Cynthia B. McKenney

The Career Lines of Chief Academic Officers in Public Community Colleges

Administrative careers in higher education have typically been examined from an individual orientation, placing attention on the demographics and background characteristics of those holding a particular office. This study follows the structural perspective, examining the sequence of positions held by individuals who currently occupy the position of chief academic officer (CAO) in public community colleges. Six, three-sequence career lines are identified, representing the experiences of 43.9% of the sample. In addition, a faculty position emerges as the most common entry port to the career lines and the community college labor market.

Response of Miscanthus × giganteus and Miscanthus sinensis to postemergence herbicides.

Abstract Studies were conducted under greenhouse conditions at Michigan State University and Texas Tech University to investigate the tolerance of Miscanthus × giganteus and Miscanthus sinensis to POST herbicides. Miscanthus sinensis and M. × giganteus were treated with 10 and 18 POST herbicide treatments, respectively. Plants were evaluated for injury as well as dry aboveground and belowground biomass production 28 days after treatment. Imazethapyr at 0.069 kg ai ha−1 caused 5% injury to M. sinensis, which was greater than the nontreated check. Imazethapyr, imazamox at 0.044 kg ai ha−1, and rimsulfuron at 0.017 kg ai ha−1 reduced aboveground biomass of M. sinensis compared with the nontreated check. Dicamba at 0.56 kg ai ha−1 and halosulfuron at 0.035 kg ai ha−1 resulted in M. sinensis aboveground biomass similar to the nontreated check. Injury exhibited by M. × giganteus was greater than the nontreated check with glyphosate at 0.84 kg ae ha−1 (54%), foramsulfuron at 0.037 kg ai ha−1 (32%), nicosulfuron at 0.035 kg ai ha−1 (28%), and imazamox at 0.044 kg ai ha−1 (10%). These treatments also yielded the lowest aboveground biomass values. The results of this study demonstrate that M. sinensis is more tolerant of the POST herbicides tested here than M.×x. giganteus. Several herbicide options may be available for weed management in M. sinensis and M. × giganteus stands following additional field trials to validate initial findings. Nomenclature: Aminopyralid; dicamba; foramsulfuron; glyphosate; halosulfuron; imazamox; imazethapyr; nicosulfuron; rimsulfuron; Miscanthus sinensis; Miscanthus × giganteus.

Mowing rights-of-way affects carbohydrate reserves and tiller development

Intensive mowing has contributed to the loss of some climax grasses in Texas highway rights-of-way. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different mowing heights and frequencies on total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) concentration and tiller density in short and mid-grasses grown along highway rights-of-way. Shortgrasses were represented by blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K) Lag ex Steud.], and mid-grasses were represented by silver bluestem [Bothriochloa saccharoides (Sw.) Rydb], both of which are indigenous species. During 1999 and 2000, grasses were either non-mowed (control) or subjected to mowing heights of 5 and 10 cm, and 5 mowing frequencies (monthly, bi-monthly, tri-monthly, 1-time-only at the beginning or end of the growing season). Plants of both species mowed less frequently at either stubble height had higher TNC concentrations than plants subjected to more frequent mowing. Mowing produced fewer (P < 0.05) tillers after 2 consecutive mowing seasons than after 1 mowing season in silver bluestem. Silver bluestem tiller growth was more susceptible to frequent mowing than blue grama. Mowing during periods of rapid inflorescence development reduced tiller density in both species after 2 mowing seasons. Mowing height and frequency guidelines are proposed to maintain roadside grasses in their most productive state through planning mowing practices around the target plants natural growth habit and its ability to respond to defoliation.

Tolerance of Hooker's Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata) Transplants to Postemergence Herbicides

