Journal of the American Pomological Society
The prime purpose of the Journal of the American Pomological Society is to provide a repository for information on all aspects of fruit and nut crops. Originally published as "Fruit Varieties Journal", the Journal of the American Pomological Society is the sole publication of the oldest fruit and nut society in the United States of America, founded in 1848. Manuscripts reporting original research on a wide range of fruit and nut crops, cultivar releases, rootstocks releases, reviews, and short papers are welcomed. Acceptable areas of research include pruning, nutrition, irrigation, growth regulators, cultural practices, economics, and pest control. Studies involving the interaction of one or more of these aspects with either cultivars and/or rootstocks are particularly appropriate. If in doubt about the suitability of a particular manuscript, please e-mail the Editor at pomologyeditor@outlook.com.
The American Pomological Society and Editors cannot be held responsible for the views and opinions expressed by individual authors of articles published herein. This also applies to any supplemental materials residing on this website that are linked to these articles. The publication of advertisements does not constitute any endorsement of products by the American Pomological Society or Editors.
‘Ga. 6-1-269’ (Gold DelightTM), A Bronze, Fresh-Fruit Muscadine Grape with Hermaphroditic Flowers and Large Berries
'Ga. 6-1-269' is an hermaphroditic muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) with bronze berries that was released by the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Yields of ‘Ga. 6-1-269’ in Tifton, GA and Citra, FL trials were similar to other popular fresh-market muscadine cultivars. Berry size is very large (15-16 g) and similar to the cultivars 'Ga. 6-2-26' (Paulk®) and 'Supreme'. Fruit rot susceptibility of ‘Ga. 6-1-269’ was less than the bronze check cultivar 'Ga. 1-1-48' (Hall®) and similar to the black check cultivars 'Ga. 6-2-26' and 'Supreme'. Harvest time of ‘Ga. 6-1-269’ was about 5 days after 'Ga. 1-1-48' and about a week before 'Ga. 6-2-26' and 'Supreme'. ‘Ga. 6-1-269’ is recommended as an early-midseason fresh market bronze muscadine cultivar.
Copyright (c) 2025 Patrick Conner, Dr. Ali Sarkhosh (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Fruit compositional differences in ‘Albion and ‘San Andreas’ strawberries grown in a hydroponic system
Day-neutral strawberry cultivars ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’ were cultivated hydroponically in a climate-controlled greenhouse (temperature and light regulated) to assess fruit quality and anthocyanin composition, which are important attributes for flavor and color (visual appeal), respectively. Fruits were collected from February 6, 2023, until May 18, 2023, at Auburn University, Alabama. Soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (Tacid), pH, total phenolics (TPC), and anthocyanins [total anthocyanins (TAC), cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), pelargonidin-3-glucoside (P3G), pelargonidin-3-rutinoside (P3R), pelargonidin-3-malonylglucoside (P3M)] were determined from the juice of thawed frozen fruits. Average fruit mass (FM) (kg harvest-1) was similar between cultivars. Cultivars were similar for SSC, Tacid, TPC, TAC, and the major pigment (P3G) when averaged across DAT. Pelargonidin-based pigments predominantly characterized the anthocyanin profile. Minor pigments differed, with more C3G (mg 100 g fresh weight-1) in ‘Albion’ than in ‘San Andreas’ (0.39 and 0.18, respectively), whilst ‘San Andreas’ had more P3R (mg 100 g fresh weight-1) than ‘Albion’ (2.26 and 1.81, respectively). Plant age [expressed as days after transplanting (DAT), non-replicated] influenced SSC, Tacid, and most of the anthocyanins. Fruit mass, Tacid, and SSC were higher in plants at 140 DAT (early spring), but lower in plants at 180 DAT (late spring), indicating a potential plant age effect on fruit productivity and quality. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated robust positive correlations between TAC, C3G, pelargonidin anthocyanins (P3G, P3R, P3M), and FM, whereas phenolic content exhibited weaker or negative interactions with pelargonidin pigments. Our results indicate that anthocyanin profile differences with these day neutral strawberry cultivars persisted in hydroponic production over an extended harvest season.
