Search Results
Abstract
A series of diploid plum (Prunus salicina Lindl. and hybrids), apricot (P. armeniaca L.), and plum × apricot (plumcot) clones were surveyed for six enzyme systems to identify a biochemical marker system for plumcots. Peroxidase (EC 1.11,1.7) was the best marker for identifying plum × apricot hybrids. The other systems contained plum or apricot specific alleles useful in verifying hybrid parentage of first or later generation derivatives.
Ten phenological and fruit quality traits were evaluated in seedlings from nine F1 low to medium chill full-sib peach (Prunus persica) families and their parents over 2 years at two locations (Fowler, CA, and College Station, TX) to estimate variance components, genotype by environment interaction (G×E), and phenotypic correlations using restricted maximum likelihood mixed and multivariate models. The removal of nectarine [P. persica var. nucipersica (fruit without fuzz)] and pantao (flat shape fruit) seedlings from the analysis decreased the heritability for the fruit size, blush, tip, and soluble solids concentration (SSC), indicating the importance of taking the effects of the major gene of nectarine/pantao into account when assessing the heritability of traits. A strong correlation coefficient (r = 0.92) found between ripe date (RD) and fruit development period (FDP) and between fruit weight (FW) and fruit diameter (FD), indicates that either measure is equally effective, although the negative correlation between bloom date (BD) and FDP (r = −0.46) implies earlier blooming during cool temperatures tends to extend FDP. FW, FD, blush, and SSC had moderately weak correlations with RD (r = 0.56, 0.53, −0.41, and 0.48) and FDP (r = 0.57, 0.56, −0.50, and 0.39, respectively), which could be explained either by the presence of a strong link between quantitative trait loci of these traits and the ripening date locus or the pleiotropic effect of ripening date on many quantitative fruit characters. The traits RD, FDP, and titratable acidity (TA) had the highest broad-sense heritability (H2) and lowest G×E. FW, tip, and shape showed the lowest H2, the highest of G×E variance to the genetic F (G×E variance/total genotypic variance), and high G×E, whereas the other traits showed moderate G×E. For the traits that had a higher G×E interaction, selection for or against these traits should be done at the production location. A moderate narrow-sense heritability (h2) was estimated for BD, blush, fruit tip, and shape. FW and FD showed low to moderate h2 while H2 was high, whereas RD, FDP, SSC, and TA showed low h2 and high H2 estimates, indicating important nonadditive effects for these traits.
Plant architecture is a crucial trait in plant breeding because it is linked to crop yield. For ornamental crops such as roses, plant architecture is key for their aesthetic and economic value. In 2015, six rose plant architectural traits were evaluated on 2- to 3-year-old plants of F1 rose populations in May and December in College Station, TX, to estimate variability and heritability. The traits included plant height, the number of primary shoots, the length of primary shoots, the number of nodes on the primary shoot, the number of secondary shoots per primary shoot, and the number of tertiary shoots per primary shoot. Among these traits, plant height, the number of primary shoots, and the length of primary shoots showed a substantial amount of variability, whereas the number of secondary and tertiary shoots per primary shoot were skewed toward zero. Using a random effects model restricted maximum likelihood (REML) analysis, the architectural traits demonstrated low to moderate narrow-sense heritability (0.12–0.50) and low to high broad-sense heritability (0.34–0.92). Plant height and the number of primary shoots changed little after the first growth phase, whereas the other four traits were affected greatly by the genotype-by-environment (growth phase) interaction.
Research with the Basye Rose Breeding and Genetic Program at Texas A&M University has developed rose populations to use to study the genetic nature of leaf, stem, and several other rose traits. The rose populations are from the backcross of Rosachinensis`Old Blush' to WOB (interspecific hybridization of the diploid parents Rosawichuariana `Basye's Thornless' and `Old Blush'). The qualitative trait of presence of stem prickles and the quantitative traits of stem prickle density and leaflet number were observed in three field locations. Two locations are in College Station, Texas, and one location in Overton, Texas. The qualitative trait of presence of stem prickles supports the reported monogenic modes of inheritance. The presence of stem prickles (dominant) had a segregation ratio of 1:1 for prickles: no prickles. Prickle density and leaflet number demonstrated a quantitative mode of inheritance. For prickle density the genotype was significant and environment was nonsignificant. For leaflet number the genotype/generation was significant and environment was nonsignificant. This shows that genotype influences prickle density and leaflet number expression. The genotype by environment interaction was nonsignificant for all traits.
