June 25, 2009, 7:29 PM CT

Long-term apple scab resistance remains elusive

There are hundreds of choices when picking a crabapple tree from the nursery, but a Purdue University expert says only a handful are resistant to a widespread fungus or other serious diseases.

After reviewing 33 years of data, Janna Beckerman, a Purdue assistant professor of botany and plant pathology, observed that only five of 287 crabapple varieties had durable resistance to a serious disease of crabapple trees. The results of her study were reported in the recent issue of the journal HortScience

Beckerman said data on crabapple trees and apple scab had only been done on a year-by-year basis until now. Looking over a prolonged period gives scientists a better idea of which trees have historically maintained or lost apple scab resistance.

"Whenever new plants are released, they are often touted as disease-resistant, but they have only been tested for a few years," Beckerman said. "That isn't enough time. From this data, you could see that varieties that did well for the first few years after planting often developed scab within 10 years".

The Venturia inaequalis fungus produces black scab-like lesions on the fruit and leaves. Crabapple trees with scab tend to defoliate, or lose all their leaves, in early summer, a condition that can weaken and eventually kill the trees......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

June 23, 2009, 5:00 PM CT

Prairie dogs and plants?

Prairie dogs may seem like harmless little creatures, but they can inflict serious injury on plants simply by snacking on them. Plants cannot flee from their furry predators, so how do they avoid becoming a prairie dog's lunch?.

Dr. John Freeman and his colleagues explore the role of metal hyperaccumulation in plant defense in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Botany Certain plants species growing on soils with high metal content (such as arsenic, copper, selenium, and lead) accumulate large quantities of metals in their leaves and stems. The purpose of this metal hyperaccumulation is not fully known, but metal hyperaccumulation may increase a plant's ability to respond to drought, compete with other plants, or provide a defense against bacteria, viruses, and animals.

"It is interesting to think about the effect of the prairie dog, which was an amazing ecosystem engineer on a very large scale here in North America," said Dr. Freeman, Colorado State University. "From their prehistoric ancestors the ground squirrel to the modern prairie dog, these animals may have driven the evolution of selenium hyperaccumulation as an elemental defense against herbivory in a number of different plant species".

Dr. Freeman's research focused on the role of selenium hyperaccumulation in Stanleya pinnata (prince's plume), a wildflower correlation to mustard plants. Eventhough low levels of selenium are essential for a number of animals, consumption of high levels is toxic. But just because an overdose of selenium is toxic to animals does not mean that the presence of high levels in leaves deters animals from eating the plants; prairie dogs may not know to avoid S. pinnata until it is too late. Few studies have addressed this question and whether metal hyperaccumulation actually acts as a deterrent......... Posted by: Kelly      Read more         Source

June 21, 2009, 8:56 PM CT

Domestication of Capsicum annuum chile pepper

Without the process of domestication, humans would still be hunters and gatherers, and modern civilization would look very different. Fortunately, for all of us who do not relish the thought of spending our days searching for nuts and berries, early civilizations successfully cultivated a number of species of animals and plants found in their surroundings. Current studies of the domestication of various species provide a fascinating glimpse into the past.

A recent article by Dr. Seung-Chul Kim and his colleagues in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Botany explores the domestication of chiles. These hot peppers, found in everything from hot chocolate to salsa, have long played an important role in the diets of Mesoamerican people, possibly since as early as ~8000 B.C. Capsicum annuum is one of five domesticated species of chiles and is notable as one of the primary components, along with maize, of the diet of Mesoamerican peoples. However, little has been known regarding the original location of domestication of C. annuum, the number of times it was domesticated, and the genetic diversity present in wild relatives.

To answer these questions, Dr. Kim and his team examined DNA sequence variation and patterns at three nuclear loci in a broad selection of semiwild and domesticated individuals. Dr. Kim et al. found a large amount of diversity in individuals from the Yucatan Peninsula, making this a center of diversity for chiles and possibly a location of C. annuum domestication. Previously, the eastern part of central Mexico had been considered to be the primary center of domestication of C. annuum On the basis of patterns in the sequence data, Dr. Kim et al. hypothesize that chiles were independently domesticated several times from geographically distant wild progenitors by different prehistoric cultures in Mexico, in contrast to maize and beans which appear to have been domesticated only once......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

June 21, 2009, 8:52 PM CT

Plant Communication

-"To thine own self be true" may take on a new meaning-not with people or animal behavior but with plant behavior.

