Progress 06/01/20 to 05/31/25
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: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, however, repairs were later completed and with extension of project duration along with requisite budget revisions the goals and objectives were effectively addressed. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Five pre-college, six undergraduate and seven graduate (enrolled in MSc and PhD programs) students have received research training resulting in four BSc, two MSc and one PhD graduations. Several undergraduate and graduate students are continuing their research at Tennessee State University through their respective Agricultural Science programs. Two of the trained precollege students joined Tennessee State University as an undergraduate pursuing a degree in agricultural science. Sorghum industry stakeholders were reached through Tennessee State University 2020 (September 3rd) Small Farm EXPO educational workshop of Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in College of Agriculture as well as Tennessee Agricultural Production Association Annual Meeting and Agronomic Workshop (July 18-20, 2023, Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan, TN). Plants sciences and other academic stakeholders were reached through student and faculty presentations at 131st Annual Tennessee Academy of Science Meeting at TN Tech University in Cookeville, TN (November 6, 2021), 2022 Association of Research Directors Symposium (August 3, 2022), New Crops (Conference) for Southeast Agriculture (March 16-18, 2022), 44th (March 28-29, 2022) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 132nd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science at Tennessee State University (November 18, 2022), Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP) 20th Annual Research Conference (February 16-17, 2023), 45th (March 28-30, 2023) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 2023 North American Community: Uniting for Equity (NAC:UE) Conference, San Antonio, TX (October 12-14, 2023), 133rd Tennessee Academy of Science Meeting at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, (November 18, 2023), TSU Department of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering (DASE) spring seminar series (March 14, 2024), 46th (March 25-29, 2024) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 2024 (April 6-10) Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 134th Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science at Lincoln Memorial University (November 23, 2024), TSU/UT Research Summit (February 21, 2025)-Taking Tennessee Negative, (McMinnville, TN) and 47th (March 24-27, 2025) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN). Also delivered outreach instruction through various forums to precollege youth and educators in DNA extraction, electrophoresis and fingerprinting demonstrations while assembling college (undergraduate and graduate) students'-based teams consisting of Aron Felts, Dillan Johnson, Ethan Denson, Zion Hogan, Wenjun Zhu, Gouse Mohiddin Shaik, Chandana Kurapati, Kaylan N. Banks, Akumu Clement Elumpe and Rafeq Jambi. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The research and extension endeavors conducted were shared with industry and academic stakeholders through presentations at forums like Small Farm Expo (September 3, 2020), 131st Annual Tennessee Academy of Science Meeting at TN Tech University in Cookeville, TN (November 6, 2021), 2022 Association of Research Directors Symposium (August 3, 2022), New Crops (Conference) for Southeast Agriculture (March 16-18, 2022), 44th (March 28-29, 2022) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 132nd Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science at Tennessee State University (November 18, 2022), Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP) 20th Annual Research Conference (February 16-17, 2023), 45th (March 28-30, 2023) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), Tennessee Agricultural Production Association Annual Meeting and Agronomic Workshop (July 18-20, 2023, Paris Landing State Park, Buchanan, TN), 2023 North American Community: Uniting for Equity (NAC:UE) Conference, San Antonio, TX (October 12-14, 2023), 133rd Tennessee Academy of Science Meeting at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, (November 18, 2023), TSU Department of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering (DASE) spring seminar series (March 14, 2024), 46th (March 25-29, 2024) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 2024 (April 6-10) Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 134th Meeting of The Tennessee Academy of Science at Lincoln Memorial University (November 23, 2024), TSU/UT Research Summit (February 21, 2025)-Taking Tennessee Negative, (McMinnville, TN) and 47th (March 24-27, 2025) Annual Tennessee State University-wide Research Symposium (Nashville, TN). These presentation endeavors included seven graduate (conducting PhD and MSc degrees) and six undergraduate students who were involved in such project's research hands-on activities. The projects' products in educational materials were shared with participants of 4-H Fun Saturday DNA forensics activity (October 2, 2021) which included 24 youth, high school educators and student chaperones as well as TSU undergraduate and graduate students. Also, precollege students' (>58) hand-on trainings at Future Farmers of America (FFA) Doyle-TN camp (June 15, 2023), that for middle schoolers (32) per 4-H Junior Camp (June 28, 2023, William P. Ridley 4-H Center, Columbia, TN) as well as for 28 youth participating in BEA (Nashville-TN) STEM Camp (October 10, 2023) were conducted. The projects' products in educational materials were shared with participants of DNA forensics activities which included five pre-college youth (summer apprentice 2023-2024), >84 high school educators (TSU campus visitors (7 June 2022), STEAM & Science 2023 Science Inservice Program (11 July 2022), and Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators Summer Conferences (4 August 2022 and July 11, 2023) and student chaperons as well as TSU undergraduate and graduate students. Delivered outreach instruction teaching through 2024 Wilson County Tennessee State Fair (August 15-25, 2024), DNA extraction, electrophoresis and fingerprinting demonstrations for >1000 visitors at Lebanon, TN. Conducted Interactive DNA Lessons for 12 high school students during Glencliff High School visit on October 3, 2024 to Tennessee State University for Experiential Learning Day. Finally, also conducted DNA extraction, electrophoresis and fingerprinting trainings for >40 youth (pre-college, undergraduate and graduate students) participating in Junior MANRRS 39 Annual Training Conference for mobile STEM labs on April 4-5, 2025 at Renasant Convention Center (Memphis, TN). The research endeavors conducted including the work by students were shared with academic stakeholders through four theses (one PhD and three MSc) publications as well as manuscripts' publications in Plant Gene, Applications in Plant Sciences, Annals of Plant Sciences and Iris Online Journal of Sciences. In addition, professional as well as general stakeholders were reached through social media publication at www.scitube.io. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Project activities have concluded successfully, however, for the TN-educators the three developed lesson plans on phyto-forensics 4H activities are continued to be available 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?
