University of Queensland

About: University of Queensland is a education organization based out in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 51138 authors who have published 155721 publications receiving 5717659 citations. The organization is also known as: UQ & The University of Queensland.

Diamondback Moth Ecology and Management: Problems, Progress, and Prospects

Abstract: Agricultural intensification and greater production of Brassica vegetable and oilseed crops over the past two decades have increased the pest status of the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella L., and it is now estimated to cost the world economy US$4–5 billion annually. Our understanding of some fundamental aspects of DBM biology and ecology, particularly host plant relationships, tritrophic interactions, and migration, has improved considerably but knowledge of other aspects, e.g., its global distribution and relative abundance, remains surprisingly limited. Biological control still focuses almost exclusively on a few species of hymenopteran parasitoids. Although these can be remarkably effective, insecticides continue to form the basis of management; their inappropriate use disrupts parasitoids and has resulted in field resistance to all available products. Improved ecological understanding and the availability of a series of highly effective selective insecticides throughout the 1990s provided ...

Prediction of genetic values of quantitative traits in plant breeding using pedigree and molecular markers.

Abstract: The availability of dense molecular markers has made possible the use of genomic selection (GS) for plant breeding. However, the evaluation of models for GS in real plant populations is very limited. This article evaluates the performance of parametric and semiparametric models for GS using wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays) data in which different traits were measured in several environmental conditions. The findings, based on extensive cross-validations, indicate that models including marker information had higher predictive ability than pedigree-based models. In the wheat data set, and relative to a pedigree model, gains in predictive ability due to inclusion of markers ranged from 7.7 to 35.7%. Correlation between observed and predictive values in the maize data set achieved values up to 0.79. Estimates of marker effects were different across environmental conditions, indicating that genotype × environment interaction is an important component of genetic variability. These results indicate that GS in plant breeding can be an effective strategy for selecting among lines whose phenotypes have yet to be observed.

Graphene-based electrodes for electrochemical energy storage

Abstract: The ever-increasing demands for energy and environmental concerns due to burning fossil fuels are the key drivers of today's R&D of innovative energy storage systems. This paper provides an overview of recent research progress in graphene-based materials as electrodes for electrochemical energy storage. Beginning with a brief description of the important properties of single-layer graphene, methods for the preparation of graphene and its derivatives (graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide) are summarized. Then, graphene-based electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors and lithium-ion batteries are reviewed. The use of graphene for improving the performance of lithium–sulfur and lithium–oxygen batteries is also presented. Future research trend in the development of high-power-density and high-energy-density electrochemical energy storage devices is analysed.