Evaluation of American (Sambucus canadensis) and European (S. nigra) elderberry genotypes grown in diverse environments and implications for cultivar development

American (Sambucus canadensis L.) elderberry genotypes were evaluated at multiple locations, whereas European (S. nigra L.) elderberry genotypes were evaluated at a single location to assess genotypic differences and, for genotypes evaluated at multiple locations, to determine genotype x environment interactions (G x E). Seventeen S. canadensis genotypes were planted in replicated trials at Missouri State University (Mountain Grove, MO) and at the University of Missouri (Mt. Vernon, MO) or at the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service in Oregon (Corvallis). \u27Johns\u27, \u27Netzer\u27, \u27Adams II\u27, and \u27Gordon B\u27 were in common at all locations. In addition, three genotypes of S. nigra, which are not winter-hardy in Missouri, were planted in Oregon. All plants were established in 2003 and evaluated in 2004, 2005, and, for some traits, in 2006. Plants were evaluated for phenology (e.g., dates of budbreak, first flowering, full flowering, and first ripening), vegetative growth (e.g., number of shoots and plant height), yield components (e.g., total yield, number of cymes, cyme weight, and berry weight), and for pest incidence (e.g., eriophyid mites). For the genotypes in common to all locations, there were significant differences resulting from genotype, location, year, and the interactions for various traits. Although the trend was for Corvallis to have the highest and Mt. Vernon the lowest yield, there was no significant location effect. The significant genotype x environment interaction appeared to be primarily the result of the differential performance of \u27Johns\u27, which was generally high-yielding in Corvallis and low-yielding at both Missouri locations. The significant G x E suggests that as the Missouri institutions develop new cultivars, it will be important to test them individually at other locations and not rely on their relative performance compared with standards in Missouri. For the genotypes in common to the two Missouri sites, there was significant variation for many traits. Although there were no differences among genotypes for yield across the locations, there was a significant G x E. Although there were some small changes in performance among the sites for yield, the most dramatic changes were for \u27Wyldewood 1\u27 that was the second highest yielding genotype at Mountain Grove and the second worst at Mt. Vernon. Plant growth in Oregon was 40% and 60% greater than at Mountain Grove and Mt. Vernon, respectively, when the plants were first measured. In Oregon, the two Sambucus species behaved differently. Phenologically, although the S. nigra genotypes flowered ≈3 weeks earlier than the S. canadensis genotypes, they ripened at the same time, thereby shortening their exposure to potential biotic and abiotic stress. \u27Johns\u27, \u27York\u27, \u27Golden\u27, and \u27Gordon B\u27 were the highest yielding S. canadensis genotypes and \u27Korsør\u27 the highest of the S. nigra genotypes. Although \u27Korser\u27 is considered high-yielding in Denmark, it did not yield as well as the highest yielding S. canadensis cultivars

Total phenolics and antioxidant activity of jujube (Zizyphus jujube Mill.) genotypes selected from Turkey

We determined the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of methanol extracts from fifteen selected jujube genotypes endogenous to the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Total phenolic content of the fruits was analyzed by Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method, while the total antioxidant activity was analyzed using the -carotene bleaching, ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenil-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) assays. The highest total phenolic content was observed in MHS 6 and MHS 7 genotypes (42 and 40 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) g -1 dry weight (DW)), while the lowest content was found in MHS 5 and MHS 14 (28 and 25 mg GAE g -1 DW). MHS 13 was among the genotypes with the highest antioxidant capacity in all three methods tested (1237 µmol g -1 in FRAP, 83% in -carotene bleaching method and 99% in DPPH). The present study demonstrates the potential value of jujube genotypes for pharmaceuticals and nutrition

Contribution to the knowledge of genome size evolution in edible blueberries (genus Vaccinium)

BACKGROUND: Vaccinium is one of the largest genera (ca. 500 species) of Ericaceae, well known for its edible and ornamental uses. Although there is certain karyological knowledge, information about genome size (GS) is scarce in the genus. OBJECTIVE: The main goal is providing GS data for several Vaccinium species with prevalence in Europe and Western Asia and analysing global GS variation in the genus, considering available data and phylogenetic context. METHODS: New GS assessments were obtained by flow cytometry and chromosome counts were verified. Phylogenetic analyses (using nuclear ITS, and chloroplastic matK and ndhF) were performed by Bayesian inference and reconstruction of ancestral GS by maximum parsimony. RESULTS: We obtained GS data for five Vaccinium species (13 populations). Three species are reported for the first time. Values (2C) ranged between 1.16-1.47 pg at the diploid (2n = 24) and between 3.13-3.16 pg at the tetraploid (2n = 48) levels. The five species here investigated have been placed and analysed in a reconstructed phylogenetic background (including 68 taxa). CONCLUSIONS: GS values of Vaccinium can be considered "very small". The preliminary reconstruction of ancestral GS would point to a reduction in Vaccinium, although more data is needed to establish global GS evolutionary trend in the genus

