bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-term Aluminum Exposure Effects on Physiological and Biochemical Features of Highbush Blueberry Cultivars
Authors: Reyes-Díaz Marjorie , Inostroza-Blancheteau Claudio , Millaleo Rayen , Cruces Edgardo , Wulff-Zottele Cristián , Alberdi Miren , Mora María de la Luz
Published: January 2019

We compared the aluminum tolerance of two highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) cultivars, Legacy and Bluegold, grown in a greenhouse in Hoagland's solution with increasing concentrations of Al (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 μm) for 7 to 20 days, using root lipid peroxidation (LP), radical scavenging activity (RSA), Al uptake by roots, and relative growth rate (RGR) as criteria. Leaf physiological [photochemical and non-photochemical parameters of photosystem II (PSII)] and biochemical (pigments, LP, RSA, and total soluble carbohydrates) responses to Al stress were also analyzed and then a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. The results indicated that ‘Bluegold’ showed the highest Al uptake and LP in roots and a lower RGR in contrast to ‘Legacy’. The photochemical parameters were more affected in ‘Bluegold’ than in ‘Legacy’, particularly at the beginning of the experiment. At this point, a sharp increase in RSA was found in ‘Legacy’. According to these parameters, ‘Legacy’ was more Al tolerant than ‘Bluegold’. PCA revealed that among the underlying processes affected by Al toxicity in the highbush blueberry, the photochemical efficiency of PSII followed by modifications of photosynthetic pigment contents are of greatest significance after long-term Al stress. Additionally, RSA plays an important role in the long-term acclimation response mechanisms to Al stress in highbush blueberry leaves.
Effects of SAG12-ipt and HSP18.2-ipt Expression on Cytokinin Production, Root Growth, and Leaf Senescence in Creeping Bentgrass Exposed to Drought Stress
Authors: Merewitz Emily B. , Gianfagna Thomas , Huang Bingru
Published: January 2019

Drought stress is a widespread abiotic stress that causes a decline in plant growth. Drought injury symptoms have been associated with an inhibition in cytokinin (CK) synthesis. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether expression of a gene (ipt) encoding the enzyme adenine isopentenyl phosphotransferase for CK synthesis ligated to a senescence-activated promoter (SAG12) or a heat shock promoter (HSP18.2) would improve drought tolerance in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) and to examine shoot and root growth responses to drought stress associated with changes in endogenous production of CK, and the proportional change in CK and abscisic acid (ABA) due to ipt transformation. Most SAG12-ipt and HSP18.2-ipt transgenic lines exhibited significantly higher turf quality, photochemical efficiency, chlorophyll content, leaf relative water content, and root:shoot ratio under drought stress than the null transformant or the wild-type ‘Penncross’ plants. Transgenic lines that had better growth and turf performance generally had higher CK content and a higher CK-to-ABA ratio, although the direct correlation of CK and ABA content with individual physiological parameters in individual lines was not clear. Our results demonstrated that expressing ipt resulted in the improvement of turf performance under drought stress in creeping bentgrass in some of the transgenic plants with SAG12-ipt or HSP18.2-ipt, which could be associated with the suppression of leaf senescence and promoting root growth relative to shoot growth due to the maintenance of higher CK level and a higher ratio of CK to ABA.
Selection of the Most Discriminating Morphological Qualitative Variables for Characterization of Fig Germplasm
Authors: Giraldo Esther , López-Corrales Margarita , Hormaza José Ignacio
Published: January 2019

Most descriptor lists for the characterization of genetic resources in plants include a large number of traits whose evaluation is a lengthy and expensive process making the characterization of large germplasm collections difficult. Consequently, to facilitate the study and the conservation of germplasm, it is important to select carefully the most informative variables for each species. In this work, we applied sequential statistical procedures to select the most discriminant variables in fig (Ficus carica L.) from the initial 134 qualitative variables studied. A total of 34 variables was finally selected and broken down in 97 characters that were grouped by principal component analysis in 11 principal components that explain 93.34% of the total variability. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean dendrogram derived from a similarity matrix generated using the Pearson's correlation coefficient among the 11 principal components selected classifies the cultivars in four main groups mainly based in the production type. These results show that redundant information can be obtained in morphological studies with a large number of variables resulting from correlation between variables. Consequently, a carefully selected and reduced number of highly discriminating variables can allow efficient fig germplasm characterization and discrimination resulting in significant savings of time and resources.
Genotype × Environment Interactions for Potato Tuber Carotenoid Content
Authors: Haynes Kathleen G. , Clevidence Beverly A. , Rao David , Vinyard Bryan T. , White J. Marion
Published: January 2019

