Fruit Science Commons^™

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 …

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 …

Genomic Analyses Of A Widespread Blueberry Virus In The United States, Daisy Stainton, Dan E.V. Villamor, Andrea Sierra Mejia, Ashish Srivastava, Dimitre Mollov, Robert R. Martin, Ioannis E. Tzanetakis

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Screening of blueberry accessions using high throughput sequencing revealed the presence of a new virus. Genomic structure and sequence are similar to that of nectarine stem pitting associated virus (NSPaV), a member of the genus Luteovirus, family Tombusviridae. The full genome of the new luteovirus, tentatively named blueberry virus L (BlVL), was characterized and analyzed. Similar to NSPaV, BlVL does not contain readily identifiable movement proteins in any of the seven isolates sequenced. More than 600 samples collected from five states were screened and 79% were found infected, making BlVL the most widespread blueberry virus in the United States.

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 …

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 …

Characterization Of Blueberry (Poly)Phenolics In Foods, Their Metabolites In Human Biological Samples And Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Phytochemicals In Vitro, Laura Felgus-Lavefve

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Blueberries’ popularity is in part supported by the health benefits associated with their consumption. Research has strongly focused on their polyphenol and anthocyanin concentration, one of the highest amongst commonly consumed foods. Polyphenols have demonstrated antioxidant effects in vitro, and consuming polyphenol-rich foods is associated with protective effects towards non-communicable diseases, but their direct bioactivity in the human body remains to be fully understood. It is estimated that about 90 to 95% of the initial polyphenol intake reaches the colon without being absorbed. Instead, phenolic compounds go through extensive biotransformations, consisting of catabolism into smaller compounds mostly carried out by …

An Investigation Of Factors Affecting The Rooting Ability Of Hardwood Muscadine Cuttings And Genetic Diversity Of Wild And Cultivated Muscadine Grapes (Vitis Rotundifolia Michx.), Kenneth Buck

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia syn. Muscadinia rotundifolia) is a grape species native to the southeastern United States. Muscadines are one of three grape species in subgenus Muscadinia with a chromosome number of 2n=40 (V. rotundifolia, V. munsoniana, and V. popenoei), making them genetically distinct from the European wine and table grape (Vitis vinifera) and other species in subgenus Euvitis. Rooting hardwood cuttings from muscadine vines has traditionally been considered an exceptionally difficult task. Many previous studies observed almost no root formation, leading to a general consensus that muscadines should either be propagated by softwood cuttings or vegetative layering. However, the …

Arkansas Fresh-Market Blackberries: Identifying Unique Attributes And Harvest Practices That Impact Marketability, Andrea Lea Myers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fresh-market blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus) are sold worldwide and have attributes that appeal to consumers. The delicate-nature of the fruit requires hand harvesting, and minimal handling of the fruit postharvest. Objectives of this research on Arkansas fresh-market blackberries was to 1) identify the unique attributes 2) determine the best handling practices to increase postharvest quality, and 3) evaluate the potential of soft robotic gripper for harvesting. For the first objective, blackberry genotypes were harvested from the University of Arkansas System (UA System) Division of Agriculture Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, AR. Nineteen genotypes were harvested in 2020, eight genotypes were …

Genetic Control Of Sweetness, Acidity, And Seediness In Blackberry, Carly Elizabeth Godwin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global blackberry (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus Watson) industry has experienced rapid growth during the past 15 years. Even so, many industry stakeholders report complaints from consumers and grocers stating blackberries are often too tart, too seedy, or not sweet enough for their liking. The development of molecular markers for high sweetness, low acidity, and reduced seediness would allow breeding programs to expeditiously make selection and crossing decisions in the early stages of the breeding pipeline. The objective of this study was to use a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) to identify marker-trait associations, locate quantitative trait loci (QTL), and find …

Economic Contribution Of Agriculture And Food To Arkansas’ Gross Domestic Product 1997-2020, Leah English, Jennie Popp, Wayne Miller

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

Agricultural production, processing, and retail industries are major contributors to Arkansas’ GDP. Agriculture contributes to the state economy through direct agricultural production, value-added processing, and agricultural retail activities. The Agriculture and Food Sector, which is comprised of agricultural production, processing, and retail industries, promotes economic strength through various interactions with other industries. The use of non-agricultural goods and services as inputs into the agricultural sector promotes diversified growth in Arkansas’ economy and thus plays a vital role in maintaining economic stability throughout the state. This report 1) compares the relative size of the Agriculture and Food Sector in Arkansas with …

