Completed Research Projects
Agriculture
This project will examine the effect of natural diversity on biofuel production efficiency by using a grass energy model organism (Brachypodium distachyon), and treatment with both biological and thermochemical conversion.
Pathogens and parasites including viruses and protozoa are known to be major contributors in the decline of honeybee colonies, yet we know very little about epizootiology of these agents. A primary reason for this lack of knowledge is the microscopic and submicroscopic nature of these bee pathogens. As part of our research we have developed and are continuing to develop molecular methods that allow us to detect and monitor the prevalence and spread of these infectious agents in bee populations. In addition we will be exploring the utility of small bio-reactive molecules for use in controlling viruses and protozoan pathogens without harming bees.
Pathogens including viruses are known to be major contributors in the decline of honeybee colonies, yet we are only now beginning to understand the epizootiology of these agents. A primary reason for this lack of knowledge is the microscopic and submicroscopic nature of these bee pathogens. As part of our research we have developed and are continuing to develop molecular methods that allow us to detect and monitor the prevalence and spread of these infectious agents in bee populations.
In addition, we will be exploring the utility of small bio-reactive molecules for use in controlling viruses and protozoan pathogens without harming bees
Armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) include many destructive pests of orchard crops, forestry, horticulture, and agriculture (Kennett et al., 1990), costing an estimated two billion dollars per year in the US (Miller & Davidson, 2005). They also have an extraordinary tendency to be invasive. As of 2005, the US had 132 species of diaspidids introduced from other countries (Miller et al., 2005), comprising fully 40% of the known US armored scale insect fauna. Of these, 85 (64%) were considered pests. About one new invasive diaspidid species is detected in the US every year (Miller et al., 2005). Here in Massachusetts, multiple species of armored scale insects are emerging as serious pests of cranberries (Averill & Sylvia, 2017). One specific target of this investigation will be the scale insect that have recently emerged as a threat to Massachusetts cranberry. Some armored scale insect pest species have been recorded from an enormous range of hosts. For instance there are 23 armored scale insect species that have each been found on over 50 different host plant families -- remarkable examples of extreme generalism (García Morales et al., 2016). It has been suggested that these are not true generalist species but instead are clouds of similar-looking specialist species (Loxdale et al., 2011). The goal of this project is to assess species boundaries within wide-ranging extreme-generalist armored scale insect pest complexes, in particular including the Chrysomphalus dictyospermi/pinnulifer complex, the Hemiberlesia palmae/cyanophylli complex, and the Selenaspidus articulatus complex. Each of these includes at least one globally invasive species, and for each we already have extensive samples from multiple hosts within the native range. We will sequence a sample of each insect's genome and using modern analytical methods to distinguish the species. We will assess the geographic range and host range of each species, and assess which are pests, which are potential invasive pests, and which are non-pests. We will seek morphological diagnostic characters and describe the new species in cases when it is practical to do so. We w ll publish our results in the peer-reviewed literature and present them at national and international entomology conferences.
Natural products have a long history of providing novel compounds either directly or as lead compounds for human therapeutics, nutrition and agricultural applications. Fungal diversity has evolved over 900 million years and concurrent with this evolution in diversification of the natural product chemistry resulting in an impressive array of compounds known as specialized metabolites. In the organisms, natural products have biological activity to enable adaptation of the organism to its' ecological niche, ranging from profound effects of hormones to sometimes only the subtle effects observed under specific environmental conditions mediated by more specialized metabolites. In agricultural systems fungal metabolites can cause detrimental effects and large losses to agricultural crop yields, at the same time because of their biological activity these specialized metabolites can be translated for use as human therapeutics1-3. A significant renewed interest in mining fungi (and plants) for specialized metabolites is the availability of massive sequencing data and their potential for widespread use in agriculture, industry and as pharmaceutical agents.
This study investigates the impact of agroecology on grape microbiomes, focusing on Vitis riparia and Vitis labrusca in Western Massachusetts. Comparing managed and wild ecosystems, we analyzed bacterial and fungal diversity in soils, roots, leaves, and fruits. Our goals were to assess the effect of agricultural management on microbial communities, identify taxa unique to each system. Findings reveal significantly reduced fungal diversity in managed ecosystems. Unique taxa in both systems suggest management-induced shifts, emphasizing the importance of understanding microbial dynamics for sustainable agriculture.
