Switchgrass and Little Bluestem Cultivars Show Performance Variation Across Eight States in National Grass Trials

Landscape plant evaluations were conducted in eight states: Colorado, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Vermont for 17 switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and five little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) cultivars. Additional locations in Florida (Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Quincy, and Wimauma), Nebraska (Lincoln), and Lubbock and San Marcos completed 1 or 2 years of the trials. Plants were established in 2012 and data were collected for 3 years, 2013–15. Sites were asked to compile annual data on plant height, width, flowering time, fall color, pests, foliage color determined by the Royal Horticultural Society’s color chart, plant form, flowering date, floral impact, self-seeding, winter injury, landscape impact, and mortality. Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center (Overton), Florida (all four locations), and Vermont had the highest mortality rate. Southern Florida locations lost 50% of their plants by the end of 2014. Wide variation was reported for landscape impact, individual cultivar height, and width from different regions of the United States. Three of the 17 switchgrass cultivars, Cloud 9, Northwind, and Thundercloud, had a rating of 4.0 or higher averaged over six or more locations for plant form, floral, and landscape impact. ‘Shenandoah’ and ‘Warrior’ switchgrass had a rating of 4.0 or higher averaged over six or more locations for plant form and landscape impact, but not floral impact. Only one of the five little bluestem cultivars, Blue Heaven® rated 4.0 or higher, for plant form and landscape impact when averaged over six or more locations. This range of variability in landscape plant performance demonstrates the importance of local plant evaluations.

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Identifying Native Prairie Grass Seedlings

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.33.3.450e ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 450e-451

Author(s):

Virginia A. Gaynor ◽

Mary Hockenberry Meyer

Keyword(s):

Panicum Virgatum ◽

Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽

Sorghastrum Nutans ◽

Native Prairie ◽

Switch Grass ◽

Little Bluestem ◽

Prairie Grass ◽

Central United States ◽

Prairie Restorations ◽

Sideoats Grama

There is great interest in prairie gardens and prairie restorations in the central United States. Small prairie gardens are often established with plugs, but most restorationists and landscape contractors use seed for large plantings. If initial establishment is poor, restorations are often interseeded the second or third season. However, to evaluate early establishment and determine if interseeding is necessary, contractors must be able to identify native grasses in the seedling and juvenile stages. In this study we investigated vegetative characteristics of native prairie grass seedlings. Seven species of native prairie grass were grown in the greenhouse: Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem), Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass), Panicum virgatum (switch grass), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama), Elymus canadensis (Canada wildrye), and Bromus kalmii (Kalmís brome). Every 2 to 3 weeks after germination, seedlings were photographed, pressed, and mounted. Additional photographs were taken through the dissecting scope at key stages of development. Ligules and auricles were found to be useful in distinguishing species, and our close-up photographs highlight these structures. Hairiness and color were variable within a species and could not be used reliably in identification. A seedling identification key will be presented for the species studied.

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Micropropagation of Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium L.)

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci13721-18 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 348-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Susan M. Hawkins ◽

Carol D. Robacker

Keyword(s):

