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- Author or Editor: R.K. Johnson x
- Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science x
Abstract
Autotetraploid watermelons were produced by treating the growing points of diploid seedlings with aqueous colchicine solution or by soaking diploid seeds in colchicine solution. The soaking method was more effective.
Diploid pollen was apparently more viable than tetra-ploid pollen. Examination of germinating tetraploid pollen revealed that while over two-thirds germinated normally a small percentage sent forth 2, 3 or 4 normalsized pollen tubes or a single bifurcated tube. Germinating diploid pollen always put forth only one unbranched pollen tube. Tetraploid plants did not set fruit when pollinated with pollen from tetraploids; however, they did set fruit when pollinated with pollen from diploids.
Cytological observations were made of pollen mother cells of both diploid and tetraploid plants. Meiosis in diploids was regular; however, irregularities were observed in tetraploids. Examination of some pollen mother cells of tetraploids at the quartette stage revealed micro sporocytes in addition to the 4 microspores. The abnormal quartette formations and lower pollen viability of tetraploids were believed associated with irregularities observed at meiosis. Preliminary investigations of megaspore formation revealed no apparent differences between the diploid and tetraploid megaspores. Although meiotic irregularities were found, a sufficient amount of apparently viable pollen was observed. A physiological basis for the self-sterility is suggested.
Abstract
Peach trees (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. Regina) were subjected to three levels of postharvest irrigation between 15 June and 15 Oct. 1983. Wet-treatment (control) trees were irrigated at 3-week intervals, medium-treatment trees received one, and dry-treatment trees received no postharvest irrigations. Significant differences in seasonal patterns of stomatal conductance were found among all treatments, with conductance varying in proportion to irrigation level. Wet-treatment pre-dawn water potential (ψw) remained nearly constant at −0.3 MPa throughout the postharvest season, whereas the dry-treatment readings became more negative as the season progressed. Differences in mid-day ψw were less distinct, but generally reflected pre-dawn water status. The seasonal increase in trunk radius of the dry-treatment trees was reduced by 33% relative to either wet or medium treatments. The amount of daily trunk radial shrinkage was inversely proportional to irrigation level. Dormant pruning weights were 13% less in dry treatments than wet treatments. Return bloom of dry-treatment trees in Spring 1984 was 30% and 40% greater than medium- and wet-treatment return bloom, respectively. Dry-treatment fruit set was 70% greater than medium- or wet-treatment fruit set. Following fruit thinning, there were no significant differences among treatments for fruit yield or fruit size, but fruit maturity was slightly delayed in the dry treatment.
Abstract
Trees of Malus domestica (Borkh.) ‘Miller Sturdeespur’ were hand thinned to achieve light, medium, and heavy fruit loads. A heavy European red mite (ERM), Panonychus ulmi (Koch), infestation was encouraged by mite seeding and predator elimination in half the trees for each fruit load. The effect of these treatments were determined on fruit number, number and percentage of drops, fruit size, color, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, firmness, and percentage of foliar concentration for 5 macronutrients. Mite feeding increased the percentage of drop and reduced red pigmentation, soluble solids, and leaf phosphorus and calcium. Deleterious effects of mite feeding increased with increasing fruit load. With light fruit loads, heavy mite feeding had a negligible effect on fruit quality.
Abstract
The effects of 2 light levels, (full sun and 47% shade) 3 nitrogen and 3 potassium levels (672, 2018, and 3362 kg/ha yr-1) on light compensation point, shoot and root growth, canopy distribution and leaf tissue nutrient content of Ficus benjamina were determined. The 47% shade treatment during 7 months of production significantly decreased light compensation point levels. N level slightly affected compensation point and K level had no effect. Higher N levels increased shoot growth, while K levels played a dominant role in root development. Light level interacted with both of these effects. N level was positively correlated to percent of the plant canopy contained in the upper half of the plant and this in turn closely was correlated with plant light compensation point.
The heat balance method was used to estimate transpirational sap flow through 60- to 75-mm-diameter stems (trunks) of 3-year-old peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cv. O'Henry] trees under field conditions. On rare occasions, heat balance estimates agreed well with independent lysimetric measurements, but on most occasions, heat balance estimates of sap flow were unrealistic in both direction and magnitude. In some cases, the errors in sap flow approached two orders of magnitude and were always the result of a calculation involving division by a very small and sometimes negative temperature differential between the stem surface temperature above and below the gauge heater. The occurrence of negative temperature differentials under positive transpiration conditions may be inconsistent with a fundamental assumption in the heat balance model, namely that temperature differentials are solely a consequence of the dissipation of energy supplied to the gauge heater. In the absence of heating power applied to the gauge, temperature differentials exceeding - 1C were correlated with the rate of change in stem temperature, indicating that ambient conditions themselves can impose a bias in gauge signals and, hence, influence gauge accuracy. Our results suggest that the effect of ambient conditions on gauge signals should be critically evaluated before considering heat balance estimates of sap flow as reliable under any given conditions.
Abstract
Plants of Ficus benjamina L. had less leaves in the upper half of sun and shade-grown plants with higher N rates. Potassium affected leaf distribution only in bottom portion of canopy and had no effects on LCP. High N levels increased light compensation point (LCP) of sun-grown plants, but reduced LCP of shadegrown plants. Increased number of leaves in upper half of sun-grown plants reduced LCP but shade-grown plants showed an opposite effect.
Abstract
Resistance in Pisum sativum to Aphanomyces euteiches was evaluated in the laboratory by the number of oospores formed in excised root tips inoculated with zoospores of the pathogen. Significantly lower mean numbers of oospores formed in root tips of 3 moderately resistant breeding lines than in those of 3 susceptible cultivars. Results were reproduceable if test procedures were adequately controlled. A sample size of 40 root tips gave 95% confidence in detecting a 40 oospore/root tip difference between means of resistant and susceptible genotypes.
Lower mean numbers of oospores formed in excised root tips of genotypes which were resistant in greenhouse tests. Inoculum concentrations of 10 to 100 zoospores/plant caused severe disease in susceptible cv. New Era, while greater amounts of inoculum were needed to cause comparable disease in 2 resistant breeding lines.