Fraser Photinia Research Articles

Biohardening of Arabidopsis thaliana Seeds and Seedlings with Fraser Photinia Associated Bacterium (PGB_invit) in In vitro Conditions

The aim of this study was to analyze possible positive effects of putatively endophytic PGPB (PGB_invit), which was isolated from long-term in vitro cultured fraser photinia microshoots, on seed and 7-day old seedling stages of Arabidopsis thaliana. Seeds and in vitro-germinated seedlings were inoculated with 107 CFU/mL and 108 CFU/mL active (A) and inactive (I) endophytic bacterial populations along with their mix compositions (A+I) and suspended in MPYE broth together with their controls (untreated ones). 14 days old seedlings were evaluated for various plant growth parameters [i.e., shoot and root fresh weight (FW), shoot length (SL), shoot and root dry weight (DW), root length (RL) and photosynthetic pigments including chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids of plantlets] as well as endophytic and rhizospheric trait of bacteria. Positive effects of inactive and active bacterium on FW, DW and photosynthetic pigments for 7-day inoculated seedlings were recorded whereas an increase in photosynthetic contents for seed stage inoculations was observed. Rhizospheric and endophytic colonization of the bacteria was confirmed by PCR with the presence of virD1 gene, which is previously recorded to be existed in the plasmid of bacterium after inoculation. Overall, these results demonstrated that this peculiar putative endophytic bacterium being beneficial in active and even more useful in inactive form for A. thaliana when optimum conditions and concentrations are used. Moreover, presence of virD1 gene suggested its potential possibility to be used in bioengineering along with various other beneficial PGPR features as biofertilizer.

The association of fraser photinia and its beneficial bacterium (PGB_invit) provided in vitro storage without subculture

Endophytes play crucial roles due to their beneficial influence on plant development, growth, fitness, and diversification. Due to these important capabilities, they have received attention from the scientific community and many papers have been published recently about their beneficial role in in vivo and in vitro plant propagation. However, up to now, there is no research on utilization of these microbial endophytes in prolongation of in vitro storage. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the influence of fraser photinia associated and putatively endophytic bacterium (Plant Growth Bacteria_ in vitro; PGB_invit) on in vitro storage of its host. When pure strain of the bacterium was inoculated, it enabled the storage of microshoots up to 16 months at 25 °C without requiring periodic subculture while control (unincubated with PGB_invit.) microshoots died after 2 months of storage without subculture as in vitro plant cultures definitely need periodic subcultures (once in every 4–6 weeks) in order to renew media and gaseous atmosphere. Moreover, while the presence of virulence (vir D1), auxin (aux1), and cytokinin (ipt) production genes was confirmed in plasmid DNA of the bacterium, nitrogen fixing gene (nifH) was detected by the PCR analysis using bacterial culture. Overall results demonstrated that with these capabilities PGB_invit could be useful for in vitro conservation of fraser photinia. The novelty is the supplementation of in vitro plant growth without either periodic renewal of the media or decreasing the culture temperature by means of a beneficial plant-bacterium interaction.

Influences of different types of cytokinin and sugar on in vitro proliferation of fraser photinia

There is an increasing demand to ornamental plants in the World. However, problems faced with the rooting of cuttings in the propagation of ornamental fraser photinia plants. Plant tissue culture techniques are used in several plant species to overcome such difficulties of vegetative production. Therefore, the aim of this study concerns the identification of optimum plant growth regulator content in semi-solid culture for the micropropagation of economically important fraser photinia. Thus, different cytokinin types [BA (6-benzyladenine), KIN (Kinetin); TDZ (Thidiazuron); 2-iP (2 –isopentyl adenine)] and amounts (0, 1, 2, 4 mg l-1) together with various carbon sources (sucrose and glycose) and amounts (0, 15, 30 g l-1) were assessed in semi-solid medium. The highest proliferation rate (100%) and the maximum number of shoots proliferated per explant (3.7) were obtained in shoot tips of fraser photinia on semi-solid MS medium supplemented with 2 mg l-1 BA and 30 g l-1 sucrose. The highest rooting (40%) was achieved in proliferated shoots on semi-solid medium supplemented with 4 mg l-1 IBA for 1 week followed by transfer of the microshoots to auxin-free medium. Rooted shoots were then successfully acclimatized to in vivo conditions.

