Source: TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
MOBILE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TOWARDS CREATING A HIGH SCHOOL PIPELINE IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE THROUGH INTEGRATED RESEARCH ON CROPS’ WILD RELATIVES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1021790
Grant No.
2020-38821-31104
Cumulative Award Amt.
$599,478.00
Proposal No.
2019-03380
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2020
Project End Date
May 31, 2025
Grant Year
2020
Program Code
[EWE]- Extension Project
Recipient Organization
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
3500 JOHN A. MERRITT BLVD
NASHVILLE,TN 37209
Performing Department
Ag. & Environmental Sciences
Non Technical Summary
The need to educate communities about agriculture in our society while promoting the promising college/career opportunities in agriculture especially in STEM areas is paramount. Amaranthus as well as Sorghum are important plants for Tennessee agriculture and their wild relatives include notorious weed species which may contain genes useful for developing resilient crop varieties. Therefore, plant genetics research on both crop wild relatives (CWR) offers an excellent opportunity to train diverse background students using mobile-extension apparatus on ecological consciousness related topics while academically motivating them. Such research trainings of pre-college, undergraduate and graduate students will strengthen TSU agricultural and environmental sciences program. The proposed project presents following objective; 1) Increase participation in agricultural and environmental science research project from communities across Tennessee using a state-of-the-art mobile STEM education classroom/lab; 2) Undertake syllabi design for developing and/or assimilating interdisciplinary curricula and educational materials for multi-tier trainees; 3) Collect phylogeographic and glyphosate resistance population structure data on Amaranthus and Sorghum, while educating high school students and their mentors across Tennessee; and 4) Create and implement a comprehensive plan to recruit students for degree programs in the TSU College of Agriculture by enhancing extension and research capacity of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The proposed molecular research, extension courses and trainings will be designed to cover all fundamentals of relevant scientific processes in plant genetics and agricultural education. Graduate research theses and extension curricula, relevant to natural resources and sustainable agriculture, will be developed for experiential learning enhancements of underserved populations.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
90324201080100%
Knowledge Area
903 - Communication, Education, and Information Delivery;

Subject Of Investigation
2420 - Noncrop plant research;

Field Of Science
1080 - Genetics;
Goals / Objectives
Through an integrated research on plant genetic resources, strengthen knowledge of pre-college/ college students, educators and other stakeholders while using state-of-the-art mobile agricultural education trailer.
Project Methods
Curricula and educational materials will be developed to better prepare multitier trainees especially the high school students interested in agriculture, biotechnology, environmental sciences and natural resources. These curricula will be developed for high school students, secondary educators and college level future trainers' educational workshops, each lasting a day. Faculty from other institutions will be invited to evaluate the training modules and conduct thorough outcome-based assessments of the teaching materials. College interns (graduate and undergraduate) will be hired and trained to conduct mobile educational workshops and plant research activities. In-house training sessions will include interested extension specialists, college students and staff members. In order to provide hands-on experience to precollege students, lab sessions will be arranged on state-of-the-art mobile STEM education classroom/lab (http://tnstatenewsroom.com/archives/date/2015/12). Interested high school students who have received initial training will also learn the sample analyses protocols and bioinformatics data interpretation through additional sessions. Trainings workshops will emphasize the identification of plant species as well as extraction and preservation of DNA samples while providing hands-on experience. There will be several workshops for at-least fifteen high school students and their mentors per year.While pipelining high school students into the degree programs through STEM education, this proposal is aimed at using an innovative mobile laboratory approach to integrate students' research projects on plant biodiversity and genetics. Sorghum and Amaranthus species' samples obtained from the school students representing all three Tennessee regions will be analyzed (http://www.tnstate.edu/extension/county/index.aspx) in research laboratories using DNA sequences and bioinformatics tools (BP Murphy and PJ Tranel. 2018. Identification and Validation of Amaranthus Species-Specific SNPs within the ITS Region: Applications in Quantitative Species Identification. Crop Science. 58: 304-311. doi: 10.2135/cropsci 2017.06. 0359). A professional seminar series will be initiated for college students involved in this project, which would invite experts from other institutes at least two times a year. This will allow the students to interact with professionals on personal level to discuss many relevant topics in depth.Under the time-phased plan of both process and outcomes, evaluation will be conducted by using a multi-dimensional approach, process oriented and quantifiable. The evaluation process consists of three components, i.e., planning, process, and outcome evaluation. Therefore, following would be conducted: (1) annual evaluation of integration of mobile extension and educational workshops for reaching the maximum number of schools in Tennessee; (2) progress towards plan and success in conducting experiential learning and producing plant genetics research results for students and their mentors; as well as (3) overall evaluation of the integrated program, genetics database and educational collaborations development including increased enrollment at TSU. The success of the project will also be measured by the increase in number of students recruited, number of plant samples collected and research trips arranged, as well as attendance and presentations at professional meetings.

