Breeding programs around the world continually collect data on large numbers of individuals. To be able to combine data collected across regions, years, and experiments, research communities develop standard operating procedures for data collection and measurement. One such method is a crop ontology, or a standardized vocabulary for collecting data on commonly measured traits. The ontology is also computer readable to facilitate the use of data management systems such as databases. Blueberry breeders and researchers across the United States have come together to develop the first standardized crop ontology in blueberry ( Vaccinium spp.). We provide an overview and report on the construction of the first blueberry crop ontology and the 178 traits and methods included within. Researchers of Vaccinium species—such as other blueberry species, cranberry, lingonberry, and bilberry—can use the described crop ontology to collect phenotypic data of greater quality and consistency, interoperability, and computer readability. Crop ontologies, as a shared data language, benefit the entire worldwide research community by enabling collaborative meta-analyses that can be used with genomic data for quantitative trait loci, genome-wide association studies, and genomic selection analysis.

Control of spotted-wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, in small fruits emphasizes biological, cultural, and chemical approaches, whereas studies of host plant resistance as a form of genetic control are just getting underway. The identification of resistance patterns among genotypes of host plants whose fruit, leaves, roots, stems, or seeds are specifically targeted by an invasive pest is the first step in the development of an effective genetic control. Therefore, a detached fruit bioassay was developed to screen for D. suzukii oviposition and larval infestation within berries from 25 representative species and hybrids of wild and cultivated Vaccinium. Ten Vaccinium species showed strong resistance; among them, two wild diploids originating from within the fly's native range: V. myrtoides and V. bracteatum. Other resistant species came from the sections Pyxothamnus and Conchophyllum. They included New World V. consanguineum and V. floribundum. Large-cluster blueberry, V. amoenum, and three Floridian genotypes of related rabbiteye blueberry, V. virgatum, were the only hexaploids expressing strong resistance against D. suzukii. Most screened blueberry genotypes from managed lowbush and cultivated highbush types were susceptible to the flies' attacks (i.e., oviposition). Tetraploid blueberries tended to host the most eggs, whereas diploids and hexaploids harbored 50%-60% fewer eggs, on average. D. suzukii cannot lay eggs or complete development in the smallest, sweetest, and firmest diploid fruits. Likewise, certain genotypes of large-fruited tetraploid and hexaploid blueberry strongly curbed D. suzukii egg-laying and larval growth, indicating the possibility of heritable resistance operating against this invasive fly species.

Breeding blueberry cultivars with enhanced fruit quality requires simple, accurate, and cost-effective assays to select individuals from segregating populations. In this study, berry diameter, berry weight, firmness, pH, total polyphenol, total acids, D-glucose, D-fructose, total glucose, and total sugar content were quantified in 188 southern highbush blueberry selections and cultivars over 2 years. Significant variation between years, genotype, and year × genotype interaction was detected for all traits. Glucose and fructose were the predominant sugars, and they were in a range of 32.14–64.72 and 28.61–69.63 mg/mL, respectively. Total sugars content ranged from 62.22 to 131.15 mg/mL. Correlation analysis showed a strong positive correlation between total sugar content measured with the discrete analyzer and total soluble solids assessed as Brix (r2 = 0.96). In addition, glucose, fructose, and total glucose showed high and positive correlation between them and with the total sugar content. The titratable acidity was positively correlated with total acids (r2 = 0.60) and strong positive correlation between berry diameter and berry weight (r2 = 0.94) was detected. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PC1 explained 44.9% of the variation and the major contributing traits for diversity were D-fructose, D-glucose, total glucose, and total sugars. PC2 accounted for 21.2% of the variation and was mainly attributed to berry weight and diameter. Cluster analysis showed that the blueberry genotypes fell into two major groups. Cluster-I comprised genotypes with the highest amounts of total acids, pH, polyphenol, D-glucose, D-fructose, total glucose, and total sugar, whereas Cluster-II has genotypes with distinctly lower amounts of tested compounds and larger berries. Information obtained from this study is critical to identify superior genotypes for future crosses and advance evaluation. In addition, the firmness tester and discrete analyzer used in this study were invaluable in improving the efficiency and precision of phenotyping.

