Fruit Science Commons^™

Evaluation Of Ultraviolet-C Light For Control Of Mites And Western Tarnished Plant Bug In Strawberry & Interactive Lethal Effects Of Common Strawberry Fungicides And Adjuvants On Phytoseiulus Persimilis, Colin T. Koubek

Master's Theses

California strawberry production relies heavily on chemical pesticides to manage arthropod pests and diseases, but pesticide resistance, regulatory pressure, and the need to conserve biological control agents have increased interest in alternative pest management tools. This thesis evaluated ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light as a nonchemical management tool for key strawberry arthropod pests and assessed the compatibility of common strawberry fungicides and adjuvants with the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot. The first objective was to determine the ovicidal and lethal effects of UV-C light on Lygus hesperus Knight eggs and nymphs. Laboratory and field ovicide assays were conducted using UV-C doses relevant …

Using Preliminary Consumer Insight To Enhance The Perceived Quality Of A New Apple Cultivar (Malus Domestica Borkh. Cv. Anabp 01) With A View To Maximizing Crop Utilisation, Kristen Kennison, Steele Jacob, Karyn Reeves, Kevin Lacey, Dario Stefanelli

Horticulture Research Articles

The visual appearance of a new apple cultivar is of foremost importance for consumer attraction and fruit purchase. A new Australian apple (“ANABP 01”) has a unique burgundy colored skin which can range from red to dark burgundy during fruit maturation. This study investigates consumer likability and purchase of “ANABP 01” apples with similar eating quality characteristics with four different skin colors being Red, Light Burgundy (LB), Burgundy (B) and Dark Burgundy (DB). During testing, panelists liked all classes of apple colors, giving high scores for their visual, textural and flavor characteristics. Panelists rated the color of B and DB …

Improved Management Strategies For Botrytis Fruit Rot, Macrophomina Root Rot, And Verticillium Wilt In California Strawberry Production, Joseph A. Ramirez

Master's Theses

Strawberry production in California is limited by plant diseases such as Macrophomina root rot (MRR) caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, Verticillium wilt (VW) caused by Verticillium dahliae, and Botrytis fruit rot (BFR) caused by Botrytis cinerea. Current disease management strategies are compromised due to fumigant regulations or ineffective disease management practices. This thesis investigated methods to potentially improve the management of these three diseases. Two host plant resistance evaluations for MRR and VW were conducted for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 growing seasons. Sixty-three strawberry genotypes were screened in both years. All plants were exposed to the pathogen via artificial …

Citrus Fruits Maturity Parameters 2025-2026, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Viticulture research reports

Under Biosecurity and Agricultural Management (Agricultural Standards) Regulations 2013 Part 5.

Best Management Practices: Sambucus Canadensis Propagation Techniques, Hannah Berendzen

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

American elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) is a fruit-bearing shrub native to North America, traditionally utilized for medicinal and culinary purposes. In recent years, its popularity has surged due to emerging research supporting its immune-boosting properties. Despite its growing demand, standardized best management practices for elderberry cultivation, particularly propagation techniques, remain lacking. This study aims to clarify propagation recommendations by examining the influence cutting size and stem diameter on rooting success. A field study was conducted from February to May 2024, in which one-node and two-node dormant hardwood elderberry cuttings of varying stem diameters were planted in small …

Value Of Horticulture Industries In Western Australia 2022-2023, Manju Radhakrishnan, Rohan Prince

Horticulture published reports

The horticulture sector in Western Australia (WA) produces high quality fruit, vegetables, nuts and amenity horticulture. Western Australians benefit from consuming this steady supply of diverse, affordable and sustainably grown fresh fruit and vegetables. Amenity horticulture, in the form of parks and gardens, adds a great richness to the quality of life in WA.

