UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA NEWLY DEVELOPED VEGETABLE VARIETIES FOR USE IN CALIFORNIA D. R. PORTER, H. A. JONES, and G. N. DAVIS BULLETIN 646 February, 1941 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA CONTENTS PAGE Introduction 3 Cantaloupe and related melons 3 Powdery-Mildew-resistant Cantaloupe No. 45 3 Powdery-Mildew-resistant Honeydew No. 60 5 Baby Persian 5 Tomatoes 6 Cal 55 6 Pearson 7 Watermelons 9 California Klondike No. 3 9 California Klondike No. 8 P Striped Klondike No. 11 9 Klondike R7 10 Blue Eibbon 11 Onions 12 Eed 21 12 Stockton G36 15 Lord Howe Island 18 White Persian 19 Crystal Grano 19 Brown 5 19 Spanish 2 21 Seed sources of new vegetable varieties 24 Summary 25 Literature cited 26 NEWLY DEVELOPED VEGETABLE VARIETIES FOR USE IN CALIFORNIA 1 D. E. POETEE, 2 H. A. JONES, 3 and G. N. DAVIS 4 INTRODUCTION The melon, tomato, and onion varieties described herein have been developed individually or jointly by members of the California Agricul- tural Experiment Station and the United States Department of Agricul- ture. 5 In general, the goal has been vegetable improvement through breed- ing. High yield (reflected by vigor and prolificacy) and uniformity of type (including size, shape, and color) have received serious considera- tion. The need for quality in its various phases is self-evident. Lastly, resistance to certain diseases has been incorporated in a number of these new varieties. Certain varieties sufficiently discussed elsewhere will be only briefly mentioned here. Others, now in extensive production, have not been ade- quately described in print and therefore are here described in some detail. A third group, about to be released, have yet to prove their com- mercial value, but their performance to date indicates that they should find a welcome place in trade channels. CANTALOUPE AND RELATED MELONS Powdery -Mildew-resistant Cantaloupe No. 45. — This new variety of cantaloupe, called No. 45 by the trade, is resistant to form no. 1 of pow- dery mildew, but not to the no. 2 form described by Jagger, Whitaker, and Porter {2) . 6 It was developed to meet a definite challenge to the melon industry. For many years the crop of the Imperial Valley was reason- 1 Received for publication April 4, 1939. 2 Associate Professor of Truck Crops and Associate Olericulturist in the Experi- ment Station ; resigned January 1, 1939. 3 Principal Olericulturist, Division of Fruit and Vegetable Crops and Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture. Formerly Pro- fessor of Truck Crops and Olericulturist in the California Agricultural Experiment Station. 4 Instructor in Truck Crops and Junior Olericulturist in the Experiment Station. 5 The following men have at various times been in charge of or intimately asso- ciated with the breeding problems indicated: Tomatoes — O. H. Pearson, D. E. Porter, and the late J. T. Eosa. Onions — D. E. Porter, H. A. Jones, and G. N. Davis. Cantaloupe and related melons such as Honeydew and Persian — G. W. Scott, D. E. Porter, G. N. Davis, and the late J. T. Eosa of the University of California ; T. W. Whitaker and the late I. C. Jagger of the United States Department of Agriculture. Watermelons — D. E. Porter. 6 Italic numbers in parentheses refer to "Literature Cited" at the end of this paper. [3] 4 University of California — Experiment Station ably free of disease. Suddenly, in 1925, powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) appeared; and in 1926 it became particularly serious. While one group of investigators sought control by spraying and dust- ing, Rosa and Jagger sought control by breeding resistant types. One of Dr. Rosa's students secured seed from his native country, India. This, MELON VARIETIES RESISTANT TO POWDERY MILDEW (Erusiphe cichoracearum De C) IC. Jogger and O W Scott The pedigree pictured be tow shows the method used in the deve/opment of a i/arietg of me/on fCucumis me/o L .) resistant to powdery m//dew and sa/tob/e for commercia/ production in the Imper/a/ l/a//ey of Co//fornio Simi/or pediyrees m/ght he presented for other se/ections or varieties differing in type, season, etc- The factor for res/stance to mi /dew was found in severo/ tots secured from India in t92T and /92S, the