PVAMU College of Agriculture and Human Sciences Student Research Journal by PVAMUCAHS

C O L L E G E O F A G R I C U LT U R E A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S

STUDENT RESEARCH JOURNAL 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS 05

Introduction

Fucosyltransferase Expression and Relevance in Caprine Endometrium

Analysis of Phyla dulcis Metabolites and Studying the Effect of Chitosan as a Metabolite-inducing Factor

Environmental Monitoring of Water Conditions Along Two Drainageways on the Prairie View A&M University Campus

The Study of Caprine Casein Hydrolysate as a Prebiotic

Green Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles with Potential Antimicrobial Properties

Immigration Labor in the US Agriculture Sector: Implications for Policy Changes

Analyzing Irrigation Water Needs for Turf Grass Across Harris County

Performance of Egyptian Spinach and Vegetable Amaranth Cultivars in Texas

12 14

Comparison of Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis Parameters in Fresh and Cooled Goat Semen Using Commercial Semen Diluents with and without Animal Protein Comparison of Fat Particle Sizes Between Goat and Cow Whole and Skim Milks Effect of Drying on Fatty Acid Composition of Different Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera L.) Types Alternative Approach for Formation of Silver Nanoparticles Using Capsicum annum Extract Seed Germination Bioassay to Evaluate Phytotoxicity of Commercial Organic Fertilizers and Soil Amendments

Effects of Nutrient Treatments on Biomass Yield of Phyla dulcis

Seasonal Price Variation of Selected Agricultural Commodities

Spatial Variability of Manganese Oxide (MnO x) in Uplands and Lowlands: Phase Two

Biological Pathways Associated with Wild and Domestic Animals

Delineating Wetland Boundaries Using Manganese Oxide (MnO x) Levels: Phase Two

Vetlink for Animals

Abnormal Luteal Development During Early Diestrus in the Goat

Impact of Rainfall and Temperature on Soil Moisture Dynamics

A Web Application for Visualizing and Predicting Groundwater Storage in Texas

Effects of Organic Amendments for Collard Greens Farming on Soil CO 2 Emissions

Impact of Land-use and Climate Changes on Groundwater Storage in Texas

Plant Characteristics and Physico-chemical Analyses of Leaves of Two Cocoyam Cultivars Grown in Prairie View, Texas

Developing Irrigation Scheduling Tool IrrigWise to Increase Water Use Efficiency in Texas

Growing Ideas, Impacting Lives

INTRODUCTION Undergraduate research is an important part of an undergraduateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learning experience, as it enhances critical thinking skills and promotes positive interactions among students, while also providing an opportunity to turn classroom experiences into real life situations. Students at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) are given the opportunity to perform scientific research, especially in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS). The research activities are conducted as Class Projects or in a Research Scientistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s laboratory as a Student Research Assistant or a Student Volunteer. The intent of this research journal is twofold: 1) to display the type of projects students are exposed to during their matriculation towards copmletion of their degrees and to provide an opportunity for PVAMU student reserachers to complete driven hypotheses and relevant research projects. It is an exciting time to be a part of CAHS as we embark upon projects that could contribute to solving issues related to the dilemma that the United States will face according to project 2050. Project 2050 is an ongoing project around the world which promotes and brings awareness to food and water shortages before, during or after the year 2050. In 2050, it is estimated that the world population will reach 9.6 billion people; thus the need to equip PVAMU students to meet the growing global demand of the shrinking food, water and clothing resources.

FUCOSYLTRANSFERASE

EXPRESSION AND RELEVANCE IN CAPRINE ENDOMETRIUM

Juan Avendano UNDERGRADUATE

ELLEN-ASHLEY WILLIAMS, ARIA PHILLIPS, TEILOR RUFF, MARISSA GRAY, SHAYE LEWIS, WILLIAM FOXWORTH, FLAVIO RIBEIRO, LOUIS NUTI AND GARY NEWTON

There is substantial experimental support for the hypothesis that the alpha k-1,2 fucosylated H-type 1 antigen (HT1) is involved in blastocyst attachment to the endometrium prior to implantation in several species. Endometrial expression of the HT1 antigen changes dramatically during the earliest stages of fetal - maternal

interactions in the goat and may represent a marker for uterine receptivity. The enzyme that catalyzes the final step in the formation of the HT1 antigen in humans is a-1,2 fucosyltransferase. Changes in fucosyltransferase gene expression may play a role in initiation of placentation and subsequent growth of the conceptus. Therefore, specific objectives of this study were to evaluate d-1,2 fucosyltransferase gene expression in reproductive tract tissues obtained during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy using RNA-seq. Deep sequencing of endometrial RNA was performed on Day 17 of the estrous cycle (n=4) and on Day 17 of pregnancy (n=2/day) using Illumina RNA-Seq (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). Raw sequence reads from FASTQ

files from the six samples were mapped against the Capra hircus genome. Functional category and pathway analysis indicated that 18 different biological processes were increased during pregnancy. Differential expression of endometrial genes involved in glycosylation was not detected during the pathway analysis. Therefore, we manually searched and summarized genes involved in the glycosylation processes. Seven fucosyltransferase genes that catalyse the addition of fucose to the Histo- and Lewis blood group antigens were detected. We will be further validating the RNAseq data by evaluating temporal expression of key glycosylation enzymes using quantitative real-time PCR and in situ hybridization.