Growth Regulators ◽

Growth Regulator ◽

Light Level ◽

The United States ◽

Callus Cultures ◽

Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽

Naphthaleneacetic Acid ◽

Ms Medium ◽

Little Bluestem ◽

Callus Initiation

Native grasses are increasingly used in the landscape. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium L.), a perennial bunchgrass native to most of the United States, has ornamental traits, such as variation in leaf color, differences in growth morphology, and attractive seed heads. Traditionally, cultivars of little bluestem are propagated by division, which limits the production of new plants. Our objective in this study was to develop an improved micropropagation protocol for little bluestem that would produce true-to-type plants. In 2016, we cultured immature inflorescences of eight genotypes of little bluestem on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with four combinations of kinetin (1.0 or 2.0 mg·L−1) and 2,4-D (0.5 or 1.0 mg·L−1) under three levels of light (dark, semilight, full light) to initiate callus. Cultures were evaluated 30 days after initiation and those that had initiated callus were subcultured. Media for subculturing and rooting contained either 0.1 mg·L−1 or no 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Light level had no effect on callus initiation. Initiation media with 1.0 mg·L−1 kinetin and either level of 2,4-D induced callus at almost twice the rate of media with 2.0 mg·L−1 kinetin, and cultures initiated on those media also produced almost twice the number of rooted plants over all genotypes. Genotype affected the number of rooted plants produced. The addition of NAA to medium for subculturing and rooting did not increase the number of rooted plants. In 2017, we cultured immature inflorescences of four genotypes of little bluestem on MS medium with 0.5 mg·L−1 2,4-D and either 1.0 mg·L−1 kinetin or 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) under full light. Cultures were evaluated 30 days after initiation. Cultures that had initiated callus were subcultured onto MS medium with the same growth regulators as the initiation medium but without 2,4-D. Cultures were cycled between subculture medium with growth regulator and subculture medium with no additional growth regulator until rooted. Cultures initiated and subcultured on medium with BAP initiated two to three times more callus than those on kinetin and produced twice as many rooted plants. Our recommendation for rapid micropropagation of little bluestem is to initiate cultures on MS medium with 1.0 mg·L−1 BAP and 0.5 mg·L−1 2,4-D. After callus initiation, cultures should be subcultured to medium with BAP but no 2,4-D, alternating with medium with no additional growth regulators, until rooted.

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Growth, Gas Exchange, and Mineral Nutrients of Ornamental Grasses Irrigated with Saline Water

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci13953-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (10) ◽

pp. 1840-1846 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yuxiang Wang ◽

Youping Sun ◽

Genhua Niu ◽

Chaoyi Deng ◽

Yi Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Panicum Virgatum ◽

Saline Solution ◽

Saline Water ◽

The United States ◽

Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽

Grass Species ◽

Miscanthus Sinensis ◽

Urban Landscapes ◽

Salt Damage ◽

Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses are commonly used in urban landscapes in Utah and the Intermountain West of the United States. The relative salt tolerance of Eragrostis spectabilis (Pursh) Steud. (purple love grass), Miscanthus sinensis Andersson ‘Gracillimus’ (maiden grass), Panicum virgatum L. ‘Northwind’ (switchgrass), and Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash (little bluestem) were evaluated in a greenhouse. Plants were irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m–1 (control), or saline solution at an EC of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m–1. At harvest (65 days after the initiation of treatment), P. virgatum and S. scoparium exhibited no foliar salt damage, and E. spectabilis and M. sinensis had minimal foliar salt damage when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 5.0 dS·m–1. At an EC of 10.0 dS·m–1, P. virgatum and S. scoparium still had no foliar salt damage, but E. spectabilis and M. sinensis displayed slight foliar salt damage, with visual scores greater than 3 (0 = dead; 5 = excellent). Compared with the control, saline solution at an EC of 5.0 and 10.0 dS·m–1 reduced the shoot dry weight of all ornamental grasses by 25% and 46%, respectively. The leaf sodium (Na+) concentration of E. spectabilis, M. sinensis, P. virgatum, and S. scoparium irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m–1 increased 14.3, 52.6, 5.3, and 1.7 times, respectively, and the chloride (Cl–) concentration increased by 9.4, 11.1, 2.8, and 2.7 times, respectively. As a result of the salt-induced water deficit, plant height, leaf area, number of inflorescences and tillers, net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gS), and transpiration rate of four tested ornamental grasses decreased to some extent. Although high Na+ and Cl– accumulated in the leaf tissue, all ornamental grass species still had a good visual quality, with average visual scores greater than 3. In conclusion, all ornamental grasses showed a very strong tolerance to the salinity levels used in this research.

