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This study evaluated the use of splice grafting as a propagation strategy for watermelon. In experiment 1, the treatments consisted of sucrose, antitranspirant A, antitranspirant B, auxin (indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)) at two concentrations (10 and 20 mg·L−1), plus a water control. The survival (%) of splice-grafted watermelon plants differed due to the number of days after grafting and treatment (p< 0.0001, for both). At 21 days after grafting, plants treated with sucrose and antitranspirant A, and sucrose and antitranspirant A with 10 mg·L−1 auxin had 90% and 88% survival, respectively, whereas the graft survival was 18% for plants treated with water. Experiment 2 included the three top performing treatments from experiment 1 and a water control treatment, applied to both root-intact and root-excised rootstocks. There was a significant difference in survival (%) of splice-grafted watermelon due to root treatments, exogenous treatments, and the number of days after grafting (p< 0.0001, for all). At 21 days after grafting, survival for root-excised grafted plants was 11% lower compared to root-intact plants. Plants treated with sucrose and antitranspirant A, and sucrose and antitranspirant A with 10 mg·L−1 auxin had 87% and 86% survival, respectively, whereas plants treated with water had 14% survival. The external application of auxin applied to rootstock seedlings does not appear to be cost-effective; however, other products should be evaluated.
Pinki Devi; Lisa DeVetter; Scott Lukas; Carol Miles. Exogenous Treatments to Enhance Splice-Grafted Watermelon Survival. Horticulturae 2021, 7, 197 .
AMA StylePinki Devi, Lisa DeVetter, Scott Lukas, Carol Miles. Exogenous Treatments to Enhance Splice-Grafted Watermelon Survival. Horticulturae. 2021; 7 (7):197.
Chicago/Turabian StylePinki Devi; Lisa DeVetter; Scott Lukas; Carol Miles. 2021. "Exogenous Treatments to Enhance Splice-Grafted Watermelon Survival." Horticulturae 7, no. 7: 197.
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) grafting has emerged as a promising biological management approach aimed at increasing tolerance to abiotic stressors, such as unfavorable environmental conditions. These conditions include environments that are too cold, wet, or dry, have soil nutrient deficiency or toxicity and soil or irrigation water salinity. Studies to date indicate that fruit yield and quality may be positively or negatively affected depending on rootstock-scion combination and growing environment. Growers need information regarding the general effect of rootstocks, as well as specific scion-rootstock interactions on fruit maturity and quality so they can select combinations best suited for their environment. This review summarizes the literature on watermelon grafting with a focus on abiotic stress tolerance and fruit maturity and quality with specific reference to hollow heart and hard seed formation, flesh firmness, total soluble solids, and lycopene content.
Pinki Devi; Penelope Perkins-Veazie; Carol Miles. Impact of Grafting on Watermelon Fruit Maturity and Quality. Horticulturae 2020, 6, 97 .
AMA StylePinki Devi, Penelope Perkins-Veazie, Carol Miles. Impact of Grafting on Watermelon Fruit Maturity and Quality. Horticulturae. 2020; 6 (4):97.
Chicago/Turabian StylePinki Devi; Penelope Perkins-Veazie; Carol Miles. 2020. "Impact of Grafting on Watermelon Fruit Maturity and Quality." Horticulturae 6, no. 4: 97.
Grafting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) onto resistant rootstocks is an effective technique in the management of biotic and abiotic stresses. Since the first reported grafting of watermelon for disease resistance in 1927, adoption of the practice has been steadily increasing up to 95% in Japan, Korea, Greece, Israel and Turkey. However, for grafting to be further adopted in the United States and other regions of the world with high labor costs and high plant volume demands, the watermelon grafting method must be more time and labor efficient as well as suitable for automation. To accomplish these goals, recent advances have been achieved in splice grafting of watermelon, where both cotyledons are removed from the rootstock. This review provides a summary of the new discoveries regarding watermelon grafting and an overview of the anatomy of cucurbit stems and the physiological processes that occur at the time of grafting and during the healing process in order to enhance the understanding of the complex nature of the cucurbit vascular system, which limits grafting success. This review article further provides insights to guide future research and technology development that will support the expansion of watermelon grafting.
Pinki Devi; Scott Lukas; Carol Miles. Advances in Watermelon Grafting to Increase Efficiency and Automation. Horticulturae 2020, 6, 88 .
AMA StylePinki Devi, Scott Lukas, Carol Miles. Advances in Watermelon Grafting to Increase Efficiency and Automation. Horticulturae. 2020; 6 (4):88.
Chicago/Turabian StylePinki Devi; Scott Lukas; Carol Miles. 2020. "Advances in Watermelon Grafting to Increase Efficiency and Automation." Horticulturae 6, no. 4: 88.
Separately, grafting and the use of plastic mulch can increase yield, quality, and early harvest of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), especially when plants are under biotic and/or abiotic stress. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the combination of four different rootstocks and two types of plastic mulch (black and clear) on date of watermelon first flowering, fruit ripening, yield, and fruit quality when plants were exposed to Verticillium dahliae. Seedless watermelon cv. Secretariat was grafted onto rootstocks Lagenaria siceraria cv. Pelop, Benincasa hispida cv. Round, and two interspecific hybrid squash rootstocks Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata cvs. Super Shintosa and Tetsukabuto, with nongrafted ‘Secretariat’ as the control. Fruit were harvested 0, 7, and 14 days after both the leaflet and tendril attached to the fruit pedicel were completely dry (fruit considered to be physiologically mature). The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) values for verticillium wilt were not different for mulch type in either year, although the overall AUDPC value was greatly reduced in the four grafted treatments (227) compared with nongrafted (743). There was no difference in days to male or female flowering due to mulch type or year, and rootstock did not affect first flowering of male flowers. Female flowering was 14 and 11 days later in 2018 and 2019, respectively, for ‘Secretariat’ grafted onto bottle gourd ‘Round’ compared with ‘Secretariat’ grafted onto ‘Tetsukabuto’. Female flowering of ‘Secretariat’ on ‘Round’ was also 7 days later compared with nongrafted ‘Secretariat’ both years. However, days to first harvest was not different with mulch or rootstock and was 92 days after transplanting (DAT) in 2018 and 114 DAT in 2019. There was no difference in yield (fruit number and weight) due to year, harvest date, or mulch, but there was a difference due to grafting. ‘Secretariat’ grafted onto ‘Super Shintosa’ had the greatest total number and weight of fruit per plant (3.7 and 14.8 kg, respectively), and nongrafted ‘Secretariat’ had the lowest (0.7 and 3.2 kg, respectively). Fruit quality attributes hollow heart formation (rating 3.2/5 on average), hard seed count (6 on average), total soluble solids (11% on average), and lycopene content were not different among mulch type, rootstock treatment, or harvest date; however, lycopene content did differ due to year (52.44 and 32.51 µg·g−1 in 2018 and 2019, respectively). Flesh firmness was highest for watermelon grafted onto ‘Super Shintosa’ rootstock (6.7 N) and lowest for nongrafted watermelon (4.3 N). Overall, rootstocks reduced verticillium wilt severity and increased fruit yield whereas mulch had no effects, and 5 V. dahliae colony forming units (cfu)/g of soil may be the minimum level for impact on watermelon fruit yield.