Consumption of carotenoid-containing foods can promote human health. Although yellow-fleshed potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) have a higher carotenoid content than white-fleshed potatoes, little is known about how growing environments may affect individual and total carotenoid content in different potato clones. The purposes of this study were to estimate the amount of genetic variability in potato for five xanthophyll carotenoids, their concentration, and to determine the stability of these carotenoids across environments. Nine white- or yellow-fleshed tetraploid clones were grown in Maine and Florida for 2 years. Carotenoids were extracted in acetone and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. There were significant differences among clones for zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutein, and total carotenoid content. There were significant clone × environment interactions for zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, lutein, and total carotenoid. Broad-sense heritabilities (and their 95% confidence intervals) were 0.89 (0.79–0.98) for zeaxanthin, 0.93 (0.87–0.99) for antheraxanthin, 0.68 (0.14–0.92) for violaxanthin, 0.51 (0.00–0.88) for neoxanthin, 0.85 (0.70–0.97) for lutein, and 0.96 (0.89–0.99) for total carotenoid. Clonal mean total carotenoid content ranged from 101 to 511 μg/100 g fresh weight. A higher proportion of carotenoids were produced by the lycopene epsilon cyclase branch of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in white-fleshed than yellow-fleshed clones. Total carotenoid content in B2333-5 was significantly greater than in ‘Yukon Gold’. With genetic variation for individual and total carotenoid content in potatoes, improving the levels of carotenoids has been and should continue to be feasible; however, concentrations are likely to vary in different environments.
Yield Variation among Clones of Lowbush Blueberry as a Function of Genetic Similarity and Self-compatibility
Authors: Bell Daniel J. , Rowland Lisa J. , Stommel John , Drummond Frank A.
Published: January 2019

Two types of field hand crosses (pairwise touching-neighbor and a full 5 × 5 diallel, Griffing's Model 2, Method 3) were performed in combination with genetic similarity estimations of mating partners using expressed sequence tag–polymerase chain reaction molecular markers to elucidate genetic factors underlying yield variations among clones (genotypes) of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) in two managed fields in Maine. Genetic similarity values for touching pairs ranged from 0.308 to 0.765. Based on pairwise touching-neighbor crosses, no evidence was found for yield being affected by genetic similarity. However, self-fertility of clones was a significant positive predictor of outcross yields. The calculation of lethal equivalents, derived from selfing to outcross ratios, showed a large range in genetic load among clones and a higher average load than that previously reported in the related highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum). The diallel experiment revealed significant general and specific combining ability for all three post-pollination yield traits measured (proportion fruit set, mean mature seed per pollination, and mean berry weight per pollination). Narrow-sense heritability estimates for all three yield traits were moderately high (h2 = 0.58, 0.46, and 0.56, respectively). It is concluded that phenotypically screening for self-compatible clone yield attributes could be useful in identifying germplasm candidates for breeding and propagation.
Microsatellite Markers for Raspberry and Blackberry
Authors: Castillo Nina R.F. , Reed Barbara M. , Graham Julie , Fernández-Fernández Felicidad , Bassil Nahla Victor
Published: January 2019

Twelve microsatellites were isolated from simple sequence repeat (SSR)-enriched genomic libraries of ‘Meeker’ red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and ‘Marion’ blackberry (Rubus hybrid). These primer pairs plus one developed from a GenBank red raspberry sequence were evaluated in 48 raspberry and 48 blackberry genotypes. Only RhM031 did not generate a product in raspberry, whereas RiG001 failed to amplify in blackberry and hybrid accessions. The number of polymerase chain reaction products per primer pair in the 12 SSRs that successfully amplified was higher in blackberry genotypes and their hybrids than in raspberry, ranging from three to 29 in blackberry (average, 14.4) and from one to 15 in red raspberry (average, 7.5). Diversity estimates were determined for 10 of 12 SSRs that amplified up to two products in 44 red raspberry genotypes. The best SSR loci based on high observed and expected heterozygosities, high polymorphism information content, and low inbreeding coefficient were RiM019, RhM003, and RhM011. They mapped to three different linkage groups (5, 2, and 7, respectively) in red raspberry and differentiated the unique genotypes identified with the 12 SSRs in each crop type.
Transfer of Cornus florida and C. kousa Simple Sequence Repeats to Selected Cornus (Cornaceae) Species
Authors: Wadl Phillip A. , Wang Xinwang , Moulton John K. , Hokanson Stan C. , Skinner John A. , Rinehart Timothy A. , Reed Sandra M. , Pantalone Vincent R. , Trigiano Robert N.
Published: January 2019

Cross-species transferability of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) is common and allows SSRs isolated from one species to be applied to closely related species, increasing the use of previously isolated SSRs. The genus Cornus consists of 58 species that are ecologically and economically important. SSRs have previously been isolated from C. florida and C. kousa. In this study, 36 SSRs were tested on taxa from 18 Cornus species and hybrids for cross-species transferability and genetic diversity was calculated for each locus using polymorphism information content (PIC). Cross-species transferability of SSR loci was higher in more closely related species and PIC values were high. Evidence was found for conserved primer sites as determined by the amplification of SSR loci in the taxa examined. Polymerase chain reaction products were cloned and sequenced for three SSR loci (CF48, CF59, and CF124) and all individuals sequenced contained the appropriate repeat. Phylogenetic relationships of 14 Cornus species were inferred using nucleotide sequences of SSR locus CF48. The most parsimonious tree resulting from this analysis was in concordance with phylogenies based on matK and internal transcribed spacer sequences. The SSR loci tested in this study will be useful in future breeding, population, and genetic studies within Cornus.
Inter-ramet Photosynthate Translocation in Buffalograss under Differential Water Deficit Stress
Authors: Qian Yongqiang , Li Deying , Han Lei , Sun Zhenyuan
Published: January 2019

