Development, Management and Utilization of a Kiwifruit ( spp.) In Vitro Collection: A New Zealand Perspective.

The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited (PFR) supports a large kiwifruit breeding program that includes more than twenty species. Almost all the kiwifruit accessions are held as field collections across a range of locations, though not all plants are at multiple locations. An in vitro collection of kiwifruit in New Zealand was established upon the arrival of pv.

Contrasting effector profiles between bacterial colonisers of kiwifruit reveal redundant roles converging on PTI-suppression and RIN4.

Testing effector knockout strains of the Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae biovar 3 (Psa3) for reduced in planta growth in their native kiwifruit host revealed a number of nonredundant effectors that contribute to Psa3 virulence. Conversely, complementation in the weak kiwifruit pathogen P.

Seed Longevity-The Evolution of Knowledge and a Conceptual Framework.

The lifespan or longevity of a seed is the time period over which it can remain viable. Seed longevity is a complex trait and varies greatly between species and even seed lots of the same species. Our scientific understanding of seed longevity has advanced from anecdotal 'Thumb Rules,' to empirically based models, biophysical explanations for why those models sometimes work or fail, and to the profound realisation that seeds are the model of the underexplored realm of biology when water is so limited that the cytoplasm solidifies.

Eradication of , , and From Infected -Grown Potato Shoots Using Therapies.

Certain viruses dramatically affect yield and quality of potatoes and have proved difficult to eradicate with current approaches. Here, we describe a reliable and efficient virus eradication method that is high throughput and more efficacious at producing virus-free potato plants than current reported methods. Thermotherapy, chemotherapy, and cryotherapy treatments were tested alone and in combination for ability to eradicate single and mixed (PVS), (PVA), and (PVM) infections from three potato cultivars.

Effector loss drives adaptation of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae biovar 3 to Actinidia arguta.

A pandemic isolate of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae biovar 3 (Psa3) has devastated kiwifruit orchards growing cultivars of Actinidia chinensis. In contrast, A.

Transcriptome Responses of Ripe Cherry Tomato Fruit Exposed to Chilling and Rewarming Identify Reversible and Irreversible Gene Expression Changes.

Tomato fruit stored below 12°C lose quality and can develop chilling injury upon subsequent transfer to a shelf temperature of 20°C. The more severe symptoms of altered fruit softening, uneven ripening and susceptibility to rots can cause postharvest losses. We compared the effects of exposure to mild (10°C) and severe chilling (4°C) on the fruit quality and transcriptome of 'Angelle', a cherry-type tomato, harvested at the red ripe stage.

Volatile signature indicates viability of dormant orthodox seeds.

All seeds eventually die even under optimal storage conditions. The moment of viability loss is difficult to predict and detect. In order to differentiate between dead and viable dormant orthodox seeds, GC-MS analysis was used to non-invasively evaluate the volatile signature of seeds of Pyrus communis L.

Salicylic acid treatment mitigates chilling injury in peach fruit by regulation of sucrose metabolism and soluble sugar content.

Peach fruit stored in the cold are susceptible to chilling injury. A pre-storage treatment with the natural hormone salicylic acid can alleviate chilling damage, although the mechanism is unclear. We found that a treatment with 1 μmol L salicylic acid for 15 min prior to storage at 4 °C delayed and reduced fruit internal browning, a symptom of chilling injury.

Discrete bHLH transcription factors play functionally overlapping roles in pigmentation patterning in flowers of Antirrhinum majus.

Floral pigmentation patterning is important for pollinator attraction as well as aesthetic appeal. Patterning of anthocyanin accumulation is frequently associated with variation in activity of the Myb, bHLH and WDR transcription factor complex (MBW) that regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis. Investigation of two classic mutants in Antirrhinum majus, mutabilis and incolorata I, showed they affect a gene encoding a bHLH protein belonging to subclade bHLH-2.

Jasmonic acid treatment alleviates chilling injury in peach fruit by promoting sugar and ethylene metabolism.

Peach (Prunus persica L.) fruit are highly susceptible to chilling injury during cold storage, resulting in internal flesh browning and a failure to soften normally. We have examined the effect of a postharvest treatment consisting of a brief (30 s) dip in the natural plant hormone jasmonic acid, prior to storage at 4 °C.

Selenium Application During Radish () Plant Development Alters Glucosinolate Metabolic Gene Expression and Results in the Production of 4-(methylseleno)but-3-enyl glucosinolate.

