大果优质秋果型树莓新品种‘秋萍’

 ‘秋萍’树莓是从英国品种‘秋福’的自然实生后代群体中选出的早熟优质大果新品种,为一年生茎秋季结果型,沈阳及周边地区种植冬季不用埋土防寒,秋季结果,采收期为8月1日-10月10日。果实圆锥形,亮红色,最大单果质量7.2 g,平均单果质量3.6 g,果大,整齐,硬度好,易采收。果实鲜食味甜,具芳香,鲜食品质优,也非常适于速冻加工。株高1.5 m,长势健壮,抗逆性强。     

Long-day control of flowering in everbearing strawberries

Summary

Photoperiod and temperature control of flowering in a number of perpetual-flowering or everbearing strawberry cultivars of widely varying pedigree has been studied in controlled environments. Flower bud initiation in the cultivars ‘Flamenco’, ‘Ridder’, ‘Rita’ and ‘Rondo’ was significantly advanced by long-day (LD) conditions at temperatures of 15°C and 21ºC; while, at 27ºC, flowering took place under LD conditions only. Some plants of the seed-propagated F₁-hybrid ‘Elan’, raised at 21°C, also flowered under short-day (SD) conditions at 27°C, but reverted to the vegetative state after a few weeks when maintained under these conditions. When vegetative plants growing in SD at 27°C were transferred to LD conditions at the same temperature, they consistently initiated flower buds and started flowering after about 4 weeks. At such a high temperature, flowering could thus be turned on and off by switching between SD and LD conditions. This applied to all the cultivars studied. Also the cultivar ‘Everest’, which was tested only at 21°C, produced similar results. Night interruption for 2 h was effective in bringing about the LD response. At 9°C, flowering was substantially delayed, especially in ‘Flamenco’ and, at this temperature, flowering was unaffected by photoperiod. Runner formation was generally promoted by high temperature and SD conditions, but the photoperiodic effect varied between experiments. We conclude that everbearing strawberry cultivars, in general, whether of the older European-type or the modern Californian-type originating from crosses with selections of Fragaria virginiana ssp. glauca, are qualitative (obligatory) LD plants at high temperature (27°C), and quantitative LD plants at intermediate temperatures. Only at temperatures below 10°C are these cultivars day-neutral.     

Effect of low temperatures on pulp browning and endogenous abscisic acid and ethylene concentrations in peach (Prunus persica L.) fruit during post-harvest storage

Summary

Changes in the severity of pulp browning, endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene concentrations, and related gene expression in peach (Prunus persica L. ‘Bayuecui’) fruit stored at the biological freezing-point temperature (BFT; 1ºC), at 4ºC, or at room temperature (20ºC; as a control) were investigated.The results showed that fruit stored at room temperature showed climacteric changes in ethylene and ABA concentrations and in levels of expression of the corresponding ethylene synthetase genes (PpACS1, PpACO1) and the gene for a key enzyme of ABA synthesis (PpNCED), concomitant with a significant decrease in fruit firmness and an increase in juice yield. Meanwhile, two sucrose synthase genes (PpSUS1 and PpSUS2) were expressed at relatively low levels. However, fruit firmness decreased slightly and chilling injury (CI) increased significantly 40 d after storage (DAS) at 4ºC, with a significant accumulation of proline [from 8.33 µg g^–1 (at t = 0 d) to 9.125 µg g^–1 (at t = 40 d)]. In contrast, fruit firmness decreased slowly and pulp browning increased slightly 80 DAS at the BFT ( 1ºC), with a lower accumulation of proline than in fruit stored at 4ºC. The concentrations of soluble sugars and titratable acidity decreased during storage at 1ºC, 4ºC, or 20ºC, but there was a peak of soluble sugars at a late stage of storage at the BFT ( 1ºC). The fruit browning index was significantly and positively correlated (R ² = 0.967) with ABA concentration. The decrease in ABA concentration in cold-stored fruit (at both 1ºC and 4ºC) inhibited ethylene production. Moreover, there was no significant correlation between CI in fruit and ethylene production. In conclusion, the decrease in ABA concentration reduced ethylene concentrations and inhibited the development of pulp browning, which resulted in an improved taste, but crisper fruit, when fruit were stored at the BFT (–1ºC).     