Understanding the effect of photosynthate translocation on the shoot density of buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) is very important to improve its turf quality. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of water stress on water transport patterns, endogenous hormone distribution and allocation, and photosynthate allocation for connected buffalograss ramets. Clones from a single parent plant of ‘Texoka’ buffalograss were used to generate three-ramet units. Ramets are members of a clone that are not independent from the parent plant. Each water stress treatment had one of the three ramets cultured in half-strength Hoagland solution with 30% of polyethylene glycol (PEG) of −1.2 MPa ψS, while the other two ramets were kept in half-strength Hoagland solution with ψS of −0.05 MPa. Results indicated that inter-ramet water integration happened when one of the connected ramets was under water stress. Transzeatin riboside content decreased in roots treated with PEG. Abscisic acid content increased in the roots of all treatments compared with the control. Water stress caused a reduction of indole-3-acetic acid content in shoots and roots, especially the ramet stressed. Gibberellic acid content in shoots and roots of all treatments increased compared with the control. Within the control, young ramets were sinks of photosynthate, but translocation toward older ramets was detected using 14CO2 label when the older ramet was under stress. Xylem, phloem, and parenchyma cells were probably involved in the physiological integration of these responses. Fates of connected clonal ramets of buffalograss were interrelated and the agronomic significance of this result should be evaluated further.
The Origin of Cultivated Citrus as Inferred from Internal Transcribed Spacer and Chloroplast DNA Sequence and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Fingerprints
Authors: Li Xiaomeng , Xie Rangjin , Lu Zhenhua , Zhou Zhiqin
Published: January 2019

Citrus species are among the most important fruit trees in the world and have a long cultivation history. However, until now, the exact genetic origins of cultivated Citrus such as sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), lemon (C. limon), and grapefruit (C. paradisi) have remained unidentified. In the present study, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprints, nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and three plastid DNA regions (psbH – petB, trnL – trnF, and trnS - trnG) of 30 accessions of the cultivated citrus and their putative wild ancestors were analyzed in an attempt to identify their paternal and maternal origins. Molecular phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the AFLP data, and chloroplast DNA and ITS sequences using the genus Poncirus as the outgroup. Our results indicated that bergamot (C. aurantifolia) and lemon were derived from citron (C. medica) and sour orange (C. aurantium), and grapefruit was a hybrid that originated from a cross between pummelo (C. grandis) and sweet orange. Rough lemon (C. limon) was probable as a parent of rangpur lime (C. limonia) and guangxi local lemon (C. limonia). Our data also demonstrated that sweet orange and sour orange were hybrids of mandarin (C. reticulata) and pummelo, while rough lemon was a cross between citron and mandarin. For mexican lime (C. aurantifolia), our molecular data confirmed a species of Papeda to be the female parent and C. medica as the male. These findings provide new information for future study on the taxonomy, evolution, and genetic breeding of Citrus.
Flesh Color Inheritance and Gene Interactions among Canary Yellow, Pale Yellow, and Red Watermelon
Authors: Bang Haejeen , Davis Angela R. , Kim Sunggil , Leskovar Daniel I. , King Stephen R.
Published: January 2019

Two loci, C and i-C, were previously reported to determine flesh colors between canary yellow and red watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Recently, lycopene β-cyclase (LCYB) was found as a color determinant gene for canary yellow (C) and a codominant cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker was developed to identify canary yellow and red alleles. The inhibitor of canary yellow (i-C), as reported in a previous work, was not detected in our original family derived from a cross between canary yellow and red parents. To identify additional genetic determinants such as i-C, we prepared a new family using ‘Yellow Doll’ (canary yellow) and ‘Sweet Princess’ (red), which was reported to carry the inhibitor gene i-C as parents. A new distinct class of flesh color, pale yellow, was identified in the progeny from the new canary yellow × red cross. The predominant carotenoid in canary yellow and pale yellow phenotypes was neoxanthin, followed by violaxanthin and neochrome; pale yellow contained less total carotenoids, but had more minor carotenoids compared with canary yellow. The chi-square goodness-of-fit test indicated that there are two genes involved in determining flesh color among canary yellow, pale yellow, and red, but the segregation pattern did not fit the pattern as reported for an i-C gene. When the genotype of the family ‘Yellow Doll’ × ‘Sweet Princess’ was analyzed with our LCYB CAPS marker, the flesh color of every individual perfectly cosegregated with the marker. The new pale yellow phenotype also cosegregated with the marker linked to the C allele, indicating that the recessive py phenotype (pale yellow) must carry at least one of the C alleles for expression. Therefore, we propose to designate py for a pale yellow determinant along with C as a canary yellow determinant. A homozygous recessive py gene resulted in pale yellow flesh color in the presence of a dominant C.
Sorbitol Dehydrogenase Gene Expression and Enzyme Activity in Apple: Tissue Specificity during Bud Development and Response to Rootstock Vigor and Growth Manipulation
Authors: Wu Ben-Hong , Li Shao-Hua , Nosarzewski Marta , Archbold Douglas D.
Published: January 2019