The STEM education classroom/lab with supplies was completed by 2023. All such equipment and supplies were placed within Pro Tour Grade Storage Road Cases; the trailer was used during the next three-year periods in 2023-2025. An agriculture teacher of Bolton High School was trained on February 24, 2022 through "a MDNA-STR-408 molymod® miniDNA® kit. Five additional 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 continued for 38 teachers at Tennessee Association of Agricultural Educators (TAAE) Summer Conference on 4 August 2022. Using these outreach instruction modules, next year over 30 TN science teacher participants were trained on July 11, 2023, when they attended TAAE Conference. The trained educators were provided DNA model-based fingerprinting kits along with educational resources (http://www.mobileag.org/). The three 4H lesson plans virtually available on http://www.mobileag.org/curriculum.php after incorporation of 3-D scans (https://skfb.ly/oHsCE, https://skfb.ly/oHsCX, https://skfb.ly/oHsCZ, https://skfb.ly/oHsDn) in for continued training impacts. These 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 while following the formats of Utah Agriculture and California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. Per these modules the outreach instruction was delivered for 24 youth participants on DNA Fingerprints through "The Canine Caper Case" in 4-H Activity: Saturday for Research @ TSU" on October 2, 2021. Later educational workshops were conducted for precollege students' (>58) hand-on trainings at Future Farmers of America (FFA) Doyle-TN camp (June 15, 2023), also that for middle schoolers (32) per 4-H Junior Camp (June 28, 2023, Columbia, TN) as well as for 28 youth participating in BEA (Nashville-TN) STEM Camp (October 10, 2023). Delivered outreach instruction teaching through 2024 Wilson County Tennessee State Fair (August 15-25, 2024), for >1000 visitors at Lebanon, TN. Conducted Interactive DNA Lessons for 12 high school students during Glencliff High School visit on October 3, 2024 TSU for Experiential Learning Day. Finally conducted DNA extraction, electrophoresis and fingerprinting trainings for >40 youth (pre-college, undergraduate and graduate students) participating in Junior MANRRS 39 Annual Training Conference on April 4-5, 2025 at Renasant Convention Center (Memphis, TN). These endeavors will subsequently facilitate preparing even non-attending pre-college students/educators for engagement in project's phyto-forensics activity while receiving background knowledge in DNA Hereditary Molecules, Polymerase Chain Reaction and Markers' Gel Electrophoresis. Towards collecting amaranth and sorghum leaf samples, all TN-counties TSU Extension agents, especially with Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) program were contacted. By inclusion of additional sampling locations the collection from total of 69 different counties was completed, comprising four from South-eastern, 13 from North-eastern, 17 from South-central, 21 from Northcentral,10 from South-western, and four from North-western. Herbicides usage was reported to be used in 65% of the locations sampled in East West and Middle TN. While ESPSP based herbicides usage was most common in the fields where weed samples were collected. Pigweed populations across Tennessee exhibited elevated EPSPS related enzymatic activity (several counties exceeding 0.8 μM), while that for Johnsongrass was mostly moderate. The weed samples from central and eastern regions in TN showed high enzymatic levels, especially in Pigweeds indicating potential glyphosate-based herbicide resistance. Through DNA extraction from the obtained leaf samples, the genomic DNA concentrations of Pigweed samples obtained were found to be higher than that of Johnsongrass (42.73 ng/µl vs. 29.06 ng/µl). Using primers for conserved regions, plant identification or species confirmation for 70% Amaranthus and Sorghum samples were completed. Seeds of five sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) varieties (Achi Turi, Dale, Dasht Local, Topper 76-6, and RTx 430) were grown in greenhouse genotyping as controls. Per 40 single nucleotides polymorphic (SNP) relevant to sorghum agronomic traits the KASPTM (LGC Biosearch Technologies, Middlesex, UK) based markers' analyses were conducted on sorghum samples, which showed 80-91% success rate while also revealing similarly of alleles through the 16 SNPs among Johnsongrass TN populations. For the STEM DNA hands-on instructions and training towards pre-college students and their educators in greenhouse, field, and lab; the chaperons, undergraduate and graduate students were also involved. Thereby five pre-college, six undergraduate and seven graduate students have received such trainings. From these four have received BSc degrees while three students completed their MSc and PhD theses. The research and extension endeavors conducted by students were shared with academic stakeholders through presentations at forums like Small Farm Expo (September 3, 2020), 131st Annual Tennessee Academy of Science (TAS) Meeting at TN Tech University (11/06/2021), 2022 Association of Research Directors (ARD) Symposium (08/03/2022), New Crops (Conference) for Southeast Agriculture (03/16-18/2022), 44th (03/28-29/2022) Annual Tennessee State University (TSU)-wide Research Symposium, 132nd Meeting of TAS at TSU (11/18/2022), Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation 20th Annual Research Conference (02/16-17/2023), 45th (03/28-30/2023) Annual TSU-wide Research Symposium, Tennessee Agricultural Production Association Annual Meeting and Agronomic Workshop (07/18-20/2023, North American Community: Uniting for Equity Conference (10/12-14/2023), 133rd TAS at Rhodes College (11/18/2023), 46th (03/25-29/2024) Annual TSU-wide Research Symposium, and 2024 (04/6-10) ARD Biennial Research Symposium (Nashville, TN), 134th Meeting of TAS at Lincoln Memorial University (11/23/2024), TSU/UT Research Summit (02/21/2025)-Taking Tennessee Negative, (McMinnville, TN) and 47th (03/24-27/2025) Annual TSU-wide Research Symposium.