fruit of which was of no commercia/ i/o/ue Severo/ fruits from one of the or/gina/ /ots which has been of vo/ua in this work are pictured a/ the right I Severaf resistant se/ections were mode from the or/y/na/ mured /ot conta/n/ny the res/sf- ant p/onts. One of these se/ections fie ft) was 4 crossed with the variety Money Soi/fryht) o com- merc/a i/y important variety. Chu/a V/sta, SummerJ92S. "' '" "** " The F, of this cross f/efff showed many feotures of the ffoney So// variety combin- ed with the res /stone e of the other parent It wos crossed with the commerc/o/ variety Perfecto, o conto/oupe ti/pe -Imper/a/ /a/iey. Fat/ /928. F, offres/stont se/ection x Honey 3o//)x Perfecto The netting and shope of the conto/oupe porent, os we// as f/esh co/or ond quo/ify ore present in the F, combined with resistance to the mi/dew Impex-/o/ vo//ey,Spr/ng /930- Ff , grown in Imper/a/ Vo//ey, Fo// /9£9 from openpo/t/noted F, . fj yrawn /n Imperia/ /o//ey, Spr/nf /9JO. from open -po///na fed F £ . "* — f-f yrown /n Imper/a/ vb//ey , Fo// /9JO. from open-pa///nafed Fj . I Fs grown in Imperia/ Yo//ey, Spring /9J/ /I few p/anfs of this /ot were /so/oted during the Summer of /9J/- The seed from these p/anfs was then p/onted /n a increase p/af dur/ng the Fo// of /9J/ and fhe massed seed distributed tor fria/ under the , . _ , . , . nome.'Poriio/ty Pes/stanf Conto/oupe ^WpK ' «■» —%, several se/fed se/ect,ons from No I- Mixed and unfixed < .% "* '"crease pot show considerabte promise as fo type and guo//fy /n add/f- /on to being rcs/stanf fo m//dew. Further se/ect/ons ore being mode /n these fafs. Fig. 1. — The developmental history of Powdery-Mildew-resistant Cantaloupe No. 45. The resistant parent, of cucumber-fruit type, was practically inedible. The end product, No. 45, is of exceptionally good quality. Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 5 with other seed purchased in India and elsewhere by the California Agricultural Experiment Station and with samples secured through the United States Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction, was planted in the Imperial Valley in various places exposed to mildew infection. Several of the Hindu strains proved resist- ant. The fruit type of four of these is indicated in figure 1. The strain finally selected as the most promising parent produced fruits more nearly Fig. 2. — Type and internal structure of the No. 45 cantaloupe. The small seed cavity, well filled with seeds, is perhaps its outstanding characteristic, aside from resistance to powdery mildew. resembling cucumber than cantaloupe. After prolonged crossing, back- crossing, outcrossing, testing, selecting, and evaluating, No. 45 finally emerged. Some of the steps in this process are shown in figure 1, and details are given by Jagger and Scott (1). The fruits are similar to those of Hale's Best, being slightly oblong and very uniform in size, shape, and quality. The surface is well netted, except in the shallow furrows. In the Imperial Valley, the early melons are small but gradually increase in size during the season. The flesh is salmon-colored, firm in texture, and of good eating quality. The seed cavity is small and well filled with seeds. It carries well in transit to dis- tant markets, even when picked field-ripe in the Imperial Valley. Typical fruits of No. 45 are shown in figure 2, and the foliage resistance is indi- cated by figure 3. Powdery -Mildew-resistant Honeydew No. 60. — This new variety, al- ready released, requires only brief mention. Though resistant to form no. 1 of powdery mildew, it has not met with the approval of growers and shippers. Breeding work is under way to improve its type and quality. Baby Persian. — Baby Persian, a new variety of small Persian type, is resistant to form no. 1 of powdery mildew. Because Persian melons are 6 University of California — Experiment Station not extensively produced in other states, it will probably not be widely planted elsewhere. Growers and seedsmen who saw the trial plots in California in 1938 unanimously favored increasing and distributing the seed. It has been released to seedsmen under the name Baby Persian, and seed will be available to growers for the 1941 crop. Baby Persian is, first of all, characteristically