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Abstract
‘Patriot’ a new hardy blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L., originated in the cooperative blueberry breeding program of the Maine Life Sciences and Agriculture Experiment Station and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It has performed well at Jonesboro, Maine, Maryland, North Carolina, and Oregon. The name ‘Patriot’ was assigned in recognition of the U.S. Bicentennial.
Abstract
‘Georgiagem’, a new low-chilling cultivar. is the first highbush blueberry (Vacciniwn corymbosum L.) cultivar developed from the cooperative blueberry breeding program of the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA. Although ‘Georgiagem’ originated mostly from tetraploid highbush blueberry parentage, it obtained adaptation to the southern U.S. environment from the diploid species, V. darrowi, selected from the wild in Florida (2). ‘Georgiagem’ is early ripening, moderately productive, and has fruit of medium size with good color, small stem scar, firmness, and pleasant flavor.
Abstract
‘Brightwell’ rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) is a new cultivar originating from the cooperative blueberry breeding program of the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is productive, early ripening, and has medium-size fruit with excellent color, stem scar, firmness, and pleasant flavor. ‘Brightwell’ is intended for those areas of the southern United States where rabbiteye blueberries are successfully grown. This cultivar is named in honor of W.T. Brightwell who bred rabbiteye blueberries for over 30 years at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Ga. He is known for the many excellent cultivars that he and his cooperators originated.
Abstract
‘Baldwin’ rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) is a new cultivar originating from the cooperative blueberry breeding program of the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations and the USDA. It is a very productive, late-ripening cultivar with good flavor and firm, dark-blue fruit. Bacause of its lengthy ripening period ‘Baldwin’ is intended primarily for pick-your-own and backyard planting in areas of the southern United States where rabbiteye blueberries are grown successfully. ‘Baldwin’ is named in honor of Abraham Baldwin, Yale graduate, U.S. Senator, and founder and first president of the Univ. of Georgia,.
Abstract
Cultivars of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) differed in cold requirements for bud break. ‘Woodard’ and ‘Tifblue’ plants required 400 and 600 hr, respectively, of constant chilling (6-7°C) for normal flowering. Two hundred and 400 hr of chilling, respectively, were insufficient for bud break. Additional chilling increased the amount and rate of bud break. Defoliation hastened vegetative bud break but did not affect flower buds.
Abstract
Young strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) seedlings were screened over a 4-year period for resistance to a composite of races of the red stele root rot causal organism, Phytophthora fragariae. A mixture of mycelia of 5 races of the organism, agar and water used as a root dip at the time of planting into sand on 6- to 8-week-old seedlings gave uniform results in the elimination of susceptible seedlings approximately five months later. The technique lends itself to efficient and effective mass screening of strawberry seedlings for relative resistance to P. fragariae.
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Agriculture strawberry breeding program has introduced 61 cultivars from 6 breeding locations in its 61-year history. Fifteen to 20 of these cultivars have been widely grown, and 5 of the recent releases show exceptional promise. From its inception, the program has been aimed at producing high-quality, multipurpose cultivars with disease resistance and broad regional adaptation. Because of disease pressures, genetic resistance has been emphasized, especially for red stele root rot. The USDA has become the principal source of red stele-resistant germplasm for breeding pruposes, and has constantly refined and improved its disease-screening techniques. Red stele and Verticillium resistance have now been incorporated into everbearing strawberries adapted to the eastern United States. Investigations concerning virus detection and eradication and the propagation of virus-free stocks have led to state virus-free plant certification programs, which assure the public of production of the cleanest possible strawberry nursery stocks. The work of the USDA and cooperating state stations has played a significant role in the improvement of strawberry cultivars and the development of modern strawberry production in the United States.
Abstract
Octoploid progenies from species crosses between Fragaria virginiana Duch. ⨯ F. chiloensis (L.) Duch., F. virginiana ⨯ F. ⨯ ananassa Duch., and 2 BC1 crosses to F. ⨯ ananassa were grown in replicated plots and data obtained on winter survival, vigor of growth, time of bloom, productivity, and size of fruit. The ‘Ambato’ clone of F. chiloensis from South America transmitted susceptibility to winter injury and its progenies were weak. Progenies with the ‘Sheldon’ clone of F. virginiana as a parent were vigorous, early blossoming, productive, and had small fruit. ‘Sheldon’ ⨯ ‘Midland’ was most vigorous and the earliest blossoming of all progenies. US 3563 ⨯ ‘Midland’ and ‘Surecrop’ ⨯ ‘Midland’ progenies were the most productive. Among the progenies ‘Surecrop’ ⨯ ‘Ambato’ and ‘Surecrop’ ⨯ ‘Midland’ had the largest mean size of fruit; ‘Sheldon’ ⨯ ‘Yaquina’ the smallest. The ‘Ambato’ and ‘Yaquina’ clones of F. chiloensis differed in transmission of characteristics to their progenies.
Abstract
Two clones of Vaccinium showed high field-resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi and remained unaffected during 3 years of observation in naturally infested soil: Me-US 32, a productive, cultivated highbush selection (V. australe), and a selection from the wild of the diploid species (V. atrococcum). However, the clone, E-22 selection of V. australe, growing in adjacent row to the resistant clones was severely damaged by the pathogen. Phytophthora cinnamomi was readily isolated from soil surrounding both resistant and susceptible clones.
Abstract
Two methods of evaluating seedling drought resistance in Vaccinium (blueberry) spp. were examined. Twenty interspecific populations were greenhouse-grown and either matric-stressed in a dry 1 sand : 1 soil medium or osmotic-stressed in a nutrient solution containing polyethylene glycol (PEG). In both tests, population means were separated statistically by shoot damage ratings. The correlation (r = 0.46) between the two tests was positive and significant. Progenies of clones JU64 and JU62, which are sister seedlings (V. myrsinites Lamark × V. angustifolum Aiton), were the most drought-resistant. The soil screening test appeared more accurate because it grouped populations with common parentage. These tests indicated that the progenies differ in genetic capacity to resist drought.