Plants engage in self-recognition and can communicate danger to their "clones" or genetically identical cuttings planted nearby, says professor Richard Karban of the Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, in groundbreaking research reported in the current edition of Ecology Letters.

Karban and fellow scientist Kaori Shiojiri of the Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Japan, observed that sagebrush responded to cues of self and non-self without physical contact.

The sagebrush communicated and cooperated with other branches of themselves to avoid being eaten by grasshoppers, Karban said. Eventhough the research is in its early stages, the researchers suspect that the plants warn their own kind of impending danger by emitting volatile cues. This may involve secreting chemicals that deter herbivores or make the plant less profitable for herbivores to eat, he said.

What this research means is that plants are "capable of more sophisticated behavior than we imagined," said Karban, who researches the interactions between herbivores (plant-eating organisms) and their host plants.

"Plants are capable of responding to complex cues that involve multiple stimuli," Karban said. "Plants not only respond to reliable cues in their environments but also produce cues that communicate with other plants and with other organisms, such as pollinators, seed disperses, herbivores and enemies of those herbivores"......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

June 10, 2009, 9:41 PM CT

Reviving American chestnuts may mitigate climate change

A Purdue University study shows that introducing a new hybrid of the American chestnut tree would not only bring back the all-but-extinct species, but also put a dent in the amount of carbon in the Earth's atmosphere.

Douglass Jacobs, an associate professor of forestry and natural resources, observed that American chestnuts grow much faster and larger than other hardwood species, allowing them to sequester more carbon than other trees over the same period. And since American chestnut trees are more often used for high-quality hardwood products such as furniture, they hold the carbon longer than wood used for paper or other low-grade materials.

"Maintaining or increasing forest cover has been identified as an important way to slow climate change," said Jacobs, whose paper was reported in the recent issue of the journal Forest Ecology and Management "The American chestnut is an incredibly fast-growing tree. Generally the faster a tree grows, the more carbon it is able to sequester. And when these trees are harvested and processed, the carbon can be stored in the hardwood products for decades, maybe longer".

At the beginning of the last century, the chestnut blight, caused by a fungus, rapidly spread throughout the American chestnut's natural range, which extended from southern New England and New York southwest to Alabama. About 50 years ago, the species was nearly gone......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

May 24, 2009, 8:53 PM CT

Thanks to spillover from landscape corridors

Recently, images of melting sea ice and shrinking rainforests have highlighted the world's biodiversity crisis and made us aware of the need to find a balance between preserving natural ecosystems while still having enough land for human use.

"About 10 percent of the world's land surface is afforded formal protection. We need to manage that 10 percent as best as we possibly can to preserve biodiversity but also be mindful of human needs, such as food and fiber production," said Lars A. Brudvig, Ph.D., post-doctoral researcher in biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

"One way to do this is by managing the land in a way that promotes biodiversity beyond the habitat's borders."

One of the most popular ways to manage landscapes fragmented by humans is to connect the isolated patches of habitat with skinny strips of land called corridors.

Brudvig and Ellen I. Damschen, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Washington University, in collaboration with scientists at the University of Washington, North Carolina State University and University of Florida, have discovered that the biodiversity in a patch of habitat can extend outside the borders of a protected area; this effect is magnified when the habitats are connected by corridors......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

April 22, 2009, 10:11 PM CT

Plants could override climate change effects on wildfires

Researchers predict that global climate change will make a number of regions around the world warmer and drier, a factor which, taken by itself, would seem to increase the risk of wildfires.

But a newly released study led by a Montana State University researcher shows that changes in the types of vegetation covering an area play a major role in determining how often that area is burned by fires and could even counteract the effects of changes in temperature and moisture.

