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- Author or Editor: Michael Dirr x
- Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science x
Abstract
Doublefile viburnums (Viburnum plicatum Miq. tomentosum Thunb.) were cultured at 2 pH ranges, 3 to 4 and 7 to 8, with 3 N treatments (NO3-N, NH4-N, or NO3-N plus NH4-N) supplied daily at a concentration of 1.5 meq N per pot. Fresh weights of shoots and roots from plants grown with NH4-N at pH 3 to 4 were significantly lower than from plants grown with other N treatments. Plants developed leaf necrosis and ultimately died when grown with NH4-N at pH 3 to 4. Limited leaf necrosis developed on other NH4-N treated plants. Leaf necrosis did not develop on leaves of plants grown with NO3-N at pH 3 to 4 or 7 to 8. Roots of all plants, except those grown with NH4-N at pH 3 to 4 appeared vigorous and healthy. Nitrate N was greatest in shoots of NO3-N treated plants. Shoot NH4-N levels were greatest in NH4-N treated plants and correlated with the severity of leaf necrosis. Total N concentration in shoots and roots were greatest in plants grown with NO3-N at pH 3 to 4 and NO3-N plus NH4-N at pH 3 to 4. In the growing medium, NO3-N predominated at the high pH range; NH4-N at the lower pH range. The N form and pH of the growing medium exerted marked effects on growth, and on N availability and utilization by viburnum.
Abstract
Stems of many woody ornamental plant taxa were collected in midwinter and hardened to their maximum capability under laboratory conditions. Hardiness levels were determined and compared to zone recommendations as listed in Hortus III and Rehder’s Manual of Cultivated Plants. Many woody plants had a greater midwinter cold tolerance than their hardiness ratings would infer.
Buddleia taxa were assessed for two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) resistance using a leaf disk bioassay, a novel shell vial bioassay and a field trial. Leaf pubescence and chemistry were examined for their role in two-spotted spider mite resistance. Results from bioassays and field sampling identified highly resistant taxa including B. fallowiana Balif. `Alba' and B. davidii × B. fallowiana Franch. `Cornwall Blue' as well as susceptible taxa including B. davidii Franch. `African Queen' and B. lindleyana Fort. ex Lindl. `Gloster'. The shell vial bioassay was an accurate predictor of field resistance to spider mite. Leaf pubescence was quantified by calculating the collective length of trichome branches per square millimeter of leaf surface area [effective branch length (EBL)]. EBL values ranged from 39 to 162 mm·mm-2 of leaf surface area among Buddleia taxa. Resistance was positively correlated with increased pubescence. Removal of pubescence by peeling resulted in increased oviposition of two-spotted spider mites. Exposing female two-spotted spider mites to a methylene chloride extract of B. davidii × B. fallowiana `Cornwall Blue' using a modified shell vial bioassay resulted in reduced oviposition and a methylene chloride extract of B. davidii `African Queen' resulted in no difference in oviposition when compared with a control. While pubescence is the best indicator of resistance to the two-spotted spider mite in Buddleia taxa, it is possible that defensive compounds are involved.
Cephalotaxus Sieb. and Zucc. (plum yew) species and cultivars have become popular because of their sun and shade tolerance, resistance to deer browsing, disease and insect tolerance, and cold and heat adaptability. Unfortunately, the nomenclature and classification in the literature and nursery trade are confusing due to their extreme similarity in morphology. In this study, amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were used to discriminate taxa and evaluate genetic differences among 90 Cephalotaxus accessions. A total of 403 useful markers between 75 and 500 base pairs (bps) was generated from three primer-pair combinations. Cluster analysis showed that the 90 accessions can be classified as four species, C. oliveri Mast., C. fortunei Hooker, C. harringtonia (Forbes) Koch., and C. ×sinensis (a hybrid species); four varieties, C. fortunei var. alpina Li, C. harringtonia var. koreana (Nakai) Rehd., C. harringtonia var. nana (Nakai) Hornibr., and C. harringtonia var. wilsoniana (Hayata) Kitamura; and eight cultivars. Suggested names are provided for mislabeled or misidentified taxa. The Cephalotaxus AFLP data serve as a guide to researchers and growers for identification and genetic differences of a taxon, and a model to establish a cultivar library against which later introductions or problematic collections can be cross-referenced.
