|
Project Title |
Investigators |
Description |
|
Application of Molecular Biology to Genetic Improvement in Rice |
Murai, N. |
Specific objective of this research
proposal is the development of new rice cultivars with
higher protein quality and nutritional improvement. We will
complete the construction of lysine-enhanced phaseolin genes
to be expressed in the vacuolar protein body II of
developing endosperm so as to increase the lysine content in
grains. The number of lysine residues should increase form
the origional 24 to 66 per phaseolin polypeptide of 396
amino acid residues. We will understand parameters affecting
Cocodrie transformation via Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and
other means. |
|
Use of Genetics and Biotechnological, Etiological, And Epidemiological Research
for Rice Improvement |
Rush, M. C.
|
Diseases are a major
constraint on rice production in Louisiana. This project
will identify or develop resistances to major rice diseases
and transfer them to breeding lines with the agronomic
characteristics of commercial varieties. |
|
Isolation of Components Required for Interstrain Inhibition and Pathogenicity of the Sweetpotato Pathogen Streptomyces Ipomoeae |
Pettis, G. S.
|
The bacterium Streptomyces
ipomoeae causes a destructive disease of sweetpotato. Some
disease-resistant cultivars show variability in resistance,
a sign that long-term reliance solely on such resistance is
impractical. The purposes of this project are to isolate
antibiotic-like substances produced by certain S. ipomoeae
strains that may prevent infection of sweetpotato by this
organism, and to characterize the potentially novel genetic
mechanisms by which S. ipomoeae causes disease. |
|
Sugarcane Pathology Research |
Hoy, J. W.
|
1. To evaluate disease resistance as part
of the sugarcane cultivar selection program. 2. To determine
methods for successful billet planting. 3. To reduce the
impact of ratoon stunting disease through infection
monitoring. 4. To evaluate the potential impact of sugarcane
yellow leaf virus. 5. To study changes in soil microbial
communities resulting from sugarcane cultivation that are
detrimental to growth. 6. To develop improved sugarcane
disease management practices. |
|
Etiology, Biology and Management of Diseases of Ornamental Plants and Turfgrasses |
Holcomb, G. E.
|
Disease problems cause serious
losses of ornamental plants in nurseries, garden centers and
landscapes. This project addresses diseases problems, their
cause and control, on ornamental plants and turfgrasses.
|
|
Biology and Management of Soybean Diseases in Louisiana |
Schneider, R. W.
|
Diseases are a major
constraint to maximizing yield and profitability in soybeans
in Louisiana. Because of the climate in the mid-Gulf region,
some of these diseases, which may be of minor importance in
other soybean production areas, are very damaging here. The
purpose of this project is to find the most efficacious
means for controlling diseases in soybean. These include
screening of new fungicides and development of fungicide
application protocols; evaluation of cultural control
programs; and screening and development of disease resistant
varieties. |
|
Aphid and Whitefly-borne Viruses of Sweet Potato |
Valverde, R. A. |
Most sweet potato viruses have
not been well characterized. The main objective of this
investigation is to characterize selected sweet potato
viruses and develop practical diagnotic tools. |
|
The Occurrence and Development of Loblolly Pine Decline |
Jones, J. P.
|
Loblolly pine decline strikes
trees which are 40+ years old and causes serious losses in
these older regenerated stands. The purpose of this project
is to refine and confirm our understanding of the conditions
necessary for development of loblolly decline and develop
management practices which minimize or prevent the
occurrence of this disease. |
|
Host Resistance as the Cornerstone for Managing Plant-parasitic Nematodes in Sustainable Agroecosystems |
McGawley, E. C. |
Plant parasitic nematodes
cause yield suppression in many crop species. Host
resistance suppresses nematode population densities and
provides protection for subsequent susceptble crops. This
project attempts to make effective use of currently
available sources of resistance in sustainable cropping
systems. The purpose of this project is to find effective,
environmentally friendly methods to control plant parasitic
nematodes. |
|
Managing Aflatoxin Contamination of Louisiana Corn |
Damann, K. E., Sweany, R., DeRobertis, C.
|
Aflatoxin contamination of
corn is a serious animal health and economic problem facing
growers in the Gulf South. This project researches
approaches designed to minimize the opportunity for or
effects of aflatoxin contamination on the corn crop. |
|
Identification, Biology, and Management of Agriculturally Important Plant Parasitic Nematodes |
McGawley, E. C.
|
Losses caused by
plant-parasitic nematodes average 7% to 10%, an estimate
that translates into tens of millions of dollars. The
economics of production demands the development of more
accurate means of forecasting nematode damage, evaluating
the impact of pest complexes and formulating management
tactics that are compatible with changing production system
technology. This project evaluates the impact of plant
parasitic nematodes in agriculture in Louisiana. The purpose
of this project is to formulate methods to minimize
nematode-related crop losses. |
|
Crop Loss Assessment (Plant Disease Losses) |
Hollier, C. A.
|
Overall impact of this study is yet to be determin... |
|
Environmental and Genetic Determinants of Seed Quality and Performance |
Cohn, M. A.
|
Dormancy of weed seeds limits
the effectiveness of current weed control practices.