Greenhouse, anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-glucoside
Copyright (c) 2026 Maverick Mariquit, Dr. Penelope Perkins-Veazie, Nelda Hernández-Martínez, Dr. Guoying Ma, Dr. Elina Coneva, Dr. Brenda V. Ortiz, Dr. Paul Bartley, Dr. Kathy Lawrence, Dr. Bernardo Chaves-Cordoba, Dr. Edgar Vinson, Dr. Melba Salazar-Gutiérrez (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Seasonal Variation in Freezing Tolerance and Dehydrin Protein Expression in Canes of Frontenac and Seyval Blanc Grapevine Cultivars
The cold hardiness of primary buds of grapevine cultivars (Vitis sp.) is typically used as a principal indicator of grapevine cold hardiness; however, freezing tolerance of cane tissues has received little attention. Our investigation characterized freezing tolerance and protein profiles (including dehydrins) of grapevine cultivars that are very hardy (Frontenac) and moderately hardy (Seyval blanc) during the autumnal cold acclimation, midwinter, and vernal deacclimation period (20 Aug to 22 Apr) in a research vineyard. Cane samples collected in the field (a total of 15 sampling dates with ~2 samples/month) were subjected to controlled laboratory freezing tests to assess the freezing tolerance of bark + vascular cambium and xylem + pith tissues. SDS-PAGE profiles and immunoblots were used to determine qualitative and quantitative changes in proteins, including dehydrins. During early autumn (20 Aug to 28 Oct), an increase in bark + vascular cambium and xylem + pith freezing tolerance of the two cultivars was similar (by about 12 °C relative to the starting date). ‘Frontenac’ bark + vascular cambium appears more responsive to colder/freezing temperatures for cold acclimation during mid-winter (28 Oct to 5 Jan) than ‘Seyval blanc’, and at the peak hardiness, it was about 15 °C more freeze tolerant. For xylem + pith tissues of both cultivars, the kinetics of cold acclimation and differences in cultivars’ peak freezing tolerance were similar to those for bark + vascular cambium tissues. The bark + vascular cambium and xylem + pith of both cultivars deacclimated between 15 Jan and 23 Mar, with ‘Seyval blanc’ losing ~3 to 6 °C more in hardiness than ‘Frontenac’. Both cultivars exhibited reacclimation following deacclimation in response to freeze events of late March to early April, whereby ‘Seyval blanc’ showed a greater reacclimation capacity. Polypeptides in bark + vascular cambium and xylem + pith of ‘Seyval blanc’ (23kDa and 17 kDa) and ‘Frontenac’ (23 kDa, 19kDa, and 17 kDa) accumulated during cold acclimation, followed by reduced abundance with deacclimation. A ~13 kDa dehydrin protein in the bark + vascular cambium of both cultivars exhibited a similar accumulation pattern and was not detected in xylem + pith tissues.
Vitis sp., cold hardiness, acclimation, deacclimation, reacclimation
Copyright (c) 2026 Gail Nonnecke, Lee H.T. Goldsmith, Rajeev Arora, Paul Domoto (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Mistaken Identity: Correcting the Conflation of Malus ‘Virginia Crab’ (Foster) with Malus ‘Hughes Virginia Crab’
Genetic analysis of Malus ‘Virginia Crab’ (PI 589324) has revealed this widely plantedcrabapple to be a triploid hybrid of Malus ‘Manchurian’ (PI 588989) and an unknown second parent. The ‘Virginia’ crabapple (PI 589324) has widely been assumed to be synonymous with ‘Hughes’ or ‘Hewes’ crabapple of Virginian origin, historically revered for cidermaking in America since the early eighteenth century. The authors present phenotypic, genetic, and historical evidence that ‘Virginia Crab’ and ‘Hughes Virginia Crab’ represent two distinct genotypes. We propose renaming PI 589324 ‘Foster’s Virginia Crab’ to avoid future conflation. It is unclear at this time if the true-to-type ‘Hughes Virginia Crab’ is still extant, and if so, where it is held.
