofortification, precise DNA integration and stress tolerance have forecast it to bring productivity and prosperity to commercial agriculture.

JPRS Report - Science & Technology USSR: Life Sciences.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-17

a plant that is attacked by many phytopathogens both during growth and during storage—was exposed to Botrytis allii Munn., JPRS-ULS-88-017 17...October 1988 AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE Botrytis cinerea Pers., and Fusarium solani App. et Wr. The onions were then incubated in a damp container at 19-23T...new growth regulators; government test- ing; the role of growth regulators in controlling harvest and its quality; and the scientific and practical

Building Interdisciplinary Research and Communication Skills in the Agricultural and Climate Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson-Maynard, J.; Borrelli, K.; Wolf, K.; Bernacchi, L.; Eigenbrode, S.; Daley Laursen, D.

2015-12-01

Preparing scientists and educators to create and promote practical science-based agricultural approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation is a main focus of the Regional Approaches to Climate Change (REACCH) project. Social, political and environmental complexities and interactions require that future scientists work across disciplines rather than having isolated knowledge of one specific subject area. Additionally, it is important for graduate students earning M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in agriculture and climate sciences to be able to communicate scientific findings effectively to non-scientific audiences. Unfortunately, university graduate curricula rarely adequately prepare students with these important skills. REACCH recognizes the need for graduate students to have thorough exposure to other disciplines and to be able to communicate information for outreach and education purposes. These priorities have been incorporated into graduate training within the REACCH project. The interdisciplinary nature of the project and its sophisticated digital infrastructure provide graduate students multiple opportunities to gain these experiences. The project includes over 30 graduate students from 20 different disciplines and research foci including agronomy, biogeochemistry, soil quality, conservation tillage, hydrology, pest and beneficial organisms, economics, modeling, remote sensing, science education and climate science. Professional develop workshops were developed and held during annual project meetings to enhance student training. The "Toolbox" survey (http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/toolbox/) was used to achieve effective interdisciplinary communication. Interdisciplinary extension and education projects were required to allow students to gain experience with collaboration and working with stakeholder groups. Results of student surveys and rubrics developed to gauge success in interdisciplinary research and communication may provide a helpful starting point for

Life sciences.

PubMed

Martin-Brennan, Cindy; Joshi, Jitendra

2003-12-01

Space life sciences research activities are reviewed for 2003. Many life sciences experiments were lost with the tragic loss of STS-107. Life sciences experiments continue to fly as small payloads to the International Space Station (ISS) via the Russian Progress vehicle. Health-related studies continue with the Martian Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE) aboard the Odyssey spacecraft, collecting data on the radiation environment in Mars orbit. NASA Ames increased nanotechnology research in all areas, including fundamental biology, bioastronautics, life support systems, and homeland security. Plant research efforts continued at NASA Kennedy, testing candidate crops for ISS. Research included plant growth studies at different light intensities, varying carbon dioxide concentrations, and different growth media. Education and outreach efforts included development of a NASA/USDA program called Space Agriculture in the Classroom. Canada sponsored a project called Tomatosphere, with classrooms across North America exposing seeds to simulated Mars environment for growth studies. NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research released an updated strategic research plan.

Agriculture: Climate

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Climate change affects agricultural producers because agriculture and fisheries depend on specific climate conditions. Temperature changes can cause crop planting dates to shift. Droughts and floods due to climate change may hinder farming practices.

What Are the Teachers' Experiences When Implementing the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Misty D.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Elliott, Kristopher M.

2014-01-01

This multiple case study was designed to understand the experience of implementing the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) for five teachers at four high schools. All teachers were in their first year of implementing CASE. Through the use of weekly journals, semi-structured interviews and a focus group, researchers attempted to…

Effect of Demonstration Method of Teaching on Students' Achievement in Agricultural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daluba, Noah Ekeyi

2013-01-01

The study investigated the effect of demonstration method of teaching on students' achievement in agricultural science in secondary school in Kogi East Education Zone of Kogi State. Two research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. The study employed a quasi-experimental research design. The population for the study was 18225 senior…

Translations on USSR Science and Technology. Physical Sciences and Technology, No. 6

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-02-01

Key Words and Document Analysis . USSR Aeronautics Astronomy Astrophysics Atmospheric Sciences Chemistry Computers Cybernetics Earth...publications include the Bulletin of Technoeconomic Information, the handbook Leading Experience in Agricultural Production, the abstract review...efficiency data of the activities of the information service of the Krivorog Metallurgical Plant imeni V. I. Lenin, obtained from the VDNKh (Exhibition of

Planted and natural tree seedling survival and density in three floodplain restorations on abandoned agricultural fields

Treesearch

Allen E. Plocher

2003-01-01

In three floodplain forest restorations, established in abandoned agricultural fields in Illinois, permanent plots were sampled for 3 years to determine survivorship and density of planted tree seedlings, and species composition and density of natural regeneration. Planted tree survivorship decreased over time at all sites and after 3 years ranged from 32 to 61 percent...

Invasive plant species and the Joint Fire Science Program.

Treesearch

Heather E. Erickson; Rachel White

2007-01-01

Invasive nonnative plants may be responsible for serious, long-term ecological impacts, including altering fire behavior and fire regimes. Therefore, knowing how to successfully manage invasive plants and their impacts on natural resources is crucial. We present a summary of research on invasive plants and fire that has been generated through the Joint Fire Science...

An investigation of the practice of scientific inquiry in secondary science and agriculture courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grady, Julie R.

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to investigate the practice of scientific inquiry in two secondary biology classes and one agriculture class from different schools in different communities. The focus was on teachers' interests and intentions for the students' participation in inquiry, the voices contributing to the inquiry, and students' opportunities to confront their conceptions of the nature of science (NOS). The Partnership for Research and Education in Plants (PREP) served as the context by providing students with opportunities to design and conduct original experiments to help elucidate the function(s) of a disabled gene in Arabidopsis thaliana . Transcripts of teacher and student semi-structured interviews, field notes of classroom observations and classroom conversations, and documents (e.g., student work, teacher handouts, school websites, PREP materials) were analyzed for evidence of the practice of scientific inquiry. Teachers were interested in implementing inquiry because of potential student learning about scientific research and because PREP supports course content and is connected to a larger scientific project outside of the school. Teachers' intentions regarding the implementation of inquiry reflected the complexity of their courses and the students' previous experiences. All inquiries were student-directed. The biology students' participation more closely mirrored the practice of scientists, while the agriculture students were more involved with the procedural display of scientific inquiry. All experiences could have been enhanced from additional knowledge-centered activities regarding scientific reasoning. No activities brought explicit attention to NOS. Biology activities tended to implicitly support NOS while the agriculture class activities tended to implicitly contradict NOS. Scientists' interactions contributed to implied support of the NOS. There were missed opportunities for explicit attention to NOS in all classes

Using geomorphological variables to predict the spatial distribution of plant species in agricultural drainage networks

PubMed Central

Bailly, Jean-Stéphane; Vinatier, Fabrice

2018-01-01

To optimize ecosystem services provided by agricultural drainage networks (ditches) in headwater catchments, we need to manage the spatial distribution of plant species living in these networks. Geomorphological variables have been shown to be important predictors of plant distribution in other ecosystems because they control the water regime, the sediment deposition rates and the sun exposure in the ditches. Whether such variables may be used to predict plant distribution in agricultural drainage networks is unknown. We collected presence and absence data for 10 herbaceous plant species in a subset of a network of drainage ditches (35 km long) within a Mediterranean agricultural catchment. We simulated their spatial distribution with GLM and Maxent model using geomorphological variables and distance to natural lands and roads. Models were validated using k-fold cross-validation. We then compared the mean Area Under the Curve (AUC) values obtained for each model and other metrics issued from the confusion matrices between observed and predicted variables. Based on the results of all metrics, the models were efficient at predicting the distribution of seven species out of ten, confirming the relevance of geomorphological variables and distance to natural lands and roads to explain the occurrence of plant species in this Mediterranean catchment. In particular, the importance of the landscape geomorphological variables, ie the importance of the geomorphological features encompassing a broad environment around the ditch, has been highlighted. This suggests that agro-ecological measures for managing ecosystem services provided by ditch plants should focus on the control of the hydrological and sedimentological connectivity at the catchment scale. For example, the density of the ditch network could be modified or the spatial distribution of vegetative filter strips used for sediment trapping could be optimized. In addition, the vegetative filter strips could constitute

Biofertilizers function as key player in sustainable agriculture by improving soil fertility, plant tolerance and crop productivity

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Current soil management strategies are mainly dependent on inorganic chemical-based fertilizers, which caused a serious threat to human health and environment. The exploitation of beneficial microbes as a biofertilizer has become paramount importance in agriculture sector for their potential role in food safety and sustainable crop production. The eco-friendly approaches inspire a wide range of application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), endo- and ectomycorrhizal fungi, cyanobacteria and many other useful microscopic organisms led to improved nutrient uptake, plant growth and plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress. The present review highlighted biofertilizers mediated crops functional traits such as plant growth and productivity, nutrient profile, plant defense and protection with special emphasis to its function to trigger various growth- and defense-related genes in signaling network of cellular pathways to cause cellular response and thereby crop improvement. The knowledge gained from the literature appraised herein will help us to understand the physiological bases of biofertlizers towards sustainable agriculture in reducing problems associated with the use of chemicals fertilizers. PMID:24885352

Plants. Learning in Science Project. Working Paper No. 24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stead, Beverley

One area explored in the second (in-depth) phase of the Learning in Science Project was "children's science," defined as views of the world and the meanings for words that children have and bring with them to science lessons. The investigation reported focuses on the concept of "plant" held by 29 students. Data were obtained by…

7 CFR 302.2 - Movement of plants and plant products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Movement of plants and plant products. 302.2 Section 302.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; MOVEMENT OF PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS...

7 CFR 302.2 - Movement of plants and plant products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Movement of plants and plant products. 302.2 Section 302.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; MOVEMENT OF PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS...

7 CFR 302.2 - Movement of plants and plant products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Movement of plants and plant products. 302.2 Section 302.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; MOVEMENT OF PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS...

7 CFR 302.2 - Movement of plants and plant products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Movement of plants and plant products. 302.2 Section 302.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; MOVEMENT OF PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS...

7 CFR 302.2 - Movement of plants and plant products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Movement of plants and plant products. 302.2 Section 302.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; MOVEMENT OF PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS...

Pesticide Applicator Certification Training, Manual No. 1a: Agricultural Pest Control. a. Plant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, W. A.; And Others

This manual provides information needed to meet the minimum standards for certification as an applicator of pesticides in the agricultural plant pest control category. Adapted for the State of Virginia, the text discusses: (1) the basics of insecticides; (2) insect pests; (3) selection and calibration of applicator equipment; and (4) the proper…

Advancing the science of forest hydrology A challenge to agricultural and biological engineers

Treesearch

Devendra Amatya; Wayne Skaggs; Carl Trettin

2009-01-01

For more than a century, agricultural and biological engineers have provided major advances in science, engineering, and technology to increase food and fiber production to meet the demands of a rapidly growing global population. The land base for these technological advances has originated largely from forested lands, which have experienced dramatic declines over the...

Agricultural Research & Education: Serving the Nation. A University Science and Education Exhibit on Capitol Hill, March 2, 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Washington, DC.

The brochure describes an agricultural science and education exhibition presented by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges in a Cannon House office building in Washington, DC on March 2, 1999. It gives background information on: three areas in which scientific research and education in the agricultural sciences…

Presence and transcriptional activity of anaerobic fungi in agricultural biogas plants.

PubMed

Dollhofer, Veronika; Callaghan, Tony M; Griffith, Gareth W; Lebuhn, Michael; Bauer, Johann

2017-07-01

Bioaugmentation with anaerobic fungi (AF) is promising for improved biogas generation from lignocelluloses-rich substrates. However, before implementing AF into biogas processes it is necessary to investigate their natural occurrence, community structure and transcriptional activity in agricultural biogas plants. Thus, AF were detected with three specific PCR based methods: (i) Copies of their 18S genes were found in 7 of 10 biogas plants. (ii) Transcripts of a GH5 endoglucanase gene were present at low level in two digesters, indicating transcriptional cellulolytic activity of AF. (iii) Phylogeny of the AF-community was inferred with the 28S gene. A new Piromyces species was isolated from a PCR-positive digester. Evidence for AF was only found in biogas plants operated with high proportions of animal feces. Thus, AF were most likely transferred into digesters with animal derived substrates. Additionally, high process temperatures in combination with long retention times seemed to impede AF survival and activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-Service Teachers' Knowledge and Teaching Comfort Levels for Agricultural Science and Technology Objectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingenbach, Gary J.; White, Judith McIntosh; Degenhart, Shannon; Pannkuk, Tim; Kujawski, Jenna

2007-01-01

Self-efficacy beliefs are defined as context-specific assessments of one's competence to perform specific tasks, influence one's efforts, persistence, and resilience to succeed in a given task. Such beliefs are important determinants when considering agricultural science teachers' subject matter knowledge, teaching comfort levels, and their…

Agricultural aspects of radiocontamination induced by the Fukushima nuclear accident - A survey of studies by the Univ. of Tokyo Agricultural Dept. (2011-2016).

PubMed

Nakanishi, Tomoko M

2018-01-01

Immediately after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, a team of 40-50 researchers at the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Tokyo began to analyze the behavior of radioactive materials in the fallout regions. The fallout has remained in situ and become strongly adsorbed within the soil over time. 137 Cs was found to bind strongly to the fine clay, weathered biotite, and organic matter in the soil; therefore, it has not mobilized from mountainous regions, even after heavy rainfall. In farmland, the quantity of 137 Cs in the soil absorbed by crop plants was small. The downward migration of 137 Cs in soil is now estimated at 1-2 mm/year. The intake of 137 Cs by trees occurred through the bark and not from the roots. This report summarizes the findings of research across a wide variety of agricultural specialties.

Development and Preliminary Application of Multi-channel Agricultural Science and Technology Consulting Service U Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, W. S.; Luo, C. S.; Wei, Q. F.; Zheng, Y. M.; Cao, C. Z.

2017-12-01

To deal with the “last kilometer” problem during the agricultural science and technology information service, the USB flash disk “Zixuntong”, which integrated five major consulting channels, i.e., telephone consultation, mutual video, message consultation, online customer service and QQ group was developed on the bases of capital experts and date resources. Since the products have the computer and telephone USB interface and are combined with localized information resources, users can obtain useful information on any terminal without the restriction of network. Meanwhile, the cartoon appearance make it friendly and attractive to people. The USB flash disk was used to provide agricultural expert consulting services and obtained a good preliminary application achievement. Finally, we concluded the creative application of USB flash disk in agricultural consulting services and prospected the future development direction of agricultural mobile consultation.

Introductory animal science-based instruction influences attitudes on animal agriculture issues.