Abstract Greenhouse trials were conducted to determine Hookers evening primrose transplant tolerance to POST-applied herbicides. Herbicide treatments consisted of glyphosate at 1.68 kg ae ha−1, glufosinate at 0.84 kg ai ha−1, fenoxaprop at 0.10 kg ai ha−1, fluazifop at 0.45 kg ai ha−1 + a nonionic surfactant (NIS) at 0.25% v/v, sulfosulfuron at 0.06 kg ai ha−1 + NIS at 0.25% v/v, quinclorac at 0.42 kg ae ha−1 + methylated seed oil (MSO) at 0.5% v/v, mesotrione at 0.21 kg ai ha−1, and the combination of quinclorac + mecoprop + dicamba at 0.42 + 0.21 + 0.06 kg ae ha−1 + MSO at 0.5% v/v. Fluazifop (14%) and fenoxaprop (19%) treatments did not result in any significant phytotoxicity 7 d after treatment (DAT) compared with the nontreated check. Hookers evening primrose exhibited 26 to 37% phytotoxicity in response to quinclorac, glyphosate, or sulfosulfuron 7 DAT. Phytotoxicity ≥ 50% was observed for mesotrione, glufosinate, and the combination of quinclorac + mecoprop + dicamba 7 DAT. Phytotoxicity increased for all treatments 28 DAT. Fluazifop (21%) was the only treatment that did not exhibit phytotoxicity symptoms different from the nontreated check 28 DAT. Hookers evening primrose exhibited 31 to 40% phytotoxicity with applications of fenoxaprop, glyphosate, or glufosinate 28 DAT. Phytotoxicity was ≥ 58% with all other treatments 28 DAT. Fluazifop exhibited similar above-ground (12.4 g) and below-ground (16.4 g) biomass as the nontreated check (10.8 and 14.7 g, respectively) 28 DAT. All other treatments resulted in 1.6 to 5 g of above-ground biomass and 0.8 to 4.3 g of below-ground biomass 28 DAT. Fluazifop (24.3) and fenoxaprop (18.8) applications resulted in a plant growth index (PGI) that was not significantly different from the nontreated check (24.7) 28 DAT. A PGI ≤ 16.2 was observed for all other treatments 28 DAT. Nomenclature: Dicamba; fenoxaprop; fluazifop; glufosinate; glyphosate; mecoprop; mesotrione; quinclorac; sulfosulfuron; Hookers evening primrose, Oenothera elata Kunth OEEL Resumen Experimentos de invernadero fueron realizados para determinar la tolerancia de trasplantes de Oenothera elata a herbicidas aplicados POST. Los tratamientos de herbicidas fueron glyphosate a 1.68 kg ae ha−1, glufosinate a 0.84 kg ai ha−1, fenoxaprop a 0.10 kg ai ha−1, fluazifop a 0.45 kg ai ha−1 + surfactante no-iónico (NIS) a 0.25% v/v, sulfosulfuron a 0.06 kg ai ha−1 + NIS a 0.25% v/v, quinclorac a 0.42 kg ae ha−1 + aceite de semilla metilado (MSO) a 0.5% v/v, mesotrione a 0.21 kg ai ha−1, y la combinación de quinclorac + mecoprop + dicamba a 0.42 + 0.21 + 0.06 kg ae ha−1 + MSO a 0.5% v/v. Los tratamientos de fluazifop (14%) y fenoxaprop (19%) no resultaron en fitotoxicidad significativa 7 d después del tratamiento (DAT) en comparación con los testigos no tratados. O. elata mostró 26 a 37% de fitotoxicidad en respuesta a quinclorac, glyphosate, o sulfosulfuron 7 DAT. Fitotoxicidad ≥50% se observó con mesotrione, glufosinate, y la combinación de quinclorac + mecoprop + dicamba 7 DAT. La fitotoxicidad incrementó para todos los tratamientos 28 DAT. Fluazifop (21%) fue el único tratamiento que no mostró síntomas de fitotoxicidad diferentes al testigo no tratado 28 DAT. O. elata mostró 31 a 40% de fitotoxicidad con aplicaciones de fenoxaprop, glyphosate, o glufosinate 28 DAT. La fitotoxicidad fue ≥58% con todos los demás tratamientos 28 DAT. Fluazifop mostró biomasa aérea (12.4 g) y subterránea (16.4 g) similares al testigo no tratado (10.8 y 14.6 g, respectivamente) 28 DAT. Todos los demás tratamientos resultaron en 1.6 a 5 g de biomasa aérea y 0.8 a 4.3 g de biomasa subterránea 28 DAT. Las aplicaciones de fluazifop (24.3) y fenoxaprop (18.8) resultaron en un índice de crecimiento vegetal (PGI) que no fue significativamente diferente al testigo no tratado (24.7) 28 DAT. Un PGI ≤16.2 se observó en todos los demás tratamientos 28 DAT.