Integrative Plant Science Professional Masters Projects

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https://hdl.handle.net/1813/111033

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Optimizing Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Growth: Harnessing the Synergy of Aquaponics through a Split Root System
McKay, Casey; Inoue, Yuta; Zayas, Victor; Mattson, Neil; Bridgen, Mark (2024)
Integrating hemp cultivation with aquaponics presents a sustainable and efficient approach to enhancing plant growth while supporting fish cultivation. Since hemp’s legalization in the 2018 Farm Bill, there has been little research on indoor cultivation of hemp using aquaponics. This study investigates implementing a split root system with an aquaponics system for hemp cultivation to optimize nutrient absorption and overall plant health. It also explores research on the possibility of a dual decoupled and coupled aquaponics growing technique, known as a multiloop system. The split root system involves dividing the roots into two halves and submerging one half into one treatment bucket and the other half in another treatment bucket. Two controls of a single bucket, one with Hydroponic water and another with Fish water were used to compare growth. Throughout the experiment, plant growth was measured through kite measurements, pH, EC, and chlorophyll content. Post-harvest measurements such as fresh weight, dry weight, root weight, and root area were taken. A single cultivar, TJ’s CBD, will be used to analyze the effects of different root zone treatments. Since hemp recently became legal in the United States, there is almost no research on how hemp is cultivated. This study aims to investigate how well hemp grows in an aquaponics treatment.
Alternative Sour Rot Management Strategies for Wine Grapes
Caldwell, Donald (2024)
The Problem: Sour rot is a disease complex that affects grapes during ripening, particularly if they are a tight clustered cultivar, and can render fruit unfit for wine production. Fruit flies are one of the primary vectors in spreading the microorganisms that cause the sour rot disease complex. While insecticides were initially effective against sour rot, repeated use has led to fruit fly populations that are resistant to normally lethal doses of insecticides. Alternative approaches to sour rot disease management, particularly those less prone to resistance development, are being explored; these include trace bloom leaf removal, cuticle strengthening sprays, and UVC applications.
On-Farm experiment of Nitrogen Use Efficiency ( NUE) on Corn fields
Toure Fatimetou (2023)
Agricultural productivity relies on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, yet half of that reactive nitrogen is lost to the environment (Wen et al., 2021). In today’s agriculture, farmers are facing two main challenges: increasing their yield production while reducing their environmental footprint. Nitrogen (N) is a macronutrient required to ensure optimal growth on corn fields. Insufficient nitrogen can lead to yield loss, while its excessive use can result in harmful environmental issues. To face the dilemma, farmers are experimenting with various techniques and new technologies to find an alternative to synthetic N fertilizers. One such alternative is Biological N Fixation that involves genetically modified bacteria capable of fixing nitrogen from the air. This research project aims to support farmers in their experimentation with biologicals by measuring the presence and levels of PivotBio in the soil, a genetically modified bacteria, in their on-farm trials.
Investigating Supplemental UV-B Doses and Durations in Two High-Cannabinoid Cannabis Sativa L. Cultivars
Talan, Matthew (2024-08)
This study investigates the effects of supplemental UV-B radiation on two high-cannabinoid Cannabis sativa L. cultivars—CBD-dominant ‘TJs CBD’ and CBG-dominant ‘Janets G’. The experiments examined varying doses and durations of UV-B exposure to assess their impact on plant growth, yield, and cannabinoid concentrations. Despite prior research suggesting potential benefits of UV-B in enhancing secondary metabolite production, the results revealed no significant effects on total cannabinoid content, plant growth metrics, or yield in either cultivar. The study indicates that the chemical profile of the cannabis plant does not substantially influence cannabinoid responses to UV radiation. These findings suggest that UV-B radiation, at the tested levels, does not enhance cannabinoid production in high-CBD and CBG cultivars. Future research could explore different light spectra or cultural management strategies to optimize cannabinoid production and consider UV-B's role in integrated pest management without adverse effects on plant health.
Louisiana's Rural Community Gardens
Rothschild, Jane Ainsley (2024-08)
[Excerpt from introduction] Positive stories of Rural Southern communities are frequently overlooked by scientific literature, media, and the news. The longer these stories remain untold, the more our communities risk being left behind. Sharing stories of community action is not just about spreading hope but also about providing information about resources and steps for community engagement and promoting projects that deserve support. It's crucial that we seek out and listen to those who are doing good work in their communities. Without these stories of resilience, the 'lost-cause' narrative becomes self-fulfilling. The lack of recognition of uplifting projects in rural places can lead to a continued exodus of youth seeking better opportunities elsewhere, a slowdown in investment in our towns, and the worsening of the problems we face.
Assessing Urban Transformation and Its Impact on the Urban Heat Island Effect in Austin, Texas
Qin, Yuze (2024-08)
This thesis explores the impact of urban transformation on the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect in Travis County, Texas, over a decade from 2013 to 2023. Utilizing Landsat 8 satellite imagery, the study focuses on the correlation between Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes and Land Surface Temperature (LST). The analysis reveals significant expansion of built-up areas, primarily at the expense of soil cover, leading to a substantial increase in surface temperatures. Vegetation cover, though decreased, plays a crucial role in mitigating temperature rises. The findings emphasize the need for strategic urban planning to balance development with environmental sustainability, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions like Travis County.
