To gain a better understanding of changes in gene expression associated with cold acclimation in the woody perennial blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), a genomics approach based on the analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) was undertaken. Two cDNA libraries were constructed using RNA from cold acclimated and non-acclimated floral buds of the blueberry cultivar Bluecrop and about 600 5′-end ESTs w...

Vaccinium myrtillus L. (blueberry) leaf infusions are traditionally used as a folk medicine treatment of diabetes. To further define this therapeutical action, a dried hydroalcoholic extract of the leaf was administered orally to streptozotocin-diabetic rats for 4 days. Plasma glucose levels were consistently found to drop by about 26% at two different stages of diabetes. Unexpectedly, plasma t...

Several fungal plant pathogens induce 'pseudoflowers' on their hosts to facilitate insect-mediated transmission of gametes and spores. When spores must be transmitted to host flowers to complete the fungal life cycle, we predict that pseudoflowers should evolve traits that mimic flowers and attract the most effective vectors in the flower-visiting community. We quantified insect visitation to f...

Turkey is one of the most significant countries in the world from the point of view of both fruit genetic resources and amount of fruit production. Around 100 fruit species, including almost all the deciduous fruit species, most of the subtropical and some tropical fruit are grown in Turkey. Among fruits, berry fruits including grapes share 25% of total fruit production of the country. The most...

Abstract In the Canadian Maritimes, many beekeepers rent honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), hives to growers of lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium (Ericaceae), for pollination services. Anecdotally, have less vigour following pollination, potentially due higher Nosema spp. (Nosematidae) spore loads, microsporidian causing nosemosis. We undertook a study determine ...