Abstract We assessed bioactivity of ethanolic extracts from 35 species of Jatropha L. against an ornamental plant pest, the azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott). Jatropha extracts were prepared by air-drying stem, root, or whole plant material, grinding the tissue into a fine powder, adding 70% ethanol, and then vacuum filtering the contents. Emulsions included the extract diluted to the desired concentration in de-ionized water and 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Treatments involved pipetting 20 µl of emulsion onto three adult lace bugs in each well of a 96-well microtiter plate. Treated wells served as replicates for each of six extract concentrations and were arranged according to a RCBD. Extracts of Jatropha clavuligera Müll. Arg. and J. ribifolia (Pohl) Ballion from 0.06 to 0.50% were the most acutely bioactive with bug mortality exceeding that of the positive control – azadirachtin, a terpenoid and chief active ingredient in neem oil. At 1.00%, extracts of J. clavuligera, J. ribifolia and azadirachtin killed 100% of bugs within 3 hr. Jatropha clavuligera induced the lowest LC50 and ranked first in insecticidal potency based on ≥98% of bugs dying within 3 hr. Extracts of J. curcas L., J. gossypiifolia L., J. excisa Griseb, and azadirachtin were equally bioactive; although after 3 hr, the three Jatropha species killed bugs faster. When compared with DMSO, all extract emulsions were bioactive against adult bugs. Thus, active ingredients in a new biopesticide could be sourced from the stem, root, or whole plant extracts of at least five Jatropha species.

Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) is the first native North American grape to be domesticated. During the past century, breeding programs have created a large collection of muscadine cultivars. Muscadine cultivars are usually identified by evaluating morphological traits and checking breeding records, which can be ambiguous and unauthentic. During this study, simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to generate DNA fingerprinting profiles to identify muscadine cultivars and verify their reported pedigrees. Eighty-nine Vitis accessions were genotyped using 20 SSRs from 13 linkage groups. From these, 81 unique subgenus Muscadinia accessions were identified, and a core set of five SSR markers was able to distinguish all of them. Eighteen misidentifications were found, and five previously unknown accessions were matched with cultivars in the dataset. The profiles of 12 cultivars were not consistent with their reported parentage–progeny relationships. Genetic diversity was analyzed at four levels: all V. rotundifolia cultivars (N = 67); current cultivars (N = 39); historical cultivars (N = 28); and wild V. rotundifolia accessions (N = 9). There was substantial genetic diversity in both wild and historically cultivated muscadines. The principle coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed clear separation among subgenus Vitis cultivars, wild muscadine accessions, and cultivated muscadines, with PCoA1 and PCoA2 explaining 11.0% and 9.3% of the total variation, respectively.

Hibiscus hamabo Sieb.et Zucc, a deciduous shrub or tree, is an important semi-mangrove plant with golden yellow flowers. The plant is also cultivated for its fiber and grown as an ornamental. It is halophytic and considered one of the best afforestation trees used in reclamation programs in urban and coastal areas high in salt content. However, very little work has been done on its genetics; therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the genome size, the chromosome numbers, and rDNA (18S rDNA and 5S rDNA) loci in H. hamabo using flow cytometry, protoplast spread technique, and oligonucleotide fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), respectively. H. hamabo was found to have a 2C-value of 4.06 + 0.08 pg (3973.08 + 78.90 Mbp) and a chromosome number of 2n = 92. We observed four 18S loci and one 5S rDNA locus on five different pairs of homologous chromosomes. The observed FISH signal intensities for the 18S rDNA varied from chromosome to chromosome, indicating that each locus had different rDNA repeat copy numbers. The pericentromeric regions of each chromosome observed were highly heterochromatic. The findings of this study will benefit future cytogenetics and genomic investigations as well as lay the groundwork for more efficient breeding programs aimed at developing improved H. hamabo hybrids.

Species of Botryosphaeria and Neofusicoccum are major pathogens of blueberry worldwide. Accurate identification of these species is essential for developing effective management practices. A multigene sequencing strategy was used to distinguish between six isolates of stem blight pathogens collected from two different regions of the United States. The temperature growth study revealed that the optimal temperature for growth of five of the tested isolates ranged from 25 to 30 °C, although no significant difference was detected for the growth of Neofusicoccum spp. isolate SD16-86 at 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C. In vitro fungicide assays showed four fungicides, cyprodinil + fludioxonil, propiconazole, pyraclostrobin + boscalid, and azoxystrobin, were effective against the tested isolates with isolate SD16-86 being less sensitive compared with the other isolates. In a detached stem assay, none of 39 blueberry accessions displayed immunity or a high level of resistance to the two tested isolates, and no significant difference in lesion length was detected among the seven tested Vaccinium species inoculated with the two isolates.