F U C O SY LT R A N S F E R AS E G E N E S 07

COMPARISON

OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED SPERM ANALYSIS PARAMETERS IN FRESH AND COOLED GOAT SEMEN USING COMMERCIAL SEMEN DILUENTS WITH AND WITHOUT ANIMAL PROTEIN

MARISSA N. GRAY, TEILOR J. RUFF, GERARD J. JEFFERSON, LOUIS C. NUTI, SHAYE K. LEWIS, FLAVIO R.B. RIBEIRO, GARY R. NEWTON AND WILLIAM B. FOXWORTH

Jeremy Brent

Asia Phillips

UNDERGRADUATE

Within recent years, the use of animal proteins in semen extenders (diluents) has been limited by global import/export regulations that bar the use of animal proteins in diluents used to process semen. Several commercial semen extenders have recently been developed, for use in bulls and rams that are animal protein free. Few studies have been conducted to understand their efficacy in processing goat semen. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare, fresh

and cooled goat semen, processed with commercially available semen extenders, with or without animal protein, utilizing computerâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Subjective microscopic sperm motility analysis is imprecise and CASA presents an objective method for analyzing several motility and kinetic characteristics of sperm. These include; motility (MOT), path velocity (VAP), track speed (VCL), progressive velocity (VSL), straightness (STR) and linearity (LIN). Semen samples

were collected 5-6 times from 6 Alpine bucks over a two month period during the breeding season. The fresh semen samples, processed at 36.5OC, were diluted 1:200 with each of the following commercially available semen diluents; BoviPro Two Step Part A (MOFA Global, Verona, WI, USA), BoviPro One Step (MOFA Global, Verona, WI, USA), OptiXcell (IMV Technologies, Maple Grove, MN, USA), BIOXcell (IMV Technologies, Maple Grove, MN, USA)

SEMEN SAMPLES COLLECTED

COMPARISON

OF FAT PARTICLE SIZES BETWEEN GOAT AND COW WHOLE AND SKIM MILKS

Brienae Davis UNDERGRADUATE RAHMAT ATTAIE, ADELA MORA-GUTIERREZ, MARYURI NUNEZ DE GONZALEZ AND DELAND MYERS

Size of fat globules in milk influences the rate of creaming, which is important in processing of dairy products. The creaming rate is less in goat milk than in cow milk during processing. The objective of this investigation was to determine the differences in fat globule sizes of goat and cow milk. Milk from Alpine goats and Holstein cows

were obtained from the bulk tanks of producers immediately prior to analyses. Fat globule size was determined in both types of milk using a laser particle size analyzer. The size of individual fat globules in goat milk ranged from 0.73 to 8.58 μm in diameter. The average diameter of fat particles based on volume to surface area ratio (dvs) was 2.76 μm in goat whole milk. However, the average diameter of fat globules in cow whole milk was 3.51 μm based on volume to surface area ratio (dvs), which was significantly more than the average size of fat globules in goat milk. The size of fat globules in cow whole milk ranged from 0.92 to 15.75 μm in diameter. The specific surface area of particles in goat whole milk was 21,778 cm2/ ml, whereas the specific surface

area of particles in cow whole milk was 17,117 cm2/ml. Overall, 90% of the total particles found in goat whole milk were less than 5.21 μm in diameter, whereas 90% of the total particles in cow whole milk were less than 6.42 μm based on the volume frequency distribution. Fat globule size is important in processing dairy products.

GOAT < 5.21 μm in diameter

COW < 6.42 μm in diameter 11

EFFECT

OF DRYING ON FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF DIFFERENT VIRGIN COCONUT OIL (COCOS NUCIFERA L.) TYPES

Robert Douglas UNDERGRADUATE DIDRAIN CLARKE, SELA WOLDESENBET, FLORIDAMA FAJARDO AND ARUNA WEERASOORIYA

Recently, the demand for virgin coconut oil, which is rich in medium-chain triglycerides, is showing a significant increase. Virgin coconut oil is not only used for cosmetic purposes but it is also widely consumed for its medicinal benefits. The objective of this study was to identify and compare the fatty acid compositions of

four different virgin coconut oils, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis. Four different virgin coconut oil samples (Costco, Thai, Sri Lankan 1, and Sri Lankan 2) were separated into two groups each: dried (at 45 oC) and as received “control”. Samples of 0.1 g with three replications from each group were mixed with 875 µl hexane and 0.33 M sodium hydroxide/methanol solution. Sample mixtures were put in capped tubes and then placed inside an incubator shaker set at 100 rpm and 60oC for 90 min. After incubation, samples were allowed to cool at room temperature for 20 hrs. Then, the top hexane layer was removed and diluted with HPLC grade hexane at a 1:1000 ratio and analyzed using the GC-MS. Results show that fatty acid composition

of dried coconut oil samples was relatively small in abundance compared with that of the as received “control” samples. Among coconut oil types, both Sri Lankan 1 and 2 samples contained higher concentration of fatty acid levels compared to the Costco and Thai samples. Overall, results suggest that drying coconut oil samples could reduce concentration of fatty acids that are naturally available in virgin coconut oil.

FATTY ACIDS IN VIRGIN COCONUT OIL 13

ALTERNATIVE

APPROACH FOR FORMATION OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES USING CAPSICUM ANNUM EXTRACT

James Fearon UNDERGRADUATE MARSHALL JOSEPH II, EBONEE WILLIAMS, SUBHANI BANDARA AND LAURA E. CARSON

Green synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) has gained significant interest over the past decade, as the traditional (chemical) approaches of nanoparticle synthesis are proven to be hazardous to the ecosystem, more costly and time consuming. During our research, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)

were synthesized using yellow bell pepper (Capsicum annum) extract. According to literature the compounds present in plant species can act as reducing agents and stabilizing agents for the synthesis of AgNPs. Moreover, it was noted that the reaction conditions such as time and quantities of reagents affect particle stability, particles aggregation and particle size while maintaining the integrity of functional groups. Therefore it was hypothesized that the chemical components within the bell pepper extract can aid in the synthesis of AgNPs. During this project, the deseeded bell peppers were boiled in water, syringe-filtered and then reacted with silver nitrate aqueous solution. The mixture was microwaved at various time

intervals to form AgNPs and characterization was done using UV-visible spectroscopy (UVVis), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Malvern Zetasizer Nanoseries, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). Results from the UV-Vis spectra showed peaks within the range of 400-500 nm indicating the formation of AgNPs. The FTIR spectra showed the presence of hydroxyl, amine and carbonyl functional groups in the final product. XPS showed that silver is attached to sulfur that is derived from the metabolites of plant extract. Zeta potential values were used to measure the stability of NPs in the aqueous solution and it showed stability up to four

weeks. EDS showed that a significant percentage of silver was embedded in the final product, further confirming the formation of AgNPs. In conclusion, the experiment indicated that AgNPs could be synthesized using green biosynthetic methods.

