Search Results
Heritability estimates for pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] nut weight, nut buoyancy, nut volume, nut density, kernel weight, and percentage kernel were determined from 8748 nut samples representing 152 families collected during 25 years in the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) pecan breeding program at Brownwood, Texas. Measurements were corrected for year-to-year environmental variability using least-squares constants of individual year effects. Adjusted values were then regressed on midparent means. Generally, heritability (h2) estimates were low to moderate: nut weight 0.35, nut buoyancy 0.18, nut volume 0.35, nut density 0.03, kernel weight 0.38, and percentage kernel 0.32. The low values are probably due to the extreme alternate bearing tendency of this species, since crop load affects pecan nut characteristics so directly. Phenotypic correlations among these traits showed that larger or heavier nuts had significantly higher kernel weight, buoyancy, and percentage kernel. Nut density increased with higher nut and kernel weight, but decreased with nut volume.
Triploid watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) was grown on the same plots in 1990 and 1991 and fertilized with either poultry litter or commercial fertilizer. Additional treatments included bare soil or plots mulched with black polyethylene, and plots with or without spun-bonded fabric row covers over both bare soil and mulch. Watermelon yields were unaffected by fertilizer source in 1990 butwere significantly higher for poultry litter than for commercial fertilizer treatment in 1991. Polyethylene mulch significantly increased postharvest soil NO3 and leaf N concentrations in 1990 and increased yield and yield components in both years. There were no beneficial effects of row covers on yield in either year, presumably because no early-season freezes occurred.
Triploid watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) was grown on the same plots in 1990 and 1991 and fertilized with either poultry litter or commercial fertilizer. Additional treatments included bare soil or plots mulched with black polyethylene, and plots with or without spunbonded fabric row covers over both bare soil and mulch. Watermelon yields were unaffected by fertilizer source in 1990 but were significantly higher for poultry litter than for commercial fertilizer treatment in 1991. Polyethylene mulch significantly increased postharvest soil NO3 and leaf N concentrations in 1990 and increased yield and yield components in both years. There were no beneficial effects of row covers on yield in either year, presumably because no early-season freezes occurred.
In a field experiment, fertilizer source (poultry litter vs. commercial), plastic mulch, row cover, and fertilizer rate (residual from 1990 study vs. additional) were applied in factorial combinations to determine the effect on vegetative growth and production of triploid watermelons. Litter (3.12 % total N) was re-applied at the rate of 13.2 Mt·ha-1 along with commercial fertilizer (6N-10.5P-20K) at 1.1 Mt·ha-1. Plastic mulch showed the greatest influence on vegetative growth and production variables by increasing vine length 26.1 cm, leaf area 61.8 cm2, yield 4207 kg·ha-1, melon number 741 ·ha-1, and average melon weight 0.8 kg, over unmulched plots. Plastic mulch with or without row cover increased melon number significantly when compared to plots without mulch or row covers. Poultry litter increased vine length, yield, and average melon weight 15.4 cm, 1971 kg·ha-1, and 0.5 kg, respectively, when compared to commercial fertilizer. Poultry litter in combination with row cover increased yield by 3864 kg ·ha-1 over commercial fertilizer with row cover, and approximately 2567 kg·ha-1 over poultry litter and commercial fertilizer without row cover. Additional fertilizer increased average melon weight 1.3 kg.
Response of triploid watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) cv. Tiffany] to fertilizer source (FS) [poultry litter (PL) vs. commercial fertilizer (CF)1, black plastic mulch (BPM), and spunbonded floating row cover (SFC) was evaluated in 1990 on an East Texas Fuquay-Darco sandy loam soil. Plant growth and percent soluble solids were equated by FS. Vine fresh weight, number and total melon weight per plot, average melon weight, and percent soluble solids were increased 27%, 29%, 45%, 24%, and 17%, respectively, by BPM when compared to no mulch treatment. BPM + SFC treatment decreased vine fresh weight but increased total melon number which in turn increased plot weight. PL increased plant P, K, and Mg 16%, 12%, and 24%, respectively, when compared to CF. Plant Ca was increased 21% by CF. Plant N, P, Ca, and Mg were increased 18%, 16%, 22%, and 15% by the use of BPM. A reduction in plant N was found when SFC was used alone and with treatments lacking BPM or BPM + SFC. Mean soil temperature was increased on the average 2°C at 10 cm depth by BPM when compared to all other treatments. Mean 24 hr air temperature 2 cm above BP and bare ground under SFC was increased 5°C above ambient.
