Matthiola incana is a popular winter-flowering plant, and white is considered a valuable flower color for marketed cultivars. In this study, we aimed to identify the genes responsible for white flower coloration in six commercial cultivars of M. incana used as cut and potted flowers. The expression levels of chalcone synthase, flavanone 3-hydroxylase, flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase

The production of yellow-skinned apples has increased in recent years; however, they are less acceptable to consumers than red-skinned apples. Therefore, the production of high-quality fruit is essential. In the present study, we applied a girdling treatment at 1) different times (June or August), and 2) different widths (2 cm, 5 cm, and 8 cm). We compared the effect on tree growth, flower bud formation

Tomato grafting is an important agricultural technique to overcome biotic and abiotic stresses and increase plant growth and productivity. Breeding and selection of resistant and vigorous rootstocks are necessary to achieve grafting goals. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate eight tomato interspecific hybrids between accession Solanum lycopersicum L. LA1221 ‘VFNT cherry’, as the female

Yield optimization of young Japanese ‘Nanko’ apricot (Prunus mume Siebold et Zucc.) trees requires adequate and timely irrigation. Here, different irrigation amounts (5, 10, 15, and 20 mm) were applied to three-year-old trees from July (initiation of flower bud differentiation stage) to March (fruit setting stage), when the pF meter reading was 2.7. Then, the effects on flower buds and fruit setting

The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an aquatic basal eudicot that is widely cultivated for food, medicine, and ornamental use. Ornamental lotus cultivars form flowers of various colors and shapes. The ABCE model for flower development has been proposed for model core eudicots such as Arabidopsis and snapdragon, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms of floral organ specification and

Haskap (Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis) is a deciduous shrub that produces blue-black edible berries with a sour-sweet taste. By expanding fruit color variation, the value of agricultural products is enhanced. Interspecific hybrids were obtained from crossings between Haskap and red-fruit bearing Miyama-uguisukagura (Lonicera gracilipes). The fruit color of the interspecific hybrids obtained was red-purple

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different temperature treatments on kumquat fruit development and qualities. Kumquat trees were placed in growth chambers at day/night temperatures of 36°C/28°C, 28°C/20°C, and then 20°C/12°C two weeks after the first physiological fruit drop. The results showed that there was a positive correlation between temperature and fruit drop. The total

The present experiment was conducted to determine whether water extracts of lemon balm and oregano could suppress anthracnose in strawberry and to identify the important secondary metabolites responsible for such activity. Runner plants of three strawberry cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa Duch. ‘Sachinoka’, ‘Akihime’, and ‘Tochiotome’) were treated with water extracts (20%, w/v) of lemon balm (Melissa

In fruit production, fruit thinning is required to maximize fruit quality and to protect the mother trees. However, thinning is troublesome and laborious work. Fruit self-thinning is the spontaneous elimination of pollinated flowers or fruits within a week to a month after pollination. Since the fruit self-thinning trait has the potential to improve fruit trees, a number of studies using fruit crops

This study aimed to determine the optimal shoot vigor to produce large fruit and high yields of the fig (Ficus carica L.) cultivars ‘Masui Dauphine’ and ‘Houraishi’. Fruit production of the two cultivars was compared for seven years on shoots of various vigor induced by different plant densities: 20, 61, 400, 667, and 2000 trees per 1000 m2, and all shoots occupied equal-sized basal areas (0.5 m2 for

Limonoids, a group of highly oxygenated triterpenoids mostly found in the Rutaceae and Meliaceae families, have many biological and physiological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and insecticidal ones. Recent studies suggest that some types of limonoids bind to a bile acid receptor, TGR5 (Takeda G protein–coupled receptor 5), and confer anti-obesity and anti-hyperglycemic effects. TGR5

The nitrogen (N) contribution of rye (Secale cereale L.) to tomato production may increase when grown and applied with hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R.) to the soil. To examine the uptake and recovery efficiency by tomatoes and retention in the soil of N derived from 15N-labeled rye applied as a monoculture and biculture with hairy vetch, a Wagner pot examination was conducted under plastic high tunnel

