The selection of genotypes under high soil fertility may alter the effectiveness of mycorrhizal symbioses naturally forming between crop plants and the mycorrhizal fungi residing in cultivated fields. We tested the hypothesis that the mycorrhizal symbiosis of 5 landraces functions better than the mycorrhizal symbiosis of 27 cultivars of durum wheat that were bred after the development of the fe...

Tomatoes are one of the most nutritionally and economically important crops in New Zealand and around the world. Tomatoes require large amounts of water to grow well and are adversely affected by drought stress. However, few studies have evaluated the physicochemical characteristics of commercial tomatoes grown under water stress conditions. Four tomato cultivars (Incas, Marmande, Scoresby Dwar...

Five greenhouse-grown cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] cultivars were tested in a generalized random complete-block design to determine the effect of early leaf harvest on dry weight and protein concentration of plant parts at maturity. The most recent, fully expanded leaves on each branch from one group of plants were harvested at 5 and 7 weeks after planting. On the other groups of plants...

The effects of hot water treatments on a California population of the foliar nematode, Aphelenchoides fragariae, and on five strawberry cuttivars ('Chandler', 'Douglas', 'Fern', 'Pajaro', and 'Selva') were assessed in laboratory and greenhouse tests. Nematodes extracted from fern leaves were placed in water maintained at 44.4, 46.1,47.7, or 49.4 C for different time periods. Exposure periods of...

Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd) is a damaging pathogen attacking Argyranthemum plants. Our study attempted to reveal distribution patterns of CSVd in shoot apical meristems (SAM) and to explore reasons for differential ability of CSVd to invade SAM of selected Argyranthemum cultivars. Symptom development was also observed on greenhouse-grown Argyranthemum plants. Viroid localization using in ...

Hydroponic greenhouse-grown and store-bought cultivars of tomato (cherry and beefsteak), cucumbers, bibb lettuce, and arugula were investigated to see if they could be distinguished based on sensory qualities and phytonutrient composition. Only the more dominant sensory criteriawere sufficiently robust to distinguish between cultivars and could form the core of a consolidated number of criteria...

The effects of different Cucurbita spp. rootstocks on melon cultivars belonging to different horticultural groups were studied by comparing grafted plants with non-grafted ones under greenhouse and open ®eld growing conditions. Winter melons (Cucumis melo L.) of the Inodorus group, cvs. `Thraki', `Peplo' and `Lefko Amynteou', and a summer melon of the Cantalupensis group, cv. `Kokkini Banana', ...

BACKGROUND Drought is a common stress limiting crops growth and productivities worldwide. Water deficit may increase cellular membrane permeability, resulting in K outflow. Internal K starvation may disorder plant metabolism and limit plant growth. However, it is seldom reported about the effects of external K on drought tolerance of contrasting wheat cultivars. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS...

To maximize yield of pollination-dependent agricultural crops, farmers must ensure that sufficient pollinators are present when flowers are open and viable. We characterized and compared the lower development threshold temperature, bloom phenology, and flower viability of five common cultivars of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) to enable prediction of when flowers would be availabl...

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth, P and Cd concentrations and bioenergy quality-related factors of five cultivars of switchgrass, including three lowland cultivars (Alamo (Ala), Kanlow (Kan), Performer (Per)) and two highland cultivars (Blackwell (Bw), Summer (Sum)), with 0, 1 and 10 mg/kg Cd addition levels. ...