PubMed

Bobeck, E A; Combs, D K; Cook, M E

2014-02-01

The demographics of incoming university animal science majors have shifted from students with a farm background to urban students with no history of direct livestock contact. Research completed before the Internet was a central source of information indicated that incoming urban students tend to express no opinion or a neutral opinion regarding livestock agriculture issues. Due to the changing background of incoming students enrolled in introductory university-level animal science classes, we sought to determine 1) if livestock background (self-identified as raised in a farm or urban setting), sex, or animal science career interest influenced the opinions of incoming students regarding critical issues involving livestock farming practices and 2) if 15 wk of introductory animal science instruction changed student opinions. A total of 224 students were given 2 identical anonymous surveys (start and end of 15 wk) with 5 demographic questions and 9 animal issue statements. For each statement, students marked their opinion by placing a vertical line on a continuous 130 mm horizontal line, where a vertical line placed at 0 mm = strongly agree and 130 mm = strongly disagree. Data were analyzed by ANOVA to determine any significant effects of instruction, background, sex, and future career preference on survey responses. Before instruction, urban students were less agreeable than farm students that animal farming was moral and humane and that farmers are concerned about animal welfare and livestock are of value to society (P ≤ 0.05). Urban students were more likely than farm students to purchase organic foods or food based on environmental/welfare standards (P ≤ 0.05). Introductory animal science instruction resulted in students becoming more agreeable that animal farming was humane, farmers are concerned about animal welfare, and animal agriculture is a value to society (P ≤ 0.05). Postinstruction, students were more likely to buy food products based on price (P �

A practical introduction to skeletons for the plant sciences1

PubMed Central

Bucksch, Alexander

2014-01-01

Before the availability of digital photography resulting from the invention of charged couple devices in 1969, the measurement of plant architecture was a manual process either on the plant itself or on traditional photographs. The introduction of cheap digital imaging devices for the consumer market enabled the wide use of digital images to capture the shape of plant networks such as roots, tree crowns, or leaf venation. Plant networks contain geometric traits that can establish links to genetic or physiological characteristics, support plant breeding efforts, drive evolutionary studies, or serve as input to plant growth simulations. Typically, traits are encoded in shape descriptors that are computed from imaging data. Skeletons are one class of shape descriptors that are used to describe the hierarchies and extent of branching and looping plant networks. While the mathematical understanding of skeletons is well developed, their application within the plant sciences remains challenging because the quality of the measurement depends partly on the interpretation of the skeleton. This article is meant to bridge the skeletonization literature in the plant sciences and related technical fields by discussing best practices for deriving diameters and approximating branching hierarchies in a plant network. PMID:25202645

Beef Production Unit for Agricultural Science I Core Curriculum. Instructor's Guide. AGDEX 420/10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Bob R.; And Others

This instructor's guide for a beef production unit contains five lessons that are designed to be taught in the Agricultural Science I core curriculum. Introductory materials include lists of performance objectives and competencies for the complete unit, suggestions for motivational technique/interest approach and evaluation, lists of references…

Sheep Production Unit for Agricultural Science I Core Curriculum. Instructor's Guide. AGDEX 430/10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brzozowski, Richard J.; Stewart, Bob R.

This instructor's guide for a sheep production unit contains six lessons that are designed to be taught in the Agricultural Science I core curriculum. Introductory materials include lists of performance objectives and competencies for the complete unit, suggestions for motivational technique/interest approach and evaluation, lists of references…

An Evaluation of the Impact of an Agricultural Science Outreach Program on the Attitudes of Rural Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Jessica; Oliver, Richard; Oliver, Mary

2017-01-01

A "citizen science" outreach program was aimed at high school students in Western Australia with a focus on agricultural sciences. The program had two main objectives: the collection of samples and the mapping of the distribution of the leaf disease powdery mildew of barley across the state; and support for the teaching and learning of…

The science and economics of ex situ plant conservation.

PubMed

Li, De-Zhu; Pritchard, Hugh W

2009-11-01

Ex situ seed storage underpins global agriculture and food supplies and enables the conservation of thousands of wild species of plants within national and international facilities. As an insurance policy against extinction, ex situ seed conservation is estimated to cost as little as 1% of in situ conservation. The assumptions, costs, risks and scientific challenges associated with ex situ plant conservation depend on the species, the methods employed and the desired storage time. Recent, relatively widespread evidence of less than expected longevity at conventional seed bank temperatures, innovations in the cryopreservation of recalcitrant-seeded species and economic comparators provide compelling evidence that ultra-cold storage should be adopted for the long-term conservation of plants. Policy instruments, such as the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (2011-2020), should respond to the evidence base and promote the implementation of cryopreservation for both tropical and temperate plants.

Caesium-137 soil-to-plant transfer for representative agricultural crops of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants in post-Chernobyl steppe landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paramonova, Tatiana; Komissarova, Olga; Turykin, Leonid; Kuzmenkova, Natalia; Belyaev, Vladimir

2016-04-01

The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 had a large-scale action on more than 2.3 million hectares agricultural lands in Russia. The area of radioactively contaminated chernozems of semi-arid steppe zone with initial levels of Cs-137 185-555 kBq/m2 in Tula region received the name "Plavsky radioactive hotspot". Nowadays, after the first half-life period of Cs-137 arable chernozems of the region are still polluted with 3-6-fold excess above the radioactive safety standard (126-228 kBq/m2). Therefore, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of Cs-137 soil-to-plant transfer are currently a central problem for land use on the territory. The purpose of the present study was revealing the biological features of Cs-137 root uptake from contaminated arable chernozems by different agricultural crops. The components of a grass mixture growing at the central part of Plavsky radioactive hotspot with typical dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants - galega (Galega orientalis, Fabaceae family) and bromegrass (Bromus inermis, Gramineae family) respectively - were selected for the investigation, that was conducted during the period of harvesting in 2015. An important point was that the other factors influenced on Cs-137 soil-to-plant transfer - the level of soil pollution, soil properties, climatic conditions, vegetative phase, etc. - were equal. So, biological features of Cs-137 root uptake could be estimated the most credible manner. As a whole, general discrimination of Cs-137 root uptake was clearly shown for both agricultural crops. Whereas Cs-137 activity in rhizosphere 30-cm layer of arable chernozem was 371±74 Bq/kg (140±32 kBq/m2), Cs-137 activities in plant biomass were one-two orders of magnitude less, and transfer factor (TF) values (the ratio of the Cs-137 activities in vegetation and in soil) not exceeded 0.11. At the same time bioavailability of Cs-137 for bromegrass was significantly higher than for galega: TFs in total biomass of the

402nd Brookhaven Lecture. Genetically Modified Plants: What's the Fuss?

ScienceCinema

Burr, Ben

2017-12-22

Burr explains that the risks presented by conventional plant improvement and gene-transfer technology have been reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Food & Drug Administration. These groups have concluded that gene-transfer technology poses no risk or danger above that present in conventional plant breeding.

An intellectual property sharing initiative in agricultural biotechnology: development of broadly accessible technologies for plant transformation.

PubMed

Chi-Ham, Cecilia L; Boettiger, Sara; Figueroa-Balderas, Rosa; Bird, Sara; Geoola, Josef N; Zamora, Pablo; Alandete-Saez, Monica; Bennett, Alan B

2012-06-01

The Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA) was founded in 2004 by the Rockefeller Foundation in response to concerns that public investments in agricultural biotechnology benefiting developing countries were facing delays, high transaction costs and lack of access to important technologies due to intellectual property right (IPR) issues. From its inception, PIPRA has worked broadly to support a wide range of research in the public sector, in specialty and minor acreage crops as well as crops important to food security in developing countries. In this paper, we review PIPRA's work, discussing the failures, successes, and lessons learned during its years of operation. To address public sector's limited freedom-to-operate, or legal access to third-party rights, in the area of plant transformation, we describe PIPRA's patent 'pool' approach to develop open-access technologies for plant transformation which consolidate patent and tangible property rights in marker-free vector systems. The plant transformation system has been licensed and deployed for both commercial and humanitarian applications in the United States (US) and Africa, respectively. © 2012 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Sustainable Uses of FGD Gypsum in Agricultural Systems: Introduction.

PubMed

Watts, Dexter B; Dick, Warren A

2014-01-01

Interest in using gypsum as a management tool to improve crop yields and soil and water quality has recently increased. Abundant supply and availability of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum, a by-product of scrubbing sulfur from combustion gases at coal-fired power plants, in major agricultural producing regions within the last two decades has attributed to this interest. Currently, published data on the long-term sustainability of FGD gypsum use in agricultural systems is limited. This has led to organization of the American Society of Agronomy's Community "By-product Gypsum Uses in Agriculture" and a special collection of nine technical research articles on various issues related to FGD gypsum uses in agricultural systems. A brief review of FGD gypsum, rationale for the special collection, overviews of articles, knowledge gaps, and future research directions are presented in this introductory paper. The nine articles are focused in three general areas: (i) mercury and other trace element impacts, (ii) water quality impacts, and (iii) agronomic responses and soil physical changes. While this is not an exhaustive review of the topic, results indicate that FGD gypsum use in sustainable agricultural production systems is promising. The environmental impacts of FGD gypsum are mostly positive, with only a few negative results observed, even when applied at rates representing cumulative 80-year applications. Thus, FGD gypsum, if properly managed, seems to represent an important potential input into agricultural systems. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Integrating NASA Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) Data Into Global Agricultural Decision Support Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teng, W.; Kempler, S.; Chiu, L.; Doraiswamy, P.; Liu, Z.; Milich, L.; Tetrault, R.

2003-12-01

Monitoring global agricultural crop conditions during the growing season and estimating potential seasonal production are critically important for market development of U.S. agricultural products and for global food security. Two major operational users of satellite remote sensing for global crop monitoring are the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP). The primary goal of FAS is to improve foreign market access for U.S. agricultural products. The WFP uses food to meet emergency needs and to support economic and social development. Both use global agricultural decision support systems that can integrate and synthesize a variety of data sources to provide accurate and timely information on global crop conditions. The Goddard Space Flight Center Earth Sciences Distributed Active Archive Center (GES DAAC) has begun a project to provide operational solutions to FAS and WFP, by fully leveraging results from previous work, as well as from existing capabilities of the users. The GES DAAC has effectively used its recently developed prototype TRMM Online Visualization and Analysis System (TOVAS) to provide ESE data and information to the WFP for its agricultural drought monitoring efforts. This prototype system will be evolved into an Agricultural Information System (AIS), which will operationally provide ESE and other data products (e.g., rainfall, land productivity) and services, to be integrated into and thus enhance the existing GIS-based, decision support systems of FAS and WFP. Agriculture-oriented, ESE data products (e.g., MODIS-based, crop condition assessment product; TRMM derived, drought index product) will be input to a crop growth model in collaboration with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, to generate crop condition and yield prediction maps. The AIS will have the capability for remotely accessing distributed data, by being compliant with community-based interoperability standards, enabling easy access to

The Value of Native Plants and Local Production in an Era of Global Agriculture

PubMed Central

Shelef, Oren; Weisberg, Peter J.; Provenza, Frederick D.

2017-01-01

For addressing potential food shortages, a fundamental tradeoff exists between investing more resources to increasing productivity of existing crops, as opposed to increasing crop diversity by incorporating more species. We explore ways to use local plants as food resources and the potential to promote food diversity and agricultural resilience. We discuss how use of local plants and the practice of local agriculture can contribute to ongoing adaptability in times of global change. Most food crops are now produced, transported, and consumed long distances from their homelands of origin. At the same time, research and practices are directed primarily at improving the productivity of a small number of existing crops that form the cornerstone of a global food economy, rather than to increasing crop diversity. The result is a loss of agro-biodiversity, leading to a food industry that is more susceptible to abiotic and biotic stressors, and more at risk of catastrophic losses. Humans cultivate only about 150 of an estimated 30,000 edible plant species worldwide, with only 30 plant species comprising the vast majority of our diets. To some extent, these practices explain the food disparity among human populations, where nearly 1 billion people suffer insufficient nutrition and 2 billion people are obese or overweight. Commercial uses of new crops and wild plants of local origin have the potential to diversify global food production and better enable local adaptation to the diverse environments humans inhabit. We discuss the advantages, obstacles, and risks of using local plants. We also describe a case study—the missed opportunity to produce pine nuts commercially in the Western United States. We discuss the potential consequences of using local pine nuts rather than importing them overseas. Finally, we provide a list of edible native plants, and synthesize the state of research concerning the potential and challenges in using them for food production. The goal of our

The Value of Native Plants and Local Production in an Era of Global Agriculture.

PubMed

Shelef, Oren; Weisberg, Peter J; Provenza, Frederick D

2017-01-01

For addressing potential food shortages, a fundamental tradeoff exists between investing more resources to increasing productivity of existing crops, as opposed to increasing crop diversity by incorporating more species. We explore ways to use local plants as food resources and the potential to promote food diversity and agricultural resilience. We discuss how use of local plants and the practice of local agriculture can contribute to ongoing adaptability in times of global change. Most food crops are now produced, transported, and consumed long distances from their homelands of origin. At the same time, research and practices are directed primarily at improving the productivity of a small number of existing crops that form the cornerstone of a global food economy, rather than to increasing crop diversity. The result is a loss of agro-biodiversity, leading to a food industry that is more susceptible to abiotic and biotic stressors, and more at risk of catastrophic losses. Humans cultivate only about 150 of an estimated 30,000 edible plant species worldwide, with only 30 plant species comprising the vast majority of our diets. To some extent, these practices explain the food disparity among human populations, where nearly 1 billion people suffer insufficient nutrition and 2 billion people are obese or overweight. Commercial uses of new crops and wild plants of local origin have the potential to diversify global food production and better enable local adaptation to the diverse environments humans inhabit. We discuss the advantages, obstacles, and risks of using local plants. We also describe a case study-the missed opportunity to produce pine nuts commercially in the Western United States. We discuss the potential consequences of using local pine nuts rather than importing them overseas. Finally, we provide a list of edible native plants, and synthesize the state of research concerning the potential and challenges in using them for food production. The goal of our

Leadership Curriculum and Materials Used by High School Agricultural Science Teachers: A National Study of the Pre-"LifeKnowledge" Days

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, A. Christian; Fuhrman, Nicholas E.; King, Diana L.; Flanders, Frank B.; Rudd, Rick D.

2013-01-01

Agricultural science programs have provided many opportunities for leadership education through classroom, supervised agricultural experience (SAE), and FFA Organization activities. Past studies have focused on leadership developed through activities such as career development events (CDE), SAE activities, FFA Organization conventions, and other…

Microbially Mediated Plant Salt Tolerance and Microbiome-based Solutions for Saline Agriculture.

PubMed

Qin, Yuan; Druzhinina, Irina S; Pan, Xueyu; Yuan, Zhilin

2016-11-15

Soil salinization adversely affects plant growth and has become one of the major limiting factors for crop productivity worldwide. The conventional approach, breeding salt-tolerant plant cultivars, has often failed to efficiently alleviate the situation. In contrast, the use of a diverse array of microorganisms harbored by plants has attracted increasing attention because of the remarkable beneficial effects of microorganisms on plants. Multiple advanced '-omics' technologies have enabled us to gain insights into the structure and function of plant-associated microbes. In this review, we first focus on microbe-mediated plant salt tolerance, in particular on the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying root-microbe symbiosis. Unfortunately, when introducing such microbes as single strains to soils, they are often ineffective in improving plant growth and stress tolerance, largely due to competition with native soil microbial communities and limited colonization efficiency. Rapid progress in rhizosphere microbiome research has revived the belief that plants may benefit more from association with interacting, diverse microbial communities (microbiome) than from individual members in a community. Understanding how a microbiome assembles in the continuous compartments (endosphere, rhizoplane, and rhizosphere) will assist in predicting a subset of core or minimal microbiome and thus facilitate synthetic re-construction of microbial communities and their functional complementarity and synergistic effects. These developments will open a new avenue for capitalizing on the cultivable microbiome to strengthen plant salt tolerance and thus to refine agricultural practices and production under saline conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Agricultural utilization of biosolids: A review on potential effects on soil and plant grown.