In the study, MSU earth sciences post-doctoral researcher Philip Higuera and colleagues show that the risk of wildfires can be either reduced or increased by changes in the distribution and abundance of plants. The study would be reported in the recent issue of the journal Ecological Monographs.

"Climate affects vegetation, vegetation affects fire and both fire and vegetation respond to climate change," Higuera said. "Our work emphasizes the need to consider the multiple drivers of fire regimes when we anticipate how they will respond to climate change."

Higuera and colleagues studied fire history in northern Alaska by analyzing sediments at the bottom of lakes, some dating as far back as 15,000 years. In the samples from the lakes, the researchers measured the abundance of different preserved plant parts, such as pollen, to determine what types of vegetation dominated the region in the past. Like rings in a tree, different sediment layers represent different times in the past......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

April 20, 2009, 5:15 AM CT

Antioxidant benefits of tart cherries

Eating just one and a half servings of tart cherries could significantly boost antioxidant activity in the body, according to new University of Michigan research reported at the 2009 Experimental Biology meeting in New Orleans.¹ In the study, healthy adults who ate a cup and a half of frozen cherries had increased levels of antioxidants, specifically five different anthocyanins the natural antioxidants that give cherries their red color.

Twelve healthy adults, aged 18 to 25 years, were randomly assigned to eat either one and a half cups or three cups of frozen tart cherries. Researchers analyzed participants' blood and urine at regular intervals after they ate the cherries and found increased antioxidant activity for up to 12 hours after eating cherries.

"This study documents for the first time that the antioxidants in tart cherries do make it into the human bloodstream and is coupled with increased antioxidant activity that could have a positive impact," said Sara L. Warber, MD, Co-Director of University of Michigan Integrative Medicine and principal investigator of the study. "And, while more research is needed, what's really great is that a reasonable amount of cherries could potentially deliver benefits, like reducing risk factors for heart disease and inflammation." ......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

April 6, 2009, 9:32 PM CT

Male flower parts responsible for potent grapevine perfume

University of British Columbia researchers have traced the fragrant scent of grapevine flowers to pollen grains stored in the anthers, contrary to common perception that petals alone produce perfume.

While studying grapes used to produce Cabernet Sauvignon from the Okanagan region of British Columbia, scientists from UBC's Wine Research Centre and Michael Smith Laboratories identified a gene that produces and regulates fragrance from the vines' tiny clusters of green blossoms.

"This was a surprise in fundamental plant biology," says Joerg Bohlmann, a Distinguished University Scholar and professor in the Michael Smith Laboratories who directed the study. "This discovery gives us strong clues to the origin and evolution of fragrant flowers".

Details of the study are published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition.

Researchers believe plants have evolved to produce perfume in order to attract specific types of pollinators while fending off herbivores and pathogens.

"If you ask people where the perfume of a flower comes from, they'll likely say the female parts or the petals," says Bohlmann. While flowers such as roses and snapdragons rely on their petals to produce perfume and attract insects, few other species have been so closely studied......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

April 2, 2009, 5:07 AM CT

Tropical forest seed banks

Seeds of some tree species in the Panamanian tropical forest can survive for more than 30 years before germinating.

That is 10 times longer than most field botanists had believed.

Using the Lab's Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry to measure the amount of carbon 14 in seeds of the trees Croton billbergianus (Euphorbiaceae), Trema micrantha (Celtidaceae) and Zanthoxylum ekmannii ( Rutaceae), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientist Tom Brown and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign colleague James Dalling observed that seeds survived in the soil for 38, 31 and 18 years, respectively.

Prior demographic studies of pioneer tree species showed that seed persistence (the ability to survive in soil, awaiting favorable conditions for germination) is short, lasting only for a few years at most.

But in the tropical forests of Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama, Brown and Dalling found the seeds of some pioneer trees remain viable for a number of years.

"This is part of nature that wasn't really what people in the field thought was going on," Brown said. "It turns out these seeds in soil just a few centimeters below the surface can survive a lot longer than anyone ever thought was possible".

To increase the probability of encountering "old" seeds, Brown and Dalling used data from a forest plot to target sites in the forest occupied 20 years previously by species they suspected were capable of long-term persistence......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

March 25, 2009, 9:45 PM CT

Who influences purchases of native plants?