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Native Sand-prairie Plants That are Poor Hosts for Pratylenchus penetrans

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.30.4.830f ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 830F-830

Author(s):

Alan W. McKeown ◽

John W. Potter ◽

Mary Gartshore ◽

Peter Carson

Keyword(s):

Panicum Virgatum ◽

Echinacea Purpurea ◽

Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽

Pratylenchus Penetrans ◽

Sorghastrum Nutans ◽

Switch Grass ◽

Little Bluestem ◽

Lesion Nematodes ◽

Private Collection ◽

Root Lesion Nematodes

Root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus penetrans Cobb) are well-adapted to sandy soils and have a host range including most agronomic, horticultural, and wild species grown in Ontario. As native climax sand-prairie species have coexisted with the nematode for millennia, resistance or tolerance may have developed. We have screened using the Baermann pan technique, soil samples taken from a private collection of sand-prairie species collected from local prairie remnants. Several species [Liatris cylindracea Michx., Monarda punctata L., Pycnanthemum virginianum L., Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench] proved to be excellent hosts (>500/kg of soil) of root lesion nematode, confirming the presence of this nematode in the soil. Over two seasons, we determined that 10 plant species belonging to the families Asclepiadaceae, Compositae, Graminae, and Leguminosae to support very low numbers of P. penetrans. Brown-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta L.) had no root lesion nematodes throughout both seasons, Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa L.) very low counts, while Switch grass (Panicum virgatum L.) and Indian grass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash] had detectable root lesion nematodes on only one sampling date each year. Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), Little Bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx) Nash], Sand Dropseed [Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) Gray], Side-oats Grama [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.)) Torr], Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus L.), Bush clover [Lespedeza capitata (Michx] also are poor hosts. These species have potential as cover or rotation crops useful for nematode management.

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Tolerance of Native and Ornamental Grasses to Over-the-top Applications of Topramezone Herbicide

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci12989-18 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 (6) ◽

pp. 842-849

Author(s):

S. Christopher Marble ◽

Matthew T. Elmore ◽

James T. Brosnan

Keyword(s):

Panicum Virgatum ◽

Large Scale ◽

Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽

Grass Species ◽

Sorghastrum Nutans ◽

Eastern Gamagrass ◽

Little Bluestem ◽

Wild Oats ◽

Pennisetum Alopecuroides ◽

Over The Top

Research was conducted to determine the tolerance of multiple native and ornamental grass species and one ornamental sedge species to over-the-top applications of the postemergence herbicide topramezone at three locations in the southeastern United States in 2016 and 2017. Fully rooted liners of selected grass species were outplanted into research plots in Apopka, FL; Dallas, TX; and Knoxville, TN in late spring, allowed time to establish (≈1–2 months) and then treated with two applications of topramezone at either 0.05 or 0.10 kg a.i./ha at 6–8 weeks intervals. Results showed that species including Andropogon virginicus (broomsedge), Schizachyrium scoparium ‘The Blues’ (little bluestem), Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass), and Tripsacum floridanum (florida gamagrass) exhibited the greatest tolerance to topramezone with <10% injury to no injury being evident after each application of both herbicide rates tested. Chasmanthium latifolium (wild oats), Eragrostis elliottii ‘Wind Dancer’, Muhlenbergia capillaris (pink muhly), and Spartina bakeri (sandcord grass) were significantly injured (50% injury or greater) at both herbicide rates. Average injury observed on Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ (red switchgrass) (ranging from 39% to 100% injury) and Sorghastrum nutans (indian grass) (ranging from 0% to 40% injury) was higher in Florida than in Tennessee (injury ranging from 23% to 43% on red switchgrass and 0% to 10% on indian grass). Similarly, Pennisetum alopecuroides (dwarf fountain grass) showed higher tolerance in Texas (ranging from 0% to 34% injury) compared with those observed in Tennessee (ranging from 0% to 53% injury). Topramezone injury to Carex appalachica (appalachian sedge) was ≤18% following two applications at both rates tested. Although no injury was observed in appalachian sedge following a single application up to 0.1 kg a.i. in Florida, plants succumbed to heat stress and accurate ratings could not be taken following the second application. Because of variability observed, tolerance of red switchgrass, indian grass, dwarf fountain grass, and appalachian sedge to applications of topramezone deserves further investigation. There is potential for future use of topramezone for control of certain grass and broadleaf weeds growing in and around certain ornamental grass species. However, as there was significant variability in tolerance based on species and differences in cultivars, testing a small group of plants before large-scale application would be recommended.