PubMed

Sharma, Bhavisha; Sarkar, Abhijit; Singh, Pooja; Singh, Rajeev Pratap

2017-06-01

Environmental and economic implications linked with the proper ecofriendly disposal of modern day wastes, has made it essential to come up with alternative waste management practices that reduce the environmental pressures resulting from unwise disposal of such wastes. Urban wastes like biosolids are loaded with essential plant nutrients. In this view, agricultural use of biosolids would enable recycling of these nutrients and could be a sustainable approach towards management of this hugely generated waste. Therefore biosolids i.e. sewage sludge can serve as an important resource for agricultural utilization. Biosolids are characterized by the occurrence of beneficial plant nutrients (essential elements and micro and macronutrients) which can make help them to work as an effective soil amendment, thereby minimizing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. However, biosolids might contain toxic heavy metals that may limit its usage in the cropland. Heavy metals at higher concentration than the permissible limits may lead to food chain contamination and have fatal consequences. Biosolids amendment in soil can improve physical and nutrient property of soil depending on the quantity and portion of the mixture. Hence, biosolids can be a promising soil ameliorating supplement to increase plant productivity, reduce bioavailability of heavy metals and also lead to effective waste management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tightly-Coupled Plant-Soil Nitrogen Cycling: Comparison of Organic Farms across an Agricultural Landscape

PubMed Central

Bowles, Timothy M.; Hollander, Allan D.; Steenwerth, Kerri; Jackson, Louise E.

2015-01-01

How farming systems supply sufficient nitrogen (N) for high yields but with reduced N losses is a central challenge for reducing the tradeoffs often associated with N cycling in agriculture. Variability in soil organic matter and management of organic farms across an agricultural landscape may yield insights for improving N cycling and for evaluating novel indicators of N availability. We assessed yields, plant-soil N cycling, and root expression of N metabolism genes across a representative set of organic fields growing Roma-type tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in an intensively-managed agricultural landscape in California, USA. The fields spanned a three-fold range of soil carbon (C) and N but had similar soil types, texture, and pH. Organic tomato yields ranged from 22.9 to 120.1 Mg ha-1 with a mean similar to the county average (86.1 Mg ha-1), which included mostly conventionally-grown tomatoes. Substantial variability in soil inorganic N concentrations, tomato N, and root gene expression indicated a range of possible tradeoffs between yields and potential for N losses across the fields. Fields showing evidence of tightly-coupled plant-soil N cycling, a desirable scenario in which high crop yields are supported by adequate N availability but low potential for N loss, had the highest total and labile soil C and N and received organic matter inputs with a range of N availability. In these fields, elevated expression of a key gene involved in root N assimilation, cytosolic glutamine synthetase GS1, confirmed that plant N assimilation was high even when inorganic N pools were low. Thus tightly-coupled N cycling occurred on several working organic farms. Novel combinations of N cycling indicators (i.e. inorganic N along with soil microbial activity and root gene expression for N assimilation) would support adaptive management for improved N cycling on organic as well as conventional farms, especially when plant-soil N cycling is rapid. PMID:26121264

Tightly-Coupled Plant-Soil Nitrogen Cycling: Comparison of Organic Farms across an Agricultural Landscape.

PubMed

Bowles, Timothy M; Hollander, Allan D; Steenwerth, Kerri; Jackson, Louise E

2015-01-01

How farming systems supply sufficient nitrogen (N) for high yields but with reduced N losses is a central challenge for reducing the tradeoffs often associated with N cycling in agriculture. Variability in soil organic matter and management of organic farms across an agricultural landscape may yield insights for improving N cycling and for evaluating novel indicators of N availability. We assessed yields, plant-soil N cycling, and root expression of N metabolism genes across a representative set of organic fields growing Roma-type tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in an intensively-managed agricultural landscape in California, USA. The fields spanned a three-fold range of soil carbon (C) and N but had similar soil types, texture, and pH. Organic tomato yields ranged from 22.9 to 120.1 Mg ha-1 with a mean similar to the county average (86.1 Mg ha-1), which included mostly conventionally-grown tomatoes. Substantial variability in soil inorganic N concentrations, tomato N, and root gene expression indicated a range of possible tradeoffs between yields and potential for N losses across the fields. Fields showing evidence of tightly-coupled plant-soil N cycling, a desirable scenario in which high crop yields are supported by adequate N availability but low potential for N loss, had the highest total and labile soil C and N and received organic matter inputs with a range of N availability. In these fields, elevated expression of a key gene involved in root N assimilation, cytosolic glutamine synthetase GS1, confirmed that plant N assimilation was high even when inorganic N pools were low. Thus tightly-coupled N cycling occurred on several working organic farms. Novel combinations of N cycling indicators (i.e. inorganic N along with soil microbial activity and root gene expression for N assimilation) would support adaptive management for improved N cycling on organic as well as conventional farms, especially when plant-soil N cycling is rapid.

Agriculture: Land Use

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Land Use and agriculture. Information about land use restrictions and incentive programs.Agricultural operations sometimes involve activities regulated by laws designed to protect water supplies, threatened or endangered plants and animals, or wetlands.

An Analysis of Agricultural Mechanics Safety Practices in Agricultural Science Laboratories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swan, Michael K.

North Dakota secondary agricultural mechanics instructors were surveyed regarding instructional methods and materials, safety practices, and equipment used in the agricultural mechanics laboratory. Usable responses were received from 69 of 89 instructors via self-administered mailed questionnaires. Findings were consistent with results of similar…

From the USDA: Educating the Next Generation: Funding Opportunities in Food, Agricultural, Natural Resources, and Social Sciences Education

PubMed Central

Parker, Joyce E.; Wagner, David J.

2016-01-01

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides leadership, capacity, and funds to support the continuing development of a safe and competitive agricultural system. Many of the agency’s educational programs are led by the Division of Community and Education (DOCE). These programs span agricultural education, enhancing agricultural literacy through both formal and nonformal education. Here, we have highlighted funding opportunities within DOCE that enhance agricultural education and literacy by supporting the improvement of students’ critical communication, leadership skills, and experiential learning opportunities. Some of these programs include opportunities for which students can apply, while others focus on faculty applications. Opportunities faculty can apply for may support student-recruitment and student-retention techniques, curriculum development, innovative teaching methods, and institutional capacity-building programs. Overall, these programs foster a diverse workforce in agricultural science that matches the increasing diversity of the country. PMID:27587851

Invasive plants found in Tennessee forests, 2009 forest inventory and analysis factsheet

Treesearch

Sonja N. Oswalt; Christopher M. Oswalt

2011-01-01

This science update provides an overview of nonnative invasive plants found in forests of the State of Tennessee based on an annual inventory conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program at the Southern Research Station of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry....

Effect of Computer-Based Multimedia Presentation on Senior Secondary Students' Achievement in Agricultural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olori, Abiola Lateef; Igbosanu, Adekunle Olusegun

2016-01-01

The study was carried out to determine the use of computer-based multimedia presentation on Senior Secondary School Students' Achievement in Agricultural Science. The study was a quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test control group research design type, using intact classes. A sample of eighty (80) Senior Secondary School One (SS II) students was…

Headwater fish population responses to planting grass filter strips adjacent to channelized agricultural headwater streams

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Grass filter strips are a widely used conservation practice in the Midwestern United States for reducing nutrient, pesticide, and sediment inputs into agricultural streams. Only a limited amount of information is available on the ecological effects of planting grass filter strips adjacent to channe...

How Agricultural Science Trumps Rural Community in the Discourse of Selected U.S. History Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howley, Marged; Howley, Aimee; Eppley, Karen

2013-01-01

Using narrative from 6 high school American history textbooks published between 1956 and 2009, this study investigated changes in how textbook authors presented the topics of agricultural science, farming, and community. Although some critical discourse analyses have examined textbooks' treatment of different population groups (e.g., African…

Image Analysis in Plant Sciences: Publish Then Perish.

PubMed

Lobet, Guillaume

2017-07-01

Image analysis has become a powerful technique for most plant scientists. In recent years dozens of image analysis tools have been published in plant science journals. These tools cover the full spectrum of plant scales, from single cells to organs and canopies. However, the field of plant image analysis remains in its infancy. It still has to overcome important challenges, such as the lack of robust validation practices or the absence of long-term support. In this Opinion article, I: (i) present the current state of the field, based on data from the plant-image-analysis.org database; (ii) identify the challenges faced by its community; and (iii) propose workable ways of improvement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic engineering of cytokinin metabolism: prospective way to improve agricultural traits of crop plants.

PubMed

Zalabák, David; Pospíšilová, Hana; Šmehilová, Mária; Mrízová, Katarína; Frébort, Ivo; Galuszka, Petr

2013-01-01

Cytokinins (CKs) are ubiquitous phytohormones that participate in development, morphogenesis and many physiological processes throughout plant kingdom. In higher plants, mutants and transgenic cells and tissues with altered activity of CK metabolic enzymes or perception machinery, have highlighted their crucial involvement in different agriculturally important traits, such as productivity, increased tolerance to various stresses and overall plant morphology. Furthermore, recent precise metabolomic analyses have elucidated the specific occurrence and distinct functions of different CK types in various plant species. Thus, smooth manipulation of active CK levels in a spatial and temporal way could be a very potent tool for plant biotechnology in the future. This review summarises recent advances in cytokinin research ranging from transgenic alteration of CK biosynthetic, degradation and glucosylation activities and CK perception to detailed elucidation of molecular processes, in which CKs work as a trigger in model plants. The first attempts to improve the quality of crop plants, focused on cereals are discussed, together with proposed mechanism of action of the responses involved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An analysis of the development and application of plant protection UAV based on advanced materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yuan-hui; Wei, Neng; Quan, Zhi-cheng; Huang, Yu-rong

2018-06-01

The development and application of a number of advanced materials plant protection unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an important part of the comprehensive production of agricultural modernization. The paper is taken as an example of Guangxi No. 1 agricultural service aviation science and Technology Co., Ltd. This paper introduces the internal and external environment of the research and development of the plant protection UAV for the advanced materials of the company. The external environment focuses on the role of the plant protection UAV on the development of the agricultural mechanization; the internal environment focuses on the advantages of the UAV in technology research, market promotion and application, which is imperative. Finally, according to the background of the whole industry, we put forward some suggestions for the developing opportunities and challenges faced by plant protection UAV, hoping to proving some ideas for operators, experts and scholars engaged in agricultural industry.

Graduates of Higher Education in the Food and Agricultural Sciences: An Analysis of Supply/Demand Relationships. Volume I--Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Veterinary Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulter, Kyle Jane, Ed.; Stanton, Marge, Ed.

Information on the current and projected supply of and demand for graduates of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences is presented, based on federal data bases. The supply data are aggregated by 11 educational clusters, and employment demand data are aggregated by eight occupational clusters. Analysis reveals imbalances in the…

Agricultural Electronics. Curriculum Guide for Agriscience 324.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Dept. of Agricultural Education.

This guide outlines the topics of instruction and goals/objectives of a half-unit shop/laboratory course in agricultural electronics (Agriscience 324) that is part of Texas' secondary-level agricultural science and technology program. Presented first are lists of the essential elements common to all agricultural science and technology courses…

Meats Units for Agricultural Science I and Advanced Livestock Production and Marketing Courses. Instructor's Guide. Volume 18, Number 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Bob R.; McCaskey, Michael J.

These two units are designed to aid teachers in lesson planning in the secondary agricultural education curriculum in Missouri. The first unit, on meat identification, is to be taught as part of the first year of instruction in agricultural science, while the second unit, advanced meats, was prepared for use with 11th- and 12th-grade students in…

Teaching Introductory Life Science Courses in Colleges of Agriculture: Faculty Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balschweid, Mark; Knobloch, Neil A.; Hains, Bryan J.

2014-01-01

Insignificant numbers of college students declaring STEM majors creates concern for the future of the U.S. economy within the global marketplace. This study highlights the educational development and teaching strategies employed by STEM faculty in teaching first-year students in contextualized life science courses, such as animal, plant, and food…

Dielectric spectroscopic studies on the water hyacinth plant collected from agriculture drainage.

PubMed

Mahani, Ragab; Atia, Fatma; Al Neklawy, Mohammed M; Fahem, Amin

2016-06-05

The present paper aims to investigate the sensitivity of dielectric spectroscopy to changes in concentrations of pollutants (heavy metals and metal oxides) uptake by the water hyacinth plant collected from agriculture wastewater drainage. The measurements were carried out on the dried root and shoot plant parts before and after subjecting to different microwave heating powers for different times. Dielectric properties of the untreated root were investigated at temperature range (30-90°C). X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) results showed that the concentration of metals and metals oxides are higher in plant root than in plant shoot. Accordingly, the obtained dielectric properties were found to depend on the applied electric field frequency, magnitude of heating power as well as concentrations of pollutants. Analysis of experimental data represented by the imaginary part of the dielectric modulus M″ (ω) revealed to the presence of three different relaxation processes. The lower frequency relaxation process was associated to charge carriers conduction whereas those appeared at higher frequencies were associated to different types of interfacial polarization. The plant ability for removing heavy metals and metal oxides from the aquatic environments would be enhanced upon subjecting to microwave heating power with 400 W for 30 min. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reducing Our Carbon Footprint: Converting Plants to Fuel (LBNL Science at the Theater)

ScienceCinema

Somerville, Chris [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2018-05-23

Berkeley Lab's Chris Somerville is a leading authority on the structure and function of plant cell walls, which comprise most of the body mass of higher plants. He views the knowledge of cell wall structure and function as furthering the development of plants with improved usefulness: these plants are strong potential sources of renewable materials and biofuel feedstocks. His scientific expertise defines an ideal match of his interest - in the development of cellulosic and other solar-to-fuel science - with his recent appointment as Director of the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI). With colleagues in biology, physical sciences, engineering, and environmental and the social sciences, he now leads the EBI multidisciplinary teams' research efforts to develop next-generation, carbon-neutral transportation fuels.

Socio-Economic Background and Access to Internet as Correlates of Students' Achievement in Agricultural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adegoke, Sunday Paul; Osokoya, Modupe M.

2015-01-01

This study investigated access to internet and socio-economic background as correlates of students' achievement in Agricultural Science among selected Senior Secondary Schools Two Students in Ogbomoso South and North Local Government Areas. The study adopted multi-stage sampling technique. Simple random sampling was used to select 30 students from…

The Role of Different Agricultural Plant Species in Air Pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiala, P.; Miller, D.; Shivers, S.; Pusede, S.; Roberts, D. A.

2017-12-01

The goal of this research project is to use remote sensing data to study the relationship between different plant species and the pollutants in the air. It is known that chemical reactions within plants serve as both sources and sinks for different types of Volatile Organic Compounds. However, the species-specific relationships have not been well studied. Through the better characterization of this relationship, certain aspects of air pollution may be more effectively managed. For this project, I used Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data and trace gas measurements from instruments on board the NASA DC-8 to assess the relationship between different plant species and the pollutants in the air. I used measurements primarily from the agricultural land surrounding Bakersfield, CA. I created a map of the crop species in this area using Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) on the AVIRIS imagery, and matched this to trace gas measurements taken on the DC-8. I used a Hysplit matrix trajectory to account for the air transport over the vegetation and up to contact with the plane. Finally, I identified correlations between the plant types and the concentration of the pollutants. The results showed that there were significant relationships between specific species and pollutants, with lemons and grapes contributing to enhanced pollution, and tree nuts reducing pollution. Specifically, almonds produced significantly lower levels of O3 , NO, and NO2. Lemons and grapes had high O3 levels, and lemons had high levels of isoprene. In total, these data show that it may be possible to mitigate airborne pollution via selective planting; however, the overall environmental effects are much more complicated and must be analyzed further.

Agricultural aspects of radiocontamination induced by the Fukushima nuclear accident — A survey of studies by the Univ. of Tokyo Agricultural Dept. (2011–2016)

PubMed Central

NAKANISHI, Tomoko M.