Stone fruits contain a range of phenolic compounds and carotenoids which have been implicated in improving human health. The objective of this study was to characterize the phytochemicals and antioxidant activity (AOA) exhibited in peaches and plums. Twenty-two peach varieties and fifty-three plum varieties with different flesh and skin color collected from fields in California, Georgia, and Texas were analyzed for their antioxidant content and AOA. Total phenolics, anthocyanins, carotenoids were analyzed spectrophotometrically. AOA was evaluated by DPPH. Anthocyanin and phenolic contents were higher in red-flesh than in white/yellow-flesh peaches. Carotenoid content was higher in yellow-flesh [2-3 mg β-carotene/100 g fw (fresh weight)] than in white or red-flesh peaches (0.01-1.8 mg β-carotene/100 g fw). AOA was about 2-fold higher in red-flesh varieties than in white/yellow-flesh varieties. Among the peaches, the AOA was well correlated with both phenolic and anthocyanin content. Among the plums, the anthocyanin content increased with the red color intensity. Although the plums varied widely in phenolic content, the red/purple-flesh plums generally had higher phenolic content (400-500 mg chlorogenic acid/100 g fw) than the other plums. Carotenoid content in plums was similar for all varieties (0.2-2 mg β-carotene/100 g fw). AOA was higher in red/purple-flesh varieties; however, it was well correlated only with the phenolic content in light colored flesh plums. These results suggest that red-flesh peach varieties have a greater potential health benefit based on antioxidant content and AOA as compared to the white/yellow-flesh varieties. Although this trend is not clear over all the plum varieties; the red/purple-flesh plums usually have higher antioxidant content and AOA.
The tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28) rose 86-7 (Rosa wichuraiana × R. rugosa rubra) and its hybrids with the thornless tetraploid rose cultivar Basye's Blueberry (2n = 28) were analyzed for meiotic configuration frequencies and meiotic abnormalities. Genomic relationships in these hybrids were interpreted with the aid of a model of meiotic chromosome association in tetraploids. The closest-fitting model solutions indicated a 2:2 (AABB) pattern of genomic relationships, with 65% to 90% of all association between most closely related genomes. Some of the optimal solutions were transitional to a “ring4” pattern, in which one of the possible pairing arrangements is suppressed. The same configuration frequencies could also reflect a “4:0” pattern of equally similar genomes with fractionally more than two independent pairing and chiasma-forming domains per chromosome. Observed meiotic abnormalities included chromosome stickiness and asynchronous chromosome contraction within cells. Pollen stainability varied independently of meiotic irregularity or multivalent frequency. The observed configuration frequencies are consistent with partially tetrasomic inheritance that retains considerable heterozygosity, but allows individual contributions from parental genomes to become homozygous.
Embryo culture techniques are employed to germinate seed of early ripening peach and nectarine [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] cultivars. Generally, the embryos in these genotypes do not mature by the time the fruit matures, thus rendering normal stratification procedures ineffective. In 1998 and 1999, immature embryos from multiple peach genotypes were cultured in an embryo rescue medium (Woody Plant Medium, 3% sucrose, 0.065% agar) at 5 °C for 45 days in the dark. Embryos were then placed under lights at either a cool-temperature (18 °C in 1999 and 20 °C in 1998) or a warm-temperature (30 °C in 1999 and 28 °C in 1998) treatment with a photoperiod of 12 hours for germination and initial growth. After 2-4 weeks, embryos were rated for germination, root number, and top growth. The embryos incubated at the cool-temperature regime not only had better germination, but also had a higher rate of greenhouse survival.
Actively growing shoots of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] were collected every 2 weeks throughout the 1989 growing season. The samples were sectioned longitudinally and transversely to observe axillary bud initiation, which occurred in all samples collected. Differentiation of axillary bud meristems from early season samples (mostly normal nodes) included apical and prophyll formation, with procambium connected to the stem procambium. Little to no differentiation of such structures occurred in the late-season samples (mostly blind nodes). Other results suggest that blind node formation is a consequence of a lack of bud differentiation rather than a failure of bud initiation.
A major obstacle faced by programs that breed early-ripening peach cultivars [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] is the low viability of the embryos from the early-ripening parents that are used as females. Embryo culture techniques have been developed to allow embryos to mature in vitro, thus increasing the chances of germination and survivability. Several media types exist for Prunus embryo culture. Two types, Woody Plant Medium (WPM) and Smith, Bailey, and Hough (SBH) were investigated for this report. The WPM type was studied in two forms, one made from scratch and the other in a prepackaged form. The SBH type was studied with the addition of vitamins and without vitamins. Eight peach genotypes with embryo lengths ranging from 9.6 to 12.7 mm were used. Surprisingly enough, it was found that WPM from scratch performed better than WPM from a prepackaged mix. For all eight genotypes studied, WPM from scratch resulted in as good as or better germination than SBH with or without vitamins. A large media by genotype effect was found, which is partially attributed to the embryo size. The genotypes with larger embryos (>11 mm) tended to perform equally on all media tested whereas the embryos <10.5 mm germinated better on WPM as compared to SBH.
Embryo culture techniques are employed in early ripening peach and nectarine cultivars. Generally, the embryos in these varieties are not mature by the time the fruit matures, thus rendering normal stratification procedures ineffective. In 1998 and 1999, immature embryos from multiple peach genotypes were cultured in an embryo rescue media (WPM, 3% Sucrose) at 5 °C for 45 days in the dark. Embryos were then placed under lights at either a cool temperature (18 °C in 1999 and 20 °C in 1998) or a warm temperature (30 °C in 1999 and 28 °C in 1998) treatment with a photoperiod of 12 h for germination and initial growth. After 2 to 4 weeks embryos were rated for germination, root number, and top growth. The embryos incubated at the cool temperature regime not only had better germination, but also had a higher rate of greenhouse survival.