Progress 06/01/23 to 05/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Per project's activities the target audience, remained to be pre-college students and their chaperons as well as TSU undergraduate and graduate students, while also including middle and high school teachers/ counselors and other community stakeholder audiences active within agricultural community. The TSU extension and research programs integration have been strengthened by internal collaborations with Dr. Thomas W. Broyles, Dr. John C. Ricketts and Dr. Matthew Blair, while allowing additional forums for muti-tier information dissemination to relevant academic groups. Changes/Problems:Post March 2020 tornado destruction and repairs of TSU facilities especially that to the mobile education trailer (https://youtu.be/Z4dE0rtxl4E) as well as COVID-19 pandemic related interruption and resumption of the university campus on ground activities, another no-cost extension has been obtained to achieve further progress per project's goals in final year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Three pre-college, five undergraduate and four graduate students have received research training, while one of the trained precollege student joined Tennessee State University as an undergraduate pursuing a degree in agricultural science. Sorghum industry stakeholders were reached through student presentations atTennessee State University 46th Annual University-wide Research Symposium, 133rdMeeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, 2023 North American Community: Uniting for Equity (NAC:UE) Conference (October 12-14, 2023), Tennessee Agricultural Production Association Annual Meeting and Agronomic Workshop (July 18-20, 2023, Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan, TN), and 2024 (April 6-10) Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium (Nashville, TN). One of the trained precollege student joined Tennessee State University as an undergraduate pursuing a degree in agricultural science. Two undergraduate students were juniors while one graduate student is close to completing his MSc thesis. The students involved and trained continued their research at Tennessee State University through their respective Agricultural Science programs while engaged in the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The projects' products in educational materials were shared with participants of DNA forensics activities which included two pre-college youth, over 30 high school educators (Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators Summer Conference) and TSU undergraduate and graduate students. Conducting precollege students' (>58) hand-on trainings at Future Farmers of America (FFA) Doyle-TN camp (June 15, 2023) as well as in BEA (Nashville-TN) STEM Camp (October 10, 2023) also included projects' results as well as involvement of TSU undergraduate and graduate students. The research endeavors conducted by students were shared with academic stakeholders through two manuscript publications in Iris Online Journal of Sciences and Annals of Plant Sciences. In addition, professional stakeholders were reached through student presentations at Tennessee State University 46th Annual University-wide Research Symposium, 133rd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, 2023 North American Community: Uniting for Equity (NAC:UE) Conference (October 12-14, 2023), Tennessee Agricultural Production Association Annual Meeting and Agronomic Workshop (July 18-20, 2023, Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan, TN), and 2024 (April 6-10) Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium (Nashville, TN). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Conduct in-person 4-H educational activity using mobile STEM education classroom/lab for the hands-on demonstrations prepared for youth as per 2022-23 summer experience. Write manuscript based on plant identifications of Amaranthus and Sorghum genotypes received while pursuing further plant leaf samples from Central, Eastern and Western TN-counties. Seek TN-educators contacts to expose the three developed lesson plans on phyto-forensics 4H activities updated on http://www.mobileag.org, i.e., "Why DNA is Responsible in Plants' Hereditary?' "What is DNA Marker's Detection by its Duplication?" and "How DNA Fingerprints Identify Similar Seeds?" as per formats of Utah Agriculture and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom pertaining Genetic markers-based DNA detective activity to solve phyto-forensics case through MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kits.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Increase participation in agricultural and environmental science research project from communities across Tennessee using a state-of-the-art mobile STEM education classroom/lab: After equipping process of mobile STEM education classroom/lab with supplies and equipment related to plant-DNA extraction, DNA-quantification, PCR-amplification, and gel-electrophoresis placed within Pro Tour Grade Storage Road Cases; the trailer was used during summer of 2023. The mobile STEM education classroom/lab was used towards recruiting endeavors through conducting precollege students' (>58) hand-on trainings at Future Farmers of America (FFA) Doyle-TN camp (June 15, 2023) as well as in BEA (Nashville-TN) STEM Camp (October 10, 2023). The secondary school educators (>30) were also trained using state-of-the-art mobile agricultural education trailer at Tennessee Association of Agriculture Educators (TAAE) Conference, Murfreesboro, TN (July 11, 2023). The mobile classroom (http://www.mobileag.org/) educational resources were shared with TN School educators at TAAE conference as well as TSU campus visitors. The educators were also provided DNA model-based fingerprinting kits (MDNA-STR-408, molymod® miniDNA®, Discovering DNA Ltd, Herford, U.K.) to facilitate their class-room teachings based on plant molecular markers' analyses. These three online phyto-forensics based step-by-step interactive instructional modules lesson plans, are designed to prepare middle or high school students for engagement in project's activity while providing background knowledge in on DNA Hereditary Molecules, Polymerase Chain Reaction and Markers' Gel Electrophoresis. 