Comparative analysis of floral pigmentation between wild-type and white-flowered varieties of Cyclamen graecum

Summary

The flower colour of Cyclamen graecum gra6 (wild-type) is pink-purple in the main part of the petal, referred to as the ‘slip’, and deep purple at the petal base, referred to as the ‘eye’. On the other hand, flowers of C. graecum gra50 (a white-flowered variant) exhibit a white colour in both the ‘slip’ and ‘eye’ regions. In this study, the relationship between floral pigmentation and the expression of several anthocyanin biosynthesis genes was investigated in C. graecum gra6 and gra50. The pigments in the ‘slip’ and ‘eye’ regions consist mainly of malvidin 3,5-diglucoside in gra6, suggesting that the difference between the colour of the ‘slip’ and ‘eye’ regions is related to the amount of anthocyanin present. White-flowered C. graecum gra50 possessed lower amounts of anthocyanins, but higher amounts of flavonols compared to gra6, suggesting a change in metabolism caused by a disruption of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that expression of the dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene 2 (CgraDFR2) was lower in gra50 compared with gra6, whereas expression of the three other key genes (dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene 1, flavonoid 3’,5’-hydroxylase, and anthocyanidin synthase) did not differ greatly. These results suggest that the white-flowered variant (gra50) may result from a defect in expression of the CgraDFR2 gene.     

Resistance to white rot infections in bulb onion seed lots

Five seed lots and the self- and open-pollinated progenies of the cultivar ‘Ailsa Craig’ were tested for disease reaction to Sclerotium cepivorum, the causal fungus of onion white rot. Field tests were conducted on S. cepjuorum-infested soil in Burnaby, British Columbia, from 1976 to 1980. No significant differences were observed between ‘Ailsa Craig’ and ‘Autumn Spice’ with respect to disease resistance during the 1979 and 1980 tests, whereas resistance of ‘Ailsa Craig’ had been noted in previous years. Tests indicated that resistance varied with seed lot, thus providing a possible explanation for the 1979 and 1980 results. ‘Ailsa Craig’ selfed progeny selection had significantly fewer infections than its parental seed lot and the local recommended cultivar ‘Autumn Spice’. Resistance to infection by S. cepivorum should be assigned to seed lots or breeding lines and not to presently named cultivars. These results suggest that differences in infection by S. cepivorum occur, and are available for the development of white rot resistant cultivars.     

Growth of Vitis vinifera L. and Vitis aestivalis Michx. as Affected by Temperature

Abstract

Four European (Vitis vinifera L.) winegrape cvs., ‘Semillon’, ‘Pinot Noir,’ ‘Chardonnay’, and ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, and one American (Vitis aestivalis Michx.) winegrape cv. ‘Cynthiana’, were subjected to three temperature regimes in growth chambers set at 20/15°C, 30/ 25°C, or 40/35°C, for 16/8 hr day/night to determine the influence of temperatures on vine growth and development. In general, the best temperature for shoot and root growth 28 days after temperature treatments was 20/15°C for ‘Semillon’, ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, and ‘Cynthiana’, and 30/25°C for ‘Pinot Noir’ and ‘Chardonnay’. Although 40/35°C reduced number of leaves, shoots, tendrils, and internodes, total leaf area (LA), and total shoot biomass of all the cultivars, the reduction was more pronounced in ‘Cynthiana’ than in the European cultivars. The average reduction in number of leaves at 40/35°C for the European cultivars was 47%, compared with 92% for ‘Cynthiana’. The two types of grapes adapted differently to high temperature. Shoot growth in the European cultivars continued under high temperature, whereas growth ceased in ‘Cynthiana’. Roots of ‘Cynthiana’, however, were less susceptible to the adverse effect of high temperatures than were the shoots. This study shows that the European cultivars were relatively more tolerant to high temperature than the American cultivar and they have a potential for production of wine in the climate of south central Kansas.     

