This research was conducted to investigate the effect of climatic factors on fruit growth in 'Niitaka' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia). For ten years from 2000 to 2010, average full bloom date was April 19th and standard deviation was 4.2 days. Average fruit diameter 160 days after full bloom (DAFB) was 102.4 mm and standard deviation was 7.5 mm. Variance coefficients among climatic factors were higher in rainfall amount and sunshine hours than temperature. Only sunshine hours of climatic factors accumulated during the 160 DAFB had significant positive relationship () with fruit diameter 160 DAFB. Between full bloom date and fruit diameter 160 DAFB had no significant relationship. Fruit growth in 2004, as continuous rain fall and short sunshine hours, showed opposite pattern compared to that in 2009. Therefore, fruit growth of 'Niitaka' pear was more influenced by the accumulated sunshine hours than accumulated temperature.

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Relationship between yearly fruit growth and climatic factors in 'Niitaka' pear.

th , 2012; Revised: March 6 th , 2013; Accepted: March 7 th , 2013 Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop a data middleware for u-IT convergence in agricultural environment monitoring, which can support non-standard data interfaces and solve the compatibility problems of heterogenous sensor networks. Methods: Six factors with three different interfaces were chosen as tar get data among the environmental monitoring factors for crop cultivation. PostgresSQL and PostGI S were used for database and the data middleware was implemented by Python programming language. Based on hierarchical model design and key-value type table design, the data middleware was developed. For evaluation, 2,000 records of each data access interface were prepared. Results: Their execution times of File I/O interface, SQL interface and HTTP interface were 0.00951 s/record, 0.01967 s/record and 0.0401 s/record respectively. And there was no data loss. Conclusions: The data middleware integrated three heterogenous sensor networks with different data access interfaces.

Development of an Agricultural Data Middleware to Integrate Multiple Sensor Networks for an Farm Environment Monitoring System

Commelina maritima L. is a dominant perennial halophyte that is restricted to sandy beaches where it plays major ecological roles in Southern Nigeria. This study examines the response of this plant to saltwater sprays, a factor that affects the growth of coastal plants. Plants were sprayed with seawater twice per week (2/week), four times per week (4/week) or six times per week (6/week) while control was sprayed without seawater (de-mineralized water) six times per week (0/wk). Survival, growth and biomass allocation of the plants were determined. Salt spray did not affect plant survival but significantly (p≤0.05) decreased number of leaves, shoot length, stem girth, leaf area and root growth. Relative growth rate and number of branches were not significantly (p≥0.05) affected by salt spray. Sea spray significantly (p≤0.05) reduced fresh and dry mass of plant parts, total biomass and leaf total chlorophyll when compared with the control. Root : shoot ratio increased significantly (p≤0.05) under seawater treatment as the shoot growth was more negatively affected than root growth. Relatively more biomass was allocated to the root than shoot in seawater-treated plants. Salt spray increased shoot ash content and negatively affected plant organic content. C. maritima can be classified as a salt spray-sensitive plant. Salt spray is a micro-environmental factor affecting its survival and growth, thus influencing its distribution in strandline.

	 

	Key words: Strandline, survival, growth, biomass allocation, Commelinaceae, distribution.

Salt spray as a micro-environmental factor affecting the growth of Commelina maritima L. at Lekki Beach, Nigeria

- This study was performed to clarify the effect of medium compositions and plant growth regulators on the shoot, root formation and growth of ‘Jarang’ grape for mass propagation of virus‐free plant. The formation and growth of shoot were considerably favorable in half ‐concentration of MS medium. However, the fo rmation of adventitious root per explants (avg. 2.1) was effective in higher concentration (two times) of MS medium. For sucrose concentration, 1% for the shoot formation, 3% for the adventitious root formation and 1% for the growth were observed as yield significant results. With the addition of 0.05% of activated carbon, the shoot growth was improved, and it was effective for the adventitious root formation and growth as well. A pH of 6.8 in the medium was the most suitable for mass propagation; the results showed significant enhancement in the number of nodes and the length of the shoot, 3.9 and 1.3 cm, respectively. The shoot growth was the most vigorous in BA 1.0 mg/L due to the impact of the growth regulator on the mass propagation in it. Consequently, 16.9 shoots per explant were formed in NAA 1.0 mg/L so good results were obtained.

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Effect of Medium Composition and Growth Regulators on Mass Propagation of Virus-Free Plant from the Meristem Cultures of 'Jarang' Grape

Time-specific responses of flower bud differentiation were investigated in ‘Shinko’ (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) pear grown at different altitudes from July through December 2013 to determine their suitability as scions in a top-grafting system. Flower bud initiation and bud necrosis were monitored on each of three sections of one-year-old shoots: terminal, middle, and basal. Flower bud differentiation s tarted in September in the highlands of the Lishan area, and in J uly in the lowlands of the Zhoulan area. In Lishan, flower bud differentiation was higher in the middle and basal segments; during leaf fall, however, flower bud differentiation occurred rapidly in the terminal segment. In Zhoulan, flower buds began to differentiate from the terminal section of the shoot, and severe flower bud necrosis was noted. In July, flower buds developed normally; however, in early August, some of the buds at the basal segment showed browning. During leaf fall, some flower buds showed symptoms of necrosis with rapid and complete browning. Flower bud necrosis began at the basal segment and progressed rapidly towards middle and terminal sections. Before leaf fall, flower buds fell off when scales swelled. The terminal and middle parts of the current-year shoots, with some flower buds, collected in October or later from the Lishan area could be used as scions for top-grafting of ‘Shinko’ pear. Each grafting scion was a 3-5 cm shoot with one flower bud. These results suggest that scions from the terminal and middle segments of stems of ‘Shinko’ pear from the Lishan area can be used as scions whereas those from Zhoulan area show necrosis and might not be suitable as scions.