2018-01-01

Immediately after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, a team of 40–50 researchers at the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Tokyo began to analyze the behavior of radioactive materials in the fallout regions. The fallout has remained in situ and become strongly adsorbed within the soil over time. 137Cs was found to bind strongly to the fine clay, weathered biotite, and organic matter in the soil; therefore, it has not mobilized from mountainous regions, even after heavy rainfall. In farmland, the quantity of 137Cs in the soil absorbed by crop plants was small. The downward migration of 137Cs in soil is now estimated at 1–2 mm/year. The intake of 137Cs by trees occurred through the bark and not from the roots. This report summarizes the findings of research across a wide variety of agricultural specialties. PMID:29321444

The responding relationship between plants and environment is the essential principle for agricultural sustainable development on the globe.

PubMed

Zhou, Yi; Shao, Hong-Bo

2008-04-01

The mutual-responding relationship between plants and environment is involved in all life processes, which are the essential bases for different types of sustainable development on the globe, particularly the critical basis for agricultural sustainable development. How to regulate the above relationship between plants and the corresponding environment (in particular soil environment) is the key problem to modern sustainable agriculture development under global climate change, which is one of the hot topics in the field of plant biology. Detailed dissection of this responding relationship is also important for conducting global eco-environmental restoration and construction. Although powerful methodology and dataset related to genomics, post-genomics, and metabolomics have provided some insights into this relationship, crop physiological measures are also critical for crop full performance in field. With the increase of tested plants (including model plants) and development of integrated molecular biology, a complete understanding of the relationship at different scales under biotic and abiotic stresses will be accelerated. In the current paper, we will cover some important aspects in combination with the recent work from our laboratory and related advances reflected by international academic journals, as follows: plant physiological function performance under natural condition, plant gene regulatory network system under abiotic stresses, gene regulatory network system and drought resistance improvement, summary of the related work from our laboratory, conclusions, and acknowledgement.

Plant Scientists and the Productivity Effects of Extension Appointments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foltz, Jeremy D.; Gee, Vanity K.; Barham, Bradford L.

2011-01-01

This article analyzes the primary scholarship activities of agricultural college plant science faculty with and without Extension appointments using survey data from all 1862 land-grant institutions. The evidence suggests that differences between Extension professors and others without Extension appointments are small for minor Extension…

Farmers' perception of the role of some wild plants for the predatory coccinellidae (Adalia bipunctata L and Coccinella septempunctata L) in developing refugia in the agricultural field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanuwiadi, Bagyo

2017-11-01

The decreases in plant and animal diversity in intensive agricultural practice have been caused by the application of new and very broad-spectrum pesticides. This situation motivated some researchers to observe the attractiveness of wild plants for some predatory Coccinellids. This was done with a view to improving the agricultural ecosystem. Previous research results showed that Blumea sp. (L), Tagetes erecta L. and Bidens pilosa L. could attract predatory Coccinellidae: Adalia bipunctata L. and Coccinella septempunctata L. But, unfortunately, there were no research results showing how farmers accepted those related new improved strategies for controlling pests. The research was conducted to analyze what they felt about introducing the function of wild plants for attracting beneficial arthropods. To this end, 60 farmers were selected purposively as respondents in the south of Malang and interviewed in depth with the main question focusing on their knowledge of the general function of wild plants in agriculture. Then, more specifically, they were asked about the role of wild plants in the agricultural field for attracting these beneficial arthropods. Their answers were grouped into the following categories: they don't know, they know a little, they know enough, they know a lot about the general function of wild plants in general and more specifically as attractants for some beneficial arthropods. The results showed that the majority of farmers know only a little about the function of wild plants in general. None of the farmers realized that wild plants can be used as ground-covering plants. Most of them knew only about the use of wild plants for cattle feed. The majority of them did not know that some of the wild plants that can be found in their agricultural fields can be used as attractants in looking for beneficial arthropods. Farmers, as the frontier in the agricultural field, must become knowledgeable about the specific use of the wild plants in their fields

"Planting the Seeds of Science." Development and Evaluation of a New Flexible and Adaptable Early Childhood Science Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howitt, Christine

2011-01-01

"Planting the Seeds of Science" is a new early childhood science resource developed through a collaboration between science/engineering academics, early childhood teacher educators and early childhood pre-service teachers, with funding from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Based on best practice early childhood principles,…

A Longitudinal Examination of Teaching Efficacy of Agricultural Science Student Teachers at Four Different Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harlin, Julie F.; Roberts, T. Grady; Briers, Gary E.; Mowen, Diana L.; Edgar, Don W.

2007-01-01

The purposes of this study were to determine changes in teaching efficacy of student teachers over the course of the student teaching semester and to determine if similar trends occur at different institutions. The population of interest for this study was agricultural science student teachers at Tarleton State University, Texas A&M…

Undergraduate Involvement in Extracurricular Activities and Leadership Development in College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foreman, Elizabeth A.; Retallick, Michael S.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe experiences of undergraduate extracurricular involvement that result in increased leadership development. Senior students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University completed an online questionnaire about their extracurricular experiences. Leadership development…

Advances in greenhouse automation and controlled environment agriculture: A transition to plant factories and urban farming

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greenhouse cultivation has evolved from simple covered rows of open-fields crops to highly sophisticated controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities that projected the image of plant factories for urban farming. The advances and improvements in CEA have promoted the scientific solutions for ...

Science Experience Unit: Plant and Animal Adaptations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson-Florissant School District, Ferguson, MO.

GRADES OR AGES: No mention. Appears to be upper elementary. SUBJECT MATTER: Science units--plants and animals. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The guide is divided into 35 activities. It is mimeographed and staple-bound with a paper cover. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES: No objectives are mentioned. The activities suggested aim to recreate common…

Successes and challenges in a novel doctoral program in systems agriculture: a case example.

PubMed

Lust, D; Topliff, D; Deotte, R

2010-01-01

A doctoral program in Systems Agriculture was initiated at West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX, in September, 2003. The stated objective of the program was "..to prepare leaders for the agricultural industry that are trained in a multidisciplinary, research-based curriculum that emphasizes a systems approach to problem solving". The program offers a single doctoral degree in Agriculture and accepts qualified students with a master's or professional degree in agricultural or related disciplines. Courses related to systems methodologies, leadership, agricultural economics, plant and soil science, and animal science are required. Additional program requirements include a systems research project and dissertation, leadership training, and written and oral exams. The program has exceeded enrollment and graduation targets, suggesting interest in this approach to a doctoral degree. Students have entered the program with M.S. backgrounds in education, traditional agricultural disciplines, veterinary medicine, business, and physics. Graduates have gained employment in industry, university teaching and research, government research/administration, and extension. Doctoral student projects in systems agriculture contributed to curriculum changes and to the conceptual framework adopted by a multi-state research group. Designing and teaching courses for students with diverse backgrounds has been challenging. Development of a common understanding of systems agriculture was identified by a third-party program review as an issue for faculty. Development and maintenance of program standards and administrative procedures posed additional challenges. Leadership, administrative support, and timely and continuing program assessment are suggested as necessary components for a nontraditional doctoral program.

The good and the bad of poisonous plants: an introduction to the USDA-ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory.

PubMed

Welch, Kevin D; Panter, Kip E; Gardner, Dale R; Stegelmeier, Bryan L

2012-06-01

This article provides an overview of the Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory (PPRL), about the unique services and activities of the PPRL and the potential assistance that they can provide to plant poisoning incidences. The PPRL is a federal research laboratory. It is part of the Agricultural Research Service, the in-house research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The mission of the PPRL is to identify toxic plants and their toxic compounds, determine how the plants poison animals, and develop diagnostic and prognostic procedures for poisoned animals. Furthermore, the PPRL's mission is to identify the conditions under which poisoning occurs and develop management strategies and treatments to reduce losses. Information obtained through research efforts at the PPRL is mostly used by the livestock industry, natural resource managers, veterinarians, chemists, plant and animal scientists, extension personnel, and other state and federal agencies. PPRL currently has 9 scientists and 17 support staff, representing various disciplines consisting of toxicology, reproductive toxicology, veterinary medicine, chemistry, animal science, range science, and plant physiology. This team of scientists provides an interdisciplinary approach to applied and basic research to develop solutions to plant intoxications. While the mission of the PPRL primarily impacts the livestock industry, spinoff benefits such as development of animal models, isolation and characterization of novel compounds, elucidation of biological and molecular mechanisms of action, national and international collaborations, and outreach efforts are significant to biomedical researchers. The staff at the PPRL has extensive knowledge regarding a number of poisonous plants. Although the focus of their knowledge is on plants that affect livestock, oftentimes, these plants are also poisonous to humans, and thus, similar principles could apply for cases of human poisonings. Consequently, the information provided

Biostimulants in Plant Science: A Global Perspective.

PubMed

Yakhin, Oleg I; Lubyanov, Aleksandr A; Yakhin, Ildus A; Brown, Patrick H

2016-01-01

This review presents a comprehensive and systematic study of the field of plant biostimulants and considers the fundamental and innovative principles underlying this technology. The elucidation of the biological basis of biostimulant function is a prerequisite for the development of science-based biostimulant industry and sound regulations governing these compounds. The task of defining the biological basis of biostimulants as a class of compounds, however, is made more complex by the diverse sources of biostimulants present in the market, which include bacteria, fungi, seaweeds, higher plants, animals and humate-containing raw materials, and the wide diversity of industrial processes utilized in their preparation. To distinguish biostimulants from the existing legislative product categories we propose the following definition of a biostimulant as "a formulated product of biological origin that improves plant productivity as a consequence of the novel or emergent properties of the complex of constituents, and not as a sole consequence of the presence of known essential plant nutrients, plant growth regulators, or plant protective compounds." The definition provided here is important as it emphasizes the principle that biological function can be positively modulated through application of molecules, or mixtures of molecules, for which an explicit mode of action has not been defined. Given the difficulty in determining a "mode of action" for a biostimulant, and recognizing the need for the market in biostimulants to attain legitimacy, we suggest that the focus of biostimulant research and validation should be upon proof of efficacy and safety and the determination of a broad mechanism of action, without a requirement for the determination of a specific mode of action. While there is a clear commercial imperative to rationalize biostimulants as a discrete class of products, there is also a compelling biological case for the science-based development of, and

Biostimulants in Plant Science: A Global Perspective

PubMed Central

Yakhin, Oleg I.; Lubyanov, Aleksandr A.; Yakhin, Ildus A.; Brown, Patrick H.

2017-01-01

This review presents a comprehensive and systematic study of the field of plant biostimulants and considers the fundamental and innovative principles underlying this technology. The elucidation of the biological basis of biostimulant function is a prerequisite for the development of science-based biostimulant industry and sound regulations governing these compounds. The task of defining the biological basis of biostimulants as a class of compounds, however, is made more complex by the diverse sources of biostimulants present in the market, which include bacteria, fungi, seaweeds, higher plants, animals and humate-containing raw materials, and the wide diversity of industrial processes utilized in their preparation. To distinguish biostimulants from the existing legislative product categories we propose the following definition of a biostimulant as “a formulated product of biological origin that improves plant productivity as a consequence of the novel or emergent properties of the complex of constituents, and not as a sole consequence of the presence of known essential plant nutrients, plant growth regulators, or plant protective compounds.” The definition provided here is important as it emphasizes the principle that biological function can be positively modulated through application of molecules, or mixtures of molecules, for which an explicit mode of action has not been defined. Given the difficulty in determining a “mode of action” for a biostimulant, and recognizing the need for the market in biostimulants to attain legitimacy, we suggest that the focus of biostimulant research and validation should be upon proof of efficacy and safety and the determination of a broad mechanism of action, without a requirement for the determination of a specific mode of action. While there is a clear commercial imperative to rationalize biostimulants as a discrete class of products, there is also a compelling biological case for the science-based development of, and

A Qualitative Study of Technology-Based Training in Organizations that Hire Agriculture and Life Sciences Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedgood, Leslie; Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Dooley, Kim E.

2008-01-01

Technological advances have created unlimited opportunities in education. Training and technology have merged to create new methods referred to as technology-based training. The purpose of this study was to identify organizations that hire agriculture and life sciences students for positions involving technology-based training and identify…

Elementary student and prospective teachers' agri-food system literacy: Understandings of agricultural and science education's goals for learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trexler, Cary Jay

1999-09-01

Although rhetoric abounds in the agricultural education literature regarding the public's dearth of agri-food system literacy, problems arise when establishing educational interventions to help ameliorate illiteracy. Researchers do not fully know what individuals understand about the complex agri-food system. Hence, educational programs and curricula may focus on areas where students already possess well developed and scientifically accurate schemata, while ignoring other areas where incompatible or naive understandings persist. Democratic decisions about complex societal and environmental issues, such as trade-offs of our industrial agri-food system, require individuals to possess understandings of complex interrelationships. This exploratory qualitative study determines what two groups---elementary students and prospective elementary school teachers---understand about selected concepts foundational to agri-food system literacy. To ground the study in current national education curricular standards, a synthesis of both agricultural and science education benchmarks was developed. This helped structure interviews with the study's informants: nine elementary students and nine prospective elementary teachers. Analysis of discourse was based upon a conceptual change methodology. Findings showed that informant background and non-school experiences were linked to agri-food system literacy, while formal, in-school learning was not. For elementary students, high socio-economic status, gardening and not living in urban areas were correlates with literacy; the prospective teacher group exhibited similar trends. Informants understood that food came from farms where plants and animals were raised. For the majority, however, farms were described as large gardens. Additionally, informants lacked a clear understanding of the roles soil and fertilizers play in crop production. Further, few spoke of weeds as competitors with crops for growth requirements. Informants understood that

Landscape configurational heterogeneity by small-scale agriculture, not crop diversity, maintains pollinators and plant reproduction in western Europe.

PubMed

Hass, Annika L; Kormann, Urs G; Tscharntke, Teja; Clough, Yann; Baillod, Aliette Bosem; Sirami, Clélia; Fahrig, Lenore; Martin, Jean-Louis; Baudry, Jacques; Bertrand, Colette; Bosch, Jordi; Brotons, Lluís; Burel, Françoise; Georges, Romain; Giralt, David; Marcos-García, María Á; Ricarte, Antonio; Siriwardena, Gavin; Batáry, Péter

2018-02-14

Agricultural intensification is one of the main causes for the current biodiversity crisis. While reversing habitat loss on agricultural land is challenging, increasing the farmland configurational heterogeneity (higher field border density) and farmland compositional heterogeneity (higher crop diversity) has been proposed to counteract some habitat loss. Here, we tested whether increased farmland configurational and compositional heterogeneity promote wild pollinators and plant reproduction in 229 landscapes located in four major western European agricultural regions. High-field border density consistently increased wild bee abundance and seed set of radish ( Raphanus sativus ), probably through enhanced connectivity. In particular, we demonstrate the importance of crop-crop borders for pollinator movement as an additional experiment showed higher transfer of a pollen analogue along crop-crop borders than across fields or along semi-natural crop borders. By contrast, high crop diversity reduced bee abundance, probably due to an increase of crop types with particularly intensive management. This highlights the importance of crop identity when higher crop diversity is promoted. Our results show that small-scale agricultural systems can boost pollinators and plant reproduction. Agri-environmental policies should therefore aim to halt and reverse the current trend of increasing field sizes and to reduce the amount of crop types with particularly intensive management. © 2018 The Author(s).

[Effects of agricultural practices on community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agricultural ecosystem: a review].

PubMed

Sheng, Ping-Ping; Li, Min; Liu, Run-Jin

2011-06-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are rich in diversity in agricultural ecosystem, playing a vital role based on their unique community structure. Host plants and environmental factors have important effects on AM fungal community structure, so do the agricultural practices which deserve to pay attention to. This paper summarized the research advances in the effects of agricultural practices such as irrigation, fertilization, crop rotation, intercropping, tillage, and pesticide application on AM fungal community structure, analyzed the related possible mechanisms, discussed the possible ways in improving AM fungal community structure in agricultural ecosystem, and put forward a set of countermeasures, i.e., improving fertilization system and related integrated techniques, increasing plant diversity in agricultural ecosystem, and inoculating AM fungi, to enhance the AM fungal diversity in agricultural ecosystem. The existing problems in current agricultural practices and further research directions were also proposed.

