Christopher S. Cramer

Breeding and genetics of Fusarium basal rot resistance in onion

Fusarium basal plate rot (FBR), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae, is an important soil-borne disease of onions worldwide. The causal organism infects the basal stem plate of the bulb and eventually kills the entire plant through degradation of the basal plate. F. o. f. sp.cepae infections in dormant bulbs during storage allow secondary infections to occur. The primary method of infection by F. o. f. sp. cepaeis through direct penetration of the basal stem plate. Infection can also occur through wounded tissue particularly roots and basal portions of bulb scales. The most cost-effective methods of control are crop rotation and host plant resistance. Current research suggests that a single gene, two genes, or multiple genes govern resistance to FBR. Breeding programs have successfully used screening procedures to develop intermediate- and long-day, FBR-resistant cultivars.

Little heterosis for yield and yield components in hybrids of six cucumber inbreds

Heterosis and inbreeding depression for fruit yield has been reported for pickling cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). However, cucumber inbreds often perform as well as hybrids, and there is little inbreeding depression. The objectives of this study were to reexamine the amount of heterosis and inbreeding depression for fruit yield and yield components in pickling cucumber, and to determine the relationship between yield components and yield for heterosis. Two pickling cucumber inbreds (M 12, M 20) and inbreds from four open-pollinated monoecious cultivars (‘Addis’, ‘Clinton’, ‘Wisconsin SMR 18’, ‘Tiny Dill’) were hybridized to form four F1 hybrids (‘Addis’ × M 20, ‘Addis’ × ‘Wis. SMR 18’, ‘Clinton’ × M 12, M 20 × ‘Tiny Dill’). F1 hybrids were then self-pollinated or backcrossed to generate F2, BC1A, and BC1B progeny. Thirty plants of each generation within each hybrid family were grown in plots 3.1 m long with four replications in each of two seasons. Data were collected from once-over harvest for vegetative, reproductive, yield, and fruit quality traits. Heterosis and inbreeding depression for fruit yield and yield components were not observed in three of the hybrids. Only ‘Addis’ × ‘Wis. SMR 18’ exhibited high-parent heterosis and inbreeding depression for total, marketable, and early fruit weight. For ‘Addis’ × ‘Wis. SMR 18’, heterosis for fruit yield was associated with a decreased correlation between percentage of fruit set and fruit weight, an increased negative correlation between percentage of fruit set and both the number of branches per plant and the percentage of pistillate nodes, and an increased negative correlation between the number of nodes per branch and total fruit weight. Inbreeding depression was associated with a weakening of the strong negative correlations between percentage of fruit set and the number of branches per plant, and between the number of nodes per branch and total fruit weight. Those correlations were associated with high-parent heterosis and inbreeding depression only for one cross, and do not necessarily apply to future crosses in which heterosis may be observed for yield. We did not observe the heterosis or inbreeding depression for yield in cucumber in most of the crosses as was reported by Ghaderi & Lower (1979a; 1979c).

Iris yellow spot virus (Tospovirus: Bunyaviridae): from obscurity to research priority.

TAXONOMY Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) is in the genus Tospovirus, family Bunyaviridae, with a single-stranded, tri-segmented RNA genome with an ambisense genome organization. Members of the other genera in the family infect predominantly vertebrates and insects. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION IYSV is present in most Allium-growing regions of the world. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Virions are pleomorphic particles of 80-120 nm in size. The particle consists of RNA, protein, glycoprotein and lipids. GENOME IYSV shares the genomic features of other tospoviruses: a segmented RNA genome of three RNAs, referred to as large (L), medium (M) and small (S). The L RNA codes for the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in negative sense. The M RNA uses an ambisense coding strategy and codes for the precursor for the GN /GC glycoprotein in the viral complementary (vc) sense and a non-structural protein (NSm) in the viral (v) sense. The S RNA also uses an ambisense coding strategy with the coat protein (N) in vc sense and a non-structural protein (NSs) in the v sense. TRANSMISSION The virus is transmitted by Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Order: Thysanoptera; Family: Thripidae; onion thrips) and with less efficiency by Frankliniella fusca Hinds (tobacco thrips). HOST: IYSV has a relatively broad host range, including cultivated and wild onions, garlic, chives, leeks and several ornamentals. Some weeds are naturally infected by IYSV and may serve as alternative hosts for the virus. SYMPTOMS IYSV symptoms in Allium spp. are yellow- to straw-coloured, diamond-shaped lesions on leaves and flowering scapes. Diamond-shaped lesions are particularly pronounced on scapes. As the disease progresses, the lesions coalesce, leading to lodging of the scapes. In seed crops, this could lead to a reduction in yield and quality. Early to mid-season infection in bulb crops results in reduced vigour and bulb size. CONTROL Resistant varieties are not available, but a limited number of accessions with field tolerance have been identified. Integrated disease management tactics, including sanitation, crop rotation, thrips management, maintenance of optimal plant vigour, soil fertility, irrigation and physical separation of bulb and seed crops, can mitigate the effect of the disease. Virus code: 00.011.0.85.009 Useful link: http://www.alliumnet.com/.

Relatedness of bulb firmness to other attributes of New Mexico onion entries.

Harvest of onions in New Mexico is becoming cost prohibitive due to labor shortages and increased labor costs. Mechanical harvest will need to be adopted in order for growers to remain competitive. Onion cultivars, currently grown in New Mexico, need to be evaluated for their suitability to be harvested by mechanical methods. Bulb firmness is one trait that may correlate to mechanical harvest ability of a cultivar. Observations of genetic variation for bulb firmness were taken with an objective to develop cultivars suitable for mechanical harvest. Sixteen short- and intermediate-day onion entries were grown for 2 years and evaluated for bulb firmness and other possible correlated variables. Seedstalks, maturity date, pink root, Fusarium basal rot, percentage marketable yield, average bulb weight, bulb firmness, and single-centeredness were recorded during 2003 and 2004. An instrument, called a durometer, was found to be a reliable tool to measure firmness based upon strong correlation between subjective and objective methods. Single-centeredness and average bulb weight were found to be important factors correlated with bulb firmness.

Micropropagation of Mussaenda Cultivars

The genus Mussaenda (family Rubiaceae) consists of ornamental shrubs or small trees grown in the subtropical and tropical regions of the world for the one to many colorful, large petaloid sepals of scarlet, pink, picotee, or white (Fig. 1). According to Rosario (1984), the development of the Mussaenda cultivars is the greatest contribution from the Philippines to the field of ornamentals. Current cultivars were developed through a breeding program at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (Rosario 1987). The cultivars were named after important women in Filipino history (Rosario 1984).