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Effect of Altitude on Flower Bud Differentiation and Necrosis in 'Shinko' Pears in Subtropical Climates

The effect of full bloom date and growing season weather on harvesting date of 'Niitaka' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) in Naju province and the model of multiple linear regression for predicting the fruit growing days was studied Earlier year in full bloom date, the harvesting date tended earlier but fruit growing days tended longer Mean and coefficient of variation of fruit growing degree days (GDD) accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature at the base of from full bloom date to harvesting date was 3,565, 29% and 4,463, 25%, respectively Fruit growing days was not correlated with the fruit GDD accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature at the base of in each month but highly correlated with GDD accumulated daily meteorological factors at days after full bloom date Especially, it was highly negatively correlated with GDD accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature at the base of from day after full bloom to day The determination coefficient () of multiple linear regression model by full bloom date, GDD accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature from day after full bloom to day for predicting fruit growing days was 07212 As a result, the fruit growing days of 'Niitaka' pear in Naju province can predict with 72% accuracy by the model of multiple linear regression

Predicting harvest date of 'Niitaka' pear by using full bloom date and growing season weather.

Briny injury of apple, pear, peach, and grape following the foliar spray of saline solutions was investigated. No injury was observed with the spray of MgSO₄ in the range 0.4 to 1.3% (ca. 2-fold concentration of common seawater). Browning symptom was initiated 1 h after the spray of 3% NaCl in apple, pear, and peach trees, while 2 h were needed for grape, but the latter developed the symptom faster than the formers. Spray of 1% NaCl did not defoliate in all fruit species tested, but complete defoliation occurred with the spray of 3% NaCl in apple and peach trees. Pear and grape showed higher defoliation rate with increasing NaCl concentration. The response of apple to KCl spray showed similar pattern to that to NaCl spray, but the symptom of peach was proportional to KCl concentration. Also, the defoliation response of pear to KCl spray was similar to that to NaCl spray, while grape was completely defoliated by the spray of KCl at higher than 6% although no defoliation occurred with the KCl spray up to 4%. Foliar spray of 3% NaCl resulted in 4-fold increase in ethylene production 24 h after the spray, and the production was returned to early stage rate after 72 h. Ethylene production of control was nearly constant with slight decrease after 4 h. Browning and defoliation responses to the spray of 3% NaCl on lower side were not different from the spray on both sides regardless of fruit species, while no injury symptoms occurred by the spray on upper side.

Leaf and Bud Responses to Foliar Spray of Saline Solutions in Apple, Pear, Peach, and Grape

The causal factors for flower bud necrosis, the newly reported physiological disorder in ‘Niitaka’ pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), were examined for four years from 2000 to 2003. Affected flower buds could not bloom and finally died, leaving loose and desiccated bud scales that eventually disintegrated. Flower bud necrosis were frequently observed in orchards were supplied excessive nitrogen and heavy pruning, and at low altitude in the slopping orchard. Affected trees were showed strong vegetable growth in late season with higher nitrogen content in leaves, current shoot bark and wood.

Shoot Growth and Mineral Concentration in ‘Niitaka’ Pear Trees with Floral Bud Necrosis

Effect of cytokinins (BA, TDZ, zeatin, 2iP, and kinetin) applied either singly or in combination on in vitro growth of two grape cultivars (`Cabernet Sauvignon` and `Campbell Early`) was investigated as a serial work for mass production of grapevine nursery stocks. In single treatment, shoot growth of two cultivars was most favorable in control. Shoot proliferation was satisfactory with 10 M BA regardless of cultivars and cytokinin combinations, followed by TDZ. Other treatments resulted in very poor or no branching. Total explants ready for subculture produced by 10 M BA outnumbered those by other treatments. TDZ was also effective. TDZ significantly increased the fresh weight and callus formation while shoot growth was unsatisfactory. Shoot growth response of two cultivars in combined treatments was also most favorable in control as was in single treatments. When TDZ was combined with zeatin, 2iP, and kinetin which failed to induce branching, proliferous branching was induced though the shoot number was behind that of single treatments of BA and TDZ. TDZ was very effective for total number of explants and fresh weight, showing 10-fold increase.

Effect of Cytokinins on in Vitro Growth of Grapes (Vitis spp.)

Effects of difference between day and night temperatures (DIF) and cytokinins on in vitro growth of `Campbell Early` grape plantlets were investigated, Shoot growth was suppressed by -7DIF (18/). Effects of BA and TDZ were not affected by DIF. 0DIF (25/) enhanced the growth with increasing cytokinin level. Kinetin at 10 M was the most effective for shoot growth with 87 mm among cytokinins used except for control. Zeatin and kinetin each at 5 M significantly increased shoot growth to respective 162 and 110 mm. In 0DIF, two-fold increase of 162 mm was obtained by 5 M zeatin. In control, no further shoot proliferation was observed regardless of DIF. In 0 and ＋7DIF (25/18), 4 shoots were observed with 10 M BA. Zeatin, 2iP and kinetin resulted in poor shoot proliferation while BA at 10 M resulted in profuse branching in all DIFs.

Seung-Heui Kim

Papers

Predicting harvest date of 'Niitaka' pear by using full bloom date and growing season weather.

Leaf and Bud Responses to Foliar Spray of Saline Solutions in Apple, Pear, Peach, and Grape

Shoot Growth and Mineral Concentration in ‘Niitaka’ Pear Trees with Floral Bud Necrosis

Effect of Cytokinins on in Vitro Growth of Grapes (Vitis spp.)

Effect of DIF and Cytokinins on In Vitro Growth of `Campbell Early` Crapes (Vitis spp.)