Brief History of Agricultural Systems Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, James W.; Antle, John M.; Basso, Bruno O.; Boote, Kenneth J.; Conant, Richard T.; Foster, Ian; Godfray, H. Charles J.; Herrrero, Mario; Howitt, Richard E.; Janssen, Sandor;

Brief history of agricultural systems modeling.

PubMed

Jones, James W; Antle, John M; Basso, Bruno; Boote, Kenneth J; Conant, Richard T; Foster, Ian; Godfray, H Charles J; Herrero, Mario; Howitt, Richard E; Janssen, Sander; Keating, Brian A; Munoz-Carpena, Rafael; Porter, Cheryl H; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Wheeler, Tim R

2017-07-01

Agricultural systems science generates knowledge that allows researchers to consider complex problems or take informed agricultural decisions. The rich history of this science exemplifies the diversity of systems and scales over which they operate and have been studied. Modeling, an essential tool in agricultural systems science, has been accomplished by scientists from a wide range of disciplines, who have contributed concepts and tools over more than six decades. As agricultural scientists now consider the "next generation" models, data, and knowledge products needed to meet the increasingly complex systems problems faced by society, it is important to take stock of this history and its lessons to ensure that we avoid re-invention and strive to consider all dimensions of associated challenges. To this end, we summarize here the history of agricultural systems modeling and identify lessons learned that can help guide the design and development of next generation of agricultural system tools and methods. A number of past events combined with overall technological progress in other fields have strongly contributed to the evolution of agricultural system modeling, including development of process-based bio-physical models of crops and livestock, statistical models based on historical observations, and economic optimization and simulation models at household and regional to global scales. Characteristics of agricultural systems models have varied widely depending on the systems involved, their scales, and the wide range of purposes that motivated their development and use by researchers in different disciplines. Recent trends in broader collaboration across institutions, across disciplines, and between the public and private sectors suggest that the stage is set for the major advances in agricultural systems science that are needed for the next generation of models, databases, knowledge products and decision support systems. The lessons from history should be

When virulence originates from non-agricultural hosts: new insights into plant breeding.

PubMed

Leroy, Thibault; Le Cam, Bruno; Lemaire, Christophe

2014-10-01

Monogenic plant resistance breakdown is a model for testing evolution in action in pathogens. As a rule, plant pathologists argue that virulence - the allele that allows pathogens to overcome resistance - is due to a new mutation at the avirulence locus within the native/endemic population that infects susceptible crops. In this article, we develop an alternative and neglected scenario where a given virulence pre-exists in a non-agricultural host and might be accidentally released or introduced on the matching resistant cultivar in the field. The main difference between the two scenarios is the divergence time expected between the avirulent and the virulent populations. As a consequence, population genetic approaches such as genome scans and Approximate Bayesian Computation methods allow explicit testing of the two scenarios by timing the divergence. This review then explores the fundamental implications of this alternative scenario for plant breeding, including the invasion of virulence or the evolution of more aggressive hybrids, and proposes concrete solutions to achieve a sustainable resistance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plant ID. Agricultural Lesson Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Agricultural Education and Mechanization.

This lesson plan is intended for use in conducting classes on plant identification. Presented first are a series of questions and answers designed to convey general information about the scientific classification of plants. The following topics are among those discussed: main types of plants; categories of vascular plants; gymnosperms and…

Teachers' Beliefs about the Purpose of Agricultural Education and Its Influence on Their Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Amber H.; Kitchel, Tracy

2017-01-01

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to conceptualize the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of experienced agriculture teachers in the plant sciences. The overarching theme that emerged during data collection and analysis was the influence of beliefs on participants' PCK. This finding guided subsequent data collection and analysis that…

Agricultural science in the wild: a social network analysis of farmer knowledge exchange.

PubMed

Wood, Brennon A; Blair, Hugh T; Gray, David I; Kemp, Peter D; Kenyon, Paul R; Morris, Steve T; Sewell, Alison M

2014-01-01

Responding to demands for transformed farming practices requires new forms of knowledge. Given their scale and complexity, agricultural problems can no longer be solved by linear transfers in which technology developed by specialists passes to farmers by way of extension intermediaries. Recent research on alternative approaches has focused on the innovation systems formed by interactions between heterogeneous actors. Rather than linear transfer, systems theory highlights network facilitation as a specialized function. This paper contributes to our understanding of such facilitation by investigating the networks in which farmers discuss science. We report findings based on the study of a pastoral farming experiment collaboratively undertaken by a group of 17 farmers and five scientists. Analysis of prior contact and alter sharing between the group's members indicates strongly tied and decentralized networks. Farmer knowledge exchanges about the experiment have been investigated using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Network surveys identified who the farmers contacted for knowledge before the study began and who they had talked to about the experiment by 18 months later. Open-ended interviews collected farmer statements about their most valuable contacts and these statements have been thematically analysed. The network analysis shows that farmers talked about the experiment with 192 people, most of whom were fellow farmers. Farmers with densely tied and occupationally homogeneous contacts grew their networks more than did farmers with contacts that are loosely tied and diverse. Thematic analysis reveals three general principles: farmers value knowledge delivered by persons rather than roles, privilege farming experience, and develop knowledge with empiricist rather than rationalist techniques. Taken together, these findings suggest that farmers deliberate about science in intensive and durable networks that have significant implications for theorizing

Agricultural Science in the Wild: A Social Network Analysis of Farmer Knowledge Exchange

PubMed Central

Wood, Brennon A.; Blair, Hugh T.; Gray, David I.; Kemp, Peter D.; Kenyon, Paul R.; Morris, Steve T.; Sewell, Alison M.

2014-01-01

Responding to demands for transformed farming practices requires new forms of knowledge. Given their scale and complexity, agricultural problems can no longer be solved by linear transfers in which technology developed by specialists passes to farmers by way of extension intermediaries. Recent research on alternative approaches has focused on the innovation systems formed by interactions between heterogeneous actors. Rather than linear transfer, systems theory highlights network facilitation as a specialized function. This paper contributes to our understanding of such facilitation by investigating the networks in which farmers discuss science. We report findings based on the study of a pastoral farming experiment collaboratively undertaken by a group of 17 farmers and five scientists. Analysis of prior contact and alter sharing between the group’s members indicates strongly tied and decentralized networks. Farmer knowledge exchanges about the experiment have been investigated using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Network surveys identified who the farmers contacted for knowledge before the study began and who they had talked to about the experiment by 18 months later. Open-ended interviews collected farmer statements about their most valuable contacts and these statements have been thematically analysed. The network analysis shows that farmers talked about the experiment with 192 people, most of whom were fellow farmers. Farmers with densely tied and occupationally homogeneous contacts grew their networks more than did farmers with contacts that are loosely tied and diverse. Thematic analysis reveals three general principles: farmers value knowledge delivered by persons rather than roles, privilege farming experience, and develop knowledge with empiricist rather than rationalist techniques. Taken together, these findings suggest that farmers deliberate about science in intensive and durable networks that have significant implications for

An introduction of internationalisation in food science doctoral program: a case study of Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia.

PubMed

Hunaefi, D

2010-01-01

The Department of Food Science and Technology- Bogor Agricultural University (DFST-IPB), Indonesia is one of the oldest Departments of its kind in Indonesia. The Department has been founded since 1964 under the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology. The Department has a core competence in the area of food science and technology, particularly in the development of food chemistry, food microbiology, food process engineering, food analysis, food quality and safety. The Department offers educational programs: Undergraduate Program in Food Technology and Master as well as Doctorate Program in Food Science. The Master and Doctorate Program are enrolled by 35 students annually. Globalisation as a global phenomenon has been influencing DFST doctoral program as internationalization in response to globalization is a common feature in majority universities. Facing this challenge, DFST Doctorate Program's has made some efforts to provide students with international atmosphere, including having international guest lecturers, inviting prospective international students, and initiating join program with international universities. In addition, research focusing in tropical food and collaboration with international universities may need to be improved to widen the network, increase publication and place DFST doctorate program visible in the international forum. This paper is intended to reveal the perceived challenges of globalization for food science doctoral program (DFST-IPB) and to what extent and in what form internationalization has been achieved. However, it should be noted that this article is selective rather than comprehensive in reflecting on the internationalization process of food science doctoral program (DFST-IPB).

Thermography to explore plant-environment interactions.

PubMed

Costa, J Miguel; Grant, Olga M; Chaves, M Manuela

2013-10-01

Stomatal regulation is a key determinant of plant photosynthesis and water relations, influencing plant survival, adaptation, and growth. Stomata sense the surrounding environment and respond rapidly to abiotic and biotic stresses. Stomatal conductance to water vapour (g s) and/or transpiration (E) are therefore valuable physiological parameters to be monitored in plant and agricultural sciences. However, leaf gas exchange measurements involve contact with leaves and often interfere with leaf functioning. Besides, they are time consuming and are limited by the sampling characteristics (e.g. sample size and/or the high number of samples required). Remote and rapid means to assess g s or E are thus particularly valuable for physiologists, agronomists, and ecologists. Transpiration influences the leaf energy balance and, consequently, leaf temperature (T leaf). As a result, thermal imaging makes it possible to estimate or quantify g s and E. Thermal imaging has been successfully used in a wide range of conditions and with diverse plant species. The technique can be applied at different scales (e.g. from single seedlings/leaves through whole trees or field crops to regions), providing great potential to study plant-environment interactions and specific phenomena such as abnormal stomatal closure, genotypic variation in stress tolerance, and the impact of different management strategies on crop water status. Nevertheless, environmental variability (e.g. in light intensity, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed) affects the accuracy of thermal imaging measurements. This review presents and discusses the advantages of thermal imaging applications to plant science, agriculture, and ecology, as well as its limitations and possible approaches to minimize them, by highlighting examples from previous and ongoing research.

Integrating Science in Agricultural Education: Attitudes of Indiana Agricultural Science and Business Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balschweid, Mark A.; Thompson, Gregory W.

2002-01-01

In a survey of Indiana agriscience and business teachers (n=170), one-half reported their students receive science credit for agriscience and business courses; they felt prepared to teach integrated biological sciences; and integration required more preparation time. They needed appropriate equipment and adequate funding to support integration.…

Teacher Efficacy and Professional Development Needs of Mid-Career Agriculture Educators Integrating the Next Generation Science Standards and Other Content Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drape, Tiffany A.; Lopez, Megan; Radford, Donna

2016-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to examine the phenomenon regarding agriculture education teacher's efficacy by integrating the Next Gen Science Standards and other content areas into their classroom teaching. This was a single case study with two units of analysis consisting of two agriculture education programs in the Eastern United States…

Expediting Agriculture Through Science Act

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Rep. Fincher, Stephen Lee [R-TN-8

2011-05-26

House - 06/08/2011 Referred to the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Bioavailability and soil-to-plant transfer factors as indicators of potentially toxic element contamination in agricultural soils.

PubMed

Adamo, Paola; Iavazzo, Pietro; Albanese, Stefano; Agrelli, Diana; De Vivo, Benedetto; Lima, Annamaria

2014-12-01

Soil pollution in agricultural lands poses a serious threat to food safety, and suggests the need for consolidated methods providing advisory indications for soil management and crop production. In this work, the three-step extraction procedure developed by the EU Measurement and Testing Programme and two soil-to-plant transfer factors (relative to total and bioavailable concentration of elements in soil) were applied on polluted agricultural soils from southern Italy to obtain information on the retention mechanisms of metals in soils and on their level of translocation to edible vegetables. The study was carried out in the Sarno river plain of Campania, an area affected by severe environmental degradation potentially impacting the health of those consuming locally produced vegetables. Soil samples were collected in 36 locations along the two main rivers flowing into the plain. In 11 sites, lettuce plants were collected at the normal stage of consumption. According to Italian environmental law governing residential soils, and on the basis of soil background reference values for the study area, we found diffuse pollution by Be, Sn and Tl, of geogenic origin, Cr and Cu from anthropogenic sources such as tanneries and intensive agriculture, and more limited pollution by Pb, Zn and V. It was found that metals polluting soils as a result of human activities were mainly associated to residual, oxidizable and reducible phases, relatively immobile and only potentially bioavailable to plants. By contrast, the essential elements Zn and Cu showed a tendency to become more readily mobile and bioavailable as their total content in soil increased and were more easily transported to the edible parts of lettuce than other pollutants. According to our results, current soil pollution in the studied area does not affect the proportion of metals taken up by lettuce plants and there is a limited health risk incurred. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of biochar aged in acidic soil on ecosystem engineers and two tropical agricultural plants.

PubMed

Anyanwu, Ihuoma N; Alo, Moses N; Onyekwere, Amos M; Crosse, John D; Nworie, Okoro; Chamba, Emmanuel B

2018-05-30

Biochar amendment to soil is predicted globally as a means to enhance soil health. Alongside the beneficial result on soil nutrient availability and retention, biochar is presumed to increase soil macro / microbiota composition and improve plant growth. However, evidence for such an effect remains elusive in many tropical agricultural soils. The influence of biochar aged in soil was assessed on soil microbiota, macrobiota (Eudrilus eugeniae), seedling emergence and early plant growth of Oryza sativa and Solanum lycopersicum in tropical agricultural soil, over a 90 d biochar-soil contact time. Results showed negative impacts of increased loading of biochar on the survival and growth of E. eugeniae. LC 50 and EC 50 values ranged from 34.8% to 86.8% and 0.9-23.7% dry biochar kg -1 soil, over time. The growth of the exposed earthworms was strongly reduced (R 2 = -0.866, p < 0.05). Biochar significantly increased microbiota abundance relative to the control soil (p < 0.001). However, fungal population was reduced by biochar addition. Biochar application threshold of 10% and 5% was observed for (O. sativa) and (S. lycopersicum), respectively. Furthermore, the addition of biochar to soil resulted in increased aboveground (shoot) biomass (p < 0.01). However, the data revealed that biochar did not increase the belowground (root) biomass of the plant species during the 90 d biochar-soil contact time. The shoot-to-root-biomass increase indicates a direct toxic influence of biochar on plant roots. This reveals that nutrient availability is not the only mechanism involved in biota-biochar interactions. Detailed studies on specific biota-plant-responses to biochars between tropical, temperate and boreal environments are needed to resolve the large variations and mechanisms behind these effects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The plant breeding industry after pure line theory: Lessons from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany.

PubMed

Berry, Dominic

2014-06-01

In the early twentieth century, Wilhelm Johannsen proposed his pure line theory and the genotype/phenotype distinction, work that is prized as one of the most important founding contributions to genetics and Mendelian plant breeding. Most historians have already concluded that pure line theory did not change breeding practices directly. Instead, breeding became more orderly as a consequence of pure line theory, which structured breeding programmes and eliminated external heritable influences. This incremental change then explains how and why the large multi-national seed companies that we know today were created; pure lines invited standardisation and economies of scale that the latter were designed to exploit. Rather than focus on breeding practice, this paper examines the plant varietal market itself. It focusses upon work conducted by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) during the interwar years, and in doing so demonstrates that, on the contrary, the pure line was actually only partially accepted by the industry. Moreover, claims that contradicted the logic of the pure line were not merely tolerated by the agricultural geneticists affiliated with NIAB, but were acknowledged and legitimised by them. The history of how and why the plant breeding industry was transformed remains to be written. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leadership among Secondary School Agricultural Science Teachers and Their Job Performance in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben, Camilus Bassey

2012-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to investigate leadership among secondary school Agricultural Science teachers and their job performance in Akwa Ibom State. To achieve the aim of this study, three research hypotheses were generated to direct the study. Literature was reviewed based on the variables derived from the postulated hypotheses. Survey…

An Approach Towards Structure Based Antimicrobial Peptide Design for Use in Development of Transgenic Plants: A Strategy for Plant Disease Management.