Sorbitol is the primary photosynthate and translocated carbohydrate in apple (Malus ×domestica), and most of it is converted to fructose by sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) in sink tissues. We studied the expression of nine SDH genes, SDH activity, and sorbitol content of apple 1) in buds and floral tissues from dormancy to bloom, 2) in leaves and shoot tips of trees on two rootstocks, the moderately vigorous ‘Malling Merton 111’ (MM.111) and the dwarfing ‘Malling 9’ (M.9), and 3) in shoot tips in response to application of prohexadione-Ca to suppress shoot growth and defoliation and girdling (D/G) to deprive the shoot tip of sorbitol. In mature, orchard-grown trees, sorbitol was the main soluble carbohydrate in expressed xylem sap from dormancy to bloom at levels over 3- to 6-fold those of glucose and fructose, the other major sugars present. Sorbitol levels there increased from dormancy to its highest concentration at the half inch green stage and declined by bloom, while those of the other sugars increased. SDH activity per milligram of protein increased over 4-fold from dormancy to flowering. Three of the nine known SDH genes (SDH1, SDH2, and SDH3) were expressed in immature and mature leaves and all buds from dormancy to bloom, as well as in all floral organs, except that only SDH3 transcript was found in stamen tissue. Two genes, SDH6 and SDH9, were floral-tissue specific; SDH6 transcript was detected in all floral organs except stamens at full bloom, and SDH9 was only expressed in anthers with pollen. In buds and leaves of young, container-grown trees, SDH1 and SDH2 generally accounted for the majority of total SDH expression. There were generally no effects of rootstock on SDH expression, SDH activity, or sorbitol concentration in leaves, while apical shoot tips on M.9 rootstock exhibited greater SDH activity than those on MM.111 or lateral shoot tips on either rootstock, though SDH expression of apical and lateral shoot tips on M.9 was lower than on MM.111. Prohexadione-Ca reduced apical but not lateral shoot growth, increased apical but not lateral shoot tip sorbitol content, had no effect on SDH activity, and increased SDH1 expression of all shoot tips. D/G treatment reduced shoot growth, sorbitol content, and SDH activity, but increased SDH1 expression of apical shoot tips only and SDH2 expression of lateral shoot tips only. This work indicates that sorbitol and other sugars are abundantly available from dormancy to bloom, that SDH activity increased during this period, and that SDH expression is at least in part developmentally regulated within the individual floral and leaf tissues. In shoot tips and leaves of young trees, SDH transcript level was not correlated with sorbitol availability or SDH activity, suggesting that other factors have significant regulatory effects after SDH expression on SDH activity.
Effects of 1-Methylcyclopropene and Naphthaleneacetic Acid on Fruit Set and Expression of Genes Related to Ethylene Biosynthesis and Perception and Cell Wall Degradation in Apple
Authors: Zhu Hong , Yuan Rongcai , Greene Duane W. , Beers Eric P.
Published: January 2019

The effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on fruit set and the expression of genes related to ethylene biosynthesis and perception and cell wall degradation in apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) were studied when applied during the normal chemical thinning period. 1-MCP at 209 mg·L−1 had a small negative effect or no effect on the final fruit set, depending on the experiment, but could cause a transient delay of June drop when applied at petal fall or the 10-mm stage in ‘Pioneer McIntosh’ apple. 1-MCP at 160 mg·L−1 had no effect on fruit abscission but induced ethylene production by leaves and fruit of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple. NAA at 6 or 15 mg·L−1 effectively increased fruit abscission in both apple cultivars. NAA enhanced the expression of genes related to ethylene biosynthesis (MdACS5A, MdACS5B, and MdACO1) or perception (MdETR1, MdETR1b, MdETR2, MdERS1, and MdERS2) and cell wall degradation (MdPG2). 1-MCP did not affect the expression of MdACS5A and MdACS5B in the fruit abscission zone (FAZ), although it enhanced the expression of these two genes in the fruit cortex (FC) from 6 hours to 1 day after treatment. The expression of MdACO1 in both tissues was increased by 1-MCP by 3 days post-treatment and thereafter. 1-MCP had only a small influence on the expression of most ethylene receptor genes, with the exception of MdETR1, which was upregulated in the FC to a level similar to that observed for NAA treatment. In response to 1-MCP, in the FAZ, the expression of MdCel1 and MdPG2 was upregulated at the beginning and the end, respectively, of the experiment, but otherwise remained at or below control levels. 1-MCP did not inhibit NAA-induced abscission of young apple fruit, suggesting that abscission does not solely depend on ethylene signal transduction, or that the periods of effectiveness for 1-MCP and ethylene were asynchronous.
S-genotyping Supports the Genetic Relationships between Turkish and Hungarian Apricot Germplasm
Authors: Halász Júlia , Pedryc Andrzej , Ercisli Sezai , Yilmaz Kadir Ugurtan , Hegedűs Attila
Published: January 2019

The S-genotypes of a set of Turkish and Hungarian apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of their S-RNase intron regions. In addition, the S-genotyping method was extended to the SFB gene to detect the non-functional SC-haplotype and hence reliably identify self-compatible apricot cultivars. We determined the complete S-genotype of 51 cultivars and the partial S-genotype of four cultivars. A total of 32 different S-genotypes were assigned to the 51 cultivars, and many of them (28) were classified into newly established cross-incompatibility groups III through XIV. Another 12 cultivars demonstrated unique incompatible genotypes and seven self-compatible cultivars were identified in the examined accessions. The fact that Turkish and Hungarian apricot cultivars carry 12 and five S-alleles, respectively, and all five alleles detected in Hungarian cultivars were also present in Turkish apricots furnished molecular evidence supporting the long-suspected historical connection between Hungarian and Turkish apricots. The connection between these two gene pools appeared to be relatively recent and associated with historical events dating back 300 years. Our results confirm that Turkish germplasm contributed considerably to the development of several desirable Hungarian apricot cultivars. Results suggest that the mutation rendering the SC-haplotype non-functional might have occurred somewhere east of central Turkey.
Functional Markers for Red Raspberry
Authors: Woodhead Mary , Weir Ailsa , Smith Kay , McCallum Susan , MacKenzie Katrin , Graham Julie
Published: January 2019