2. Undertake syllabi design for developing and/or assimilating interdisciplinary curricula and educational materials for multi-tier trainees: Per incorporation of 3-D scans (https://skfb.ly/oHsCE, https://skfb.ly/oHsCX, https://skfb.ly/oHsCZ, https://skfb.ly/oHsDn) in the three 4H lesson plans are virtually available on http://www.mobileag.org/curriculum.php for training impacts. The online three interactive educational phyto-forensics activities (V. The Connection Between Agriculture and Technology- Lesson Plans for Grades 9-12) are based on DNA-fingerprinting courses (http://www.mobileag.org/pillars/hspillar5/Phytoforensics1stActivity.docx, http://www.mobileag.org/pillars/hspillar5/Phytoforensics2ndActivityEdited.docx, http://www.mobileag.org/pillars/hspillar5/Phytoforensics3rdActivity.docx) per DNA model-based fingerprinting kit (MDNA-STR-408, molymod® miniDNA®, Discovering DNA Ltd, Herford, U.K.) pieces. Several secondary school educators whole participated Tennessee Association of Agriculture Educators (TAAE) Conference, Murfreesboro, TN (July 11, 2023) were provided MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kit, hands-on trainings and the three online lesson plans per formats of Utah Agriculture and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, have been updated per phyto-forensics step-by-step interactive instructional modules based on plant molecular markers' analyses. These will facilitate preparing middle or high school students for engagement in project's phyto-forensics activity while providing background knowledge in DNA Hereditary Molecules, Polymerase Chain Reaction and Markers' Gel Electrophoresis. Using these outreach instruction modules over 30 TN science teacher participants were trained on July 11, 2023, when they attended Tennessee Association of Agriculture Educators (TAAE) Conference (Murfreesboro, TN). 3. Collect phylogeographic and glyphosate resistance population structure data on Amaranthus and Sorghum, while educating high school students and their mentors across Tennessee: Two graduate students were hired to collect three amaranth and sorghum leaf samples for research projects with the support of TN Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension agents from various counties. Thus, pigweed and johnsongrass leaf samples were received from 38 TN counties, including Anderson, Bedford, Bradley, Cheatham, Crockett, Dyer, Franklin, Fayette, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Moore, Obion, Putnam, Robertson, Smith, Sullivan, Tipton, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, Weakley, and Wilson. The research projects on phylogeographic and glyphosate resistance population structure data on Amaranthus and Sorghum in TN-counties are continued. Herbicides usage was reported to be used in 65% of the locations sampled in East West and Middle TN. CP4 5?enolpyruvylshikimate?3?phosphate synthase (ESPSP) based herbicides usage was most common in the fields where weed samples were collected. On average, the genomic DNA concentrations of pigweed samples obtained were found to be higher than that of Johnson grass (42.73 vs. 29.06). After obtaining primers for conserved regions, plant identification or confirmation for 70% Amaranthus and Sorghum samples were completed. A manuscript was published per twenty single nucleotides polymorphic (SNP) relevant to sorghum production traits based KASPTM (LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) markers' analyses, which showed 80-91% success rate while observing similarly of alleles the 13 SNPs could be placed together in several groups. 4. Create and implement a comprehensive plan to recruit students for degree programs in the TSU College of Agriculture by enhancing extension and research capacity of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: The research and extension endeavors included graduate (conducting PhD and MSc degrees), undergraduate as well as precollege students, thereby three pre-college, five undergraduate and four graduate students have received trainings. On-campus interaction with precollege students was conducted for, 2023 (July 1-27) Summer Apprenticeship Program that included using MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kit per project's outreach goals. One of the trained precollege student joined Tennessee State University as an undergraduate pursuing a degree in agricultural science. Two undergraduate students were juniors while one graduate student is close to completing his MSc thesis. The research and extension endeavors conducted by students were shared with academic stakeholders through presentations at forums like Tennessee Agricultural Production Association Annual Meeting and Agronomic Workshop (July 18-20, 2023, Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan, TN), 133rd Tennessee Academy of Science Meeting at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, (November 18, 2023), 46th (March 25-29, 2024) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), and 2024 (April 6-10) Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium (Nashville, TN). These endeavors included graduate (conducting PhD and MSc degrees) and undergraduate students who were involved in such project's research hands-on activities.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Ahmad Naseer Aziz. 2024. Perspective advancements in plant science through segregating sorghum gametophyte developmental stages. Iris Online Journal of Sciences. OJS.MS.ID.000508. Online: https://irispublishers.com/iojs/volume1-issue2.php.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Dilovan K. Yahya, Matthew W. Blair, Aron M. Felts, Ahmad N. Aziz. 2024. Individual Microspore Genotyping in Sorghum (S. bicolor) Cultivars Using a KASP Panel of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Markers. Annals of Plant Sciences.13(3): 6199-6211, ISSN 2287-688X. https://annalsofplantsciences.com/index.php/aps/article/view/1129.


