The objective of this research was to detect and recognize the plant stress caused by disease in the field conditions by combining hyperspectral reflection information between 450 and 900nm and fluorescence imaging. The results can be used to develop a tractor mounted cost-effective optical device for site-specific pesticide application in order to reduce and optimize pesticide use. The work re...

JOHNSON, BRENDA LYNN. The Effects of Habitat Fragmentation and Connectivity on Plant Disease. (Under the direction of Nick M. Haddad.) Within a large-scale habitat corridor experiment, I performed both experimental and observational studies to determine the effects of habitat fragmentation, habitat edge, and patch connectivity on the movement and incidence of fungal plant diseases. Increased sp...

We compared tree growth and crown condition with soil and foliar elemental composition in 14 sugar maple (Acer saccharumMarsh.) stands in VT, USA, to evaluate if deficiencies or imbalances in cation nutrition were associated with growth and health reductions in native stands. The Till Source Model (TSM) was used to select study sites potentially high or low in calcium (Ca) by predicting the rel...

Plants adopt ecological strategy to resist environmental changes and increase their resource-use efficiency. The ecological strategy includes changes in physiological traits and leaf morphology, which may result in simultaneous variations in foliar N concentration and the ratio of intercellular CO2 concentration to ambient CO2 concentration (ci/ca). This in turn links to foliar carbon isotope d...

Muscadine grapes are high in phytochemicals beneficial to humans, such as resveratrol and ellagic acid. Four studies were conducted to explore the relationship between phytochemical content, berry quality, and disease control following full season or early season applications of fungicides. In each study foliar and fruit diseases were lower in the full season treatment compared to the control, ...

Surface mining in Appalachia disrupts large areas of forested land. Federal and state laws require disturbed lands be reclaimed by re-constructing the landscape and replacing soil materials to provide a rooting medium. If insufficient quantities of native topsoil are available, substitute materials derived from the overburden may be used as soil media. This study examined soil and foliar nutrie...

Advanced site-specific determination of grain protein content by remote sensing can provide opportunities to optimize the strategies for purchasing and pricing grain, and to maximize the grain output by adjusting field inputs. Field experiments were performed to study the relationship between grain quality indicators and foliar nitrogen concentration. Foliar nitrogen concentration at the anthes...

Therefore, the objective of the current research was to investigate the effects of foliar B nutrition on seed protein, oil, fatty acids, and sugars under water stress conditions. A repeated greenhouse experiment was conducted using different maturity group (MG) cultivars. Plants were well-watered with no foliar B (W - B), well-watered with foliar B (W + B), water-stressed with no foliar B (WS -...