100 Jahre East Malling: Von Wye College Fruit Experimental Station über IHR/HRI (Horticultural Research International) zu EMR (East Malling Research)

The hundred year history of East Malling Research Station (EMRS) is reviewed from a personal perspective: In March 1913, Kent fruit farmers in the Southeast of England founded the Wye College Fruit Experimental Station. In 1920, the newly formed ‘Kent Incorporated Society for the Promotion of Experiments in Horticulture’ took over East Malling (as a site independent from Wye College) ?with offices and horse stables“ and managed 9 ha land provided by Kent County Council (KCC). West (of the Kidd and West postharvest group at Cambridge) laid the foundations in the 1930/1940s for postharvest research at East Malling Research Station (EMR S) and CA storage in the Ditton Laboratory, founded in 1929 and later merged with EMRS in the 1970s. Under Mrs Thatcher’s ruling, EMRS was merged in 1989 with the National Vegetable Research Station (NVRS) at Wellesbourne (Warwickshire) and the Glasshouse Crops Research Institute (GCRI) in Littlehampton (Sussex) initially as IHR (Institute of Horticultural Research) and then as HRI (Horticultural Research International) to combine the expertise in e.g. plant physiology, plant nutrition, plant growth regulators, plant protection, breeding and molecular biology, a decision regretted when GCRI closed in 1995 and a minority was transferred from GCRI to Wellesbourne. Plant growth regulator research was moved from East Malling to Long Ashton in 1982, whereas strawberry breeding was transferred from Long Ashton to East Malling in 1983, while Ribes breeding transferred to the Scottish Crops Research Institute (SCRI) in Dundee and CAB in 1990 to Wallingford/Oxon. East Malling is famous for its rootstocks, above all M 9, which curiously originated from France, but was selected and named in East Malling. Columnar dessert apple varieties such as ‘Maypole’, ‘Bolero’, ‘Waltz’ and ‘Polka’ (derived from the Canadian Wijcik clones) were bred at East Malling by Ken Tobutt, 32 strawberry varieties by David Simpson, 11 raspberry culivars like ‘Autumn Bliss’ and 6 Ribes varieties like gooseberry cv. ‘Pax’ by Elisabeth Keep and Vicky Knight. Today, East Malling is rarely represented at European horticultural meetings like the SHE or Orchard systems and rootstock symposia. Access to the valuable information in the annual East Malling reports is limited due to lack of digitalization, which in turn would allow keyword-based online searches. In 2005, East Malling—now EMR- East Malling Research —regained its independent status with a new logo of three slender spindle trees and the sun, designed in 2012, 100 years after its foundation.     

Molecular cloning and characterisation of a germin-like protein gene in spinach (SoGLP)

Summary

Germin-like proteins (GLPs) are ubiquitous plant glycoproteins that have been implicated in various plant physiological and developmental processes. In this study, a cDNA clone, designated SoGLP, encoding a germin-like protein from spinach (Spinacia oleracia L.) was isolated and characterised. SoGLP encodes a 208-amino-acid polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 22.54 kDa and a pI of 5.95. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that SoGLP belonged to sub-family 3 of the GLP family. Sub-cellular localisation of an SoGLP-GFP fusion protein appeared to detect the protein on the cell walls in transgenic tobacco plants. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the level of expression of SoGLP in the salt-resistant spinach cultivar (‘Chaoji’) was generally higher than in the salt-sensitive spinach cultivar (‘Daye’) grown in 160 mM nitrate ions for 0.5, 3.0, or 6.0 h. Expression of the SoGLP gene was also induced by other abiotic stresses including polyethylene glycol (PEG), NaCl, salicylic acid (SA), or H₂O₂ treatment. Our results indicate that SoGLP could play important roles during high nitrate stress or under other abiotic stresses.     

