Biostimulants with glycine betaine or kelp extract alleviate heat stress in red raspberry (Rubus idaeus).

Biostimulants are an emerging and innovative class of products that may mitigate the adverse effects of extreme heat, but research on their efficacy in fruit crops is limited. This study addressed this knowledge gap by evaluating the performance of three biostimulants, FRUIT ARMOR™, Optysil®, and KelpXpress™ [active ingredients glycine betaine, silicon, and kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) extract, respectively] applied to three raspberry genotypes exposed to high temperatures (T ≥ 35 °C/day) inside a glasshouse. 'Meeker' consistently maintained high chlorophyll fluorescence (F/F) and photosynthesis under control and biostimulant treatments.

Strategic honey bee hive placement improves honey bee visitation but not pollination in northern highbush blueberry.

Commercial blueberry Vaccinium spp. (Ericales: Ericaceae) production relies on insect-mediated pollination. Pollination is mostly provided by rented honey bees, Apis mellifera L.

Fungicide Sensitivity of Isolates from the Washington Red Raspberry Industry.

is an important pathogen causing Phytophthora root rot of red raspberries worldwide. Management of this disease is partially achieved with fungicides, but efficacy has been low, and growers are concerned about fungicide resistance. To determine whether fungicide resistance is developing, species were isolated from 26 raspberry fields with root rot, identified, and evaluated for sensitivity to four fungicides: mefenoxam, phosphorous acid, oxathiapiprolin, and dimethomorph.

Arbuscular mycorrhizae influence raspberry growth and soil fertility under conventional and organic fertilization.

Introduction: Introducing beneficial soil biota such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to agricultural systems may improve plant performance and soil fertility. However, whether bioinocula species composition affects plant growth and soil fertility, and whether fertilizer source influences AMF colonization have not been well characterized. The objectives of this research were to: (1) assess if AMF bioinocula of different species compositions improve raspberry ( L.

Physical characteristics of soil-biodegradable and nonbiodegradable plastic mulches impact conidial splash dispersal of Botrytis cinerea.

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease of strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) and is a globally important pathogen that causes fruit rot both in the field and after harvest. Commercial strawberry production involves the use of plastic mulches made from non-degradable polyethylene (PE), with weedmat made from woven PE and soil-biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) as emerging mulch technologies that may enhance sustainable production. Little is known regarding how these plastic mulches impact splash dispersal of B.

Microbial Load of Fresh Blueberries Harvested by Different Methods.

Currently, more and more growers are transitioning to the use of over-the-row machine harvesters for harvesting fresh market blueberries. This study assessed the microbial load of fresh blueberries harvested by different methods. Samples ( = 336) of 'Draper' and 'Liberty' northern highbush blueberries, which were harvested using a conventional over-the-row machine harvester, a modified machine harvester prototype, ungloved but sanitized hands, and hands wearing sterile gloves were collected from a blueberry farm near Lynden, WA, in the Pacific Northwest at 9 am, 12 noon, and 3 pm on four different harvest days during the 2019 harvest season.

Leaf Tissue Macronutrient Standards for Northern Highbush Blueberry Grown in Contrasting Environments.

Leaf tissue testing is a useful tool for monitoring nutrient requirements in northern highbush blueberry ( L.; abbreviated as "blueberry") but may require adaptation to specific growing environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate macronutrient concentrations in early-, mid-, and late-season blueberry cultivars grown in two contrasting environments, specifically eastern and western Washington.

Evaluation of real-time nutrient analysis of fertilized raspberry using petiole sap.

The time delay in receiving conventional tissue nutrient analysis results caused red raspberry ( L.) growers to be interested in rapid sap tests to provide real-time results to guide immediate nutrient management practices. However, sap analysis has never been conducted in raspberry.

There and back again; historical perspective and future directions for breeding and research studies.

The genus L. (Ericaceae) contains a wide diversity of culturally and economically important berry crop species. Consumer demand and scientific research in blueberry ( spp.

Micrographic View of Graft Union Formation Between Watermelon Scion and Squash Rootstock.

Grafting has become a common practice for watermelon [ (Thunb.) Matsum & Nakai] production in many parts of the world, due to its efficacy against biotic and abiotic stressors. However, grafting success for watermelon is challenging in part due to the complex anatomy of the cucurbit vascular system.

Honey bee () colony strength and its effects on pollination and yield in highbush blueberries ().

Many pollination studies with honey bees have examined the effect of colony density on crop yield and yet overlook the effect of variation in the population size of these colonies. High colony density in northern highbush blueberry has been met with concerns from beekeepers who feel higher densities will intensify outbreaks of European foulbrood (EFB, , Truper and dé Clari), a honey bee brood disease. The purpose of this study was to confirm the prevalence of EFB in colonies pollinating blueberries and to determine whether field-level variation in the population of adult workers in colonies explained variation in blueberry fruit set and/or yield.

15 years of GDR: New data and functionality in the Genome Database for Rosaceae.

The Genome Database for Rosaceae (GDR, https://www.rosaceae.org) is an integrated web-based community database resource providing access to publicly available genomics, genetics and breeding data and data-mining tools to facilitate basic, translational and applied research in Rosaceae.

Annual and Perennial Alleyway Cover Crops Vary in Their Effects on in Pacific Northwest Red Raspberry ().

Cover crops can provide many benefits to agroecosystems, such as lessening soil erosion and increasing water infiltration. However, cover crop use is not common in established red raspberry () fields in the Pacific Northwest. Raspberry growers are concerned about resource competition between the cover crop and raspberry crop, as well as increasing population densities of the plant-parasitic nematode , which has a wide host range and has been shown to reduce raspberry plant vigor and yield.