A major sweet potato leaf-type catalase was detected and identified from fullyexpandedmature leaves using in-gel activity staining assay with native- andSDS-PAGEs. The putative catalase activity band was inhibited by a catalaseinhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole. The major leaf-type catalase activity wasoptimal over 8, and was significantly repressed by £]-mercaptoethanol. However,its activity was much less affected by temperature within the range of 5 to 450C.Temporal and spatial expression showed that it was specifically detected inleaves, but not in roots and stems. Its activity increased from the immature L2leaves, and reached the maximal at the fully-expanded mature L3 leaves, thenslightly decreased in partial yellowing senescent L4 leaves, and was almost notdetected in completely yellowing L5 leaves similar to folding unopenedimmature L1 leaves. The catalase level showed approximately inversecorrelation with the H2O2 amounts in leaves of different developmental stages.Dark and ethephon, an ethylene-releasing compound, also temporarily enhancedthe catalase activities from 6 h to 24 h, however, the enhanced activitydecreased from 24 h to 48 h in detached leaves after treatment. The catalaselevel also showed approximately negative correlation with the H2O2 amounts intreated leaves. The major leaf-type catalase activity was repressed by EGTA,and the repression can be reversed by exogenous CaCl2. The major leaf-typecatalase activity was also repressed by calmodulin inhibitor chlorpromazine,and the repression can be reversed by exogenous purified SPCAM calmodulinfusion protein. Chlorpromazine-treated leaves also elevated H2O2 amount.Based on these data we conclude that a major leaf-type catalase with maximalactivity in L3 leaf was identified in sweet potato. Its activity was temporarilyenhanced by dark and ethephon, and was modulated by external calcium ion(Ca2+) and calmodulin. A possible physiological role and function in associationwith cellular H2O2 homeostasis in cope with developmental and environmentalcues in sweet potato leaves is suggested.

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) directly measures canopy vertical structures, and provides an effective remote sensing solution to accurate and spatiallyexplicit mapping of forest characteristics, such as canopy height and Leaf Area Index. However, many factors, such as large data volume and high costs for data acquisition, precludes the operational and practical use of most currently available LiDARs for frequent and large-scale mapping. At the same time, a growing need is arising for realtime remote sensing platforms, e.g., to provide timely information for urgent applications. This study aims to develop an airborne profiling LiDAR system, featured with on-the-fly data processing, for near real- or real- time forest inventory. The development of such a system involves implementing the on-board data processing and analysis as well as building useful regression-based models to relate LiDAR measurements with forest biophysical parameters. This work established a paradigm for an on-the-fly airborne profiling LiDAR system to inventory regional forest resources in real- or near real- time. The system was developed based on an existing portable airborne laser system (PALS) that has been previously assembled at NASA by Dr. Ross Nelson. Key issues in automating PALS as an on-the-fly system were addressed, including the design of an archetype for the system workflow, the development of efficient and robust algorithms for automatic data processing and analysis, the development of effective regression models to predict forest biophysical parameters from LiDAR measurements, and the implementation of an integrated software package to incorporate all the above development. This work exploited the untouched potential of airborne laser profilers for realtime forest inventory, and therefore, documented an initial step toward developing airborne-laser-based, on-the-fly, real-time, forest inventory systems. Results from this work demonstrated the utility and effectiveness of airborne scanning or profiling laser systems for remotely measuring various forest structural attributes at a range of scales, i.e., from individual tree, plot, stand and up to regional levels. The system not only provides a regional assessment tool, one that can be used to repeatedly, remotely measure hundreds or thousands of square kilometers with little/no analyst interaction or interpretation, but also serves as a paradigm for future efforts in building more advanced airborne laser systems such as real-time laser scanners.