Nocturnal Pollination In Fruit Agriculture, Stephen Robertson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Insect pollination in agriculture provides as much as 35% of the global food supply and contributes hundreds of billions of dollars to the global economy each year. In the past 30 years, reports of declining populations of managed and wild bees, notably the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) and a wide array of bumble bees (Bombus spp.), have raised concerns about the stability and outlook of agriculture. At the same time, agricultural dependence on insect pollinators is increasing as greater percentages of land being converted to pollinator-dependent crops, such as soy and oil palm, than pollinator-independent crops, such as grains …

Effect Of Harvest Time On The Incidence Of Red Drupelet Reversion And Development Of Tetraploid Linkage Maps In Blackberry, Mitchell E. Armour

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The cultivated eastern U.S. blackberry (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus Watson) has gone through tremendous strides in both trait improvement and market outreach at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UA System). What began as primarily a pick-your-own local fruit found mostly in the wild, has become a commercialized year-round product in most major U.S. grocery retailers. This could not have been achieved without decades of diligent breeding efforts. Although the genetic improvement of fresh-market blackberries has advanced, there are still issues that need to be addressed. One issue is the prevalence of red drupelet reversion (RDR), a physiological …

Characterization, Incidence, And Epidemiology Of Two Novel Strawberry Rhabdoviruses, Ava Wait

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Strawberry is the most important berry crop, grown in most temperate regions around the world. In the early 2000s and in 2012-2013, viral disease devastated strawberry production in California and Florida respectively; causing multimillion dollar losses. This occurred because viruses were moving in the field undetected. The modern strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is tolerant to single and double infections; yet when several viruses infect plants, symptoms as severe as plant death can occur. To prevent future epidemics, the use of virus-tested planting materials is essential. In 2019, rhabdovirus-like sequences were detected in strawberry using a combination of high-throughput sequencing …

Estimation Of Additive And Dominance Effects Of A Mutant Glutathione S-Transferase Gene On Anthocyanin And Proanthocyanidin Content In Muscadine Grape (Vitis Rotundifolia), Autumn Brown

Horticulture Undergraduate Honors Theses

The skin color of muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) is typically classified as black or bronze. A glutathione S-transferase, VrunGST4, has been identified as a candidate gene for berry skin color in muscadine grapes. A molecular marker was developed within VrunGST4 to distinguish between muscadine genotypes (cultivars and selections) with bronze (T:T), heterozygote black (C:T), and homozygote black (C:C) berries. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there was a correlation between berry skin color and total anthocyanin content and to calculate additive and dominance effects of VrunGST4 in determining total anthocyanins in the berries and …

Comparison Of A T-Trellis And A Rotating Cross-Arm Trellis For Arkansas Blackberry Production, Erika Henderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As blackberry production in the southeastern United States expands, the need for updated cultural practices, like alternative trellis systems that enhance blackberry fruit yield, fruit quality, and economic viability for fresh-market growers are needed. There are challenges to producing high-quality blackberry fruit with high yields in the Southeast due to intense heat, high rainfall, humidity, and heavy pest pressure. Southeastern growers are interested in the rotating cross-arm (RCA) trellis due to its potential to increase yield and fruit quality, however there is minimal research of its use in blackberry production in the Southeast. In 2019 and 2020, a trial was …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Studies In The Peach [Prunus Persica (L.) Batsch] And Muscadine Grape (Vitis Rotundifolia Michx.), Jennifer Anne Lewter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Peach: Peaches [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] are routinely chilled to increase shelf-life. Exposure to temperatures of 5° C for two weeks can induce chilling injury (CI) symptoms, including flesh mealiness (or wooliness) and a lack of juiciness. Phenotypic data were collected on seven biparental F1 peach populations maintained at the University of Arkansas Fruit Research Station. A genome wide association study (GWAS) was performed using TASSEL 5 which identified four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with expressible juice, four QTLs for mealiness, five QTLs for soluble solids, and three QTLs for fruit weight. Exploiting these genetic markers could help breeders …

Projected Surface Water For Fruit And Vegetable Irrigation Under A Changing Climate In The Us, Marty Matlock, Greg Thoma, Kieu Ngoc Le, Eric Cummings, Zach Morgan, Andrew Shaw

Water Systems

Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, resulting in climate impacts, are raising concerns over the hydrologic cycle and its effects upon agricultural productivity. If rainfall patterns change, meeting an increased demand for fruits and vegetables will pose a challenge for domestic production regions in the United States (U.S.). Information on potential water supply scarcity in the current production regions provides decision makers with critical information for risk mitigation for future production. We used a hydrologic balance-based model of historic and future water availability to evaluate risk of available irrigation water to support major fruit and vegetable production the US. …

