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Resin glycosides extracted from sweetpotato skins were bioassayed for their effects on survival, development, and fecundity of diamondback moths, Plutella xylostella (L.). Glycosides were incorporated into an artificial diet (Bio-Serv, Inc.) and fed to diamondback larvae. Neonatals were individually fed artificial diet with 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, and 2.00 mg·mL-1. There were highly significant negative correlations between glycoside levels and survival as well as weight of survivors after 6 days. A significant positive relationship existed between dosages and development time. Lifetime fecundity was negatively affected at sublethal doses. The glycosides are viewed as contributors to resistance to the wireworm, Diabrotica and Systena insect complex.
Sweetpotato resin glycosides were purified by HPLC methods. Most allelopathic potential could be explained by these compounds. Fifty percent inhibition (I50) of seed germination was obtained for redroot pigweed at 160 ppm, for velvetleaf at 13 ppm and for prosomillet at 11 ppm. Seed of the congeneric species I. purpurea was not sensitive. Growth of yellow nutsedge was drastically reduced, the I50 for shoot growth was 30 ppm, for number of roots 36 ppm, and for total root length 19 ppm. The glycosides accounted for approximately half of the total fungicidal activity of all extract fractions when tested on Fusarium oxysporum pv. batatae. At 2 mg per ml, the glycosides inhibited hyphal growth by 31%. This concentration is less than 10% of the glycoside concentration in dry periderm tissue of `Regal'. The purified glycosides were incorporated into a meridic diet for diamondback moth larvae. All observed antibiosis was caused by the glycosides; the LD50 was 7.2 mg per ml diet. At that concentration the surviving larvae showed a weight decrease of 46%.
These studies were initiated to investigate severe growth inhibition observed when some vegetable crops were infested with corn spurry (Spergula arvensis L.). Interference by a natural population of the weed reduced the shoot weights of English pea (Pisum sativum L.) and collard (Brassica oleracea L.) by 93% and 72%, respectively. In a greenhouse experiment where light competition by corn spurry was prevented, broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) shoot weights were reduced by corn spurry, but pea weights were not different from the controls. Homogenized corn spurry shoot tissue incorporated into a greenhouse potting medium inhibited the growth of both species, and a concentration effect was observed. Sequential hexane, dichloromethane, methanol, and 50% aqueous methanol extracts of corn spurry root and shoot tissue were tested for inhibitory activity using millet seed germination and broccoli seedling growth bioassays. Dichloromethane, methanol, and aqueous methanol shoot extracts were inhibitory to broccoli; whereas all shoot extracts inhibited millet germination. Shoot extracts were more inhibitory than root extracts. Further fractionation of the inhibitors using a combination of reversed-phase sephadex LH-20 and silicic acid column chromatographic procedures showed that a major portion of the millet germination inhibition was due to sucrose esters (SE). Preliminary characterization of the esters showed that there were four different SE groups. The major groups contained either octanoic or dodecanoic acid along with butanoic and petanoic acids. All groups inhibited seed germination at concentrations as low as 20 ppm. This is the first report of the SE class of defense chemicals in plant species outside of the solanaceae family.
Sweetgale (Myrica gale), rhodora (Rhododendron canadense), and catberry (Ilex mucronata) are shrubs of eastern North America that may have potential for broader use in horticultural landscapes. Because information on their vegetative propagation is scarce, we conducted experiments over 2 years to evaluate the effects of cutting collection date, wounding, substrate composition, and the concentration of applied potassium salt of indole-3-butyric acid (K-IBA) on rooting of each species. In 2015, we collected cuttings of each species on three dates to obtain both softwood and semihardwood cuttings. Cuttings were unwounded or wounded with a razor blade, and treated by dipping into water containing K-IBA at concentrations ranging from 0 to 15,000 mg·L−1, after which they were inserted into a substrate of 3:1 perlite:peat (by volume) and placed under intermittent mist. In 2016, semihardwood cuttings of each species were all wounded, treated with K-IBA from 0 to 15,000 mg·L−1, and inserted into substrates of 100%, 75%, or 50% perlite, with the remaining volume occupied by peat. In both years, the greatest percentage of sweetgale cuttings rooted when no K-IBA was applied. K-IBA application also reduced root ratings, root dry weights, and root lengths of sweetgale. For rhodora and catberry, maximal responses for all measures of rooting occurred when 5000 to 15,000 mg·L−1 K-IBA was applied. We recommend that growers use no exogenous auxin to propagate sweetgale, and 5000 to 10,000 mg·L−1 K-IBA to propagate rhodora and catberry. Cuttings of all three species can be collected from softwood or semihardwood shoots. Finally, sweetgale can be rooted in perlite alone, whereas rhodora and catberry required the addition of peatmoss for satisfactory root development.
In the mid-1980s, a statewide educational program was initiated to help improve productivity in replanted apple orchards. This effort began with a study of the background of the problem in Washington and an assessment of the problems growers faced when replanting orchards. An array of potential limiting factors were identified-most important, specific apple replant disease (SARD)-but also low soil pH, poor irrigation practices, arsenic (As) spray residues in the soil, soil compaction, nematodes, nutrient deficiencies, and selection of the appropriate orchard system. The educational program was delivered using a variety of methods to reach audience members with different learning styles and to provide various levels of technical information, focusing on ways to correct all limiting factors in replant situations. Results have been: Acceptance of soil fumigation as a management tool: increased recognition of soil physical, chemical, and moisture problems; reduced reliance on seedling rootstock, and an increase in the use of dwarfing, precocious understocks; and better apple tree growth and production in old apple orchard soils.