Progress 06/01/22 to 05/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Per project's activities the target audience, remained to be pre-college students and their chaperons as well as TSU undergraduate and graduate students, while also including middle and high school teachers/ counselors and other community stakeholder audiences active within agricultural community. The TSU extension and research programs integration have been strengthened by internal collaborations with Dr. Thomas W. Broyles, Dr. John C. Ricketts and Dr. Matthew Blair, while allowing additional forums for muti-tier information dissemination to relevant academic groups. Changes/Problems:Due to March 2020 tornado destruction of TSU facilities especially that to the mobile education trailer (https://youtu.be/Z4dE0rtxl4E) as well as COVID-19 pandemic related lockdown of the university campus, no-cost extension has been obtained to achieve further progress per project's goals in coming year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two pre-college, five undergraduate and two graduate students have received research training, while one recently graduated student was hired as part-time help. Sorghum industry stakeholders were reached through student presentations at Tennessee State University 45th Annual University-wide Research Symposium, 20th Annual Research Conference of Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and 132nd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science. Two pre-college, five undergraduate and two graduate students continued their research at Tennessee State University through their respective Agricultural Science programs while engaged in the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The projects' products in educational materials were shared with participants of DNA forensics activities which included two pre-college youth, 53 high school educators (TSU campus visitors, STEAM & Science 2023 Science Inservice Program, and Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators Summer Conference) and student chaperons as well as TSU undergraduate and graduate students. The research endeavors conducted by students were shared with academic stakeholders through manuscript publication in Applications in Plant Sciences. In addition, professional stakeholders were reached through student presentations at Tennessee State University 45th Annual University-wide Research Symposium, 20th Annual Research Conference of Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and 132nd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Further distributed among TN-educators the three developed lesson plans on phyto-forensics 4H activities, i.e., "Why DNA is Responsible in Plants' Hereditary?' "What is DNA Marker's Detection by its Duplication?" and "How DNA Fingerprints Identify Similar Seeds?" as per formats of Utah Agriculture and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom pertaining Genetic markers-based DNA detective activity to solve phyto-forensics case through MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kits already updated on http://www.mobileag.org/. Conduct in-person 4-H educational activity using recently equiped mobile STEM education classroom/lab for the hands-on demonstrations prepared for youth. Complete plant identification using PCR primers per Amaranthus and Sorghum genotypes from samples received and pursue further plant leaf samples from Central, Eastern and Western TN-counties. Submit manuscript based on the KASPTM (LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) molecular assays conducted on the plant samples.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Increase participation in agricultural and environmental science research project from communities across Tennessee using a state-of-the-art mobile STEM education classroom/lab: Post-pandemic repair of TSU mobile trailer after tornado (March 2020) destruction was completed while maintaining close interactions with project's co-investigators, Dr. John C. Ricketts and Dr. Thomas W. Broyles. For the smooth continuation of this project, the equipping process of mobile STEM education classroom/lab was also completed. Supplies and equipment related to plant-DNA extraction, DNA-quantification, PCR-amplification, and gel-electrophoresis have been placed in the trailer within Pro Tour Grade Storage Road Cases. The mobile STEM education classroom/lab is now fully functional towards recruiting endeavors through county and school level educators. The mobile classroom website (http://www.mobileag.org/) is updated with online teaching modules per project's goals, while these educational resources have been shared with TN School educators as well as TSU campus visitors. Undertake syllabi design for developing and/or assimilating interdisciplinary curricula and educational materials for multi-tier trainees: Using 3-D scans (https://skfb.ly/oHsCE, https://skfb.ly/oHsCX, https://skfb.ly/oHsCZ, https://skfb.ly/oHsDn) of DNA model-based fingerprinting kit (MDNA-STR-408, molymod® miniDNA®, Discovering DNA Ltd, Herford, U.K.) pieces, the three lesson plans per formats of Utah Agriculture and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, have been updated per phyto-forensics step-by-step interactive instructional modules based on plant molecular markers' analyses. The three 4H lesson plans, are designed to prepare middle or high school students for engagement in project's phyto-forensics activity while providing background knowledge in on DNA Hereditary Molecules, Polymerase Chain Reaction and Markers' Gel Electrophoresis. These outreach instruction modules were used to train educators in "The Phyto-Forensics Case" through "a MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kit. Five TN science teacher participants were trained on 7 June 2022, when they visited TSU campus. Also, trainings per project's DNA-Forensics educational activity were conducted for 10 Metro Nashville Public Schools' teachers through STEAM & Science 2023 Science Inservice Program on 11 July 2022, as well as 38 teachers at Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators Summer Conference on 4 August 2022. Collect phylogeographic and glyphosate resistance population structure data on Amaranthus and Sorghum, while educating high school students and their mentors across Tennessee: Per support of Dr. Thomas W. Broyles towards collecting amaranth and sorghum leaf samples, the hired graduate student