The short-term temperature-response of dark respiration may be altered by climate warming through temperature acclimation; however the role of drought in influencing thermal acclimation is not known. We hypothesized that leaf dark respiration in three dominant species of the southern oak savanna in Central Texas, Schizachyrium scoparium, Juniperus virginiana, and Quercus stellata, would respond differently to the effects of warming and intensified summer drought owing to their contrasting photosynthetic pathways, leaf habits, and drought tolerances. Furthermore, changes in respiration were predicted to be linked to alterations in leaf chemistry and structure, including leaf nitrogen and non-structural carbohydrates in response to warming and drought. Monocultures planted in replicated rainfall exclusion shelters were warmed ( 1.5 �C) and rainfall events were manipulated to intensify summer drought and augment cool season rainfall compared to the long-term mean. Both warming and drought affected the short-term temperature-response functions of dark respiration and species differed in their responses. Evidence of temperature acclimation through adjustment in Q10 (temperature sensitivity) and R10 (base rate at 10 �C) was found in S. scoparium and Q. stellata but not J. virginiana. All three species showed evidence of reduced temperature acclimation of respiration with progressive summer drought. Redistributed rainfall in J. virginiana increased respiration in midsummer compared to plants receiving the long-term mean rainfall, but differences disappeared in late summer when drought intensified. In response to rainfall events during summer drought, rates in S. scoparium increased, and the effect was greater in unwarmed compared to warmed plants. In both S. scoparium and Q. stellata, Q10 was reduced post-watering. Regression analyses of respiration against leaf N, soluble carbohydrates, and SLA revealed that relationships differed between species and temperature treatments. Respiration rates were uncoupled from changes in soluble carbohydrates in response to drought and rainfall pulses, suggesting that thermal acclimation is diminished by increasing drought stress in drying soils in contrasting tree and grass species. These findings suggest that models of respiratory carbon flux that incorporate temporal changes in respiratory temperature responses with drought and warming and unique species responses will be critical in predicting species and ecosystem-scale responses to climate change.

Wheat diseases such as rusts and powdery mildews are among the most important and ancient diseases that affect wheat cultivation worldwide. The pathogen race specific resistance genes cannot maintain long lasting resistance. On the other hand, the presence of genes confers the non-race specific resistance last much longer. The durable resistance phenotypes in wheat against various rust and powdery mildew diseases were reported as Lr34, Yr18, and Pm38 separately / nevertheless, they were known to locate very close to each other based on linkage analysis. Recently, it was shown that all of these resistance phenotypes are indeed conferred by the same gene, encoding Adenosine triphosphate&ndash / binding cassette transporter (ABC-transporter) type protein. The way with which this transporter is functioning to maintain the durable resistance against different types of pathogens is still unknown. v The presence of LR34 (or ABC-transporter) gene resistant allele can be detected by specially designed markers. In spite of the few DNA sequence differences between the resistant and the susceptible alleles, the easily applicable PCR based markers allow the detection of the presence of this durable resistant allele on any given variety or cultivar. In our study, 62 different Turkish bread wheat varieties were screened by the gene specific molecular markers, developed from those LR34 gene mutation sites. The 11 cultivars determined to contain the resistant allele. This study is the first screening of Turkish cultivars for the presence of LR34 gene.

According to our previous results, ethephon-induced sweet potato leaf senescence and senescence-associated gene SPCP1 expression was affected by reduced glutathione, EGTA, and cycloheximide (Chen et al., 2009). These data suggest that calcium influx, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and de novo synthesized proteins can affect ethephon-mediated effects. Therefore, PCR-selective substractive hybridization and RACE-PCR methods were used to clone 5 full-length cDNAs encoded putative calmodulin (SPCAM), catalase (SPCATA), anionic peroxidase (SPPA), ACC oxidase (SPACO), and DSS1-like protein (SPDSS1) from mixed samples of ethephon-treated leaves for 6 and 24 hours. The ORF of SPCAM contains 450 nucleotides and encodes 149 amino acids. There are 4 putative EF-motifs in the deduced protein structure. SPCAM exhibited amino acid sequence identity with isolated Arabidopsis calmodulins from 48% to 100%, and was completely the same as CaM7 calmodulin. The ORF of SPCATA contains 1479 nucleotides and encodes 492 amino acids. SPCAM exhibited high amino acid sequence identity with other plant catalases from 71.2% to 80.9%, and had the highest identity with mangrove catalase. The ORF of SPPA contains 1068 nucleotides and encodes 355 amino acids. SPPA exhibited amino acid sequence identity with other published sweet potato peroxidase isoforms from 28.7% to 97.5%, and had the highest identity with anionic peroxidase SWPA4. The ORF of SPACO contains 930 nucleotides and encodes 309 amino acids. SPACO exhibited high amino acid sequence identity with other plant ACC oxidases from 62.3% to 81.5%, and had the highest identity with tobacco ACC oxidase. The ORF of SPDSS1 contains 228 nucleotides and encodes 75 amino acids. SPDSS1 exhibited amino acid sequence identity with other DSS1 from 25.2% to 62.3%, and had the highest identity with maize DSS1. The chlorophyll contents and Fv/Fm values were significantly reduced, however, the isolated gene expression was remarkably enhanced in natural senescent leaves. DAB staining showed that H2O2 amount was remarkably elevated at S3 senescent leaves compared to leaves of the other developmental stages. Evan blue staining also demonstrated that S3 senescent leaf had more cell death compared to S0 young leaves. In addition ethephon-induced leaf senescence exhibited similar results. The chlorophyll contents and Fv/Fm values were significantly reduced, however, the isolated gene expression was remarkably enhanced in ethephon-treated leaves compared to dark control. DAB staining showed that H2O2 amount was remarkably elevated at 72 hours in ethephon-treated leaves compared to dark control. Evan blue staining also demonstrated that ethephon-treated leaf for 72 hours had more cell death compared to dark control. Based on these data we conclude that SPCAM, SPCATA, SPPA, SPACO and SPDSS1 gene expression were significantly increased in natural and ethephon-induced senescent leaves. The possible functions of these isolated genes in association with events in ethephon-induced leaf senescence, including calcium influx, ROS elevation or scavenge, and following signaling will be discussed.

