A large crabgrass population (PW2) that demonstrated resistance to fluazifop-P and sethoxydim was identified in Wisconsin during 1992. Dose-response experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to determine the level of resistance of a PW2 large crabgrass accession to aryloxyphenoxypropionate (APP), cyclohexanedione (CHD), and other herbicide chemistries relative to a large crabgrass accession (A310) which was susceptible to APP and CHD herbicides. Based on shoot dry biomass reduction, the PW2 accession was 337- and 59-fold resistant to sethoxydim and fluazifop-P, respectively, relative to the A310 accession. Resistance of the PW2 accession to fenoxaprop, haloxyfop, quizalofop, and diclofop ranged from 18- to 29-fold. The PW2 accession was only 7-fold resistant to clethodim. Both large crabgrass accessions were susceptible to imazethapyr and linuron. These results suggest that APP and CHD herbicides will be ineffective for the management of the PW2 accession. An integrated approach including cultural, mechanical, and alternative chemical methods, should be implemented for the management of the PW2 accession and to prevent additional resistance problems.

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats. # AMAPA) residue was incorporated into soil to determine its allelopathic effects on the seedling growth of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.), cabbage (Brassica oleracea, var. capitata L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), and onion (Allium cepa L.). Root and shoot growths were equally sensitive to the toxic effects of soil-incorporated Palmer amaranth. Growth of ‘Grand Slam’ cultivar of cabbage was 17 to 30% more sensitive than the growth of 'Sanibel’ cabbage. Growth of onion and carrot seedlings was less inhibited than either cabbage or grain sorghum. Growth of grain sorghum root was severely inhibited by 8000 and 16 000 ppm of Palmer amaranth in soil and was not affected by oven dryings other than lyophilization. Seedling growth was more severely inhibited by thyrsus and leaf tissues than by stem and root tissues of Palmer amaranth.

Sublethal amounts of 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid] were applied to several vegetable crops in order to determine effect on yield and quality in a simulated drift experiment. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and root crops were most sensitive to 2,4-D; as little as 2.1 g/ha of acid distorted tomato fruit shape and elongated radish (Raphanus sativus L.) roots. All root crops were rendered unmarketable by 10.4 g/ha and gross yields were reduced by exposure to 104 g/ha. Yield of peppers (Capsicum frutescens L. var. grossum) was increased by exposure to 2.1 g/ha and severely depressed by 104 g/ha. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit shape was distorted at 11 g/ha and yield was reduced slightly. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), onion (Allium cepa L.), and cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) were least sensitive to 2,4-D. Exposure to 20.8 g/ha did not reduce yields of lettuce or cabbage. Onion yields were reduced by application of 104 g/ha. Bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) yield was decreased by exposure to 22 g/ha, but potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) yield increased at 16 g/ha. Herbicide residues in the crop foliage were proportional to the degree of exposure. Residue analysis combined with foliar symptoms may be useful in predicting crop damage following 2,4-D drift.

In Uruguay, onion (Allium cepa L.) germplasm is mainly derived from the genetic material introduced by several waves of European immigrants and subsequently multiplied by household farmers, resulting in a wealth of locally adapted populations. This study examined the genetic diversity in a collection of 27 local onion populations and two cultivars derived from them. A total of 843 onion plants were fingerprinted, and 83 inter-simple sequence repeat polymorphic bands were generated. Analysis of molecular variance showed high diversity within the populations (66% of the total variation). Some short-day populations from different geographical origins were grouped together by the unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages, principal coordinate analysis and cluster analysis, while the more extensively sampled long- and intermediate-day populations showed a widespread distribution, with no significant subgrouping among them. This weakly structured gene pool is probably the consequence of seed and bulb exchange between farmers and natural inter-pollination. Nevertheless, a Bayesian analysis allowed the distinction of four genetic backgrounds of alleles in the whole collection, and populations were predominately assigned to each genetic background. In addition, mitochondrial variants determining normal (N) pollen fertility or the sterile S or T types were analysed for the same set of plants using specific primers. Most accessions showed a proportion of male-sterile individuals. Cytoplasm type T was the most represented (26 out of 29 accessions), and cytoplasm type S was found in a low proportion of individuals in seven populations. Uruguayan onion germplasm maintains a low degree of genetic differentiation despite the small cultivated area and intense seed exchange, probably due in part to different market purposes based on the growing cycle.

Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) vectored by Thrips tabaci threatens profitable onion production in eastern Africa. Host plant resistance is considered to be the first line of defence against insect-transmitted virus diseases. Hence, information on resistance to IYSV and T. tabaci among common onion cultivars in Kenya is crucial for the development of integrated pest management strategies. This study evaluated the resistance to thrips and IYSV among widely grown onion cultivars in Kenya, viz. Red Pinoy, Red Creole, Bombay Red, Green Bunching and Texas Grano, over two growing seasons. Straw-coloured, diamond-shaped necrotic lesions typical of IYSV infection were observed 2 weeks after transplantation. Observations on thrips numbers per plant, IYSV disease incidence and severity, and virus intensity were undertaken to assess the resistance. Varieties differed significantly with respect to both IYSV disease incidence and thrips numbers per plant from fourth week to physiological maturity. Red Pinoy, Green Bunching and Red Creole were highly susceptible to the virus and thrips, while Texas Grano and Bombay Red were moderately resistant. There were significant differences among the varieties with regard to IYSV intensity, with the highest and the least virus intensity positively correlated with disease severity being recorded in Red Pinoy and Texas Grano, respectively. Among the varieties, Texas Grano produced the highest yield in both seasons, while Red Pinoy produced the least. Hence, Texas Grano and Bombay Red could be recommended as moderately resistant cultivars to thrips and IYSV to be grown in Kenya for markets where pungency is not preferred and preferred, respectively. Regions with high levels of thrips population and IYSV infestation are not suitable for the cultivation of Red Pinoy.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) seeds have relatively short longevity during storage and their germination is sensitive to environmental stress. Seed priming (controlled hydration followed by drying) can improve seed germination under stressful conditions, inducing faster and more uniform germination over broader temperature ranges, but it can also reduce seed longevity in storage. Controlled deterioration (CD) tests are often employed to study longevity by ageing seeds rapidly at elevated temperature and moisture content, and primed seeds are particularly sensitive to CD conditions. As reactive oxygen (O2) species are thought to be involved in seed deterioration, we tested whether storage under reduced O2 atmospheres (0 and 2% O2) would extend the longevity of primed and non-primed seeds under low relative humidity (RH) (33% RH+37°C) and CD (75% RH+50°C) storage conditions. The longevity of both non-primed and primed lettuce seeds in low RH storage was extended by anaerobic environments, but the effect of O2 was much less under CD conditions. In onion, only primed seeds exhibited a beneficial effect of low O2 atmospheres under both types of ageing conditions. In both species, storage under anaerobic conditions was beneficial for extending the longevity of primed seeds, but was not able to ameliorate fully the negative effect of priming on storage life.

A recent hypothesis states that the accumulation of amino-carbonyl reaction products of reducing sugars with proteins (Maillard products) is related to the loss of seed vigour and viability during ageing. Since Maillard products are biochemical end products, their accumulation should provide an index of seed deterioration. A simple fluorescence assay has been used to estimate the quantity of Maillard products in aqueous seed extracts. We tested whether an accumulation of fluorescent compounds correlates with the loss of seed viability during ageing. Fluorescence of extracts from lettuce (Lactuca sativa) embryonic axes increased after controlled deterioration, but was not correlated with ageing period. Fluorescence of extracts from whole broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) seeds was either unchanged or declined during controlled deterioration. Extracts from naturally aged whole seeds of carrot (Daucus carota), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), and cauliflower (B. oleracea var. botrytis) had higher fluorescence than controls, but there was no consistent increase in fluorescence in proportion to the loss of viability. Extracts of naturally aged onion (Allium cepa) seeds exhibited less fluorescence than extracts from seeds with higher viability. We conclude that the fluorescence assay does not have general utility as an index of seed deterioration.

We compared the plasma membrane, tonoplast and mitochondrial Mg-ATPase activities of microsomes isolated from mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) roots during a time-course experiment (21–60 d). No significant difference was observed between the protein levels of root microsomes from mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal sunflower. However, the protein content of microsomes obtained from mycorrhizal onion roots increased when the symbiosis was well established (more than 50% of root length colonized by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus). Kinetic studies revealed that vanadate-sensitive (plasma membrane-associated) ATPase activity of sunflower root microsomes increased with mycorrhizal colonization. However, the vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity of microsomes from mycorrhizal onion roots decreased compared with those from non-mycorrhizal controls. Increased activity of nitrate (tonoplast-associated) and azide (mitochondrial membrane-related)-sensitive ATPase activities was detected in extracts obtained from 45- and 60-d-old mycorrhizal onion plants. A slight increase in azide-sensitive ATPase activity was detected in microsomes of mycorrhizal sunflower. The existence of different physiological and biochemical strategies in sunflower and onion in relation to the establishment of this mutualistic symbiosis is discussed.

The accumulation of fructo-oligosaccharides and the activities of fructosyltransferase (sucrose[ratio ]sucrose 1F-fructosyltransferase (SST), 1F-fructosyltransferase (1F-FT) and 6G-fructosyltransferase (6G-FT)) in the bulbs of three onion cultivars were investigated from June to September 1993. The total fructo-oligosaccharide content increased from June until August, then decreased in September, except in one cultivar. The levels of neokestose and its related tetrasaccharides (1F, 6G-di-β-D-fructofuranosyl sucrose and 6G (1-β-D-fructofuranosyl)2sucrose) were higher than those of 1-kestose and nystose throughout growth. The activities of 6G-FT, 1F -FT and SST were high in June and July, then decreased; SST activity was very low in September. The activity ratios of 6G-FT to 1F-FT varied between 1·86 and 2·65 over the growth period. Two trisaccharides, three tetrasaccharides and four pentasaccharides were identified, together with a mixture of hexa- and heptasaccharides, all of which were synthesized in vitro from 0·1 M sucrose by an enzyme preparation of onion bulbs harvested in August. Octa- and nonasaccharides other than the saccharides formed from sucrose were also synthesized from 0·1 M 1-kestose or 0·1 M neokestose. All the saccharides produced from sucrose, 1-kestose or neokestose by the crude enzyme prepared from onion bulbs were identical to the saccharides occurring naturally in onion bulbs.