We investigated dry matter production and fruit characteristics of high-Brix tomatoes when plants were pinched above the third truss and electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution was gradually increased by changing the amounts of nutrients and NaCl. In the salinized treatment, fruit fresh weight was significantly decreased, and fruit Brix was significantly increased, relative to the non-salinized

Begomoviruses, transmitted by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), have emerged as serious constraints to the cultivation of a wide variety of vegetable crops worldwide. Leaf samples from Solanaceae (tomato, tobacco, and eggplant) and Cucurbitaceae (cucumber and squash) plants exhibiting typical begomoviral yellowing and/or curling symptoms were collected in Northern Sumatra, Aceh province, Indonesia. Rolling

We investigated dry matter (DM) and fruit production of tomato plants, the effects of CO2 levels on DM production, and light-use efficiency (LUE) in a tomato production system based on short-term, low-truss crop management during six consecutive periods over one year in a commercial greenhouse. The CO2 concentration, total dry matter production (TDM), and LUE differed significantly among the periods

We validated a model for predicting dry matter (DM) production in growing plants without the need for destructive sampling with three tomato cultivars in a one-year experiment. In an attempt to improve DM, we managed the temperature and CO2 concentration in the greenhouse as well as the leaf area index (LAI) of the tomato plants to meet targets determined based on model predictions. In the model, leaf

The combination effect of sowing and transplanting time on harvest time, yield, and external bulb quality was investigated to achieve earlier shipment of onions in northeastern Hokkaido, Japan. A total of five cultivars with different levels of photoperiodic responses for bulb formation were used in both the 1996/97 and 1997/98 trials. The seeds were sown on a monthly basis in a soil bed in an unheated

We aimed to monitor greenhouse tomato growth without destructive sampling and investigated an empirical growth model in which dry matter production was obtained as a product of light intercepted by plants and light-use efficiency. The intercepted light values were non-destructively determined on the basis of leaf width and length, and the number of leaves. Light-use efficiency was expressed as a function

In this study, we investigated the effect of salinity on photosynthesis and the distribution of photosynthates in the Japanese tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivar ‘CF Momotaro York’ and the Dutch cultivar ‘Endeavour’. Although significant differences were not observed in fresh yield among the cultivars, there were significant differences between the control and salinity in terms of fresh yield,

In Capsicum, loss of function mutation of acyltransferase (Pun1), putative aminotransferase (pAMT), putative ketoacyl-ACP reductase (CaKR1), and R2R3-MYB transcription factor (CaMYB31) have been reported to be the genetic causes of non-pungency. In the present study, 245 C. chinense accessions were initially screened for non-pungency attributes. Six candidates with identification numbers, No. 3327

Paphiopedilum niveum (Rchb.f.) Stein, an endangered species, has been listed in CITES Appendix I and its germplasm conservation is required. To improve the regeneration of cryopreserved somatic embryos (SEs), adding 0.1 mM ascorbic acid (AsA) at a critical step during cryopreservation was investigated. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were also assessed during five

Fusarium root rot of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) caused by Fusarium solani is one of the most important and damaging lisianthus diseases. It occurs commonly in Japan and worldwide and causes serious crop losses. However, little effort has been made to breed lisianthus for resistance to this disease. We initiated a breeding program for resistance to F. solani in 2014. Twenty-nine lisianthus cultivars

We investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the pigmentation patterns of the dorsal petals in torenia (Torenia fournieri Lind. ex Fourn.) cultivars. ‘Piccolo Mix’ consists of lines exhibiting different pigmentation patterns in the limb of the dorsal petal, i.e., entirely pigmented (all-pigmented line), picotee with a pigmented margin (half-pigmented line), and entirely pale (pale line). In

Typically, hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.) plants produce flowers from early to mid-summer. However, their basal shoots often continue to produce flowers from late summer to autumn, and we call this unseasonal flowering. The flowering frequencies and flowering period durations of basal shoots were studied using 23 hydrangea cultivars and lines in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The flowering frequencies of basal

