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'Pinot noir' grapevines were grown in a pot-in-pot system using a red-hill-soil where volumetric soil water content (θv) was carefully controlled. Four-year-old vines were supplied with one of two irrigation regimes (wet or dry) between véraison and fruit maturity and the experiment was repeated over 2 years. From véraison to harvest, vines in the wet treatment received irrigation whenever θv approached ≈15% maintaining leaf water potential (Ψleaf) above -1.0 MPa. Vines in the dry treatment received irrigation when θv approached 11% to 12% and experienced significant water stress (Ψleaf ≈--1.4 MPa) before water was re-supplied. Vines were destructively harvested at véraison and at fruit maturity to determine biomass and nutrient content in the current season's above-ground tissues. Fruit yield, maturity indices, and must nutrient composition were measured at maturity. Irrigation did not influence vine growth in either year nor did it influence yield or fruit maturity indices. Irrigation also had no influence on leaf, whole cluster, or must mineral nutrient concentrations. Vine growth, yield, and nutrient status in leaves and musts varied by year. Vegetative growth was greater in 2007 than 2008, whereas yield and cluster weights were greater in 2008. Also in 2008, whole clusters obtained a greater proportion of dry matter and nutrients after véraison when differing irrigation treatments were imposed. Nonetheless, irrigation did not affect must chemical composition. These findings suggest that periodic post-véraison water deficits that are moderate to severe have little effect on berry nutrient and sugar accumulation in 'Pinot noir' cropped at typical levels for this variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. Four cultivars of basil {Ocimum basilicum L. 'Cinnamon', 'Siam Queen', 'Sweet Dani', and 'Red Rubin') were inoculated or not with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Rhizophagus (formerly Glomus) intraradices (Schenck & Smith) Walker & SchiiBler and grown with a fertilizer containing either 64 mg-L -1 phosphorus (P) (low P) or 128 mg-L-1 P (high P) to assess whether 1) P availability and inoculation with AMF influences the phenolic composition of basil; and 2) treatment effects on phenolic composition are related to plant nutrient status. Growth, root colonization by AMF, anthocyanins, total phenolics, specific polyphenolics, and mineral nutrients were measured after 16 weeks of growth. Non-inoculated plants were not colonized by AMF. AMF colonization of inoculated plants was not influenced by P rate. Increased P rate and AMF inoculation increased biomass. Increased P rate enhanced (increased concentration and content) P and calcium (Ca) uptake and AMF inoculation enhanced nitrogen (N), potassium (K), sulfur (S), boron (B), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) uptake. Increased or decreased uptake (content) of other nutrients between P rates and AMF treatments were related to differences in biomass (e.g., similar or lower concentration). Treatment effects on phenolic accumulation were related to the effects of P rate and AMF on 1) plant growth; 2) nutrient uptake; and 3) other factors not directly related to measured differences in nutrient uptake or plant growth. Differences between treatments in rosmarinic acid, the predominant polyphenolic produced by all cultivars, were related to the effects of P rate and AMF on plant growth. Both increased P rate and AMF inoculation enhanced production (increased concentration and content) of chicoric acid and caffeic acid derivative. Increased P rate and inoculation with AMF differentially enhanced production of several other minor polyphenolics resulting in plants with different polyphenolic profiles. Results indicate that AMF inoculation may be an additional strategy for optimizing basil quality in terms of polyphenolic production and composition beyond benefits obtained from just altering plant nutrient status or selecting specific cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces the high-yielding cultivar named Kokanee which is a primocane-fruiting red raspberry released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS). It discusses the origins of the cultivar from a cross made out of fruit named Vintage, its evaluation at the Oregon State University, its hand harvesting and also talks about its comparison with Heritage and Meeker.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of salinity on growth and nutrient uptake in basil (Ocimum basilicum L. 'Siam Queen'). Plants were fertilized with a complete nutrient solution and exposed to no, low, or moderate levels of salinity using NaCl or CaCl2. The plants in control and moderate salinity treatments were also inoculated or not with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Rhizophagus irregularis (Blaszk., Wubet, Renker, & Buscot) C. Walker & A. Schler., to determine whether AMF mitigate the effects of salinity stress. Electrical conductivity (EC) of leachate collected from salinity treatments reached levels ⩾8 dS·m-1 but had no effect on plant growth in the first 41 days of treatment. However, by 75 days, plants exposed to low and moderate levels of NaCl and CaCl2 had 20% to 38% less dry weight (DW) than controls. Reductions inDWwere similar between NaCl and CaCl2 and was greater in roots than in shoots. Both NaCl and CaCl2 salinity reduced stomatal conductance (gS) within 25 days, but hastened flowering by 2-3 days, and nearly doubled the DW of flowers at 75 days. Salinity from NaCl increased uptake of Na and reduced uptake of Ca, whereas CaCl2 salinity increased uptake of Ca and reduced uptake of Mg and Mn. Both salts also increased relative uptake of N, Cu, and Zn, and reduced relative uptake of S and Fe. In general, Na was concentrated in roots and excluded from shoots, whereas Cl was concentrated primarily in leaves. Both salts reduced root colonization by AMF. However, AMF increased gS by 10% with NaCl and 22% with CaCl2, and increased shoot DW by 22% and 43%, respectively. Other than Ca and Cl, AMF did not enhance nutrient uptake under NaCl or CaCl2 salinity. 'Siam Queen' basil was moderately tolerant to salinity, due at least in part to exclusion of Na from the shoots, and inoculation with AMF increased tolerance to both NaCl and CaCl2 salinity. Differences in basil tolerance to NaCl and CaCl2 indicate plants may have different mechanisms for dealing with salinity and sensitivity is not solely a function of EC. This highlights the importance of understanding the source of salinity in irrigation waters and soil for predicting damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Galaxy, a thornless, semierect highquality blackberry released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) breeding program in Corvallis, Oregon. It mentions that the ploidy of ‘Galaxy' has not been determined, but is presumed to be tetraploid because it crossed readily with, and produced fertile offspring with, other tetraploid parents.

