Sorbitol, the primary photosynthate and translocated carbohydrate in apple (Malusxdomestica Borkh.), is converted to fructose by sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH; EC 1.1.1.14) which is active in apple fruit throughout development. In the apple genome, nine SDH genes have been isolated and their sequences characterized, but their individual expression patterns during apple fruit set and development h...

Significant Findings: 1. Apple leaf quality deteriorates with the season. We confirmed in multiple seasons that L. subjuncta larval development is prolonged and pupal weight is decreased on apple foliage as the season progresses. These data indicate the apple leaves are a relatively good food material for Lacanobia larvae early in the season but deteriorate in quality later in the season. Simil...

DNA markers are useful tools that play an important role in plant cultivar identification. They are usually based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and include simple sequence repeats (SSRs), inter-simple sequence repeats, and random amplified polymorphic DNA. However, DNA markers were not used effectively in the complete identification of plant cultivars because of the lack of known DNA finge...

1995). From a historic perspective, U.S. germplasm collections and U.S. forests were managed to promote and Germplasm collections are viewed as a source of genetic diversity to sustain agricultural production in terms of farm crops support crop improvement and botanical research, as well as support conservation efforts. The United States Department of Agriculture’s and timber. National Plant Ge...

Phloridzin is relatively abundant in species of genus Malus Miller, of which China is the most important origin and diversification center. In this study, phloridzin contents in fruits and leaves of six wild Malus species were analyzed using a RP-HPLC system. The phloridzin content varied significantly among species. The highest phloridzin content in fruits was found in M. xiaojinensis (0.63 mg...

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are common molecular chaperones present in all plants that accumulate in response to abiotic stress. Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) play important roles in alleviating diverse abiotic stresses, especially heat stress. However, very little is known about the MsHsp20 gene family in the wild apple Malus sieversii, a precious germplasm resource with excellent resistanc...

Nearly a century after the pioneering American apple tree purveyor Johnny Appleseed traveled from town to town planting nurseries in the Midwestern United States, Frans Nicholas Meijer left his Netherlands home to pursue a similar vocation as an “agricultural explorer” for the US Department of Agriculture. Over the course of his career, Meijer, who changed his name to Frank Meyer after reaching...

Exotic germplasm refers to crop varieties unadapted to a breeder’s target environment, and is an important resource for crop improvement. Because genetic diversity within elite cultivars of a crop is limited compared to the variability within the species and its relatives worldwide, genes from exotic germplasm can protect the crop against new biotic and abiotic stresses, and may represent uniqu...

Apple scab, Venturia inaequalis, is the most serious fungal disease of apple in Romania. The fungus attacks foliage, blossoms and fruits by defoliating trees and rendering fruit unmarketable. In addition, to cultivated apple, apple scab also attacks flowering crabapple, mountain ash and firethorn.. A simple system for apple growers to monitor environmental weather data (temperature and leaf wet...