In the creation of my thesis project, I aimed to record a collection of music that highlights my influences and creative voice as an artist within the bluegrass/acoustic music genres. In collaboration with friends and colleagues that I have met during my time at East Tennessee State University, I have successfully recorded a project that surveys my current influences and creative voice as an artist, instrumentalist and composer. One goal I had for this project was to highlight compositions that I have written on acoustic guitar. Before attending ETSU, I did play some acoustic guitar, though I was primarily a banjo player. Since then, I have developed a passion for the guitar and have worked to advance my skills as a guitarist. My project includes two pieces that I composed on the guitar, and these compositions are examples of my exploration of harmony and rhythm. I feel that these pieces fit into the “New Acoustic” subgenre of bluegrass and bluegrass-adjacent music. I also chose to include two songs that fit more into the “progressive bluegrass” subgenre. On these two selections, one cover and one original, I played five-string banjo. These two pieces highlight my current interests and influences from genres like Jazz, Indie, and Pop music. The last two pieces included are songs that come from the bluegrass genre, and represent my progress as both an instrumentalist and vocalist. Also on this project, I experimented with different audio recording techniques. I have been studying audio production as my concentration within the Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies major. This project allowed me to be creative as an audio engineer as well as a musician.

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The effectiveness of 5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil (bromacil) for the selective removal of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) from Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turf and some physiological responses of the grasses to bromacil were evaluated in field studies. Bromacil reduced photosynthesis to a greater extent in orchardgrass than Kentucky bluegrass turf. Foliage carbohydrates were depressed initially in bluegrass followed by recovery in 2 weeks to 1 1/2 months following bromacil application. Orchardgrass, however, did not recover. Application of 0.56 kg/ha bromacil each summer and fall for 2 years gave the best control of orchardgrass. During the second year, increase in foliage crude protein was observed in treated bluegrass. Bluegrass foliage yields were equal to or greater than the controls. Orchardgrass yields were drastically reduced by bromacil. Effective seedling orchardgrass control was obtained with minimal bluegrass injury at 0.14 to 0.28 kg/ha of bromacil. Bromacil treated areas were effectively fall-seeded with bluegrass approximately 8 weeks after a 0.56 kg/ha application, Rooting of bluegrass sod was not inhibited at the rates used for selective control of orchardgrass in bluegrass turf. In controlled environmental growth chamber studies, bromacil had no effect on germination of Merion Kentucky bluegrass or Virginia Common orchardgrass, but reduced the growth of emerging shoots of orchardgrass more than bluegrass. Fresh weight gain, root growth, and transpiration were reduced in orchardgrass plants at 0.125 ppmw bromacil whereas 1.0 ppmw gave reductions in bluegrass. Photosynthesis was inhibited initially in both grasses, however, bluegrass recovered in 6 days. Foliage carbohydrate content was greater and was affected less by bromacil treatment in bluegrass than orchardgrass. Root absorption and translocation of 2-¹⁴C-bromacil to the shoot was directly related to transpiration in both grasses. Bromacil was absorbed and translocated acropetally in sheath and foliar treatments in both grasses. Higher metabolic conversion of 2-¹⁴C-bromacil occurred in bluegrass as compared to orchardgrass with 1.0 ppmw treatment. The major metabolites were 5-bromo-3-(2-hydroxy-1-methylpropyl)-6-methyluracil and an unknown. Trace amounts of 3-sec-butyl-6-methyluracil and 5-bromo-3-sec-butyl-6- hydroxymethyluracil were also detected. Bluegrass tolerance to bromacil involves high carbohydrate levels in tissues, hydroxylation of bromacil, and rapid recovery of photosynthesis. / Ph. D.