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human health, entering the diet mainly through the consumption of plant material. Members of the Brassicaceae are Se-accumulators that can accumulate up to 1g Se kg dry weight (DW) from the environment without apparent ill effect. The Brassicaceae also produce glucosinolates (GSLs), sulfur (S)-rich compounds that benefit human health.

The Fecal Microbiota in the Domestic Cat () Is Influenced by Interactions Between Age and Diet; A Five Year Longitudinal Study.

In humans, aging is associated with changes in the gastrointestinal microbiota; these changes may contribute to the age-related increase in incidence of many chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes. The life expectancies of cats are increasing, and they are also exhibiting the same types of diseases. While there are some studies investigating the impacts of diets on gastrointestinal microbiota in young cats, the impacts of aging in older cats has not been explored.

Cell separation in kiwifruit without development of a specialised detachment zone.

Background: Unlike in abscission or dehiscence, fruit of kiwifruit Actinidia eriantha develop the ability for peel detachment when they are ripe and soft in the absence of a morphologically identifiable abscission zone. Two closely-related genotypes with contrasting detachment behaviour have been identified. The 'good-peeling' genotype has detachment with clean debonding of cells, and a peel tissue that does not tear.

Parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Adjusts Reproductive Strategy When Competing for Hosts.

Parasitoid fitness depends on its ability to manipulate reproductive strategies when in competition. This study investigated the parasitism and sex allocation strategies of the parasitic wasp Diaeretiella rapae McIntosh at a range of host (Brevicoryne brassicae L.) and conspecific densities.

Simultaneous knock-down of six β-galactosidase genes in petunia petals prevents loss of pectic galactan but decreases petal strength.

Galactose (Gal) is incorporated into cell wall polysaccharides as flowers open, but then is lost because of β-galactosidase activity as flowers mature and wilt. The significance of this for flower physiology resides in the role of galactan-containing polysaccharides in the cell wall, which is still largely unresolved. To investigate this, transcript accumulation of six cell wall-associated β-galactosidases was simultaneously knocked down in 'Mitchell' petunia (Petunia axillaris x (P.

Increasing ascorbate levels in crops to enhance human nutrition and plant abiotic stress tolerance.

Ascorbate (or vitamin C) is an essential human micronutrient predominantly obtained from plants. In addition to preventing scurvy, it is now known to have broader roles in human health, for example as a cofactor for enzymes involved in epigenetic programming and as regulator of cellular iron uptake. Furthermore, ascorbate is the major antioxidant in plants and underpins many environmentally induced abiotic stress responses.

Composition and structure of tuber cell walls affect in vitro digestibility of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

The digestibility of starchy foods, such as potatoes, can be characterized by the proportion of starch that is rapidly digestible by in vitro hydrolysis (rapidly digestible starch, RDS). This study evaluated the RDS content in a potato germplasm collection consisting of 98 genotypes and identified three advanced lines, Crop39, Crop71 and Crop85, where cooked potato RDS content was significantly lower than that of their respective isolated starches (P < 0.05).

Grape cluster microclimate influences the aroma composition of Sauvignon blanc wine.

New Zealand Sauvignon blanc (SB) wines are characterised by a distinctive combination of tropical-fruity and green-herbaceous aromatic compounds. The influence of sunlight exposure of grape clusters on juice and wine composition was investigated, with the aim of manipulating aromatic compounds in SB wine. In the absence of basal leaf removal SB clusters naturally exposed to sunlight were riper than shaded clusters, evidenced by higher total soluble solids (TSS) and proline, and lower malic acid, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) and arginine.

The regulation of ascorbate biosynthesis.

We review the regulation of ascorbate (vitamin C) biosynthesis, focusing on the l-galactose pathway. We discuss the regulation of ascorbate biosynthesis at the level of gene transcription (both repression and enhancement) and translation (feedback inhibition of translation by ascorbate concentration) and discuss the eight proteins that have been demonstrated to date to affect ascorbate concentration in plant tissues. GDP-galactose phosphorylase (GGP) and GDP-mannose epimerase are critical steps that regulate ascorbate biosynthesis.

The effect of electrical stimulation on post mortem myofibrillar protein degradation and small heat shock protein kinetics in bull beef.

This study aimed to determine the effect of electrical stimulation and ultimate pH (pHu) on shear force, myofibrillar protein degradation and small heat shock protein (sHSP) concentrations in M. longissimus lumborum (LL). The LL from both sides of carcasses (n=15) was excised with low voltage electrical stimulation (ES) applied to an LL muscle from one side, while the opposing LL muscle was not stimulated (NS).