Abstract
Cultivars and breeding lines of carrot (Daucus carota L.) with established differences in sugar accumulation capacity were studied by growth analyses to identify associations of sugar content with other traits. Carrots were grown on both organic and sandy loam soils. At both locations the seasonal patterns for sugar content of a high sugar-accumulating cultivar/line (HSL) and a low sugar-accumulating cultivar/line (LSL) were similar. There was little or no association of growth indicators (dry weight accumulation, tap root dry weight, and leaf area index) with high or low sugar accumulation. Differences in sugar yields were associated with mean net assimilation rate (
One-year-old rooted microshoots and 2-year-old rooted hardwood blueberry cuttings (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) were inoculated with Phomopsis vaccinii Shear using stem flap, stem freeze, needle pierce, and leaf tear wounding techniques. The needle pierce was the simplest method that produced high infection rates. Nine northern-adapted cultivars were placed in a factorial experiment to measure their infection resistance. Microshoots and hardwood cuttings of `Elliott' and `Bluetta' survived the longest and had the lowest mortality rate. Phomopsis vaccinii was reisolated successfully from inoculated shoots of all cultivars.
Abstract
The response to surface placement of Nitrogen and Potassium fertilizer materials at: 1) dripline, 2) inside and 3) broadcast was observed for 5 years. Inside placement of equal or lesser amounts of fertilizer was as effective, and at times more effective, than dripline or broadcast placement. It appears possible that herbicides and fertilizer may be applied close to the bole of the tree in a single operation.
Abstract
Hydrated dolomitic limestone as a slurry was injected under pressure to soil depths of 3 feet under apple trees growing in acid loamy sand soil. Comparisons of: 1) dripline vs. near bole placement, 2) spring vs. fall application and 3) trees having high leaf magnesium vs. trees having lower leaf magnesium were made. Near bole treatment appeared superior to dripline placement; the response of trees to spring applications were immediate, exceeding the response to fall application, and trees having a higher original leaf magnesium content were more responsive than those of lower leaf magnesium.
A temperature experiment with two cultivars of muskmelon (`Gold Rush' and `Mission') was conducted in growth chambers to determine how main vine leaf appearance rates responded to temperature. We identified three cardinal temperatures for leaf appearance rate: the base temperature (10 °C) at which leaf appearance rate was zero, an optimum temperature where leaf appearance rate was at a maximum (34 °C) and an upper threshold temperature (45 °C) where leaf appearance rate returned to zero. Using these three cardinal temperatures, we constructed a simplified thermal unit accumulator for hourly measurements of air temperature. Main vine plastochron interval (PI), thermal time to harvest and final yield was determined for three cultivars of muskmelon (`Explorer', `Goldrush', and `Mission') grown in the field over six transplanting dates. The PI was calculated for each cultivar-transplanting date combination as the reciprocal of the slope of main vine node number vs. accumulated hourly thermal units (Tu). The PI was significantly affected by both cultivar and transplanting date. Final yield was sharply reduced in the last two planting dates, presumably due to high temperature stresses impacting reproductive development. As air temperatures warmed during the field experiment, the time interval from transplanting to 10% final harvest were reduced by between 21 to 28 days among the three cultivars and the first four transplanting dates. Our goal was to construct a simple muskmelon phenology model that could be run with easily obtainable weather station data and used by growers to quantify phenological development and aid in projecting harvest dates. We also wanted to test whether main vine node number was a useful description of vegetative development for muskmelon.