and uniformly small. Fig. 3. — Relative response to powdery mildew, form no. 1, of the No. 45 canta- loupe (two rows at left) and Hale's Best (remainder of field) in the Imperial Valley, 1936. The foliage of Hale's Best was killed by mildew before the fruits were mature, whereas No. 45 produced a normal crop. The average fruit, weighing between 6 and 7 pounds, is practically round and very smooth, with an attractive skin color. The flesh is of normal color for a Persian melon, but is exceptionally thick in relation to the actual fruit diameter. One outstanding feature is its small seed cavity, resembling that of the No. 45 cantaloupe. Into this the seeds are packed tightly, which improves the shipping and storage qualities. TOMATOES Two tomato varieties have been bred and released. One originated by selection from a commercial variety; the other resulted from a cross. Cat 55. — This tomato, apparently the first vegetable variety bred and released by the University of California, was distributed in 1927. The breeding work was guided by the late J. T. Rosa, who originated Cal 55 from a variety of the Santa Clara canner type, selecting for smoother Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties fruit than the parental stock. It is high-yielding, but rather late in ma- turing. The fruit, though improved and well colored, is inclined to be rough, very large, and flat, with a tough core and small cells typical of the Santa Clara group. Though not planted extensively, it is a valuable parent in the present tomato-breeding program of this station. Pearson. — A tomato variety developed by 0. H. Pearson, formerly of this station, was released as Hybrid No. 65 in 1933 and officially named Fig. 4. — A single plant of the Pearson, a high-yielding, smooth-fruited va- riety of tomato, determinate in habit of growth. (Courtesy of the Haven Seed Company; from Ext. Cir. 104.) Pearson in 1937 (9) . It resulted from a cross between Cal 55 and Fargo, an early-maturing variety developed by A. F. Yeager at the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. In plant habit it differs from standard varieties in being determinate ("self -pruning," or "self-topping"). Most varieties of tomatoes might be regarded as perennial — that is, capable of continuing their growth more or less indefinitely under favorable conditions ; and normally they produce a blossom cluster at every third leaf. They will, obviously, bear fruit over a long period. The determinate growth habit is manifested by relatively few varieties. Such plants often produce blossom clusters with only one leaf between, and eventually the stem terminates in a blossom cluster. After this, no more flowers are formed, and the fruits already 8 University of California — Experiment Station set develop and mature. Determinate plants usually require less space in the field than plants of the standard type, such as Marglobe and Santa Clara. Furthermore, if insecticides or fungicides must be applied, deter- minate vines are less likely to be injured by the wheels of spray or dust machinery than are standard vines. The vine, relatively small and bushy, usually sets an exceptionally Fig. 5. — Typical fruits of the Pearson tomato, characterized as a slightly flat- tened globe. Pearson is a high yielder of smooth, firm, well-colored fruits, well adapted to green -wrap shipment when grown in the coastal districts. (Courtesy of the Haven Seed Company; from Ext. Cir. 104.) heavy crop (fig. 4) ; thus it needs adequate food and water to produce desirable fruit size and adequate foliage to protect it against sunburn. The fruit is a slightly flattened globe (fig. 5), slightly larger than Marglobe, deep red, smooth, with a tough skin, heavy walls, and numer- ous cells, and it seldom cracks. Its tough skin, firmness, smoothness, size, shape, and color make it valuable for green-wrap shipment. It yields well but, because of a relatively tough core, is not used extensively by canners except for juice. By individual plant selections, this defect may perhaps be overcome. This variety has been studied in many localities in California for five years. Although a promising new variety, it should be tested first on a limited acreage for adaptability to local