Stilbenoids such as t-piceid, t-resveratrol, ε-viniferins, and t-pterostilbene can differ significantly among grape cultivars and years due to variation in environmental conditions and subsequent stressors encountered during a year. This study evaluated diverse muscadine grape cultivars for their ability to consistently produce four major stilbenoids such as t-piceid, t-resveratrol, ε-viniferins, and t-pterostilbene irrespective of environmental changes that can impact their production. Berries from forty-two muscadine grape cultivars were collected for three years (2013, 2014, and 2015) to measure stilbenoids. Results showed significant differences in the composition of four stilbenoids among the muscadine cultivars. The highest level of stilbenoids was observed in 'Fry Seedless' (270.20 µg/g fresh weight) in each of the three consecutive years tested followed by 'Pride' (46.18 µg/g fresh weight) while 'Doreen' produced the lowest level of stilbenoids (1.73 µg/g fresh weight). Results demonstrated that certain muscadine grape cultivars consistently produced varied levels of the four major stilbenoids year after year. Based on the total content of stilbenoids, the 42 muscadine cultivars studied were grouped into three categories such as High, Medium and Low stilbenoid-containing cultivars. This information will help establish new vineyards with cultivars that are less prone to variations in environmental conditions and can consistently produce stilbenoid-rich muscadine grape berries with enhanced market value to promote consumer health.

The rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton 2n = 6x = 72) is commercially important in the southeastern United States because of its adaptability to prevalent biotic and abiotic stresses.There is a growing interest in edible landscaping as alternative to conventional landscapes.'Muffin Man' is a new public-domain, edible

Commercial blueberry production in the U.S. relies on cultivars derived from combinations of different blueberry species. Interspecific hybridization continues to be a vital strategy for blueberry breeding, especially in regards to improving abiotic and biotic stress tolerance to expand the range of production. Blueberry species have many different genome sizes, presumably due to differing ploidy levels and/or DNA content. In some species, such as Vaccinium corymbosurn L. and V. pallidum Aiton, there are also different ploidy series available for breeding, further complicating the observed DNA content in elite selections. In this study we determined DNA content in 77 blueberry taxa including 11 species and 64 hybrid cultivars. Among these taxa are 11 diploid, 49 tetraploid, one pentaploid, and 16 hexaploid plants representing southern highbush, northern highbush, low bush, rabitteye, and half high blueberries. DNA content was measured for three separate tissue samples from at least three individual plants per taxa for accuracy. Absolute genome sizes varied significantly (P = 0.05) among ploidy levels, with 2C-value means of 1.09 pg for diploid, 2.10 pg for tetraploid, and 3.60 pg for hexaploid taxa. Holoploid genome size (2C DNA) was significantly correlated with ploidy or presumed chromosome number (2n) (r = 0.96, P = 0.0001) but only weakly correlated with monoploid genome size (1Cx-DNA) (r = 0.43, P = 0.0001).

Fruit splitting is a physiological disorder that produces surface cracks that promote disease and insect damage. The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), is a species of vinegar fly that attacks berry crops worldwide, including grapes, and reduces fruit quality and yield. In this study, we tested the susceptibility of various hybrid bunch grapes and muscadines to berry splitting and SWD attack. Ten grape cultivars were harvested in 2016 and 2017, and Thompson Seedless (Vitis vinifera) was purchased locally. Fruit quality traits examined included Brix (soluble solids), total acidity (TA), pH, fruit firmness, and skin break force. Villard blanc and OK392 were the least susceptible to berry splitting (0%). Although muscadines showed the highest fruit firmness, they were also susceptible to splitting, especially Fry Seedless (88% splitting incidence). There were no significant correlations among soluble solids, firmness, and splitting; however, there was a negative correlation between splitting and TA. Pierce’s disease (PD)-resistant and PD-tolerant grapes also appear to be mostly resistant to or highly tolerant of SWD infestation. SWD females do not appear to be able to oviposit in fruit hosts that have a fruit firmness exceeding 300 g/mm. Wounds or splits in the grape epidermis increased reproductive success of SWD by 400%, suggesting that a well-managed vineyard will not host large SWD populations. Vineyards suffering from severe berry damage might provide SWD with a summer fruit host. Overall, PD-resistant hybrids and muscadines are highly adaptive to subtropical climates and are tolerant of this new invasive vinegar fly.