Native plants are a growing niche market in the southeastern United States. Scientists have documented recent trends toward increased interest in native plants by landscape architects, wholesale and retail nursery owners, and home gardeners. But landscape professionals and amateur gardeners purchase native plants for distinctly different reasons. Statistics reveal that landscape architects most often select native species because they are suited to difficult or unique growing conditions, while retail plant buyers purchase native plants based on recommendations from landscape architects and contractors.

If landscape architects are the primary drivers of native plant sales in the southeastern United States, what impact does that have upon wholesale nursery growers and the retail market? What is the potential of the native plant market in this region, and what are the best ways of fostering its growth? To answer these questions, Robert F. Brzuszek and Richard L. Harkess, scientists at Mississippi State University, developed an e-mail survey for wholesale and retail nursery owners (members of the Southern Nursery Association) in the southeastern region of the United States. The survey results and recommendations were reported in the latest issue of the American Society for Horticultural Science journal HortTechnology........ Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

March 25, 2009, 9:39 PM CT

Alternatives to pine bark and peatmoss identified for commercial, home gardens

Pine bark and peatmoss are the two most common substrates used for horticultural crop production in the southeastern United States, but both media can present challenges to growers. Reduced forestry production and increased use of pine bark as fuel and landscape mulch has made the medium less available, while the price of peatmoss is rising due to transportation costs and growing environmental concerns over the mining of peat bogs in Canada and Europe. These and other factors have contributed to a demand for new alternative substrates for container production of horticultural crops.

The use of agricultural waste and other composted materials is not a new concept, but factors such as consistency and reproducibility of product, disease and insect infestation, and availability of composted materials often influence growers' decisions regarding the use of these materials.

Alternative substrates grown from wood and wood-based products have been investigated as suitable substrates or substrate components in nursery and greenhouse crop production. European research has resulted in numerous successful commercialized wood substrates. More recently, a pine tree substrate called WoodGro has been developed from ground whole loblolly pine logs to successfully produce a wide range of nursery and greenhouse crops......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

March 25, 2009, 9:37 PM CT

What influeces floral purchase

Scientific studies of "consumption value" explore the reasons consumers choose particular products and provide marketers with ways to analyze consumer behavior and influence purchasing. Studying the value of consumption is believed to have diagnostic value in the analysis of consumer choice behavior and, therefore, is helpful in improving the efficiency of the market. To enhance efficiency and promotion, it is essential for marketers to know the consumption value that buyers place on products.

Tzu-Fang Yeh and Li-Chun Huang from Da-Yeh University in Changhua, Taiwan, and National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, recently published a research report in the American Society of Horticultural Science journal HortTechnology The study's objective was to identify the consumption value that consumers seek from floral products, while clarifying the context of these values.

Men and women from three main cities in Taiwan were sampled to represent a population living an urban lifestyle. To compare differences in the consumption values, both genders of consumers from rural areas also participated in the survey. From a consumer survey of 33 questions, 644 valid questionnaires were analyzed.

The researchers discovered that "the statistical results of the analysis revealed that sensory hedonics, emotion conditioning, curiosity fulfillment, monetary worth, and showing care to others were the main types of the consumption values related to floral products"......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

March 24, 2009, 6:21 AM CT

Small investments to battle soybean pest paying off big

The small amount of money put toward fighting the tiny, yet destructive soybean aphid will pay big dividends in the coming years, said a Michigan State University economist, thanks to a research and outreach system developed during the last 50 years.

State and federal governments have spent $17 million on soybean aphid research and education since 2003, MSU agricultural, food and resource economics professor Scott Swinton said. The net economic benefit of that integrated pest management work, or IPM, should reach $1.3 billion during the next 15 years, he said. That's an annual rate of return of 180 percent.

"This is an example of what a good payoff you can get as a result of long-term research," Swinton said. "There's been a half century of research into integrated pest management. In the process a lot of techniques were developed and lots of understanding was gained about the relationships between crop and pest life cycles, infestations and the weather to decide when it's necessary to control them without wasting money and creating health risks".