Revisiting weighted-rankit method by a hypothetical data set

Bitki gen kaynaklarının morfolojik karekterizasyonu ve değişik bölgeler için çeşit adaptasyonları Türkiye’deki bahçe bitkileri araştırmalarının önemli bir kısmını oluşturmaktadır. Her iki alan da değişik önem seviyelerinde birçok bahçe bitkileri özelliğinin çok sayıda genotip için değerlendirmesini gerektirmektedir. Bu tip denemelerde sıklıkla tartılı derecelendirme yöntemi bir istatistiksel yöntem olarak kullanılmaktadır. Tartılı derecelendirme ile ilgili yapılan kaynak taramasında, halen uygulanmakta olan yöntemin bahçe bitkileri araştırmaları için ilk olarak önerilen yöntemden önemli ölçüde farklı olduğu görülmüştür. Bu çalışmada, yapay bir veri dosyası kullanarak, orijinal yöntemle Türkiye’deki çalışmalarda kullanılan tartılı derecelendirme yönteminin aynı veri seti için değişik sonuçlar verebileceğini gösterdik. Önem testi içermeyen mevcut yöntem, test edilen genotiplerin toplam puanları arasında, istatistiksel olarak önemli olup olmadığı belirlenememektedir. Ancak bu yöntemdeki hiçbir sonuç istatistiksel olarak desteklenmemektedir. Bu yüzden bahçe bitkilerindeki çok-değişken içeren araştırmalarda ya “asıl” tartılı derecelendirme yönteminin titizlikle takip edilmesini ya da diğer çok-değişkenli analiz yöntemlerinin kullanılmasını önerilmektedir.Morphological characterization of plant genetic resources and variety trials in various ecological regions are important parts of horticultural research in Turkey. Both topics require evaluation of many horticultural traits with different weights for a large number of genotypes. Weighted-rankit (WR) method is a tool commonly used in statistical analyses of these experiments. Our survey on the WR indicated that the common interpretation of the method significantly deviates from the original method suggested for horticultural research in the literature. In this study, using a hypothetical data set, we demonstrated that interpretations as made in both Turkish and original horticultural research may suggest different conclusions for the same data set. Not having a significance test, the current version of interpretations commonly found in horticultural studies in Turkey may be erroneous as it recovers variability among the total scores of the entities tested without considerations of whether or not those are statistically different. However, in this method, conclusions would not be supported by a valid statistical test. Therefore, we suggest either strictly following the “original“ WR method or using other valid multivariate methods for analyzing multi-traits studies in horticultural research

Revisiting weighted-rankit method by a hypothetical data set

Bitki gen kaynaklarının morfolojik karekterizasyonu ve değişik bölgeler için çeşit adaptasyonları Türkiye’deki bahçe bitkileri araştırmalarının önemli bir kısmını oluşturmaktadır. Her iki alan da değişik önem seviyelerinde birçok bahçe bitkileri özelliğinin çok sayıda genotip için değerlendirmesini gerektirmektedir. Bu tip denemelerde sıklıkla tartılı derecelendirme yöntemi bir istatistiksel yöntem olarak kullanılmaktadır. Tartılı derecelendirme ile ilgili yapılan kaynak taramasında, halen uygulanmakta olan yöntemin bahçe bitkileri araştırmaları için ilk olarak önerilen yöntemden önemli ölçüde farklı olduğu görülmüştür. Bu çalışmada, yapay bir veri dosyası kullanarak, orijinal yöntemle Türkiye’deki çalışmalarda kullanılan tartılı derecelendirme yönteminin aynı veri seti için değişik sonuçlar verebileceğini gösterdik. Önem testi içermeyen mevcut yöntem, test edilen genotiplerin toplam puanları arasında, istatistiksel olarak önemli olup olmadığı belirlenememektedir. Ancak bu yöntemdeki hiçbir sonuç istatistiksel olarak desteklenmemektedir. Bu yüzden bahçe bitkilerindeki çok-değişken içeren araştırmalarda ya “asıl” tartılı derecelendirme yönteminin titizlikle takip edilmesini ya da diğer çok-değişkenli analiz yöntemlerinin kullanılmasını önerilmektedir.Morphological characterization of plant genetic resources and variety trials in various ecological regions are important parts of horticultural research in Turkey. Both topics require evaluation of many horticultural traits with different weights for a large number of genotypes. Weighted-rankit (WR) method is a tool commonly used in statistical analyses of these experiments. Our survey on the WR indicated that the common interpretation of the method significantly deviates from the original method suggested for horticultural research in the literature. In this study, using a hypothetical data set, we demonstrated that interpretations as made in both Turkish and original horticultural research may suggest different conclusions for the same data set. Not having a significance test, the current version of interpretations commonly found in horticultural studies in Turkey may be erroneous as it recovers variability among the total scores of the entities tested without considerations of whether or not those are statistically different. However, in this method, conclusions would not be supported by a valid statistical test. Therefore, we suggest either strictly following the “original” WR method or using other valid multivariate methods for analyzing multi-traits studies in horticultural research