PubMed

Ilyas, Humaira; Datta, Aritreyee; Bhunia, Anirban

2017-01-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also known as host defense peptides (HDPs), are ubiquitous and vital components of innate defense response that present themselves as potential candidates for drug design, and aim to control plant and animal diseases. Though their application for plant disease management has long been studied with natural AMPs, cytotoxicity and stability related shortcomings for the development of transgenic plants limit their usage. Newer technologies like molecular modelling, NMR spectroscopy and combinatorial chemistry allow screening for potent candidates and provide new avenues for the generation of rationally designed synthetic AMPs with multiple biological functions. Such AMPs can be used for the control of plant diseases that lead to huge yield losses of agriculturally important crop plants, via generation of transgenic plants. Such approaches have gained significant attention in the past decade as a consequence of increasing antibiotic resistance amongst plant pathogens, and the shortcomings of existing strategies that include environmental contamination and human/animal health hazards amongst others. This review summarizes the recent trends and approaches used for employing AMPs, emphasizing on designed/modified ones, and their applications toward agriculture and food technology. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Veterinary Pest Genomics Center | National Agricultural Library

Science.gov Websites

Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture Ag Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The vision for this initiative is to collaborator for the Bioinformatics Education in Agricultural Sciences (BEAS) project funded by the Hispanic

Methylotrophic bacteria in sustainable agriculture.

PubMed

Kumar, Manish; Tomar, Rajesh Singh; Lade, Harshad; Paul, Diby

2016-07-01

Excessive use of chemical fertilizers to increase production from available land has resulted in deterioration of soil quality. To prevent further soil deterioration, the use of methylotrophic bacteria that have the ability to colonize different habitats, including soil, sediment, water, and both epiphytes and endophytes as host plants, has been suggested for sustainable agriculture. Methylotrophic bacteria are known to play a significant role in the biogeochemical cycle in soil ecosystems, ultimately fortifying plants and sustaining agriculture. Methylotrophs also improve air quality by using volatile organic compounds such as dichloromethane, formaldehyde, methanol, and formic acid. Additionally, methylotrophs are involved in phosphorous, nitrogen, and carbon cycling and can help reduce global warming. In this review, different aspects of the interaction between methylotrophs and host plants are discussed, including the role of methylotrophs in phosphorus acquisition, nitrogen fixation, phytohormone production, iron chelation, and plant growth promotion, and co-inoculation of these bacteria as biofertilizers for viable agriculture practices.

Proceedings of the frst joint american chemical society agricultural and food chemistry division – american chemical society international chemical sciences chapter in Thailand symposium on agricultural and food chemistry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This Proceedings is a compilation of papers from contributed oral and poster presentations presented at the first joint symposium organized by the American Chemical Society Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division and the American Chemical Society International Chemical Sciences Chapter in Thailand ...

Analysis of copper tolerant rhizobacteria from the industrial belt of Gujarat, western India for plant growth promotion in metal polluted agriculture soils.

PubMed

Sharaff, Murali; Kamat, Shalmali; Archana, G

2017-04-01

Agricultural sites irrigated for long term with water polluted by industrial effluents containing heavy metals might adversely affect the soil microbial communities and crop yield. Hence it is important to study rhizobacterial communities and their metal tolerance in such affected agricultural fields to restore soil fertility and ecosystem. Present work deals with the study of rhizobacterial communities from plants grown in copper (Cu) contaminated agricultural fields along the industrial zone of Gujarat, India and are compared with communities from a Cu mine site. Microbial communities from rhizosphere soil samples varied in the magnitude of their Cu tolerance index indicating differences in long term pollution effects. Culture dependent denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (CD-DGGE) of bacterial communities revealed the diverse composition at the sampling sites and a reduced total diversity due to Cu toxicity. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene diversity of Cu tolerant rhizobacteria revealed the predominance of Enterobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp. under Cu stress conditions. Cu tolerant bacterial isolates that were able to promote growth of mung bean plants in vitro under Cu stress were obtained from these samples. Cu tolerant rhizobacterium P36 identified as Enterobacter sp. exhibited multiple plant growth promoting traits and significantly alleviated Cu toxicity to mung bean plants by reducing the accumulation of Cu in plant roots and promoted the plant growth in CuSO 4 amended soils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Agricultural Education Curriculum Guide. Agricultural Production and Management I. Course No. 6811. Agricultural Production and Management II. Course No. 6812.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

This document is designed for use by teachers of Agricultural Production and Management courses in North Carolina. It updates the competencies and content outlines from the previous guide. It lists core and optional competencies for two courses in seven areas as follows: leadership; supervised agricultural experience programs; animal science;…

Interactive Agricultural Ecological Atlas of Russia and Neighboring Countries:Economic Plants and their Diseases, Pests and Weeds.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The AgroAtlas is a comprehensive on-line bilingual reference on the geographic distribution of economic plants, their diseases, pests and weeds, and environmental factors that influence agricultural production through out the Former Soviet Union. Online users can read about and examine maps and ima...

Considerations in the development of the utility of stable isotopes in science, medicine, and agriculture, and environmental studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matwiyoff, N.A.

1976-01-01

The prospects for the broad scale development of the utility of stable isotopes in science, medicine, agriculture, and environmental studies are considered with emphasis on the current status of isotope production, synthesis of isotopically labelled compounds, and analytical techniques.

Comparisons of diazotrophic communities in native and agricultural desert ecosystems reveal plants as important drivers in diversity

PubMed Central

Köberl, Martina; Erlacher, Armin; Ramadan, Elshahat M.; El-Arabi, Tarek F.; Müller, Henry; Bragina, Anastasia; Berg, Gabriele

2015-01-01

Diazotrophs provide the only biological source of fixed atmospheric nitrogen in the biosphere. Although they are the key player for plant-available nitrogen, less is known about their diversity and potential importance in arid ecosystems. We investigated the nitrogenase gene diversity in native and agricultural desert soil as well as within root-associated microbiota of medicinal plants grown in Egypt through the combination of nifH-specific qPCR, fingerprints, amplicon pyrosequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization–confocal laser scanning microscopy. Although the diazotrophic microbiota were characterized by generally high abundances and diversity, statistically significant differences were found between both soils, the different microhabitats, and between the investigated plants (Matricaria chamomilla L., Calendula officinalis L. and Solanum distichum Schumach. and Thonn.). We observed a considerable community shift from desert to agriculturally used soil that demonstrated a higher abundance and diversity in the agro-ecosystem. The endorhiza was characterized by lower abundances and only a subset of species when compared to the rhizosphere. While the microbiomes of the Asteraceae were similar and dominated by potential root-nodulating rhizobia acquired primarily from soil, the perennial S. distichum generally formed associations with free-living nitrogen fixers. These results underline the importance of diazotrophs in desert ecosystems and additionally identify plants as important drivers in functional gene pool diversity. PMID:26705571

Comparisons of diazotrophic communities in native and agricultural desert ecosystems reveal plants as important drivers in diversity.

PubMed

Köberl, Martina; Erlacher, Armin; Ramadan, Elshahat M; El-Arabi, Tarek F; Müller, Henry; Bragina, Anastasia; Berg, Gabriele

2016-02-01

Diazotrophs provide the only biological source of fixed atmospheric nitrogen in the biosphere. Although they are the key player for plant-available nitrogen, less is known about their diversity and potential importance in arid ecosystems. We investigated the nitrogenase gene diversity in native and agricultural desert soil as well as within root-associated microbiota of medicinal plants grown in Egypt through the combination of nifH-specific qPCR, fingerprints, amplicon pyrosequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization-confocal laser scanning microscopy. Although the diazotrophic microbiota were characterized by generally high abundances and diversity, statistically significant differences were found between both soils, the different microhabitats, and between the investigated plants (Matricaria chamomilla L., Calendula officinalis L. and Solanum distichum Schumach. and Thonn.). We observed a considerable community shift from desert to agriculturally used soil that demonstrated a higher abundance and diversity in the agro-ecosystem. The endorhiza was characterized by lower abundances and only a subset of species when compared to the rhizosphere. While the microbiomes of the Asteraceae were similar and dominated by potential root-nodulating rhizobia acquired primarily from soil, the perennial S. distichum generally formed associations with free-living nitrogen fixers. These results underline the importance of diazotrophs in desert ecosystems and additionally identify plants as important drivers in functional gene pool diversity. © FEMS 2015.

LAILAPS: the plant science search engine.

PubMed

Esch, Maria; Chen, Jinbo; Colmsee, Christian; Klapperstück, Matthias; Grafahrend-Belau, Eva; Scholz, Uwe; Lange, Matthias

2015-01-01

With the number of sequenced plant genomes growing, the number of predicted genes and functional annotations is also increasing. The association between genes and phenotypic traits is currently of great interest. Unfortunately, the information available today is widely scattered over a number of different databases. Information retrieval (IR) has become an all-encompassing bioinformatics methodology for extracting knowledge from complex, heterogeneous and distributed databases, and therefore can be a useful tool for obtaining a comprehensive view of plant genomics, from genes to traits. Here we describe LAILAPS (http://lailaps.ipk-gatersleben.de), an IR system designed to link plant genomic data in the context of phenotypic attributes for a detailed forward genetic research. LAILAPS comprises around 65 million indexed documents, encompassing >13 major life science databases with around 80 million links to plant genomic resources. The LAILAPS search engine allows fuzzy querying for candidate genes linked to specific traits over a loosely integrated system of indexed and interlinked genome databases. Query assistance and an evidence-based annotation system enable time-efficient and comprehensive information retrieval. An artificial neural network incorporating user feedback and behavior tracking allows relevance sorting of results. We fully describe LAILAPS's functionality and capabilities by comparing this system's performance with other widely used systems and by reporting both a validation in maize and a knowledge discovery use-case focusing on candidate genes in barley. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists.

Brief history of agricultural systems modeling

DOE PAGES

Jones, James W.; Antle, John M.; Basso, Bruno; ...

2017-06-21

Agricultural systems science generates knowledge that allows researchers to consider complex problems or take informed agricultural decisions. The rich history of this science exemplifies the diversity of systems and scales over which they operate and have been studied. Modeling, an essential tool in agricultural systems science, has been accomplished by scientists from a wide range of disciplines, who have contributed concepts and tools over more than six decades. As agricultural scientists now consider the "next generation" models, data, and knowledge products needed to meet the increasingly complex systems problems faced by society, it is important to take stock of thismore » history and its lessons to ensure that we avoid re-invention and strive to consider all dimensions of associated challenges. To this end, we summarize here the history of agricultural systems modeling and identify lessons learned that can help guide the design and development of next generation of agricultural system tools and methods. A number of past events combined with overall technological progress in other fields have strongly contributed to the evolution of agricultural system modeling, including development of process-based bio-physical models of crops and livestock, statistical models based on historical observations, and economic optimization and simulation models at household and regional to global scales. Characteristics of agricultural systems models have varied widely depending on the systems involved, their scales, and the wide range of purposes that motivated their development and use by researchers in different disciplines. Recent trends in broader collaboration across institutions, across disciplines, and between the public and private sectors suggest that the stage is set for the major advances in agricultural systems science that are needed for the next generation of models, databases, knowledge products and decision support systems. Furthermore, the lessons from

Brief history of agricultural systems modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, James W.; Antle, John M.; Basso, Bruno

Agricultural systems science generates knowledge that allows researchers to consider complex problems or take informed agricultural decisions. The rich history of this science exemplifies the diversity of systems and scales over which they operate and have been studied. Modeling, an essential tool in agricultural systems science, has been accomplished by scientists from a wide range of disciplines, who have contributed concepts and tools over more than six decades. As agricultural scientists now consider the "next generation" models, data, and knowledge products needed to meet the increasingly complex systems problems faced by society, it is important to take stock of thismore » history and its lessons to ensure that we avoid re-invention and strive to consider all dimensions of associated challenges. To this end, we summarize here the history of agricultural systems modeling and identify lessons learned that can help guide the design and development of next generation of agricultural system tools and methods. A number of past events combined with overall technological progress in other fields have strongly contributed to the evolution of agricultural system modeling, including development of process-based bio-physical models of crops and livestock, statistical models based on historical observations, and economic optimization and simulation models at household and regional to global scales. Characteristics of agricultural systems models have varied widely depending on the systems involved, their scales, and the wide range of purposes that motivated their development and use by researchers in different disciplines. Recent trends in broader collaboration across institutions, across disciplines, and between the public and private sectors suggest that the stage is set for the major advances in agricultural systems science that are needed for the next generation of models, databases, knowledge products and decision support systems. Furthermore, the lessons from

A Plant-Associated Microbe Genome Initiative

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jan E. Leach; Scott Gold; Sue Tolin

2003-03-06

Plant-associated microorganisms are critical to agricultural and food security and are key components in maintaining the balance of our ecosystems. Some of these diverse microbes, which include viruses, bacteria, oomycetes, fungi, and nematodes, cause plant diseases, whereas others prevent diseases or enhance plant growth. Despite their importance, we know little about them on a genomic level. To intervene in disease and understand the basis of biological control or symbiotic relationships, a concerted and coordinated genomic analysis of these microbes is essential. Genome analysis, in this context, refers to the structural and functional analysis of the microbe DNA including the genes,more » the proteins encoded by those genes, as well as noncoding sequences involved in genome dynamics and function. The ultimate emphasis is on understanding genomic functions involved in plant associations. Members of The American Phytopathological Society (APS) developed a prioritized list of plant-associated microbes for genome analysis. With this list as a foundation for discussions, a Workshop on Genomic Analysis of Plant-Associated Microorganisms was held in Washington, D.C., on 9 to 11 April 2002. The workshop was organized by the Public Policy Board of APS, and was funded by the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), and USDA-National Research Initiatives (USDA-NRI). The workshop included academic, industrial, and governmental experts from the genomics and microbial research communities and observers from the federal funding agencies. After reviewing current and near-term technologies, workshop participants proposed a comprehensive, international initiative to obtain the genomic information needed to understand these important microbes and their interactions with host plants and the environment. Specifically, the recommendations call for a 5-year, $500 million international

Secondary Agricultural Science as Content and Context for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, T. Grady; Ball, Anna L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this philosophical article was to examine the role of agriculture in agricultural education. This philosophical argument, in many ways, reexamines the very discussions pondered by Dewey and Snedden almost a century ago. In secondary agricultural education classes today, is agriculture the content learned, or the context in which…

Establishing Longleaf Pine Seedlings on Agricultural Fields and Pastures

Treesearch

Mark J. Hainds

2004-01-01

Acres planted to longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) increased annually through the 1990s until 2000 with peak plantings exceeding 110 million seedlings annually. Many of these longleaf seedlings were planted on agricultural crop fields and pastures. Agricultural areas have unique characteristics that can make them more challenging to successfully plant...

Readership Study of an Agricultural Magazine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Ted

Since the fall of 1957, the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station has published a semi-scientific quarterly magazine, "Louisiana Agriculture," to present information on the station's research to Louisiana citizens, particularly public officials, members of the agribusiness sector, science-oriented farmers, agriculture and science…

Animal Science Experts' Opinions on the Non-Technical Skills Secondary Agricultural Education Graduates Need for Employment in the Animal Science Industry: A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slusher, Wendy L.; Robinson, J. Shane; Edwards, M. Craig

2010-01-01

Non-technical, employability skills are in high demand for entry-level job-seekers. As such, this study sought to describe the perceptions of Oklahoma's animal science industry leaders as it related to the employability skills needed for entry-level employment of high school graduates who had completed coursework in Oklahoma's Agricultural, Food…

Contribution of waste water treatment plants to pesticide toxicity in agriculture catchments.

