ABSTRACTSafflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a minor yet widely grown oil seed crop adapted to semiarid regions. The development of winter adapted safflower, permitting fall planting, could substantially increase seed production. Our objective was to compare seed production of winter‐type and spring‐type safflower under fall and spring planting regimes. From 2006 to 2009 four winter‐type safflower germplasms and two spring cultivars were compared at Central Ferry, WA, Pullman, WA, and Pendleton, OR, in seven year–location combinations. For all years and locations the minimum average winter temperatures in December and January were always below freezing, with annual extremes ranging from ‐11 to ‐26°C. Extensive winter mortality of fall‐planted, spring‐type cultivars generally resulted in little or no seed production. For each year, seed production of fall‐planted, winter‐type germplasm was always higher than when spring planted (P < 0.05), averaging 310 g m‐2 or 66% more. That advantage was also observed at all locations within years except Pullman and Pendleton in 2009. Anthesis of fall‐planted germplasm averaged 16 d earlier than when spring planted. Increased production of fall‐planted winter‐type germplasm was most closely associated with increased seeds per square meter resulting from more capitula per square meter or seeds per capitulum. The results showed that fall‐planted winter‐type safflower has the potential to substantially increase seed production compared to spring types.

Malting quality data were collected on malts from three barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) breeding program trials. We tried to identify causal polymorphisms in the Bmy1 intron III and coding regions for use in marker‐assisted selection. Abundant malting quality variation exists in the spring barley germplasm despite the parents having identical Bmy1 intron III and coding regions. After complete Bmy1 sequencing, no polymorphisms associated with malting quality phenotypes, indicating the genetic basis for the observed variation resides outside Bmy1. Complete allele sequencing identified one winter barley parent that had a novel Bmy1 allele (Sd1a) based on amino acid substitutions that are candidates as causative agents for the phenotypic variation. Marker‐assisted selection against the Sd1a allele could be effective in improving diastatic power (DP). The Sd1a allele is associated with low DP and is present in only three of the 51 lines, presumably due to preceding generations being selected for high DP. Selection for DP has subsequently eliminated the Sd1a allele from this breeding program. This research shows the importance of having complete allele sequences and knowledge of functional polymorphisms in target genes before using marker‐assisted selection.

ABSTRACTGrain β‐glucan content is the most important attribute for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties destined for the human food market. This trait is important because of the blood glucose and cholesterol‐reducing properties of β‐glucans. High levels of grain protein content, test weight, and seed size and endosperm color may also add value. Seed yield potential, in part, determines the economic feasibility of producing human food varieties. To determine the potential of food barley production in the dryland production areas of the Pacific Northwest of the United States, 33 cultivars and advanced lines reported to vary in β‐glucan content were grown in 2006 and 2007 at two locations in northeastern Oregon under dryland cropping conditions. Seed yield, test weight, percentage of plump kernels, grain β‐glucan, and grain protein were measured on replicated samples from the four environments, allowing for assessment of average performance as well as genotype × environment interaction. Estimates of variance components showed that ∼66% of the variability in β‐glucan content was attributable to genotype. Cultivars and lines with waxy starch had an average β‐glucan value of 55 g kg−1 compared with 35 g kg−1 for cultivars and lines with nonwaxy starch. We found significant two‐ and three‐way interactions, but these accounted for much less of the total variation in the measured phenotypes than the main effects of variety, year, and location. Hulless accessions produced an average of 3580 kg grain ha−1 compared with 4260 kg grain ha−1 for the hulled accessions. Hulled, waxy‐starch varieties appear to have the greatest agronomic potential for dryland production, as they combine high yield potential and grain β‐glucan percentage.