Dormancy of crop seeds prevents uniform plant growth and
increases seed processing costs. The purpose of this study
is to identify seed genes/proteins that prevent germination
and maintain the dormant state. |
|
Management of 'Seed' Transmitted and Postharvest Diseases of Sweetpotato |
Clark, C. A.
|
This project is aimed at 1)
reducing the decline in sweetpotato cultivar performance that occurs as they
accumulate viruses and other pathogens such as Erwinia chrysanthemi as the
sweetpotatoes are vegetatively propagated; and 2) determining the factors that
affect development of postharvest diseases in sweetpotato in order to develop
methods to reduce reliance on fungicides for controlling these diseases. |
|
Biology and Management of Sugarcane Diseases |
Hoy, J. W.
|
Diseases are a significant
constraint to productivity and profitability of the
Louisiana sugarcane industry. This project will increase
understanding of the biology of sugarcane diseases and
develop improved, cost-effective management practices. |
|
Application of Molecular
Biology to Rice: Oryzacystatin Expression |
Murai, N. |
After successful
completion of this project it is possible to enter commercial application of the
project outcomes and to apply for patents covering new binary vectors,
oryzacystatin genes and transgenic plants. The patent rules essentially prevent
us from disclosing full details of procedures even in the case of confidential
research proposal to be reviewed by the peers. Thus, we would discuss the
procedure in general terms and add as much as details allowed within the patent
restriction. The principal and co-principal investigators are familiar with the
all procedures to be described in this proposal, and enlist the refereed
publications demonstrating our competence in applying the procedures to achieve
the proposal objectives fully. A long-term goal of our research is to understand
the molecular biology of growth and development processes of rice (Oryza sativum
L.), and to apply the basic understanding to genetic improvement in rice
cultivars. Toward this end we propose here to enhance the level of expression
and recovery of oryzacystatin or cystatin (cysteine protease inhibitor) from
rice grain. After successful completion of this project it is possible to enter
commercial application of the project outcomes and to apply for patents covering
new binary vectors, oryzacystatin genes and transgenic plants. |
|
Breeding, Etiological,
Epidemiological, and Biotechnological Research for Controlling Rice Diseases |
Rush, M. C. |
Rice diseases are a
major constraint on rice production. The most economic control of rice diseases
is disease resistance. Resistance must be found or created and transferred to
commercial rice varieties. Rice germplasm with new disease resistances will be
provided to the rice breeding program. This project will obtain or develop
resistance to major rice diseases and transfer this resistance to germplasm
useful to the rice breeding program in the LSU Agricultural Center. It will also
develop the elements of etiology and epidemiology needed for utilization of this
resistance for disease control in rice. |
|
Marker-Aided Development
and Characterization of an Introgression Library to Discover Alleles for
Weediness: Red Rice as a Model System |
Subudhi, P. K.;
Cohn, M. A. |
Limited knowledge of
the origins and evolution of weedy characteristics of monocots limits the
formulation of novel genetic strategies to improve crop productivity. Red rice,
a noxious weed in rice growing areas of Southern United States, will be used as
a model to elucidate the molecular basis of weediness, with special emphasis on
seed dormancy and seed shattering, which are two key traits for survival and
persistence of the majority of weed species. Besides advancing the field of weed
biology through genetic analysis of above weedy characteristics, this project
will have great practical utility to analyze other traits of agronomic
importance to improve rice productivity in the United States. |
|
Biological Approaches to
Coastal Wetlands Restoration |
Harrison, S. A.; Materne, M. D.; Kongchum, M.;
Subudhi, P. K.; Utomo, H. S.; Cohn, M.
A. |
Plant biotechnology
and genetic improvement methods are proven and well established in crop
production but have also been applied on a limited basis for bioremediation and
coastal wetlands reclamation. This project will develop the knowledge base and
strategies for genetic improvement needed for the economic and rapid
establishment of critically important wetland plant species for use over large
areas of established and reclaimed coastal wetlands. Collections from naturally
occurring populations will be characterized, and superior plants will be
intermated in a recurrent selection breeding program to develop improved
populations that can be established from seed. Plant cloning and molecular
biology will also be utilized as tools to facilitate genetic characterization
and genetic improvement and to provide superior plant materials to Louisiana's
developing commercial wetland plant and seed industry. Outfield experimental
designs will be utilized to assay sediment issues concerning beneficial use of
dredge material, sediment nourishment of deteriorating wetlands, and factors
influencing vegetative response. |
|
Host-Pathogen Interactions
in the Soybean Rust and Other Major Disease Pathosystems in Soybean |
Chen, Z. |
Soybean rust is
caused primarily by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, which was first reported in Japan in
1902. Soybean rust is now an emerging disease in the continental US since its
discovery in Louisiana in November, 2004. Soybean rust can reduce yields by as
much as 80% depending on rust severity, time of initial host infection, and the
environmental conditions. It was estimated that yield loses could exceed 10% in
most of the United States, and up to 50% in the Mississippi Delta and
southeastern states, where the environmental conditions are particularly
conducive, and the pathogen is expected to become established. The purpose of
the present proposal is to enhance soybean resistance to soybean rust through
understanding of host-fungus interactions. |
|
Investigating
Maize-Aspergillus Flavus Interaction for Enhancement of Resistance to Aflatoxin
Contamination |
Chen, Z. |
Aflatoxins, the
toxic and highly carcinogenic secondary metabolites of A. flavus and A.
parasiticus, are produced during infection of susceptible crops, such as maize,
especially under hot and dry weather conditions. Aflatoxin contamination in food
and feed not only causes millions of dollars in losses to U. S. farmers, but
also poses serious health hazards to humans and domestic animals. Severe
aflatoxin outbreaks occurred in Louisiana, other Southern states, and the
Midwest Corn Belt in the past when there was a prolonged drought, such as the
ones occurred in 1987 and 1998. The purpose of the present proposal is to
enhance maize resistance to A. flavus infection/aflatoxin production through
understanding of host-fungus interactions. Understanding these interactions and
the host resistance mechanisms may enable us to develop commercial varieties
that are resistant to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination, which
will not only reduce the economic losses to farmers, but also ensure food and
feed safety. |
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