AgNPs SYNTHESIS 15

SEED

GERMINATION BIOASSAY TO EVALUATE PHYTOTOXICITY OF COMMERCIAL ORGANIC FERTILIZERS AND SOIL AMENDMENTS

Monique Garcia UNDERGRADUATE ROBERT DOUGLAS, LEONA EDEGBE, ASJA JACKSON, KEDIST TESHOME, TESFAMICHAEL KEBROM, HAIMANOTE BAYABIL, SELAMAWIT WOLDESENBET, MING GAO, PETER AMPIM, ALI FARES

Small soale vegetable and fruit crop producers transitioning from conventional farming to semiorganic or organic farming apply organic fertilizers in soil amendments to enhance crop yields. In the USA, commercial organic amendments prepare from municipal, industrial and farm wastes, which are safe to apply

to agricultural soils, are available from local stores. The nitrogen in organic fertilizers is lower than conventional inorganic fertilizers. To meet nitrogen requirement of crops, organic amendments are applied at higher rates. With higher rates of application, some of the nutrients, heavy metals or salts in organic soil amendments could reach toxic levels, inhibit crop growth and reduce yield. Therefore, the objective of our research is to investigate phytotoxicity of commercial organic amendments using the seed germination bioassay in order to develop agronomic and breeding strategies to reduce or eliminate phytotoxicity. To determine phytotoxicity of three commonly used commercial organic amendments, chicken manure,

dairy manure and milorganite, we conducted seed germination test of collard greens in pots and petri dishes. Our results indicate higher application rates of chicken manure and milorganite, but not dairy manure, could be toxic to collard greens and possibly to other crops.

TOXIC LEVELS OF HEAVY METALS AND SALTS

ANALYSIS

OF PHYLA DULCIS METABOLITES AND STUDYING THE EFFECT OF CHITOSAN AS A METABOLITE-INDUCING FACTOR

Tony Green UNDERGRADUATE SUBHANI BANDARA, PETER AMPIM, SELA WOLDESENBET, ARUNA WEERASOORIYA, MING GAO, LAURA E. CARSON AND GODSON OSUJI

Over centuries, people have been using plant extracts and formulations to treat various diseases. The species Phyla dulcis is a tropical South American plant well known for its medicinal value and traditional use to treat cough, cold bronchitis, asthma, and colic. But the plant extracts contain high levels of camphor,

giving it a bitter taste and limiting its usage as a medicinal plant in various treatments. Chitosan is a biodegradable polymer that is known to alter the production of plant metabolites, when applied as a treatment during plant growth. Hence, the purpose of this project is to analyze the camphor levels in different plant parts and to use chitosan as a treatment method to decrease the camphor levels in plant extracts. During this study, the cultivation of Phyla dulcis was carried out in the greenhouse and chitosan was extracted from crab shells to be used as treatment for the plants. The results of preliminary analysis of plant parts using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), before chitosan treatments indicated the highest camphor levels in

leaves and the lowest levels were observed in stems. In the future studies, chitosan treatments will be carried out for the plants growing in the greenhouse and will be analyzed using GC-MS to observe the effect on camphor levels.

GC-MS HIGHEST CAMPHOR LEVELS 19

ENVIRONMENTAL

MONITORING OF WATER CONDITIONS ALONG TWO DRAINAGEWAYS ON THE PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

Bryant Hunter UNDERGRADUATE DALAIS BAILEY, ANDRE BROWN, JAZMINE CAMPBELL, JASMINE FRANCIS, BRYAN HUNTER, BRANDON ROACH, TEILOR RUFF, MEAGAN SANDERS, SOULEYMANE TRAORE, QUINN TUCKER AND RICHARD W. GRIFFIN Occurrence of algal blooms due to excessive amounts of nutrients entering into the drainageways can lower the overall water quality. Drainageways serve as the “arteries” for the landscape and any ions that degrade the environment will become part of the public water supply that many downstream communities depend on for their drinking water requirements. This study was conducted with the purpose to monitor environmental conditions in the surface water on the PVAMU campus during the 2018 spring semester. Specific objectives of this research were to monitor pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and redox potential (Eh) levels at five selected sites on campus. The sites include the University Drainageway West, University Drainageway

Central, University Drainageway East, Med Clinic Drainageway Central, and Med Clinic Drainageway East. A set of portable probes was used to test the pH, EC, and Eh of the surface water at each site. The pH was predicted to be acidic due to the amount of organic material located in the soil and surrounding environment. The EC values were predicted to be low, because there is no abundant source of NaCl in the area (Somers et al., 2013). The Eh values were expected to be aerobic due to high activity of microbial decomposition of organic materials in the water (Somers et al., 2013).

LOW EC VALUE 21

STUDY

OF CAPRINE CASEIN HYDROLYSATE AS A PREBIOTIC

Asja Jackson UNDERGRADUATE JENEANNE M. KIRVEN AND ADELA MORA-GUTIERREZ

In this study, caprine casein hydrolysates were produced by enzyme hydrolysis of caprine casein. Two enzymes, pepsin and trypsin, were used to produce two species of caprine casein hydrolysates. These two hydrolysate species were evaluated for their prebiotic potential by determining if these

can support the growth of various probiotic bacteria. Growth studies of the most widely used probiotic bacteria, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, were evaluated. It was determined that caprine casein hydrolysates significantly (P<0.05) supported growth with the selected probiotic bacteria. With trypsin-treated caprine casein probiotic bacteria B. bifidum, B. breve, L. bulgaricus, and L. delbrueckii grew better than with pepsin-treated caprine casein. Caprine casein hydrolysates showed consistent prebiotic activity in the selected probiotics during the early experimental period (12h, 24h) at 37oC. Therefore, this study shows the prebiotic activity of the two caprine casein hydrolysates in some probiotic strains, which

could facilitate developing novel combinational approaches by simultaneously using caprine casein hydrolysate and specific probiotics.