Under greenhouse conditions, several rabbiteye (V. virgatum Aiton) blueberry cultivars regularly set fruit that develop to maturity without pollination. Since self-fruitfulness (or lack of) is a critical issue for rabbiteye blueberry; we undertook a study of the propensity of 48 rabbiteye cultivars to set fruit under greenhouse conditions. For this we measured both fruit set and fruit size, and compiled ranking values across 2 years. A few cultivars stood out as having distinct expressions of parthenocarpy. Several cultivars, 'Suwanee', 'Early May', 'Florida Rose' and Ira' had extremely low or no fruit-set, either year, without pollination. Several cultivars had relatively large fruit at maturity (10-12 mm), but modest fruit-set overall, and 'Chaucer', a modern Florida cultivar, had extremely high fruit-set, but its mature fruit were relatively small, typically similar to 8 mm. Greenhouse rankings were compared to field evaluations (of 20 cultivars common to both studies) that evaluated fruit size and seed number, as indicators of parthenocarpic tendencies. No significant correlations were observed between any of the greenhouse rankings of parthenocarpy (fruit set or fruit size) with any of the field values (fruit weight or seed/g fruit ratios) for either year. The cultivar 'Premier', however, was a superior performer in both studies, and thus may represent a desirable parent to enhance parthenocarpic tendencies and fruit size.

Spotted-wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a vinegar fly introduced unintentionally into the United States. Since 2008, D. suzukii has reduced annual berry yields from 6 to 100%. Effective control of D. suzukii during harvest requires weekly applications of low-residual, broad-spectrum insecticides that are unavailable for organic farming. A novel ingestible insecticide, a 4-carbon polyol, mesoerythritol (erythritol), was found to kill 75 to 100% of larval and adult D. suzukii. However, mesoerythritol, at effective concentrations (0.5-1.0M), may be cost-prohibitive. Therefore, we conducted laboratory tests to assess the effects of lower cost derivatives of erythritol, namely the pentaerythritol series of 1,3-diols on D. suzukii pupal production, adult production, adult mortality, brood output, and reproductive increase. We then selected the two most promising compounds for a field test on fruiting rabbiteye blueberry. From 90 to 100% of adults died when fed food moistened with 1M solutions of mesoerythritol and pentaerythritol. Mesoerythritol and dipentaerythritol at a concentration of 1M were ovicidal/larvicidal, killing 85% of immatures. Overall, 1M mesoerythritol killed 80% or more larvae and adults, thus bringing populations to near zero. The heaviest compound of this series, tripentaerythritol, at all concentrations, was largely benign to both adults and immatures. Thus, we cannot recommend tripentaerythritol for D. suzukii control. In a blueberry field, 0.5M mesoerythritol and 0.5M pentaerythritol, each by themselves, reduced egg infestation by 64% and larval infestation by 93%; their combination (0.25M mesoerythritol and 0.25M pentaerythritol) achieved even greater egg control with 82% fewer eggs infesting blueberry fruits.

Blueberry leaf rust caused by Thekopsora minima is a serious threat to blueberry production. To investigate the host range and characterize new sources of resistance, 15 southern highbush accessions ( Vaccinium corymbosum ), two interspecific hybrids ( V. elliottii × V. pallidum and V. corymbosum × V. pallidum ), and accessions from five diploid Vaccinium species were inoculated with an isolate of T. minima . Of 15, only two southern highbush accessions displayed resistance, whereas both accessions of V. arboreum displayed immunity against T. minima . Accessions of V. darrowii exhibited necrosis but with limited sporulation, indicating a high level of resistance. Sporulating lesions and brown spots were observed in accessions of V. elliottii and V. tenellum . Brown lesions, large pustules, and abundant sporulation were observed on V. pallidum accessions and their interspecific hybrids. As the lesions expanded, defoliation was observed in V. pallidum accessions. When tested against rabbiteye ( V. virgatum ) and southern highbush blueberries, urediniospores of T. minima from overwintering leaves of V. pallidum were found to be virulent, suggesting that T. minima overwinters on V. pallidum . Based on symptoms and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of urediniospores, we hypothesize that V. elliottii , V. tenellum , V. pallidum , and V. corymbosum exhibit no host specificity to T. minima .