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Infection, Survival, and Growth of Clavibacter nebraskensis on Crop, Weed, and Prairie Plant Species

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-02-19-0346-re ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 103 (8) ◽

pp. 2108-2112 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B. T. Webster ◽

R. D. Curland ◽

R. R. McNally ◽

C. A. Ishimaru ◽

D. K. Malvick

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Plant Species ◽

Bacterial Pathogen ◽

Primary Source ◽

The United States ◽

Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽

Grass Species ◽

Leaf Sample ◽

Maize Production ◽

Little Bluestem

Clavibacter nebraskensis is the causal agent of Goss’s leaf blight and wilt, an important disease of maize in the United States and Canada. The epidemiology and ecology of this bacterial pathogen are poorly understood. Infested maize residue is often considered to be the primary source of inoculum for maize; however, the potential for many other plant species to be infected and serve as inoculum sources is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine if C. nebraskensis could infect, survive, and grow on common weed, crop, and grass species. Seedling leaves of 18 plant species that grow in maize production areas in the United States were inoculated with this pathogen in a controlled environment and in the field. Lesion development, bacterial streaming, and pathogen population size on leaves were then determined and used as criteria to evaluate host–pathogen interactions. Woolly cupgrass (Eriochloa villosa) and the native prairie grasses big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) developed lesions and bacterial streaming, identifying them as hosts and susceptible to infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of these grass species being hosts of C. nebraskensis. Ten other grass species, including wheat and oats, were identified as potential sustaining hosts that maintained epiphytic or endophytic pathogen populations >106 colony forming units per leaf sample but displayed no evidence of infection. Five broadleaf species tested were nonhosts based on the three criteria. This study suggests that multiple plant species support infection and growth of C. nebraskensis and further elucidates the ecology of this pathogen and the epidemiology of Goss’s wilt.

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Potential utilization of native prairie grasses from western Canada as ethanol feedstock

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p03-157 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 84 (4) ◽

pp. 1067-1075 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Paul G. Jefferson ◽

W. Paul McCaughey ◽

Ken May ◽

Jay Woosaree ◽

Linden McFarlane

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Panicum Virgatum ◽

Warm Season ◽

Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽

Grass Species ◽

Western Canada ◽

Cool Season ◽

Little Bluestem ◽

High Concentrations ◽

Warm Season Grasses

The utilization of native grass species for potential biomass feedstocks of the emerging ethanol industry requires more information about their cellulose and hemicellulose concentration. Ten native species were grown at seven sites across the prairie region of western Canada for two to four growing seasons. Northern wheatgrass, Elymus lanceolatus, produced high concentrations of cellulose (363 g kg-1) but low concentrations of hemicellulose (266 g kg-1). Green needlegrass, Nasella viridula, produced high concentrations of both constituents (351 and 307 g kg-1). Four warm-season grasses, big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii, little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium, prairie sandreed, Calamovilfa longifolia, and switchgrass, Panicum virgatum, had 346, 342, 340 and 338 g kg-1, respectively, concentrations of cellulose and also exhibited a positive response to temperature that resulted in increased hemicellulose concentration. Accumulated thermal time (degree day base 10°C) was correlated to hemicellulose concentrations in the warm-season grasses but not for cool-season grasses. Holocellulose (cellulose + hemicellulose) concentration differences varied among site-years but warm-season grasses were more stable in hollocellulose concentration than cool-season grasses. Key words: Biomass, native grasses, cellulose, hemicellulose, biofuel

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The Impact of Monetary and Fiscal Policies on the Stock Market in the United States (U.S); Evidence from Linear ARDL Framework

11th GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES - Global Conference on Business and Social Sciences Proceeding ◽

10.35609/gcbssproceeding.2020.11(132) ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 132-132

Author(s):

Aref Emamian

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Stock Market ◽

The United States ◽

Real Effective Exchange Rate ◽

Annual Data ◽

Fiscal Policies ◽

Long Run ◽

The Us ◽

Short Run ◽

The Impact

This study examines the impact of monetary and fiscal policies on the stock market in the United States (US), were used. By employing the method of Autoregressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) developed by Pesaran et al. (2001). Annual data from the Federal Reserve, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund, from 1986 to 2017 pertaining to the American economy, the results show that both policies play a significant role in the stock market. We find a significant positive effect of real Gross Domestic Product and the interest rate on the US stock market in the long run and significant negative relationship effect of Consumer Price Index (CPI) and broad money on the US stock market both in the short run and long run. On the other hand, this study only could support the significant positive impact of tax revenue and significant negative impact of real effective exchange rate on the US stock market in the short run while in the long run are insignificant. Keywords: ARDL, monetary policy, fiscal policy, stock market, United States