Integrated pest management "takes a comprehensive approach to pest management that balances economics with environmental and human safety, as well as with what makes sense on the ground in the local community," said Michael Brewer, MSU's IPM Program coordinator......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

March 22, 2009, 9:52 PM CT

'Delicious' new grape debuts

Scientists at the University of Florida have introduced 'Delicious', a new muscadine grape cultivar. 'Delicious' ripens early, produces high yields, and is disease-resistant. The black fruit features exceptional taste and texture with an edible skin, making it well-suited for fresh fruit consumption and the potential for wine production. The name 'Delicious' was selected based on the comments of vineyard visitors who sampled the fruit.

As per Dr. Dennis J. Gray, who led the research study reported in the February 2009 issue of HortScience, 'Delicious' (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) originated from a cross between AA10-40, a self-fertile, bronze-fruited selection with medium-sized berries, and CD8-81, a self-fertile, black-fruited selection with larger berries. The scientists noted that black berry color of 'Delicious' likely originated from 'Southland' and the self-fertile trait came from 'Carlos', 'Southland', and/or 'Welder'. The original seedling was planted in 1993.

The berries of 'Delicious' are oval shaped and reddish, turning dark purple/black when ripe. Fruit ripening dates vary seasonally, but tend to occur in early August at Apopka, Florida, remarkably 2 to 3 weeks earlier than other muscadine cultivars reviewed. Early ripe fruit have a semicrunchy flesh and an edible skin. Fruit allowed to ripen further tend to have a softer flesh, become noticeably juicier, but retain an edible skin. The berries have a dry stem scar and harvest readily with mechanical shaking......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

March 22, 2009, 9:43 PM CT

Garden pea may help fight high blood pressure

Scientists in Canada are reporting that proteins found in a common garden pea show promise as a natural food additive or new dietary supplement for fighting hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Those potentially life-threatening conditions affect millions of people worldwide.

The study, which will be presented here today at the American Chemical Society's 237th National Meeting, is the first reporting that a natural food product can relieve symptoms of CKD, the researchers say.

Peas long have been recognized as nutritional superstars, with healthful amounts of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins wrapped in a low-fat, cholesterol-free package. The new research focuses on the yellow garden pea, one of the majorstay pea variety enjoyed as a veggie side-dish and used as an ingredient in dozens of recipes around the world.

"In people with high blood pressure, our protein could potentially delay or prevent the onset of kidney damage," says study presenter Rotimi Aluko, Ph.D., a food chemist at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. "In people who already have kidney disease, our protein may help them maintain normal blood pressure levels so they can live longer."

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for CKD, a condition that has been affecting an increasing number of people in the United States and other countries. Estimates suggest that 13 percent of American adults about 26 million people have chronic kidney disease, up from 10 percent, or about 20 million people, in the 1990s. CKD is difficult to treat, and may progress to end-stage kidney disease that requires kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant. That situation is fostering a search for new ways of treating CKD and preserving kidney function......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

March 16, 2009, 8:21 PM CT

Historical Increase in Corn Yield

One of the most significant developments in agricultural growth in modern times has been the continuous and substantial increase in corn yield over the past 80 years in the U.S. Corn Belt.

This extraordinary yield advance has been linked to both breeding of improved hybrids and the ability to grow them at increased density. In a newly released study, reported in the January-recent issue of Crop Science, scientists have investigated the importance of the effects of leaves and roots on this dramatic increase in yield in the U.S. Corn Belt, and have observed that the root structure appears to be the key to understanding how these crops have grown so efficient.

One associated change in the traits of these corn crops has been a more erect leaf angle, which is known to create greater efficiency in converting incident light to biomass. Over the years, detailed studies have shown that the increase in total biomass accumulated through sustained photosynthesis is one of the key factors explaining the yield increase.