GREEN

BIOSYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES WITH POTENTIAL ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES

Marshall Joseph UNDERGRADUATE EBONEE WILLIAMS, SUBHANI BANDARA AND LAURA E. CARSON

The synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles using plant extracts has long intrigued the research world. Conventional methods for nanoparticle formation typically require the use of dangerous, toxic chemicals and large amount of heat (energy), which can result in the formation of hazardous, environmentally unfriendly

byproducts. Recent studies have shown that nanoparticles such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have broad potential applications in the agriculture and biomedical fields. In our study, AgNPs were synthesized by reduction from aqueous silver nitrate solution using the metabolites present in the known medicinal plant species. It is believed that the metabolites present in the plant extract act as both a reducing agent and a capping agent. Additionally, it is believed that the particle sizes can be manipulated by changing the reaction time. In our study, the leaves of medicinal plant grown on our university farm were boiled in water, filtered and then reacted with AgNO3 solution. The mixture was then heated in five seconds intervals using Tappan 900 watts

microwave oven to afford AgNPs and that further was characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Zetasizer Nanoseries equipment. Furthermore, antimicrobial studies were conducted with microbes commonly associated with foodborne illnesses. Surface plasmon resonance phenomenon was observed in UV-Vis spectra, in the wavelength range from 435450 nm with broadening attributed by the presence of various sized AgNPs. Peaks shown in FTIR were attributed to the presence of both -NH2 and OH functional groups in the metabolites of plant extract. The stability of the colloid solution was assessed using zeta potential measurements and indicated that AgNPs formed were

relatively stable. Antimicrobial studies revealed the ability of nanoparticles to inhibit the growth of certain microbial strains. Conclusively, it was found that NPs with potential antimicrobial effect could be formed using plant-based materials.

AgNPs SYNTHESIZED

IMMIGRATION

LABOR IN THE US AGRICULTURE SECTOR: IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY CHANGES

Tiffany Latin UNDERGRADUATE ALFRED L. PARKS

The H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program provides a legal means to bring foreign-born workers to the United States to perform seasonal farm labor on a temporary basis. As an American taxpayer at the end of the year, you are obligated to inform the United States government about the monies earned over the fiscal

year and pay taxes accordingly. The United States is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading agricultural producers and suppliers. There is a $374 billion economic factor in the U.S. agriculture sector that is critical to the U.S. economy, but its health depends on an immigration system that works for all parties involved. From migrant workers on farms to foreign-born scientists at agribusiness and agricultural research centers, immigrant labor worker is important for U.S. agriculture. In order for the agriculture industry to grow and continue to become sustainable in our economy we must rely farm workers. Farmworkers come from foreign countries to the U.S. to obtain employment and a better way of life for themselves and their families whether here or abroad.

Data has shown that the agriculture industry is dependent on the presence of immigrant workers, not American born. People born in America own farms and ranches but do not constitute the majority of the agricultural employment industry. The agriculture sector has the ability not only to employ immigrants, but also help them become more than just workers but tax paying citizens just as everyone else is in the U.S. There needs to be more than just an illegal migrant worker status, where they are treated as modern slaves without regard to their livelihood. Hence, the objective of this research was to evaluate the current immigration policies in the Agriculture sector and to understand the economic impact the U.S. will encounter due to its reform.

$374

BILLION 27

ANALYZING

IRRIGATION WATER NEEDS FOR TURF GRASS ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY

Devontey Lee UNDERGRADUATE RIPENDRA AWAL AND ALI FARES

Harris County is one of the most populated counties in the US. About 30% of domestic water use is for outdoor activities especially landscape irrigation and gardening. Optimum landscape and garden irrigation contributes to substantial water saving and energy saving and consequently reduction of CO2 emission into the atmosphere.

Thus, the objectives of this work are i) to calculate site specific turf grass irrigation water requirement across Harris County; ii) calculate CO2 emission reduction, and water and energy savings across the county if optimum turf grass irrigation is adopted. The Irrigation Management System (IManSys) was used with site specific soil hydrological data, turf crop water uptake parameters (root distribution and crop coefficient), and daily rainfall and reference evapotranspiration to calculate irrigation water demand across Harris County. IManSys outputs include irrigation requirements (IWRs), runoff, and drainage below the root system. Savings in turf IWRs and energy and their corresponding reduction in CO2 emission were calculated. Irrigation

water requirements decreased as one would move across the county from its North-West to its South-East corners. However, the opposite happened for the runoff and excess drainage below the rootzone along the same direction. The main reason for this variability is due to the combining effect of rainfall, reference evapotranspiration and soil types. If the annual irrigation water use is higher than optimum water requirement by one inch, the annual irrigation water loss will be 2,760 million gallons and corresponding excess energy use and CO2 emission will be 4,413 MWh and 2,599 Metric tons, respectively.

