Trees of each of five rootstock genotypes (M.7a, M.9, M.26, MM.111, Mark,) were inoculated above and below ground with three strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. These were compared to controls that were uninoculated or inoculated with sterile deionized water. All rootstocks tested were quite susceptible to crown gall, but M.9 and Mark were consistantly among the most susceptible genotypes. Percent of inoculated sites forming galls above ground ranged from 43% in M.7a to 77% in M.9 and the mean size of galls that formed ranged from 3.7 mm in M.26 to 7.7 mm in M.9. All rootstocks except M.9 formed galls at a higher percentage of inoculated sites that were below ground. Percent of below ground inoculations forming galls ranged from 67% in MM.111 to 100% in Mark while mean size of galls underground ranged from 4.2 mm in MM.111 to 15.3 mm in M.9. The proportion of inoculated sites forming galls below ground in M.7a was twice as high as in above ground sites For rootstock × strain means, each measure of crown gall susceptibility above ground was significantly correlated with corresponding below ground data at the 0.01 level. to three rootstocks, some trees inoculated with sterile deionized water also produced apparent galls at sites below the soil line (100% in Mark, 60% in M.7a, 22% in M.26) although none of the above ground control inoculations produced galls. Uninoculated controls showed no gall formation.
Balancing vegetative growth with fruiting is a primary concern in strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) production. Where nursery plant selection and preconditioning are inadequate for runner control, additional approaches are needed. The gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor prohexadione-Ca (commercial formulation Apogee) was tested over two seasons for suppressing fall runners of `Chandler' plug plants in a cold-climate annual hill production system. Prohexadione-Ca was applied as a foliar spray at active ingredient concentrations ranging from 60 to 480 mg·L-1, either as a single application 1 week after planting, or repeated at 3-week intervals. The lowest rate resulted in inadequate runner control, with some runners producing malformed daughter plants. Higher rates resulted in 57% to 93% reductions in fall runner numbers, with a concomitant increase in fall branch crown formation. There were no effects of the prohexadione-Ca treatments on plant morphology the following spring, and no adverse effects on fruit characteristics or yield. Chemical names used: prohexadione-calcium, calcium 3-oxido-4-propionyl-5-oxo-3-cyclohexene-carboxylate.
Lycopersicon pennellii accession LA 1277 was crossed to tomato (L. esculentum) and the F1 was backcrossed to tomato. Self-pollinated seed was saved from backcross plants and seedlings derived were inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht f.sp. radicus-lycopersici Jarvis and Shoemaker, the causal agent of Fusarium crown and root rot (FCRR). Seed was saved from resistant plants that were self-pollinated and screened until homozygous resistance was verified five generations after the backcross. Three homozygous lines were crossed to Fla. 7547, a tomato breeding line susceptible to FCRR but resistant to Fusarium wilt races 1, 2, and 3. Subsequently, backcrosses were made to each parent and F2 seed were obtained. The three homozygous FCRR-resistant lines were also crossed to Ohio 89-1, which has a dominant gene for FCRR resistance presently being used in breeding programs. F2 seed were obtained from these crosses. These generations were inoculated with the FCRR pathogen. The resistant parents, F1, and backcross to the resistant parents were all healthy. The backcross to the susceptible parent and the F2 segregated healthy to susceptible plants in 1:1 and 3:1 ratios, respectively. Thus, the resistance from LA 1277 was inherited as a single dominant gene. This gene was different than the gene from Ohio 89-1 because susceptible segregants were detected in the F2 generation derived from the two resistant sources.