This study investigated the antifungal effect of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) dipping on Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of gray mold, on cut rose flowers (Rosa hybrida L.). In vitro, the spore germination of gray mold was inhibited 100% by instant dipping with ClO2 solution (5 to 10 μL·L−1). In particular, ClO2 at 5 μL·L−1 was found to be ideal for hindering spore activity without causing any damage

Ornamental foliage plants are valued for their catchy leaves with diverse shapes and colors, but dark-induced plant senescence or deterioration during transport greatly limits the quality of foliage plants. Melatonin is an important signaling molecule that affects pleiotropic developmental progress in plants. Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) is a potent inhibitor of ethylene biosynthesis and is extensively

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) productivity is negatively impacted by extreme weather events such as heatwaves, flooding and drought. This study evaluated the individual and additive effects of heat and water stress on reproductive traits and yield in the commercial tomato variety ‘Roma-VF’. Five weeks after sowing, five stress treatments were introduced consisting of combinations of heat and/or moderate

Intumescence injury of tomato leaves is a physiological disorder in which white surface spots rise on the abaxial side of the leaf and then turn brown; when it worsens, the leaf dies. Scanning electron microscope observations showed individual cells were enlarged and raised due to intumescence injury. Vein epidermal cells and stomatal guard cells were also enlarged. Hypertrophy was observed by light

To elucidate the profiles of plant hormones involved in growth and ripening of grape fruit at various stages, grape bunches of Campbell Early grape bunches (Vitis labrusca ‘Bailey’) which were harvested from 14 to 63 days after full bloom (DAFB) were divided into skin, pulp and seeds. Endogenous plant hormones, which included indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), trans-zeatin (Z), isopentenyl

Cut astilbe (Astilbe × arendsii) inflorescences have many small florets with low ethylene sensitivity, and a short vase life. The senescence of flowers is complex and probably regulated by programmed cell death, but specific senescence-related genes have not been widely studied, apart from ethylene-sensitive species. In this study, we investigated the effects of continuous treatments with 4% sucrose

To date, different approaches have been applied to measure the internal parameters of mangoes by destructive and non-destructive techniques. Recently, real-time evaluation of the internal parameters has become important assessment for fruits in high demand. This research aims to develop an online prototype system to measure the total soluble solids (TSS) in mangoes using a fiber optic diode array Visible-Near

Cultivated strawberry is one of the important commercial fruits not only in Japan, but around the world. Even so, analyzing regions responsible for fruit quality traits of cultivated strawberry has been very challenging due to the alloploidy and octoploidy of genome conformation. In order to solve this problem, we previously developed a strawberry multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC)

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops worldwide. In Japan, it is grown using two different cultivation methods (spring-sowing and autumn-sowing). The traditional cultivation method for onion in the Tohoku region in northeast Japan has been autumn sowing; however, onion productivity has been low. Recently, spring sowing of onion has been established in this region to improve

Red mangos (Mangifera indica L.) accumulate appreciable amounts of cyanidin-based anthocyanins in the skin, and previous studies showed that these anthocyanins contain galactose as a sugar moiety. To date, two UDP:flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase (UFGT)-like genes named MiUFGT1 and MiUFGT3 (MiUFGalT3) have been isolated from mango ‘Irwin’ peel as anthocyanin-related UFGT genes, but the function of

Heat-induced flowering delay of Chrysanthemum morifolium is a major problem affecting the production of cut flowers in Japan. Understanding the delay mechanism is indispensable to achieve stable production. Heat sensitivity has been shown to fluctuate throughout the day, as if it is regulated by a circadian clock. This paper studied the involvement of a circadian clock and photoperiod in the fluctuation

Cymbidium is one of the largest orchid genera and it is famous for its ornamental, cultural, and economic value. Many Cymbidium species have an elegant flower fragrance, including C. faberi, C. goeringii, C. ensifolium, C. kanran, C. sinense, and so on. Although the components of the flower fragrance have been identified in many orchids, the molecular mechanism of their formation and regulation has