Primers to 43 genes, including those involved in the phenylpropanoid and volatile pathways, cell wall, ethylene and polyamine metabolism, and from Prunus linkage group (LG) 6 were tested in red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) cultivars Latham and Glen Moy, and 40 were polymorphic. Thirty-seven genes were subsequently mapped in the ‘Latham’ × ‘Glen Moy’ population and were placed across all seven Rubus LG. This brings to 97 the total number of genic markers mapped in this Rubus mapping population. Fifteen genes are associated with existing quantitative trait loci for ripening, cane diseases, including yellow rust (Phragmidium rubi-idaei), cane botrytis (Botrytis cinerea), spur blight (Didymella applanata), and cane spot (Elsinoe veneta) or fruit color in R. idaeus and can be used for identifying bacterial artificial chromosome clones for physical mapping studies. A cluster of four genes from Prunus LG6 mapped together to Rubus LG3, suggesting that there may be sufficient synteny between these Rosaceae over small genomic regions that can be exploited in future studies.
Intersimple Sequence Repeats Distinguish Genetic Differences in Easter Lily ‘Nellie White’ Clonal Ramets within and among Bulb Growers over Years
Authors: Anderson Neil O. , Younis Adnan , Sun Ye
Published: January 2019

The large genome size of easter lily [Lilium longiflorum (77.1 pg/2C nucleus)], coupled with repetitive DNA sequences, makes it difficult to use molecular techniques to identify or fingerprint lily (Lilium) species, hybrids, and clones. Previous research demonstrated that amplified fragment length polymorphisms could not be optimized for consistency and repeatability to obtain reliable genetic variation assessments of lily species and clones. The objective of this research was to analyze the effectiveness and stringency of intersimple sequence repeats (ISSRs) to determine genetic differences between L. longiflorum ‘Nellie White’ clonal ramet populations from bulb growers over years. DNA from closely related clones of L. longiflorum ‘Nellie White’ included 2002 (n = 11 bulb lots) and 2003 (n = 12 bulb lots). Comparison cultivars and species were also included. Five University of British Columbia (UBC) primers (P808, P810, P811, P814, and P818) that were used produced 56 polymorphic loci. ISSR banding patterns were consistent among three replications within ‘Nellie White’ clonal genotypes. ‘Nellie White’ clones differed significantly within (82%) and among (18%) growers in 2002 and 2003. ‘Nellie White’ clones are not uniform or part of a single ramet population. Principal clades within years separated at Nei's genetic distances (GDs) of GD = 0.6 (growers 2, 4, and 12) to GD = 0.82 (grower 6) in 2002 and GD = 0.51 (grower 4) to GD = 0.78 (grower 14). The most closely related ‘Nellie White’ clones within growers ranged from GD = 0.8 to 0.95 in 2002 and GD = 0.7 to 0.91 for 2003. Five top-performing growers (1, and 3–6) from previous morphological studies and, particularly growers 3 and 5, were in similar clades, cosegregating with phenotypic traits of stem emergence and flowering dates. The lack of a meiotic sieve (Muller's ratchet) may be responsible for the high level of mutational differences present in the ‘Nellie White’ clones and significantly affects the ability of commercial greenhouse growers to produce a uniform easter lily crop, particularly in years when the Easter holiday is early.
Expression of Ethylene Biosynthesis and Signaling Genes during Differential Abscission Responses of Sweet Orange Leaves and Mature Fruit
Authors: John-Karuppiah Karthik-Joseph , Burns Jacqueline K.
Published: January 2019