2,760 MILLION GALLONS

PERFORMANCE

OF EGYPTIAN SPINACH AND VEGETABLE AMARANTH CULTIVARS IN TEXAS

Ferdinand Nkot UNDERGRADUATE KEHINDE KPOKPOGBE, PETER AMPIM, ARUNA WEERASOORIYA, SIXTO MARQUEZ AND GODSON OSUJI

Egyptian spinach (Corchorus spp.) and vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) are popular nutritious tropical leafy vegetables with niche markets in the U.S. Growing these specialty vegetables successfully for the markets require determining suitable varieties and optimizing their production. Hence the goal of this

study was to evaluate two popular cultivars of Egyptian spinach and five cultivars of vegetable amaranth under the same field conditions to determine cultivars suitable for Texas. The Egyptian spinach evaluation involved a Ghanaian and a commercial cultivar while the vegetable amaranth cultivars studied include red garnet, red beauty, red leaf, all red, and white leaf. These crops were established on 1 m2 plots in a completely randomized design with three replications and were grown to maturity before harvesting. SPAD meter readings, which is a measure of the relative chlorophyll content of the leaf, were taken from five randomly selected plants in each plot before harvesting. Egyptian spinach was harvested three times while the amaranth

was harvested once. Analysis of variance of the fresh leaf yield data for Egyptian spinach showed that the commercial cultivar produced significantly (p = 0.0808) more leaves than the Ghanaian cultivar. However, the SPAD data showed no statistical differences. For the vegetable amaranth, the fresh leaf yield of the white leaf cultivar was significantly different (p = 0.0071) from all the others. Relative chlorophyll content also showed significant differences (p <0.0001) among the amaranth cultivars. The lowest and highest relative chlorophyll contents were measured for the white leaf and red garnet cultivars respectively. Positive and negative linear correlations were observed between relative leaf chlorophyll contents and yields for Egyptian

spinach and amaranth respectively. Based on these results and unquantified insect activity observations on the vegetables during this initial period of the on-going study, suitable varieties will be determined using multiple factors including yield.

1m PLOTS 2

RANDOMIZED DESIGN 31

EFFECTS

OF NUTRIENT TREATMENTS ON BIOMASS YIELD OF PHYLA dULCIS

Samuel Olanrewuja UNDERGRADUATE ANDRE JOHNSON, GODSON OSUJI, ARUNA WEERASOORIYA, PETER AMPIM, SIXTO MARQUEZ, LAURA CARSON, SUBHANI BANDARA, SELAMAWIT WOLDESENBET, MING GAO AND TESFAMICHAEL KEBROM

For health reasons, there is a large interest in natural sweeteners as sugar substitutes. Phyla dulcis, a Central American herb, known for its medicinal properties contains natural plant synthesized sesquiterpenes which are sweeteners. For this reason the Plant Systems group of the Cooperative Agriculture Research

Center housed in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences has been studying Phyla dulcis for the past few years. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of various stoichiometric nutrient treatments on the biomass yield of Phyla dulcis grown in raised beds. The study was conducted in 4 ft x 4 ft framed beds on the Prairie View A&M University research farm. The beds were filled with a soil mix comprising Promix BXÂŽ and topsoil bought from commercial sources. The Phyla dulcis crop was established using stem cuttings started earlier in transplant pots. Prior to transplanting, each raised bed was cleared of weeds and evenly saturated. After transplanting, the plants (five per bed) received adequate water supply daily.

Each bed also received label rates of water soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer three times to stimulate initial growth. After observing reasonable growth, specially made stoichiometric nutrient treatments were applied in a completely randomized design to the Phyla dulcis beds. Each treatment was replicated three times. The nutrient treatments were repeated two weeks after which the plants were maintained to maturity. Weeds were picked by hand from the bed but those around the bed frame was removed by weed eater. Dead transplants were replaced and harvesting occurred about six months after transplanting. Fresh biomass weights were taken at harvest prior to drying to estimate leaf water content. Dry biomass and water content data were

subjected to ANOVA using the JMP software. Dry biomass yield from the treatments which were KKPP, KKPS, KKS,KNN,KPKK, KS, NPK, NPKK, NPKS, NS, PPK and S were statistically the same (p<0.1). Biomass water content provided similar results but there was a significant quadratic relationship between dry biomass yield and water content.

STUDY DONE IN

4X4 FRAME BEDS 33

SEASONAL

PRICE VARIATION OF SELECTED AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES

Victoria Parker UNDERGRADUATE ALFRED L. PARKS

Seasonal price variations of agricultural commodities have caused many conversations, throughout the agriculture industry. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service Agency (2012), “Seasonal price variations are regular patterns of price change occurring within a year.”

These variations are the result of uneven demand, production, or marketing, throughout the agriculture industry. Seasonal price variations have shifted up and down in recent decades. This study shows that seasonal price variations of agricultural commodities will continue to shift within the upcoming decades. Throughout this research paper I used a reliable internet and textbook sources to verify that the shift will continue.

SPATIAL

VARIABILITY OF MANGANESE OXIDE (MNO X) IN UPLANDS AND LOWLANDS: PHASE TWO

Javon D. Polk UNDERGRADUATE EDWARD K. TIMMS AND RICHARD W. GRIFFIN

This research project is a continuation of research conducted by Onweni, Griffin, and Thomas (2017) that described the development of a quantitative measurement methodology to determine the concentration of manganese oxide (MnOx) on selected soil landscape positions (Uplands and Lowlands). Identification of

wetland, hydric, and seasonally wet soil characteristics is linked directly to either oxidized or reduced iron in soil, but a significant number of soils do not display the characteristic “iron based” redoximorphic features. Manganese ions experience similar oxidation/reduction and solubility conditions as iron, so these ions may serve as a “pedomarker” for fluctuating wet-dry conditions in seasonally wet soils. A reaction between the MnOx in the soil sample and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was initiated to determine the level of MnOx reactivity in the soil sample. The research design for the project focused on data collected from three sites (Upland, MidSlope, and Lowland), within each site, three soil profile depths and three sample replicates were

measured which resulted to a total of sixty (27) samples. A preliminary analysis of data collected from the three sites based on a comparison across all of the sites, using MnOx levels at each of the geographic site locations, indicated that the Lowland (Site 4) had the highest level at the surface 6.25 followed by Site 3 at the surface with a value of 4.81 with the lowest surface value occurring at Site 1 with a value of 4.43. This project is conducted to qualify the results of the initial study with an aim of the work being used to easily determine wetlands, the wetland boundary, and the movement of soluble MnOx ions within a soilscape. The delineation of the wetland boundary has both an economic and land-use importance to the society.