Copyright (c) 2025 David Zakalik, Gregory M. Peck (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Review on the Postharvest Quality and Composition of Small Fruit Crops Grown in Alabama and the Southeast U.S.A.
Globally, postharvest losses account for 25–50% of the total value of specialty crops. Postharvest physiology and technology of specialty crops work to extend shelf-life, increase crop quality and mitigate losses. In the U.S., high-value small fruits face shelf-life and quality challenges. Rabbiteye blueberries, floricane blackberries and muscadines are among the most important small fruits for Alabama. These fruits are primarily marketed through local and regional outlets across the Southeast U.S. Yet, each of these small fruits exhibit distinct differences in shelf-life, optimal storage conditions, and susceptibility to postharvest degradation, which influence best handling practices and consumer satisfaction. To meet the demands of growers and consumers, new small fruit germplasm is constantly being developed. Many breeding programs have placed emphasis on developing disease resistant and heat resilient genotypes with improved flavor and texture, albeit evaluations of postharvest suitability across the southeastern U.S. Understanding these differences is essential for growers, distributors, and retailers aiming to maintain fruit quality and reduce postharvest losses throughout the supply chain. Shelf-life directly influences nutritional content, sensory attributes, and texture, all of which are critical to consumer acceptance. Texture degradation, particularly softening, greatly influences small fruit postharvest quality. Biochemical changes in cell structure can lead to a rapid decline in fruit firmness and overall acceptability. Given the perishability of small fruits, especially under high heat production and suboptimal storage conditions, postharvest research is urgently needed for Alabama to develop strategies that preserve quality and extend shelf-life. This includes screening new germplasm, refining storage protocols, and understanding textural and nutritional degradation. Postharvest research can identify key traits thereby enhancing molecular knowledge to fast track the development of small fruit material with longer shelf-life and field heat resistance. Such efforts are essential for reducing small fruit loss, enhancing marketability, and supporting food security in Alabama and beyond.
Copyright (c) 2025 Marlee Trandel-Hayse, Peter Ephraim, Clarisse Cochran-Chipura (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Performance of ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple Trees on Several Size-Controlling Rootstocks in the 2014 NC-140 Rootstock Trial after Ten Years
In 2014, a multi-year orchard experiment of apple Malus x domestica (Borkh) was established at 13 locations in Canada, Mexico, and the United States using ‘Honeycrisp’ as the scion. Seventeen dwarf and semi-dwarf rootstock genotypes were tested, specifically: Budagovsky.10 (B.10), the Cornell-Geneva rootstocks G.11, G.202, G.214, G.30, G.41, G.890, G.935, G.969, the Malling rootstocks M.7, MM.106, and the Vineland rootstocks V.1, V.5, V.6, and V.7. The industry standard Malling rootstocks M.26 EMLA and M.9-T337 were included for comparison purposes. Tree mortality, trunk cross-sectional area, tree canopy size, amount of rootstock suckering, yield, and fruit number were measured annually. All measured parameters were influenced by location and rootstock, and the interaction of these two factors was significant. Overall, after 10 years and averaged over all locations, rootstock vigor separated into three distinct rootstock classes: those similar to M.9-T337 (G.11), those similar to M.26 EMLA (G.935, G.41, B.10, G.214, G.969), and those more vigorous than M.26 EMLA (V.1, G.30, M.7, V.7, MM.106, V.6, G.890, V.5). G.202 performance was unusual and therefore was omitted from data analysis. Cumulative yields were generally greater on trees with the highest vigor. Averaged over all locations, all Geneva, Vineland, and Budagovsky rootstocks had cumulative yields higher than the industry standards M.9-T337 and M.26 EMLA. The newer rootstocks B.10, V.5, V.6, V.7 and all the Geneva rootstocks, had good to excellent cumulative yields. G.890 stood out as having exceptional cumulative yield among all the rootstock genotypes evaluated. Averaged over all locations, cumulative yield efficiency was greatest for M.9-T337 and all the Geneva rootstocks, as well as B.10. Overall, the strong rootstock by location interaction on cumulative yield observed in this trial illustrates the importance of testing rootstocks at a regional level. These results are reflective of orchard vigor and yields after 10 years and provide apple producers with performance indicators to make more informed decisions concerning rootstock selection for their orchard training systems and planting locations using a weak scion cultivar.