C-2009: Assessment of genetic stability of cryopreserved fraser photinia via retrotransposon-based molecular markers

Fraser photinia ( Photinia × fraseri Dress.) with its impressive leaf colour is an evergreen woody ornamental plant that has commercial importance. Due to the rooting problems faced in the traditional vegetative propagation of the species, biotechnological methods such as plant tissue culture is used as a complementary strategy to propagation. Moreover, medium and long-term (cryopreservation) preservation of the species also gained importance recently as photinia has economic importance. However, occurence of risk of possible genetic variation between the donor plant and cryopreserved individuals after cryopreservation, reveals the necessity of assessment of genetic stability of the long-term preserved species. Therefore, genetic stability of the plantlets proliferated from cryopreserved fraser photinia shoot tips was assessed by two retrotransposon-based molecular markers (IRAP and REMAP) in addition to the optimization of cold hardening stage of the cryopreservation. 52.1% of mean polymorphism (mean PIC value is 0.307) was found between donor plant and clones by IRAP analysis while 47.2% of mean polymorphism (mean PIC value is 0.353) was detected via REMAP. According to the results of observed with these two marker systems, applied cryopreservation protocol caused an reasonable polymorphism (PIC value).

Effect of Planting Date and Iba Concentration on Rooting Ability of Stem Cutting Of Fraser's Photinia (Photinia X Fraseri).

Effect of Planting Date and Iba Concentration on Rooting Ability of Stem Cutting Of Fraser's Photinia (Photinia X Fraseri).

In vitro proliferation and minimum growth storage of fraser photinia: Influences of different medium, sugar combinations and culture vessels

Protocols for the in vitro proliferation and storage of fraser photinia were developed by comparing 6-benzyladenine (BA) concentrations (0.5–4 mg/L) together with different media formulations [Murashige and Skoog (MS) media and Quoirin and Lepoivre (QL) media], sugar combinations (sucrose and mannitol), culture vessels (baby food jars and vitrovents) and methods (synthetic seed technology and slow growth storage). The best responses in terms of both proliferation percentage and multiple shoot formation were obtained in QL medium containing 1 mg/L BA. Synthetic seed production was optimized by encapsulating shoot apices in 3% sodium alginate. Encapsulated shoot apices could be maintained up to 6 months at 4 °C in dark with 91.6% sprouting in MS medium. Microshoots were stored at 4 °C up to 15 months on sucrose and mannitol containing QL medium in both baby food jars and vitrovents without subculture. The stored material could be recovered and multiplied normally in 1 mg/L BA supplemented QL medium. Both in vitro propagated and conserved microshoots were rooted (∼75%) on QL medium with 1 mg/L indole butyric acid (IBA). Optimized synthetic seed and slow growth storage system can be used for short and medium-term storage of fraser photinia germplasm.

Cyclanilide Promotes Lateral Branching in Nursery Production of Woody Landscape Species

Abstract During nursery production of landscape trees and shrubs it is desirable to promote the development of well-branched plants to achieve a uniform, full appearance. Branching may be promoted with multiple prunings but this is labor-intensive and expensive. In this study, spray applications of the bioregulator, cyclanilide (CYC), were evaluated for promotion of lateral branching on several container-grown landscape species. CYC spray concentrations of 0, 54, 106, and 212 ppm resulted in a linear increase in new lateral shoots for ‘Muskogee’ crape myrtle, ‘Pinkie’ and Eleanor Taber™ Indian hawthorn, and ‘Girard Rose’ azalea, and a quadratic increase in lateral shoots for ‘Compacta’ inkberry holly. Treatments to crape myrtle also caused a delay in flowering. CYC applications to Fraser photinia caused phytotoxic symptoms of leaf yellowing, blotching and curling, and increased susceptibility to entomosporium leaf spot.

Short Term Drought Conditioning Influences Adventitious Rooting of Firebush and Fraser's Photinia Stem Cuttings

Abstract Experiments investigated the influence of drought conditioning stock plants and an auxin-based plant growth regulator (PGR) on adventitious root formation of terminal stem cuttings taken from containerized firebush and Fraser's photinia stock plants. Drought conditioning (DC) treatments were initiated in a glass greenhouse and included: irrigation every day (no DC), irrigation every other day (medium DC), and irrigation every fourth day (high DC). Plants were subjected to DC for 16 consecutive days. Following DC treatments, all plants were irrigated and left overnight. Terminal stem cuttings were taken the following day and an 0.3% auxin talc formulation was used as the PGR. Plant growth regulator/DC treatments included: no DC ± PGR, medium DC ± PGR, and high DC ± PGR. Cuttings were placed under intermittent mist and heating pads maintained media temperature. After 21 and 78 days cuttings were evaluated for rooting percentage, number of roots, and length of the longest root. For firebush, rooting percentage was near 100% for all treatments. Number of roots and length of longest root for firebush cuttings was greatest for cuttings treated with PGR. For Fraser's photinia cuttings, rooting percentage was highest for cuttings treated with high DC + no PGR treatments. Cuttings treated with medium DC or high DC ± PGR treatment produced the greatest number of roots, while mean root length was longest for cuttings treated with medium DC + PGR and high DC + no PGR.

