greenseedling » Agriculture

Getting the Most Out of Your Animal Feed

Amar — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:05:33 +0000

After learning about cellulose in early high school, my vegetarian mind often wondered how much more energy I could have potentially obtained if humans had the ability to digest cellulose. Of course, with cellulose being the most common biopolymer on Earth, it seemed inevitable that one day, a scientist with a bold plan would develop a means of digesting cellulose, the component that builds the sturdy cell walls of plant. Since cellulose makes up 35-50% of a plant’s dry weight, the efficiency of eating plants would drastically increase if cellulose could be digested. Cellulose digestion can therefore have grand implications in the field of agriculture, as ranchers with livestock could feed their animals nearly 50% less under optimal circumstances.

However, the road to digesting cellulose is a long one. Before current research on cellulose, only one enzyme, cellulose synthase (CESA), of the cellulose constructing protein complex was known. Recently, researchers at Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology in Potsdam, working with colleagues in the USA, identified another enzyme that may play a crucial role in the synthesis of cellulose. When researchers tested plants that could not form this newly identified protein, cellulose synthase-interactive protein (CSI1), they found that a much lower amount of cellulose was produced. This, of course, led to structural malformations in the plant.

Although the scientists have not completely ascertained the full scope of CSI1’s function, the identification of the protein remains a large step forward for the pursuit of cellulose digestion. Understanding the formation of cellulose and plant cell walls could prove to be key in increasing the digestibility of cellulose in animal feed, and could, in turn, spur agricultural production in the midst of a global food crisis.

Discussion Question: Can you foresee any problems if livestock or humans could digest cellulose?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100720083254.htm

Journal Article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1007092107

How Can Beans Beat the Heat?

Amar — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:15:01 +0000

Personally, I find it hard to be productive outside in summer when temperatures climb to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily, I can take refuge in an air-conditioned home, car, or store to save me from the blistering heat. However, so many plants endure the taxing temperature on a daily basis, sitting immotile under the searing sun. The bean plant, for instance, sees its productivity decline when facing such hostile weather. Nonetheless, in the midst of all of the sun’s rays is a ray of hope for beans around the world.

This ray of hope comes from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which has recently released new kidney bean germplasm lines. The new lines of kidney beans, known as TARS HT-1 and TARS HT-2, show high yields despite soaring daytime temperatures. The difference between HT-1 and HT-2 lies in nighttime productivity, as HT-1 thrives under high temperatures after dark, while HT-2 prospers under moderate nighttime temperatures.

Researchers at Cornell University, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Puerto Rico are also developing strains of bean plants that will not only be resistant to heat and drought, but also disease. Resistance to bacterial blight disease will be particularly beneficial to both the crop and the farmer, as loss in yields would be greatly minimized. The research will be published in an upcoming issue of HortScience.

Discussion Question: What might be the mechanism underlying the difference between TARS HT-1 and TARS HT-2?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630115141.htm

ARS Publication announcement: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=248761

Psychedelic Maize Yields Groovy Results

Amar — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:39:36 +0000

Yellow and green streaks seen on the leaves of maize are not just unique; they’re “psychedelic.” The coloring is due to genes that are known as Psychedelic, and these genes may play a role in altering plant yields. Plants with a yellow- and green-streaked leaf phenotype have a mutation in genes responsible for carbohydrate transport. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University found two genes in these plants that contribute to the distinctive coloring of the leaves.

The two “psychedelic” genes that the scientists discovered not only influence the color of the leaves, but they also work together to move carbon throughout the plant. Carbohydrate transport is crucial in plants as it allows the proper distribution of nutrients from the roots to the flowers, meaning that these two genes are significant in plant growth and development. Careful manipulation of this pathway could yield great results in corn and other crops. Manipulating the pathway can bring about an increased efficiency in the production of biofuels by increasing corn biomass, while alteration in the pathways of other plants could lead to a multitude of benefits, such as drought-resistant plants or greater food production.

Discussion Question: What benefits (or consequences) can you foresee from the manipulation of “psychedelic” genes?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607142215.htm

Journal Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607142215.htm

Doubling the Size of Potatoes with… Spit?

Amar — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:23:10 +0000

In an effort to determine the effect of a major pest on the Colombian Andes commercial potato (Solanum tuberosum), researchers from Cornell University, the University of Goettingen, and the National University of Columbia tested tuber growth in the presence of pest infestation. Expecting that infestation of the tubers by the Guatemalan potato moth larvae (Tecia solanivora) would decrease yields, the researchers were surprised when they found that plant yield actually increased significantly.