Pollen grains germinate on the stigma, the receptive surface of the female organ pistil. Each pollen grain hydrates and extrudes a pollen tube whose function is to transport two sperm cells carried in its cytoplasm to the female gametophyte inside an ovule, usually located at some distance from the stigma. Recent research in plant reproduction has produced critical insights into how a pollen tube targets the female gametophyte (where the egg apparatus is located) through a female-guided process and how the pollen tube, once inside the female gametophyte, achieves sperm release to enable fertilization. Yet mechanisms that underlie the critical first pollen-pistil interactive steps on the stigma, i.e. adhesion of pollen grains on the stigma, pollen hydration, activation and extrusion of the pollen tube to penetrate the stigmatic tissue, remain unclear. The project utilizes the model plant Arabidopsis to elucidate how these early events are orchestrated. In particular, we examine the contribution by three related receptor kinases (RKs) expressed in the stigma, FERONIA (FER), HERCULES1 (HERK1) and RK7.
This project addresses environmental concerns and profitability issues faced bu livestock farms. It is evaluating options for cover crops and for pasture management.
Identify land-grant universities, the BLM and others entities involved in sustainable management of feral equids, to collaborate and find solutions for a balanced coexistance of feral and domestic populations.
Goals / Objectives
(1)
Integrate existing biological, ecological and economic data to make comprehensive science-based recommendations for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board for sustainable management of wild and free-roaming horses and burros and the rangelands they inhabit.
(2)
Identify areas for future collaboration between land-grant universities and the BLM and others for sustainable management of wild and free-roaming horses and burros and the rangeland they inhabit.
Disaster Preparedness
The research focuses on responses to extreme flood events in Vermont, primarily Hurricane Irene, but also prior flood disasters. This research contributes to theoretical debates on adaptation to extreme events by explicitly accounting for the impacts of human-actions in response to flooding on riparian forest ecosystems needs. This research also investigates the motivations for human action.
Nutrition
Mounting epidemiological and experimental evidence consistently indicates that obesity is a robust risk factor for several common cancers, and especially so for colorectal cancer. As obesity has reached an epidemic level and increases in the scope of the problem are further projected, it is critical to understand the mechanism(s) responsible for the link and thereby to develop strategies for prevent obesity-related cancer. The aim of this project is to explore dietary strategies to attenuate obesity-associated colonic inflammation.
The purpose of this research is to identify the microbial community constituents of mosquito midgut contents in order to identify new pathogens and functional gut microbes.
This research will investigate whether the same type of physical environment needed to promote improved dietary behaviors in families and children will also be effective in older adults. Information gathered will assist nutrition professionals in designing interventions for older adults emphasizing the need for fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the diet and based on factors relevant to them. Results will also be used to design community-wide food and environmental policies.
This research will investigate whether the same type of physical environment needed to promote improved dietary behaviors in families and children will also be effective in older adults. Information gathered will assist nutrition professionals in designing interventions for older adults emphasizing the need for fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the diet and based on factors relevant to them. Results will also be used to design community-wide food and environmental policies.
This project will explore the hypothesis that development of an effective LAMP assay (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) for livestock and avian chlamydiosis will lead to significant reductions in zoonotic disease as well as morbidity, mortality and the reproductive health of farm animals.
This project will develop new technologies that can stabilize omega-3 fatty acids so they can be incorporated into a wide variety of foods. Production of omega-3 fatty acids fortified foods could have significant consumer health benefits especially for heart and mental health.
There is a critical need in the meat processing and raw vegetable processing industries for the development of a rapid method for detection of infectious bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in such products well before shipping, so as to prevent infectious outbreaks and costly recalls.
Both adult-onset obesity and childhood obesity pose real health risks, with childhood obesity known to be associated with increased risk of chronic diseases. With current rising trends of overweight and obese children, there is great need to develop additional practical approaches to target the obesity epidemic. The objective of this proposed research is to develop a feasible and practical food-based approach to help reduce the incidence of childhood obesity and overweight children.
A major driver of food choice today among consumers is health promotion, which has resulted in ever-expanding research on bioactive food components and nutriceuticals. As each person's diet is a key contributor to health and disease risk, agriculture has been a core sector of economic viability and food production systems with the increasing recognition of the interface between nutrition and agriculture.
Studies have repeatedly demonstrated many health benefits of food-based bioactive components, suggesting that bioactive molecules in our diet can be effective in preventing or delaying the disease process.
