Agricultural Research Service

Biological Control of Bradysia odoriphaga Using Coenosia attenuata with Banker Media System and Mulch Layer

Greenhouse cage trials were conducted to evaluate the biocontrol potential of the predatory tiger fly Coenosia attenuata against the Chinese chive maggot Bradysia odoriphaga infesting Allium tuberosum. To ensure that adult C. attenuata have sufficient food when the B. odoriphaga...

Avirulence genes of Magnaporthe oryzae are a pathogen defense arsenal shaped by cognate rice resistance genes in the field

Summary We examined the frequency of and variation in eight avirulence ( AVR ) genes from 840 Magnaporthe oryzae field isolates collected from the Southern United States relative to rice resistance ( R ) genes deployed from 1959 to 2017. Little coding or noncoding variation was d...

Assessing short‐stature corn hybrids for irrigated Mid‐South production systems

Abstract Short‑stature (SS) corn ( Zea mays L.) hybrids represent an emerging phenotype with distinct morphological characteristics, but their performance under irrigated Mid‑South conditions is not well documented. We compared two SS hybrids (H1 and H2) and three tall‐stature (T...

A multivalent mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccine containing eight hemagglutinin antigens elicited broad neutralizing antibody responses and protected against influenza A virus challenge in swine

The diversity within H1 and H3 subtype influenza A viruses (IAVs) in swine prevents effective vaccine control approaches with inactivated whole-virus vaccines. We addressed the challenge of controlling co-circulating hemagglutinin (HA) clades of swine IAV with the development of...

Phenotypic plasticity of tillering modulates winter wheat agronomic optimum plant density: A quantitative framework for interpretation of G × E × M interactions

Context Agronomic optimum plant density (AOPD) is the minimum number of plants per unit area that maximizes grain yield and varies with genotype, environment, and management interactions. Predominantly, studies on cultivar-specific AOPD treat cultivars as fixed effects, limiting...

The Fungal Microbiome Associated with Schizaphis graminum Biotypes E and K in Response to Host Plant Species, Cultivar, and Elapsed Time

Because so little is known about fungal microbiomes associated with aphids, the fungal mycobiota associated with feeding by biotypes E and K of greenbug aphid (Schizaphis graminum) was surveyed using ITS amplicon sequences with regard to host plant species, days post infestation,...

Kimberly Sugar Beet Germplasm Evaluated for Rhizoctonia Crown and Root Rot Resistance in Idaho, 2024

Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR) caused by Rhizoctonia solani leads to black rot on the surface of the sugar beet root and advances a short distance into the root. The black fungal rot typically allows other opportunistic organisms into the root, which can result in substant...

Introgression of anthracnose resistance loci into a sweet sorghum genetic background

Abstract Sweet sorghum is becoming an important source of feedstock to produce renewable fuels that can be highly affected by anthracnose ( Colletotrichum sublineola ), a major disease affecting all aboveground parts of the plant. The high genetic diversity of the pathogen requir...

185. Influence of Ruminal or Postruminal 5-hydroxytryptophan Administration on Serotonin Metabolism and Arterial Hemodynamics in Growing Beef Steers.

Abstract Serotonin is synthesized from tryptophan through hydroxylation and decarboxylation reactions, with 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) serving as the immediate precursor. Because 5-HTP bypasses the rate-limiting step of serotonin synthesis, it has been used to experimentally inc...

Improving grain yield prediction in Southern US oat germplasm using genomics information and environmental covariates

Genetic gains of oat (Avena sativa L.) grain yield have been historically low compared to other major cereal crops. The use of machine learning models to capture complex interactions and leveraging data types other than genomic information in prediction models has great potential...

Groundwater Dynamics and Aquifer–Stream Interactions in California’s San Joaquin River Basin: Insights from a Coupled SWAT+ Gwflow Framework

Quantifying groundwater depletion and aquifer–stream interactions in intensively irrigated basins remains a critical challenge for sustainable water management. This study numerically examines these issues in the San Joaquin River Basin (SJRB) using the coupled SWAT+ gwflow frame...

Glucose-TOR-PDCB signaling restricts cell-to-cell communication through callose deposition

Plant cells are connected by plasmodesmata (PD), membrane-lined channels that facilitate cell-to-cell transport. Forward genetic screens to uncover regulators of PD transport identified mutants with increased ( ise1 to ise4 ) or decreased ( dse1 ) PD trafficking during embryogene...

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus infection promotes Peyer’s patch immune induction and epithelial defense via single-cell transcriptional reprogramming

ABSTRACT Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an enteric coronavirus causing gastrointestinal disease in swine. To mitigate PEDV risks to swine health, agricultural economic losses, and global food security, a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions is required. U...

Structural genome variation drives adaptation of the xylose-fermenting yeast Scheffersomyces stipitis to lignocellulosic hydrolysates

Abstract Second-generation (2G) bioethanol from lignocellulosic feedstocks is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. However, its production is constrained by the poor performance of industrial microbes in hydrolysates that are generated during biomass pretreatment. Scheffers...

Whole Grain Oats and Barley Products Modify Lipoproteins and Cardiometabolic Risk Markers in Adults: A 6-Week, Double-Blind, Parallel Design, Randomized Controlled Feeding Trial

Background/Objectives: Oats and barley are β-glucan-rich grains that may reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adults. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of products made with either whole grain barley or whole grain oats on CVD risk factors in adults. M...

A High-Resolution Stereo-Seq Spatial Transcriptomic Resource for Adult Holstein Cattle Liver

The bovine liver is a highly compartmentalized organ that plays essential roles in continuous gluconeogenesis and nitrogen recycling; however, its spatial molecular architecture has remained largely uncharacterized due to the limitations of traditional bulk and single-cell approa...

Reverse-engineering an expired patent: Characterization of a previously undefined probiotic consortium suggests possible modes of action in broiler chickens

In this study, we characterized the taxonomic composition of a previously patented but uncharacterized mucosal competitive exclusion (MCE) product to identify previously unrecognized bacterial strains and genes that may have contributed to the efficacy of this product. By compari...

Viral dissemination and diagnostic insights from experimental infection of sheep with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus

Abstract Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne orthonairovirus widely distributed across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe, causing severe illness and hemorrhagic fever in humans. While sheep usually show no clinical symptoms, they develop...

Sunflower Head Rot Diseases: Sclerotinia Head Rot

Head rotting diseases of sunflower are particularly destructive due to their direct impact on the tissues of the head (capitulum, receptacle), which may result in loss of yield and reduction in seed or flower quality. This article focuses on Sclerotinia head rot, caused by Sclero...

Ensemble agroecosystem modeling enhances predictions of crop yields and soil carbon across the United States

Abstract. Accurately estimating crop yields and soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics is essential for agricultural planning, carbon accounting, and sustainable land management. However, process-based agroecosystem models often produce divergent estimates due to variations in model...