BIOLOGICAL

PATHWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH WILD AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Cayla Steemer UNDERGRADUATE DEPRESIA GROGAN¹, LAURA CARSON¹, JIM HU³ AND GLORIA C. REGISFORD² 1

Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, 2Department of Biology,3Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

Zoonotic diseases are problematic, in that, they impact both wild and domestic animals alike. Thus, there is a need to investigate the genomes of wild and domestic animals. The objective of this study is to compare the genomes of these animals using gene ontology. Gene Ontology (GO) is a major bioinformatics initiative, whereby descriptions of gene products across the database

can be developed and unified to describe all species. This process is performed by biocurators, who gather, annotate, and validate information on the databases, consequently affording easy access to accurate and updated data. In this study, we investigated the biocuration of two biological processes, DNA integration, which is used for DNA coding and the tri carboxylic acid cycle (TCA) or citric acid cycle that occur in all aerobic organisms. Our objective was to determine the number of wild versus domesticated animals, in which DNA Integration and the TCA cycle are annotated. We hypothesized that there would be more annotations on domesticated animals than the wild animals, because of easier access to domesticated animals. To test this

hypothesis, we first accessed the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) to retrieve the taxonomy ID for all animal species found in this study. Then the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) database, QuickGO was accessed to retrieve all annotations associated with the taxonomy ID of the species. The Gene Ontology (GO) term for DNA Integration (GO:0015074) and the TCA cycle (GO:0006099) were used for the search. Our data indicated that annotations for DNA Integration and the TCA cycle were significantly higher in domestic than in wild animals. We therefore propose that more biocuration needs to be done for wild animals. This will promote elucidation of zoonotic disease propagation in both wild and domestic animals.

HIGHER ON DOMESTIC ANIMALS LOWER ON WILD ANIMALS 39

DELINEATING

WETLAND BOUNDARIES USING MANGANESE OXIDE (MNO X) LEVELS: PHASE TWO

Edward K. Timms UNDERGRADUATE JAVON D. POLK AND RICHARD W. GRIFFIN

This research project is a continuation of research conducted by Thomas, Griffin, and Onweni (2017) that monitored the reaction between manganese oxide (MnOx) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the results can be added to the pool of scientific knowledge gathered from this new, quantitative

method of wetland boundary delineation. Wetlands and their associated buffer zones are very valuable ecosystem components. However, wetland delineation is challenging especially in sandy soils that lack iron bearing redoximorphic features. Moreover, qualitative methods of wetland delineation were inaccurate due to the subjective nature of human perception. The purpose of this research project was to determine the manganese reactivity level across three landscape positions associated with a wetland / pond ecosystem. Theoretically, MnOx reactivity is expected to be greatest at the Wetland Boundary. Three soil samples were collected from three sites that represent the Wetland, the Wetland Boundary, and the Riparian buffer. Three replicate

samples were tested which represented a grand total of 27 samples. Tests were conducted on samples and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistical analyses to determine the level of MnOx reactivity between three sites. Results indicated that the Wetland Boundary site had an average reactivity level of 3.87 that was higher than the Riparian Buffer level of 3.64 and the Wetland level of 3.07. These results corresponded with the research hypothesis that the Wetland Boundary should have the highest MnOx reactivity level, because the greatest amount of manganese should be precipitated in the landscape position that is between the source pool (Wetland) in saturated periods and the flow through zone (Riparian Buffer) during seasonally wet periods.

SAMPLES 41

VETLINK

FOR ANIMALS

RONG REN2, CODI-ANNE CARNEGIE1, SHAWN RUSSELL1, YANGGAO YANG 2 AND PAUL JOHNSON1 Cooperative Agricultural Research Center,2 Department of Computer Engineering 1

Uchechukwu Uboh UNDERGRADUATE

Rong Ren

In rural agricultural communities, it is often difficult to attain expedient information and resources for animal health issues. While telecommunication and access has improved, most veterinarians are more than an hour away and many animal health issues are difficult to assess over a phone. Advances in technology have enabled many human health problems to be investigated by telemedicine approaches, and it is believed that a similar approach

GRADUATE

could improve access and quality of veterinary care, especially in remote locations. The appropriate application of telemedicine can enhance animal care in rural communities by facilitating expedient communication, diagnostics, and possible treatment recomendations, improve client education, scheduling vet visits, and other tasks. In addition, a telemedicine system could be linked to a strong distance education program

that could provide multi-media resources for consumers so that they can not just solve a crisis, they can be better informed and thereby prevent medical crises. This project seeks to expand a web-based system and smart device app that will serve as a distance learning and a telemedicine tool to assist farmers in reaching veterinary care professionals and extension agents. It will also improve extension delivery methodology. We believe that this service

12:05 PM

could be a powerful tool to assist animal producers in managing their animals. It would also give farmers and ranchers the ability to obtain possible solutions for problems they may encounter. This will be accomplished by providing access to a database with simple to understand information with accompanying videos and pictures on any smart mediaÂ device.

ABNORMAL

LUTEAL DEVELOPMENT DURING EARLY DIESTRUS IN THE GOAT

Ellen-Ashley Williams UNDERGRADUATE JUAN AVENDAĂ&#x2018;O, ASIA PHILLIPS, JEREMY BRENT, LOUIS NUTI, SHAYE LEWIS, GARY NEWTON AND WILLIAM FOXWORTH

The corpus luteum is a transient endocrine organ formed from cells of the ovulating follicle. Corpora lutea (CL) produce progesterone (P4), which is required throughout pregnancy in the goat. Cyclic female goats undergoing estrus synchronization are susceptible to reduced luteal function 5 days after estrus and ovulation. The

goal of this study was to compare the endocrine, morphological and histological characteristics of abnormal and normal CL, collected on Day (D) 5. Our hypothesis is mechanisms responsible for sub-normal luteal function early in diestrus are distinct from those governing luteolysis in late diestrus. Blood samples were collected daily from D0 to D5 (n=21), from D0 to D17 (n=3) or D18 (n=2). Ovaries were removed from goats on D3 (n=4), D5 (n=11), D17 and D18. Serum P4 concentrations were greater (p<0.01) in normal cycling does on Days 3-5 than does exhibiting abnormal luteal function. Paraffin embedded sections, stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Massonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trichrome, revealed a poorly organized cellular architecture in abnormal

