A multi-year orchard experiment was established to measure the performance of Rootpac®-R, Rootpac®-20, Rootpac®-40, and Rootpac®-70 rootstocks using ‘Redhaven’ peach (Prunus persica var. persica) as scion, compared with Bailey seedling rootstock, current industry standard. Tree survival after five years 79% on Rootpac-40, whereas remaining showed no tree mortality. vigour canopy height width we...

Exclusion cages were used to compare the incidence and severity of feeding injury from brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), on ‘Redhaven’ peaches, ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, and ‘Smoothee Golden’ apples at harvest, following sequential periods of exposure to natural H. halys populations during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons in Virginia. The fruit us...

Aldose-6-phosphate reductase (alditol 6-phosphate:NADP 1-oxidoreductase) was isolated and characterized from mature apple leaves (Malus domestica cv. Starkrimson). The enzyme was purified 79-fold. The enzyme catalyzed the following reversible reaction: d-glucose 6-phosphate + NADPH + H(+) right arrow over left arrow d-sorbitol 6-phosphate + NADP(+). No activity was detected when NAD(+) was subs...

The relationship between Cricenemella xenoplax alone and in combination with Meloidogyne incognitaon the incidence of peach tree short life disease was studied in field microplots during 1989-96. The presence of M. incognita suppressed the population density of C. xenoplax on Lovell peach. Tree trunk diameter was significantly reduced in the presence of both nematode species prior to 1993. Soil...