continued research work on both genotypes. All TN Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension agents were contacted to collect three amaranth and sorghum leaf samples from each counties. Thus, pigweed and johnsongrass leaf samples were received from 30 TN counties, including Anderson, Bedford, Bradley, Cheatham, Crockett, Dyer, Franklin, Fayette, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Moore, Obion, Putnam, Robertson, Smith, Sullivan, Tipton, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, Weakley, and Wilson. DNA extractions and quantifications from the obtained leaf samples have been completed per research goals of the project. After obtaining primers for conserved regions, plantidentification or confirmation per Amaranthus and Sorghum genotypes would be initiated. EnviroLogix (Portland, ME) immunochromatographic test-strips (QuickStix) have also been obtained to test the CP4 5?enolpyruvylshikimate?3?phosphate synthase (ESPSP) enzyme in weed samples. A manuscript is being prepared per twenty single nucleotides polymorphic (SNP) relevant to sorghum production traits based KASPTM(LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) markers' analyses, which showed 80-91% success rate while observing similarly of alleles the 13 SNPs could be placed together in several groups. Create and implement a comprehensive plan to recruit students for degree programs in the TSU College of Agriculture by enhancing extension and research capacity of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: The equipping and final touch-ups of TSU mobile trailer has been completed which will be used for direct interactions with precollege students. However, on-campus interaction with precollege students was conducted for 2022 July 11-28) Summer Apprenticeship Program that included using MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kit per project's outreach goals. The chaperons, undergraduate and graduate students were also involved in this STEM DNA hands-on instructions and training in greenhouse, field, and lab. 53 TN science teacher participants were trained through the DNA-Forensics educational activity at TSU campus (7 June 2022), STEAM & Science 2023 Science Inservice Program (11 July 2022), and Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators Summer Conference (4 August 2022) there. These endeavors included graduate (conducting PhD and MSc degrees) and undergraduate students who were involved in project's research hands-on activities.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Aron M. Felts, Bharat Pokharel, Dilovan Yahya and A. Naseer Aziz. 2022. Whole Genomic DNA Amplifications from Individually Isolated Sweet Sorghum Microspores. Applications in Plant Sciences (Official Publication of the Botanical Society of America).10(6): e11501. https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11501.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Trinity Gourdin (BSc Student), Aron Felts and A. Naseer Aziz. Application of cryopreservation and size fractionalization for sorghum microspores. 132nd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, (USA). November 18, 2022. [Second Place Awarded in the Botany Student Oral Presentations]
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Aron Felts (PhD student), Trinity Gourdin and A. Naseer Aziz. Sugar gradient-based fractionalization of sweet sorghum microspores towards androgenesis. 132nd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, (USA). November 18, 2022. [Third Place Awarded in the Botany Student Oral Presentations]
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Rafeq Jambi (MSc Student), D Yahya, Aron Felts and A. Naseer Aziz. Herbicide resistance based eco-types of pigweed and Johnson grass in Tennessee. 132nd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, (USA). November 18, 2022. TN, (USA). [Graduate student oral presentation in Agriculture].
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Trinity Gourdin (BSc Student). Sorghum Microspore Cryopreservation Separated per Different Developmental Stages. Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP) 20th Annual Research Conference. Airport Embassy Suites/Hilton Hotel, 10 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214. February 16-17, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Paris Johnson (BSc Student). Sweet Sorghum Varieties for Biofuel Production in Tennessee Field Conditions. Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP) 20th Annual Research Conference. Airport Embassy Suites/Hilton Hotel, 10 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214. February 16-17, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Aron Felts (PhD student) and AN Aziz. Standardizing current research protocols towards genetic modification for androgenic responsive microspores of recalcitrant Sorghum bicolor. Graduate Agricultural Sciences, 45th (March 28-30, 2023) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium. Nashville, Tennessee. March 29, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Rafeq Jambi (MSc Student) and AN Aziz. Johnson Grass and Pigweed Ecotypes in Tennessee Counties for DNA Profiling. Graduate Poster, 45th (March 28-30, 2023) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium. Nashville, Tennessee. March 30, 2023.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Blake Wright (BSc Student) and AN Aziz. Individual microspore isolation from sweet sorghum cultivars towards genetic analysis. Undergraduate Poster, 45th (March 28-30, 2023) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium. Nashville, Tennessee. March 30, 2023.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: http://www.mobileag.org/curriculum.php V. The connection Between Agriculture and Technology 10. Genetic markers-based DNA detective activity to solve phyto-forensics case I (Grades 9 - 12) 11. Genetic markers-based DNA detective activity to solve phyto-forensics case II (Grades 9 - 12) 12. Genetic markers-based DNA detective activity to solve phyto-forensics case III (Grades 9 - 12)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Christine Ondzighi Assoume, Adam Traore, Ahmad Aziz, and Margaret Mmbaga, Enhancing Growth, Development and Lignocellulosic Biomass Traits in Sorghum Using Bacterial Endophytes for Sustainable Bioenergy Systems. 45th (March 28-30, 2023) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium. Nashville, Tennessee. March 28, 2023.