Analysis of differentially expressed proteins in the pollen of Malus spectabilis (crabapples) and Malus domestica (‘Gala’ apples) and their role in pollination

Our objective was to study the differentially expressed proteins (DEP) in various Malus spectabilis (crabapple) varieties (M. ‘Snowdrift’, M. ‘Hongling’ and M. ‘Hongjin’) in relation to Malus domestica (‘Gala’) and their role in pollination. Our method used a two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) to analyse the differential proteins in the pollen of several crabapples. The 2-DE apples combined with the tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) and protein database retrieval helped us to identify the nature and function of DEPs in ‘Gala’ apples and crabapples. We identified 1195 proteins through 2-DE. Among these, six DEPs, namely chloroplast ferritin, Actin, Beta-fructofuranosidase, vacuolarH+-ATPase catalytic subunit, Full = Phosphoglucomutase, and Cytochrome b were identified by MS-MS. This study identified six DEPs among the pollen from the ‘Snowdrift’ crabapple, ‘Hongling’ crabapple, ‘Hongjin’ crabapple, and ‘Gala’ apples. The DEPs included metabolism related proteins, stress/regulatory proteins, and proteins involved in signal transduction.     

Effects of nitric oxide fumigation on post-harvest core browning in ‘Yali’ pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) during cold storage

Summary

Core browning often occurs as a physiological disorder in ‘Yali’ pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) and results in a high losses during storage. In this study, the effects of fumigation with nitric oxide (NO) gas on the incidence of core browning in ‘Yali’ pears during cold storage were investigated. ‘Yali’ pear fruit were treated with 0, 10, 20, or 30 µl l^–1 NO at 25º ± 2ºC for 3 h under anaerobic conditions, then stored at 0º ± 1ºC under normal air for up to 120 d. The data showed that fumigation with 20 µl l^–1 NO was most effective at suppressing core browning. Thereafter, treatment with 20 µl l^–1 NO was used for comparisons with untreated control fruit in experiments to measure changes in total phenolics contents, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities, and the contents of glutathione (GSH), ascorbic acid (AsA), and NO in fruit core tissue during storage. The results showed that NO-fumigated fruit had lower PPO activity, but higher GSH and AsA contents in their core tissue compared with untreated control fruit. NO fumigation also maintained higher endogenous NO levels in core tissue after 60 d in storage, while the total phenolics contents of fruit remained at lower levels until day-100 of storage. These results indicate that the inhibitory effect of fumigation with

20 µl l^–1 NO on core browning was associated with its effects on reducing PPO activity and total phenolics contents, while maintaining the contents of GSH and AsA in core tissue of ‘Yali’ pear during cold storage.     

Differential effects of temperature on stem length and xylem vessel length distribution in Zinnia elegans

Summary

Water transport in vascular plants depends on the hydraulic conductance of the xylem system, which is dependent on the anatomical properties, number, diameter, and length of the xylem vessels. The ability to transport water through their stems influences not only the growth of many horticultural crops, but also the post-harvest quality of cut flowers. In this study, we investigated the effects of different average daily temperatures (ADT) and the difference between day-time (DT) and night-time (NT) temperature (DIF) on stem size, the length of xylem vessels within the stem, and the length of individual vessel elements within a vessel, in Zinnia elegans. Two Z. elegans cultivars, ‘Envy’ and ‘Purple Prince’, were grown in climate chambers under all nine combinations of three DT and three NT temperatures (viz. 17ºC, 21ºC, or 25ºC). An increase in ADT was positively correlated with the lengths of the stems, internodes, and xylem vessels in both cultivars. However, the lengths of the xylem vessels were influenced more strongly than the lengths of the stems. Increasing the ADT from 17ºC to 25ºC increased stem lengths by approx. 15%, but more than doubled the lengths of the xylem vessels. The increase in xylem vessel lengths was only partly (< 10%) due to an increase in the lengths of individual vessel members, which implies that temperature (ADT) had a greater influence on the number of fused vessel elements per xylem vessel. A negative DIF (i.e., lower DT than NT temperatures) decreased stem lengths and a positive DIF increased stem lengths. DIF had no effect on xylem vessel length, probably because, other than in stem length, xylem vessel length was positively correlated with NT temperature.     

