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Southernpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a popular home garden, fresh-market, and processing vegetable in the southeastern United States. Processing schedules are normally controlled by planting the same variety at different dates. Difference in genetic maturity would allow growers to stagger harvest dates by planting different maturity peas on the same day and allow genotype to alter harvest dates. This procedure would allow growers to better utilize available soil moisture and optimum planting dates. Ten southernpea varieties and breeding lines representing early, medium, and late maturity were planted in Kibler, Ark., during the summers of 1994 and 1995. Five different planting dates were used. Flowering dates and days to maturity were recorded and plots were harvested for yield. Results indicate that relative days to maturity can be significantly shortened or lengthened by the time of planting. Varieties planted in early June or early August took longer to mature then when they were planted in late June or early July.
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) varies in tolerance to saturated soil conditions. Plant vigor was assessed for plants flooded in autoclaved and nonautoclaved field soil. Decline of vigor was more rapid for plants flooded in nonautoclaved field soil, indicating that flooding tolerance may be influenced by soil borne pathogens.
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) varies in tolerance to saturated soil conditions. Plant vigor was assessed for plants flooded in autoclaved and nonautoclaved field soil. Decline of vigor was more rapid for plants flooded in nonautoclaved field soil, indicating that flooding tolerance may be influenced by soil borne pathogens.
Abstract
The mutant trait glabrous seedstalk was observed in carrot (Daucus carota L.) inbred W93 and, in crosses with pubescent inbred MSU 1558, was found to be controlled by a single recessive gene, gls. Cytoplasmic effects on the expression of the character were not detected. Glabrous seedstalk has practical application as a genetic marker to detect outcrosses in hybrid carrot seed production fields.
Anthracnose is a destructive foliage and fruit disease of cucurbits worldwide, particularly on cucumber, watermelon, and cantaloupe. Three fungal taxa have been implicated in the cucurbit anthracnose complex [Colletotrichum orbiculare (CO), C. magna (CM), and the putative teleomorph Glomerella cingulata var. orbiculare (GC)]. In the past 7 years we have assembled a large geographically diverse collection of cucurbit isolates that have been characterized for virulence, vegetative (heterokaryon) compatibility, and mitochondrial and nuclear DNA RFLPs. All isolates that are pathogenic on cucurbit foliage are CO, belong to one of the four VCGs, and belong to a single mtDNA RFLP haplotype. Three races of CO (1, 2, and 2B) can be distinguished by their disease reactions on cucumber (`Marketer' and `H19') and watermelon (`Black Diamond' and `Charleston Gray') differentials. Race 1 (cucumber pathogen) and race 2 (watermelon pathogen) were the most common. Examination of virulence on cucurbit fruit indicates that CM and GC are more aggressive than CO, indicating that they could primarily be fruit-rot pathogens. Race 1 and 2 have been used effectively for screening disease resistance in cucumber and watermelon. Isolates of CM, GC, and Colletotrichum spp. recovered from fruit lesions were not pathogenic or were weakly virulent on cucurbit foliage and were diverse with regard to VCGs, nuDNA, and mtDNA RFLPs. However, CM and GC were more virulent on cucurbit fruit than CO.
Anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant pigments that are classified as flavonoids. Anthocyanins have important antioxidant properties which may help in prevention of cancer, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. Finding common sources and possibly increasing levels of anthocyanins in food could be important to human health. This research project determined amount and type of anthocyanins in 16 cultivars and breeding lines of cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata). The information obtained from this research project will be used to improve anthocyanin content of cowpeas by breeding. Of the 16 cultivars and breeding lines, only a black cowpea breeding line, 95-356, contained measurable levels of 3 types of anthocyanins: delphinidin, peonidin, and an unknown anthocyanin. Total anthocyanin content was 0.00242 mg·g–1, which is equal to 0.21 mg per ½-cup serving. In another study with 95-356 Rabi A. Musah, found a total anthocyanin content of 121.26 mg per serving and also found three other types of anthocyanins. The difference in the studies could be explained by the storage time of two weeks after the anthocyanins were extracted, but before they were eluded in this study. Additional studies are needed to determine if cowpeas can provide anthocyanin levels comparable to other fruits and vegetables.
Southernpeas (Vigna ungurculata) are a popular crop in the southeastern United States. They are an important crop to Arkansas processors, market gardeners, and home gardeners. While the bulk of the acreage produced in the state is pinkeye purple hull types, there is a demand for other horticultural types. At present, there is not a well-adapted blackeye that is available to producers in the state. For that reason, Arkansas Blackeye #1 is being released. Arkansas Blackeye #1 has been widely tested under the designation Arkansas 91-245. It produces a medium-sized bush plant that is well suited to conventional or narrow row spacing and matures 2 to 3 days earlier than Coronet under Arkansas conditions. Arkansas Blackeye #1 produces yield similar to the best pinkeye purple hull types. Samples have been canned by the Food Science Dept. at the Univ. of Arkansas and the canned samples have compared favorably to the industry standards.
Southern peas for the processing market are an important crop for producers in South Texas, but little testing of new varieties or breeding lines has been carried out. Grower field trials during three different years and an on station trial provided an opportunity to evaluate >30 different pea cultivars or breeding lines. Cultivars and breeding lines were evaluated for earliness, maturity, yield, and performance in high-pH soils. Yields varied significantly each season, with Arkansas Blackeye # 1 providing consistently high yields in the three grower trials. Both Arkansas 87-435-68 and Texas Pinkeye produced significantly higher yields in the high soil pH trial at Weslaco. Yields for Arkansas 87-435-68 and Texas Pinkeye in the Weslaco trial were 1428 and 1231 lb of dry peas per acre, respectively.
Interest in the health benefits of vegetables prompted an investigation of the levels of carotenoids in commercial varieties and UA breeding lines of spinach. Plant carotenoids perform a critical function as antioxidants, providing protection against a variety of reactive oxygen species generated primarily during photosynthesis. When ingested by humans, these compounds maintain their antioxidant activities and are receiving considerable attention in relation to multiple health benefits, including cancer prevention. While the best-known and most-studied carotenoid is beta-carotene, other carotenoids are now receiving attention due to their higher antioxidant activity compared to beta-carotene. Most dark-green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, are relatively high in carotenoids, especially lutein. In this study, significant differences in average content of both lutein and beta-carotene were found between genetic lines of spinach. Some lines exhibited considerable variation between plants, while others were highly uniform. There was a very high correlation (r 2 = 0.96) between lutein content and betacarotene content. The significant difference between spinach lines suggests that improvement of general carotenoid antioxidants and lutein could be obtained through a breeding program.