Pinki Devi; Penelope Perkins-Veazie; Carol A. Miles. Rootstock and Plastic Mulch Effect on Watermelon Flowering and Fruit Maturity in a Verticillium dahliae–Infested Field. HortScience 2020, 55, 1438 -1445.
AMA StylePinki Devi, Penelope Perkins-Veazie, Carol A. Miles. Rootstock and Plastic Mulch Effect on Watermelon Flowering and Fruit Maturity in a Verticillium dahliae–Infested Field. HortScience. 2020; 55 (9):1438-1445.
Chicago/Turabian StylePinki Devi; Penelope Perkins-Veazie; Carol A. Miles. 2020. "Rootstock and Plastic Mulch Effect on Watermelon Flowering and Fruit Maturity in a Verticillium dahliae–Infested Field." HortScience 55, no. 9: 1438-1445.
Soil-biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) are made from biodegradable materials that can be bio-based, synthetic, or a blend of these two types of polymers, which are designed to degrade in soil through microbial activities. The purpose of BDMs is to reduce agricultural plastic waste by replacing polyethylene (PE) mulch, which is not biodegradable. Most studies have evaluated the breakdown of BDMs within annual production systems, but knowledge of BDM breakdown in perennial systems is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the deterioration and degradation of BDMs in a commercial red raspberry (Rubus ideaus L.) production system. Deterioration was low (≤11% percent soil exposure; PSE) for all mulches until October 2017 (five months after transplanting, MAT). By March 2018 (10 MAT), deterioration reached 91% for BDMs but remained low for PE mulch (4%). Mechanical strength also was lower for BDMs than PE mulch. In a soil burial test in the raspberry field, 91% of the BDM area remained after 18 months. In-soil BDM degradation was minimal, although the PSE was high. Since mulch is only applied once in a perennial crop production system, and the lifespan of the planting may be three or more years, it is worth exploring the long-term degradation of BDMs in perennial cropping systems across diverse environments.
Huan Zhang; Markus Flury; Carol Miles; Hang Liu; Lisa DeVetter. Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulches Undergo Minimal in-Soil Degradation in a Perennial Raspberry System after 18 Months. Horticulturae 2020, 6, 47 .
AMA StyleHuan Zhang, Markus Flury, Carol Miles, Hang Liu, Lisa DeVetter. Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulches Undergo Minimal in-Soil Degradation in a Perennial Raspberry System after 18 Months. Horticulturae. 2020; 6 (3):47.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHuan Zhang; Markus Flury; Carol Miles; Hang Liu; Lisa DeVetter. 2020. "Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulches Undergo Minimal in-Soil Degradation in a Perennial Raspberry System after 18 Months." Horticulturae 6, no. 3: 47.
A soil-biodegradable mulch (BDM) is designed to be tilled into the soil at the end of the growing season, and is a successful alternative to polyethylene (PE) mulch if it suppresses weeds and improves soil temperature and moisture, crop yield, and fruit quality. This study compared one clear plastic BDM (COX), two black plastic BDMs (BOX and BFO), and two paper BDMs (WGP and AMX) to clear and black plastic PE mulch (CPE and BPE, respectively) for weed control, yield, and mulch adhesion of ‘Cinnamon Girl’ pie pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) in a Mediterranean climate where increased soil temperature from mulch is desirable. BDMs in this study are advertised as soil-biodegradable, and we tested functionality but not biodegradability. Mulch deterioration during the growing season was measured as percent soil exposure (PSE), and remained low at the end of the growing season for all BDM and PE treatments both years (5% on average) except COX (68%). Weed number and biomass were low early, mid, and late season for all treatments except COX in 2018 and COX and CPE in 2019. Soil temperature with PE mulches (20.7 °C on average) was similar or slightly higher than with plastic BDMs (19.8 °C on average), which was higher than with paper BDMs (18.9 °C on average). Total fruit number and yield were similar for PE mulches (19.3 and 24.5 kg, respectively) and black plastic BDMs (17.3 and 21.2 kg, respectively), which were higher than COX and paper BDMs (15.7 and 19.8 kg, respectively). Mulch adhesion occurred on fruit in all BDM treatments, with more mulch adhesion in BFO in 2018 and WGP in 2019 than in other BDM treatments each year. The number of wipes is a proxy for the impact on harvest labor and can influence overall on-farm profitability. The number of wipes to remove adhered mulch (1.2 wipes on average) was similar for fruit harvested at four times of day (0800, 1000, 1200, and 1400 hr), but more wipes were needed to remove adhered mulch when fruit were stored up to 4 hours postharvest (5.4 wipes). Number of wipes to remove adhered mulch was negatively correlated to the amount of moisture on the fruit surface (R2 = 0.31). Overall, these findings demonstrate that all black plastic and paper BDMs remained intact throughout the growing season and controlled weeds as well as black PE mulch, while clear BDM had higher weed pressure because it degraded during the growing season. Pumpkin yield was similar for black plastic BDMs and PE mulches and lower for clear and paper BDMs. However, all BDMs in this study adhered to the fruit surface and their removal became more difficult as the fruit surface dried.