When applying abscission agents to tree fruit to facilitate harvest, it is desirable to loosen fruit and not leaves or other organs, but mechanisms controlling leaf and fruit drop are not fully understood. The effect of 450 μL·L−1 ethephon (ethylene-releasing agent) alone or in combination with 1-methylcyclopropene [1-MCP (ethylene perception inhibitor)] on leaf and mature fruit abscission of ‘Valencia’ sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) was studied. Leaf abscission increased and fruit detachment force (FDF) decreased significantly especially 4 days after ethephon treatment. Leaf drop rose to over 80% 7 days after application, whereas FDF was only 30% less than untreated control fruit. When 1-MCP was combined with ethephon and applied to ‘Valencia’ sweet orange canopies, leaf abscission was greatly reduced, but reduction in FDF proceeded unabated. We hypothesized that differential response of ‘Valencia’ sweet orange fruit and leaves to 1-MCP was correlated with expression of ethylene biosynthetic and signaling genes and their downstream action. Partial or full-length nucleotide sequences were obtained for ‘Valencia’ sweet orange homologs of 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase-1 (CsACS1), 2 (CsACS2), 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (CsACO), ethylene response sensor-1 (CsERS1), ethylene response-1 (CsETR1), 2 (CsETR2), 3 (CsETR3), constitutive triple response-1 (CsCTR1), ethylene insensitive-2 (CsEIN2), and ethylene insensitive 3-like-1 (CsEIL1) and 2 (CsEIL2). Ethephon application increased expression of biosynthesis genes CsACS1 and CsACO and receptors CsERS1 and CsETR2 in the abscission zones of leaves and mature fruit. Ethephon-induced increase in gene expression was completely suppressed by 1-MCP application in all but CsACS1 and CsACO in fruit abscission zones. Although gene expression was suppressed initially, CsACS1 and CsACO expression in fruit abscission zones treated with 1-MCP in the presence or absence of ethephon increased over the 7-day measurement period, suggesting that CsACS1 and CsACO expression were negatively regulated by basal ethylene production in this tissue. However, 1-MCP treatment alone did not loosen fruit, indicating that CsACS1 and CsACO played minor roles in fruit abscission. To determine if the difference in ethylene sensitivity was the basis of differential response to ethylene within the same organ, potted ‘Valencia’ sweet orange plants were treated with ethylene, and rates of blade and petiole drop and detachment forces at the laminar and petiolar abscission zones were studied. Although leaf blades abscised earlier than petioles, the force of detachment was similar, indicating no differences in ethylene sensitivity. Overall, the most significant difference between fruit and leaf abscission zones was seen in the expression of CsACS1 and CsACO genes, but the expression pattern was poorly correlated with abscission.
Classifying Irrigated Crops as Affected by Phenological Stage Using Discriminant Analysis and Neural Networks
Authors: López-Granados Francisca , Gómez-Casero M. Teresa , Peña-Barragán José M. , Jurado-Expósito Montserrat , García-Torres Luis
Published: January 2019

In Spain, water for agricultural use represents about 85% of the total water demand, and irrigated crop production constitutes a major contribution to the country's economy. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the potential of multispectral reflectance and seven vegetation indices in the visible and near-infrared spectral range for discriminating and classifying bare soil and several horticultural irrigated crops at different dates. This is the first step of a broader project with the overall goal of using satellite imagery with high spatial and multispectral resolutions for mapping irrigated crops to improve agricultural water use. On-ground reflectance data of bare soil and annual herbaceous crops [garlic (Allium sativum), onion (Allium cepa), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), bean (Vicia faba), maize (Zea mays), potato (Solanum tuberosum), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), melon (Cucumis melo), watermelon (Citrillus lanatus), and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)], perennial herbaceous crops [alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)], deciduous trees [plum (Prunus spp.)], and non-deciduous trees [citrus (Citrus spp.) and olive (Olea europaea)] were collected using a handheld field spectroradiometer in spring, early summer, and late summer. Three classification methods were applied to discriminate differences in reflectance between the different crops and bare soil: stepwise discriminant analysis, and two artificial neural networks: multilayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function. On any of the sampling dates, the highest degree of accuracy was achieved with the MLP neural network, showing 89.8%, 91.1%, and 96.4% correct classification in spring, early summer, and late summer, respectively. The classification matrix from the MLP model using cross-validation showed that most crops discriminated in spring and late summer were 100% classifiable. For future works, we would recommend acquiring two multispectral satellite images taken in spring and late summer for monitoring and mapping these irrigated crops, thus avoiding costly field surveys.
Seasonal Uptake and Partitioning of Macronutrients in Mature ‘Concord’ Grape
Authors: Pradubsuk Suphasuk , Davenport Joan R.
Published: January 2019

Understanding how grape (Vitis L.) vines store nutrients in permanent tissues, how much nutrient vines take up from the soil, and how nutrients are partitioned and redistributed throughout the plant is critical to the development of sound nutrient management practices. This study investigated the seasonal patterns of macronutrient uptake and redistribution in whole ‘Concord’ grape (Vitis labruscana Bailey) vines. The study was conducted in a 42-year-old own-rooted ‘Concord’ vineyard. The site was a furrow-irrigated fine sandy loam. In 2006 and 2007, four vines were excavated at winter pruning, budbreak, three- to four-leaf stage, bloom, veraison, harvest, and postharvest. Each vine was separated into different organs, dried, and weighed to determine biomass, and then ground and analyzed for C, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. The results showed that the seasonal dynamics of nutrient contents shared a consistent pattern: translocation of nutrients from woody tissues to actively growing organs at the beginning of the season; nutrient uptake from bloom to veraison (P and Mg in 2006), bloom to harvest (N, P, K, and Ca), or veraison to harvest (P and Mg in 2007); and nutrient movement to woody tissues occurring after veraison until leaf fall with no further nutrient uptake. There was a very high accumulation of Ca in permanent structures of the vine, reflecting the high Ca and CaCO3 found in the soils of the region. As a result, the vines had a higher Ca content than all other nutrients throughout the growing season, which is different from findings in other growing areas.
Effects of Nighttime Heating on Cell Size, Acid Invertase Activity, Sucrose Phosphate Synthase Activity, and Sugar Content of Melon Fruit
Authors: Matsumoto Jun , Goto Hideyuki , Kano Yasutaka , Kikuchi Akira , Ueda Hideaki , Nakatsubo Yuta
Published: January 2019