Copyright (c) 2025 J.A. Cline, W. Autio, J. Clements, W. Cowgill, R. Crassweller, T. Einhorn, P. Francescatto, L. Gonzalez Nieto, E. Hoover, G. Lang, J. Lordan, R. Moran, M. Muehlbauer, S. Musacchi , Dr. R. Parra Quezada, J. Schupp, S. Serra, S. Sherif, T. Robinson, R. Wiepz, J. Zandstra (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Errata for the Journal of the American Pomological Society, Volume 79, Issue 2 (April)
A clarification has been added to Table 3, stating "Garretson’ and ‘Killen’ were reported as the result of open pollination (Griffith et al. 1982), but it is believed that they are the product of ‘Early Golden’ self-fertilization.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Errata for the Journal of the American Pomological Society, Volume 72, Issue 4 (October).
An error was found in Figure 5 of the article: The NC-140 Multi-Location Peach Physiology Trial: Relationships Between Peach Fruit Weight, Crop Density and Early Season Temperature by Marini et al 2018. The correct figure has been updated in the original article online at: https://americanpomological.org/?page_id=3808 and is included here.
Plant Growth Regulators Increase the Rooting of Apple Rootstocks Grown in Stoolbeds
Poor rooting is a common problem of many dwarfing apple rootstock genotypes when propagated by layering. Four field experiments were performed in 2008 and 2009 to improve rooting of dwarfing rootstocks. Locations included Ephrata, Washington; Angers, France; and Canby, Oregon. The experiments compared the application of various plant growth regulators at various times of the year on B.9, M.9-T337, M.9-EMLA and G.41 rootstock stool beds. The chemicals used were prohexadione Ca (250 ppm or 1,000 ppm), indole-butyric acid (IBA; 1,000 ppm or 10,000 ppm) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 50 ppm or 200 ppm). IBA sprayed early in the season before mounding with sawdust consistently increased the rooting percentage; however, the treatment was expensive. Foliar applications of prohexadione Ca in the summer also increased the rooting percentage and reduced the number of spines with variations in response due to dose, location and timing. NAA applied foliarly in the summer did not increase rooting percentage.
Apple rootstocks, layer bed propagation, plant growth regulators, prohexadione calcium.
Apple rootstocks, rooting, plant growth regulators
Copyright (c) 2025 Richard Adams, Gennaro Fazio, Herbert Aldwinckle, Terence L. Robinson (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Environmental Factors Inducing High Transpiration at Harvest Increase Peach Bronzing
Peaches with bronzing skin disorder (bronzing) are unmarketable to consumers as they possess blotches of variable shapes and sizes that range from a single patch to covering most of the skin. Little is known about the cause, but in years of high occurrence, the disorder has commonly been associated with rainfall and high temperatures before harvest. In this study, we assessed the influence of environmental parameters on bronzing incidence and severity in orchards with different irrigation regimes. Results showed that environmental factors leading to increased transpiration at harvest were linked to higher bronzing incidence and severity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sydney Lykins, Brian T. Lawrence, Guido Schnabel, Juan Carlos Melgar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Historical Events, Achievements, Challenges and Prospects of the Grape Industry in Mainland of China
Based on over 45 years’ data, this paper aims to explore the major historical events, challenges and prospects of development of the grape industry in China. Ancient Chinese collected native wild grapes as fruits 2,700 ago. The V. vinifera grapevines were planted in Turpan 2,300 years ago. Development of the industry has five distinctive stages from ancient China to the present. The unique ancient culture using grapevines, grapes and wines as materials was colorfully and emotionally embodied in Chinese antiques. The grapevines are currently planted in the eight regions across the country, but the wine industry mainly distributes in the five regions. Chinese wild grapes are valuable resources for resistance breeding. Though remarkable achievements in the past four decades, extension of rootstocks, improvement of field management, development of grape storage technology, are challenges in the current viticulture of China.