Huan Zhang; Lisa Wasko Devetter; Edward Scheenstra; Carol Miles. Weed Pressure, Yield, and Adhesion of Soil-biodegradable Mulches with Pie Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo). HortScience 2020, 55, 1014 -1021.
AMA StyleHuan Zhang, Lisa Wasko Devetter, Edward Scheenstra, Carol Miles. Weed Pressure, Yield, and Adhesion of Soil-biodegradable Mulches with Pie Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo). HortScience. 2020; 55 (7):1014-1021.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHuan Zhang; Lisa Wasko Devetter; Edward Scheenstra; Carol Miles. 2020. "Weed Pressure, Yield, and Adhesion of Soil-biodegradable Mulches with Pie Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo)." HortScience 55, no. 7: 1014-1021.
Splice grafting with both cotyledons removed from the rootstock may significantly increase watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai] grafting efficiency, eliminate rootstock regrowth, and reduce costs of watermelon transplant production. We evaluated the efficacy of antitranspirant and sucrose treatments on the survival of splice-grafted transplants and assessed the effects of grafting method and rootstocks on fruit yield and quality. First, in a greenhouse experiment, four commercial antitranspirants, applied to rootstock seedlings before splice grafting, increased transplant survival 21 days after grafting (DAG) from 7% to 35% to 68% (P < 0.0001). In a second greenhouse experiment, survival of splice-grafted seedlings was 91% for plants that received 2% sucrose solution + antitranspirant, compared with 67% for plants receiving 2% sucrose alone and 25% for plants that received only water (P < 0.0001). Finally, in a field experiment we compared splice- vs. one-cotyledon grafting with two rootstocks (‘Shintosa Camelforce’ and ‘Tetsukabuto’) vs. nongrafted plants. At 54 days after transplanting (DAT), survival of all grafted transplants averaged 96% with a plant vigor rating of 7.7/10 (10 = most vigorous), compared with 84% survival (5.8/10 vigor rating) for nongrafted transplants. Flowering was delayed by an average of 2 days for splice-grafted watermelon (37 DAT) vs. one-cotyledon grafted and nongrafted plants (P < 0.0001), but harvest date was the same for all treatments (70 DAT). Fruit were harvested 0, 7, and 14 days after fruit reached physiological maturity, and there was no difference in total yield or fruit quality between grafted and nongrafted treatments, with two exceptions. Fruit with splice-grafted ‘Shintosa Camelforce’ rootstock had the firmest flesh (8.2 N) compared with nongrafted transplants (5.3 N), and lycopene increased from 16.7 µg·g−1 at physiological maturity to as high as 31.4 µg·g−1 when harvested 7 days after physiological maturity (P = 0.0002). These results indicate that application of sucrose with antitranspirant to rootstock seedlings before grafting can increase the survival of splice-grafted watermelon, and splice-grafted watermelon perform similarly to one-cotyledon grafted and nongrafted watermelon plants in field production.
Pinki Devi; Scott Lukas; Carol A. Miles. Fruit Maturity and Quality of Splice-grafted and One-cotyledon Grafted Watermelon. HortScience 2020, 55, 1090 -1098.
AMA StylePinki Devi, Scott Lukas, Carol A. Miles. Fruit Maturity and Quality of Splice-grafted and One-cotyledon Grafted Watermelon. HortScience. 2020; 55 (7):1090-1098.
Chicago/Turabian StylePinki Devi; Scott Lukas; Carol A. Miles. 2020. "Fruit Maturity and Quality of Splice-grafted and One-cotyledon Grafted Watermelon." HortScience 55, no. 7: 1090-1098.
Anthracnose canker, caused by Neofabraea malicorticis, threatens the sustainability of cider apple (Malus ×domestica) production in the maritime climate of western Washington. In the short-term, the disease reduces overall orchard productivity and in the long-term it reduces an orchard’s economic life span. The disease is difficult to manage using cultural practices, and information on fungicide efficacy is limited and contradictory. To address this situation, a 2-year study was conducted to evaluate efficacy of zinc (4.49 lb/acre), basic copper sulfate (2.49 lb/acre), captan (2.94 lb/acre), thiophanate-methyl (0.69 lb/acre), pyraclostrobin plus boscalid (0.38 lb/acre), and combinations of these fungicides to manage anthracnose canker infection in young cider apple trees cultivated in a maritime climate. Trees used in the first year of the study (2016) were found to be infected by anthracnose canker on receipt, so the first year was a measure of disease control and the second year (2017) was a measure of disease prevention. In 2016, when fungicide treatments were applied every 3 weeks from March through October, none of the treatments evaluated inhibited the development of new infections or the expansion of existing cankers (77% increase in canker size on average for all treatments). In 2017, when fungicide treatments were applied every 3 weeks from February through April, two to three new cankers were observed 3 weeks after final treatment application for all treatments. Results from this study demonstrate that the current fungicides recommended for control of anthracnose canker are not reliably effective in the orchard environment of northwest Washington. Future studies should assess the fungicides evaluated in this study applied in rotation with additional systemic fungicides.
Whitney J. Garton; Mark Mazzola; Travis R. Alexander; Carol A. Miles. Efficacy of Fungicide Treatments for Control of Anthracnose Canker in Young Cider Apple Trees in Western Washington. HortTechnology 2019, 29, 35 -40.
AMA StyleWhitney J. Garton, Mark Mazzola, Travis R. Alexander, Carol A. Miles. Efficacy of Fungicide Treatments for Control of Anthracnose Canker in Young Cider Apple Trees in Western Washington. HortTechnology. 2019; 29 (1):35-40.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWhitney J. Garton; Mark Mazzola; Travis R. Alexander; Carol A. Miles. 2019. "Efficacy of Fungicide Treatments for Control of Anthracnose Canker in Young Cider Apple Trees in Western Washington." HortTechnology 29, no. 1: 35-40.