When 20% of tubers were infested, the researchers found that the weight of the plant yield doubled. Even when half of the potatoes were infested, plant yields were similar to those of plants without infestation. However, the infested tubers themselves do not actually increase in size. When a tuber is infested, other tubers in the plant begin growing more than usual. The authors found that the spit of the moth caterpillar is responsible for this unusual growth pattern and are trying to determine the specific compound in the spit that triggers the growth. The researchers hypothesized that the plant undergoes photosynthesis more when a tuber is infected in order to compensate for the loss of the infected tuber.

If the compound that causes this growth is isolated, it could have great implications in agriculture. Selectively administering the compound in tubers would allow farmers to increase their yields greatly, even after removing the infested tuber. The spit of the moth does not create universal growth in potato species, however. Seven species of potatoes were tested, but only Solanum tuberosum responded in this manner. However, this unique growth mechanism could be a common physiological response in many other plants when triggered by their respective compounds.

Discussion Question: What other evolutionary beneficial relationships do you know of that are similar to the relationship between the potato plant and moth larvae?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100527131704.htm
Journal Article : http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/09-1726

Diversifying the Soybean Line

Deepa — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:20:15 +0000

Many of us have heard that soybeans are being used for an increasing number of products these days, especially with the rise of vegans and vegetarians in America, but how many of us know what makes soy special?

At Purdue, they understand that soy serves a number of purposes that will only increase in the years to come. For this reason, they have put quite a bit of research and effort into finding ways to hone and improve the types of soybeans produced, and the way in which this is done.

Assistant professor of agronomy at Purdue University recently discovered the soybean gene that controls plant stem growth post-flowering. After a long pursuit to find a way to create new, more diverse types of soybeans, it seems that this discovery may be the critical find that many have anticipated.

The findings of this study show that manipulation of the Dt1 gene in soybean plants will allow farmers to grow both indeterminate and determine soybean plants, where previously they could plant indeterminate in the North and determinate in the South.

The details and further ramifications of the study are reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Discussion question: What are limitations on soybeans now? How might this discovery change the face of the American soybean industry?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100427142144.htm
Journal Article: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/04/20/1000088107

New lentil variety proves improve crop yield

Jen — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:00:09 +0000

Growing up as the son of two Pakistani immigrants, I was fortunate enough to be able to sample delectable Pakistani cuisine on an almost daily basis throughout my childhood. As almost any South Asian will tell you, Daal, or a variety of lentils, is considered a staple that is eaten with almost every meal. Although I was not too fond of this particular dish as a child, it began to grow on my very quickly and I would go as far as to say that I probably wouldn’t be able to live without it now.

Fortunately enough for the billion-plus South Asians around the world in addition to countless other lentil lovers out there, a recent study conducted by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists has discovered a new variety of lentils that has proven to be a richer source of protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins than its predecessors.

This new form of lentil, known as Essex, was developed by George Vandemark and Fred Muehlbauer of the ARS and was chosen for public release from a pool of potential varieties due to its unparalleled yield.

In addition to this obvious benefit, it was also found that Essex has protein levels anywhere from 20 to 30 percent higher than other currently popular varieties of lentils. Furthermore, a host of experiments have shown that Essex enjoys a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria that have been found to be extremely efficient nitrogen fixers. How soon will this variety be available to the public, you may wonder? According to the research team at the ARS, Essex may be available for sale to growers as early as 2011. Here’s to biotechnology!

Discussion Question: share your thoughts on biotechnology and genetic engineering. Are you completely for the idea, or are you wary of potentially harmful side effects of this quickly developing technology.

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100316112454.htm

Scientific Article: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/

The Grouse Compromise

Amar — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:54:25 +0000

The sage-grouse numbers in eastern Oregon have been diminishing recently, likely due to overgrazing by the cattle of nearby ranchers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be examining the state of the grouse on a yearly basis to determine if Endangered Species Act protection is needed. Although it is evident that grouse numbers have been decreasing, the effect of grazing on the grouse was not completely understood.

In a study done by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the current method of cattle grazing proved deleterious to sage-grouse. Cattle do not actually consume the sagebrush that the sage-grouse use for food and shelter. Instead, they consume the grass in between sagebrush plants (interspace grass). However, after 40% of the interspace grass is gone, the cattle begin grazing on grass below the sagebrush. This grazing ends up being problematic for the grouse, as its habitat begins to be destroyed.

Although it seems apparent that stopping grazing would help the grouse population proliferate again, it is not beneficial to the ranchers who own these grazing cattle. Many ranchers prefer to have their animals graze on public lands, and stopping grazing on these lands altogether would hurt them. ARS scientists proposed that ranchers may graze on public lands, but the grazing should be carefully monitored. If the cattle have consumed 40% of interspace grass, ranchers should relocate their cattle to other grazing areas before the cattle begin damaging grouse habitat.