soil, environmental, and market conditions. It grows well in the coastal tomato sections and inland in Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 9 Ventura, Orange, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties, if adequate water is available for irrigating. In an extensive trial near Santa Maria in 1936, Pearson yielded approximately 40 per cent more than Marglobe. Growers in the Delta are observing the response of Pearson to determine if it is adapted there. Pearson, having been released as F 3 material (third generation after hybridizing), was not entirely pure for all characters. Commercial seed growers are developing improved strains by individual plant selections, seed of which will soon be available. WATERMELONS In 1933 Porter (6) described and released seed of four superior Klon- dike strains, naming them California Klondike nos. 1, 3, 8, and 9, re- spectively. As extensive tests have shown nos. 3 and 8 to surpass nos. 1 and 9, the latter two are not discussed herein. California Klondike No. 3. — This variety resulted from controlled in- breeding of commercial Klondike. No. 3 is not resistant to fusarium wilt. In wilt-free soil, however, the vines are uniform, vigorous, and prolific. The average fruit weighs 19 pounds ; and the average shape index, that is, width/length, is 0.548, meaning that it is blocky but not oval (fig. 6). The fruit skin is very dark green with a shallow suture. The rind, though of medium thickness (^4 to % inch), withstands long-distance shipment without breakage if carefully handled. The flesh is very solid, deep red, and of excellent texture and high sugar content. The seeds, smaller than in commercial Klondike, are black or very dark brown. No. 3 has been extensively used in the western states and is popular with both growers and seedsmen. California Klondike No. 8. — Because of its rather limited use, this va- riety will be only briefly mentioned. In fruit type it resembles No. 3. The skin, however, is a deep bluish green ; and the rind, although thin, is exceptionally tough. The flesh is slightly hard, orange red, but very sweet. Because of the tough rind, certain Imperial Valley growers prefer this variety for their Canadian trade. It is not resistant to fusarium wilt. Seed is now available to growers. Striped Klondike No. 11. — This new variety is the result of continued inbreeding of commercial Striped Klondike, which was not uniform for fruit type, skin color, rind thickness, flesh quality, or sugar content. Breeding work, started in 1930, was aimed at purification. Although No. 11 has not heretofore been formally described, seed was released to grow- ers and seedsmen in 1935 ; and at present much of the California acreage of Striped Klondike type is planted with this variety. Its outstanding 10 University of California — Experiment Station qualities are as follows : uniform type and skin color ; a rind moderately thick and tougher than that of California Klondike No. 3 ; deep-red flesh color; high sugar content. In fact, No. 11 is the sweetest variety grown at Davis in comparative trials involving about thirty varieties (8). It is not resistant to fusarium wilt, but has been crossed with resistant varie- ties to produce a wilt-resistant Striped Klondike. A typical fruit is shown in figure 6. Klondike R7. — This variety was released and described (7) in 1937. Fig. 6. — Typical fruit of Striped Klondike No. 11 (center) and of California Klondike No. 3 (on either side). Both are wilt-susceptible. Blue Kibbon resem- bles No. 11, and Klondike E7 resembles No. 3. (From Bui. 614.) It resulted from a cross made in 1930 between Iowa Belle (resistant) and Klondike (susceptible). The fruit of Klondike R7 is somewhat blockier than commercial Klondike or California Klondike No. 3. A slight bloom covers the fruit skin, giving it a grayish appearance and perhaps affording some protection from sunburning. During the ordi- nary picking and handling operations, it is rubbed off, which exposes the normal dark-green skin. The rind, though thin, is tougher than that of California Klondike No. 3. The flesh is deep red, particularly desirable in texture, and very sweet. Seeds are mottled black, brown, tan, and white. Klondike R7 was tested extensively in many