However, some studies have also shown that changes in the root system also have an effect, as newer hybrids appear more effective at extracting soil water from deep in the soil profile. There is some evidence suggesting that hybrids with narrower root angle have this capability. It is also plausible that decrease in root angle combined with growing plants at higher density could cause the increase in biomass accumulation. Root systems with improved occupancy of the soil at depth can extract more water to sustain biomass increase......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

February 27, 2009, 6:07 AM CT

Georgia goes bananas

Bananas, known most often as a healthy, convenient food, are also popular ornamental plants in the southern United States. Banana plants are highly prized by a number of as one of the most beautiful ornamentals used for creating a subtropical ambiance in gardens and pool environments.

A research study reported in the American Society for Horticultural Science journal HortTechnology detailed a study of 33 commercial banana cultivars grown near Savannah, Georgia. The study was designed to determine suitability for ornamental and nursery production and to observe the bananas' fruit production.

Gerard Krewer, Esendugue Greg Fonash, Mark Rieger, David Linvill, and Ben Mullinax of the University of Georgia, and Richard Wallace of Armstrong Atlantic University, undertook the multi-year research project with the objective of finding recommendations for income-producing ornamental banana cultivars for use by gardeners and nurseries in southern Georgia.

A number of of the cultivars flowered and began producing fruit in late summer during the second year of the study. Of particular note were two cultivars named 'Manzano' and '1780', which produced more than six high-quality suckers for nursery propagation, resulting in a potential income of more than $60 per plant......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

February 27, 2009, 6:02 AM CT

Software to analyze tomato color and quality

When it comes to fresh vegetables and fruits, color is one of the best indicators of quality. Along with texture, size, and flavor, color plays an important role in the business of horticultural crop production and marketing.

In tomatoes, for example, color and color uniformity contribute directly to quality and marketability. The presence of yellow shoulder disorder, or YSD, a ripening disorder that results in blotchy discoloration under the skin of the tomato, is a major quality issue.

Color disorders are also an economic problem. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) "grades" are largely determined by the amount of off-color tissue in products, and growers can receive premiums for fruit based on color and uniformity. Discoloration due to YSD also reduces concentrations of nutrients such as lycopene and beta-carotene. Clearly, reducing YSD in tomatoes could benefit producers, processors, and consumers alike.

In an issue of the Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science (ASHS) David Francis and colleagues at The Ohio State University's Agricultural Research and Development Center and the College of Wooster describe the use of a new tool they implemented in the Tomato Analyzer (TA) software called Color Test (CT). This remarkable tool allows scanning devices to be calibrated using color standards. The objective of the research was to implement a new digital image analysis tool......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

February 26, 2009, 11:14 PM CT

Consumer Preferences For Strawberries

Fresh strawberries. Just the mention of this iconic spring and early summer fruit can elicit mouthwatering memories of shortcake, fruity drinks and sweet desserts. Scientists interested in learning more about this evocative fruit have determined that "sensory quality" of strawberries, a strong influence on consumer preferences, is the result of a complex balance of sweetness, aroma, texture, and appearance.

The goals of a recent study by a research team from the University of Florida's Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Winter Haven, were to reveal factors affecting the "eating quality" of promising strawberry selections in the University of Florida breeding program, as well as the impact of harvest date on the fruits' chemical and sensory characteristics.

As per main author Anne Plotto of the USDA-ARS, the scientists reviewed five selections and one cultivar of the University of Florida breeding program as well as two new cultivars from Australia ('Rubygem' and 'Sugarbaby').

The sensory study took place at the University of Florida's Gulf Coast Research and Education Center during 2006 and 2007. Participants were employees from, and visitors to, the center. In 2006, 50 and 51 panelists participated in the February and March panels, respectively, with 62% to 63% female panelists. In 2007, 60 to 66 panelists (36% to 52% female panelists) participated in the taste panels. Panelist ages ranged from younger than 26 to older than 65 years old, with the majority of panelists between 36 and 55 years old......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

February 26, 2009, 11:10 PM CT

Antioxidants in Midwestern black raspberries

Black raspberries have been studied for decades by researchers and medical scientists interested in the fruits' apparent ability to limit the onset or severity of degenerative diseases, including cancer.