Determination of yield. earliness and quality parameters of some strawberry types on Amik Plain

Bu çalısmada Yalova’da melezleme ıslah sonucu gelistirilen yedi melez çilek tipi (92.1.1, 92.15.1, 92.18.5, 92.35.2, 92.71.2, 92.86.6, 92.100.9) ile bir standart çesit (Sweet Charlie) kullanılmıstır. Deneme kıs dikim yöntemiyle gerçeklestirilmistir. En yüksek verim 92.1.1 no’lu tipten (1. yıl 126.71 g/bitki, 2.yıl 418.30 g/bitki) alınmıstır. Erkencilik, meyve iriligi ve 1. kalite meyve oranı yönünden de 92.1.1 no’lu tip en iyi sonucu vermistir. 92.15.1 no’lu tip en sert etli meyveleri verirken, 92.1.1 ve 92.35.2 no’lu tipler en yumusak meyveleri vermistir. En yüksek SÇKM Sweet Charlie çesidi ile 92.100.9 no’lu tipte saptanmıstır. Meyve dıs rengi bakımından 92.35.2 no’lu tip en açık, 92.1.1 no’lu tip en koyu renkli meyvelere sahip olmustur.Seven strawberry types from Yalova’s hybridization breeding program (92.1.1, 92.15.1, 92.18.5, 92.35.2, 92.71.2, 92.86.6, 92.100.9) and a standard cultivar, Sweet Charlie was tested in this study. The experiment was established as winter planting system. The highest yield was recovered from type 92.1.1 (126.71 g/plant and 418.30 g/plant for the first and second year of the experiment, respectively). When the overall performance was considered in terms of earliness, fruit size and first-quality fruit rate, the best results were also obtained from 92.1.1 type. While 92.15.1 type gave the firmest berries, the softest berries were harvested from the types 92.1.1 and 92.35.2. The highest soluble solids content was obtained from Sweet Charlie and 92.100.9. For the fruit skin color, 92.35.2 and 92.1.1 types had the lightest and darkest colors, respectively

Reletionship between photoperiod and flowering in strawberries (Fragaria)

Çilekler fotoperiyot isteklerine göre kısa gün, uzun gün ve gün-nötr çilekleri olarak sınıflandırılırlar. Günümüz modern çilek çeşitlerinin çoğu kısa gün çeşitleridir. Ancak derim periyodunu uzatmadaki önemleri nedeniyle son yıllarda gün-nötr çeşitlerinin de ticari yetiştiricilikte kullanımı artmaya başlamıştır. Kültür çileklerinin karmaşık çiçeklenme karakterleri bunların çiçeklenme fizyolojisinin öğrenilmesini geciktirmiş, bu konu günümüzde bile halen merak edilen ve üzerinde durulan bir konu olmuştur. Kısa, uzun ve gün-nötr çileklerinin çiçeklenme fizyolojilerinin ve buna etki eden faktörlerin iyi bilinmesi bunların yetiştiriciliklerindeki başarıyı artıracak, çilek yetiştiriciliğinin gelişimine katkıda bulunacaktır.Based on photoperiodic requirements for flower induction, strawberries are classified as short-day, long-day and day-neutral. Currently, most cultivated strawberries are short-day cultivars. In recent years, utilization of day-neutral cultivars increased in commercial strawberry growing because of their importance for extending production season length. Complex flowering habits of the cultivated strawberries delayed to obtain knowledge on their flowering physiology. Some aspects of flowering physiology of strawberries still remain unclear. Therefore, even today this subject is being emphasized. Comprehensive knowledge on flowering physiology of short-day, long-day and day-neutral strawberries and factors affecting flowering physiology will increase growing achievement of them and make important contribution to the development of strawberry production