To determine the relationship among cell size, acid invertase (AI) activity, sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity, and sucrose accumulation in melon (Cucumis melo L.) during early development [from 6 to 16 days after anthesis (DAA)], fruit were heated at night to a minimum of 20 °C. Cells of heated fruit were larger than those of control fruit at 16 DAA but smaller at 50 DAA. AI activity was lower and SPS activity was higher in heated than in control fruit up to 26 DAA. Sucrose, glucose, and fructose contents at 26 and 50 DAA were higher in heated than in control fruit. Heating caused cells to reach mature size earlier than those of control fruit, and maturity was accompanied by earlier decline in AI activity and an earlier increase in SPS activity that promoted soluble sugar accumulation.
Targeting Gene Combinations for Broad-spectrum Rust Resistance in Heat-tolerant Snap Beans Developed for Tropical Environments
Authors: Wasonga Charles J. , Pastor-Corrales Marcial A. , Porch Timothy G. , Griffiths Phillip D.
Published: January 2019

Common bean rust disease (caused by Uromyces appendiculatus) and high temperatures (heat stress) limit snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production in many tropical and temperate regions. We have developed snap bean lines combining broad-spectrum rust resistance with heat tolerance for tropical agroecosystems. Eight breeding populations were developed by hybridizing BelJersey-RR-15 and BelFla-RR-1 (each possessing the Ur-4 and Ur-11 rust resistance genes) and the heat-tolerant snap bean breeding lines HT601, HT603, HT608, and HT611. F2–F4 generations of the populations were evaluated under greenhouse conditions and selected for heat tolerance while simultaneously selecting for the rust resistance genes Ur-4 and Ur-11. Three heat-tolerant F5 lines, which were homozygous for Ur-4 and Ur-11 genes, were selected together with a rust-resistant but heat-sensitive control. These and 12 cultivars adapted to different geographical regions were evaluated for their reaction to rust and yield at six contrasting field sites in eastern Africa and their response to high temperature verified in Puerto Rico. Rust incidence and severity was high at three of the trial sites in eastern Africa. Two of the 12 cultivars were resistant to rust at most of these sites, and three of the four breeding lines were resistant at all sites. The Ur-11 gene effectively conferred rust resistance at all sites. Yield in Puerto Rico was strongly correlated (R2 = 0.71, P < 0.001) with that of the hottest site in eastern Africa, highlighting the similarity in genotypic response to high temperatures at the two distinct sites. The newly developed rust-resistant and heat-tolerant breeding lines showed stable yield at the eastern Africa sites with contrasting mean temperatures compared with the cultivars presently grown in the region. Two of these lines, HT1 and HT2, were confirmed to be homozygous for Ur-4 and Ur-11 and with high heat tolerance under both greenhouse and field environments. This research validates the effectiveness of targeted rust resistance gene combinations for tropical environments and the effective selection of high temperature tolerance traits correlating across multiple environments. The breeding lines HT1 and HT2 developed in this research could be used to improve snap beans for the tropics and other environments with similar constraints.
A Genetic Linkage Map of Olive Based on Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism, Intersimple Sequence Repeat and Simple Sequence Repeat Markers
Authors: Khadari Bouchaib , El Aabidine Amal Zine , Grout Cinderella , Ben Sadok Inès , Doligez Agnès , Moutier Nathalie , Santoni Sylvain , Costes Evelyne
Published: January 2019

A detailed genomic linkage map of the olive [Olea europaea L. ssp. europaea (2x = 2n = 46)] was constructed with a 147 F1 full-sib ‘Olivière’ × ‘Arbequina’ progeny in a two-way pseudo-test cross-mapping configuration. Based on a logarithm of odds threshold of 6 and a maximum recombination fraction of 0.4, maternal and paternal maps were constructed using 222 makers [178 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), 37 simple sequence repeat (SSR), seven intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR)] and 219 markers (174 AFLP, 39 SSR, 6 ISSR) markers, respectively. The female map regrouped 36 linkage groups (LGs) defining 2210.2 cM of total map length with an average marker spacing 11.2 cM and a maximum gap of 48.5 cM between adjacent markers. The male map contained 31 LGs and covered a distance of 1966.2 cM with an average and a maximum distance between two adjacent markers of 10.3 and 40.4 cM, respectively. Mean LG size was 61.3 and 63.4 cM in the maternal and paternal maps, respectively. The LGs consisted of two to 17 loci (up to 21 loci in the paternal map) and ranged in length from 2.7 to 182 cM (female map) or from 4.1 to 218.1 cM (paternal map). Markers were distributed throughout the maps without any clustering. The total length of the consensus map was 3823.2 cM containing 436 markers distributed into 42 LGs with a mean distance between two adjacent loci of 8.7 cM. Both parental maps and the consensus maps were compared with previously published olive maps. Although not saturated yet, the present maps offer a promising tool for quantitative trait loci mapping because phenotypic characterization of the cross is currently carried out.
Emission and Regulation of Volatile Chemicals from Globe Amaranth Flowers
Authors: Jiang Yifan , Zhao Nan , Wang Fei , Chen Feng
Published: January 2019

