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Showcase Crop Sciences

Assessing Organic Tomato Production In Palouse Soils With Biochar Amendment

Assessing Organic Tomato Production In Palouse Soils With Biochar Amendment

Primary Author: Elvir Tenic

Faculty Sponsor: Amit Dhingra

 

Primary College/Unit: Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences

Category: Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

Campus: Pullman

 

Abstract:

 

Principal topic

Current large scale agricultural methods can be seen as a double edged sword: industrial crop production systems provide plentiful food production but led to detrimental impacts to already fragile ecosystems. For all the positive aspects of organic agriculture, there is strong evidence that organic systems overall produce lower crop yields.  Overcoming yield decreases with an emerging technology being implemented globally is the organic soil amendment biochar (BC).  Experimental evidence of BC amended soil showed improved carbon storage, water holding capacity, nutrient delivery, and has led to increased crop yields although detrimental impacts to crop productivity have also been reported.

Method

Hypotheses: BC amended soils would increase water retention, microbial activity and nutrient cycling leading to increased tomato yields.  Eggert Organic Farm soil was supplemented with either no BC, 1 ton/ha or 2 ton/ha of BC and tomato plants were grown during summer of 2019.  Plant biomass, tomato fruit, and soil samples were collected for analysis.

Results/implications

Plant dry biomass demonstrated a reduction in weight with increased BC application but tomato yields indicated an early increase in crop productivity in BC amended soils with final yields comparable to controls soils.  Fruit ˚BRIX in BC amended plants were similar to controls.  No detrimental impacts were found in our study indicating a positive role of BC amendment in Palouse soils. Future analysis of microbial activity from collected soils will shed light on plant/microbe interactions in BC amended soils.

 

Grain Protein Content Stability and Genomic Selection for Predicting the Grain Protein Content in Wheat

Grain Protein Content Stability and Genomic Selection for Predicting the Grain Protein Content in Wheat

Primary Author: Karansher Sandhu

Faculty Sponsor: Arron Carter

 

Primary College/Unit: Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences

Category: Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

Campus: Pullman

 

Abstract:

 

Grain protein content (GPC) is controlled by a complex genetic system, yet it is an important quality determinant for hard red spring wheat as it has a positive effect on bread and pasta quality. GPC is highly variable among genotypes and is also variable across different environments. Thus, understanding the genetic control of wheat GPC and identifying genotypes with less variation under different environments, is an important breeding goal. The objectives of this research were to identify wheat families having less variation for GPC across environments and identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling the stability of GPC. We used 650 recombinant inbred lines from the spring wheat nested association mapping (NAM) population derived from 26 diverse founder parents each crossed to one common parent, ‘Berkut’. The population was phenotyped for three years (2014-16). Genomic prediction (GP) models were developed to predict GPC and GPC stability. The GPC was highly variable between these families across environments. We selected seven families that had less variation of GPC. The stability index of each genotype was obtained by Finlay-Wilkinson regression. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified eight significant QTLs using a Bonferroni correction of 0.05. This study also demonstrated that genome-wide trait prediction with ridge regression/best linear unbiased estimates reached up to r = 0.69. Overall, this study helped in the identification of QTLs controlling the stability of GPC. The genomic prediction accuracies suggest that genomic selection can be used to select breeding lines having higher protein content and improve genetic gain more rapidly.

 

A better screening tool to help combat a common pest of wheat

A better screening tool to help combat a common pest of wheat

Primary Author: Samuel Prather

Faculty Sponsor: Michael Pumphrey

 

Primary College/Unit: Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences

Category: Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

Campus: Pullman

 

Abstract:

 

Principle topic:

Hessian Fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)] is a major pest of wheat in Washington as well as the entire USA. In its larval stage, Hessian fly feeds off the stems of wheat plants causing severe yield loss. While there are pesticides and management practices to combat Hessian fly, because of Hessian fly’s unique life cycle most are not effective. The best way to combat Hessian fly is through use of genetically resistant wheat varieties with one of the 35 known Hessian fly resistance genes. The impediment for breeders developing Hessian fly resistance varieties is a fast-cost-effective way to screen for the resistance, as the current method takes a long time and is very expensive.

Method:

Using a genetics technique known as linkage mapping my project’s goal was to find the genetic location of one of the 35 known genes that has been shown to work in Washington. And then create genetic markers which are an assay to test for that gene.

Results:

After leaning the location of our Hessian fly resistance gene of interest I created 3 genetic markers and validated them on a large panel of varieties. The results show these markers to be highly (>98%) accurate at detecting the presence of the gene. The old method of testing for this gene used by our lab cost ~$150 per test and took about 2 months. This new method using the genetic marker assay takes less than a week and cost ~$1 per test.