It is estimated that WA produced $1.75 billion worth of fruit, vegetables, nuts and amenity horticulture in 2022–23. The real value1 of production at the wholesale level increased by 4% when compared to the 2020 figures presented in the report, Situation analysis of horticulture in Western …

Evaluation Of Pierce’S Disease-Resistant Grapevine Cultivars In Upstate South Carolina, Annie Bruno

All Theses

Interest in wine grape production is increasing in South Carolina, but Pierce’s Disease (PD) caused by the xylem-limited bacteria Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a major limiting factor. Xf is spread by sap-sucking insect vectors in the Cicadellidae family such as sharpshooters. In the United States, Xf has become endemic to the southeast as global temperatures rise, causing winter temperatures to increase, which allows the bacteria to survive year-round. However, PD-resistant grapevine hybrid cultivars have become available through breeding V. vinifera genes with native American Vitis species that are resistant to Xf. In this study, the PD-resistant grapevine …

Developing Holistic And Reduced Fertilization Guidelines For Southeastern Peach (Prunus Persica (L.) Batsch) Orchards, Richardson Bien-Aime

All Theses

Peach production in the southeastern United States requires optimizing fertilization practices to balance economic sustainability and environmental health. Current guidelines may overlook rootstock-specific nutrient requirements and fail to align with orchard-specific conditions, often resulting in overfertilization, increased costs, and environmental risks. This study, conducted at Clemson University’s Musser Fruit Research Center during 2023 and 2024, aimed to refine fertilization practices through two complementary experiments. The first experiment investigated how three rootstocks, ’MP-29’, Lovell, and Guardian, influence nutrient dynamics of ‘Carored’ peach trees. Nutrient concentrations were measured in various tree organs, including leaves, pruned wood, thinned fruitlets, and harvested fruits, along …

Narrow Orchard Systems For Pome And Stone Fruit - A Review, Alessio Scalisi, Mark G. O'Connell, Dario Stefanelli, Shuangxi Zhou, Tim Pitt, Darren Graetz, Kevin Dodds, Liqi Han, Roberta De Bei, Jill Stanley, Ken Breen, Ian Goodwin

Horticulture Research Articles

The main characteristics of Narrow Orchard Systems (NOS) are (i) narrow canopies, with (ii) multiple closely-spaced upright leaders and (iii) narrow inter-rows, regardless of tree spacing within the row. In NOS, planting density can be reduced compared with super-high and ultra-high density planting systems on dwarfing rootstocks, utilising a wider range of rootstock vigours coupled to proportional increases in both within-row tree spacing and upright leader number per tree. This paper reviews the development of NOS and results of research carried out on apple, pear, sweet cherry, peach, nectarine, apricot and plum in production regions worldwide. The history of orchard …

Lure Specificity, Phenology, And Damage Caused By Epiphyas Moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) In Western Australian Apple Orchards, Maryam Yazdani, Elliot T. Howse, Wee Tek Tay, Helen Spafford, Rieks Van Klinken

Horticulture Research Articles

Multiple Epiphyas species inhabit southwestern Western Australia, including Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a globally significant, polyphagous pest. This study evaluated the efficacy and specificity of lures designed for 3 Epiphyas species: E. postvittana, Epiphyas pulla (Turner), and the undescribed Epiphyas sp. (1) (Common). Additionally, the study sought to determine the presence and distribution of Epiphyas species in 3 significant apple-growing localities. Trapping, together with partial sequencing of the mitochondrial COI gene, found LBAM to be restricted to the Perth Hills and E. pulla, to apple orchards near Manjimup and Pemberton. This geographic …

Harvesting, Packing And Storing Bananas In The Oria (Ord River Irrigation Area), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Horticulture factsheets

For bananas on the Ord River Irrigation Area, length of time to emergence and harvesting depend on air temperature, planting time and sucker management. Ratoon crops are much slower to reach maturity than new crops.