Publications
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Aron Felts. 2025. Distinguishing Responsive Microspore Developmental Stages and Inducing Stressors for Androgenesis in Sweet Sorghum. PhD Thesis (8/20/2024) submitted to Graduate School of Tennessee State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Ahmad Naseer Aziz. 2024. SciTube-Mobile Experiential Learning Towards Creating a High School Pipeline in Middle Tennessee through Integrated Research on Crops Wild Relatives. www.scitube.io. https://scitube.io/dr-ahmad-aziz-innovative-approaches-to-agricultural-education/
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Rafeq Jambi. 2024. DNA-markers Based Analysis for Pigweed and Johnsongrass Ecotypes Collected Across Tennessee. MSc Thesis (8/20/2024) submitted to Graduate School of Tennessee State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science.
- Type:
Other 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:
Other 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.
- Type:
Other 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:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Dilovan Yahya. 2022. Whole Genome Amplification and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms from Sweet Sorghum Microspores. MSc Thesis submitted (March 10, 2022) to Graduate School of Tennessee State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science.
- Type:
Other 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:
2020
Citation:
Aron Felts. 2020. Distinguishing Responsive Microspore Developmental Stages and Inducing Stressors for Androgenesis in Sweet Sorghum. MSc Thesis (August 12, 2020) submitted 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:
2024
Citation:
Chandana Kurapati, Svitlana Lymanska, Aron Felts and Ahmad Aziz. Characteristics of Sweet Sorghum Microspores harvested across Different Developmental Stages per Fractionalizations.134th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN. November 23, 2024.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Gouse Mohiddin Shaik, Rafeq Jambi, Svitlana Lymanska and Ahmad Aziz. 2024. Profiling of Tennessee Johnsongrass and Pigweed Accessions per Six Geographical Regions.134th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN. November 23, 2024.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Svitlana Lymanska, Gouse Mohiddin Shaik, Rafeq Jambi and Ahmad Aziz. 2024. Sugar traits related variations among Johnsongrass ecotypes from different counties in Tennessee.134th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science. Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN. November 23, 2024.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Onyemaobi Oluchukwu, Mustapha Olawuni, Christine Ondzighi-Assoume, and Ahmad N. Aziz. 2025. Developing A Four-In-One Gene Editing System to Improve Production and Sustainability of Bioenergy in Sweet Sorghum, 47th Annual Tennessee State University-Wide Research Symposium. March 24, 2025.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Mustapha ?l�wuni, Gouse Shaik, Aron Felts, Svitlana Lymanska, and Ahmad N. Aziz. 2025. Amaranthus Breakfast Before Driving to Work Using Sorghum-Based Biofuel, 47th Annual Tennessee State University-Wide Research Symposium. March 27, 2025.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Chandana Kurapati, Aron Felts, Christine Ondzighi-Assoume, and Ahmad N. Aziz. 2025. Establishing Protoplast-Based Genetic Transformation for Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Through Cryopreservation of Microspores, 47th Annual Tennessee State University-Wide Research Symposium. March 27, 2025.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Gouse Shaik, Mustapha ?l�wuni, and Ahmad N. Aziz. 2025. Genetic Confirmation of Johnsongrass Accessions and Their Weedicide Resistance Per Six Geographical Locations of Tennessee, 47th Annual Tennessee State University-Wide Research Symposium. March 27, 2025.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Zion Hogan, Chandana Kurapati, and Ahmad N. Aziz. 2025. Identification of Developmental Stages in Sweet Sorghum Microspores and Their Fractionalization, 47th Annual Tennessee State University-Wide Research Symposium. March 27, 2025.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2025
Citation:
Svitlana Lymanska, Chandana Kurapati, and Ahmad N. Aziz 2025. Morphometric Analysis of Inflorescence and Microspores in Different Layers of the Panicle of Sorghum bicolor, 47th Annual Tennessee State University-Wide Research Symposium. March 27, 2025.
|
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.
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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.
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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].
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