This study was designed to determine the efficacy of canker excision (CE) followed by a subsequent application of cauterization (CAU) and/or fungicide treatment to the excised area for the management of anthracnose canker (caused by Neofabraea malicorticis) on cider apple (Malus ×domestica) trees. Three experiments were conducted from 2015 to 2017, with one experiment each year, in an experimental cider apple orchard in western Washington where trees were naturally infested with N. malicorticis. Treatments were applied once in December and data were collected January through March. Treatments in the 2015 experiment were CE + CAU, CE + CAU + copper hydroxide, CE + 0.5% sodium hypochlorite, Bordeaux mixture (BM) only, and CE + copper hydroxide (control). The 2016 experiment included the same treatments as in 2015 plus one additional treatment, CE + BM. In 2017, one additional treatment was added, CE only, and CAU treatments were removed as they caused significant injury to the trees. Canker size was measured pretreatment, and the treated canker or excised area was measured posttreatment every 2 weeks for 13–15 weeks. Compared with pretreatment, cankers treated with BM did not increase in size, while the excised area treated with CAU increased 28-fold in size on average, and the excised area treated with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite or copper hydroxide increased up to 4-fold in size. Each year new cankers developed in all treatments 13–15 weeks after treatment application, at a time of year when there should not be any spores present to cause new infections. Dark brown streaking, indicative of the disease, was observed in the tissue below the intact or excised cankers 15 months after treatment application all years. Although N. malicorticis was not isolated from symptomatic tissue, symptoms were observed in all treatments including where cankers had not been excised and there was no wounding of the cambium tissue. Findings from this study indicate that of the treatments evaluated, the application of copper hydroxide after CE was the most effective for limiting the number of new cankers, but it did not limit expansion of the excised area. Additional physical and fungicidal strategies need to be tested for effective management of anthracnose canker.
Whitney J. Garton; Mark Mazzola; Nairanjana Dasgupta; Travis R. Alexander; Carol A. Miles. Efficacy of Excision, Cauterization, and Fungicides for Management of Apple Anthracnose Canker in Maritime Climate. HortTechnology 2018, 28, 728 -736.
AMA StyleWhitney J. Garton, Mark Mazzola, Nairanjana Dasgupta, Travis R. Alexander, Carol A. Miles. Efficacy of Excision, Cauterization, and Fungicides for Management of Apple Anthracnose Canker in Maritime Climate. HortTechnology. 2018; 28 (6):728-736.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWhitney J. Garton; Mark Mazzola; Nairanjana Dasgupta; Travis R. Alexander; Carol A. Miles. 2018. "Efficacy of Excision, Cauterization, and Fungicides for Management of Apple Anthracnose Canker in Maritime Climate." HortTechnology 28, no. 6: 728-736.
Many small-scale vegetable growers in the United States who graft their own vegetable transplants use healing chambers inside a greenhouse to heal their grafted plants. Under these conditions, light and relative humidity (RH) can fluctuate during the healing process, and growers need more research-based information regarding the impact of these factors on the survival of grafted transplants. To address this need, this study investigated the effect of different targeted levels of light (0%, 25%, and 50%) and RH (50% and 100%) (six combinations) in a small-scale healing chamber within a greenhouse, where the healing chamber was opened for increasing periods of time for 8 days, at which time plants were fully exposed to greenhouse conditions. The survival and growth of self-grafted eggplant (Solanum melongena), pepper (Capsicum annuum), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were measured up to 25 days post grafting. Percent light in the closed healing chambers was similar for the 50% and 100% RH levels of each light treatment. When the healing chambers were closed, compared with the greenhouse, there was 0.1% light in the 0% light treatments, 25% light on average in the 25% light treatments, and 43% light on average in the 50% light treatments. On days 2 to 5 after grafting, when chambers were opened up to 1 hour, average RH in the healing chambers was 96% to 98% for the 100% RH treatments, and was 42% to 49% for the 50% RH treatments. On days 6 and 7, when chambers were opened for 3 to 8 hours, RH was 79% to 82% for the 100% RH treatments, and was 39% to 46% for the 50% RH treatments. Survival of grafted plants following healing was greatest when the healing chamber treatment was 100% RH and 50% or 25% light (95% and 90% survival, respectively), and plant survival with these two treatments did not significantly decline from 11 to 21 days after grafting, indicating plants were fully healed and acclimated when they were removed from the healing chambers on day 8. At 22 to 25 days following grafting, plants healed with 100% RH and 50% or 25% light had greater plant height, number of leaves per plant, and stem diameter than plants healed in the other light and RH combinations. SPAD reading and nitrate-nitrogen of fresh petiole sap were unaffected by any of the healing treatments tested in this experiment, or by crop type. Tomato and pepper had 14% greater survival rates on average than eggplant at all measurement dates, while tomato tended to have greater plant growth, followed by eggplant and pepper. Additional research is needed to improve survival of grafted eggplant.
Fairuz A. Buajaila; Pinki Devi; Carol A. Miles. Effect of Environment on Survival of Eggplant, Pepper, and Tomato in a Small-scale Healing Chamber. HortTechnology 2018, 28, 668 -675.
AMA StyleFairuz A. Buajaila, Pinki Devi, Carol A. Miles. Effect of Environment on Survival of Eggplant, Pepper, and Tomato in a Small-scale Healing Chamber. HortTechnology. 2018; 28 (5):668-675.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFairuz A. Buajaila; Pinki Devi; Carol A. Miles. 2018. "Effect of Environment on Survival of Eggplant, Pepper, and Tomato in a Small-scale Healing Chamber." HortTechnology 28, no. 5: 668-675.