Progress 06/01/21 to 05/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience, per project's activities, remained to be pre-college, undergraduate and graduate students as well as high school teachers/ counselors and other community stakeholder audiences active within agricultural community. By internal collaborations with Dr. Thomas W. Broyles, Dr. John C. Ricketts and Dr. Matthew Blair, the TSU extension and research programs integration have been strengthened while allowing additional forums for muti-tier information dissemination to relevant academic groups. Changes/Problems:March 2020 tornado destruction of TSU facilities especially that to the mobile education trailer (https://youtu.be/Z4dE0rtxl4E) as well as COVID-19 pandemic related lockdown of the university campus still had some lingering effects pertaing the progress on project's endeavors this reporting year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four undergraduate and two grudate students have received research training, while one student graduated with MSc thesis. Sorghum industry stakeholders were reached through student presentations at 2022 Association of Research Directors Symposium, New Crops (Conference) for Southeast Agriculture, Tennessee State University 44th Annual University-wide Research Symposium and 131st Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science. Four undergraduate students and two graduate students continued their research at Tennessee State University through their respective Agricultural Science programs while engaged in the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The projects' products in educational materials were shared with participants of 4-H Fun Saturday DNA forensics activity which included 24 youth, high school educators and student chaperons as well as TSU undergraduate and graduate students. The research endeavors conducted by students were shared with academic stakeholders through manuscript publication in Elsevier Plant Gene. In addition, professional stakeholders were reached through student presentations at 2022 Association of Research Directors Symposium, New Crops (Conference) for Southeast Agriculture, Tennessee State University 44th Annual University-wide Research Symposium and 131st Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Refine the three developed lesson plans on phyto-forensics 4H activities, i.e., Why DNA is Responsible in Plants' Hereditary?, "What is DNA Marker's Detection by its Duplication?" and "How DNA Fingerprints Identify Similar Seeds?" as per formats of Utah Agriculture and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. Upload these developed lesson plans pertaining Genetic markers-based DNA detective activity to solve phyto-forensics case through MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kits on http://www.mobileag.org/ to be shared with 4-H agents and/or school-teachers. Conduct video editing of the recorded Fall 2021 Fun-Saturday 4-H educational activity for the demonstrations to be prepared for updating the web-site (http://www.mobileag.org/) for online teaching modules. Compalte DNA extractions from samples received and pursue futher plant leves were from Central, Eastern and Western TN-counties. Continue the KASPTM (LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) based molecular assyas to complete genotyping of the plant samples. Complete equipping mobile STEM education classroom/lab for pre-college students and their educators-based acquisition of research samples.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? ) Increase participation in agricultural and environmental science research project from communities across Tennessee using a state-of-the-art mobile STEM education classroom/lab: It took two years after tornado (March 2020) destruction of TSU mobile trailer for its repair toeards the smooth continuation of this project. With close interactions with project's co-investigators Dr. John C. Ricketts and Dr. Thomas W. Broyles, equipping mobile STEM education classroom/lab has been inititiated by placing orders for the requiaite supplies and equipments. After the completion of process for equipping mobile STEM education classroom/lab, the associated recruiting endevors for county and school level educators will continue. A mobile classroom web-site (http://www.mobileag.org/) is available for online accessibility of the project's resources, while edactional resources have been shared with a TN High School as well as 4-H youth and their chaperons visiting TSU campus. Undertake syllabi design for developing and/or assimilating interdisciplinary curricula and educational materials for multi-tier trainees: Three lesson plans per formats of Utah Agriculture and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, have been developed from the prepared phyto-forensics step-by-step interactive instructional modules based on plant molecular marker analyses through DNA model-based fingerprinting kit (MDNA-STR-408, molymod® miniDNA®, Discovering DNA Ltd, Herford, U.K.). The three 4H lesson plans, will prepare middle or high school students for engagement in project's phyto-forensics activity while providing background knowledge in DNA Hereditary Molecules, Polymerase Chain Reaction and Markers' Gel Electrophoresis.The outreach instruction was delivered for 24 youth participants on DNA Fingerprints through "The Canine Caper Case" in "a MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kit based 4-H Activity: Saturday for Research @ TSU" on October 2, 2021. Therefore, this experience is available to be shared with 4-H agents and/or schools teachers recruited for this project. An agriculture teacher Mr. Gene Robinson of Bolton High School (7323 Brunswick Rd, Arlington, TN 38002) has been contacted on February 24, 2022 for the involevement in project's DNA-Forensics educational activity. Collect phylogeographic and glyphosate resistance population structure data on Amaranthus and Sorghum, while educating high school students and their mentors across Tennessee: The hired PhD student is continuing research work on amaranth and sorghum genotypes. All