Annual bluegrass weevil (Listronotus maculicollis Kirby) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) (ABW) is a major pest of annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) and creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) on golf courses in the northeastern United States. The asynchronous life cycle makes managing ABW difficult, putting emphasis on scouting to achieve accurate insecticide timing and acceptable control. Little is known about the biology and management of ABW in Virginia's more temperate climate. Reported cases of ABW resistance to pyrethroids (IRAC Group 3) continues to grow in the northeast, yet no pyrethroid-resistance cases have been reported in Virginia outside of the metropolitan Washington, D.C. For this thesis, I confirmed the widespread distribution of ABW across Virginia with a survey of golf course superintendents. Two golf courses in southwestern Virginia were monitored weekly during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons to determine the seasonal biology of ABW within this region. These data suggest that overwintering ABW emerge much earlier than described in the northeast, with adult weevil activity beginning in late February or early March. I observed three complete ABW generations, with a potential fourth generation. Soil plugs from the same two golf courses were used to compare the salt floatation and Berlese-Tullgren funnel methods of larval extraction. The methods were highly correlated (R2 = 0.7856), suggesting either method is appropriate for ABW larval extraction. Bioassays conducted on adult ABW from the same two golf courses showed that field rate concentrations of the pyrethroid bifenthrin showed variable mortality ranging from 20% to 80% suggesting the presence of resistance genes in the population. A 100-fold rate of bifenthrin resulted in 100% mortality of ABW, however. Because cross-resistance has been reported among northeastern ABW populations, the common insecticide active ingredients chlorpyrifos (IRAC Group 1B: Organophosphate), trichlorfon (IRAC Group 1B: Organophosphate), λ-cyhalothrin (IRAC Group 3: Pyrethroid), α-cypermethrin (IRAC Group 3: Pyrethroid), imidacloprid (IRAC Group 4A: Neonicotinoid), and spinosad (IRAC Group 5: Spinosyn), were tested on ABW adults. In another bioassay, two organophosphates, trichlorfon and chlorpyrifos, resulted in significantly higher ABW mortality rates than all other labeled insecticides (P < 0.0001). Two other larvicides, spinosad and α-cypermethrin, also exhibited adult control, an important factor to consider for ABW management and preventing pyrethroid-resistance. These results provide valuable insight into the seasonal biology and management of ABW in Virginia and direction for further investigation into these populations. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Annual bluegrass weevil (Listronotus maculicollis Kirby) (ABW) is a tiny, but damaging insect pest of cool-season golf course turfgrasses in the northeastern United States. As pest populations have spread southward, ABW has become an emerging pest in Virginia. The objectives of this thesis were to 1) determine the geographic distribution and seasonal biology of ABW in Virginia, 2) compare two methods for extracting ABW larvae from turf cores in order to estimate larval densities, and 3) to assess the susceptibility of ABW to various insecticides commonly used by golf course superintendents. A survey of golf course superintendents in 2019 revealed widespread prevalence of ABW across Virginia, particularly in areas growing predominantly cool-season turfgrasses. Two golf courses in southwestern Virginia were monitored weekly during the growing seasons of 2019 and 2020 to determine the seasonal biology of ABW. Data suggest that overwintering ABW emerge much earlier than reported in the northeast, with adult weevil activity beginning in late February or early March compared to April in the northeast. In addition, I detected three complete ABW generations, with a possible fourth generation occurring. Soil plugs from two golf courses were used to compare a heat extraction method using a Berlese-Tullgren funnel with the traditional salt float method for extraction of ABW larvae. The two methods extracted similar numbers of ABW larvae suggesting that either method is appropriate for ABW larval extraction. Adult ABW from the same two golf courses were collected and subjected to the pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin at 0.128 kg ai ha-1 (field application rate), 1.28 kg ai ha-1 (10-fold rate), 12.8 kg ai ha-1 (100-fold rate), along with a water control. Results indicated that the field application rate of bifenthrin killed > 50% but <90% of ABW adults, suggesting that some resistance may be present in the population. A concentration of 100-fold bifenthrin field rate killed 100% of tested individuals, suggesting that widescale field resistance to pyrethroids is likely not present. Because cross-resistance has been reported among northeastern ABW populations, the common insecticide active ingredients chlorpyrifos (IRAC Group 1B: Organophosphate), trichlorfon (IRAC Group 1B: Organophosphate), λ-cyhalothrin (IRAC Group 3: Pyrethroid), α-cypermethrin (IRAC Group 3: Pyrethroid), imidacloprid (IRAC Group 4A: Neonicotinoid), and spinosad (IRAC Group 5: Spinosyn), were tested on ABW adults from the same two golf courses. Two organophosphates, trichlorfon, a larvicide, and chlorpyrifos resulted in significantly higher ABW mortality rates than all other active ingredients (P < 0.0001). Two other larvicides, spinosad and α-cypermethrin, also exhibited adult control, an important factor to consider when attempting to manage ABW and preventing resistance to pyrethroids. Our results provide valuable insight into the seasonal biology and management of ABW in Virginia and direction for further investigation into these populations.