Copyright (c) 2025 Yizhen Wan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Assimilated ancestries of American persimmon cultivars (landrace Diospyros virginiana)
The works of many American persimmon hobbyists and professionals are assimilated here in a presentation of ancestries and cultivars currently available in the U.S. The focus is on purely Diospyros virginiana cultivars available to home orchardists. Cultivars no longer in U.S. circulation are omitted unless they are used in ancestry relations. All data is provided in tabularized format.
Horticultural crop improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
Copyright (c) 2025 Richard Frost (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Selective Hand Pruning Does Not Reduce Yield Of ‘Farthing’ (Vaccinium corymbosym Interspecific Hybrids)
Current pruning practices in blueberry production in the Southeastern United States exclude selective fall pruning. Most growers practice a non-selective version of mechanized summer pruning (hedging) with the primary purpose of reducing plant height. Hedging is the preferred pruning method because of its low labor requirements and cost-effectiveness. In contrast, selective fall pruning maintains a balanced vegetative and reproductive growth, but there is limited research on the effects of fall pruning or hand selective pruning on the yield and fruit quality of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids, SHB). This study evaluated six pruning treatments applied to the SHB cultivar ‘Farthing’: T1: ‘hedge summer/hand pruned fall’; T2: ‘hedge summer/tipping in fall’ (commercial practice); T3: ‘hand pruned fall’; T4: ‘hand pruned summer/hand pruned fall’; T5: ‘no pruning or hedging’; T6: ‘hedge and hand pruned summer/hand pruned fall’. Each treatment was tested using a complete randomized block design in a commercial farm located in South Georgia. Our results showed that selective hand pruning did not reduce total yield compared to the commercial hedging practice. However, selective hand pruning significantly increased berry size and weight while advancing ripening, which could provide growers with earlier market entry opportunities. Our study demonstrates that selective fall pruning may be a promising tool for enhancing fruit quality and optimizing early-season pricing for SHB blueberry producers in the Southeastern United States. Nevertheless, further research into cost-effectiveness and long-term impacts on the productivity of SHB is still needed.
Copyright (c) 2025 Federica Rossi, Dr. Zilfina Rubio Ames, Natalia Espinoza, Melissa Faulk (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Anthocyanin Content and Profiles of Strawberry Fruit from North Carolina Genotypes
Anthocyanins impart the pink to orange-red to deep red color found in strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) fruit. In this study, the anthocyanin content and profile of advanced North Carolina selections were compared to those of white to moderately-red fruited commercial cultivars. Pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside (P3G), pelargonidin-3-O-rutinoside (P3R), pelargonidin-3-O-(6”-malonylglucoside) (P3MG), and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) were identified in strawberry fruit juice using high-performance liquid chromatography and the sum of these values represented total anthocyanin content (TAC). The dominant pigment, P3G, ranged from 0.2 to 69.2 mg/100g in white and red fruit, respectively, and values represented 60 to 89% of TAC. Across genotypes, the anthocyanins P3R and C3G represented 4 to 16% and 1 to 17%, respectively, of TAC. Generally regarded as a minor pigment, P3MG contributed 9–18% TAC in nine North Carolina genotypes and 9-10% TAC in cultivars ‘Sweet Charlie’ and ‘Ruby June’. Overall, North Carolina genotypes had anthocyanin content and profiles similar to the commercial cultivars ‘Camarosa’, ‘Chandler’, ‘Sweet Charlie’, ‘Felicity’, ‘Medallion’, and ‘Ruby June'. Visual strawberry fruit color appears to be related more to the total amount of anthocyanin than to specific anthocyanin profiles.