D5 CL. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess markers for progesterone synthesis (antiHSD3B7), autophagy (anti-Erk 1/2), and the distribution of M1 (antiTRAF3) and M2 (anti-CD163/M130) macrophages. Staining intensity for HSD3B7 was stronger in normal D5 and D17 CL when compared to normal D18 CL. Staining in abnormal D5 CL was weak and diffuse. Erk 1/2 staining suggests that autophagy was low in normal D5 CL, more intense in D17 and D18 CL and strongest in abnormal CL obtained on D5. Staining for M1 macrophages was strong on D17 and in abnormal D5 CL, while staining for M2 macrophages was most intense in the normal Day 5 CL. Therefore, abnormal Day 5 CL have reduced steroidogenesis and contain macrophages that

are associated with luteolysis (M1), rather than a luteotropic environment (M2). Whether these changes are due to improper follicle maturation prior to ovulation or an improper uterine environment conducive to normal CL development is unknown.

D0-D17 D0-D5 45

IMPACT Oladoja Abiose

OF RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE ON SOIL MOISTURE DYNAMICS

GRADUATE STUDENT

RAM RAY, ERIC RISCH AND ALI FARES

Soil moisture is a key variable which determines occurrence and duration of vegetation water stress during the growth of plants. Soil moisture plays an important role to estimate irrigation water requirement as it interacts with air and soil temperatures in controlling the exchange of water and heat energy between

land surface and atmosphere through soil evaporation and plant transpiration. Therefore, the climate variables such as rainfall and soil and air temperatures influence soil moisture dynamics. The main objective of this study was to understand the soil moisture dynamics and investigate the relationship between the rainfall, surface soil moisture, rootzone soil moisture and air and soil temperatures at field level. This study was conducted on Prairie View A&M University research farm where an Eddy Covariance Flux Tower and Soil Climate Analysis Network station were installed in October 1994 and April 2016, respectively. This study used rainfall, air and soil temperatures, and soil moisture data from those two sites to understand soil

moisture dynamics at a farm scale. Soil temperature and moisture data were available at seven different depths (10 to 120 cm). Such information provides valuable insights about the effect of rainfall and temperature on distribution of soil temperature and soil moisture along the soil profile. Soil moisture at shallow depths (≤ 30 cm) showed a quick response to rain and temperature as it became wet and dry quickly whereas root-zone (≤ 60 cm) and deeper layer’s soil moisture showed slow response to rain and temperature. The rate of change in soil moisture during the drying and wetting cycles was small at root-zone depths compared to the shallow depths.

RESPONSE TO RAIN & TEMPERATURE

QUICK ≤ 30 CM SLOW ≤ 60 CM

WEB

APPLICATION FOR VISUALIZING AND PREDICTING GROUNDWATER STORAGE IN TEXAS

Abayomi Adekanmbi

GRADUATE STUDENT

RAM RAY, ERIC RISCH AND ALI FARES

The ability to visualize and analyze data has given us an important resource for discovering insights out of it. This research aims to provide an analytics tool that allows to identify groundwater and associated climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation from historical to near real-time scale. Groundwater is an important

source for municipal, industry and irrigated agriculture with the latter being the largest consumer of groundwater resources in Texas. In semi-arid and drought-prone areas, groundwater becomes a primary source to fulfill water demands. The main goal of this research was to create a webbased tool to visualize changes in groundwater levels and also provide a prediction using historical data as well as current groundwater level in near realtime across the state. With this information, we can substantially predict how the groundwater levels will change in the future. To build this interactive web-based tool, we used daily meteorological and groundwater monitoring data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) and Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), respectively. This web-based tool helps farmers, ranchers, water resources managers and other stakeholders to monitor groundwater level and its associated climatic variables in near real-time and aid in the overall decision-making process.

GROUNDWATER LEVELS MONITORED IN REAL-TIME 49

EFFECTS Faith Badmus

OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS FOR COLLARD GREENS FARMING ON SOIL CO 2 EMISSIONS

GRADUATE STUDENT

ERIC RISCH, RAM RAY, RIPENDRA AWAL, HAIMANOTE BAYABIL, ALMOUTAZ ELHASSAN, PETER AMPIM AND ALI FARES

Soil acts as sources and sinks for greenhouse gases emission and helps in soil carbon sequestration. The agricultural management practices such as cover cropping, crop rotation, and others influence soil water dynamics as well as carbon cycling by changing soil CO2 emission rate. The rate of change of soil CO2 emission can

be different for different crops and different organic amendments. Thirty six plots were developed to plant collard green on Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) research farm. Three types of organic amendments (chicken manure, dairy manure and milogranite) were selected and applied to the plots. Each organic amendment was applied to nine randomly selected plots at three different rates (168, 336 and 672 kg/ha). Three plots were left untreated on each row as controls. We measured daily soil CO2 flux for the first two weeks and every other day in a week during the experiment. We evaluated the effects of organic amendments on soil CO2 emission from collard green before and after rain under dry and wet soil conditions. The results showed

that the higher the application rate of each organic amendment, the higher the CO2 emissions from the soil. The results also showed higher CO2 emissions under wet soil conditions than dry soil. This field experiment and analysis can help understand the temporal and spatial variations of soil CO2 emission during the growth periods of collard green using different organic amendments applied at different rates.