Orbiting Innovations: Pioneering Satellite technologies reshaping the future of Vineyard Managment
Ni, Wanjia (2024-08)
In recent years, advances in satellite technology have significantly impacted vineyard management. Satellite systems like Landsat, Sentinel-2, PlanetScope, and SkySat provide valuable data for monitoring vineyard health, optimizing irrigation, and predicting yields. Landsat and Sentinel-2, with their specific resolutions and revisit intervals, are widely used for vine growth monitoring. Notably, the near-infrared and red band data from Landsat 8 are particularly effective in calculating vegetation indices, such as NDVI, to assess vine growth and detect potential diseases. In contrast, PlanetScope's high-frequency coverage and SkySat's high-resolution imagery offer significant advantages for real-time monitoring and detailed analysis of grapevine health. PlanetScope's daily global coverage allows for frequent monitoring of dynamic environments, while SkySat's 50 cm resolution is ideal for precise disease detection. This makes SkySat particularly effective in the early detection of Grapevine Downy Mildew. The combined use of Skysat and PlanetScope greatly improves the comprehensiveness and accuracy of vineyard disease management. In the future, the accuracy and efficiency of vineyard management will be further improved by combining hyperspectral imaging, microsatellite and artificial intelligence technologies. These technologies will provide more detailed spectral data and higher-frequency monitoring of vineyards, helping to optimize resource allocation, improve grape quality and address the challenges of climate change.
Plant Micropropogation of Hemp
Meleisea, Deborah (2024-08)
Plant tissue culture is a common laboratory technique for growing plant cells, tissues, and organs. This method allows researchers to select any part of a plant to grow. In plant tissue culture, researchers dissect plants by removing desired parts such as the leaf, embryo, shoot, or stem. Once these plant parts are removed, they are considered explants. These explants are transferred into a container with a semisolid, nutrient-rich media. The nutrient-rich medium serves as a soil substitute to support the growth and development of explants and includes hormones, agar or gelling agents, vitamins, sugar, and nutrients. When the explants are transferred into the medium, the jars will be sealed to prevent contamination. The jars are then moved into a growing chamber or room where conditions are favorable for the optimum growth of explants.
Microgreen whole-system optimization with light as a case study
Mikhailova, Kristina (2024-08)
Microgreens are a nutritious but highly perishable vegetable. Local production in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) including greenhouses and vertical farms may be economically viable but there are issues with high operational costs and energy expenses. The objective of this research is to find optimal light (Daily Light Integral) conditions of the growing environment as well as learn about other methods of analyzing plant growth and plant performance, with a goal towards understanding whole-system optimization, which is an important step for future implementation of microgreens and CEA, for example, in urban spaces. The requirement for reduced energy consumption in CEA is crucial and new methods of such systems’ optimization are required. Microgreens species arugula (Eruca sativa), mustard (Brassica juncea), and kale (Brassica oleracea) were sown at a density of 217 grams per m2 on a hemp substrate. Plants were grown in a vertical tower with 5 different light treatments (12, 15, 16, 18, and 21 hours/ day) under white LED lights with a varying light gradient (from ~100 to ~160 μmol·m-2·s-1). A total of four replicate crop cycles have been grown and analyzed. Microgreens were assessed for days to germination, days to harvest (first true leaf is 1 cm long), height at harvest, fresh and dry mass. Ranges of optimal DLI conditions for each species were determined through ANOVA and analytical regression analyses. For instance, it was recommended not to increase the DLI levels above 7-8 mol·m-2·hour-1 if the objective is to increase the height of the produced crop. In addition, an image processing technique, and a Convolution Neural Network (CNN) were integrated which allowed for a real-time monitoring of plant performance, laying the groundwork for future development of predictive growth models for a diverse range of microgreens. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to evaluate plant responses to different Daily Light Integrals (DLIs) and was proposed as a method of tuning future systems for optimized performance. It was recommended to segment a plant for the future study of plants’ oxidative stress responses with the use of ESR, in which ESR spectroscopy would allow to assess the concentration of free radicals in plants.
Inclusive Youth Engagement at Cornell Botanic Gardens: Play-Based Strategies for Public Gardens without Children's Spaces
Gordon-Buxbaum, Sivan (2024-08)
This capstone project addresses the need to make public gardens more appealing and accessible to families and children, particularly in the absence of dedicated children's areas. Traditional ornamental gardens often cater to an older demographic, missing opportunities to engage and educate younger visitors. By collaborating with local elementary schools and gathering insights from children about their interests in nature, plants, and play, this project aims to create three culturally-responsive, plant-focused, play-based stations, including activities, interpretation, and design, at the Cornell Botanic Garden. These stations are designed to deepen children's connections to nature while preserving the garden's aesthetic appeal. The research findings, methodologies, and processes will be consolidated into a comprehensive guide for public gardens worldwide, enhancing visitor experiences and fostering a lifelong love for nature and the environment.

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