Field Evaluation Of Female- And Male-Targeted Traps For Ceratitis Capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), Elliot T. Howse, Rieks Van Klinken, Nicholas J. Beeton, Helen Spafford, Kim P. James, Matthew P. Hill

Horticulture Research Articles

Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a globally significant economic pest for which lure based trapping can be used to monitor established populations and for surveillance. Either female- or male-targeted traps can be used; however, recommendations on which to apply are inconsistent and many programs rely on male-targeted traps. Here, we compare the performance of male-targeted traps (Lynfield Trap with Trimedlure) and female-targeted traps (Biotrap Globe trap with the 3-component lure—TMA Plus) in apple orchards in south-west Western Australia over 2 years (September 2019 to September 2021). Male-targeted traps caught more Medflies overall than female-targeted traps, …

Localised And Tree Total Crop Loads Influence Trunk Growth, Return Fruit Set, Yield, And Fruit Quality In Apples, Alessio Scalisi, Tim Plozza, Priyanka Reddy, Madeleine Peavey, Lexie Mcclymont, Simone Rochfort, Dario Stefanelli, Ian Goodwin

Horticulture Research Articles

Localised fruit thinning strategies must be investigated to improve precision crop load management in narrow-canopy, multileader apple trees. This study aimed to determine the effects of within-leader and tree total crop load on leaders’ and trunk’s growth, fruit set, yield, and fruit quality in ‘Ruby Matilda’ apples (marketed as Pink Lady®) over three years. Different crop loads were imposed on two leaders (primary and secondary) of bi-axis trees. Leader and trunk relative growth rate, return fruit set, yield, and fruit quality parameters at harvest were measured. High within-leader crop loads led to a significant increase in yield and reductions in …

The Influence Of Stage Of Ripeness On Consumer Perceptions Regarding Selected Aspects Of Non-Astringent Asian Persimmons (Diospyros Kaki Thunb), Robert A. Mirabello Jr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Asian Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) is an important fruit crop in Asia and in recent decades has experienced expanding production around the world. Non-astringent cultivars are highly desirable in world markets. In the United States the Asian Persimmon is lesser known and consumed although it can be successfully grown in California and the Southeastern United States.This novel study examined the physical/chemical properties of the non-astringent Asian Persimmon ‘Jiro’ grown in Southern Louisiana at three distinct stages of ripeness described as Green (mid-September harvest), Light Orange (mid-October harvest) and Dark Orange (mid-November harvest). Data collected included color, weight, size, soluble …

The Effect Of Tryptone And Tomato Juice Addition On The Growth Performance Of Strawberry (Fragaria Ananassa) Explant Under In Vitro Condition, Zulfa Ulinnuha, Etik Wukir Tini, Noor Farid, Dhianing Shalatin

Jurnal Kultivasi

Strawberries are a fruit commodity that has high economic value. The obstacle in strawberry production is the lack of high-quality seed availability with disease-free properties. Tissue culture offers a promising solution to increase both the quantity and quality of strawberry seeds. This study aims to assess the effect of different concentrations of tomato juice and tryptone on the growth of strawberry explants under in vitro growing condition. The research was conducted at the Plant Breeding Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, from December 2022 to May 2023. The study employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two factors. The …

Predicting The Potential Distribution Of Pseudococcus Longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) In South Korea Using A Climex Model, Su Bin Kim, Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a widely-distributed pest that feeds on many economically important hosts, particularly tropical fruits and ornamentals. The potential distribution of this mealybug pest in South Korea remains a primary concern because of its high incidence of interceptions screened during inspection. Hence, this species prompted a modelling effort to assess its potential risk of introduction. Potential risk maps were developed for this pest with a CLIMEX model based on occurrence records under environmental data. The potential distribution of these pests in South Korea in the 2020s, 2050s and 2090s was projected based on the RCP 8.5 …

Effect Of Harvest Season On The Physical Properties, Fatty Acid Composition, And Volatile Compounds Of Roasted Cacao Beans, Amornrat Chumthong, Nuttarisa Limjumrern, Chutikarn Saensano, Pornthep Teerawattanapong, Aekkaraj Nualla-Ong, Adirek Rugkong, Rawee Chiarawipa