Therefore it is important to identify the novel bioactive molecules...capable of preventing diseases...through cellular signaling and gene regulation.
This research will examine the links between food practices in the Cambodian-American community and health risks among pregnant and post-partum Cambodian women in the United States. More than half of all Cambodian Americans live below the poverty line and a significant number are at high risk for food insecurity and hunger.
The objectives of this project are to:
(1) Analyze best practices that have proven effective at increasing individual, household, and community food and nutrition security and identify individual and systemic strategies for the development and dissemination of initiatives designed to improve food and nutrition security.
(2) Utilize food systems approaches to assess and address nutrition, health, and wellness challenges of vulnerable population groups (e.g., children, elderly, low income, immigrant, minority) with particular focus on food availability, appropriate policy systems and environmental changes that would increase positive food decision making and improve health outcomes.
Seafood is increasingly consumed in the United States. The ability of a particular foodborne pathogen to grow on raw seafood will be determined as will the process leading to the production of a toxin responsible for foodborne illness.
Deficiencies of mineral content in human diets, a causal factor in rising rates of malnutrition worldwide, appear to derive from diminished contents of mineral nutrients in foods of plant or animal origins.This project will provide a foundation of data to help ascertain if the nutrient content of foods can be enhanced through selection of crop varieties and improved nutrition of crops and will assess how dietary habits affect mineral nutrition of humans.
The proposed study aims to examine the nutritional health, food insecurity, and maternity care experiences of immigrant women in Massachusetts and in communities outside of the state. Through community engagement, interviews, and surveys of 10-15 immigrant women, as well as secondary data analysis of data on immigrant and refugee women in Massachusetts, our study hopes to demonstrate the importance of the migration experience, place of residence, and host communities in facilitating optimal health and nutrition outcomes for immigrant women and their families. We work with community partners and Extension Nutrition Education Program (NEP) staff to examine and interpret study findings. This process will increase engagement of our extension educators and community partners in research on their communities and facilitate an accurate interpretation of research findings. Our work is also important for generating ideas for innovative nutrition programming to meet community needs; developing and implementing training for NEP staff and educators; and for formulating policies that prioritize investments in nutrition, food security, and health infrastructure for communities in transition and immigrants in the U.S.
Despite their many health benefits, the recommended amount of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are not consumed by the majority of older adults in the U.S. The social-ecological model of healthy eating addresses multi-level factors that influence consumers' food choices, including the individual level, family and interpersonal level, community and organizational levels, and policy and systems levels. For older adults, community, organizational and policy enablers of healthy eating in older adults include accessibility, affordability, transportation, social support, and accommodating different living styles. Supermarkets, senior centers, and congregate meal sites are important settings where older adults practice food-related behaviors. This project will build upon lessons learned in the NE1439 regional research project and develop new understanding of important enablers and community supports for healthy eating in older adults. Through collaborative work with regional research members using qualitative and quantitative methods, we will identify the most important and modifiable enablers and behavioral settings to improve dietary behaviors in aging adults in communities across regions represented in this project. These results, along with relevant findings in the literature, will be used to develop and pilot test a tool that communities can use to assess their ability to support good nutrition among their older residents.
There is a great need to provide women with evidence based advice on how they can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. Research has shown that compounds in fruits and vegetables have anti-cancer properties and most people agree that a diet rich in nutritious fruits and vegetables may help prevent breast cancer. Because we want to look at changes directly in breast tissue of young women, we will study breastmilk and conduct a diet intervention study in women who are nursing their first born child.
The overall goal of this project is to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in a community of families in a low income, multi-cultural and multiethnic
neighborhood of Worcester, Massachusetts, by integrating expertise in Agriculture, Food Access, and Nutrition Education programming and by increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables for people living in the target area.
The main goal of this project is to develop new mathematical methods to describe and predict changes and deteriorative processes in foods and to improve existing ones, exploiting the power of modern mathematical software and the speed of computers. Secondary objectives are to develop user-friendly interactive software for implementing the new methods of calculation and to improve existing methods to calculate quantities and processes in food science, technology and engineering.
This research is the preliminary stage of investigation to examine the effects of soy supplements on abdominal fat and risk for developing diabetes.
