Extra Materials
The information we discuss in class is the most basic information related to a particular topic. I will include additional readings, webpages, or videos here. I hope you will check this page often, but especially when something we discuss in class piques your interest. Also, if you find "extra" material that I don't have posted, send it to me and I'll put it up!
Dr. Borlaug on Penn & Teller - video clip from YouTube.
Nobel Prize - The Nobel Foundation records the Nobel Lectures of Noble Prize winners. This link will take you to the manuscript of Dr. Norman Borlaug's 1970 Noble Lecture, "The Green Revolution, Peace, and Humanity".
Another reason why we study plants - Scientists have found a genetic anomoly in plants that may be used to cure genetic disorders in humans.
Doomsday Seed Vault, NBC News - video clip.
Tree of Life - a web project that demonstrates relationships among over 9000 species of plants, animals, fungi, and more. This is very interesting!
Jatropha Fruit a Dream Fuel?, CNN News - video clip.
Bitter-tasting Nectar And Floral Odors Optimize Outcrossing For Plants - The primary purpose of a flower is to facilite pollination. Here's a summary of some research describing how flowers attract pollinators.
MIT professor describes new process for storing solar energy - a professor from MIT describes a "new" way to store solar energy based on the water-splitting process in plants.
The Z-scheme for football fans - This video was brought to my attention by one of the students in PLNT 1213. It's an Ohio State University production describing the Z-scheme (the light reactions in photosynthesis) using football analogies.
Synthetic trees - A professor at Cornell University has created a synthetic tree that carries out the process of transpiration!
Casparian strip animation- An animation from the University of California at Davis that describes how the Casparian strip works to regulate nutrient uptake in the plant
Wheat: The big picture - a web site that describes the life cycle of wheat.
Corn Production - A web site from Iowa State University with lots of information about corn, including growth stages.
Soybean Growth Stages - Another Iowa State University website. This one has information about soybean production and growth stages.
Growing Degree Days - More from Iowa State. A short lesson on growing degree days, for those who want more in-depth information.
When leaves fall... - A summary of some research being conducted at the University of Missouri that investigates the biology behind abscission. Abscission is the name of the process that occurs when plants shed leaves, fruit, or flowers.
Soil organic carbon - An overview of soil organic carbon.
Natural Resources Conservation Service - The homepage for the NRCS. Check out the "Programs" tab and the "About Us" tab.
Ogallala Aquifer recharge - The Ogallala Aquifer provides irrigation water to agriculturally important areas of the U.S. Scientists with the USDA-ARS are researching ways to predict the rate at which this important water source will be replenished.
The Story of Cotton - Enough said.
Cotton: From Field to Fiber in Forty Frams - a step-by-step look at (most of) the processes associated with growing cotton and making fabrics. I challenge you to find one discrepency between a photo and it's accompanynig text.