table beet quality and yield is Rhizoctonia root and crown rot caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani Kühn (Abawi et al., 1986; Natti, 1953 ; Pethybridge et al., 2018 ), which renders table beet roots unmarketable. Currently, there are few chemical
Excessive cutting pressure (CP) early in the lifespan of an asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) plantation may weaken and reduce yields and quality. The objective of this research was to determine how increasing CP affects yield, quality, and survival of spring-harvested and summer-forced asparagus. `Jersey Gem' asparagus was harvested for 4 years (1999–2002) in spring or summer-forced on 1 Aug. using the following CP (weeks/year from 1st to 4th years, respectively): 2, 3, 4, 6 (low), 3, 4, 5, 7 (medium), and 4, 5, 8, 10 (high). In all harvest years, as CP increased, marketable number and weight increased. Yield in spring harvest seasons significantly increased with each increase in CP. In summer, yield significantly increased only when high CP was used with equivalent yields at low and medium CP. With summer forcing, there were 48% and 55% fewer large spears at medium and high CP, respectively, compared to the same CP used during spring harvest seasons. Stands tended to decrease with CP from 1997 to 2003, but these differences were not significant and not severe enough to kill the plants. Yearly root fructose concentrations (RFC) with all CP increased yearly from 1999 to 2001 and plateaued from 2002 to 2003. From 1999 to 2002, RFC increased 53%, 27%, 13%, and 13% in unharvested control, low, medium, and high CP, respectively, indicating that with a greater CP, RFC decreased. RFC in summer-forced asparagus was significantly less than spring-harvested in 83% of all sample months. RFC in spring-harvested asparagus was similar to unharvested asparagus in February, March, April, November, and December; however, in all other sample months, spring-harvested RFC was significantly lower than unharvested control plants. The highest CP scheme is appropriate for spring-harvested asparagus based on greatest marketable yields and acceptable cull losses. For summer-forced asparagus, the lowest CP scheme is more appropriate based on acceptable marketable yields and to avoid undue plant stress verified by unacceptably large cull losses mostly attributed to spindly spear size and lower RFC.
Abstract
Increasing the concentration of sucrose in media containing 5 μm ancymidol increased rooting, with about 95% rooting of two asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) selections (Guelph-97, ‘Jersey Centennial’) obtained with 7% sucrose. In the absence of ancymidol, there was no evidence that increased sucrose concentration increased rooting. The increased rooting was not due to an osmotic effect, since the replacement of sucrose by an equimolar concentration of mannitol did not improve rooting. Chemical names used; 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), N-(2-furanylmethyl)-1H-purin-6-amine (kinetin), and α-cyclopropyl-α-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-pyrimidinemethanol (ancymidol).
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of forcing summer asparagus (May to October) and age at first harvest after transplanting on yield and quality. Ten-week-old `UC 157 F1' asparagus seedlings were field-planted on Sept. 1986 and forced to emerge from 1988 to 1992 by mowing fern in separate replicated plots in May, June, July, August, September, or October. Forcing treatments were not spring-harvested. Forced yields were compared to normal spring harvests (emerging from January to April). Harvesting began for the first time ≈18 or 30 months after transplanting. Spring 1988 yields were greatest of all, but declined yearly for 5 years. Summer forcing in either July or August maintained acceptable yields through 1992. The warmer climate during summer forcing caused most plants to reach the prescribed cutting pressure (eight spears per plant) within a standard 6-week harvest season. Cooler temperatures during spring harvest seasons slowed spear emergence and prevented the plants from reaching prescribed cutting pressure. Forcing in May and June was too stressful to plant recovery after the harvest season by reducing fern regrowth and increasing plant death. Cooler temperatures during October forcing inhibited spear emergence. Forcing in September yielded less than forcing in July and August, but September asparagus would command higher market prices. There was no advantage at any harvest time to delay first harvests from 18 to 30 months after transplanting. Forcing in July through September has potential as an alternative enterprise in coastal South Carolina.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different cutting pressures (CP) of 3,6,9, or 12 spears per plant on `UC 157 F1' asparagus yield harvested in spring or forced in July or August. Ten-week-old seedlings were field planted in March, 1987 and forced to emerge from 1989 to 1993 by mowing fern in separate replicated plots in July or August. Forcing treatments were not spring-harvested. Harvesting was terminated if 1) 30 harvests had occurred or 2) 80% of all plants reached cutting pressure treatment levels before 30 harvests occurred. Forced yields were compared to normal spring harvests. Normal emergence time is from January to March. CP treatments affected yield more than harvest time (HT) during the first three harvest years, but, thereafter, HT treatments affected yield more than CP. The most productive HT/CP treatment combinations varied by harvest year as follows: 1989—spring at 9 to 12 spears per plant, July at 12 spears per plant, and August at 9 spears per plant; 1990—forcing in July or August at 12 spears per plant; 1991—forcing in July at 9 to 12 spears per plant; 1992—forcing in July or August at 9 to 12 spears; and 1993—forcing in August at 9 to 12 spears per plant. Total cumulative yields over the 5 year period were highest with forcing in July at 12 spears per plant and August at 9 spears per plant. The productive lifespan of spring-harvested `UC 157 F1' was only three years because of greater stand loss compared to summer forcing.