TN-counties TSU Extension agents were contacted as per support of Dr. Thomas W. Broyles towards collecting amaranth and sorghum leaf samples. Thus amaranth and sorghum leaf samples were received from several TN counties, including; Anderson, Bedford, Bradley, Cheatham, Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Jackson, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Moore, Obion, Putnam, Smith, Sullivan, Tipton, Trousdale, Wayne, Weakley,and Wilson. Preparation for DNA extraction from the obtained leaf samples has been initiatietd per research goals of the project. After equipping newly repaired trailer for mobile STEM education classroom/lab with DNA fingerprinting instruments, plant identification and sampling analysis by pre-college participants would be inititiated. Twenty single nucleotides polymorphic (SNP) sequences relevant to sorghum production traits, were selected, from a total of 1351. The sequences were obtained through GCP sorghum group (involving ICRISAT, Cornell and IITA) and NCBI database was searched for relevant gene IDs to identify KASPTM (LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) markers covering all sorghum chromosomes (10) for sorghum. The SNP based assays showed 80-91% success rate 91% for the sorghum DNA samples. Per SNP analyses conducted on five sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) varieties (Achi Turi, Dale, Dasht Local, Topper 76-6, and RTx 430) similarly of alleles was observed and 13 SNP markers could be placed together in several groups. Create and implement a comprehensive plan to recruit students for degree programs in the TSU College of Agriculture by enhancing extension and research capacity of the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: The equipping and final touch-ups of TSU mobile trailer has been initiated which will be used for direct interactions with precollege students. However, on-campus 4-H activity called "Saturday for Research @ TSU" was conducted " for 24 youth participats on October 2, 2021 using MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kit per project's outreach goals. The chaperons, undergraduate and graduate students were also involved in this STEM DNA Fingerprints instruction through "The Canine Caper Case". Bolton High School (7323 Brunswick Rd, Arlington, TN 38002) was visited on February 24, 2022 for devising recruitment plan through initiating the DNA-Forensics educational activity there.The two graduate (conducting PhD and MSc degrees) and four undergraduate students were involved in project's research hands-on activities

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Binod Gyawali*, Muhammad Younas Khan Barozai, and Ahmad Naseer Aziz. 2021. Comparative Expression Analysis of MicroRNAs and Their Targets in Emerging Bio-Fuel Crop Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). Plant Gene. 26, 100274, ISSN 2352-4073, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plgene.2021.100274. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352407321000044).
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Dilovan Yahya, MSc Agriculture, Spring 2022. Whole Genome Amplification and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms from Sweet Sorghum Microspores. Thesis submitted (Defended on March 10, 2022) to Graduate School of Tennessee State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Aron Felts (PhD student) and Ahmad N. Aziz. Sweet Sorghum Androgenesis: Mass Isolation to Genetic Transformation of Microspores. Plant Health and Production and Plant Products, 2022 Association of Research Directors Symposium, Atlanta, GA. April 3, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Ahmad Naseer Aziz. Sweet Sorghum Microscopres: Preservation to Genetic Analysis and Culture. Invited Presentation (Sorghum Research at TSU), New Crops (Conference) for Southeast Agriculture (March 16-18, 2022). Tennessee State University (Hybrid via Whova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M_qdtZIsvg). March 17th, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Dilovan Yahya, Aron Felts and Ahmad Naseer Aziz. Sorghum video TSU. New Crops (Conference) for Southeast Agriculture (March 16-18, 2022). Tennessee State University (Hybrid via Whova: https://whova.com/portal/newcr_202104/videos/2czNzgDO3ADM/, https://whova.com/portal/newcr_202104/videos/2czNzkTMzYzN/). March 16th, 2022.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Dilovan Yahya (MSc student), Aron Felts and Ahmad N. Aziz. Genetic Segregation Detected Through Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of Sweet Sorghum Microspores. Tennessee State University 44th Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium. March 28, 2022. [2nd place awarded among graduate agricultural science session 1]
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Aron Felts (PhD student), Dilovan Yahya and Ahmad N. Aziz. Sweet Sorghum Biofuel Traits: The Journey from Seed to Microspore. Tennessee State University 44th Annual University-wide Research Symposium. March 29, 2022. [1st place awarded among graduate agricultural science session].
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Aron Felts* and A. Naseer Aziz. Cryopreservation of Mass Harvested Sweet Sorghum Microspores for Downstream Applications. 131st Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN, (USA). November 6, 2021. [2nd place awarded among graduate oral presentations in Cell and Molecular Biology].
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Trinity Gourdin* and A. Naseer Aziz. Comparative Field Growth Patterns and Sugar Yields of Five Sweet Sorghum Varieties. 131st Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN, (USA). November 6, 2021. [First place awarded among undergraduate oral presentations in Agriculture-2].
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Dilovan Yahya* and A. Naseer Aziz. Whole Genome Amplifications Towards Molecular Markers Analysis of Sweet Sorghum Microspores. 131st Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN, (USA). November 6, 2021. [Graduate student oral presentation in Agriculture].


