The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. https://aurora.auburn.edu:443 2026-04-18T22:12:10Z 2026-04-18T22:12:10Z https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50772 2026-04-01T22:04:19Z

Yield and Fruit Quality of ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’ Strawberry in Hydroponic Culture in Alabama, United States Over a Single Season Day-neutral strawberry cultivars Albion and San Andreas were cultivated hydroponically in a climate-con-trolled greenhouse (temperature and light regulated) to assess fruit quality and anthocyanin composition, which are important attributes for flavor and color (visual appeal), respectively. Fruits were collected from 6 Feb 2023, until 18 May 2023, at Auburn University, AL. Soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (Tacid), pH, total phenolics (TPC), and anthocyanins [total anthocyanins (TAC), cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), pelar-gonidin-3-glucoside (P3G), pelargonidin-3-rutinoside (P3R), pelargonidin-3-malonylglucoside (P3M)] were determined from the juice of thawed frozen fruits. Average fruit yield (Fyield; g·plant-1) was similar between cultivars. Both cultivars were similar for SSC, Tacid, TPC, TAC, and the major pigment (P3G) when averaged across days after transplanting (DAT). Pelargonidin-based pigments predominantly characterized the antho-cyanin profile. Minor pigments differed, with more C3G (mg 100 g/fresh weight) in ‘Albion’ than in ‘San Andreas’ (0.39 and 0.18, respectively), whilst ‘San Andreas’ had more P3R (mg 100 g/fresh weight) than ‘Albion’ (2.26 and 1.81, respectively). Plant age (DAT, non-replicated) influenced SSC, Tacid, and most of the anthocyanins. Fyield, Tacid, and SSC were higher in plants at 140 DAT (early spring), but lower in plants at 180 DAT (late spring), indicating a potential plant age effect on fruit productivity and quality. Correlation analysis indicated a robust positive correlation between TAC, C3G, pelargonidin anthocyanins (P3G, P3R, P3M), and Fyield, whereas Fyield was inversely correlated with Tacid and TPC. Our results indicate that strawberry fruit qual-ity is influenced by cultivar-specific pigment profiles, seasonal variations, and yield interactions, highlighting the need to balance productivity with market-preferred traits in hydroponic greenhouse systems

https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50771 2026-03-17T18:28:14Z

Alabama Livestock Research Report 2025 Welcome The livestock industry remains a foundation of Alabama’s agricultural economy, supporting rural communities, creating jobs, and providing high-quality animal protein for a growing population. Cattle are produced in every county in the state and represent an industry valued at more than $2.5 billion annually. Alongside beef production, Alabama’s broader animal agriculture sector, including poultry, pork, dairy, goats, and hay production, plays a vital role in sustaining the state’s agricultural landscape. Recent assessments estimate that Alabama’s food, fiber, forestry, and green industries contribute $77.3 billion to the state’s economy and support more than 273,000 jobs, accounting for nearly 10% of Alabama’s workforce. As global demand for animal protein continues to increase, livestock producers face evolving challenges related to efficiency, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and animal health. Addressing these challenges requires innovative research, strong partnerships, and a commitment to translating science into practical solutions for producers. The Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University remains dedicated to advancing this mission through collaborative research and extension programs that support the livestock industry across Alabama. The projects featured in this year’s report highlight the diversity and impact of our research programs. From studies evaluating nutritional strategies to investigations of grazing systems that incorporate warm-season forbs, our researchers are working to improve animal performance while enhancing the sustainability of pasture-based production systems. Other efforts focus on reproductive biology and developmental programming, exploring how maternal nutrition and reproductive technologies influence early embryonic development and long-term animal performance. In addition, extension-focused research included in this report examines how educational programs can better reach and serve Alabama’s livestock and equine communities. We are pleased to present the fourth edition of the Alabama Livestock Research Report, which showcases research conducted by faculty, staff, and students in the Auburn University Department of Animal Sciences and our affiliated research and extension centers. Within these pages, you will find examples of how science, innovation, and collaboration are helping address real-world challenges faced by livestock producers throughout the state. We are grateful to the many producers, industry partners, commodity groups, and funding agencies who make this work possible. Most importantly, we thank the faculty, staff, and students whose dedication and curiosity drive the research and outreach efforts highlighted in this report. Thank you for your continued support of Auburn University’s Department of Animal Sciences and our shared commitment to strengthening Alabama’s livestock industry. We invite you to engage with this work, ask questions, share ideas, and join us as we continue to serve Alabama’s livestock industry through research, education, and innovation. This is our work. Sincerely, Kim Mullenix, Ph.D. Professor and Head Department of Animal Sciences 210 Upchurch Hall, Auburn Univ, AL 36849

https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50770 2026-03-07T14:57:21Z

The Saturation of Ease: Diagnosing Epistemic Stewardship and the Innovator’s Paradox in Generative Learning Environments This investigation diagnoses the innovator’s paradox within specialized knowledge domains, where high technical competence does not significantly predict the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI). The findings identify epistemic stewardship as the primary driver of practitioner resistance, revealing that experts reject frictionless generative heuristics to protect student epistemic agency, defined as the cognitive struggle of synthesis. Utilizing a triadic theoretical framework (TAM, Diffusion of Innovations, and HCI), this research identifies a saturation-of-ease threshold where technical efficiency conflicts with pedagogical validity. The data suggest that, for expert practitioners, perceived ease of use is a non-predictive metric of technology acceptance when it threatens the integrity of the learning process. We conclude that sustaining scholarly integrity requires a systemic shift toward Socratic architectures that prioritize cognitive friction and professional stewardship over algorithmic velocity. This transparent approach serves as a blueprint for institutional guardrails that preserve the human cognitive core within automated academic workflows.

https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50769 2026-03-07T15:02:32Z

Collaborative Artificial Intelligence Learning Architecture: Restoring Scholarly Friction and Epistemic Governance via Collaborative Inquiry Using an Epistemic Friction Framework This study utilizes an epistemic friction framework as a system-centric approach to eliminate reliance on generalist chatbots by distributing cognitive load across specialized agents. The architecture introduces the Parallel Cognitive Router (PCR), demonstrating an asynchronous compute offloading protocol that ensures the human researcher remains the final epistemic governor of scholarly meaning. Current velocity-centric paradigms operationalize Large Language Models (LLMs) as high-speed stochastic text generators, prioritizing efficiency over epistemic rigor. This creates an illusion of understanding that precipitates model collapse through recursive, unverified output. To address these structural failures, we have constructed a proof-of-concept application demonstrating system-centric orchestration via a collaborative learning architecture. The PCR framework isolates cognitive load across specialized agents: an Analyst (syntax mode) and a Skeptic(adversarial critique). Central to this architecture is a heterogeneous knowledge stewardship protocol that maps specific agent functions to physical processing units. The Analyst agent is restricted to the Central Processing Unit (CPU) for deterministic syntax generation (e.g., SPSS or Python). Through processor delineation and alignment, methodological constraints are established locally, preventing stochastic hallucination by maintaining modular isolation between logic and prose. Simultaneously, a dialectical friction agent utilizes local inference optimization on parallel hardware to perform adversarial stress testing. By offloading high-heat computational tasks, the system simulates the rigors of peer review to identify logical gaps and citation errors before external model interaction occurs. This glass box approach provides a blueprint for institutional policies that prioritize professional stewardship and scholarly validity (Φ = .89) over algorithmic compliance.