The cultivars of turnip and tsukena (Brassica rapa L.) originated Nagano Prefecture were examined for morphology and affinity with their closely related cultivars. Thirteen cultivars in Nagano Pref. were allocated to 5 of 7 groups classified by cluster analysis on the basis of 43 morphological characters. The distribution of the cultivars on scatter diagram by the principal component analysis almost agreed with the classification by cluster analysis. Thirteen cultivars in Nagano Pref. were classified as follows.
Group 1: ‘Gensukekabuna’, ‘Nozawana’, ‘Suwabenikabu’, ‘Kisona’, ‘Inekokina’, ‘Yoshinokabu’ and ‘Habirona’
Group 2: ‘Kaidakabu’, ‘Hosojimakabu’ and ‘Ohtakikabu’
Group 3: ‘Hodairakabu’
Group 4: ‘Akane’
Group 5: ‘Yukina’
The cultivars included in group 1 and group 2 were differentiated after transmission in Nagano Pref. In contrast, the cultivars included group 3, group 4 and group 5 were differentiated in other regions.

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Morphological characteristics of one-year-old shoots of M.9 Nagano (ACLSV-free) and M.9 VF157 (ACLSV, ASPV, and ASGV-free) developed from the original M.9 at the Nagano Fruit Tree Experiment Station were compared with those of M.9 FL56 and M.9 NAKBT337 which were reported to show the juvenile phase and the intermediate phase respectively. Flowering, short and thick stems and obtusely serrated leaf margins were observed on one-year-old stems of M.9 Nagano and M.9 VF157. It is inferred from these results that M.9 Nagano and M.9 VF157 maintain the characteristics of the adult phase.
Nevertheless showing the characteristics of mature plants, M.9 Nagano rooted well in the stool bed by etiolating young shoots and an average of about 10 rooted shoots were harvested in 3-year-old to 5-year-old stool beds.

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Growth and cut flower quality of stock (Matthiola incana R. Br.) and snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) seedlings grown in cell medium hardened by heat fusion polyester fiber were investigated. In both species, hardened medium had no effect on germination rate and percentage. The media hardened by heat fusion polyester fiber did not break down, regardless of root-ball formed. Regardless of species and transplant age, hardened medium had little effect on transplant and cut flower quality. Hardened cell medium was easy to transplant since it did not break down and was therefore considered effective for transplanting yound seedlings before root-ball formed.

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The effects of nutrient application based on the nitrogen application standard curve (NASC) developed in the hydroponics system on the cut flower quality and nutrient uptake of spray chrysanthemums in bench culture were investigated. Plants were grown at 0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.5 strengths of NASC, including 356, 474, 593, 711 mg total nitrogen/shoot, respectively.
About 80% of harvested flowers were marketable flowers having the weight of ≧ 40 g when the lower 20 cm leaves were trimmed after cutting on 80 cm shoot (the shipping standard size in Wakayama) in all application levels. Using the 0.75 strength, there was little residual nitrogen in the soil at harvest. However, Using treatments of ≧ 1.0 strength, an accumulation of nitrogen in the soil was detected during the cultivation period. The residual nutrients in the soil increased with increases in the fertilization level.
Consequently, nutrient application based on 0.75 NASC strength can produce high quality cut flowers in bench culture, and is suitable for the environment due to the low levels of nutrients remaining in the soil. Modification of NASC is recommended to improve plant growth in the early stages.

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We investigated the growth of tomatoes, radishes, sunny lettuce, Eustoma and gerbera in a medium containing granules made by crushing used tiles as a soil substitute, with and without chitosan.
There was no remarkable difference between control and the medium containing the used tile granules in the growth of tomatoes, Eustoma and gerbera. However, the growth of radishes and sunny lettuce was decreased compared to that of controls. When used tiles and 1% chitosan were mixed to form a culture medium, the growth of all the investigated vegetables and flowers was better than that of the controls.
Thus with tomatoes, Eustoma and gerbera it is possible to employ granules from crushed used tile as a substitute for a sandy loam soil medium. After application of 1% chitosan culture medium, the growth of all crops was better than that of the control plants.