Annual bluegrass is a winter annual grass that is problematic on golf putting greens due to its light green color, prolific seedhead production and intolerance to stress. On creeping bentgrass putting greens, herbicides for annual bluegrass control are limited. A new herbicide, methiozolin, developed by Moghu Research Center, LLC, in Daejeon, South Korea, safely and selectively controls annual bluegrass in creeping bentgrass and several other turfgrass species. Methiozolin typically controls annual bluegrass over several weeks, allowing desirable turfgrass time to grow into areas previously infested by annual bluegrass with little surface disruption. The mode of action of methiozolin is unknown, but has been proposed to act as either a cell wall biosynthesis inhibitor (CBI) or an inhibitor of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT). Field studies were conducted at Virginia Tech to investigate strategies promoting surface recovery on putting greens following atypically rapid annual bluegrass loss resulting from methiozolin application, intensive core-cultivation as well as potential interactions with plant growth regulators (PGR's), like ethephon. In the rapid annual bluegrass removal study, all treatments receiving additional fertility via synthetic fertilizer with or without trinexapac-ethyl or biostimulant recovered 1 to 3 weeks more quickly than treatments that did not include additional fertility. Addition of the PGR trinexapac-ethyl inconsistently regulated speed of canopy recovery, both increasing and decreasing recovery speed. Under normal maintenance conditions, methiozolin does not negatively influence putting green recovery, however, if the putting green is exposed to droughty conditions, methiozolin can reduce recovery time by several weeks. Core-cultivation should be avoided in conjunction with methiozolin and ethephon applications because when this procedure was conducted on the same day as herbicide application it significantly damaged creeping bentgrass, reducing cover to 19% at 2000 g ai ha⁻¹, compared to the non-treated at 62%. Regarding the question of methiozoling mode of action, laboratory studies supported the claim that addition of exogenous 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (4-HPP) alleviates symptoms of methiozolin exposure in lesser duckweed, a model monocot species, but feeding various turfgrass species and annual bluegrass exogenous 4-HPP did not alleviate symptoms. Creeping bentgrass secondary root length and density was not affected by methiozolin, although annual bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass secondary root lengths were reduced. Based on these data, it does not appear that TAT inhibition is a primary mode of action of methiozolin in turfgrass. Studies were conducted to determine if methiozolin inhibited cell wall biosynthesis in desirable turfgrass species and annual bluegrass. All species exhibited decreased enrichment of ¹³C in cell-wall sugars form ¹³C-glucose in response to methiozolin and a known cell wall biosynthesis inhibitor, indaziflam. Indaziflam and methiozolin at 0.01 µM inhibited ¹³C enrichment of all sugars less than methiozolin at 1.0 µM, for xylose, arabinose and glucose, but not galactose. Addition of 4-HPP increased incorporation of ¹³C into xylose, but had no other influence on ¹³C incorporation into other cell wall sugars. Lack of species specific response indicates that cell wall biosynthesis inhibition is probably not the source of interspecific species responses observed in the field. / Ph. D.