The purpose of this research is to determine how increasing levels of nitrogen (N) fertilizers, locations, and cultivars affected yields, biomass accumulation, and polyphenol concentrations in lettuce. This study is carried out at the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center (NMREC) and Northwest Washington Research and Extension Center (NWREC). The experiment is a randomized complete block design arranged in a 2 × 2 × 4 factorial with 4 replications. Treatments include two cos (romaine) lettuce cultivars, ‘Salvius’ and ‘Thurinus’. N treatments include 42, 63, 105 and 189 kg·ha−1. ‘Salvius’ has greater fresh mass (FM) and dry mass (DM), and a smaller DM:FM ratio when compared to ‘Thurinus’. The NWREC location has higher lettuce FM and DM. Quercetin-3-glucoside (Q-3-G) increases with increasing N concentrations. There are interactions between locations and lettuce cultivars for chlorogenic acid, Q-3-G, and quercetin/luteolin glucuronide (QL-G). There is increased chlorogenic acid content in ‘Salvius’ at the NMREC and increased concentrations of Q-3-G and QL-G in ‘Thurinus’ compared to the NWREC location. ‘Thurinus’ has significantly more chicoric acid and quercetin-malonyl-glucoside (QM-G) than ‘Salvius’. Lettuce at the NWREC has significantly more chicoric acid and cyanidin-3-glucoside (C-3-G). Lettuce at the NWREC has greater yields and biomass accumulation. Lettuce at the NWREC also has greater amounts of flavonoids and anthocyanins. ‘Salvius’ has greater amounts of phenolic acids and ‘Thurinus’ has greater amounts of flavonoids and anthocyanins.
T. Casey Barickman; William L. Sublett; Carol Miles; Danielle Crow; Ed Scheenstra. Lettuce Biomass Accumulation and Phytonutrient Concentrations Are Influenced by Genotype, N Application Rate and Location. Horticulturae 2018, 4, 12 .
AMA StyleT. Casey Barickman, William L. Sublett, Carol Miles, Danielle Crow, Ed Scheenstra. Lettuce Biomass Accumulation and Phytonutrient Concentrations Are Influenced by Genotype, N Application Rate and Location. Horticulturae. 2018; 4 (3):12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleT. Casey Barickman; William L. Sublett; Carol Miles; Danielle Crow; Ed Scheenstra. 2018. "Lettuce Biomass Accumulation and Phytonutrient Concentrations Are Influenced by Genotype, N Application Rate and Location." Horticulturae 4, no. 3: 12.
The one-cotyledon splice grafting method is commonly used for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) because it is relatively rapid and there is less rootstock regrowth than with other grafting methods. However, plants must rely on moisture in the air for survival during at least the first 4 days after grafting. In 2015 and 2016, greenhouse experiments were conducted to investigate if application of commercial stomata-coating and stomata-closing antitranspirant products, applied 1 day before grafting to both scion and rootstock seedlings, could increase the survival of watermelon transplants grafted using the one-cotyledon method. ‘TriX Palomar’ watermelon was grafted onto rootstock ‘Tetsukabuto’ (Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata) in Expt. 1, and onto rootstock ‘Emphasis’ (Lagenaria siceraria) in Expt. 2. The survival of grafted watermelon differed because of experiment (P = 0.0003), antitranspirant treatment (P < 0.0001), and experimental repeat (P < 0.0001). The survival of ‘TriX Palomar’ grafted onto ‘Tetsukabuto’ was greatest for plants treated with the stomata-coating + stomata-closing antitranspirants (92% to 100%), followed by the stomata-closing antitranspirant (79% to 97%), water (72%), and the stomata-coating antitranspirant (50% to 60%). For ‘TriX Palomar’ grafted onto ‘Emphasis’, plants treated with the stomata-closing antitranspirant had the greatest survival (87% to 97%), followed by stomata-coating + stomata-closing antitranspirants (84% to 94%), the stomata-coating antitranspirant (50% to 67%), and water (53% to 68%). In Expt. 3, stomatal conductance (gS) was similar for both ‘TriX Palomar’ and ‘Emphasis’ seedlings before treatment application, but differed because of the treatments 1 and 2 days after application. Stomatal conductance did not change for ‘TriX Palomar’ seedlings after application of the stomata-coating antitranspirant or water, or for ‘Emphasis’ seedlings after application of the stomata-coating antitranspirant. Stomatal conductance of ‘TriX Palomar’ seedlings decreased 57% to 62% after application of the stomata-closing antitranspirant and decreased 48% to 60% after application of the stomata-coating + stomata-closing antitranspirants. Stomatal conductance for ‘Emphasis’ seedlings increased 37% after water application, and decreased 58% to 68% after application of the stomata-closing antitranspirant, and decreased 42% to 45% after application of the stomata-coating + stomata-closing antitranspirants. The survival rate of grafted ‘TriX Palomar’ transplants was increased nearly 30% by application 1 day before grafting of the commercial stomata-closing antitranspirant or stomata-coating + stomata-closing antitranspirants in this study. Increase in grafting success is likely due to a reduction in transpiration that occurs when the stomata-closing antitranspirant is applied to the seedlings before grafting.
Sahar Dabirian; Carol A. Miles. Antitranspirant Application Increases Grafting Success of Watermelon. HortTechnology 2017, 27, 494 -501.
AMA StyleSahar Dabirian, Carol A. Miles. Antitranspirant Application Increases Grafting Success of Watermelon. HortTechnology. 2017; 27 (4):494-501.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSahar Dabirian; Carol A. Miles. 2017. "Antitranspirant Application Increases Grafting Success of Watermelon." HortTechnology 27, no. 4: 494-501.
