Showing papers by "Margaret Sedgley published in 2009"
TL;DR: It was shown that HRM can be an effective means of genotyping populations for the purpose of constructing a linkage map and provides basic genomic information for the 12 genes, which can be used for further genetic and functional studies.
Abstract: Peach and almond have been considered as model species for the family Rosaceae and other woody plants. Consequently, mapping and characterisation of genes in these species has important implications. High-resolution melting (HRM) analysis is a recent development in the detection of SNPs and other markers, and proved to be an efficient and cost-effective approach. In this study, we aimed to map genes corresponding to known proteins in other species using the HRM approach. Prunus unigenes were searched and compared with known proteins in the public databases. We developed single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, polymorphic in a mapping population produced from a cross between the cloned cultivars Nonpareil and Lauranne. A total of 12 SNP-anchored putative genes were genotyped in the population using HRM, and mapped to an existing linkage map. These genes were mapped on six linkage groups, and the predicted proteins were compared to putative orthologs in other species. Amongst those genes, four were abiotic stress-responsive genes, which can provide a starting point for construction of an abiotic resistance map. Two allergy and detoxification related genes, respectively, were also mapped and analysed. Most of the investigated genes had high similarities to sequences from closely related species such as apricot, apple and other eudicots, and these are putatively orthologous. In addition, it was shown that HRM can be an effective means of genotyping populations for the purpose of constructing a linkage map. Our work provides basic genomic information for the 12 genes, which can be used for further genetic and functional studies.
50 citations
TL;DR: Distinct subgroups among Australian isolates of C. acutatum from almond were not supported on the basis of morphology, mycelial growth rates, ISSR-PCR, and pathogenicity; however, all isolates tested caused disease.
Abstract: Almond anthracnose was reported for the first time in Australia in 1998 and has since been observed in all of the major almond-growing regions. The organism causing anthracnose was confirmed as Colletotrichum acutatum using taxon-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Three main morphotypes of C. acutatum from almond in Australia were identified (namely, pink, orange, and cream colony color) and the optimum temperature for mycelial growth of representative isolates was 25°C. Australian isolates of C. acutatum were more similar morphologically to the pink subpopulation of C. acutatum from California than to the gray Californian subpopulation and the isolates of Colletotrichum from Israel. Inter-simple-sequence-repeat (ISSR) PCR analysis revealed that the majority of Australian isolates shared an identical banding pattern whereas Australian isolates of C. acutatum from almond were distinct from isolates of the pink and gray subpopulations of C. acutatum from almond in California and of Colletotr...
37 citations
TL;DR: Descriptive models were combined with long-term weather data to predict the duration and characteristics of flushes following pruning at various times of the year along Australia's eastern seaboard and propose pruning times intended to optimise flowering and yield.
Abstract: We examined the relationship between shoot growth and temperature and solar radiation in macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden and Betche, M. integrifolia × tetraphylla Johnson) as an aid to developing pruning strategies for this crop. Trees growing at Alstonville (28.9°S) in northern NSW, Australia, were pruned at various times to promote vegetative flushing under a range of environmental conditions. Flush development in macadamia is cyclic: bud release and stem elongation followed by a period of dormancy, before bud release of the subsequent flush. The rate of bud release after pruning was best correlated with the product of the mean temperature and solar radiation (r2 = 0.75, P < 0.0001), whereas the rate of flush development was best correlated with the mean temperature (r2 = 0.76, P < 0.0001). The number of buds released per pruned stem was greater under higher temperatures and solar radiation (r2 = 0.37, P < 0.001), but the length of the flush after pruning decreased with increasing temperatures (r2 = 0.32, P < 0.01). The descriptive models were combined with long-term weather data to predict the duration and characteristics of flushes following pruning at various times of the year along Australia’s eastern seaboard, from Mareeba (17.0°S) to Coffs Harbour (30.3°S). Flush duration and stem length following June pruning were predicted to be greater than following early autumn or September pruning and to vary from year to year, and with location (latitude). We discuss the implications of the model predictions for productivity and propose pruning times intended to optimise flowering and yield. Further research is required to test these proposed pruning strategies.
18 citations
TL;DR: Canopy management practices that promote the production of short stems may increase whole-tree raceme production and, given the variation in the location of racemes with cultivar, canopy management practices specific to cultivar should be considered.
Abstract: Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden and Betche, M. integrifolia × tetraphylla Johnson) flowers are borne on racemes that usually originate from axillary buds in response to cool conditions. In...
14 citations
TL;DR: Xanthomonas translucens has been identified as the causal agent of pistachio dieback in Australia as mentioned in this paper, and the pattern of staining and location of X. translucENS were studied following felling and dissection of asymptomatic and diseased trees.
Abstract: Xanthomonas translucens has been identified as the causal agent of pistachio dieback in Australia. Symptoms include decline, xylem staining, trunk and limb lesions, and excessive exudation of resin. Bacteria were previously isolated from stained wood in 2-year-old twigs but little was known about their presence in other parts of the tree. The pattern of staining and location of X. translucens were studied following felling and dissection of asymptomatic and diseased trees. Chestnut-coloured smears and specks occurred in the sapwood of diseased trees and were continuous from the trunk to 1–2-year-old twigs. X. translucens was isolated mainly from young sapwood (stained and unstained) of the main trunk, primary and younger branches and current season growth, less frequently from leaves and bunches, rarely from old, stained heartwood and not from roots and associated soil samples. Bacteria and pathogenic fungi were not found in the inner bark and cortex associated with lesions whereas the stained sapwood underlying the lesions yielded X. translucens. Scanning electron microscopy revealed bacteria in the main vessels of the xylem of stained tissue and tyloses in the proximity of colonised tissue. Information on the pattern of staining and location of the bacteria will facilitate pathogen detection, thereby improving the accuracy of disease diagnosis.
8 citations