Application of a portable infrared instrument for simultaneous analysis of sugars, asparagine and glutamine levels in raw potato tubers.

The level of reducing sugars and asparagine in raw potatoes is critical for potato breeders and the food industry for production of commonly consumed food products including potato chips and French fries. Our objective was to evaluate the use of a portable infrared instrument for the rapid quantitation of major sugars and amino acids in raw potato tubers using single-bounce attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and dial path accessories as an alternative to time-consuming chromatographic techniques. Samples representing a total of 84 experimental and commercial potato varieties harvested in two consecutive growing seasons (2012 and 2013) were used in this study.

Preharvest quarantine treatments of chlorantraniliprole, clothianidin, and imidacloprid-based insecticides for control of Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and other scarab larvae in the root zone of field-grown nursery trees.

Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is an important quarantine pest of nurseries. Nursery plant movement from P. japonica-infested regions is regulated by the U.

Acute toxicity of plant essential oils to scarab larvae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and their analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Larvae of scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are important contaminant and root-herbivore pests of ornamental crops. To develop alternatives to conventional insecticides, 24 plant-based essential oils were tested for their acute toxicity against third instars of the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman, European chafer Rhizotrogus majalis (Razoumowsky), oriental beetle Anomala orientalis (Waterhouse), and northern masked chafer Cyclocephala borealis Arrow. Diluted solutions were topically applied to the thorax, which allowed for calculating LD50 and LD90 values associated with 1 d after treatment.

Comparative efficacy of plant-derived essential oils for managing ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and their corresponding mass spectral characterization.

Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) pose a significant challenge to producers of ornamental nursery stock. Conventional insecticides are commonly used for management purposes, but plant-derived essential oils also may discourage ambrosia beetles from initiating attacks. To identify promising commercially available products, field-based efficacy trials were conducted in Ohio in 2009 and 2010 with the following products: Armorex (Soil Technologies), Cinnacure (Proguard, Inc.

Tomato Analyzer: a useful software application to collect accurate and detailed morphological and colorimetric data from two-dimensional objects.

Measuring fruit morphology and color traits of vegetable and fruit crops in an objective and reproducible way is important for detailed phenotypic analyses of these traits. Tomato Analyzer (TA) is a software program that measures 37 attributes related to two-dimensional shape in a semi-automatic and reproducible manner. Many of these attributes, such as angles at the distal and proximal ends of the fruit and areas of indentation, are difficult to quantify manually.

Field evaluation of essential oils for reducing attraction by the Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Forty-one plant essential oils were tested under field conditions for the ability to reduce the attraction of adult Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), to attractant-baited or nonbaited traps. Treatments applied to a yellow and green Japanese beetle trap included a nonbaited trap, essential oil alone, a Japanese beetle commercial attractant (phenethyl proprionate:eugenol:geraniol, 3:7:3 by volume) (PEG), and an essential oil plus PEG attractant. Eight of the 41 oils reduced attractiveness of the PEG attractant to the Japanese beetle.

Toxicity of botanical formulations to nursery-infesting white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

The toxicity of eight botanically based biopesticides was evaluated against third instars of the scarab larvae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Popillia japonica Newman, Rhizotrogus majalis (Razoumowsky), Anomala orientalis Waterhouse, and Cyclocephala borealis Arrow. Soil dip bioassays were used to obtain concentration-mortality data 7 d after treatment of larvae, leading to the calculation of LC50 and LC90 values. A wide range in LC50 and LC90 values were exhibited among the formulations.

Drench treatments for management of larval Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in field-grown balled and burlapped nursery plants.

Insecticide drenches were applied to postharvest field-grown nursery plants harvested as 60-cm-diameter balled and burlapped (B&B) root balls for controlling third instars of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, lambda-cyhalothrin, and thiamethoxam were drench-applied in fall and spring tests at volumes of runoff (1X; approximately equal 2.57 liters per drench per root ball) or twice runoff (2X).

Morphological variation in tomato: a comprehensive study of quantitative trait loci controlling fruit shape and development.

Variation in fruit morphology is a prevalent characteristic among cultivated tomato. The genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying similarities and differences in shape between the fruit of two elongated tomato varieties were investigated. Fruit from two F2 populations constructed from either Solanum lycopersicum cv.

Survival of adult Tiphia vernalis (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae) after insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide exposure in laboratory bioassays.

Tiphia vernalis Rohwer is a hymenopteran ectoparasitoid of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, larvae. The adult wasps feed on nectar or honeydew between mid-April and late June. Adults may contact pesticides when landing on foliage or when females hunt for grubs in the soil.

Effect of insecticides on Tiphia vernalis (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae) oviposition and survival of progeny to cocoon stage when parasitizing Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) larvae.

The effect of insecticides on oviposition of Tiphia vernalis Rohwer and subsequent survival of parasitoid progeny to the cocoon stage was determined in the laboratory by using larval Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, as the host. Insecticides tested were imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, halofenozide, chlorpyrifos, and carbaryl at labeled rates. Female T.

Management of early-instar Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Searabaeidae) in field-grown nursery crops.

Numerous field studies were conducted in commercial nurseries in Tennessee from 1996 through 1999 to evaluate chemical and biological treatments, application timing and rates, and method of application for control of early instars of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman. Insecticide treatments included bifenthrin, bendiocarb, chlorpyrifos, carbaryl, fipronil, halofenozide, imidacloprid, permethrin, tefluthrin, thiamethoxam, and trichlorfon. Biological treatments included entomopathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HP88 or H.