Little information exists on the bloom and fruit characteristics of cider apple (Malus ×domestica) cultivars grown in the United States for the juice and alcoholic beverage markets. In this study, a total of 17 cider apple cultivars, including 4 American, 9 English, and 4 French, plus 1 Danish standard dessert apple cultivar (Red Gravenstein, Worthen strain) commonly used for cider, all grown in northwest Washington, were evaluated from 2000 to 2015 for commercially relevant traits. Trees were rated each year and the cultivars were categorized accordingly by relative bloom time, bloom habit, and productivity. The mean full bloom (FB) date of the 18 apple cultivars evaluated ranged from 25 Apr. to 25 May, with 6 cultivars categorized as early season bloomers, 9 as midseason, and 3 as late season. The mean bloom density (BD) rating (measured on a scale of 1–5) for all cultivars was (mean ± sd) 3.8 ± 0.6 (moderate bloom), with the bloom habit of 1 cultivar categorized as biennial, 11 as consistent, and 6 as strongly consistent. The mean productivity rating (measured on a scale of 1–5) for all cultivars was 2.9 ± 0.6 (light fruiting), with the productivity of 4 cultivars categorized as biennial, 10 as consistent, and 4 as strongly consistent. The mean fruit diameter of the 18 apple cultivars was 2.7 ± 0.4 inches (medium sized), with the fruit size of 2 cultivars categorized as small-fruited, 15 as medium-fruited, and 1 as large-fruited. For the 18 cultivars, the mean tannin and titratable acidity (TA) were 0.20% ± 0.14% and 0.54% ± 0.28%, respectively, and using the English cider apple classification system of juice type, 4 of the cultivars were classified as bittersweet, 1 as bittersharp, 3 as sweet, and 10 as sharp. Three of the cultivars had tannin content lower than what was historically recorded at the Long Ashton Research Station (LARS) in Bristol, England, for those same cultivars. The mean specific gravity (SG) of the 18 cultivars was 1.052 ± 0.007, the average predicted alcohol by volume (ABV) was 6.9% ± 0.9%, and the mean pH was 3.68 ± 0.39. Classification of three cultivars in northwest Washington, based on juice characteristics, differed from their historical classification in England, likely because of differences in climate and management. Only cultivars Golden Russet (sharp), Grimes Golden (sharp), and Yarlington Mill (sweet, but borderline bittersweet) were strongly consistent in productivity, but none produced high levels of tannin, whereas only cultivars Bramtot (bittersweet), Chisel Jersey (bittersweet), and Breakwell Seedling (bittersharp) were consistent in productivity and produced high levels of tannin.
Carol A. Miles; Jacqueline King; Travis Alexander; Edward Scheenstra. Evaluation of Flower, Fruit, and Juice Characteristics of a Multinational Collection of Cider Apple Cultivars Grown in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. HortTechnology 2017, 27, 431 -439.
AMA StyleCarol A. Miles, Jacqueline King, Travis Alexander, Edward Scheenstra. Evaluation of Flower, Fruit, and Juice Characteristics of a Multinational Collection of Cider Apple Cultivars Grown in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. HortTechnology. 2017; 27 (3):431-439.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarol A. Miles; Jacqueline King; Travis Alexander; Edward Scheenstra. 2017. "Evaluation of Flower, Fruit, and Juice Characteristics of a Multinational Collection of Cider Apple Cultivars Grown in the U.S. Pacific Northwest." HortTechnology 27, no. 3: 431-439.
Rootstock regrowth can prevent effective healing of grafted vegetable seedlings and outcompete the scion for light, space, and nutrients later in production. Rootstock regrowth is especially problematic for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) because the crop is most commonly grafted using methods where meristematic tissue remains on the rootstock. The objective of this study was to test whether sucrose solutions [0% (water control), 1%, 2%, and 3%] applied as a drench to rootstock seedlings before grafting would increase the survival of watermelon grafted using the splice method where both rootstock cotyledons were removed to eliminate meristem tissue and rootstock regrowth. Starch accumulation in rootstock seedlings was the highest for plants that received 3% sucrose solution (71%), followed by plants that received 2% sucrose solution (52%), 1% sucrose solution (29%), and water (6%) (P < 0.0001). Survival (%) of splice-grafted watermelon seedlings 21 days after grafting was the greatest for plants that received 2% and 3% sucrose solution (89% and 82%, respectively), followed by plants that received 1% sucrose solution (78%), and was the lowest for plants that received water (58%) (P < 0.0001). There was a significant interaction due to repeat for both starch accumulation and grafted transplant survival; however, environmental conditions were similar for both repeats: the daily average temperature was 23 °C, the relative humidity (RH) was 64% to 67%, and the daily average light intensity was 224–243 µmol·m−2·s−1. Furthermore, while the vapor pressure deficit from 1:00 to 6:00 pm was 2.49 kPa for repeat 1 and 1.42 kPa for repeat 2, plant survival was greater in repeat 1 than repeat 2. These results indicate that drench applications of sucrose solution to rootstock seedlings before grafting can increase grafting success when both cotyledons are removed from the rootstock before grafting, but further research is needed to optimize the environmental conditions for the survival of grafted plants.
Sahar Dabirian; Carol A. Miles. Increasing Survival of Splice-grafted Watermelon Seedlings Using a Sucrose Application. HortScience 2017, 52, 579 -583.
AMA StyleSahar Dabirian, Carol A. Miles. Increasing Survival of Splice-grafted Watermelon Seedlings Using a Sucrose Application. HortScience. 2017; 52 (4):579-583.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSahar Dabirian; Carol A. Miles. 2017. "Increasing Survival of Splice-grafted Watermelon Seedlings Using a Sucrose Application." HortScience 52, no. 4: 579-583.
Verticillium wilt, caused by the soilborne fungus Verticillium dahliae, is a significant disease affecting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) production in Washington State. This field study at three locations in Washington in 2015 compared verticillium wilt susceptibility, fruit yield and quality of nongrafted watermelon, and grafted plants grown with black plastic and clear plastic mulch. Overall for grafting treatments, area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) values were higher for nongrafted ‘TriX Palomar’ (765) than for ‘TriX Palomar’ grafted onto ‘Super Shintosa’ (132), ‘Tetsukabuto’ (178), or ‘Just’ (187). Overall for mulch, the AUDPC value was higher for plants grown with black plastic mulch (385) than for plants grown with clear plastic mulch (237). Overall for location, the AUDPC value was lowest at Eltopia (84), intermediate at Othello (182), and highest at Mount Vernon (680). At season end, more Verticillium microsclerotia were present in stems of nongrafted ‘TriX Palomar’ than in grafted treatment stems at Eltopia and Mount Vernon, but not at Othello. Differences in microsclerotia presence occurred only in the top or scion portion of the stem, but not in the graft union, rootstock, or crown portions of the stem. There was no difference due to mulch in regard to Verticillium microsclerotia detected in stem assays. After harvest, V. dahliae soil density under black plastic mulch increased 6-fold at Eltopia, 4.7-fold at Othello, and 1.9-fold at Mount Vernon. In contrast, V. dahiae soil density under clear plastic mulch was nearly identical to the level at planting at each location (−1) than at Eltopia or Othello (38.58 and 36.54 μg·g−1). The results of this study indicate that although verticillium wilt symptoms were visible in watermelon plants when V. dahliae level was V. dahliae soil density was >50 cfu/g of soil, yield was greater for grafted plants and for plants grown with clear plastic mulch.