districts of California before it was released. It has proved wilt -resist ant wherever grown, of uniform type, size, and quality. Sufficient seed was produced by com- panies in California in 1938 to supply the demand for the 1939 crop. The vines of Klondike R7 are particularly vigorous and prolific, pro- Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 11 ducing very few cull fruits. In 1937, near Holtville in the Imperial Val- ley, on 80 acres of wilt-infested soil, Klondike R7 yielded in excess of a carload per acre (fig. 7). Even after the second picking, the vines re- Fig. 7. — This 80-acre field of Klondike R7, grown on wilt -infested soil in the Imperial Valley in 1937, yielded over one carload per acre. Note the extreme vine vigor, even after the second picking. (From Bul. 614.) mained vigorous and produced a third picking of marketable fruits. The fruit type is shown in figure 8. Blue Ribbon. — This variety, here described formally for the first time, Fig. 8. — First harvest of Klondike R7, a wilt-resistant watermelon of high quality, indicating the uniformity of type and size. (From Bul. 614.) 12 University of California — Experiment Station is a cross of Striped Klondike No. 11 (susceptible) with Klondike R7 (resistant) and was developed because of a need for a wilt-resistant variety of the Striped Klondike type. Fortunately, the two parents were of similar fruit type, size, quality, rind character, and seed size and color. They differed appreciably only in skin color and in response to the wilt disease. Actually, therefore, it was necessary only to put a striped skin on an R7 fruit. In 1938 two F 3 (third generation) families of this cross were pure for skin color and well over 90 per cent of the plants resistant to wilt. Selfed (self -pollinated) seed of these F 3 families was planted in 1939. The variety has been released to seedsmen for increase, and seed will be avail- able to growers for the 1941 crop. Striped Klondike 11, as stated earlier, is the sweetest variety tested at Davis. Blue Ribbon is equally sweet. Being also wilt-resistant, it apparently deserves the name given it. It is not pictured here, for in fruit type it is practically identical with Striped Klondike No. 11 (fig. 6). ONIONS Onion breeding was started at Davis in 1922 and has been carried on continuously since that time. A number of varieties have been intro- duced, but none of those discussed herein has been formally described. Although only one is resistant to a disease (pinkroot), the others are distinctly valuable because of certain other characteristics. While a rather extensive program having to do with the breeding for resistance to thrips and downy mildew (Peronospora destructor) has been under way for some time, resistant varieties have not yet been intro- duced. Strains resistant to both thrips and downy mildew have been developed and are now being tested. The method of developing such strains has been described in previous publications (4,5). Bed 21. — A particularly desirable strain of California Early Red onion was released in 1935 as California Early Red U. C. No. 1, a name since superseded by Red 21. In 1924 a bulb selected from a commercial lot of California Early Red grown at Davis, California, was given the pedigree number 21-22. In 1925 this plant was selfed, and in 1926 the progeny was grown. A bulb selected from this progeny lot, pedigree number 21-22-1, was selfed in 1927, and the bulbs were grown in 1928. The best bulbs were massed, and a supply of seed — Red 21 — was secured for trial. Repeatedly in several districts, Red 21 proved much superior to com- mercial stocks of California Early Red. It matures somewhat earlier, is more uniform in size, shape, color, and time of maturity, and keeps bet- ter in storage than the older strains of this variety. The scale color is red, Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 13 the flesh pink. The degree of color varies somewhat with the locality, being much more intense in bulbs grown along the central coast than in the interior valleys. It is a high flat in shape (fig. 9). The diameter of thirty-three bulbs grown at Davis measured 4.09 inches; the depth of these was 2.48 inches; the depth/diameter ratio was 0.60 inch; the mean number of scales was 9.4, in cross section through the greatest diameter. 