Revised November 2006. Reviewed July 2012. Please check for active titles in the OSU Extension Service Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog

Revised Novemeber 2006. Reviewed July 2012. Please look for up-to-date titles in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog

Published January 2004. Reviewed July 2013. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog

The Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center (CBARC) is home to the oldest experiments in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). The perennial grassland, conventional-till continuous cereal, and crop residue management experiments were initiated in 1931, and the tillage-fertility, wheat-pea rotation experiments were initiated in 1940 and 1963. In 1998, a no-till continuous cereal was added to mirror the conventional-till continuous cereal. This article summarizes the results obtained in 2004. The perennial grassland serves as a baseline for comparisons with other systems. Continuous cereal: in both conventional and no-till cropping systems, spring barley produced the highest yield, followed by winter wheat and then spring wheat. Winter wheat, spring barley, and spring wheat produced higher yields under conventional tillage than under the no-till cropping system. Crop residue: highest yields were obtained when manure was applied, followed by 80-lb nitrogen (N) rates. Treatments involving field burning without N application and check treatments resulted in the lowest yields. Wheat-pea rotation: for wheat, highest yields were produced under no-till management. Spring plow, fall plow, and fall chisel treatments all had lower yields. For peas, highest yields were produced in the no-till and spring plow treatments. Fall plow and fall disk treatments had lower yields. Tillage fertility: tillage fertility plots were in fallow during 2004. Continuous no-till winter wheat (USDA): yields and test weights continue to be collected on this trial with a 7-year average yield of 70.9 bu/acre.

The objective of the study was to examine the immunization status of children entering school as of September 1990 in two selected school districts in the Pittsburgh area. Immunization levels were determined by review of the students' school health/immunization records using AAP recommendations for age-appropriate vaccines for these children at the onset of the study. A telephone survey of parents was then conducted. Reasons for lack of adequate immunizations and demographic data were examined in the survey. Two hundred eighty-one records were reviewed. Only 122 (43%) of children were fully immunized (FI) according to the recommendations used. From the total, 237 (84%) families were successfully contacted by telephone; 109 (46%) children from this subset were FI. Both districts were similar for immunization status and demographic data. Seventy-one percent of the children were missing DTP, 48% HIB, and 44% OPV. All children had at least one MMR. The mean age of the children was 5.4 years (SD=0.35). Potential missed opportunities for immunization were identified. Ninety-six percent (n=237) of students not fully immunized (NFI) had seen a physician at least once within the past year and 65% within the past six months. Parental lack of knowledge for the need for vaccines was the reason most often identified by parents (58%) for their child's missing vaccine(s). A significant number of children in this study were found to be lacking recommended immunizations for age at entry to school despite a recent physician visit. Although many were still within the recommended age range for receiving needed immunizations, a large number of their parents stated that they did not know further vaccines were needed. Contrary to previous reports, cost, access, illness, and mobility were not identified by parents as reasons for missing vaccines in their children. Future efforts targeting immunization must emphasize better education of parents and physicians.

AbstractBlock copolymers of 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane (BPA) polycarbonate and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG) were used in a study of the influence of composition and block size on the thermal and mechanical properties of block copolymers. By copolymerizing polycarbonates of controlled molecular weight with similarly characterized poly(ethylene oxide) glycols, it was found feasible to alter the size of each type of block independently of the other. To complement this investigation, the effect of varying the concentration of a compatible plasticizer on the physical properties of the BPA polycarbonate was also studied. The BPA polycarbonate was rendered thermally crystallizable and flexible either by the copolymerization with PEG or by the addition of low molecular weight plasticizer. Degradation of tensile modulus and strength was observed with increased PEG content but was less for the copolymers with the longer blocks.

Changes in the capacity of a test cell which contained porous Vycor glass have been measured following the adsorption of butane and ethyl chloride. The results are similar to those obtained by Snelgrove and McIntosh using silica gel and these adsorbates. That is, a sudden drop in the apparent polarization is observed at a well defined quantity of adsorbed gas. This observation thus appears characteristic of porous adsorbents. To explain the phenomenon one may postulate a low density for the material of low apparent polarizability, or its location in a different electrical field in the heterogeneous dielectric. The former is ruled out with Vycor glass because of insufficient pore volume. The latter approach has been examined using the "cluster" treatment of Channen and McIntosh with the data for silica gel systems as well as porous glass. The attempt has proved only partially successful.

The temperature dependence of the apparent dielectric constants of various adsorbed polar gases on finely divided, non-porous titanium dioxide has been determined. Within the experimental error, the apparent dielectric constant of the material adsorbed in the monolayer is independent of temperature. The effect of temperature on the dielectric constant for gas adsorbed beyond the monolayer depends on the adsorbate. These results have been interpreted as indicating that molecules initially adsorbed are oscillators, while those adsorbed in later stages of the adsorption process may be rotators or oscillators.

Published February 2004. Reviewed March 2012. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/catalog