It is well-known that for most spherical rubber balloons the pressure versus volume curve associated with uniform inflation has an N-shape (the pressure increases rapidly to a maximum, falls to a minimum, and subsequently increases monotonically), and that somewhere along the descending branch of this curve the spherical shape may bifurcate into a pear shape through localized thinning near one ...

Since several Asian pear species are considered to be potential source of fire blight resistance, we crossed ‘Doyenné du Comice’, the susceptible European cultivar, with four Asian pear species. The aim of the study was to establish the level of resistance of each genotype and the mode of transmission of fire blight resistance to each F1 full-sib progeny. The best sources of resistance were P. ...

A cultivation-independent approach based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified partial small subunit rRNA genes was used to characterize bacterial populations in the surface soil of a commercial pear orchard consisting of different pear cultivars during two consecutive growing seasons. Pyrus communis L. cvs Blanquilla, Conference, and Williams are among the most widely cultivated cultiva...

Gametophytic self-incompatibility in Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) is controlled by the single, multi-allelic S-locus. Information about the S-genotypes is important for breeding and the selection of pollen donors for fruit production. Rapid and reliable S-genotype identification system is necessary for efficient breeding of new cultivars in Japanese pear. We designed S allele-specific ...

Thirteen isolates of Botryodiplodia theobromae collected from pear varieties grown in various regions of Punjab were studied for morphological, pathological and molecular characterization. The mycelial growth of B. theobromae isolates was classified as fluffy or depressed, uniform to irregular and cottony white turning to black. Colony growth rate varied from 19.1 to 24.9 mm per day. Pycnidia w...

The aim of this study was to quantify mucilages, pectins, hemicelluloses, and cellulose of nopalitos (edible, as vegetable, young cladodes of flat-stemmed spiny cacti) of most consumed Mexican cultivars, and sweet and acid cactus pear fruits of Opuntia spp. The hypothesis is that, regardless of their unavailable polysaccharides diversity, nopalitos and cactus pear fruits are rich sources of sol...