Research Projects for 2007
ME08451-02 Tavantzis, S.
Sustainable strategies for managing Rhizoctonia solani in potato
Genomic approaches combined with sustainable agricultural practices offer solutions to difficult plant disease problems. The purpose of this project is to gain knowledge that will lead to the development of long-term, environment-friendly strategies for managing rhizoctonia disease of potatoes and several other plant species.
ME08455-05 Cronan, C
Watershed Exports of Nutrients to Maine Rivers and Coastal Waters
This investigation will examine the contribution of watershed nutrient exports to non-point pollution and nutrient cycling in Maine rivers and coastal waters. The purpose of this study is to quantify the export fluxes of soluble carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from the landscape to riverine and coastal ecosystems. Excess exports of nitrogen and phosphorus can contribute to eutrophication and stress in receptor ecosystems.
ME08456-05 Campbell, C.
Evolutionary biology of shadbushes (Amelanchier, Rosaceae) and spruces (Picea, Pinaceae)
The proposed research concerns the evolutionary biology of two groups of trees, shadbushes and spruces, that are ecologically and economically important in Maine. Relationships among the species in these groups are poorly understood, in part because of the occurrence of hybridization between the species. The purpose of this project is to improve our understanding of species and their evolution in shadbushes and spruces.
ME08462-03 Annis, S.
Diversity and pathogenicity of fungal pathogens
Leaf spot and stem diseases may affect yields of lowbush blueberries. Blueberries vary in their resistance to the mummy berry fungus. Use of a single strain of a fungus for insect biocontrol may affect indigenous strains. The persistence of fungal pathogens and the effect of genetic diversity of lowbush blueberry plants on disease will be determined. The effect of a commercial strain of Beauveria bassiana on indigenous isolates will be examined using molecular tools.
ME08464-06 Drummond, F.
Vertical Dispersal of Blueberry Flies within Tree Canopies
This proposal builds upon research conducted during my current HATCH project. In developing and field testing field border perimeter treatment strategies (both insecticide application and insecticide treated spheres) for blueberry fly it was noticed that blueberry flies move up high into trees which surround the periphery of blueberry fields (see appendix). The questions-(1) what are the spatial and temporal aspects of vertical fly movement and (2) from a high vantage point when colonizing blueberry fields will flies pass over perimeter field treatments--are important to answer if perimeter strategies are to be recommended in the future for dependable blueberry fly pest management. The purpose of this study is to learn more about the movement behavior of blueberry maggot fly. A quantitative description of fly movement from tree canopies into blueberry fields will enable fly management strategies based upon perimeter treatments to be implemented that have less risk associated with them.
ME08465-03 Schwintzer, C.
Function of hemoglobin in culture and symbiosis
Only a few kinds of plants can form nitrogen-fixing symbioses that allow them to grow vigorously on nitrogen-poor soils. To produce new nitrogen-fixing plants by genetic engineering, the factors controlling oxygen within root nodules must be known. This project examines the possible role of hemoglobin in regulating oxygen at the site nitrogen fixation within Frankia, a filamentous bacterium that is a good candidate for the formation of new symbioses.
ME08466-06 Alyokhin, A.
Effects of soil amendment on Colorado potato beetle damage to potato
Plants grown on organically managed soils fertilized with manure and compost have been shown to be less favorable hosts for phytophagous insects than plants grown on conventionally managed soils fertilized with synthetic fertilizers. The overall goal of this research is to increase potato tolerance of the Colorado potato beetle damage by improving soil management practices.
ME08467-06 Webster, K.
Local and Landscape Drivers of Zooplankton Community Structure in Maine Lakes
The responses of lake ecosystems to stressors such as acidification or eutrophication exhibit substantial spatial heterogeneity when examined at the landscape scale. The alteration of lake foodwebs through fish introductions could interact with these stressors in complex ways and exacerbate their effects. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of lake foodweb structure, and particularly the intensity of planktivory, on ecosystem responses to stress. We focus our research on the zooplankton community and metrics such as body size that are useful indicators of both the bottom-up effects of nutrient enrichment and the top-down effects of fish predation.
ME08468-06 Kinnison, M.
Evolutionary Ecology of Maine Fishes: Adaptive Variation and Conservation
Preservation of adaptive variation within and among populations is an important element of many conservation and management programs. However, little is generally known about adaptive diversity in many species of practical concern or the best approaches to maintain such diversity. Indeed, the implications of most conservation and management schemes for adaptive variation are largely untested. This work characterizes potential adaptive variation in Maine salmonids and employs simulation and biological model systems to understand management implications for preserving adaptive variation in Maine fishes and other species in general.
ME08469A Alyokhin, A.
Migration and Dispersal of Agriculturally Important Biota
The lack of understanding of the principles underpinning migration and dispersal of pest and beneficial organisms across a wide range of spatial scales has dramatically impeded the development and deployment of effective and socially acceptable IPM programs. NCR-148 provides a positive forum for information exchange in the area of dispersal and migration of agriculturally important biota. It cuts across disciplines, including landscape ecology, meteorology, entomology, bacteriology, plant virology, botany, and mycology.
ME08470-05 de los Reyes, B.
Allele mining in the genus Solanum: Comparative genomics of the CBF/DREB transcriptional activator gene homologs
DREB/CBF alleles from wild Solanum species are more efficient regulators of the stress response gene regulon, because of the timing, strength and stability of their expression. This project will examine the variation in the upstream regulatory regions of the different CBF/DREB orthologs and paralogs as possible basis of allelic polymorphism among CBF/DREB genes from cultivated and wild Solanum species.
ME08471-05 Alford, A.
Dynamic Soybean Pest Management for Evolving Agricultural Technologies and Cropping Systems
The soybean aphid populations have been spreading throughout the northeast and pose a threat to Maine's developing soybean industry. The purpose of this project is to assess the current status of the soybean aphid in Maine and determine the development of populations under local conditions.
ME08474-06 Holberton, R.
An Ecophysiology Approach to Understanding Links Between Maine's Natural Resources and its Wildlife
Wildlife abundance depends on resource availability and quality. How these factors influence individual growth, breeding success, and survival are largely unknown, particularly across different life history stages. Physiologic indicators of individual condition are needed to understand how Maine's wildlife are responding to events that occur before and after they arrive in Maine. This research program focuses on migrant and resident birds during different stages of the annual cycle, linking habitat suitability, individual condition, breeding success, and events that occur in and outside of Maine.
ME08801-06 Groden, E.
Development, Evaluation and Safety of Entomopathogens for Control of Arthropod Pests
There is an urgent need to accelerate the development and implementation of cost-effective, environmentally safe alternatives to chemical pesticides for insect control. Insect pathogens represent a largely untapped group of biological agents for biological control of pests. This project is aimed at development and evaluation of pathogens for insect pest management programs.
ME09452-02 Jellison, J.
Microbial Degradation of Lignocellulose
Decay caused by fungi is a major source of loss in both timber production and wood use. The purpose of this study is to better understand the fundamental processes involved in wood biodeterioration.