Determining Cluster Thinning And Storage Effects On Fruit Quality And Marketability Attributes Of Arkansas Table Grapes Grown Under High Tunnel Systems., Virginia Beasley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Table Grapes (Vitus vinifera) are highly valued horticulture crops world-wide. Often, table grape production in the southern United States is restricted due to climate and pest issues. Viticulture production could be expanded to this region by the use of controlled environment growing systems, such as high tunnels (HT). The objective of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of HT systems for grape cultivation and compare the effects of different cluster thinning treatments on vines. In this two-year study, the cultivars Faith, Gratitude, Hope, and Jupiter were grown in HT systems and assessed for postharvest qualities at harvest and during …

An Evaluation Of Biopesticide Combinations On Yield Performance And Disease/Arthropod Control Of Strawberries Grown In High Tunnel Plasticulture Production Systems In Arkansas., Karlee B. Pruitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This two-year study investigated combinations of biopesticides to determine impacts on strawberry fruit marketable fruit yields, and effectiveness in controlling strawberry pests in a high tunnel production system at the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Two strawberry cultivars Fragaria × ananassa (Duch.), Camino Real and Sweet Sensation were grown in a high tunnel from early-October to mid-May for two consecutive growing seasons, (2017-18 and 2018-19) with six treatment combinations of biopesticides including an untreated (water) control, nutrient spray and selected biological based fungicides and insecticides, arranged into a split-plot randomized block design. …

Identifying Consumer Perceptions Of Fresh-Market Blackberries, Aubrey Dunteman

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Blackberries are grown worldwide for commercial fresh markets, but there is limited information on consumer perceptions of this fruit. In this study, physiochemical and consumer sensory attributes of three Arkansas-grown fresh-market blackberry genotypes were evaluated and consumer perceptions of fresh-market blackberries were also investigated though an online survey. Two cultivars (Natchez and Ouachita) and one advanced selection (A-2418) were evaluated for compositional and nutraceutical analysis and consumer sensory analysis. Natchez had the highest berry weight, length, drupelets and pyrenes/berry, and pyrene weight/berry. Ouachita had the highest soluble solids content (11.9%), pH (3.18) and soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio (10.92). There were …

Ripeness Attributes Of Arkansas-Grown Peaches And Nectarines At Harvest And During Postharvest Storage, Mary Siebenmorgen

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Evaluating ripeness attributes of peaches and nectarines helps determine feasibility for commercial markets. Five cultivars (Amoore Sweet, Bowden, Bradley, Effie, and Souvenirs) and five breeding selections (A-663 CN, A-794 CN, A-811 CN, A-819, and A-885) were hand harvested in 2017 from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, AR. The tree-ripened fruit was evaluated at harvest (day 0), and commercially-ripened fruit (ripened during storage) was evaluated at 0, 7 and 14 d storage at 4° C. The attributes of tree and commercially-ripened fruit varied at harvest and included chlorophyll (0.04-0.86 abs), weight (132-264 g), …

Aiding Growers’ Decisions: Describing Arkansas Blackberry Growers’ Resources And Needs Regarding Blackberry Production, Lesley Marie Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was a census of blackberry growers who attended the Blackberry Growers Association informal interest meetings held throughout the state during the month of April. The purpose of this study was to describe blackberry operations in Arkansas, describe the ideal blackberry cultivar growers want to produce, describe resources they use to research production information, and describe what changes to current resources growers would like to have. Questionnaire responses regarding blackberry production of 18 blackberry growers in the state of Arkansas were analyzed. Three growers elected to not participate resulting in an 86% response rate. The researcher hopes that this …

Anti-Inflammatory Activity Of Phenolic And Volatile Compounds In Cranberries (Vaccinium Macrocarpon L), Katherine Moore

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary objective of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory effects of phenolic and volatile compounds extracted from cranberries. The Griess Reagent System assay was used to measure the in vitro anti-inflammatory capabilities of cranberry phenolic and volatile extracts on RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells. This study tested the anti-inflammatory capabilities of the cranberry phenolic and volatile extracts before, as a preventative treatment, and after, as a means of treating pre-existing inflammation, inducing inflammation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). All experiments were conducted in the following manner, varying only in whether treated with the extracts before or after LPS: 1 x …

Anti-Inflammatory Effect Of Berry Essences, Inah Gu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation is one of defense reactions of our body tissues against harmful stimuli such as infection and tissue injury. However, it has been reported that chronic inflammation can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. This transition from acute to chronic inflammation state is usually induced by pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which accelerate the development of other chronic diseases. Accordingly, targeting these pro-inflammatory factors is one of the important roles for anti-inflammatory agents. For last two decades, researches about anti-inflammatory …

