Can you make morphometrics work when you know the right answer? Pick and mix approaches for apple identification.

Morphological classification of living things has challenged science for several centuries and has led to a wide range of objective morphometric approaches in data gathering and analysis. In this paper we explore those methods using apple cultivars, a model biological system in which discrete groups are pre-defined but in which there is a high level of overall morphological similarity. The effectiveness of morphometric techniques in discovering the groups is evaluated using statistical learning tools.

The regulation of seasonal flowering in the Rosaceae.

Molecular mechanisms regulating the flowering process have been extensively studied in model annual plants; in perennials, however, understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling flowering has just started to emerge. Here we review the current state of flowering research in perennial plants of the rose family (Rosaceae), which is one of the most economically important families of horticultural plants. Strawberry (Fragaria spp.

Development of colour and firmness in strawberry crops is UV light sensitive, but colour is not a good predictor of several quality parameters.

Background: Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne var. Elsanta) plants were grown in polytunnels covered with three polythene films that transmitted varying levels of ultraviolet (UV) light. Fruit were harvested under near-commercial conditions and quality and yield were measured.