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Abstract
U. S. agriculture has an unmatched record for efficiently producing an abundance of high-quality, modestly priced food. At the 1971 ASHS meeting, and in subsequent articles, Wadleigh eloquently described the impact of agricultural research on the production of vegetables and other horticultural crops since 1920 (35, 36). Scientists of many disciplines have contributed to this success story, but much of the credit goes to plant breeders for the development of improved cultivars.
Abstract
Tomato plants possessing a high level of resistance to the carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus, can be identified in segregating populations by selecting those with the greatest concentration of glandular hairs on their leaves. The glandular hairs were counted by using a stereoscopic microscope, or estimated with the naked eye when the plants were 8 to 10 weeks old. In 18 of 21 F2 populations studied, plants selected for their high concentration of glandular hairs had higher levels of resistance to mites, as determined by ovi-position rate, than did plants selected for having few hairs. The average number of eggs laid per female mite ranged from 6.2 to 50.5% less on the plants selected for a high concentration of hairs than on those with few hairs. Selection with the naked eye was as effective in identifying resistant segregates as was actual glandular hair counts.
Historically, intellectual property protection for plants has been viewed differently than for other forms of technology; however, in recent years several factors have led to an increased motivation to protect plant materials. This, in turn, has resulted in many questions and concerns for scientists, administrators, and policy makers regarding options available for protection; impact of protection on research agendas and germplasm exchange; and ethical and social considerations. A workshop on Intellectual Property Rights: Protection of Plant Materials was held in Washington, DC, on January 26-28, 1993. This meeting was to provide invited participants the latest information on the protection of plant-derived intellectual property via patents and other means. It was also intended to review and develop policies and procedures that are publicly responsible; yet, provide incentives to assure commercialization of new inventions. The organizers and attendees agreed that a record of the workshop would be published and that special efforts should be made to communicate the results of discussions to the membership of scientific societies such as ASHS.
The latter part of the 19th and the first several decades of the 20th century can be described as a “golden age” for plant exploration and collecting. During the initial years of this period, agricultural scientists from the United States and elsewhere devoted considerable resources to collecting potential new crops for farmers as well as superior plants or cultivars of the species that farmers were already growing. Over time, there was a shift toward collecting unadapted germplasm, or raw material that possessed traits that plant breeders and other scientists could use for cultivar improvement and other types of research. Although many institutions and individuals were involved in plant collecting during this period, the creation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Seed and Plant Introduction in 1898, resulted in the largest single program devoted to plant exploration. This office employed many individuals, including David Fairchild, P.H. Dorsett, Frank Meyer, Walter Swingle, and Wilson Popenoe. These and many other individuals collected—and introduced into the United States—seeds and plants of thousands of fruits, vegetables, nuts, ornamentals, cereals, forages, oilseeds, and other types of crops. Although the mission of most of the plant explorations during this period was to collect any plants that appeared interesting or potentially useful, others focused on collecting targeted species. Much of the material collected during this era is still maintained by the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), and much more of it shows up in the pedigrees of cultivars grown by farmers and gardeners today. In addition to collecting plants for immediate and future use, scientists of this era, such as Nicolai I. Vavilov and Jack Harlan, contributed greatly to the understanding of the evolution of plants and plant genetic diversity, and the interdependence of plants and civilization.
Abstract
Insects inflict over $185 million in losses to vegetables annually in the United States (Table 1). An additional $100 million or more is spent controlling vegetable insects. Totaled the losses and control costs amount to approximately 18% of the value of vegetables grown in the U.S.
The United States' National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is responsible for the acquisition, preservation, evaluation and distribution of plant genetic resources in the form of seed and clonal germplasm. In order to operate more effectively, the NPGS established a network of 40 Crop Advisory Committees (CACs) to provide analysis, data, and advice about germplasm within a crop or group of related crops of current or future economic importance. CACs are composed of Federal, State and industry scientists representing a variety of agricultural disciplines and geographic areas of importance to the crop. The committees are involved in a variety of activities including: 1) Developing crop descriptors for the collection of standardized characteristic and evaluation data, 2) Determining priorities for germplasm acquisition, evaluation and enhancement, 3) Advising curators on maintenance techniques, and 4) Developing special reports on the status of genetic resources for their crop(s). Twenty-four of the CACs are concerned with horticultural crops.
Abstract
Abscisic acid (ABA) levels in seeds of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fell about 10-fold during fermentation to remove mucilaginous tissue. Imbibing seeds in 20 µg/ml ABA prevented germination and increased ABA content of the seed 15-fold. Subsequent germination in water averaged greater than 90%.
Abstract
First generation of larvae of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)) were primarily responsible for a 67% reduction in yield of tomato (Lycopersicon ‘esculentum Mill.) when their numbers increased from 5 to 10 per plant.
Abstract
Drosophila, or the vinegar fly as it is commonly called, is one of the most serious insect pests with which the processor of tomatoes has to contend today. It is primarily an insect contamination or nuisance problem. Tomato products found to be contaminated with any stage of this insect are subject to seizure and condemnation. Of the several species of Drosophila that may infest tomatoes, D. melanogaster Meigen is normally the most serious.
Abstract
A screening method is proposed to select for high temperature fruit setting ability in the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, Mill) on the basis of fruit set under high summer temperature in the greenhouse.