PubMed

Le, Trong Dieu Hien; Scharmüller, Andreas; Kattwinkel, Mira; Kühne, Ralph; Schüürmann, Gerrit; Schäfer, Ralf B

2017-11-01

Pesticide residues are frequently found in water bodies and may threaten freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. In addition to runoff or leaching from treated agricultural fields, pesticides may enter streams via effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). We compared the pesticide toxicity in terms of log maximum Toxic Unit (log mTU) of sampling sites in small agricultural streams of Germany with and without WWTPs in the upstream catchments. We found an approximately half log unit higher pesticide toxicity for sampling sites with WWTPs (p < 0.001). Compared to fungicides and insecticides, herbicides contributed most to the total pesticide toxicity in streams with WWTPs. A few compounds (diuron, terbuthylazin, isoproturon, terbutryn and Metazachlor) dominated the herbicide toxicity. Pesticide toxicity was not correlated with upstream distance to WWTP (Spearman's rank correlation, rho = - 0.11, p > 0.05) suggesting that other context variables are more important to explain WWTP-driven pesticide toxicity. Our results suggest that WWTPs contribute to pesticide toxicity in German streams. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Secondary School Students' and Their Parents' Knowledge and Interest in Crop Plants: Why Should We Care?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fritsch, Eva-Maria; Dreesmann, Daniel C.

2015-01-01

While there is increasing world-wide discussion of the importance of renewable biological resources and a bio-based economy, science educators around the world have become aware of a declining general interest in plants and agriculture and of little knowledge of plants among the public. Recently, there have been few systematic investigations on…

Plant Science. Instructor Guide [and] Student Reference. Volume 24, Numbers 3 and 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, John Kevin

This document consists of two separately published guides for a course on plant science: an instructor's guide and a student's reference manual. Each part consists of eight lessons and cover the following topics: (1) importance of plants; (2) classification of plants; (3) plant growth factors; (4) weeds, diseases, insects; (5) germination; (6)…

Effectiveness of a Science Agricultural Summer Experience (SASE) in Recruiting Students to Natural Resources Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Edward; Lindline, Jennifer; Petronis, Michael S.; Pilotti, Maura

2012-12-01

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an increase in Natural Resource Management (NRM) jobs within the next 10 years due to baby-boomer retirements and a 12% increase in demand for these occupations. Despite this trend, college enrollment in NRM disciplines has declined. Even more critical is the fact that the soon-to-be-majority Hispanic population is underrepresented in NRM disciplines. The goal of the present study was to determine if an in-residence, two-week, summer science program for underrepresented minorities would not only increase interest in science, actual science knowledge, and perceived science knowledge, but also have an overall impact on underrepresented minority students' decisions to attend college, major in a scientific discipline and pursue a career in science. During a four-year period, 76 high school students participated in a Science Agricultural Summer Experience (SASE) in Northern New Mexico. A pre/post science-knowledge exam and satisfaction survey were administered to participants. We demonstrate that participants improved significantly ( p < .05) in all areas measured. In particular, comfort with science field and lab activities, science knowledge and perceived science knowledge were enhanced after exposure to the program. Students not only found science exciting and approachable after participation, but also exhibited increased interest in pursuing a degree and career in science. Of the 76 SASE participants within graduation age ( n = 44), all graduated from high school; and 86% enrolled in college. These findings suggest that the implemented SASE initiative was effective in recruiting and increasing the confidence and abilities of underrepresented minority students in science.

Bioethics Symposium: The ethical food movement: What does it mean for the role of science and scientists in current debates about animal agriculture?

PubMed

Croney, C C; Apley, M; Capper, J L; Mench, J A; Priest, S

2012-05-01

Contemporary animal agriculture is increasingly criticized on ethical grounds. Consequently, current policy and legislative discussions have become highly controversial as decision makers attempt to reconcile concerns about the impacts of animal production on animal welfare, the environment, and on the efficacy of antibiotics required to ensure human health with demands for abundant, affordable, safe food. Clearly, the broad implications for US animal agriculture of what appears to be a burgeoning movement relative to ethical food production must be understood by animal agriculture stakeholders. The potential effects of such developments on animal agricultural practices, corporate marketing strategies, and public perceptions of the ethics of animal production must also be clarified. To that end, it is essential to acknowledge that people's beliefs about which food production practices are appropriate are tied to diverse, latent value systems. Thus, relying solely on scientific information as a means to resolve current debates about animal agriculture is unlikely to be effective. The problem is compounded when scientific information is used inappropriately or strategically to advance a political agenda. Examples of the interface between science and ethics in regards to addressing currently contentious aspects of food animal production (animal welfare, antimicrobial use, and impacts of animal production practices on the environment) are reviewed. The roles of scientists and science in public debates about animal agricultural practices are also examined. It is suggested that scientists have a duty to contribute to the development of sound policy by providing clear and objectively presented information, by clarifying misinterpretations of science, and by recognizing the differences between presenting data vs. promoting their own value judgments in regard to how and which data should be used to establish policy. Finally, the role of the media in shaping public opinions

Dry anaerobic digestion of cow manure and agricultural products in a full-scale plant: Efficiency and comparison with wet fermentation.

PubMed

Chiumenti, Alessandro; da Borso, Francesco; Limina, Sonia

2018-01-01

For years, anaerobic digestion processes have been implemented for the management of organic wastes, agricultural residues, and animal manure. Wet anaerobic digestion still represents the most common technology, while dry fermentation, dedicated to the treatment of solid inputs (TS>20%) can be considered as an emerging technology, not in terms of technological maturity, but of diffusion. The first agricultural dry anaerobic digestion plant constructed in Italy was monitored from the start-up, for over a year. The plant was fed with manure and agricultural products, such as corn silage, triticale, ryegrass, alfalfa, and straw. Three Combined Heat and Power units, for a total installed power of 910kW e , converted biogas into thermal and electric energy. The monitoring included the determination of quality and quantity of input feedstocks, of digestate (including recirculation rate), of leachate, biogas quality (CH 4 , CO 2 , H 2 S), biogas yield, energy production, labor requirement for loading, and unloading operations. The results of the monitoring were compared to performance data obtained in several full scale wet digestion plants. The dry fermentation plant revealed a start-up phase that lasted several months, during which the average power resulted in 641kW e (70.4% of nominal power), and the last period the power resulted in 788kW e (86.6% of installed power). Improving the balance of the input, the dry fermentation process demonstrated biogas yields similar to wet anaerobic digestion, congruent to the energy potential of the biomasses used in the process. Furthermore, the operation of the plant required significant man labor, mainly related to loading and unloading of the anaerobic cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Statistical analysis on the factors affecting agricultural landowners’ willingness to enroll in a tree planting program

Treesearch

Taeyoung Kim; Christian Langpap

2015-01-01

This report provides a statistical analysis of the data collected from two survey regions of the United States, the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. The survey asked about individual agricultural landowners’ characteristics, characteristics of their land, and the landowners’ willingness to enroll in a tree planting program under incentive payments for carbon...

Planting seeds for the future of food.

PubMed

Green, Hilary; Broun, Pierre; Cakmak, Ismail; Condon, Liam; Fedoroff, Nina; Gonzalez-Valero, Juan; Graham, Ian; Lewis, Josette; Moloney, Maurice; Oniang'o, Ruth K; Sanginga, Nteranya; Shewry, Peter; Roulin, Anne

2016-03-30

The health and wellbeing of future generations will depend on humankind's ability to deliver sufficient nutritious food to a world population in excess of 9 billion. Feeding this many people by 2050 will require science-based solutions that address sustainable agricultural productivity and enable healthful dietary patterns in a more globally equitable way. This topic was the focus of a multi-disciplinary international conference hosted by Nestlé in June 2015, and provides the inspiration for the present article. The conference brought together a diverse range of expertise and organisations from the developing and industrialised world, all with a common interest in safeguarding the future of food. This article provides a snapshot of three of the recurring topics that were discussed during this conference: soil health, plant science and the future of farming practice. Crop plants and their cultivation are the fundamental building blocks for a food secure world. Whether these are grown for food or feed for livestock, they are the foundation of food and nutrient security. Many of the challenges for the future of food will be faced where the crops are grown: on the farm. Farmers need to plant the right crops and create the right conditions to maximise productivity (yield) and quality (e.g. nutritional content), whilst maintaining the environment, and earning a living. New advances in science and technology can provide the tools and know-how that will, together with a more entrepreneurial approach, help farmers to meet the inexorable demand for the sustainable production of nutritious foods for future generations. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

75 FR 77612 - Plant Variety Protection Board; Reestablishment of the Plant Variety Protection Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-13

... technology, plant breeding, and variety development, public and private research and development institutions... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Document No. AMS-ST-10-0052] Plant Variety Protection Board; Reestablishment of the Plant Variety Protection Board AGENCY: Agricultural...

Automated hydroponics nutrition plants systems using arduino uno microcontroller based on android

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sihombing, P.; Karina, N. A.; Tarigan, J. T.; Syarif, M. I.

2018-03-01

Technological developments today make the combination of science is very common, including in Computer Science and Agriculture to make both of science need each other. This paper aims to develop a control tool for the flow of nutrients of hydroponic plants automatically using Arduino microcontroller and controlled by smartphone. We use an Arduino Uno microcontroller to automatically control the flow of nutrient solution with logic if else. The microcontroller can also send data of fluid level (solution) and temperature around the plant to smartphone android of the owner of the hydroponics plant. The height of the nutrient solution (water) is detected by the Ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04 and the temperature is detected by the temperature sensor LM35. Data from the sensor will forward into Arduino Uno and displayed in liquid crystal display (LCD) then via wireless fidelity (WIFI) ESP8266 module will transmit the height of the nutrient solution and the temperature around of the plants to Android smartphone.

An Examination of Pre-Service Agricultural Science Teachers' Interest and Participation in International Experiences: Motivations and Barriers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Lane, Katy; Harlin, Julie; Cherry, Audie

2016-01-01

The importance of creating global mindedness within pre-service agricultural science teachers through international experiences cannot be overstated. However, providing opportunities for international experiences and college students selecting to participate in these opportunities are two very different actions. Mechanisms must be put in place…

Motivation and career outcomes of a precollege life science experience for underrepresented minorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega, Robbie Ray

Minorities continue to be underrepresented in professional science careers. In order to make Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers more accessible for underrepresented minorities, informal science programs must be utilized to assist in developing interest in STEM for minority youth. In addition to developing interest in science, informal programs must help develop interpersonal skills and leadership skills of youth, which allow youth to develop discrete social behaviors while creating positive and supportive communities thus making science more practical in their lives. This study was based on the premise that introducing underrepresented youth to the agricultural and life sciences through an integrated precollege experience of leadership development with university faculty, scientist, and staff would help increase youths' interest in science, while also increasing their interest to pursue a STEM-related career. Utilizing a precollege life science experience for underrepresented minorities, known as the Ag Discovery Camp, 33 middle school aged youth were brought to the Purdue University campus to participate in an experience that integrated a leadership development program with an informal science education program in the context of agriculture. The week-long program introduced youth to fields of agriculture in engineering, plant sciences, food sciences, and entomology. The purpose of the study was to describe short-term and intermediate student outcomes in regards to participants' interests in career activities, science self-efficacy, and career intentions. Youth were not interested in agricultural activities immediately following the precollege experience. However, one year after the precollege experience, youth expressed they were more aware of agriculture and would consider agricultural careers if their first career choice did not work out for them. Results also showed that the youth who participated in the precollege experience were

Agricultural Science Protects Our Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1967

Included are a 49 frame filmstrip and a script for narrating a presentation. The presentation is aimed at the secondary school level with an emphasis on how agricultural scientists investigate problems in farmland erosion, stream pollution, road building erosion problems, air pollution, farm pollution, pesticides, and insect control by biological…

Agricultural recycling of treatment-plant sludge: a case study for a vegetable-processing factory.

PubMed

Dolgen, Deniz; Alpaslan, M Necdet; Delen, Nafiz

2007-08-01

The present study evaluated the possibility of using the sludge produced by a vegetable-processing factory in agriculture. The sludge was amended with a soil mixture (i.e., a mixture of sand, soil, and manure) and was applied at 0, 165, 330, 495 and 660 t/ha to promote the growth of cucumbers. The effects of various sludge loadings on plant growth were assessed by counting plants and leaves, measuring stem lengths, and weighing the green parts and roots of the plants. We also compared heavy metal uptake by the plants for sludge loadings of 330, 495, and 660 t/ha with various recommended standards for vegetables. Our results showed that plant growth patterns were influenced to some extent by the sludge loadings. In general, the number of leaves, stem length, and dry weight of green parts exhibited a pronounced positive growth response compared with an unfertilized control, and root growth showed a lesser but still significant response at sludge loadings of 165 and 330 t/ha. The sludge application caused no significant increase in heavy metal concentrations in the leaves, though zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) were found at elevated concentrations. However, despite the Zn and Fe accumulation, we observed no toxicity symptoms in the plants. This may be a result of cucumber's tolerance of high metal levels.

Tracking Movement of Plant Carbon Through Soil to Water by Lignin Phenol Stable Carbon Isotope Composition in a Small Agricultural Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crooker, K.; Filley, T.; Six, J.; Frey, J.

2005-12-01

Few studies integrate land cover, soil physical structure, and aquatic physical fractions when investigating the fate of agricultural carbon in watersheds. In crop systems that involve rotations of soy (a C3 plant) and corn (a C4 plant) the large intrinsic differences in stable carbon isotope values and lignin plus cutin chemistry enable tracking of plant carbon movement from soil fractions to DOM and overland flow during precipitation events. In a small (~3Km2) agricultural basin in central Indiana, we studied plant carbon dynamics in a soy/corn agricultural rotation (2004-2005) to determine the relative inputs of these two plants to soil fractions and the resultant contributions to dissolved, colloidal, and particulate organic matter when mobilized. Using bulk isotope values the fraction of carbon derived from corn in macroaggregates (>250 micron), microaggregates (53-250 mm), and silts plus clays (<53 mm) ranged from 39, 49, to 42%, respectively. Unlike bulk analyses, compound specific isotope analysis of lignin in the soil fractions revealed a wide range of relative inputs among the monomers with cinnamyl phenols being almost exclusively (~ 93%) derived from corn. Syringyl phenols ranged from 75-56% corn and vanillyl phenols ranged from 37-40% corn carbon. The relative input among the fractions mirrors closely the comparative plant chemistry abundances between soy and corn. During export of DOM from the land to the stream the relative abundance of plant source varied with discharge (0.05-1.8 m3/sec) as increases in flow increased the relative export of corn-derived C from the fields. Over the full range of flows lignin phenols varied from 0.05 to 82% corn-derived with the greatest relative corn input for cinnamyl and syringyl carbon. The trend with stream discharge indicates a progressive movement of particulate corn residues with overland flow. Ongoing studies look to resolve contributions of algae, bacteria and terrestrial plants to soil fractions and their

Lead in Urban Soils: A Real or Perceived Concern for Urban Agriculture?