Additional index words.Vaccinium spp.hybrid, fruit breeding, blueberry cultivars 'Gumbo' (patent applied for) is a new southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium spp.hybrid) cultivar developed by the

Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) and its wine products are becoming more acceptable due to potential health benefits associated with high concentrations of phenolic compounds. In this research, wines made from eight high-yield muscadine grape varieties grown in Mississippi were compared for their phenolic composition, antioxidant activity, and other quality parameters during different secondary fermentation periods. During the fermentation, the total content of hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives decreased, while that of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives increased. Changes in total fiavonoids varied depending on muscadine cultivar. Total phenolic content (TPC), total benzoic acid (TBA) derivatives and total phenolic acids significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with DPPH values (r = 0.89, 0.83 and 0.86, respectively), and the r values between TPC and condensed tannin content and the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) values were 0.84 and 0.71, respectively. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioassays tested insecticidal activity of Erythritol from the nutritive sweetener, Truvia, and an insect growth regulator, Lufenuron, against life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, adults) of Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen) and Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), the spotted wing Drosophila (SWD). These compounds were chosen for their demonstrated acute toxicity to adult and larval Drosophila and potential use on organic fruit farms. D.melanogaster fed on standard Drosophila diet media moistened with water containing known concentrations of Erythritol. Likewise, SWD consumed standard diet media as well as thawed host fruit (blackberries and blueberries) treated with solutions of Erythritol, Lufenuron or both. During the first bioassay, Erythritol at lower concentrations between 0 and 500mm (similar to 61000ppm) in water and mixed with instant diet media increased adult survival from similar to 80% to 97% for D.melanogaster and SWD. However, from aqueous concentrations ranging from 1750 (similar to 414000 ppm) to 2000 mm (similar to 244000 ppm), Erythritol killed 100% of adult Drosophila in culture vials. One hundred per cent mortality for SWD and D.melanogaster occurred at 0.5m (similar to 61000ppm) Erythritol added to diet media or topically applied to host fruit. In a second bioassay, 0.013-1.000ppm of aqueous Lufenuron, a chitin synthase inhibitor, when added to dry diet media prevented 90-99% of SWD from reaching the pupal stage. In another assay, similar to 67% of SWD eggs or neonates (early first instars) died inside blackberries pre-treated with (dipped in) a soapy solution of 10ppm Lufenuron. Pre-treating blackberry fruit with an Erythritol-Lufenuron mixture reduced SWD brood survival by 99%. Likewise, during our last fruit-based bioassay, 98% of eggs and neonates died inside blueberries similarly pre-treated. During the last experiment, Lufenuron in diet media also rendered adult females sterile. Sterility, however, dissipated over 7days once females began feeding on a Lufenuron-free diet media.

This review paper provides a summary of results presented in a much more comprehensive article (Sampson et al., 2014). Specifics regarding methods and statistical procedures can be found in Sampson et al. (2014). Here, we summarize these results for popular cultivars of rabbiteye blueberry (V. virgatum syn. ashei Reade) that produce upwards of 90% deformed “zygomorphic” blooms as well as other cultivars that do not. One cultivar in particular, 'Premier', by producing zygomorphic blooms, suffers losses in yield. Infertility of these zygomorphs might render plants less fruitful with yield losses reaching 67%. Other vulnerable rabbiteye blueberry cultivars include 'Columbus', 'Yadkin', 'Montgomery', and 'Tifblue'. To ensure zygomorphic cultivars remain fruitful, blooms dosed with gibberellin A3 (GA3) can achieve exceptionally high sets of small seedless fruit that mature 7-14 days late. Our new GA3 formulation, which combines gibberellic acid with 0.05% coconut oil (or 5% coconut oil soap), yielded seedier faster-maturing berries rich in sugar (10 to 12% dissolved solids). Seeds appear to have arisen via apomixis perhaps induced by bioactivity of longer-chained fatty acids and cytokinins in coconut oil. Seed size for apomictic fruits varied considerably; a few seeds were as large as those resulting from cross-pollination; most seeds were 3-4 times smaller in volume. Coconut fatty acids therefore function as possible synergists to GA3, producing marketable seeded berries.