Makara Journal of Science

The prevailing climate is an important factor affecting the development of the physical quality and flavor of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) beans. The influence of harvest seasons on the physical, chemical, and flavor characteristics of cacao beans from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand, was assessed. Among cacao beans, those harvested in the rainy season (R) had the highest fresh and dry weights and the lowest bean count per 100 g (87.00 ± 2.83). Although the overall fat content remained relatively constant across harvest seasons, cacao beans harvested in R exhibited a significantly higher fatty acid (C16:0, C18:1, and …

A Spatio-Temporal Modelling Approach To Understand The Effect Of Urban Fruit Fly Outbreaks On Peri-Urban Orchards, Andrew Broadley, Rieks Van Klinken, Dean R. Paini, Matthew Hill, Elliot T. Howse

Horticulture Research Articles

Urban areas are well-known sources of fruit fly introduction and unmanaged populations pose a high risk of dispersal to surrounding agricultural areas. Although management of urban fruit fly populations is recognised as being important for area-wide control programmes, its relative importance is rarely quantified. Identifying possible sources of fruit fly populations is important to the success of area-wide programs, as well as to on-farm management. We developed a modelling approach to analyse the spatio-temporal connectivity of fruit fly across urban-agriculture boundaries. For a case study, we examine Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, outbreaks in two fruit growing …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Developing Recommendations For Broad Mite, Polyphagotarsonemus Latus Banks, In Blackberry, Rubus Subgenus Rubus, Jared Bradley Linn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Broad mite, (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), is an economically important pest of blackberry production across the world. Since it was first reported on primocane-fruiting blackberries in 2010, little work has gone into developing IPM tools and understanding impact on floricane-fruiting cultivars. The objective of this thesis was to evaluate the effect of broad mite feeding on floricane-fruiting cultivars of blackberry, develop an efficient and accurate field scouting strategy, and investigate the impact of cultivar and trellising technique on the development of broad mite populations. Experiments consisted of evaluating floricane fruiting cultivars by quantifying broad mite populations and cataloging their …

Containerized Satsuma Mandarin Production Under Protective Screens As A Management Strategy, Anna Timmerman

LSU Master's Theses

Many of the world’s citrus growing regions are experiencing challenges related to citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB) caused by the presumed bacterial agent Candidatus Liberibacter spp. HLB is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) and through propagation of infected citrus material. HLB impacts tree health as well as fruit development, ripening, and quality of the resulting citrus fruit, often leading to an unmarketable product. Producers are growing citrus in high density orchards underneath protective screening material that excludes the Asian citrus psyllid, preventing new HLB infections. Four ultra-high containerized tree spacings of 2 feet …

Shinyfruit: Interactive Fruit Phenotyping Software And Its Application In Blackberry, T. Mason Chizk, Jackie A. Lee, John R. Clark, Margaret L. Worthington

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Horticultural plant breeding programs often demand large volumes of phenotypic data to capture visual variation in quality of harvested products. Increasing the throughput potential of phenomic pipelines enables breeders to consider data-hungry molecular breeding strategies such as genome-wide association studies and genomic selection.

Methods: We present an R-based web application called ShinyFruit for image-based phenotyping of size, shape, and color-related qualities in fruits and vegetables. Here, we have demonstrated one potential application for ShinyFruit by comparing its estimates of fruit length, width, and red drupelet reversion (RDR) with ImageJ and analogous manual phenotyping techniques in a population of blackberry …

Propagation Of Bananas, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Horticulture factsheets

Tissue culture is the best method for propagating bananas. It ensures they are true to type and free from pests and diseases.

Check with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development quarantine officer before bringing tissue culture material into Western Australia.

However, planting with bits is cheap and guarantees that new diseases are not introduced.

Banana Management In The Ord River Irrigation Area (Oria), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Horticulture factsheets

The Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) is suitable for growing bananas. However, due to the local climate, management is slightly different to other Western Australian growing regions such as Carnarvon.

There are many considerations when planning to establish a banana plantation. A summary of these practices is given below. For more specific information on each practice see the other documents in this series.

