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

卓越研究：Nicandra physalodes 对杂草生长发育影响的调查

• 批准号: 2302684
• 负责人: Ntombekhaya Laifa
• 金额: $ 22.09万
• 依托单位: Mississippi Valley State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-01 至 2026-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2302684&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Excellence; Research; investigation; effects; Nicandra

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.

已发现有害杂草对作物生产产生负面影响，从而导致产量降低。物理管理杂草，如锄，手拉通常是耗时的。使用除草剂管理杂草会导致杂草对它们产生抗性。除了抗药性外，除草剂还会污染地下水。因此，需要一种环境友好的、具有成本效益的综合杂草管理方法。利用植物次生化合物进行杂草控制的研究对提高植物生产力具有重要意义，因此，这项研究将促进植物生物学和农业的发展。可以使用生物控制方法来管理狼尾草（基库尤草）、稗草（稗草）和多花黑麦草（多花黑麦草）。教师和学生将进行详细的研究，了解Nicandra physalodes如何影响杂草的生长，而作物生长不受影响。这项拟议的研究将增加历史上黑人大学本科生的研究和培训机会，并为少数民族学生提供更广泛的STEM参与。学生将得到指导，研究的某些方面作为植物解剖学，植物生理学和生态学课程的本科研究经验。拟议研究的结果将在会议上发表，并发表在同行评议的期刊上。当地农民也可能从这一研究项目的成果中受益。根据美国农业部的资料，P. clandestinum（基库尤草）是一种联邦政府列出的有毒杂草，与豆类植物竞争。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，容易在土壤表面定居，生长迅速。E. crus-galli（稗草）是一种一年生、快速生长的杂草，与水稻竞争。L.多花黑麦草是一种一年生或两年生杂草，与谷类作物竞争。该项目的作者观察到，茄科的假酸浆（Nicandra physalodes）是一种含有生物碱的植物，可用于管理单子叶草。本研究假设假酸浆中的生物碱会抑制基库尤草（P. clandestinum）、E. crus-galli（稗草）和L.意大利多花黑麦草（Italian ryegrass）研究人员，包括教师和学生，将检查N的形态，可观察的，发育和生长的影响。在不同的环境条件下，如温度和土壤pH值的变化对三种有害杂草的酸浆虫。此外，细胞分裂预计会受到影响时，三种杂草显示生长抑制。该研究小组还将调查杂草在氮素存在下生长时所表达的任何染色体畸变。酸浆虫拟议的研究还将包括对将从N.该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。