In this article the author offers information on Eclipse which is a thornless, semierect, high quality blackberry that has firm, uniformly shaped, dark fruit suited for the fresh market and that ripen in the early season for this type of blackberry. Topics discussed ‘Eclipse' was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service breeding program in Corvallis, and ‘Eclipse' was moderate yielding with yields comparable to the other commercial cultivars in trial.

The article offers information on the Hall's Beauty, a new, early-ripening, high-quality, firm, and sweet thornless trailing blackberry. Topics discussed include introduced as a machine harvestable, high-quality blackberry that has extremely large, attractive, and ornamental double flowers; mentions in 2009 Hall's Beauty' was planted along with a number of other genotypes in plots at Enfield Farms; and also mentions parentage of ‘Hall's Beauty' was confirmed by microsatellite analysis.

The article introduces the Marys Peak strawberry cultivar released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS) breeding program. It discusses the origins of the cultivar from a cross made out of fruit named Pinnacle for mixing the characteristics of open plant architecture, its good performance and yield in the harvest trials.

Growers of high-end 'Pinot noir' wine grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) commonly reduce yield by cluster thinning with the goal of increasing fruit quality; however, there are no objectively defined yield targets to achieve optimum fruit composition. Canopy leaf area relative to fruit yield can affect total soluble solids (TSS), and recommendations have been established for warm wine grape production regions. However, the relationship between leaf area and photoassimilation differs among climates and training systems. Leaf area to yield (LA:Y) ratios developed in warm, arid regions may not be suitable for cool, wet regions such as western Oregon. A 3-year field study was conducted to elucidate relationships between canopy to yield ratios and berry composition for 'Pinot noir'. Vegetative growth and fruit yield were manipulated through competitive cover cropping and cluster thinning. Growth wasmanipulated in three ways: perennial red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) was grown in 1) both (Grass), 2) one (Alternate), or 3) neither (Tilled) of the alleyways flanking the vine row.Within each vineyard floor treatment, fruit clusters were thinned to one per shoot (Half Crop) or vines were left unthinned (Full Crop). Floor management influenced both canopy size and yield because of altered vine nitrogen (N) status. Effects of crop load on berry components were not always consistent between the crop load metrics used [yield to pruning weight (Y:PW) ratio or LA:Y]. In 2 years, TSS reached a maximum at similar LA:Y; however, this did not necessarily produce optimum TSS. Yield had the greatest influence on pH and total anthocyanins (ACY) in the highest yielding, coolest year. Crop load metrics were not reliable predictors of TSS because of the dominant effect of seasonal variation. Relationships between canopy to yield metrics and other berry components were partially explained by tissue N, photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) through the cluster zone, and/or yield. Cluster thinning to adjust yields may not alter source to sink relationships or canopy to yield ratios enough to overcome ripening limitations in cool climates. Only one wine vintage had sensory differences with Alternate-Half Crop and Alternate-Full Crop wines ranked high quality and Tilled-Half Crop and Tilled-Full Crop wines ranked low quality by both consumer and winemaker panels. Therefore, cluster thinning may have limited impact on wine sensory properties.q [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the growth of Columbia Giant cultivar, described as a thornless trailing blackberry, in the U.S. Explored is the ripening characteristic of the berry as well as the development and quality of its fruit. Also discussed is the weight, quality and yield of the blackberry fruit.

Vigor and crop level management are important practices for premium wine grape production. The implications of crop thinning 'Pinot noir'(Vitis vinifera L.) vines of varying vigor were investigated in the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 2011 to 2013 to better understand the relationship between canopy size and yield within the framework of a cool-climate, premium production wine grape vineyard. To manipulate vigor, a competitive grass cover crop (Festuca rubra L.) was grown in both (Grass), alternating (Alternate), or neither side of the flanking alleyways (Tilled). Vines within each vineyard floor treatment had two crop levels applied, including cluster thinning to one cluster per shoot (Half Crop) or no crop thinning (Full Crop). Grass treatment had reduced leaf area and leaf nitrogen (N) concentrations during all years compared with Tilled treatments. Leaf photosynthesis was also lower in Grass treatments despite more light in the canopy interior. Grass treatments had lower yield than Tilled treatments in 2 of 3 years and lower yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) concentrations in fruit every year. There was limited impact of floor treatments on total soluble solids (TSS) and pH. Reduced yields through cluster thinning had limited impact on vegetative growth but increased TSS and pH, in 2 of 3 years. There were few floor management by crop level interactions in any year. Grass effectively reduced vegetative growth to moderate vigor levels with cane weights between 20 and 40 g. Using a competitive grass cover crop may be an effective strategy to reduce excessive vine growth and require less labor in canopy management and crop thinning without compromising basic fruit ripeness, although YAN levels need to be monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the "Baby Blues" highbush blueberry (Vaccinium) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) breeding program in Corvallis, Oregon. Topics include the origin of the highbush blueberry and the description and performance of the plant. Several tables are also presented.

The article provides information on the thornless, trailing blackberry cultivar Columbia Star from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) breeding program in Corvallis, Oregon. The cultivar has a higher yield and larger fruit compared to the standards Black Diamond and Marion. Columbia Star produces sweet, firm fruit which can be machine harvested.

The article presents information on Charm, a new June-bearing strawberry cultivar. The cultivar comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) breeding program in Corvallis, Oregon. Information is also presented on the performance of the cultivar, including yield, fruit weight and percent fruit rot.