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Abstract
The retirement years may aggravate natural irrascibility or just give time to write down some gripes.
Abstract
Does the horticulturist have to train to be a generalist? Rightly or wrongly, the horticulture grad student is becoming more and more of a specialist. Ideally, he should have majors and minors in about 8 subjects like chemistry, physics, plant anatomy, soils, biochemistry, plant physiology, plant pathology and at least one branch of horticulture such as floriculture. This is, of course, humanly impossible. Then besides being a physiologist and a specialist in some branch of horticulture he should also be what H. B. Tukey, Sr. used to call a “plantsman.” This is again humanly impossible. So the student must compromise. In my youth we almost all minored in anatomy or morphology at Ohio State. This has fallen into disfavor so that now we find some grad students working with tissues they can’t even identify. I would also like to make a plug for the plantsman aspect of training. Can the grad student grow a flower or an apple tree? Tissue culture is great but can he or she give tender loving care to a plant in the great out of doors? Can the pomology major prune a peach tree? If the grad student can only converse about DNA or phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase, he may belong in plant physiology and not in horticulture.
Abstract
The classic work of Kidd and West in England in the 1920’s and 1930’s led to the introduction of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage of fruits. CA storage involves the use of lower than normal oxygen and higher than normal carbon dioxide levels in gastight, refrigerated rooms. England led the way, but in 1965 the CA storage capacity for apples in the U.S. was over 14 million bushels (although actual bushels in CA storage is slightly less due to a short crop in some areas). In Israel, a small country producing only about 2 million boxes of apples, the CA storage capacity is one-half million boxes.
Abstract
Since the scope of this subject is too vast to cover details, only a broad outline pointing out some unanswered questions will be given.
Abstract
Small scale, artificial freezing studies showed that injury was more severe on detached than on attached fruits of ‘Red Spy’, ‘Delicious’, and ‘Idared’ apples.
Abstract
Seven compounds with some common groupings increased the anthocyanin production of apples in the laboratory. None of these compounds were better than 3 (3,4 dichlorophenyl)-1,1 dimethylurea (diuron). Color responses from diuron were increased by modification of the pH to 3 to 4. While orchard sprays with diuron gave increases in red color in 6 of 8 field trials with ‘McIntosh’, the increases probably were not large enough to be of commercial interest. There were no secondary effects from the diurbn sprays on respiration, firmness or storage disorders.
Abstract
Fruit detachment and small branch removal before fruit harvest stimulated the rise in the climacteric. Defoliation and removal of the phloem from the fruit pedicels stimulated the rise in only about one-half of the experiments. IAA sprays gave erratic results, with an increase in the time of the respiratory rise in about half of the cases. Sprays of GA had no effect. Fruit dipping after harvest in IAA, GA, ABA, and trachael sap had no effect on subsequent respiration.
Abstract
Post harvest screening of compounds that might influence coloration of apples was done in the laboratory. A number of carbonates such as glycol carbonate and carbonate buffers increased anthocyanin development. Certain compounds that were phytotoxic increased coloration. Other compounds such as chloro-IPC, quercetin, and sym-dimethyl diphenylurea decreased coloration. Diuron decreased coloration at relatively high concentrations and increased it at 10 ppm. The possible side effects of this compound are not yet known. Monuron at 10 ppm also increased coloration.