flavonoids, Fragaria ×ananassa, fruit color, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-O-rutinoside
Copyright (c) 2025 Brianna Haynes, Gina Fernandez, Guoying Ma, Penelope Perkins-Veazie (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Water Dynamics of Variably Irrigated Pecan Trees in Oklahoma
Soil water content was monitored for two years (2022-2023) at 10-cm depth intervals within the root zone of variably irrigated pecan trees of a research orchard in central Oklahoma. Pecan root water uptake distribution across the top 1.2 m of the soil and pecan water use were estimated and analyzed with respect to the level of irrigation. The root water uptake distribution revealed that the effective root zone for the pecan trees in a fine sandy loam soil was located in the top 40-50 cm of the soil and the water extraction that took place below 50 cm was minimal (less than 5% of the total uptake). Irrigation treatments had a relatively small impact on the distribution of root water uptake. Trees that received no irrigation exhibited a slight increase in water extraction deeper in the soil. Pecan water use differed in 2022 and 2023, mainly due to the different precipitation patterns between the two years at the study site. The estimated evapotranspiration (ET) using the soil water content data was considerably smaller than the estimated ET that was obtained from two other independent sources that quantify ET based on weather data and satellite remote sensing.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jacob Kettner, Dr. Saleh Taghvaeian, Niranjan Pokhrel, Dr. Ali Mirchi, Dr. Lu Zhang, Dr. Mukesh Mehata, Dr. Sumon Datta (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Effect of Different Harvesting Dates on Tea Quality of Five Mulberry Varieties in Turpan City
This study aimed to investigate the influence of different harvest dates on the chemical composition of Morus nigra leaf tea in Turpan City, Xinjiang Province. Morus (mulberry) varieties belong to the order Rosales, family Moraceae and genus Morus, and are widely cultivated around the world. Mulberry leaf tea is made from the processing of mulberry leaves and is a primary way of high-value utilization of mulberry tree resources. Leaves of five mulberry varieties,‘Yao Sang’ (M. nigra L.), ‘Bai Sang’ (M. alba L.), ‘Hei Sang’(M. alba L. var. Tatarica), Nong Sang Number 14 (M. multicaulis Perr.), and‘Danbai Sang’(M. alba), were collected on seven different dates in 2024 and tea was made from each sample following a replicated standardized process. The main chemical components, including free amino acids, flavonoid glycosides, total phenols, total polysaccharides, alkaloids, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and 1-Deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) were analyzed and sensory evaluations were conducted. Two-way ANOVA was conducted, and pairwise comparisons were performed between groups in which the interaction was statistically significant. The optimal harvest date was determined using principal component analysis to comprehensively evaluate tea quality and identify the optimal date for harvesting. Based on the results of the two-way ANOVA, a correlation was found between the repeated measurement data (p ≤ 0.05) and Tukey’s post-hoc test was used to make pairwise comparisons. Among the five species groups, there were significant differences in the mean values for most varieties. At the same time, there were significant differences between the mean values at most of the seven time points. The index values of the mulberry leaves at different harvest dates were used to calculate the primary component score function. The overall quality ranking was determined based on the comprehensive score: Yao Sang and Nong Sang 14 achieved their highest scores on May 27th, Danbai Sang peaked on June 24th, Bai Sang reached its maximum on July 8th, and Hei Sang attained its highest score on April 29th. This analysis method integrated the contents of several main bioactive substances and sensory scores of mulberry leaf tea to objectively and comprehensively determine the optimal harvest date for the five mulberry leaf varieties in Turpan City. These findings provide a theoretical reference for the preparation and utilization of mulberry leaf tea.
Copyright (c) 2024 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
OK392 (‘Mamont Noir’) a Red-Pulped Bunch Grape with Potential for Upper South Vineyards
The grape industry is expanding acreage production of wine, juice, and other value-added products throughout the United States. Recent estimates show the grape and wine industries in states surrounding Mississippi have significant economic impact. To prepare for a potential expansion of the grape industry in Mississippi, underappreciated cultivars and breeding selections are being grown, harvested, and processed to determine suitability. A selection from Oklahoma, OK392, was grown for several years at the Mississippi State University (MSU) Beaumont Horticultural Unit as well as the Oklahoma State University Cimarron Valley Experiment Station. OK392 compared favorably to other hybrid bunch grapes in many measured categories; however, it did have higher loads of Pierce’s disease (PD) (Xylella fastidiosa) in Mississippi. Even with the higher detected PD, vines are still surviving in South Mississippi and producing grapes. Wine was also made from fruit collected and it has promise in blending and as a teinturier to provide deep red color for other grapes. Overall, OK392 has potential for upper South vineyards and may be useful in grape breeding programs as well, and we propose the name ‘Mamont Noir’ for future use.