Bioavailability Of Bioactive Compounds, Wing Shun Lam

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Arachidin-1 (Ara-1) and arachidin-3 (Ara-3) are stilbenoids found in hairy peanut roots, which have been shown to possess similar, if not higher, efficacy in biological activities when compared to nonprenylated analogs such as piceatannol and resveratrol. Blackberry essences are concentrated volatiles, which are characterized by low molecular weight, lipophilic properties, and have also been demonstrated to have health benefits. As interest in dietary bioactive compounds functional ingredients increase, more emphasis has been placed on identifying which compounds have high efficacy as well as bioavailability. The ability of a compound to exert its health promoting effects depends on its bioavailable dose, …

Seasonal Phenology, Distribution And Treatments For Polyphagotarsonemus Latus (Banks) On Primocane-Fruiting Blackberries (Rubus L. Subgenus Rubus) In Arkansas, Jessica Anne Lefors

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Worldwide, blackberries (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus) are an economically important crop. In 2007, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) (broad mites), were first reported damaging primocane-fruiting blackberries in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Since this time, broad mite damage to blackberries and yield loss has been reported in many states and countries. Despite the increasing reports of this blackberry pest, little is known about their population dynamics, and few treatments are available. Growers with broad mite populations need a pest management program to minimize yield loss. Therefore, there was a need to develop sampling techniques, describe broad mite seasonal phenology in blackberry fields, and determine efficacy …

Evaluation Of Fresh-Market Potential Of Arkansas-Grown Fruit: Blackberries, Peaches, Table Grapes, And Muscadine Grapes, Molly Felts

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fresh-market produce is a major component of commercial market sales. However, shelf-life of fresh-market produce is limited, so evaluating postharvest potential (time from harvest to consumption) is critical. Fresh-market fruit can be impacted by many factors that deteriorate the quality of the fruit. Understanding the postharvest physiology of fruit can lead to better handling and storage conditions for extended shelf life and enhanced quality for the consumer. This research project was a collaborative effort within the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture between the Food Science and Horticulture Departments to evaluate the fresh-market potential of Arkansas-grown fruit. Physiochemical and …

Ripeness Attributes Of Arkansas-Grown Peaches And Nectarines At Harvest And During Postharvest Storage, Mary C. Siebenmorgen, Renee T. Threlfall, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Since peaches and nectarines are a valued fresh-market crop worldwide, evaluating postharvest potential helps determine feasibility for commercial markets. The ripeness attributes of 10 peach and nectarine genotypes were evaluated at harvest (day 0) and after 7 and 14 d storage at 4° C. The fruit was hand harvested at tree ripeness (ripened on the tree) and commercial ripeness (ripened during storage). The attributes of the tree-ripened fruit and commercially-ripened fruit varied at harvest and included chlorophyll (0.04-0.86 abs), peach weight (132-264 g), soluble solids (7.23-12.57%), pH (3.18-4.66), titratable acidity (0.16-1.21%), and flesh firmness (6.92-35.72 N). In general, tree-ripened fruit …

Evaluating Consumer Sensory And Composition Attributes Of Arkansas-Grown Fresh-Market Blackberries, Aubrey N. Dunteman, Renee T. Threlfall, John R. Clark, Margaret L. Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Blackberries are grown worldwide for commercial fresh markets. Three Arkansas-grown fresh-market blackberry genotypes (‘Natchez’, ‘Ouachita’, and A-2418) were evaluated for consumer sensory and compositional attributes at the University of Arkansas Food Science Department, Fayetteville. The compositional attributes of the blackberries were within an acceptable range for commercial markets (soluble solids=8.20-11.90%, pH=2.79-3.18, titratable acidity=1.09-1.32%). In terms of soluble solids to titratable acidity ratio, ‘Ouachita’ (10.92) had the highest ratio, followed by ‘Natchez’ (8.93) and A-2418 (6.25). A consumer sensory panel (n=80) evaluated fresh-market blackberry attributes using a 9-point hedonic scale for overall impression, overall flavor, sweetness, and sourness and a 5-point …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Tart Cherries Polyphenols On The Human Gut Microbiota And Phenolic Metabolites In Vitro And In Vivo, Alba Claudia Mayta-Apaza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tart cherries are polyphenol abundant stone fruits claimed to exert health benefits further of its nutritional properties. The abundant phytochemicals content in tart cherries also referred as dietary polyphenols have been considered as an effective natural antioxidant when added in daily diet. However, it has been hypothesized the intervention of gut microbiota on the overall functionality of such compounds. This thesis contains a wide-ranging literature review focused on tart cherry as a crop, current market, functional food, and several health benefits. Furthermore, the research done describes and in vitro and in vivo assays of a short-term dietary intervention of tart …