Progress 06/01/20 to 05/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:College undergraduate as well as graduate research students in TSU department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, remained the target audience. Other stakeholders active within agricultural community as well as high school students and their educators were also target audiences of this project. Changes/Problems:March 2020 tornado destruction of TSU facilities especially that to the mobile education trailer (https://youtu.be/Z4dE0rtxl4E) as well as COVID-19 pandemic related lockdown of the university campus hampered the progress on project's endeavors. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Using virtual and hybrid instructional tools, one undergraduate and three M.Sc. students have received research training resulting in two MSc graduations. Sorghum industry stakeholders were reached through Tennessee State University 2020 (September 3rd) Small Farm EXPO educational workshop sponsored by the College of Agriculture. One undergraduate student and two graduate students are continuing their research at Tennessee State University through their respective Agricultural Science programs. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The sweet sorghum information was shared with stakeholders through Tennessee State University 2020 (September 3rd) Small Farm EXPO educational workshop of Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in College of Agriculture. Through their respective Agricultural Science programs, one undergraduate student and two graduate students are continuing their sweet sorghum research at Tennessee State University. One of the two graduate students has initiated PhD research through this project's funds. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Collect resources for precollege students' learning about Cell, Chromosome, Genetic Trait, Nucleic Acid, and PCR concepts. Develop lesson plans and prepare corresponding video demonstrations pertaining to phyto-forensics activity for school students using the MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kits. Contact 4-H agents and/or school teachers for providing them with the MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kits towards conducting phyto-forensics activity with pre-college students. Prepare plant identification and leaf sampling brochure for distribution to pre-college students and their educators to provide guidance in collecting research samples. Update the web-site (http://www.mobileag.org/) with all the mobile classroom activities and educational resources developed. Progress towards repairing and equipping mobile STEM education classroom/lab as well as recruiting county and school level educators. Initiate the purchases of KASPTM (LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) by Design (KBD) primers and master-mixes towards genotyping amaranth and sorghum samples.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1)Tornado destruction of the TSU mobile trailer along with the agricultural education facilities has hampered the smooth initiation of this project. Close interactions with project's co-investigators Dr. John C. Ricketts and Dr. Thomas W. Broyles are established for equipping mobile STEM education classroom/lab as well as recruiting county and school level educators. For online accessibility of the project's resources, a mobile classroom web-site (http://www.mobileag.org/) is now available. 2) A phyto-forensics activity is prepared via step-by-step instructions, where students can learn about plant molecular marker analyses through a DNA model-based fingerprinting kit (MDNA-STR-408, molymod® miniDNA®, Discovering DNA Ltd, Herford, U.K.). This interactive educational activity is in the process of further development as per 4-H lesson plans. To prepare school students for engagement in the project's phyto-forensics activity, topics for students' learning about Cell, Chromosome, Genetic Trait, Nucleic Acid, and PCR are identified. Several MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kits are purchased to be shared with 4-H agents and/or school teachers recruited for conducting the phyto-forensics activity with pre-college students. 3) A PhD student has been hired to initiate research on amaranth and sorghum genotypes as well as to prepare plant identification and leaf sampling brochure for pre-college students. Such brochure will be distributed to stakeholders through Dr. Thomas W. Broyles who is the TSU Extension Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development. Dr. John C. Ricketts is overseeing the repair of the trailer for mobile STEM education classroom/lab so that it can be equipped with plant DNA fingerprinting instruments. Collaboration with Dr. Matthew Blair has been initiated for using KASPTM (LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) based protocols towards amaranth and sorghum samples' genotyping. Meanwhile seeds of five sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) varieties (Achi Turi, Dale, Dasht Local, Topper 76-6, and RTx 430) are acquired to be grown in greenhouse for KASPTM based genotyping. 4) Due to tornado destruction of the TSU mobile educational trailer along with agricultural education facilities, the direct interactions with precollege students have been delayed. Furthermore, pandemic related lockdown of the university facilities also delayed mobile off-campus educational activities. Nevertheless, an undergraduate student has been involved in phyto- forensics activity of the project while preparing a presentation for the use of DNA model-based fingerprinting kit (MDNA-STR- 408, molymod® miniDNA®) at TLSAMP conference. PhD as well as MSc students are involved in the project's research activities while virtual and hybrid instructional tools are pipelined for precollege students' trainings.

Publications

  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Ahmad Aziz, Trinity Gourdin, Dilovan Yahya and Aron Felts. 2020. Sweet Sorghum as Biofuel and Forage Crop. A Mini Course taught (on September 3, 2020) through 2020 TN Small Farm Expo Educational Workshop at Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN, USA).
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Aron Felts. 2020. Distinguishing Responsive Microspore Developmental Stages and Inducing Stressors for Androgenesis in Sweet Sorghum. Edited Thesis Submitted (by August 12, 2020) to Graduate School of Tennessee State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2020 Citation: Binod Gyawali. 2020. Analyses of Bio-Fuel Related miRNAs and their Targets in Sweet Sorghum with Identification of Relevant Gametes DNA Signatures. Edited Thesis Submitted (by August 5, 2020) to Graduate School of Tennessee State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science.