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Cheryl Ward, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Anthropology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 16, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

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This thesis consists of three sections that provide detailed knowledge of nutrient estimation and management in wild blueberry production. The first section investigated the main and interactive effects of long term fertilizer (NPK) enrichments on soil mineral nitrogen, organic nitrogen and carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen and carbon, net mineralization and net nitrification in wild blueberry soils. The second section studied the optimization of wild blueberry growth, development, foliar nutrients and harvestable yields by using response surface methodology. The third section examined nutrient estimation technologies using field spectroscopy. The remote sensing data was analysed with a combination partial least squares regression and variable selection algorithms (Chemometric analysis). The results indicated elevated nitrification activity under nitrogen enrichments, mainly performed by heterotrophs, report unusually high levels of dissolved organic carbon (> 150 C ha-1), a fungal dominated soil system and high concentration of soluble organic nitrogen in the crop year of production. Nitrification and high dissolved organic carbon levels were observed in connection with possible nitrogen saturation and potential environmental hazards. The results imply a need for nitrification inhibition measures. Results from field studies examining the main and interactive effects of soil applied N, P and K suggested that applications of nitrogen (35 kg ha-1), phosphorus (40 kg ha-1) and potassium (30 kg ha-1) were required to optimize growth, development and harvestable yields of wild blueberry. Under these fertilizer rates, the corresponding predicted harvestable yield was 4,126 kg ha-1 that is as much as 13% higher than would be produced by commonly used fertilizer rate in the industry. This study presented new leaf nutrient ranges for sprout and crop years for wild blueberry fields in Atlantic Canada. Hyperspectral remote sensing technologies were used for estimating macro and micro nutrients. This study provides critical information on wavelengths important for nutrient estimation in reflectance spectra (400-2500 nm). The results and inferences from this thesis may be employed to improve crop production, increase economic returns and health of soil and sustainability of wild blueberry production in Nova Scotia. / This study was undertaken to examine the response of the wild blueberry plant to soil applied fertilizers and encompasses soil nitrogen and carbon pools, plant growth and development, leaf nutrient concentrations and harvestable yields. In addition, given the vast area in which wild blueberry fields are located, the study also examined the feasibility of assessing plant nutrient status through the use of remote sensing hyperspectral technologies. Our results emphasize the importance of monitoring for soil nitrogen and carbon pools in the context of accelerated nitrogen cycling, nitrogen saturation, the fine-tuning of current leaf nutrient ranges in Atlantic Canada in connection to fertilizer rates, the possibility of estimating leaf nutrient contents by remote sensing technologies all with the aim of optimizing wild blueberry yields. In terms of statistical techniques, this thesis used response surface methodologies with a central composite design as a means of discovering, the main and interactive effects of soil applied fertilizers to determine the most appropriate soil nitrogen levels and leaf nutrient ranges that correlate to the highest harvestable yields. The remote sensing data used to estimate leaf nutrients concentrations, various models that combined chemometrics and response surface methodologies for determining model efficiencies with aim of getting informative wavelengths in wild blueberry fields.

A study on Prince Edward Island was initiated to assess the impact of organic fertility amendment rate and timing treatments and deflowering on the growth, yield, and berry size and soluble solids, and plant and soil available nutrients of blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L cv. Titania.). Plants at the site with lower leaf P and K showed lower growth and yield (492-2540 kg ha-1) than the other site (3935-5016 kg ha-1No significant differences were found in final size or 2011 yield at the site with larger bushes, while at the other site the medium spring fertility treatment gave the greatest growth and yield, followed by the high spring fertility treatment. Deflowering increased yield but not growth at the site with recommended ranges of leaf P and K; at the site with P and K deficiencies, growth increased in 2010 and 2011. There was no interaction between deflowering and amendment timing.