Although differential thermal analysis has been routinely used to evaluate cold hardiness, the relationship of deep supercooling ability and plant survival are not well understood. In this study, we compared the seasonal profiles of changes in low-temperature exotherm (LTE) occurrence with visually determined cold hardiness of Acer rubrum L. `Armstrong', Fraxinus americana L. `Autumn Purple' and Zelkova serrata (Thunh.) Mak. `Village Green' growing in three locations representing plant cold hardiness zones 8b, 7b, and 5a. Between December and February, LTEs in Acer rubrum `Armstrong' and Fraxinus americana `Autumn Purple' occurred at temperatures around 10 to 25C lower than the lowest survival temperatures. The mean difference between LTEs and lowest survival temperature was not significant for Zelkova serrata `Village Green' from January to April and for Acer rubrum `Armstrong' and Fraxinus americana `Autumn Purple' in March. Data indicated that LTEs could be used as an estimate of lowest survival temperature in Zelkova serrata `Green Village' but not in Acer rubrum `Armstrong' and Fraxinus americana `Autumn Purple'. This study demonstrated that LTEs may not reliably estimate cold hardiness in all species that deep supercool. Factors other than freeze avoidance ability of xylem may limit stem survival at temperatures above the LTE.
Abstract
Acer rubrum L. ‘October Glory’ cuttings taken on 15 June 1984 were subjected to short day (SDT) (800-1700 HR) or short day plus night interruption treatments (NIT) (800-1700 plus 2200-200 HR) from 25 July until 22 Oct. 1984. Additional cuttings taken on 14 Aug. were subjected to the same photoperiod treatments from 10 Sept, until 22 Oct. For the 15 June cuttings, the NIT treatment induced significantly greater percent budbreak than the SDT, but did not induce significantly greater overwinter survival. Cuttings of 15 June that broke bud under NIT had significantly greater stem length and dry weight than cuttings that broke bud under SDT. SDT and NIT cuttings of 15 June that broke bud had significantly greater percent root carbohydrates, total grams of carbohydrates, and percent overwinter survival then cuttings that did not break bud. For the 14 Aug. cuttings, 1% of the cuttings broke bud, yet 95% (SDT) and 90% (NIT) of the cuttings survived the winter, and no difference in cutting carbohydrate levels, except stem starch, existed between the two treatments.
Abstract
Rooting of light-grown cuttings of mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilcz.] was stimulated by wounding and by the ethylene-releasing compound (2-chloroethyl)phosphonic acid (ethephon) at 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 mg/liter with a maximum response at 1 mg/liter. The inhibitor of ethylene synthesis, aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), at 10 µm, significantly decreased root number in wounded cuttings, but ethephon overcame this inhibition. Rooting in wounded cuttings was stimulated by indolebutyric acid (IBA) at a concentration of 5 × 10−6 m but root numbers decreased by 56% with AVG + IBA. Application of ethephon or IBA, and extensive wounding, caused an upward redistribution of roots away from the base of the cuttings.
Abstract
A tissue infusion method was used to demonstrate nitrate reductase activity in the leaves of Vaccinium corymbosum L. grown with 3 N sources and in 2 pH regimes. Activity was not detectable by the extraction and assay of homogenized leaves of Kalmia latifolia L., Leucothoe catesbaei Gray, Malus sylvestris Mill., Pieris japonica D. Don., and Rhododendron catawbiense Michx. or in the roots of Leucothoe and Zea mays L., but it was detectable in both leaves and roots by the tissue infusion method.
Abstract
Fruit pulp extracts of Liriope muscari (Decne.) Bailey were analyzed chromatographically and spectrophotometrically to determine which compounds were responsible for their blue-black color. A trihydroxy series of mon-oglycosylated anthocyanidins (delphinidin, petunidin, malvidin) were isolated. The malvidin glycoside appeared to be involved in a co-pigment complex with at least a flavone, explaining the neutral pH-stable blue color. Previous work indicated that a water-soluble seed germination inhibitor was present in the pulp. Nine bands were collected as fractions from Sephadex column chromatography. Each fraction was monitored by paper chromatography before use in a bioassay that tested for germination inhibitors. Several fractions significantly inhibited seed germination of Cucumis sativus L. ‘Poinsett’. Four classes of phenolic compounds were identified from the chromatograms: anthocyanins, anthoxanthins, phenolic acids, and a tannin-like polyphenol. Phenolic acids and the tannin-like substance were most prevalent in the 3 most toxic fractions. A mixture of these 3 fractions caused seed germination inhibition exceeding that attained by the individual fractions. Caffeic acid was tentatively identified as one of the phenolic acids present. Results indicated that germination inhibition is due to the combined action of several phenolic compounds.
Abstract
Mung bean (Phaseolus aureus Roxb.) cuttings and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Marketer) seedlings were cultured in water extracts of bark from silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) hackberry (Celtis occidentalis L.), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L.) and cottonwood (Populus deltoides Marsh.). Extracts of fresh silver maple bark inhibited root elongation of cucumbers and the adventitious rooting of mung bean. Composting the silver maple bark for 30 days prior to preparing the water extracts reduced inhibition. Pretreatment of fresh silver maple bark extracts with insoluble polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) reduced inhibition and indicated that the inhibitory compound was phenolic in nature. Chromatography and spectral analysis of common phenolic compounds and silver maple bark extracts revealed the toxic substance was similar to tannic acid.