Volatile chemicals emitted from the flowers of globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) were collected using a dynamic headspace technique and analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Among the four globe amaranth cultivars analyzed, Fireworks was the highest producer of floral volatiles. The flowers of the other three cultivars, Las Vegas White, Las Vegas Pink, and Las Vegas Purple, emit less volatiles, both qualitatively and quantitatively, than ‘Fireworks’. ‘Fireworks’ was chosen for detailed characterization of regulation of floral volatile emission. A diurnal pattern of emission of floral volatiles was observed from the flowers of ‘Fireworks’. In addition, the emission pattern was not significantly affected by light, suggesting that the circadian clock plays a major role in the regulation of volatile emission. The emission of floral volatiles from ‘Fireworks’ flowers that were treated with several chemicals was also analyzed. The treatment with silver thiosulphate, an ethylene inhibitor, led to enhanced emission of total volatiles. In contrast, the treatments with salicylic acid and jasmonic acid led to enhanced emission of total floral volatiles at 4 h but reduced emission at 24 h after the treatment. Biochemical pathways leading to the production of the major floral volatiles of globe amaranth are proposed and partly validated by cluster analysis of floral volatiles emitted from ‘Fireworks’ flowers under various conditions. The implications of the results of this study to the understanding of the reproductive biology of globe amaranth and the breeding of novel globe amaranth cultivars are discussed.
Selenium Regulates Gene Expression for Glucosinolate and Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis
Authors: Sams Carl E. , Panthee Dilip R. , Charron Craig S. , Kopsell Dean A. , Yuan Joshua S.
Published: January 2019

Glucosinolates (GSs) and carotenoids are important plant secondary metabolites present in several plant species, including arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Although genotypic and environmental regulation of GSs and carotenoid compounds has been reported, few studies present data on their regulation at the molecular level. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore differential expression of genes associated with GSs and carotenoids in arabidopsis in response to selenium fertilization, shown previously to impact accumulations of both classes of metabolites in Brassica species. Arabidopsis was grown under 0.0 or 10.0 μM Na2SeO4 in hydroponic culture. Shoot and root tissue samples were collected before anthesis to measure GSs and carotenoid compounds and conduct gene expression analysis. Gene expression was determined using arabidopsis oligonucleotide chips containing more than 31,000 genes. There were 1274 differentially expressed genes in response to selenium (Se), of which 516 genes were upregulated. Ontology analysis partitioned differentially expressed genes into 20 classes. Biosynthesis pathway analysis using AraCyc revealed that four GSs, one carotenoid, and one chlorophyll biosynthesis pathways were invoked by the differentially expressed genes. Involvement of the same gene in more than one biosynthesis pathway indicated that the same enzyme may be involved in multiple GS biosynthesis pathways. The decrease in carotenoid biosynthesis under Se treatment occurred through the downregulation of phytoene synthase at the beginning of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway. These findings may be useful to modify the GS and carotenoid levels in arabidopsis and may lead to modification in agriculturally important plant species.
Interspecific Crossability of Selected Salvia Species and Potential Use for Crop Improvement
Authors: Tychonievich Joseph , Warner Ryan M.
Published: January 2019

The wide diversity in the genus Salvia represents an untapped genetic resource to improve and diversify Salvia grown as floriculture crops. Interspecific hybrids have formed naturally or by chance hybridization of cultivated plants, but the degree to which species are cross-compatible is largely unknown. The crossability of nine Salvia species selected to cover a wide range of the diversity in European and American species was evaluated in a full diallel mating scheme. Overall, crossability of the selected species was low with only five of 72 interspecific cross combinations producing viable seed, whereas all nine species were self-fertile. Successful crosses were mostly within close phylogenetic groupings. The majority of successful crosses were between species with different chromosome numbers, suggesting that chromosome number differences alone are not a major barrier to hybridization in this genus. A Salvia nemorosa × Salvia transslyvanica F2 population exhibited transgressive segregation for several horticulturally important traits, including flower size, plant height, and time to flower. Plant height was correlated positively with flower length, inflorescence branch number, and time to flower. Time to flower was correlated positively with flower length. Individuals with desirable trait combinations were identified within the population.
Variation in Oxalic Acid Content among Commercial Table Beet Cultivars and Related Crops
Authors: Freidig Amy K. , Goldman Irwin L.
Published: January 2019

Oxalic acid (C2O42–) is a compound of interest as a result of its relationship with kidney stone formation and antinutritive properties. Because table beet [Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris (garden beet group)] is considered a high oxalate food, breeding to decrease oxalic acid levels is an area of interest. In this study, a field trial was conducted over 2 years for 24 members of the Chenopodiaceae using two different planting dates to determine if variation exists for both total and soluble oxalic acid levels in roots and leaves. Total and soluble oxalic acid was extracted from homogenized root core and leaf tissue samples and a colorimetric enzymatic assay was used to determine total and soluble oxalic acid levels. Mean values ranged from 722 to 1909 mg/100 g leaf tissue and 553 to 1679 mg/100 g leaf tissue for total and soluble oxalate levels, respectively. Beet cultivar Forono and swiss chard [B. vulgaris ssp. vulgaris (leaf beet group)] cultivar Burpee's Fordhook Giant Chard produced the respective highest and lowest soluble and total oxalic acid leaf levels. Swiss chard cultivars produced 38% less total oxalate compared with table beet cultivars based on overall means. Root soluble oxalate values ranged from 103 to 171 mg/100 g root tissue and total values ranged from 95 to 142 mg/100 g root tissue. Significant variation for both total and soluble oxalic acid levels were detected, indicating progress could be made toward breeding for lower oxalic acid levels in table beet. However, gains in oxalic acid nutritional quality may be limited because it would take a substantial decrease in levels for table beet to be reclassified as a low oxalate food.