Sahar Dabirian; Debra Inglis; Carol A. Miles. Grafting Watermelon and Using Plastic Mulch to Control Verticillium Wilt Caused by Verticillium dahliae in Washington. HortScience 2017, 52, 349 -356.
AMA StyleSahar Dabirian, Debra Inglis, Carol A. Miles. Grafting Watermelon and Using Plastic Mulch to Control Verticillium Wilt Caused by Verticillium dahliae in Washington. HortScience. 2017; 52 (3):349-356.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSahar Dabirian; Debra Inglis; Carol A. Miles. 2017. "Grafting Watermelon and Using Plastic Mulch to Control Verticillium Wilt Caused by Verticillium dahliae in Washington." HortScience 52, no. 3: 349-356.
Biodegradable plastic mulch has the potential to be a sustainable technology in agricultural production systems if the mulch performs equally to polyethylene (PE) mulch and biodegrades completely into constituents that do not harm the soil ecology or environment. Reduced labor costs for removal and disposal, and reduced landfill waste add further appeal to the sustainability of biodegradable plastic mulch. Biodegradable paper mulch has been allowed in certified organic production systems in the United States for many years, while the National Organic Program (NOP) added biodegradable biobased plastic mulch to the list of allowed synthetic substances for organic crop production in Oct. 2014. Although biodegradable plastic mulch may meet the NOP biodegradability requirements (90% biodegradation within 2 years), currently no products have been approved for use in certified organic production because, so far, none meet the requirement of being completely biobased. Additionally, while the synthetic manufacturing processes that are used to make biodegradable plastic mulch are allowed by the NOP, the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the feedstocks, including their fermentation, is not allowed. Organic growers are advised always to check with their certifier before applying a product as some biodegradable mulch manufacturers and marketers erroneously advertise their product as “organic.” Looking forward, if biodegradable plastic mulch meets the NOP requirement of 90% biodegradation after 2 years, there is a possibility that 10% of plastic mulch residuals will persist (if the mulch contains nonbiodegradable ingredients); in this case, after 8 years of annual biodegradable mulch application, plastic residuals in the soil would exceed twice the amount of mulch applied per year. The current methods used by the NOP to test mulch biodegradation are laboratory based and it is uncertain if the results accurately represent field conditions. Reliable field sampling methods to measure residual mulch fragments in the soil need to be developed; however, it is unlikely such field tests will measure CO2 evolution, and thus will not be a true measure of biodegradation. Additional testing is needed under diverse field conditions to accurately quantify the rate and extent of biodegradation of mulch products that are marketed as biodegradable.
Carol Miles; Lisa Devetter; Shuresh Ghimire; Douglas Hayes. Suitability of Biodegradable Plastic Mulches for Organic and Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems. HortScience 2017, 52, 10 -15.
AMA StyleCarol Miles, Lisa Devetter, Shuresh Ghimire, Douglas Hayes. Suitability of Biodegradable Plastic Mulches for Organic and Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems. HortScience. 2017; 52 (1):10-15.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarol Miles; Lisa Devetter; Shuresh Ghimire; Douglas Hayes. 2017. "Suitability of Biodegradable Plastic Mulches for Organic and Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems." HortScience 52, no. 1: 10-15.
We conducted a blind tasting sensory evaluation experiment and a chemical analysis of four craft hard apple ciders from the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Using the sensory and demographic data collected during the experiment, we estimated the consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP), using a contingent valuation model. Overall liking, taste, and aroma, from the sensory evaluation, as well as age of the sampler and if the sampler was a cider drinker, contributed positively to the WTP. In contrast, if the subject was a beer drinker this reduced their WTP. From the chemical analysis we found that tannin level had a positive effect on WTP, but an increased level of sweetness, as part of a ratio of specific gravity to acid, decreased consumer WTP. (JEL Classifications: C91, D12, L66, Q13)
Peter R. Tozer; Suzette P. Galinato; Carolyn F. Ross; Carol A. Miles; Jill J. McCluskey. Sensory Analysis and Willingness to Pay for Craft Cider. Journal of Wine Economics 2015, 10, 314 -328.
AMA StylePeter R. Tozer, Suzette P. Galinato, Carolyn F. Ross, Carol A. Miles, Jill J. McCluskey. Sensory Analysis and Willingness to Pay for Craft Cider. Journal of Wine Economics. 2015; 10 (3):314-328.
Chicago/Turabian StylePeter R. Tozer; Suzette P. Galinato; Carolyn F. Ross; Carol A. Miles; Jill J. McCluskey. 2015. "Sensory Analysis and Willingness to Pay for Craft Cider." Journal of Wine Economics 10, no. 3: 314-328.