HIGHER CO 2 EMISSIONS

UNDER WET SOIL

IMPACT Olamofe Olawale

OF LAND-USE AND CLIMATE CHANGES ON GROUNDWATER STORAGE IN TEXAS GRADUATE STUDENT

RAM RAY, ERIC RISCH AND ALI FARES

Groundwater is one of the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest water resources for municipal, agricultural and industrial use. A greater portion of groundwater resource is used for irrigation in agriculture. The impact of land-use change which alters the permeability of the soil, particularly in semi-arid and drought-prone areas has a

major impact on groundwater recharge. The main goal of this research was to study the impact of land-use and climate changes on groundwater storage at selected major aquifers in Texas. There are 9 major aquifers and 10 climate zones in Texas. Factors like rainfall, evapotranspiration, land-use, groundwater table depth, groundwater pumping rate for irrigation and municipal use determine the rate of change in imperviousness, groundwater recharge and potential withdrawal for each climatic zone and aquifer. National land-cover dataset was used to identify a change in imperviousness between 2006 and 2011 in Texas. The analysis was based on relative water level changes in selected wells before and after 2011 (a severe

drought year). Groundwater storage distribution in the past decade was evaluated using groundwater level measurements from major wells and precipitation measurements at different climate zones. Analysis showed Gulf Coast, Trinity, Edwards and Ogallala aquifers had higher rates of change in imperviousness (0.217%) whereas others have lower rates of change (0.03-0.08%). Results showed a consistent depletion of groundwater because of the impact of increase imperviousness of the soil, but this relationship was not linear. However, the impact of drought on groundwater depletion was inconsistent since, in some of the ten climate zones, groundwater table levels continued to increase for some and decrease for others.

9 10

These inconsistent results indicated that some climate zones have excessive groundwater withdrawal than the corresponding recharge rate compared to other climateÂ zones.

MAJOR AQUIFERS C L I M AT E ZONES

PLANT CHARACTERISTICS AND

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL Opeyemi Opeseitan

ANALYSES OF LEAVES OF TWO COCOYAM CULTIVARS GROWN IN PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS

GRADUATE STUDENT

FERDINAND NKOT, KEHINDE KPOKPOGBE, PETER AMPIM, MAHTA MOUSSAVI, DELAND MYERS, ARUNA WEERASOORIYA AND SIXTO MARQUEZ

Cocoyam is an important nutritious root crop grown by small-scale farmers in tropical and subtropical regions of the world for food and income. Though the climatic conditions in East Texas can support its cultivation, there is no production because farmers do not know about it. Hence the overall goal of the bigger project

which this work is part of is to evaluate its production potential in Texas and train farmers to grow it sustainably as an alternative cash and food crop. The specific goal of this paper is to compare plant characteristics and basic physicochemical properties of leaves of Prairie View grown cocoyam cultivars Xanthosoma sagittifolium and X. mafafa. The two cultivars evaluated were established from cormels purchased from an African store. They were planted 1m apart in sets of five on raised beds with plastic cover in July 2017 in completely randomized design. Each set of five plants constituted a replication and each cultivar was replicated three times. All cultivars replicates received equal amounts of fertilizer and water over the study period. Measurement of

plant characteristics as well as leaf harvesting occurred in October 2017. The plant data collected including plant height, leaf relative chlorophyll, dimensions and weight of the largest leaf and number of leaves as well as leaf physicochemical data comprising pH, Brix, moisture, water activity and color were subjected to analyses of variance using the JMP software. While length of the largest leaf and number of leaves per plant were statistically the same for both cultivars, X. sagittifolium plants were significantly taller with higher leaf relative chlorophyll content (p < 0.1). Leaf widths and fresh weight were also significantly higher for X. sagittifolium (p <0.05). The leaf color parameter a (red/green) was also higher for X. sagittifolium (p = 0.0073) but

leaf lightness and leaf water activity were significantly higher for X. mafafa (p <0.05). All the other leaf physico-chemical properties measured were statistically the same.

APART WHEN PLANTED

IN RAISED BED IN SETS OF

DEVELOPING Riya Sharma

IRRIGATION SCHEDULING TOOL IRRIGWISE TO INCREASE WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN TEXAS

GRADUATE STUDENT

RIPENDRA AWAL1, ALI FARES1 AND KAISONG FAN2 1

Cooperative Agricultural Research Center,2 Department of Computer Science-University of Houston

Irrigation scheduling is the process of determining the correct frequency and duration of irrigation in agricultural crops and urban landscape. Advances in real-time computing have helped scientists to develop user-friendly irrigation scheduling tools which calculate near real-time plant water requirements based on near

real-time, site-specific rainfall, reference evapotranspiration (ETo), soil and plant growth data. The main objective of this study is to develop a new irrigation scheduling tool to provide site-specific near real-time irrigation scheduling data for agricultural crops and urban landscapes in Texas. The web-based irrigation scheduling tool allows the user to add new fields and select different crops, soils, weather stations and planting dates. The user can modify crop and soil-related default parameters according to the location of the selected field. The user can also extract soil data of the selected field based on Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO). The tool keeps track of the status of the different soil water budget components (crop ET, soil water content, water loss

due to deep percolation and runoff) on a daily basis using user-selected inputs (including irrigation amount) and near real-time weather data. The tabular and graphical outputs of the tool show temporal variation of soil water content in the selected field. Based on this information and specification of the irrigation system, the user can decide when to irrigate and for how long to irrigate. This new tool will help in increasing irrigation water use efficiency in agricultural crops and urban landscape in Texas, eliminating over and under irrigation. Currently, we are working on incorporating forecasted weather data in the tool which will provide information on the potential change in soil water content of the selected field in the next five days.

WEB-BASED IRRIGATION SCHEDULING TOOL

ABOUT CAHS The College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS) has had its roots firmly established at Prairie View A&M University since 1879 when the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s academic curriculum was expanded to include agriculture and home economics.The College of Agriculture and Human Sciences is unique in that it operates in the true land-grant tradition of teaching, research and service through its academic, extension and research components. The College offers a diverse curriculum to students through its Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Human Ecology and prepares them to respond effectively to complex social issues relating to the food, agricultural, human and natural resource sciences.

Credits Thanks for you efforts in making this possible Dr. Peter Ampim Dr. Ripendra Awal Dr. Subhani Bandara