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The effects of calcium formate application on apple fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.) set were examined. Spraying with calcium formate after full bloom reduced the fruit set. Spraying caused injury to stigmas and petals, and inhibited pollen germination and pollen tube growth in the style. Thus, these effects of calcium formate seemed to prevent fertilization and induce floral abscission. Spraying with calcium formate at 1.0% proved to be effective for flower thinning without a negative effect on fruit quality.

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Effects of winter night temperature on the flowering response of snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus L.) in pinching and non-pinching cultivation were investigated. In pinching cultivation, as the night temperature was increased, the flowering of the stem was accelarated, generated under the first node of Hatsuharu and Light Pink Butterfly II, and the second node of Verne, respectively. Yields of cut flowers in Hatsuharu and Verne were the largeset at a night temperature of 16°C, but Light Pink Butterfly II was not affected by different night temperatures. In non-pinching cultivation of Light Pink Butterfly II, as the night temperature was increased, flowering was accelerated. Suitable night temperatures in winter for snapdragon cut flower production were suggested to be 6 to 11°C, 11°C and 16°C for Hatsuharu, Light Pink Butterfly II and Verne, respectively.

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We investigated the effects of shoot management combined with 1st-node pruning after harvest in summer and 5(7)th-node pruning in winter on growth and yield of the ‘Muscat of Alexandria’ grape in forcing culture beginning in December.
1. The treatment of post-harvest summer pruning alone in soil-less cultures of grapevine resulted in earlier bud break and increased numbers of flower clusters and yield, compared to traditional pruning procedure. However, there were no significant differences in the growth of shoots, timing of flowering, leaf color intensity, and fruit quality.
2. The effects of the combination of the 1st-node summer pruning and 1st-node or 5th-node winter pruning on the growth, fruit quality and yield of soil-less cultures of ‘Muscat of Alexandria’ were examined. The 5th-node pruning following summer pruning encouraged earlier bud break and flowering than 1st-node pruning. The 5th-node treatment augmented shoot growth, leaf color intensity, the number of flower clusters and the fruit yield, compared with 1st-node pruning. No difference in fruit quality was observed between the two treatments.
3. Even when the grapevines were grown on soil, the treatment of 5(7)th-node winter pruning combined with the summer pruning enhanced the growth of shoots, and increased the number of flower clusters and the yield, compared with the 1st-node winter pruning.
These results confirm the positive effects of 1st-node pruning in summer and 5(7)th-node pruning in winter, on the growth and yield of ‘Muscat of Alexandria’ grapevines regardless of whether they are grown in soil-less culture or on soil in forced culture.

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Bulbs of ‘Casablanca’ produced in Holland and stored at temperatures below freezing were purchased from a commercial stock in mid-August. They were divided into groups of 20 bulbs and restored at −1.5~−2.0°C before use. They were subjected to different temperatures for various durations to allow rooting and sprouting in a plastic container filled with wet peat moss and thereafter planted and grown in a plastic house maintained at min. 14°C. Cut flowers with good quality were obtained when bulbs were subjected to 2°C for 3~4 weeks, at 5 and 8°C for 2~3 weeks or at 12°C for 2 weeks before planting.
Bulbs were planted in the house at different dates from 1 September to 1 December after being subjected to 12°C for 2 weeks to allow rooting and sprouting. As planting was delayed, the number of flowers decreased and the number of plants with nodes that had no differentiated flowers on the upper part of the main peduncle increased. Moreover, necrosis was observed in the tips of the leaves on the middle to upper part of all plants planted on and after 31 October.
Observation under the microscope revealed that flowers developed normally and reached an outer stamen formed stage in the planting of September, whereas some flowers did not initiate and the tips of some leaves became transparent in the November plantings.

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In the present study, we investigated the spectrophotometrical method to quantitate nitrite ion produced from the reaction of hydroxylammonium (NH₂OH) with O₂⁻, as a method of measurins the O₂⁻ level. Sensitivity of the reaction of hydroxylammonium with O₂⁻ was high and the accuracy and color development were stable. The O₂⁻ level in some fresh produce containing pigments could easily be determined after elimination of plant pigments in the extracted solution with AG1-X8 resin. This nitrite ion method would be a convenient technique to determine O₂⁻ concentration in plant tissues.

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