Discussion Question: What other solutions could you think of to solve this problem?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100430131235.htm
Journal Article: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=196170

Broad Spectrum Pathogen Resistance Conferred Between Plant Families

Pallavi — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:00:28 +0000

When a pathogen reproduces, it synthesizes both essential and non-essential molecules. Genes important for the production of molecules that are not as important can easily be mutated without much difference to the function or survival of the pathogen. However, genes important for the production of essential molecules are duplicated very carefully, and any mutations in these can be lethal to the survival of the pathogen.

Plants posses “pattern recognition receptors” (PRR’s) at part of their innate immune response system. PRR’s recognize the essential molecules in pathogens and aid the plant in destroying the invader. Until now, little research has been done in determining all the different PRR’s present among plants. Recently, however, Dr. Cyril Zipfel and his team at the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, UK identified one specific PRR and used it to successfully confer broad-spectrum bacterial resistance in plants.

The team isolated a Brassica-specific PRR that recognizes bacteria and transformed it into tomato and Nicotania benthaminia plants. When the transformed plants were tested under the influence of various pathogens, their resistance was significantly better than plants without the PRR gene. This transformation was crucial because it was conducted among plants from different families, showing the potential for conferring resistance to economically significant pathogens in the agricultural industry.

This study may lead to the recognition of other PRR’s and decrease in pesticide and fungicide use, with a potential to improve agricultural yields considerably. As an implication of this study, scientists have already started testing the transformation on plants such as apples, potatoes, and bananas.

Discussion question: What could be a potential negative impact of having all the same PRR’s among all plants?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100314150912.htm
Journal Article: http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v28/n4/abs/nbt.1613.html#/

Genetic Engineering: Boon for Grape Cultivars

Pallavi — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:00:12 +0000

In my Spanish class recently we learned the future tense. In an attempt to keep things interesting, the topics covered by the future tense chapter were space travel and genetic engineering. We discussed the consequences of creating babies “a la carte”, and for our final assignment we had to write an essay about the topic of our choice in regards to space travel or genetic engineering.

While the rest of the class talked about how genetic engineering for animals or humans can lead to a slippery slope of limited biodiversity, I found myself writing about how genetically engineering plants saves money, provides food for the poor and makes agriculture a much more efficient system. I wish I had read the article we are going to talk about before my essay, since it speaks directly of genetic research ailing efficiency in choosing crops.

Grapes are one of the most lucrative crops. However, it takes at least three years for a seed to mature into a fruit-bearing plant. Providing land, fertilizers, and water for three years is expensive. Imagine spending three years growing something and then realizing they are not the type of grapes you thought they were! This can lead to poor yield, and a heavy monetary loss.

With this in mind, a group of scientists lead by Gan-Yuan Zhong from the ARS Grape Genetics Research Unit in Geneva, New York, conducted a study to identify genetic markers for grape cultivars quickly and inexpensively. These genetic markers are supposed to indicate the desired phenotypes (visible traits we would like to have) in crops that can be used for selection.

The researchers began by looking for large scale polymorphisms that are similar across different breeds of grapes. They discovered a lot of single nucleotide polymorphisms, also known as SNPs that can be used to differentiate between the pinot noir and wild types, for example, or even distinguish between different wild type grapes.

Scientists expect this study will pave the way for developing methods to select other crops as well, allowing for lower cost crops and higher yields.

Discussion Question: What are single nucleotide polymorphisms?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100323105954.htm
Research Article: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0008219

Preventing Potatoes from Darkening After Cooking

Amar — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:16:14 +0000

Although the phenomenon of potatoes darkening after cooking or processing is widely known, after-cooking darkening (ACD) had not been researched thoroughly enough (until recently, that is) to determine methods of prevention. Although the darkening does not compromise the nutritional value or the flavor of the food, ACD poses an economic problem to those who are interested in purchasing or selling potatoes for a rather simple reason: blue or black potatoes simply don’t look as appetizing to many people.

A recent study done by researchers at Nova Scotia Agricultural College examined the effect of fourteen different elements found in soil and fertilizer that may affect ACD.

The authors of the study found that phosphorus, calcium, copper, and magnesium displayed the strongest correlation with ACD severity. The study can be used to predict various levels of ACD in potatoes, which would greatly benefit the potato processing industry. The study can also serve as a foundation for further studies on how to reduce ACD. Reducing ACD would not only help businesses involved with potatoes, but it would also help minimize the number of wasted potatoes that were not eaten simply because they look unappetizing.

Discussion Question: What other environmental factors do you think may contribute to ACD?

News Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100415171527.htm
Journal Article: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/44/7/1866