This project is developing food-based delivery systems for transporting butyrate—a bioactive food component with possible cancer preventive effects—to the colon. It will generate fundamental scientific knowledge about how common food components (lipids and polysaccharides) can be assembled into new food structures with novel functional properties. This knowledge could be used to incorporate bioactive lipids (such as butyrate-enriched milk fat) into functional food products specifically designed to tackle human health problems, such as colon cancer prevention.
Food banks are major consumers of energy related to food handling and storage as well as major customers for local food producers. Energy efficiency and cost reduction in food banks could have synergistic benefits for both types of enterprise. This project will develop a process map to integrate energy and food handling audits tio help identify key nodes for effective energy efficiency and food safety interventions. By evaluating technological innovation in the context of the local post-harvest food system the food banks can optimize energy efficiency and food safety.
Breastfeeding is now recognized as the optimal feeding for healthy child development, including in the prevention of childhood obesity
Obesity is higher among black and Latino children compared to their white peers, regardless of gender and age (ranging from preschoolers to adolescents). On an alarming note, research now shows that overweight and obesity exist in very young children. This suggests that how a child is fed early in life is important in preventing childhood obesity. Currently, the scientific evidence suggests that childhood obesity is due to a complex relationship between genes, behavior and the environment, however, the fast rise of the obesity epidemic implies a significant influence of environmental factors. One such environmental influence is in the area of infant feeding
This project will use multiple colon cancer cell lines to investigate the potential synergistic interactions between different dietary components in inhibiting cancer cell growth, and elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved.
This project takes a theoretical and empirical approach to study how several aspects of the food supply chain affect the decisions of consumer and firms and their well-being. The research is examining three issues: buyer market power, the vertical structure of markets and benefits and costs associated with mandated labeling of food products.
The food industry is under transformation due to some important changes in consumer preferences. With a trend towards a healthier lifestyle, food quality, nutrition, and safety are increasingly important to consumers today. There is an increasing demand for more information about the nutritional content of food, for food considered healthy and health-enhancing. However, at the same time, obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise and so do health care costs as a result. There is significant interest in developing and implementing policies to address these problems and promote healthy eating. In this Hatch project, we examine the effects of two public policies aimed at improving consumer health outcomes. More specifically, we propose estimating the welfare effects of a policy proposal that bans use of partially-hydrogenated oil in food products leading to a ban on trans fat. Partially hydrogenated oil as a source of trans fat, is a primary cause of deaths related to heart attack and obesity in the United States. However, use of partially-hydrogenated oil as an ingredient, even in small amounts, significantly decreases cost of production by providing longer storability and shelf stability. To evaluate welfare effects of this ban, taking into account the demand- and supply-side responses, we use the microwaveable popcorn market as a case study, use Nielsen retail scanner datasets, and estimate a consumer demand model for microwaveable popcorns. We recover consumer preferences as well as marginal cost of production. We propose estimating counterfactuals by allowing firms to endogenously choose prices as well as product portfolios. Using our model, we can simulate the expected product offerings in the market as well as the prices of those products, hence we can compute the total gain in welfare from both before and after the ban is imposed.
Advances in nanotechnology have allowed more rapid and sensitive testing methods to be developed in the form of biosensors to help identify potential dangers in food products prior to distribution. This project aims to develop a microfluidic detection device designed for rapid and portable detection of pathogens and toxins in our food supply.
This project will examine use of a sensory-affective, comprehensive approach to promote early childhood consumption of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. It is piloting a "Mass Farm Fresh" classroom methodology intended to increase levels of intake that are closer to meeting the USDA recommendations.
This research will address cultural tailoring of nutrition education programs intended to improve food security and nutrition of diverse cultures. It will further investigate cultural and ethnic differences in the language that is used to describe food security and the responses to household constraints that affect food purchasing. Finally, it will implement and evaluate a nutrition education program with a multicultural group of low-income Massachusetts residents.
Mounting epidemiological and experimental evidence consistently indicates that obesity is a robust risk factor for colorectal cancer. As obesity has reached an epidemic level and further increases are projected in the future, it is critical to understand the mechanism(s) responsible for the link between obesity and colon cancer risk. Novel observations from our two recent studies indicate that a specific bacterium, Turicibacter, and the bacterial metabolite butyrate may act as mediators linking high fat diet-induced obesity and intestinal cancer, but not for genetically-induced obesity and intestinal cancer. This project aims to define this innovative mechanism, and thereby to inform the development of dietary strategies for preventing dietary obesity related intestinal cancer.