Architecture can facilitate the learning process. This book outlines a design exploration of this fundamental premise. The architectural platform for this exploration is a music conservatory dedicated to teaching the traditional mountain music of Appalachia. The rich history of mountain music and its centuries-old conversational method of conveyance remain the underlying premise of this thesis. A successful bluegrass conservatory must provide places for its students to engage in three occasions: Discovery, Revelation, and Education. Architectural form is significant to these occasions in that it not only allows, but promotes their occurrence. The discovery of inspirational material can occur in a formal stage-and-seat configuration as in the auditorium, or in an informal environment such as the street. The moment in which a musician reveals or explores this inspirational material can be a private one, most likely to take place in the individual rooms of the residential buildings. The most important occasion, education, takes place as it has for centuries - within conversation. Learning the language of bluegrass music is most likely when two or more students sit together to play, share their knowledge, and build on it. These conversations are key to the learning process and can take place on the benches lining the streets, in the indoor gathering rooms, on balconies and porches overlooking the streets, etc. The discovery, revelational, and educational processes are not chronological and must all happen coincidentally within the school grounds. I have set out to build an architectural language whose meaning is derived by conventional pragmatic parameters. This system of rules or notions governs all aspects of this school's design from stair to stage. The parameters are set according to the intrinsic requirements of placing a building on the land that must promote the occurrence of discovery, revelation, and education. / Master of Architecture

The compatibility of ACP 2100, a member of the imidazolinone family (chemistry not released), imazaquin (2- [4,5-dihydro-4-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-5-oxo-1H̱-imidazol2- yl]-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid) and triclopyr {[(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl)oxy]acetic acid} was investigated for use in a turf management program, including growth regulation and broadleaf weed control. Field and greenhouse results indicated an antagonistic interaction between triclopyr and imazaquin for control of common dandelion (<i>Taraxacum officinale</i> Weber in Wigger). Addition of imazaquin at 276 g ha⁻¹ to triclopyr at 138 g ha⁻¹ resulted in less dandelion control than 138 plus 138 g ha⁻¹, respectively. Greenhouse and laboratory studies indicated a synergistic interaction between ACP 2100 and triclopyr, not apparent in the field. Addition of ACP 2100 to triclopyr at 34 and 69 g ha⁻¹ resulted in less than expected dandelion biomass, indicating increased dandelion control. ACP 2100 initially decreased triclopyr uptake, but resulted in greater uptake 48 hours after treatment. ACP 2100 also increased triclopyr translocation to the crown, root and middle rosette leaves. In the field and greenhouse, triclopyr did not influence growth regulation and decreased turf injury caused by ACP 2100. Studies showed that as the rate of ACP 2100 increased with the rate of triclopyr an antagonism occurred, resulting in decreased turf injury. The low rate of both ACP 2100 and imazaquin in combination resulted in equal turf growth regulation activity to the high rate of either chemical alone or in combination. One greenhouse study indicated that the interaction was synergistic for height suppression with ACP 2100 and imazaquin at rates of 12 plus 17 or 24 g ha⁻¹, respectively. However, field studies showed that ACP 2100/imazaquin combinations resulted in unacceptable injury to ‘l90’ and ‘Glade-Plush-Ram’ Kentucky bluegrass (<i>Poa pratensis</i> L.). The best turf quality, growth regulation and dandelion control was achieved with a combination of ACP 2100 at 96 and 144 g ha⁻¹ plus triclopyr at 276 g ha⁻¹. These results indicate that turf management costs may be reduced without sacrificing dandelion control by incorporating a chemical mowing program into a spring herbicide treatment. / Ph. D.

Bluegrass är en energi- och glädjerik genre som kräver mycket samspel och kommunikation mellan alla musicerande. Detta gör det svårt att fånga genren bra under organiserade inspelningsförhållanden utan att tappa själen i musiken. Syftet med mitt arbete är att undersöka hur olika inspelningssätt, såväl tekniska som miljömässiga, påverkar musiker, instrument, ljud och känsla. Tre olika inspelningar har genomförts, en utomhusinspelning, en inspelning i studiomiljö samt en inspelning under en livekonsert. En mix mellan utomhus- och studioinspelningen skulle med facit i hand varit det allra bästa. Inspelningstekniken och miljön behöver anpassas efter den ensemble som ska spelas in. Allt beror på i vilket sammanhang musikerna känner sig avslappnade och trivs bäst. Det viktigaste som inspelningstekniker och producent är att skapa rätt förutsättningar för musikerna och att inspelningstekniken anpassas efter det sammanhanget. / <p>En inspelning från varje tillfälle medföljer, totalt tre inspelningar.</p><p>Den första är låten "Ill Fly Away" från utomhusinspelningen.</p><p>Den andra låten är "Man of Constant Sorrow" från studioinspelningen.</p><p>Den tredje låten är "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" från livekonserten.</p><p>Videodokumentären och musikvideos från respektive tillfälle finns på www.rebeckaroberts.com</p>

Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) and roughstalk bluegrass (Poa trivialis L.) are among the most troublesome grass weeds on golf courses throughout the United States. Herbicides for selective control of these weeds in cool-season fairways are limited and ineffective. Methiozolin is a new isoxazoline herbicide that controls annual bluegrass on putting greens and shows promise for possible weed control in fairways. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is among the most common turfgrass species used for golf fairways in the Northern United States and its response to methiozolin has scarcely been tested. A 2.5-yr field study was conducted at four Virginia locations to evaluate methiozolin efficacy for selective annual bluegrass and roughstalk bluegrass control in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) or Kentucky bluegrass fairways. Another study evaluated the response of 110 Kentucky bluegrass varieties to three rates of methiozolin. Annual bluegrass has long been presumed to impact putting green trueness, or the ability of the greens canopy to provide a smooth and directionally-consistent ball roll. Although much research has evaluated the impact of greens management on ball roll distance, no peer-reviewed research has evaluated how canopy surface factors, such as weedy annual bluegrass, will influence ball roll direction. Laboratory and field research was conducted to elucidate and overcome experimental errors that may be limiting assessment of ball directional imprecision caused by greens canopy anomalies. Techniques to minimize experimental error were employed in field studies at two Virginia golf courses to determine the influence of annual bluegrass on ball directional imprecision, bounce, and acceleration. Study results suggest that annual bluegrass patches in a creeping bentgrass putting surface can cause subtle increases in ball directional imprecision and bounce but several sources of error must be controlled before these effects can be measured. By using a mechanical putter to avoid directional errors associated with simulated-putt devices, selecting golf balls with balanced centers of gravity, eliminating legacy or "tracking" effects of repeated ball rolls via canopy brushing, and scoring ball direction 30 cm prior to terminal acceleration, we were able to detect an increase in ball directional imprecision of 8 mm m⁻¹ when balls rolled over a single patch of annual bluegrass compared to adjacent rolls on visually-pure creeping bentgrass. In herbicide efficacy studies, methiozolin-only treatments did not significantly injure creeping bentgrass or Kentucky bluegrass, reduce quality, or reduce normalized difference vegetative index regardless of application timings and rates. In general, fall applications of methiozolin reduced roughstalk bluegrass and annual bluegrass cover more than the spring-only treatments. At 1 year after the last treatment, methiozolin at 1500 g ha⁻¹ applied four times in fall at 2-wk intervals for two consecutive years controlled roughstalk bluegrass and annual bluegrass ≥85% and more consistently than other herbicides or treatment regimes. Spanning 110 Kentucky bluegrass varieties, a commercially-acceptable threshold of 30% Kentucky bluegrass injury required between 3.4 to more than 10 times the methiozolin rate needed for annual bluegrass control. Results indicate that annual bluegrass increases directional imprecision and bounce of golf balls rolling across a greens canopy. Methiozolin could be a viable herbicide for managing annual and roughstalk bluegrass in Kentucky bluegrass and creeping bentgrass fairways but weed control efficacy may be dependent on application timing. By measuring small differences in ball directional imprecision as influenced by greens canopy factors, future research efforts will aim to help turf managers choose appropriate greens management techniques. / Ph. D.

Hispanic religious ministry provides a way for long established mainstreams to stay afloat in the face of the demographic realities in the U.S. today. Unfortunately, the lack of literature, particularly in geography, precludes the examination of elements of contemporary Hispanic religious outreach, including such considerations as strategies, their effectiveness, and institutional praxis among mainstream religious denominations in the U.S. Using a hybrid methodology that relies on several techniques, I examine Hispanic religious ministry in the Upper U.S. South, which geographers tell us is America’s newest Hispanic destination. I, thereby, develop and present here a case study to compare Hispanic religious ministry in Kentucky’s Inner Bluegrass metropolitan region, which has recently been attracting Hispanics. I use three mainstream denominations including the Roman Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church, and the Southern Baptist Convention to examine the relationships of religious polity, outreach practices, and disparate strategies among these three denominations. Strategies of Hispanic religious ministry among religious organizations associated with the Roman Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church, and the Southern Baptist Convention; reflect many similarities, while simultaneously exhibiting much variation throughout the Inner Bluegrass. Similarities in outreach praxis seem to be predicated on tactics wherein agencies have come to dominate the cultures of contemporary mainstream religious denominations, while polities, historically structured to differentiate religious traditions and doctrines within a continuum of congregational versus connectional organization, seemed to account for much variation among these disparate denominations. While Hispanic outreach in the Inner Bluegrass mostly follow national-level plans or strategies, the Roman Catholic denomination seems most efficient and effective in managing new Hispanic ministries in the Inner Bluegrass today.