Excellence in Research: An investigation of the effects of Nicandra physalodes on the growth and development of weeds

有害杂草已被发现会对作物产量产生负面影响，从而导致减产。杂草的物理管理，如锄头和手拉，通常是很耗时的。使用除草剂管理杂草会导致杂草对除草剂产生抗药性。除抗药性外，除草剂还会污染地下水。因此，需要一种环境友好、成本效益高的综合杂草管理办法。利用植物次生物质防除杂草的研究对植物生产力具有重要意义，因此，这项拟议的研究将促进植物生物学和农业方面的知识。可以使用生物防治方法来管理狼尾草(Kikuyu Grasum)、棘豆(Echinochloa crus-Galli)和多花黑麦草(Lolium Multiflorum)。教职员工和学生将进行一项详细的研究，以了解Nicandra Physalodes如何在作物生长不受影响的情况下影响杂草的生长。这项拟议的研究将增加历史悠久的黑人大学本科生的研究和培训机会，并为少数族裔学生提供更广泛的STEM参与。学生将得到指导，研究的某些方面将作为植物解剖学、植物生理学和生态学课程的本科生研究经验。拟议研究的结果将在各次会议上公布，并在同行评议的期刊上发表。当地农民也可能从这项研究项目的成果中受益。根据美国农业部的说法，紫草是一种被联邦政府列为有毒杂草的杂草，与豆科植物竞争。它是一种多年生草本植物，其种子可以休眠很长时间。它也可以从根茎发育而来，很容易在土壤表面定植，生长迅速。狗尾草是一种一年生快速生长的杂草，与水稻竞争。多花黑麦草是一年生或两年生杂草，与谷类作物竞争。这项拟议项目的作者观察到，来自茄科的Nicandra Physalodes可以用来管理单子叶草类植物，这种植物含有生物碱。这项研究的假设是，在凤尾草中发现的生物碱将抑制黑麦草、狗尾草和多花黑麦草的生长和发育。研究人员，包括教师和学生，将研究在不同的环境条件下，如温度和土壤pH的变化，泡桐对这三种有害杂草的形态、观察、发育和生长的影响。此外，当这三种杂草表现出生长抑制时，细胞分裂预计也会受到影响。研究小组还将调查杂草在草莓存在的情况下生长时表现出的任何染色体异常。这项拟议的研究还将包括对从泡桐中提取的化合物的调查，这些化合物在抑制这三种杂草的生长方面发挥着重要作用。这一裁决反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Noxious weeds have been found to negatively impact crop production, which results in reduced yields. Physical management of weeds such as hoeing, and hand-pulling are usually time-consuming. Managing weeds using herbicides can lead to the weeds developing resistance to them. In addition to resistance, the herbicides can contaminate underground water. Thus, there is a need for an environmentally friendly, cost-effective integrated weed management approach. Studies on weed control using secondary compounds from plants are significant in plant productivity, hence, this proposed study will advance knowledge in plant biology and agriculture. The biological control approach to manage Pennisetum clandestinum (Kikuyu grass), Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass), and Lolium multiflorum (Italian ryegrass) can be used. Faculty and students will conduct a detailed study in understanding how Nicandra physalodes affects the growth of weeds while crop growth remains unaffected. The proposed study will enhance research and training opportunities for undergraduate students at a Historically Black University and offer broader participation in STEM for minority students. Students will be mentored, with some aspects of the research used as course-based undergraduate research experience in plant anatomy, plant physiology, and ecology classes. The results from the proposed study will be presented at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Local farmers might also benefit from the outcomes of this research project.According to the United States Department of Agriculture, P. clandestinum (Kikuyu grass) is a federally listed noxious weed that is competitive against legumes. It is a perennial grass whose seeds can lie dormant for a long time. It can also develop from rhizomes, easily colonize the soil surface, and grow fast. E. crus-galli (barnyard grass) is an annual, fast-growing weed competing against rice. L. multiflorum (Italian ryegrass) is an annual or biennial weed that competes with cereal crops. The authors of this proposed project have observed that Nicandra physalodes from the Solanaceae, a plant that contains alkaloids, can be used to manage monocotyledonous grasses. The hypothesis for the proposed study is that alkaloids found in Nicandra physalodes will inhibit the growth and development of P. clandestinum (Kikuyu grass), E. crus-galli (barnyard grass), and L. multiflorum (Italian ryegrass). The investigators, including the faculty and the students, will examine the morphological, observable, development, and growth effects of N. physalodes on the three noxious weeds under different environmental conditions such as changes in temperature and the soil pH. Also, cell division is expected to be affected when the three weeds display growth inhibition. The research team will also investigate any chromosome aberrations expressed when the weeds are growing in the presence of N. physalodes. The proposed study will also include the investigation of the compounds that will be extracted from the N. physalodes, which play an important role in the inhibition of the growth of these three weeds.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.