220 Growth of Evergreen Shrubs in Potting Mixes Made with De-inked Paper Sludge

De-inked paper sludge from a newsprint mill was evaluated as a substitute for sofwood bark in container media. Rooted cuttings of `Youngstown' juniper (Juniperus horizonatlis), Fraser photinia (Photinia × fraseri), and `PJM' rhododendron (Rhododendron) were planted in 3-L plastic pots that contained potting media amended with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, or 90% paper sludge and 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, or 0%, respectively, bark (by volume). All mixes contained 10% sand and 10% peatmoss except for the 90% mix, which lacked peatmoss. After 19 weeks, plant heights were measured for photinia and rhododendron, but average plant width was measured for juniper. Shoot dry weights were also determined for all species. Juniper and photinia seemed to be the most tolerant of media amended with up to 40% paper sludge, whereas rhododendron was the most intolerant species. Shoot dry weights of juniper or photinia were similar for plants grown in media containing 40% or less paper sludge. Shoot dry weights of rhododendron plants grown in 40% sludge were 23% lower than those grown in 0% or 20% paper sludge, which were similar to each other. Plant heights followed similar trends to those of the shoot dry weights. With the exception of juniper, shoot dry weights and heights were drastically reduced if the potting mixes contained more than 40% paper sludge. These results demonstrated that de-inked paper sludge could be substituted for up to 40% of the bark in a container medium for two of the three species tested.

Cutless and Atrimmec for Controlling Growth of Woody Landscape Plants in Containers

Abstract Cutless (flurprimidol) effectively reduced shoot elongation of container-grown woody ornamentals, including abelia, cotoneaster, crape myrtle, Foster holly, Mystery gardenia, Manhattan euonymus, photinia and rhododendron. Optimum Cutless 50W (flurprimidol) spray rates were 500–600 ppm for most species except for Manhattan euonymus (1250 ppm), Mystery gardenia and Natchez crape myrtle (750 ppm). Optimum Cutless 0.33G (flurprimidol) granular rates were 0.6 kg/ha (0.5 lb/A) for Coral Beauty cotoneaster and Foster holly, and 1.7 kg/ha (1.5 lb/A) for Fraser photinia. Atrimmec (dikegulac) was effective in controlling growth of abelia at spray rates of 1480 ppm, Coral Beauty cotoneaster, and Manhattan euonymus at 1600 ppm, Foster holly, and Fraser photinia at 4440 ppm. Neither Off-Shoot-O nor Trim-Cut (mefluidide) had a significant effect on any of the species studied. None of the growth regulators had a significant effect on nandina.

Olivine: A Potential Magnesium Source for Container Production

Abstract Fraser photinia, ‘Plumosa Compacta Youngstown’ juniper and ‘Hino-Crimson’ azalea were grown in pine bark amended with a factorial combination of five rates (0, 0.9, 1.8, 3.6 and 7.2 kg/m3) (0, 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 lbs/yd3) of olivine, a magnesium ortho silicate containing 27% Mg and four particle sizes of olivine. Calcium carbonate (38% Ca) at 2.4 kg/m3 (4 lbs/yd3) was incorporated into all olivine treatments. A separate treatment utilizing 4.2 kg/m3 (7 lbs/yd3) dolomitic limestone (22% Ca, 11% Mg) was also included to serve as a comparison to dolomitic limestone. In general, Mg concentration in the media increased with increasing olivine rate and decreasing particle size. Media P, K and Ca concentration and pH were not affected by olivine rate or particle size, nor were they significantly different from the treatment containing dolomitic limestone. Foliar Mg increased with increasing olivine rate in all species. Foliar K decreased with increasing olivine rate for ‘Hino-Crimson’ azalea and Fraser photinia. Top dry weight of ‘Plumosa Compacta Youngstown’ juniper was not affected by olivine rate or particle size while top dry weight of ‘Hino-Crimson’ azalea and Fraser photinia increased quadratically with increasing olivine rate, with the maximum occurring at 0.9 kg/m3 (1.5 lbs/yd3) and 1.8 kg/m3 (3.0 lbs/yd3), respectively. These maximum top dry weights were significantly heavier than plants grown with dolomitic limestone.