PubMed

Brown, Sally L; Chaney, Rufus L; Hettiarachchi, Ganga M

2016-01-01

Urban agriculture is growing in cities across the United States. It has the potential to provide multiple benefits, including increased food security. Concerns about soil contamination in urban areas can be an impediment to urban agriculture. Lead is the most common contaminant in urban areas. In this paper, direct (soil ingestion via outdoor and indoor exposure) and indirect (consumption of food grown in Pb-contaminated soils) exposure pathways are reviewed. It is highly unlikely that urban agriculture will increase incidences of elevated blood Pb for children in urban areas. This is due to the high likelihood that agriculture will improve soils in urban areas, resulting in reduced bioavailability of soil Pb and reduced fugitive dust. Plant uptake of Pb is also typically very low. The exceptions are low-growing leafy crops where soil-splash particle contamination is more likely and expanded hypocotyl root vegetables (e.g., carrot). However, even with higher bioaccumulation factors, it is not clear that the Pb in root vegetables or any other crops will be absorbed after eating. Studies have shown limited absorption of Pb when ingested with food. Best management practices to assure minimal potential for exposure are also common practices in urban gardens. These include the use of residuals-based composts and soil amendments and attention to keeping soil out of homes. This review suggests that benefits associated with urban agriculture far outweigh any risks posed by elevated soil Pb. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Remote Sensing and Modeling for Improving Operational Aquatic Plant Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, Dave

2016-01-01

The California Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is the hub for California’s water supply, conveying water from Northern to Southern California agriculture and communities while supporting important ecosystem services, agriculture, and communities in the Delta. Changes in climate, long-term drought, water quality changes, and expansion of invasive aquatic plants threatens ecosystems, impedes ecosystem restoration, and is economically, environmentally, and sociologically detrimental to the San Francisco Bay/California Delta complex. NASA Ames Research Center and the USDA-ARS partnered with the State of California and local governments to develop science-based, adaptive-management strategies for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The project combines science, operations, and economics related to integrated management scenarios for aquatic weeds to help land and waterway managers make science-informed decisions regarding management and outcomes. The team provides a comprehensive understanding of agricultural and urban land use in the Delta and the major water sheds (San Joaquin/Sacramento) supplying the Delta and interaction with drought and climate impacts on the environment, water quality, and weed growth. The team recommends conservation and modified land-use practices and aids local Delta stakeholders in developing management strategies. New remote sensing tools have been developed to enhance ability to assess conditions, inform decision support tools, and monitor management practices. Science gaps in understanding how native and invasive plants respond to altered environmental conditions are being filled and provide critical biological response parameters for Delta-SWAT simulation modeling. Operational agencies such as the California Department of Boating and Waterways provide testing and act as initial adopter of decision support tools. Methods developed by the project can become routine land and water management tools in complex river delta systems.

Exploring Plant and Animal Content in Elementary Science Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schussler, Elisabeth E.; Link-Perez, Melanie A.; Weber, Kirk M.; Dollo, Vanessa H.

2010-01-01

Student knowledge about plants is typically less than student knowledge about animals. Textbooks are a commonly-used curriculum material in elementary grades and contain embedded cultural ideologies that may impact instruction. This study analyzed two nationally-syndicated elementary science textbook series to explore their presentation of plant…

Experience gained in France on heat recovery from nuclear plants for agriculture and pisciculture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Balligand, P.; Le Gouellec, P.; Dumont, M.

1978-04-01

Since 1972, the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Electricite de France, and the French Ministry of Agriculture have jointly examined the possibility of using thermal wastes from nuclear power plants for the benefit of agricultural production. A new process to heat greenhouses with water at 303 K using a double-wall plastic mulching laid directly on the soil has been successfully used for a few years on several hectares. When necessary, heat pumps are utilized. Very good results have been obtained for tomatoes, cucumbers, flowers, and strawberries, etc. Outdoor soil heating with buried pipes has been tested in Cadarache near an experimentalmore » pressurized water reactor for market garden crops and forestry. Gains in precocity and yield have been excellent, especially for asparagus, strawberries, and potatoes. Growing of eels has been four times faster in warm water over one year.« less

Symposium introduction: the first joint American Chemical Society Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division and the American Chemical Society International Chemical Sciences Chapter in Thailand

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division (AGFD) and the ACS International Chemical Sciences Chapter in Thailand (ICSCT) worked together to stage the “1st Joint ACS AGFD - ACS ICSCT Symposium on Agricultural and Food Chemistry,” which was held in Bangkok, Thailand ...

Long Term Agroecosystem Research Landing | National Agricultural Library

Science.gov Websites

Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture Ag Agroecosystem Research Overview Agriculture faces tremendous challenges in meeting multiple, diverse societal > ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS filter EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > SOILS (1) Apply EARTH

Weather extremes could affect agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balcerak, Ernie

2012-05-01

As Earth's climate warms, agricultural producers will need to adapt. Changes, especially increases in extreme events, are already having an impact on food production, according to speakers at a 1 May session on agriculture and food security at the AGU Science Policy Conference. Christopher Field, director of the Department of Global Ecology at the Carnegie Institution for Science of Washington, D. C., pointed out the complex factors that come into play in understanding food security, including spatially varying controls and stresses, incomplete models, and the potential for threshold responses. Factors that are likely to cause problems include increasing population; increasing preference for meat, which needs more land and energy inputs to produce; climate change; and increasing use of agricultural lands for biomass energy.

Plant Science Alumni Rate Their Education Based upon Entry-Level Professional Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, G. A.; And Others

1992-01-01

The relevance of plant science curriculum at Utah State University was evaluated by students graduating in 1976 through 1986 using a modified Borich Model. Oral and written communication and interpersonal skills were rated as most important. Respondents recommended including business, computer, science, oral and written communications classes, and…

Enabling a sustainable and prosperous future through science and innovation in the bioeconomy at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

PubMed

Sarkar, Sara F; Poon, Jacquelyne S; Lepage, Etienne; Bilecki, Lori; Girard, Benoit

2018-01-25

Science and innovation are important components underpinning the agricultural and agri-food system in Canada. Canada's vast geographical area presents diverse, regionally specific requirements in addition to the 21st century agricultural challenges facing the overall sector. As the broader needs of the agricultural landscape have evolved and will continue to do so in the next few decades, there is a trend in place to transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy, contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emission and our dependency on non-renewable resources. We highlight some of the key policy drivers on an overarching national scale and those specific to agricultural research and innovation that are critical to fostering a supportive environment for innovation and a sustainable bioeconomy. As well, we delineate some major challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in Canada, including climate change, sustainable agriculture, clean technologies, and agricultural productivity, and some scientific initiatives currently underway to tackle these challenges. The use of various technologies and scientific efforts, such as Next Generation Sequencing, metagenomics analysis, satellite image analysis and mapping of soil moisture, and value-added bioproduct development will accelerate scientific development and innovation and its contribution to a sustainable and prosperous bioeconomy. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global hunger: a challenge to agricultural, food, and nutritional sciences.

PubMed

Wu, Shiuan-Huei; Ho, Chi-Tang; Nah, Sui-Lin; Chau, Chi-Fai

2014-01-01

Hunger has been a concern for generations and has continued to plague hundreds of millions of people around the world. Although many efforts have been devoted to reduce hunger, challenges such as growing competitions for natural resources, emerging climate changes and natural disasters, poverty, illiteracy, and diseases are posing threats to food security and intensifying the hunger crisis. Concerted efforts of scientists to improve agricultural and food productivity, technology, nutrition, and education are imperative to facilitate appropriate strategies for defeating hunger and malnutrition. This paper provides some aspects of world hunger issues and summarizes the efforts and measures aimed to alleviate food problems from the food and nutritional sciences perspectives. The prospects and constraints of some implemented strategies for alleviating hunger and achieving sustainable food security are also discussed. This comprehensive information source could provide insights into the development of a complementary framework for dealing with the global hunger issue.

Basic versus applied research: Julius Sachs (1832-1897) and the experimental physiology of plants.

PubMed

Kutschera, Ulrich

2015-01-01

The German biologist Julius Sachs was the first to introduce controlled, accurate, quantitative experimentation into the botanical sciences, and is regarded as the founder of modern plant physiology. His seminal monograph Experimental-Physiologie der Pflanzen (Experimental Physiology of Plants) was published 150 y ago (1865), when Sachs was employed as a lecturer at the Agricultural Academy in Poppelsdorf/Bonn (now part of the University). This book marks the beginning of a new era of basic and applied plant science. In this contribution, I summarize the achievements of Sachs and outline his lasting legacy. In addition, I show that Sachs was one of the first biologists who integrated bacteria, which he considered to be descendants of fungi, into the botanical sciences and discussed their interaction with land plants (degradation of wood etc.). This "plant-microbe-view" of green organisms was extended and elaborated by the laboratory botanist Wilhelm Pfeffer (1845-1920), so that the term "Sachs-Pfeffer-Principle of Experimental Plant Research" appears to be appropriate to characterize this novel way of performing scientific studies on green, photoautotrophic organisms (embryophytes, algae, cyanobacteria).

Plant Science in Reduced Gravity: Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stutte, Gary W.; Monje, Oscar; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2012-01-01

The effect of gravity on the growth and development of plants has been the subject of scientific investigation for over a century. The results obtained in space to test specific hypotheses on gravitropism, gene expression, seed formation, or growth rate are affected by both the primary effect of the microgravity and secondary effects of the spaceflight environment. The secondary effects of the spaceflight environment include physical effects arising from physical changes, such as the absence of buoyancy driven convective mixing, altered behavior of liquids and gases, and the environmental conditions in the spacecraft atmosphere. Thus, the design of biological experiments (e.g. cells, plants, animals, etc.) conducted in microgravity must account for changes in the physical forces, as well as the environmental conditions, imposed by the specific spaceflight vehicle and experimental hardware. In addition, researchers must become familiar with other aspects of spaceflight experiments: payload integration with hardware developers, safety documentation and crew procedures, and the logistics of conducting flight and ground controls. This report reviews the physical and environmental factors that directly and indirectly affect the results of plant science experiments in microgravity and is intended to serve as a guide in the design and implementation plant experiments in space.

New Technologies for 21st Century Plant Science

PubMed Central

Ehrhardt, David W.; Frommer, Wolf B.

2012-01-01

Plants are one of the most fascinating and important groups of organisms living on Earth. They serve as the conduit of energy into the biosphere, provide food, and shape our environment. If we want to make headway in understanding how these essential organisms function and build the foundation for a more sustainable future, then we need to apply the most advanced technologies available to the study of plant life. In 2009, a committee of the National Academy highlighted the “understanding of plant growth” as one of the big challenges for society and part of a new era which they termed “new biology.” The aim of this article is to identify how new technologies can and will transform plant science to address the challenges of new biology. We assess where we stand today regarding current technologies, with an emphasis on molecular and imaging technologies, and we try to address questions about where we may go in the future and whether we can get an idea of what is at and beyond the horizon. PMID:22366161

Secondary Vocational Agriculture Inservice Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Dept. of Agricultural Education.

This document briefly describes the objectives, procedures, accomplishments, and findings of a project to provide inservice training for secondary vocational agriculture teachers in Texas. It then details a survey of the 933 teachers attending the resulting State Professional Improvement Conference for Teachers of Agricultural Science. The survey…

Concerns of early career agricultural science teachers and the perceived effectiveness of educator preparation programs in addressing those concerns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Camilla E.

Little is known about the concerns and needs of early career agricultural teachers associated with the various routes to certification and how these routes address those concerns. The purpose of this study is to determine how selected early career agriculture teachers perceive their teacher preparation program and how effective their programs were at addressing these concerns during their first year of teaching. The sample consisted of secondary agricultural teachers in Texas FFA Areas V and VI, who self-identified themselves as an early career agricultural teacher in their first 3 years of teaching. The first phase included a web-based survey administered to assess the concerns of early career agricultural teachers. Two Likert-type scales were used, and these were used to assess the perceived importance of problems faced by early career agricultural teachers and the frequency in which they encounter those problems. The second phase included a qualitative interview to better understand the perceived relationship between participants' undergraduate preparation, experiences in agriculture and related organizations, and other related activities in preparing them as agriculture science teachers. The teachers interviewed in this study indicated that overall, they were pleased with their preparation. Teacher educators from both programs should address the concerns presented from all teachers to further prepare them for issues faced by early career teachers because it is evident that these issues are not going away.

7 CFR 1126.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1126.4 Section 1126.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1126.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1007.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1007.4 Section 1007.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1007.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1005.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1005.4 Section 1005.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1005.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1005.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Plant. 1005.4 Section 1005.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1005.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1006.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1006.4 Section 1006.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1006.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1131.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1131.4 Section 1131.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1131.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1006.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Plant. 1006.4 Section 1006.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1006.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1007.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Plant. 1007.4 Section 1007.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1007.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1032.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1032.4 Section 1032.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1032.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1006.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Plant. 1006.4 Section 1006.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1006.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1126.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Plant. 1126.4 Section 1126.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1126.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1032.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1032.4 Section 1032.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1032.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1033.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1033.4 Section 1033.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1033.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1033.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Plant. 1033.4 Section 1033.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1033.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1131.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1131.4 Section 1131.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1131.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1126.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Plant. 1126.4 Section 1126.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1126.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1007.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1007.4 Section 1007.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1007.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1126.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1126.4 Section 1126.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1126.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1005.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1005.4 Section 1005.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1005.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1131.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1131.4 Section 1131.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1131.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1131.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Plant. 1131.4 Section 1131.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1131.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1005.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1005.4 Section 1005.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1005.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1126.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1126.4 Section 1126.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1126.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1007.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1007.4 Section 1007.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1007.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1005.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Plant. 1005.4 Section 1005.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1005.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1033.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1033.4 Section 1033.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1033.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1007.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Plant. 1007.4 Section 1007.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1007.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1032.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1032.4 Section 1032.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1032.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1032.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Plant. 1032.4 Section 1032.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1032.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1033.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Plant. 1033.4 Section 1033.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1033.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1033.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1033.4 Section 1033.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1033.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1006.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1006.4 Section 1006.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Definitions § 1006.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1032.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Plant. 1032.4 Section 1032.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1032.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1006.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1006.4 Section 1006.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1006.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1131.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Plant. 1131.4 Section 1131.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Definitions § 1131.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

Potential assessment of establishing a renewable energy plant in a rural agricultural area.

PubMed

Su, Ming-Chien; Kao, Nien-Hsin; Huang, Wen-Jar

2012-06-01

An evaluation of the green energy potential generated from biogas and solar power, using agricultural manure waste and a photovoltaic (PV) system, was conducted in a large geographical area of a rural county with low population density and low pollution. The studied area, Shoufeng Township in Hualien County, is located in eastern Taiwan, where a large amount of manure waste is generated from pig farms that are scattered throughout the county. The objective of the study is to assess the possibility of establishing an integrated manure waste treatment plant by using the generated biogas incorporated with the PV system to produce renewable energy and then feed it back to the incorporated farms. A filed investigation, geographic information system (GIS) application, empirical equations development, and RETScreen modeling were conducted in the study. The results indicate that Shoufeng Township has the highest priority in setting up an integrated treatment and renewable energy plant by using GIS mapping within a 10-km radius of the transportation range. Two scenarios were plotted in assessing the renewable energy plant and the estimated electricity generation, plus the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction was evaluated. Under the current governmental green energy scheme and from a long-term perspective, the assessment shows great potential in establishing the plant, especially in reducing environmental pollution problems, waste treatment, and developing suitable renewable energy.

7 CFR 1124.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1124.4 Section 1124.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Handling Definitions § 1124.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1124.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1124.4 Section 1124.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Handling Definitions § 1124.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1030.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Plant. 1030.4 Section 1030.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Handling Definitions § 1030.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1124.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1124.4 Section 1124.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Handling Definitions § 1124.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1030.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Plant. 1030.4 Section 1030.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and... Handling Definitions § 1030.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1030.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Plant. 1030.4 Section 1030.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND... Handling Definitions § 1030.4 Plant. See § 1000.4. ...

7 CFR 1124.4 - Plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR