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The inheritance of day-neutrality in octoploid Fragaria L. was investigated in crosses between day-neutral (DN) × short day (SD) and DN × DN types using F. ×ananassa Duchesne in Lamarck cultivars and elite selections of F. virginiana Miller and F. chiloensis (L.) Miller. Genotypes were considered as DN if they flowered under both the SDs of spring before 30 May (<14 hours) and the long days of summer after 24 July (>15 hours). Wide ranges in the percentage of DN progeny were found among the families regardless of species background (30% to 87% in DN × SD and 22% to 93% in DN × DN crosses). None of the families fit the segregation ratios expected if DN was regulated by recessive alleles at one locus, and only about half of the families fit the segregation ratios expected if a single dominant allele regulated DN. Several two-gene models fit the segregation data better than the single locus ones, but none of the genetic models tested fit the DN segregation ratios at the ends of the distribution range. The wide range observed in the percentage of DN progeny across all the families is most consistent with a polygenic model. Several other kinds of observations supported the multigenic regulation of DN: 1) Different DN parents crossed to the same SD genotype often produced different percentages of DN progeny, 2) Some of the day-neutrality sources were more powerful than others in producing of DNs, and 3) None of the DN parents produced 100% DN progeny, which would be expected if there were homozygous dominant DN individuals. Specific combining abilities for DN and flowering strength were significant, while general combining abilities for these traits were not. Our results suggest that parental combinations can be selected that will generate very high proportions of DN progeny that bloom for long periods of time.

Controlled-atmosphere storage had little effect on the quality of fruit of eight cultivars held under 2 kPa oxygen (O₂) and 8 kPa carbon dioxide (CO₂) versus ambient air. ‘Elliott’ fruit harvested from bushes with only 30% ripe fruit had significantly better storage quality than fruit picked later; however, there was no significant difference in the storage life of fruit that was stored fully blue versus partially green. Fruit from the first harvest of four cultivars had superior storage quality to that of the second. In one comparison of the long-term storability of nine cultivars, ‘Bluegold’, ‘Brigitta’, and ‘Legacy’ performed the best, storing for 4 to 7 weeks. In another postharvest trial of 17 cultivars, ‘Brigitta’ stored the longest (8 weeks) followed by ‘Aurora’ and ‘Draper’ (7 weeks). The most resistant genotypes to Alternaria spp. were ‘Brigitta’, ‘Aurora’, ‘Elliott’, and ‘Draper’, whereas the most resistant genotypes to Colletotrichum spp. were ‘Elliott’, ‘Brigitta’, ‘Toro’, ‘Draper’, and ‘Bluejay’.

The performance of four California and 11 eastern cultivars of Fragaria×ananassa Duchesne in Lamarck, and 12 elite F₁ hybrids of Fragaria×ananassa with F. virginiana Miller in their immediate background was evaluated in a producer's field with and without methyl bromide-chloropicrin fumigation. Averaged across all genotypes, plants in nonfumigated soils had 43% fewer runners, 18% smaller fruit, and 46% lower yields than did plants on fumigated soil. They also had an average of 27% fewer crowns, 49% more root discoloration, significantly fewer fine roots, and showed symptoms of the black root rot syndrome. The most commonly isolated pathogens from discolored roots were Pythium sp., Rhizoctonia sp., Idriella lunata P.E. Nelson & K. Wilh., and the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood). The performance of all genotypes was enhanced by fumigation, although the F. virginiana hybrids performed comparatively better than the other cultivars on nonfumigated soils.

Fragaria species are in different plodiy levels (from 2n = 2x = 14 to 2n = 8x = 56) and distributed in almost all parts of the arable areas of the world. The flora of Turkey has wild strawberries, some of which are harvested for their small, but very aromatic berries. There are also old cultivars found in Turkey that are known for their aromatic fruits. We made collection trips to the Marmara and Black Sea areas to collect both wild strawberries and old cultivars in Summer 2004. During these trips, we sampled 50 populations from the altitudes of 6 to 2007 m, lat. 35°91'N to 41°76'N latitudes, and long. 26°81'E to 42°65'E. The samples were propagated in a greenhouse and evaluated in a replicated trail for both taxonomic and horticultural traits in an unheated greenhouse. The chromosome numbers of the genotypes were also determined. The results indicate that Turkish strawberry germplasm consists of both diploid and octoploid species. The principal components and cluster analysis separated the genotypes into three groups: octoploid cultivars and/or derivatives (e.g., `Madame Moutot'), and two diploid Fragaria species, vesca and viridis. Further relationships of the genotypes will be discussed.

Variation in 14 horticultural traits of native octoploid Fragaria L. from North and South America was examined in a greenhouse. Significant levels of variation were found for all but a few of the traits at the species, subspecies, regional and genotypic level, with the highest amount of variation generally being partitioned among genotypes. Fragaria chiloensis (L.) Miller was superior to F. virginiana Miller for crown number, fruit weight, soluble solids and seed set, while Fragaria virginiana was superior for runner production, peduncle length, fruit number, fruit color and winter hardiness. Fragaria chiloensis ssp. pacifica Staudt had the highest soluble solids and among the earliest bloom dates, highest crown numbers and highest seed set. Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. chiloensis (L.) Duch. produced the largest fruit and among the earliest bloom dates and longest peduncles. Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. patagonica (L.) Duch. had among the highest crown numbers and the highest percentage seed set. Fragaria virginiana ssp. platypetala (Rydb.) Staudt produced the most crowns and its fruit ripened earliest. Fragaria virginiana ssp. glauca (Wats.) Staudt were the latest flowering, had the darkest fruit color and the most flowering cycles. Fragaria virginiana ssp. virginiana Duch. displayed the most winter dieback, the longest peduncles, and the highest flower and runner numbers. No significant differences were observed in any of the examined traits between F. chiloensis ssp. pacifica and F. chiloensis ssp. lucida, or F. virginiana ssp. grayana and F. virginiana ssp. virginiana. A number of individual genotypes were superior for more than one trait. CFRA 0024 possessed unusually high crown numbers, was extremely early blooming and displayed multiple fruiting cycles. CFRA 1121 had unusually long peduncles and much higher than average values for fruit weight, soluble solids, fruit color and seed set. CFRA 0094 was extremely early flowering and had much darker fruit color than most other F. chiloensis genotypes. CFRA 0368 flowered unusually early and had among the largest fruit. CFRA 0366 possessed unusually long peduncles and the largest fruit of any North American genotype. CFRA 0560 and CFRA 1369 had an unusual combination of multiple flowering cycles and high runner production. CFRA 1170 and 1171 were unusually late fruiting and had high numbers of large fruit on long peduncles. CFRA 1385 and JP 95-3-1 had extremely high flower numbers, long peduncles and large fruit.

Highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are long lived perennial plants that are grown on acidic soils. The goal of this study was to determine how blueberry cultivation might influence the nitrification capacity of acidic soils by comparing the nitrification potential of blueberry soils to adjacent noncultivated forest soils. The net nitrification potential of blueberry and forest soils was compared by treating soils with ¹⁵N enriched (NH₄)₂SO₄, and monitoring nitrate (NO₃ ^--N) production during a 34-day incubation period in plastic bags at 18 °C. Net nitrification was also compared by an aerobic slurry method. Autotrophic nitrifiers were quantified by the most probable number method. Nitrate production from labeled ammonium (¹⁵NH₄ ⁺) indicated that nitrification was more rapid in blueberry soils than in forest soils from six of the seven study sites. Slurry nitrification assays provided similar results. Blueberry soils also contained higher numbers of nitrifying bacteria compared to forest soils. Nitrification in forest soils did not appear to be limited by availability of NH₄ ⁺ substrate. Results suggest that blueberry production practices lead to greater numbers of autotrophic nitrifying bacteria and increased nitrification capacity, possibly resulting from annual application of ammonium containing fertilizers.

Four nearly isogenic cucumber lines (Cucumis sativus L.) differing in leaf size [standard leaf (LL) vs. little leaf (ll)] and plant habit [indeterminate (DeDe) vs. determinate (dede)] were compared for their response to high soil moisture tensions in 1990 and 1996. Comparisons were made between lines for aboveground vegetative and fruit response, between two irrigation regimes, and among three postharvest treatments. Differences in vegetative plant response between lines were documented by wilting ratings, plant dry weight, fruit number and fresh weight, and fruit quality [i.e., fruit shape, seed size, seed cavity size, and pillowy fruit disorder (PFD)] ratings depending upon the stress environment. Postharvest treatment affected the quality of fruit recovered from plants subjected to water stress. Exposure of fruit at 15 °C and 85% relative humidity (RH) for 4 days after hydrocooling, resulted in lower PFD than storage of fruit at 26 °C and 60% RH for 2 days without hydrocooling. Cucumber genotypes showed differential response to water stress indicating that plant habit and leaf size can be important genetic determinants of plant response to water stress. Although plant productivity was not affected by water stress, PFD, shape, seed size, and seed cavity size of fruit from lldede plants were more severely affected by water stress than its llDeDe counterpart. Plants homozygous ll, in either a determinate or indeterminate background, were less susceptible to wilting under water stress conditions than their normal leaf (LL) counterparts. However, plant dry weight and fruit number and weight were higher in LLDeDe plants when compared to their llDeDe counterparts. Fruit recovered from LLDeDe plants were of higher quality than those recovered from llDeDe plants. Thus, wilting response to water stress is not necessarily indicative of a cucumber plant's tolerance to water stress in the reproductive stage.

Mulberries (Morus L.) show a great deal of genetic variability and adaptability to various environments. There are more than 24 species of mulberries in cultivated and wild forms. In Turkey, three Morus species, M. alba L., M. nigra L., and M. rubra L., are grown. In this study, we attempted to characterize 43 Morus accessions originating from distinct regions of Turkey using fluorescent dye amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and capillary electrophoresis. The accessions belonged to M. alba, M. nigra, and M. rubra; M. alba consisted of white- and purple-fruited samples. Eight primer combinations generated a total of 416 bands, 337 of which were polymorphic (80.5%). Resolving powers of the AFLP primers ranged from 0.410 to 0.942 making a total of 5.015, whereas the polymorphic information content ranged from 0.662 to 0.898 with an average of 0.812. Unweighted pair-group method of arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering of the accessions showed three major groups representing M. nigra, M. rubra, and M. alba accessions. The M. alba group had two subgroups that were not correlated with fruit color. The UPGMA dendrogram of average taxonomic differences confirmed these results. The principle coordinate analysis demonstrated that M. nigra accessions had limited genetic variation. In conclusion, our study indicated that M. nigra and M. rubra are molecularly distinct from M. alba. Our results also suggest that M. nigra accessions having a low level of morphological variation are molecularly similar.

American (Sambucus canadensis L.) elderberry genotypes were evaluated at multiple locations, whereas European (S. nigra L.) elderberry genotypes were evaluated at a single location to assess genotypic differences and, for genotypes evaluated at multiple locations, to determine genotype × environment interactions (G × E). Seventeen S. canadensis genotypes were planted in replicated trials at Missouri State University (Mountain Grove, MO) and at the University of Missouri (Mt. Vernon, MO) or at the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service in Oregon (Corvallis). ‘Johns’, ‘Netzer’, ‘Adams II’, and ‘Gordon B’ were in common at all locations. In addition, three genotypes of S. nigra, which are not winter-hardy in Missouri, were planted in Oregon. All plants were established in 2003 and evaluated in 2004, 2005, and, for some traits, in 2006. Plants were evaluated for phenology (e.g., dates of budbreak, first flowering, full flowering, and first ripening), vegetative growth (e.g., number of shoots and plant height), yield components (e.g., total yield, number of cymes, cyme weight, and berry weight), and for pest incidence (e.g., eriophyid mites). For the genotypes in common to all locations, there were significant differences resulting from genotype, location, year, and the interactions for various traits. Although the trend was for Corvallis to have the highest and Mt. Vernon the lowest yield, there was no significant location effect. The significant genotype × environment interaction appeared to be primarily the result of the differential performance of ‘Johns’, which was generally high-yielding in Corvallis and low-yielding at both Missouri locations. The significant G × E suggests that as the Missouri institutions develop new cultivars, it will be important to test them individually at other locations and not rely on their relative performance compared with standards in Missouri. For the genotypes in common to the two Missouri sites, there was significant variation for many traits. Although there were no differences among genotypes for yield across the locations, there was a significant G × E. Although there were some small changes in performance among the sites for yield, the most dramatic changes were for ‘Wyldewood 1’ that was the second highest yielding genotype at Mountain Grove and the second worst at Mt. Vernon. Plant growth in Oregon was 40% and 60% greater than at Mountain Grove and Mt. Vernon, respectively, when the plants were first measured. In Oregon, the two Sambucus species behaved differently. Phenologically, although the S. nigra genotypes flowered ≈3 weeks earlier than the S. canadensis genotypes, they ripened at the same time, thereby shortening their exposure to potential biotic and abiotic stress. ‘Johns’, ‘York’, ‘Golden’, and ‘Gordon B’ were the highest yielding S. canadensis genotypes and ‘Korsør’ the highest of the S. nigra genotypes. Although ‘Korsør’ is considered high-yielding in Denmark, it did not yield as well as the highest yielding S. canadensis cultivars.