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Natural History and Evolution of Anti-Interferon-γ Autoantibody-Associated Immunodeficiency Syndrome in Thailand and the United States

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciz786 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 53-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Gloria H Hong ◽

Ana M Ortega-Villa ◽

Sally Hunsberger ◽

Ploenchan Chetchotisakd ◽

Siriluck Anunnatsiri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Natural History ◽

The United States ◽

Interferon Γ ◽

Mycobacterium Abscessus ◽

Annual Data ◽

Persistent Infections ◽

Ifn Γ ◽

Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Abstract Background The natural history of anti-interferon-γ (IFN-γ) autoantibody-associated immunodeficiency syndrome is not well understood. Methods Data of 74 patients with anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies at Srinagarind Hospital, Thailand, were collected annually (median follow-up duration, 7.5 years). Annual data for 19 patients and initial data for 4 patients with anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies at the US National Institutes of Health were collected (median follow-up duration, 4.5 years). Anti-IFN-γ autoantibody levels were measured in plasma samples. Results Ninety-one percent of US patients were of Southeast Asian descent; there was a stronger female predominance (91%) in US than Thai (64%) patients. Mycobacterium abscessus (34%) and Mycobacterium avium complex (83%) were the most common nontuberculous mycobacteria in Thailand and the United States, respectively. Skin infections were more common in Thailand (P = .001), whereas bone (P < .0001), lung (P = .002), and central nervous system (P = .03) infections were more common in the United States. Twenty-four percent of Thai patients died, most from infections. None of the 19 US patients with follow-up data died. Anti-IFN-γ autoantibody levels decreased over time in Thailand (P < .001) and the United States (P = .017), with either cyclophosphamide (P = .01) or rituximab therapy (P = .001). Conclusions Patients with anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies in Thailand and the United States had distinct demographic and clinical features. While titers generally decreased with time, anti-IFN-γ autoantibody disease had a chronic clinical course with persistent infections and death. Close long-term surveillance for new infections is recommended.

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Performance Testing of Coal Fired Power Plants

ASME 2007 Power Conference ◽

10.1115/power2007-22132 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Shane E. Powers ◽

William C. Wood

Keyword(s):

Power Plant ◽

Power Plants ◽

Performance Test ◽

Model Development ◽

Performance Testing ◽

The United States ◽

Plant Performance ◽

Cycle Performance ◽

Test Program

With the renewed interest in the construction of coal-fired power plants in the United States, there has also been an increased interest in the methodology used to calculate/determine the overall performance of a coal fired power plant. This methodology is detailed in the ASME PTC 46 (1996) Code, which provides an excellent framework for determining the power output and heat rate of coal fired power plants. Unfortunately, the power industry has been slow to adopt this methodology, in part because of the lack of some details in the Code regarding the planning needed to design a performance test program for the determination of coal fired power plant performance. This paper will expand on the ASME PTC 46 (1996) Code by discussing key concepts that need to be addressed when planning an overall plant performance test of a coal fired power plant. The most difficult aspect of calculating coal fired power plant performance is integrating the calculation of boiler performance with the calculation of turbine cycle performance and other balance of plant aspects. If proper planning of the performance test is not performed, the integration of boiler and turbine data will result in a test result that does not accurately reflect the true performance of the overall plant. This planning must start very early in the development of the test program, and be implemented in all stages of the test program design. This paper will address the necessary planning of the test program, including: • Determination of Actual Plant Performance. • Selection of a Test Goal. • Development of the Basic Correction Algorithm. • Designing a Plant Model. • Development of Correction Curves. • Operation of the Power Plant during the Test. All nomenclature in this paper utilizes the ASME PTC 46 definitions for the calculation and correction of plant performance.

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