This project will investigate the effects of a bioactive food component called sulforaphane, which is found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, on basic cellular functions. The aim of this work is to develop new knowledge that could help improve the dietary prevention of the bone disease osteoporosis and obesity, two important public health problems.
Commercial Horticulture
For the development of molecular diagnostic detection tools (by color change) for dollar spot pathogen, turfgrass leaves and thatch will be sampled biweekly from May through September for total DNA extraction. Molecular-based markers specifically targeting dollar spot pathogen will be designed based on sequences of dollar spot genomes which are publicly available and using existing programs. The designed DNA markers will be tested for validation using those DNAs including positive control DNA extracted from dollar spot culture grown on PDA. After validation, the markers will be tested using DNA extracted from leaves and thatch, before and after dollar spot symptoms, on multiple golf courses in MA and CT.
For the development of molecular diagnostic detection tools (by color change) for fungicide resistance in dollar spot pathogen, pure culture of dollar spot fungus will be isolated from infected leaves to be collected from fairways, putting greens, or tee boxes on golf courses only where superintendents are suspicious of resistance development due to the lack of control or shortened application interval. These isolates, along with previously characterized sensitive and insensitive isolates will be tested in vitro for sensitivity to each fungicide class on fungicide-amended PDA media. After in vitro assays indicate putative resistance or reduced sensitivities, putative resistant isolates will be used for target gene sequencing for detection of mutation. After mutations are confirmed, molecular-based markers specifically targeting each mutation in each fungicide class will be designed using sequences of dollar spot genomes which are publicly available and using existing programs. The designed DNA markers will be tested for further validation using DNA extracted from infected leaves from golf courses with suspected resistance in MA and CT.
This project will examine the performance of three turfgrass species that are commonly used on home lawns, golf courses and on athletic fields for remediation of organic pollutants.
This study is expected to reveal differences in one or more aspects of immune components and will aid in the understanding of how chronic exposure to certain organic pesticides may alter immune responses.
The public desires turfgrass that is well maintained with less chemical inputs, however, these expectations are difficult to reliably meet without a better understanding of the complex interactions between plants and the microbial community. The microbial communities that encompass the turfgrass system are vast and diverse. They include studying interactions between the pathogenic and beneficial microbes that reside on the surface of turfgrass, rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and root interim microbiome. These areas can be further investigated due to the recent technological advances/tools and can facilitate the development of environmentally sustainable management practices and inputs.
This research involves utilizing genomics and molecular biology tools to understand the basis of DMI (demethylation inhibitor) fungicide resistance dollar spot, the most important disease of turf grasses for golf courses.
This project has three components to increase sustainability in Massachusetts cranberry production:
- development and demonstration of sustainable practices for the management of the most severe pest problems: cranberry fruitworm, fruit rot disease, and the parasitic weed dodder.
- investigation of practices to conserve water and fuel.
- work with growers to implement nutrient management Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Golf course superintendents often need to manage annual bluegrass on their courses and there are few methods for managing pests associated with annual bluegrass outside of multiple applications of chemical pesticides. This research seeks to refine understanding of the biology, ecology, and pathogenesis of these pests, develop better Integrated Pest Management tools to assess and monitor their impact, discover and deploy more effective pest management practices with reduced pesticide use.
Due to regulatory changes, golf course superintendants have been left with no effective management for plant parasitic nematodes. This research will test commercially-available and experimental alternatives.
Development and spread of the insecticide resistant in annual bluegrass weevil populations and demands for sustainable and environmentally sound turfgrass insect pest management options highlighted a crucial need in the development and improvement of the microbial options for tufgrass insect management. The main goal of our study is to investigate potential of the enthomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum as a possible strategy for annual bluegrass weevil control. Particularly, we will focus on addressing the following issues: 1) compare efficacy of older conidia and newer Microsclerotia formulations against ABW adults and larvae; 2) determine potential of the M. brunneum for mananging pyrethroid resistant populations 3) determine potential synergistic effect of combining fungus and imidacloprid.
With increased pressure to utilize more practical, ecological and economically feasible strategies to manage turfgrasses, research is needed to identify best management practices to preserve water resources. The primary goal is to increase sustainability of turfgrass by addressing water conservation issues, including (i) efficient irrigation strategies based on actual turfgrass water use, (ii) drought resistant species and cultivars, and (iii) an artificial wetland system to aid in preservation of water quality from managed turf settings.