Physiology of flowering and dormancy regulation in annual- and biennial-fruiting red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) – a review

Summary

Recent research on how the structure and physiological development of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) plants are controlled by genotype and the climatic environment is reviewed. Some older work, especially on plant structure relations, is also included. Physiological differences between annual- and biennial-fruiting plant types are highlighted. One major difference is the different requirements for flower formation. While biennial-fruiting cultivars have an absolute low temperature (≤ approx. 15°C) requirement for floral initiation, annual-fruiting cultivars readily initiate floral primordia at temperatures as high as a constant 30°C. Also, while biennial-fruiting cultivars are facultative short-day plants with a critical photoperiod of 15 h at intermediate temperatures, flowering is promoted by long photoperiods in at least some annual-fruiting cultivars. However, the essential difference that determines whether the shoot life-cycle becomes annual or biennial is that, in biennial-fruiting genotypes, floral initiation is linked to the induction of bud dormancy; whereas, in annual-fruiting cultivars, floral initiation is followed by direct flower development. Although this is genetically determined, it is a plastic trait that is subject to modification by the environment. Thus, at low temperatures and under short photoperiods, the majority of initiated buds also enter dormancy in annual-fruiting cultivars, with tip-flowering as a result. Practical applications are discussed, and it is concluded that our present physiological knowledge-base provides excellent opportunities for the manipulation of raspberry crops for out-of-season production and high yields. It also provides a firm platform for further exploration of the underlying molecular genetics of plant structures and response mechanisms.     

Comparison of cell membrane thermostability and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters for the determination of heat tolerance in ten cabbage lines

Summary

Cell membrane thermostability (CMT) and chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) were determined for ten lines of cabbage in order to select heat-tolerant varieties, to provide an improved method to screen for heat tolerance, and to determine whether there is a relationship between CMT and CF. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, especially variable fluorescence (Fv) and the ratio between Fv and maximum fluorescence (Fm), were found to be better than CMT for screening cabbage lines for heat tolerance. Fv values and the Fv/Fm ratio of stressed plants corresponded to high heat damage for the varieties ‘HRI 002605’, ‘HRI 003202’, and ‘HRI 007827’; and to low heat damage for the varieties ‘HRI 013011’, ‘HRI 005237’, and ‘HRI 006556’. The latter group may therefore be more tolerant of high temperature stress in the tropics. There were significant relationships (P < 0.05) between relative injury (RI), an index of CMT, and two of the CF parameters [miniumum florescence (Fo) and Fv/Fm] under stress conditions (35° – 40°C). This suggests that parameters measured under stress temperatures are more reliable than those measured under non-stressed conditions when determining heat tolerance.     

Effects of high temperature on flower colour and anthocyanin content in pink flower genotypes of greenhouse chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.)

Summary

The relationship between the intensity of flower colour and changes in the content of the main anthocyanins under various controlled temperatures was examined in order to clarify the effects of high temperature on flower colouration in six pink flower genotypes of greenhouse chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.). Poor colouration of flowers was observed at 30°C in all genotypes except ‘Chatoo’. This genotype showed little difference in flower colour between different temperature treatments. The degree of change in flower colour differed depending on the genotype, whereas no clear differences in flower colouring were observed between Summer – Autumn flowering and Autumn-flowering genotypes. All genotypes showed lower contents of the two anthocyanins tested [cyanidin 3-O-(6’’-O-monomalonyl- -glucopyranoside) and cyanidin 3-O-(3’’,6’’-O-dimalonyl- -glucopyranoside)] at higher temperatures. Therefore, flower colour changes were attributable to changes in these two main anthocyanins. Differences in colouration between genotypes and temperature conditions were also detectable in values that were measured using a colorimeter. Changed parameters that were visually verifiable were the a* value, representing the degree of red colour, and the C* value, representing chroma. For ‘Sei-Monako’, which showed visually greater differences between temperature treatments, the a* and C* values were low under high temperature conditions. On the other hand, in ‘Chatoo’, the differences detected by eye and those in a* and C* values between temperature treatments were small. In addition, the present results indicate that mean temperature is more important than either day or night temperature in determining the degree of flower colouration.     

草莓新品种‘黔莓1号’

 ‘黔莓1号’草莓由‘章姬’与‘法兰帝’草莓杂交育成。果实圆锥形,果形整齐,鲜红色,平均单果质量26.4 g,最大83.6 g,可溶性固形物含量为9% ~ 10%,总糖7.73%,总酸0.44%,维生素C 0.909 mg · g^-1,果实硬度为1.57 kg · cm^-2。较耐贮运,抗白粉病,适应贵州弱光多湿的自然条件。