Grafting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) onto resistant rootstocks is used in many areas of the world to overcome soilborne disease losses including verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb. Currently, this disease poses a serious risk to watermelon growers in Washington State. To identify resistant rootstocks, the verticillium wilt reactions (chlorosis, necrosis, and wilting) of 14 nongrafted PI accessions including Benincasa hispida Thunb., Cucurbita moschata Duchesne ex Poir., and Lagenaria siceraria Molina Standl. from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Plant Germplasm System (USDA NPGS); 11 nongrafted commercially available rootstocks; and, nongrafted ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelon (verticillium wilt–susceptible control) were visually assessed in a field naturally infested with V. dahliae at a rate of 17 colony-forming units (cfu) per gram of soil. Typical symptoms of verticillium wilt were observed on all entries. ‘Sugar Baby’ had the highest relative area under disease progress curve (RAUDPC) value (26.80), which was not significantly different from ‘64-19 RZ’, ‘Marvel’, PI 368638, PI 634982, and PI 642045 (average = 10.16). PI 419060 (1.46) had the lowest RAUDPC value, which was not significantly different from ‘Miniature Bottle Gourd’, PI 326320, PI 419016, PI 536494, PI 636137, ‘Strong Tosa’, ‘Strongtosa’, and ‘TZ 148’ (average = 3.36). The mean RAUDPC value of PI accessions (5.49) did not differ significantly from the mean value of the commercial rootstocks (5.68). Microsclerotia typical of Verticillium spp. were observed in the stems of all but one entry (PI 181913). In a greenhouse study, a subset of 12 entries were inoculated with V. dahliae, and by 22 days after inoculation (DAI), ‘Sugar Baby’ had a significantly higher disease rating than all entries except PI 419060, PI 438548, and ‘Titan’. A strong positive correlation was observed between the field and greenhouse studies. Results indicate that commercial rootstocks as well as PI accessions could be used to successfully manage verticillium wilt in Washington; however, grafting compatibility with watermelon must first be ascertained for the promising PI accessions. Although greenhouse-based verticillium wilt assays can be used to help predict rootstock performance in the field, accurate assessment may require manipulating environmental conditions (e.g., temperature and humidity) to approximate field conditions.
Jesse Wimer; Debra Inglis; Carol Miles. Field and Greenhouse Evaluations of Cucurbit Rootstocks to Improve Verticillium Resistance for Grafted Watermelon. HortScience 2015, 50, 1625 -1630.
AMA StyleJesse Wimer, Debra Inglis, Carol Miles. Field and Greenhouse Evaluations of Cucurbit Rootstocks to Improve Verticillium Resistance for Grafted Watermelon. HortScience. 2015; 50 (11):1625-1630.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJesse Wimer; Debra Inglis; Carol Miles. 2015. "Field and Greenhouse Evaluations of Cucurbit Rootstocks to Improve Verticillium Resistance for Grafted Watermelon." HortScience 50, no. 11: 1625-1630.
This two-year study compared nine northwest Washington dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) heirloom (H) varieties with 11 standard (S) commercial varieties in matching market classes using organic, non-irrigated production practices. Heirloom and standard varieties differed in days to harvest (DTH) (110 DTH and 113 DTH, respectively), while both days to harvest (113 DTH and 110 DTH) and yield (2268 kg∙ha−1 and 1625 kg∙ha−1) were greater in 2013 than in 2014. Varieties with the shortest DTH both years were “Bale” (H), “Coco” (H), “Decker” (H), “Ireland Creek Annie” (H and S), “Kring” (H) and “Rockwell” (H). Varieties that had the highest yield both years were “Eclipse” (S), “Lariat” (S) and “Youngquist Brown” (H). Only “Eclipse” (S) had the shortest cooking time both years, while “Rockwell” (H), “Silver Cloud” (S) and “Soldier” (S) had short cooking times in 2013, and “Orca” (S) and “Youngquist Brown” (H) had short cooking time in 2014. Varieties with the highest protein content both years were “Calypso” (S), “Coco” (S) and “Silver Cloud” (S). Further research should investigate yield of early maturing standard varieties, with a focus on color-patterned beans that are attractive for local markets.
Carol Miles; Kelly Ann Atterberry; Brook Brouwer. Performance of Northwest Washington Heirloom Dry Bean Varieties in Organic Production. Agronomy 2015, 5, 491 -505.
AMA StyleCarol Miles, Kelly Ann Atterberry, Brook Brouwer. Performance of Northwest Washington Heirloom Dry Bean Varieties in Organic Production. Agronomy. 2015; 5 (4):491-505.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarol Miles; Kelly Ann Atterberry; Brook Brouwer. 2015. "Performance of Northwest Washington Heirloom Dry Bean Varieties in Organic Production." Agronomy 5, no. 4: 491-505.
Baby-leaf salad green crops such as lettuce (Lactuca sativa), kale (Brassica oleracea), arugula (Eruca sativa), and mustard greens (Brassica juncea) thrive in the cool, humid climate of the maritime Pacific Northwest, particularly in the extended spring and fall seasons. To identify cultivars best suited for extended-season production in northwest Washington, nine leafy green cultivars were grown at two locations in the spring and fall seasons for 2 years. A high level of variability in crop performance was observed between seasons, locations, years, planting dates, and cultivars, indicating low-yield stability in baby-leaf salad crops across diverse environments and conditions. Overall, cultivars had a higher marketable weight in the spring than in the fall. Marketable weight was higher in Spring 2013 than in Spring 2014, and was higher in Fall 2013 than in Fall 2012. Days to harvest (DTH) were shorter in the spring than in the fall both years, and in both seasons DTH varied by ≈1 week between the two trial locations. Fresh weed biomass was almost 5.5 times higher in spring than in fall both years. Overall, pak choi ‘Joi Choi’ and mustard ‘Komatsuna’ had the highest marketable weight, lowest DTH, and lowest weed biomass across the widest range of environments and conditions, while beet ‘Bull’s Blood’ had the lowest marketable weight, relatively long DTH and highest weed biomass. These results suggest that baby-leaf salad crop cultivar selection differs for spring and fall seasons, and production can be highly variable between years and locations. Further, results suggest that growers should plant a diversity of crop cultivars each season to protect from crop loss and to achieve overall yield stability.
Charlene M. Grahn; Chris Benedict; Tom Thornton; Carol Miles. Production of Baby-leaf Salad Greens in the Spring and Fall Seasons of Northwest Washington. HortScience 2015, 50, 1467 -1471.
AMA StyleCharlene M. Grahn, Chris Benedict, Tom Thornton, Carol Miles. Production of Baby-leaf Salad Greens in the Spring and Fall Seasons of Northwest Washington. HortScience. 2015; 50 (10):1467-1471.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCharlene M. Grahn; Chris Benedict; Tom Thornton; Carol Miles. 2015. "Production of Baby-leaf Salad Greens in the Spring and Fall Seasons of Northwest Washington." HortScience 50, no. 10: 1467-1471.