Evaluation Of Warm Season Vegetables Using Sustainable Production Practices, Jacob Arthur

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable practices were evaluated for the production of two warm season vegetable crops, tomato and chile peppers. The first study investigated the plant vegetative growth, fruit production timing, yield components and fruit quality of three hybrid and three heirloom tomato cultivars grown in a high tunnel using grafted and non-grafted plants. Grafting the selected tomato cultivars with the two rootstock types did not alter total marketable yield of any cultivar, but affected overall stem diameter, fruit color, and β-carotene concentrations of tested tomato cultivars. The second study evaluated the plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of nine heirloom chile pepper …

Understanding The Influence Of Excessive Fertilization And Water Relations On Peach (Prunus Persica (L.) Batsch) Skin Bronzing, Sydney Lykins

All Theses

This project evaluated possible causes of peach skin bronzing, a brown-blotchy skin discoloration on mid to late-season peaches that causes drastic decreases to grower incomes in the Southeastern U.S. It is known that there is no bacterial, insectile, viral, or fungal cause of bronzing; thus, these studies focused on potential nutrient imbalances within the peach. On the ‘PF23’ variety, factors of irrigation, potassium fertilization, and transpiration-inhibiting sprays were tested to see the various effects on the incidence and severity of bronzing. The hypothesis was that excessive irrigation and excessive soil potassium concentrations would induce a higher incidence and severity of …

Exploring Soil-Tree Interactions After Applying Organic Matter Amendments To Peach Orchards In The Subtropical Climate Of The Southeastern United States, Brian Lawrence

All Dissertations

Soil disturbance from the cultivation and intensive management of orchards in hot and humid subtropical climates can reduce soil organic matter (OM). This research explored how the addition of OM amendments impact soil and tree parameters in two field studies and how proximity to OM may elicit unique genomic response of peach roots in a split-root pot study. The first field study applied two rates of compost (1x and 2x) and subsequently reduced fertilizer applications annually to a virgin and replant orchard location. While both compost rates successfully replaced fertilizers, only the 2x rate in the replant location increased soil …

In-Field And Greenhouse Assessments Of A Selection Of Preemergent Herbicides On Newly Planted Blackberries, Kayla Knepp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This field trial assesses some of the preemergence herbicide options available to growers and their effect on newly transplanted blackberries (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus Watson). Weed control has recently been surveyed as a top priority for blackberry growers; however, limited preemergence herbicides are registered for new blackberry plantings. Weed control is an ongoing component of blackberry production and with few in-season postemergence herbicide options available, growers rely on preemergence herbicides to maintain clean fields. The preemergent herbicides assessed in this trial were chosen with the intention to broaden the chemical control options available to growers in new plantings. A two-year …

Backyard Fruit Production In Utah's High Mountain Valleys, Maegen Lewis, Jaydee Gunnell, Michael Pace, Teryl Roper

All Current Publications

Utah’s population has seen significant growth in recent years resulting in population increase outside of the Wasatch Front and into Utah's high mountain valleys. These locations include Bear Lake Valley, Ogden Valley, Morgan and Henefer, Park City, Wasatch Valley, and Sanpete Valley. Much of the information presented here would also apply to the Uintah Basin and other high elevation locations in eastern Utah. Common characteristics of these valleys include high elevations (greater than 5,000 feet) leading to short growing seasons. Many homeowners who are new to these regions wish to establish perennial fruit crops in their gardens. This publication outlines …

Muscadine Grapes: Identifying Unique Attributes And Postharvest Practices, John Cody Rawls

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Arkansas has a long history of grape and wine production, and muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.), a native disease-resistant grape, are an important part of that industry. Muscadine grapes can be sold as a fresh-market grape or made into juice, wine, and other products. Additionally, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UA System) breeding program has a focus on creating new muscadine cultivars with commercial potential. The objectives of this research were to evaluate muscadine grape genotypes (cultivars and breeding selections) for fresh market consumption and wine production in 2020 and 2021. 33 seeded and seedless genotypes of …