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Recently, turfgrass breeders have developed many improved turf-type tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) cultivars. Due to the large number of cultivars currently available to turfgrass managers and researchers, we have classified turf-type tall fescue cultivars into six groups based primarily on several morphological measurements. This type of classification is important for turfgrass breeders because many breeding decisions are made based on observations in a spaced-plant nursery. The major objective of this study was to classify tall fescue cultivars and selections based on spaced-plant measurements and to then compare those results with turf performance. A spaced-plant nursery consisting of 36 cultivars and selections was established in September 1998 at Adelphia, N.J. Plant height, panicle length, flag leaf width and length, subtending leaf width and length, and subtending internode length were measured 10 days after anthesis in 1999 and 2000. Additionally, a turf trial was established at North Brunswick, N.J., that included the same 36 cultivars and selections. The turf plots were evaluated for several traits including overall turfgrass quality, density, and susceptibility to brown patch disease. Based on principal component analysis of morphological measurements, along with turf trial data, all cultivars and selections were assigned to one of six groups: forage, early-standard, standard, early semi-dwarf, semi-dwarf, and dwarf. In turf plots, the semi-dwarf, early-semi dwarf, and dwarf groups were the top-performing types in terms of overall turfgrass quality, and the forage and early-standard cultivars had the lowest overall quality ratings. The dwarf types did not perform well under summer stress, especially in terms of brown patch disease incidence. The results of this study suggest that when developing cultivars for higher maintenance situations, turf-type tall fescue breeders should focus on the development of semi-dwarf cultivars.

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Buffalograss [Buchloë dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] is a warm-season perennial grass native to the North American Great Plains region and has been used as a low-maintenance turfgrass. Turf-type buffalograsses are available and are commonly used on nonirrigated land. Our objectives were to determine the deepest planting depth of burrs that would allow acceptable emergence, and to evaluate planting depth effects on buffalograss seedling morphology. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted in Fall 2000. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with 4 replications and a 3 (cultivar) × 6 (planting depth) factorial treatment arrangement. Results showed that buffalograss emergence decreased as planting depth increased. All cultivars had <10% total emergence at planting depths >50 mm. Emergence rate indices were greatest when planting depth was 13 mm and were significantly lower at planting depths of 51 and 76 mm. Average coleoptile length was 11 mm. Coleoptile length was similar between all planting depths except for the 13 mm depth which resulted in 9-mm-long coleoptile. Subcoleoptile internode length increased with planting depth up to 38 mm. Planting depths deeper than 38 mm did not significantly increase subcoleoptile internode length.

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Morphological variation was examined in 20 populations of Rubus ursinus subsp. macropetalus from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon grown in a common garden. There was significant variability between and within populations for most traits studied. Principal component analyses separated populations along geographical clines for traits of horticultural significance. PC1 represented a general vigor component in all trials, and formed a negative correlation with elevation in four of five analyses (r = 0.60, 0.58, 0.50, 0.49; P < 0.05). Autumn leaf senescence tended to increase from west to east and with elevation. With higher elevation, there was a tendency for fruit weight to decrease, for later vegetative budbreak and fruit ripening, and for a shorter budbreak to first flower interval. From north to south, budbreak became somewhat earlier, cane spot susceptibility decreased, and budbreak to first flower interval increased. Characterization of this species will assist breeders to identify possible sources of cold hardiness, disease resistance, improved vigor, and acceptable fruit traits for the improvement of cultivated trailing blackberry.

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The effect of temperature during the initial long day period on morphology and plant dry weight was determined for Begonia × hiemalis `Hilda'. Multistem cuttings were planted in 10 cm pots and grown at 13°, 16°, 19°, 22°, 25° or 28°C. The day length was 16 hours at an irradiance level of 280 ± 20 μmol·m-2s-1. After 21 days, the plants were moved to a greenhouse maintained at 20° ± 2°C and short days of 10 hours at 125 ± 20 μmol·m-2s-1. The plants were grown under short days for 14 days and then moved to a day length of 16 hours. At data collection 21 days later (56 days from planting), plant height averaged 185 mm for plants initially grown at 13°, 16°, 19° or 22°C while pants originally grown at 25° and 28°C were 40 and 78 mm shorter than plants started at lower temperatures. The mean number of shoots was 4 on plants exposed to 16°, 19°, 22° or 25°C during early development and decrease to 3 shoots for plants grown initially at 13° or 28°C. The average flower number on the main shoot was similar for plants first exposed to low and intermediate temperatures but decreased rapidly to 0 for plants with early exposure to 28°C. Plants in treatments with early temperatures of 19° or 22°C had the largest above ground dry weight at an average 460 mg.

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letter are not statistically different by Tukey’s honestly significant difference test at P ≤ 0.05, error bars indicate ± se . Effects of transplant week and production environment on growth and morphology. Bedding plants are considered high

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Trailing blackberry cultivars, such as `Marion', can be traced to relatively few chance selections of Rubus ursinus Cham. & Schlecht. Wild R. ursinus offer a range of horticulturally desirable traits to breeders, from high fruit quality to improved cold hardiness. Cuttings from 460 plants, representing 20 populations in southern British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, collected in 1993. Rooted clones were planted in 1994 in a replicated field trial to assess morphological variation. A greenhouse study was also undertaken, with 10 clones represented from each site, in two replications. Preliminary data from the greenhouse and field studies show variability in the following morphological characters: Glandular hairs; cane and prickle color; cane diameter; prickle density; internode length; leaf color, size, shape and density; and senescent leaf drop and color change. Floricane morphology will be assessed in 1995. Analysis of these data will determine relative genetic distances among the populations and enhance the understanding of the diversity available in R. ursinus.

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as low as 2−6 mol·m −2 ·d −1 as a result of reductions of outdoor DLIs by up to 60% ( Korczynski et al., 2002 ; Lopez and Runkle, 2008 ). Light impacts growth, morphology, and quality of seedlings ( Graper and Healy, 1991 ; Oh et al., 2010

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Benzylaminopurine and chlorflurenol were applied to 2-1 nursery stock of Scots pine and ponderosa pine and 2-0 nursery stock Colorado blue spruce and Black Hills spruce to determine if crown morphology was influenced by varying combinations of the two plant growth regulators. Four levels of benzylaminopurine, 0, 250, 750 and 1250 ppm, and two chlorflurenol levels, 0 and 1% (v/v) were tested. Morphological response to treatments was significantly enhanced when treatments were applied to open, elongating buds. Benzylaminopurine significantly increased bud and shoot formation, while chlorflurenol significantly reduced height and increased branch length at species dependent concentrations. The two plant growth regulators lacked positive synergistic effects.

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. Morphological variation screening. Screening of morphological variation started after the recovered plants reached the flowering stage in the greenhouse. Variations were screened plant by plant. Variations in leaves (size, shape, margin, and hair), stems (shape

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gibberellin GA 3 and durations of CS; 3) compare the morphologies of full and empty seeds of P. turczaninovii and P. cernua var. koreana using low-temperature SEM (LT-SEM) and visual observation under a light microscope; and 4) analyze the elemental

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