The effects of day and night temperatures (15 to 35C) and three irradiance levels [50% of ambient, ambient, and ambient plus 12 mol·m-2·day-1 of supplemental photosynthetic photon flux (PPF)] on development of Catharanthus roseus `Grape Cooler' were determined. Time to flower decreased by 30 days and leaf-pair unfolding rate (LUR) increased linearly as average daily temperature increased from 18 to 35C. Flower size was greatest when plants were grown at 25C. Supplemental light decreased days to flower and increased flower size. Flowering occurred when nine leaf pairs were present on the plant. Using the inverse of the LUR curve, i.e., days per leaf pair, the number of days to flower could be predicted at any time during plant development based on plant leaf number.

No abstract

Diplodia corticola is a fungal pathogen causing oak dieback in Quercus (oak) spp. in parts of North America, northern Africa, and Europe (Ferreira et al., 2021; Smahi et al., 2017; Tsopelas et al., 2018). In August 2021, a single mature white oak (Q. alba) exhibiting wilt symptoms, vascular discoloration, and interveinal chlorosis was observed in Cove Lake State Park in Campbell County, Tennessee, U.S.A. Small sections of phloem tissues were cut from the margins of discolored vasculature of a single wilt symptomatic branch with a sterile scalpel and surface sterilized following Parra et al. (2020). Surface sterilized wood chips were plated onto potato dextrose agar amended with antibiotics (PDA++) following Gazis et al. (2018). Three days after plating, we recovered a single fungal isolate from wood chips that when grown in ½ PDA resembled D. corticola, having irregular margins and white aerial mycelia that progressively turned greyish-black 15 days after sub-culturing (Alves et al., 2004). Total genomic DNA was extracted from the isolate following Gazis et al. (2018). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) was then amplified using the ITS1 and ITS4 primers and the subsequent PCR product was sequenced. Resulting reads were assembled into a consensus sequence and identity was assigned using BLAST on the NCBI nucleotide database. The assembled sequence (accession OM716006) had a 100% identity match with D. corticola type culture CBS 112549 (accession NR_111152). To complete Koch’s postulates and identify potential host range, 5 red oaks (Q. rubra; 2-3 yrs old; caliper 14.7 ± 2 mm) and 5 white oaks (Q. alba; 2-3 yrs old; caliper 22.8 ± 2.3 mm) were inoculated with D. corticola (isolate DC_2.5). Trees were inoculated 15 cm above the soil line in a greenhouse with a 3 mm diameter plug of a 10-day old culture of D. corticola grown on PDA following Sitz et al. (2017). As a negative control, 5 red and 5 white oaks were inoculated with a 3 mm diameter plug of PDA. For each species, trees were sampled when seepage was observed from D. corticola inoculated sites (15 days post-inoculation for red and white oaks). At time of sampling, bark adjacent to inoculation sites on each tree was removed and cankers were photographed. Using a sterile scalpel, four wood chips were cut from canker margins and placed onto PDA++. For all trees, canker areas were measured using ImageJ software (Rasband, 2012). Recovered isolate identities were confirmed by extracting total genomic DNA as described above (Gazis et al. 2018) and PCR amplification of the ITS, large ribosomal subunit (LSU), and elongation factor 1-α (ef1-α) following (Ferreira et al., 2021). Diplodia corticola was reisolated from wood chips of D. corticola inoculated red (5/5 trees) and white (5/5 trees) oaks and ITS (accession OM716954), LSU (accession OM716955), and ef1-α (accession OM752198) sequences matched D. corticola type culture 112549 ITS (100% identity), LSU (99.76%-100% identity; accession KF766323), and ef1-α (98%-98.9% identity; accession XM_020275852). All D. corticola inoculated trees exhibited seepage from inoculation sites with streaking present in vasculature. Cankers were significantly larger in D. corticola inoculated red (2.34 ± 1.36 cm; P=0.042) and white (2.96 ± 0.52 cm; P=0.00029) oaks compared to agar inoculated trees. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of D. corticola causing decline of oaks in Tennessee.

High levels of variability were observed in tissue cultured Gaura lindheimeri genotypes when flowered in situ. Tissue culture treatments for chromosome doubling (colchicine: 0, 0.25, 1.25 mM; trifluralin: 0, 15, 30 mM) were all highly variable for morphological traits. Experiment No. 1 tested the tissue culture protocols used. In the first control (C1), plantlets were subcultured continuously. Nodes were excised and placed on solid medium for the second control (C2). In the third control (C3), nodes were excised and put in liquid medium for 24 h at room temperature. The fourth control (C4) was the same as the third control except liquid cultures were moved to 48C for 48 h after treatment at room temperature. Experiment No. 2 examined the stability of the variation. Representative plants with different traits were selected for clonal propagation and grown in a replicated trial in the greenhouse. Several morphological traits (flower size, leaf length:width ratios, petal length:width ratios, and flower color) were measured. All of the controls had as much variability as the treated plants. Flower size of the first flower for plant number 01G-02 was significantly different in C1 compared with C3, but not with C2 and C4. Plant number 443-1 (white) was more stable in the replicated trial for the flower size than plant number 01G-02 (pink). All traits measured for plant number 01G-02 were unstable; most flower colors and patterns reverted back to the original color of the non-tissue cultured plants. The somaclonal variation observed was epigenetic in nature, indicating changes in DNA methylation.

Hydrangea macrophylla exhibiting blue sepals (versus purple or pink) have improved marketability; however, little research has been conducted to evaluate aluminum (Al), the element responsible for bluing, on crop growth, effectiveness of bluing sepals, and characteristics of flower clusters in an outdoor nursery. This study compared substrate Al availability, crop growth, flower color, number, and size over a 56-week period in two locations. A polymer coated (90-day release) or ground aluminum sulfate [Al2(SO4)3; water soluble] was either incorporated into a non-limed pine bark substrate, applied to the surface of the substrate as a top dress, or as a routinely applied Al2(SO4)3 drench (low concn.) or applied once (high concn.). In general, application of Al increased plant foliar Al concentration, but also decreased substrate pore-water pH and increased electrical conductivity (EC) with varying effects based on the applied product’s solubility and subsequent longevity. Aluminum sulfate increased the potential of Al phytotoxicity negatively affecting root morphology and creating an undesirable rhizosphere electrochemistry due to the pH being continually acidic, <4, and the EC being temporarily increased to >1.5 mS·cm−1. These suboptimal rhizosphere conditions resulted in a lower quality or smaller plant. No plants exhibited clear, deep blue flower cluster sought by consumers. Neither the effect of pore water pH or EC could, alone or in combination, account for the lack of plant vigor or blue flower clusters when substrate and foliar Al concentrations were adequate in flowering H. macrophylla. More research is needed to investigate the effect of pore-water electrochemical properties, possible mineral nutrient co-factors that provide Al synergisms or toxicity protections, and holistic plant health on ensuring blue coloration of a vigorous H. macrophylla.