Copyright (c) 2024 Eric T. Stafne, Becky L. Carroll, Haley N. Williams, Christine E.H. Coker, Blair J. Sampson (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Pawpaw: An Underutilized Tree with Potential
Pawpaw [Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal] is an endemic North American tree that is gaining commercial interest because it produces desirable, nutritious fruit for human consumption. The plant evolved in the forest understory and can grow well in shaded and sunny environments. As a native tree, there are few arthropod pests or diseases, thus, the trees require few pesticide inputs. The acetogenins synthesized by the tree can be used as natural pesticides or in cancer therapy treatment. Pawpaw is primarily propagated by seed in nurseries, and cultivars are grafted via the whip-and-tongue and chip bud methods. However, there are several challenges that limit wider adoption of pawpaw production in North America including the lack of an adequate tissue culture protocol for clonal propagation, poor understanding of fruit physiology, and lack of rootstocks for commercial production. Modern biotechnology serves as viable option for overcoming these challenges and accelerating the development of pawpaw for commercial production.
Evaluating Growing Degree Days and Fruit Development Periods in Peach Breeding Material from Clemson University
Anticipating fruit maturation is critical for peach growers' orchard management and marketing. Due to short shelf life and perishable nature of peach fruit, peach growers grow many cultivars in a season to provide continuous supply of fresh fruit to consumers. To efficiently manage orchard operations, peach growers use growing degree days (GDD) mathematical model to predict peach fruit maturity and aid in harvest scheduling. GDD calculates accumulated heat and relates it to key physiological stages, such as ripening time, in a plant life cycle. Ripening time of peach cultivars is reported in the calendar or Julian days (JD), as fruit development period (FDP), or as the number of days before or after a reference cultivar. Presenting ripening time this way does not account for seasonal variation and is not adaptable to climate change. Therefore, we evaluated GDD and FDP from full bloom to ripening time in 97 peach and nectarine accessions from the Clemson University peach breeding program over six years (2018-2023). The GDD and JD variability and implication of providing this information on existing and newly released cultivars to producers and researchers are discussed.
Copyright (c) 2025 Matthew Almy, John Mark Lawton, Ksenija Gasic (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Copyright (c) 1946 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Apples and Pecans Interplanted in Oklahoma
A Nationwide Project in Fruit Variety Appraisal
The evaluation of fruit varieties has long been a neglected project. The chief lack has been a coordinated or national plan for making an appraisal or comparison of varieties which would be of value to fruit growers and nurseryman. The result of this situation is to make a guessing contest of both nursery propagation and orchard planting. Each propagator tries to guess for a few years ahead, the demands of the fruit growers. At the same time the growers will be guessing as to what the consumer demand is likely to be several more years hence. Into both of these choices should go the advice of scientific pomologists and the experience of the fruit growers themselves. The lack of reliable recommendations has always been the handicap of most systematic horticulturists because of inadequate testing facilities. The most reliable evaluation of varieties necessitates the development of well conceived test plantings, a carefully prepared score card, and a wealth of observational experience. Out of these should come an unbiased appraisal or comparison of those fruit varieties which are old enough to have fruited several years.
The Effect of Exposure to Drying Conditions on Stand and Growth of Nursery Fruit Trees
Fruit growers, especially those interested in citrus can hardly have missed the new note of emphasis upon variety in recent national advertising. More than ever before, points of advantage are being brushed and shined up to appeal to a ready market. It is not alone a matter of competition among different kinds of fruits as to their relative merits as luscious health foods but, as well, among varieties of the same fruits, and qualities of the same variety as produced in different areas.
New Fruit and Nut Variety Lists Committee
In the very inception of the American Pomological Society the basic interest related to fruit varieties and fruit variety names. These same interests, in one phase or another, have continued to characterize the work of the Society and to make it unique in American horticulture. These interests have been varied and with wide ramifications.