Effect of Seasons and Irrigation Regimes on Plant Growth and Water-Use of Container-Grown Photinia × fraseri

Abstract Water-use and plant growth of Fraser photinia (Photinia × fraseri Dress) were studied under varying irrigation regimes during 2 different growing seasons, winter and summer. Rooted cuttings were transplanted into 7.57 1 (2 gal) plastic containers containing Metro-mix 500 and greenhouse-grown under 2 irrigation frequencies (3.5 or 7-day intervals) and 3 replacement amounts (100%, 75% or 50% replacement of actual water-use). Increased irrigation frequency significantly reduced plant growth parameters of winter-grown plants, including shoot growth, leaf number, leaf area and shot dry weight. Decreased irrigation amount significantly increased root dry weight. Significant differences were not detected in growth measurements of summer-grown plants suggesting differences between experiments are seasonal in nature. Frequent irrigation resulted in poor plant pelformance under winter growing conditions of lower evapotranspiration (ET); however under summer growing conditions, frequent irrigation did not significantly affect plant growth. Decreased irrigation frequency significantly increased total water-use for winter-grown plants due to increased plant performance. No significant differences in water-use due to frequency in summer-grown plants was found.

Overwintering Container-grown Nursery Crops: Plant, Air and Medium Thermal Response to Porous Row Covers

Abstract Three structureless row covers (white, spunbonded polyester and two weights of white, spunbonded polypropylene) were evaluated for winter protection of container grown ‘Helleri’ holly (Ilex crenata ‘Helleri’), ‘Atropurpurea Nana’ nandina (Nandina domestica ‘Atropurpurea Nana’), Fraser photinia (Photinia × fraseri), and ‘Mohave’ pyracantha (Pyracantha Koidzumii × coccinea ‘Mohave’) relative to white copolymer film and white copolymer backed thermoblanket over quonset-shaped structures and an unprotected control. Air and rooting medium temperatures were monitored during the deployment period. Visual foliar injury ratings were taken immediately after treatments were removed and again four months later. Visual shoot injury ratings were correlated with the mean daily average and the mean daily minimum temperature of air and rooting medium within each treatment. Both polypropylene covers provided protection for plants in the interior of a consolidated group equivalent to white poly and the thermoblanket for all species except Pyracantha. Porous row covers are a feasible alternative to standard protection systems.

Rooting Response of Photinia × fraseri Dress ‘Birmingham’ to 25 Carrier and Carrier Plus IBA Formulations

Abstract Twenty-five carriers (solvents) either separately or in combination with IBA were tested for effectiveness in promoting rooting of Photinia × fraseri ‘Birmingham’, Fraser photinia. Maximum rooting percentages, root numbers and lengths resulted from carrier plus IBA solutions, although 95% ethanol produced 87% rooting. IBA plus 95 and 50% ethanol, 20 and 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG), 20 and 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) produced the highest rooting percentages, root numbers and lengths. K-IBA and water was largely ineffective, suggesting that carriers enhanced the effect of the K-IBA. Twenty percent (20%) formulations of PEG, DMSO, and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) without IBA improved rooting response compared to 10 and 1% concentrations. The lack of effectiveness of K-IBA and water, and the relative effectiveness of higher rates of PEG, DMSO, and DMF without IBA suggest that carriers may have a significant effect on rooting with or without IBA.

Effects of Wounding and Auxin Treatment on Rooting Stem Cuttings of Fraser's Photinia

Light or heavy wounding applied to stem cuttings of Fraser's photinia (Photinia x fraseri Dress) had little effect on stimulating rooting. The greatest response from wounding was realized when used in combination with a 5000 or 10,000 ppm indolebutyric acid (IBA) solution. Satisfactory rooting, however, was attained by IBA treatment alone.

Response of Fraser's Photinia Stem Cuttings to Selected Rooting Compounds

Selected compounds applied to terminal, semi-hardwood cuttings of Fraser's photinia (Photinia x fraseri Dress) promoted rooting. Concentrated indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) solutions were more effective in promoting rooting than either commercially prepared talc or liquid formulations.

Factors Affecting Postharvest Stress of Summer-dug Photinia1

Abstract Photinia Χ fraseri Dress (Fraser Photinia) plants were dug and burlapped in the morning and afternoon during midsummer with or without previous irrigation or antitranspirant treatment (di-1-p methene = Vapor Gard). Plants were shipped for one day, held for 2 weeks under lath, and then planted. Moisture stress, indicated by shoot water potential, was monitored throughout the study and survival was rated in September. Use of the antitranspirant and morning digging reduced moisture stress of plants. Morning-dug plants had 80% or greater survival even without irrigation. Afternoon digging gave low survival with or without irrigation but afternoon digging plus Vapor Gard gave 100% survival.