Researchers will develop a protocol for a swine herd health monitoring system and decision making computer software. Health Transgenic pigs that produce more milk and milk with high levels of bioactive factors which promote health, growth and development of the gastrointestinal tract may lead to new, highly productive maternal lines of swine. Researchers will study milk production and composition from these sows, and the effect of this milk on the health and survivability of their offspring. Researchers will study the role of fumonisin on the suppression of bacterial resistance, establish the levels of fumonisin in pig rations that are safe and determine the mechanism which mediates this suppression. With more farmers using conservation tillage, fusarium head blight, or scab, is increasing in Illinois wheat.
Spores survive on the crop residue to infect the next wheat crop, reducing yields and quality.
The long term goal of this project is the development of wheat lines with resistance to the disease. Genetically dwarf trees would reduce the expense of tree production by eliminating the costly and time-consuming practice of grafting. Cucumber mosaic virus is causing sever crop losses in tomatoes and peppers and threatens the viability of production in southern Illinois. Researchers will study how the disease is transmitted, evaluate control practices and determine best procedures for managing this new epidemic in peppers and, as needed, other vegetable crops. A real-time soil nutrient sensor used in conjunction with established soil nutrient test recommendation procedures could lead to reductions in fertilizer inputs with negligible reductions in yields.