Effect of scale color on the antioxidant capacity of onions

The bulb onion (Allium cepa L.) has been cultivated for thousands of years and used as an important component of human diet. Recent studies suggest that onions can be used to cure, reduce, or prevent some of the health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, antidiabetic, asthma, antibiosis, and prebiotic effects due to its high antioxidant effect. In this Study, we determined the antioxidant capacities of a wide range of onion cultivars: nine commercial cultivars and five advance selections differing in color. The variables tested include bulb size, scale color,, total phenolic (TP), total antioxidant activity determined by both "Ferric reducing ability of plasma" (FRAP) and "Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity" (TEAC). We found that yellow onion had the greatest TP content (3.7 mg GAE/g dw); and, the red group had higher TP mean than the white group (2.2 mg GAE/g dw vs. 1.1 mg GAE/g dw). For the antioxidant capacity measurements, the red group had the greatest means by both methods (15.4 mu mol TE/g dw and 9.3 mu mol TE/g dw for TEAC and FRAP). Yellow onions had higher TEAC (14.7 mu mol TE/g dw vs. 8.7 mu mol TE/g dw) and FRAP values (9.8 mu mol TE/g dw vs. 5.6 mu mol TE/g dw) than white onions. Among the cultivars tested great differences of TP, TEAC and FRAP was observed. The TP content of Me-Tan 88 (8.3 mg GAE/g dw) was two times higher than the yellow group. Yellow color Dayton had the greatest TEAC (20.5 mu mol TE/g dw) and FRAP (123 mu mol TE/g dw) means followed by yellow color Me-Tan 88 (19.4 and 11.4 mu mol TE/g dw). The two antioxidant measurements were found to be highly correlated (0.99) where absolute values of FRAP were about 40% less than those of TEAC. The values of TEAC and FRAP were significantly correlated by TP with similar rs (0.74 and 0.73, respectively). TP, TEAC and FRAP were significantly and positively correlated to Soluble solids (0.41, 0.43, and 0.40, respectively). Our results suggested that the red onions had higher antioxidant activities than yellow and white onions although yellow onions had the richest phenolic contents

Collection and morphological characterization of Legenaria siceraria germplasm form the Mediterranean Region of Turkey

Abstract The landraces of Lagenaria siceraria in Turkey show great diversity for morphologic traits, particularly in fruit size and shape even though Turkey is not centre of genetic diversity for L. siceraria. In Turkey, L. siceraria is used as food, musical instruments and containers, according to the type and shape of their fruits. Its diversityhas been gradually declining over the last 25 years. With the aim of assessing variations in plant, fruit and seed morphology among the L. siceraria landraces, 15 field trips for collection of germplasm to southern parts of Turkey (Mediterranean region) were carried out in the period of 2003–2004. The study also aimed at developing a representativecore collection of the material to guide future studies and uses concerning its existing genetic diversit in Turkey. A total of 182 accessions (fruits and/or seeds) were collected. The seeds from all the sample material were sown in green house conditions at the experimental station of the Faculty of Agriculture of the Mustafa Kemal University inHatay (Antakya), (36 180 2200 N, 36 130 3300 E, 82 m). In the spring of 2004, 162 out of the 182 sown seeds germinated and developed into viable seedlings. These were further transplanted in the field in 10 replicates. The morpho-agronomic characterization was carried out following the international standards for crop descriptors set byBioversity International. The data were subject to both descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis by Principle Component Analysis. The descriptive statistics revealed that the whole collection exhibits a great deal of morphological diversity and that the subset core collection represents most of the variability. The first three principle components, calculated by using six quantitative traits, explained 26%, 21% and 17% (a total of 64%) of the totalvariation. Among the studied accessions, no apparentlydistinct patterns such as geographical origin were detected. This may suggest that the accessions have been introduced to Turkey from multiple locations and/or their diversity had been distributed almost evenly across the Mediterranean region of this country. Based on our results from the morphological characterization, 30 genotypes were selected to develop a subgroup (core) collection in order to represent most of the genetic diversity of all accessions. The work presented here is the first report about morphological characterization of Turkish L. siceraria germplasm