The fruit of a number of popular berries, including blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, elderberries, grapes, and plums, are known to have strong antioxidant capacity, mainly as a result of high levels of anthocyaninschemicals that give plants their vibrant colorsand other phenolic compounds. The darker the fruit, the more anthocyanins are present. Anthocyanins appear to work by inhibiting compounds that weaken the immune system and stimulate tissue inflammation. They can also destroy harmful free-radical molecules that attack cells and cause aging, heart disease, and cancer.

The prospective health benefits of black raspberries and other antioxidant-rich produce has led to increased consumer awareness and demand for fresh, locally produced fruit.

A research study presented in the journal HortScience was designed to determine whether where black raspberries are grown influences the antioxidant level in the berries. The research group, headed by Mustafa Ozgen from the Department of Horticulture at Gaziosmanpa University, Tokat, Turkey, included Faith J. Wyzgoski, The Ohio State University at Mansfield, Artemio Z. Tulio, Jr., Aparna Gazula, A. Raymond Miller, and Joseph C. Scheerens from the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, R. Neil Reese from South Dakota State University, and Shawn R. Wright of The Ohio State University South Centers......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

February 26, 2009, 11:08 PM CT

Study of orchard ground cover management systems

Orchard floor and groundcover management is important to fruit growers, affecting the efficiency of orchard operations, fruit tree performance, and soil quality.

Herbicide-treated tree rows with mowed grass "drive lanes" are the most widely used orchard groundcover management systems (GMS) in North America and Europe; the system is widely considered to be the most efficient and least expensive GMS.

Due to increased concerns about the environmental impact of herbicides and mechanical soil tillage, alternative methods are being sought to suppress orchard weeds and maintain soil quality. In response to environmental concerns, researchers have tested different types of cover crops and mulches, especially biomass, inorganic, and geotextile mulch. Eventhough root systems play an important role in tree growth and development, little is known about differential GMS effects on orchard root growth and distribution.

Scientists Shengrui Yao (University of Minnesota) and Ian A. Merwin and Michael G. Brown (Cornell University) coauthored a study that compared apple root density and distribution, root turnover, and root lifespan of trees after 10 years under different GMS therapys. The study was reported in the journal HortScience

The experiment involved the use of two minirhizotrons, or root observation tubes, installed on both sides of one tree in three replicates for each GMS therapy. Roots were observed by camera at two or three weekly intervals during the growing seasons of 2002 and 2003, and from whole tree excavations in 2000......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

February 20, 2009, 6:19 AM CT

Gene to reduce wheat yield losses

A new gene that provides resistance to a fungal disease responsible for millions of hectares of lost wheat yield has been discovered by researchers from the US and Israel.

"This is the first step to achieving more durable resistance to a devastating disease in wheat," said Dr Cristobal Uauy, co-author of the report, recently appointed to the John Innes Centre in Norwich.

Resistance to stripe rust has previously been achieved using genes that are specific to single races of the disease. Unfortunately, each of these genes has had limited durability in the field because the pathogen has mutated to overcome them.

In the paper to be published in Science Express tomorrow, the international team of researchers report finding a novel type of gene in wild wheat that is absent in modern pasta and bread wheat varieties.

"This gene makes wheat more resistant to all stripe rust fungus races tested so far," said Dr Uauy.

The gene confers resistance at relatively high temperatures, and a focus of Dr Cristobal Uauy's research at JIC will be to test how effective it is in UK-adapted varieties.

Bread wheat provides about 20 per cent of the calories eaten by humankind and is the UK's biggest crop export.

Dr Uauy has recently been appointed at JIC. He will lead a research collaboration with the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) designed to deliver practical benefits to agriculture. Research results will be made available to breeders, so they can be deployed into modern varieties for farmers......... Posted by: Erica      Read more         Source

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:17:40 GMT

Alien Life May Exist Among Us

Never mind Mars, alien life may be thriving right here on Earth, according to Professor Paul Davies, a physicist at Arizona State University. This "shadow life" may be hidden in toxic arsenic lakes or in boiling deep sea hydrothermal vents, he says.

Weird life could even be living among us, in forms which we don"t yet recognise, he told the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago. We don"t have to go to other planets to find weird life. It could be right in front of our noses - or even in our noses. Posted by: Gerard      Read more     Source