7 Fig. 9. — Field-run Bed 21, showing uniformity of shape. This is a highly attrac- tive, good-keeping, medium-flavored strain of California Early Red. Table 1 gives the yields in several districts for 1935 and 1936. Though varying considerably from place to place, they were lowest both years at Milpitas. The highest yield in 1935 was on Liberty Island and in 1936 at Sacramento, although the latter was not significantly higher than the yield at Davis. The 1932 crop at harvest time in Davis, California, is shown in figure 10, the 1933 seed crop in figure 11. The amount of bolting in different localities for 1935 and 1936 is shown in table 2. In both these years it was highest at Milpitas. Climatic condi- 7 The standard errors of these measurements are 0.16 inch, 0.15 inch, 0.04 inch, and 0.61 scale respectively. 14 University of California — Experiment Station tions along the central California coastal region are so favorable for bolting that Red 21 is not especially adapted there. The excessive amount of bolting of Red 21 in most localities in 1936 was favored by the use of large seedlings. As the stand of this variety in the nursery was thin, the seedlings attained a large size. Red 21 tends to bolt late in the season TABLE 1 Yields of Several Onion Varieties in Several Districts, 1935 and 1936 Location Date trans- planted Yield, in 100-pound bags per acre Red 21 Stockton G36 Stockton Yellow Globe Lord Howe Island Babosa Mean' 1935 (seeded August 27) Milpitas San Luis Obispo Sacramento .... Vernalis Liberty Island. . Meant Shafter Milpitas Sacramento Vernalis Davis Meant Nov. 8 127 415 11 34 Dec. 4 220 219 — 143 204 Nov. 6 318 334 — 105 132 Dec. 1 304 366 — 105 73 Nov. 30 485 611 — 75 115 291 389 — 88 112 147 197 222 212 322 1936 (seeded September 7) Dec. 4 302 440 356 268 451 Nov. 25 173 519 504 229 394 Nov. 21 376 466 653 197 342 Dec. 6 278 508 627 212 309 Dec. 2 353 701 740 123 332 296 527 576 206 366 363 364 407 387 450 * The difference required for significance is 45 bags for the 1935 yields, 52 for the 1936. t The difference required for significance is 40.5 bags. J The difference required for significance is 52 bags. after forming a fairly large bulb. In 1933 and 1934, the percentage of dry matter was determined. In 1933, bulbs grown in peat soil had 8.91 per cent of dry matter, whereas those grown in 1934 in sediment soil at Davis had 9.68 per cent. Storage studies of this variety were made in 1934 with bulbs grown at Davis and harvested on June 7 and 8. One hundred bulbs weighing 48 pounds were stored on June 12 in a slat-bottomed tray in the onion ware- house, and losses in weight due to all causes were determined every 30 days. In percentage of original gross weight after each 30-day period, the losses were as follows : 30 days, 17 per cent ; 60 days, 27 per cent ; 90 days, 48 per cent ; 120 days, 76 per cent ; 150 days, 82 per cent ; 180 days, 92 per cent ; 210 days, 96 per cent. The losses resulted chiefly from rots. No sprouting was recorded till after 120 days of storage. Bul. 646 Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 15 Fig. 10. — Increase plot of Red 21 grown at the University Farm, Davis, Cali- fornia, harvested June 25, 1932. For market, these could have been pulled two weeks earlier. Note the uniformity both in bulb shape and in time of maturity. Only one row of bulbs was pulled for the photograph. 1\*1 » §># : H SI Fig. 11. — Seed-increase plot of Red 21 in full bloom: Davis, California, June 18, 1933. Stockton G36. — The original bulb of Stockton G36 was selected in 1930 from a commercial lot of Stockton Yellow Globe. In 1931, flower heads were bagged and the selfed seeds sown in the nursery late in the same summer. The seedlings were transplanted to the field at Davis on 16 University of California — Experiment Station December 15. The plants matured about July 7, 1932, being the earliest of the various lines of Stockton Yellow Globe tested that year. The bulbs are yellow, slightly conical with the top somewhat flattened TABLE 2 Comparison of the Bolting Habit of Several Varieties of Onions, 1935 and 1936 Per cent bolters Location Red 21 Stockton G36 Stockton Yellow Globe Lord Howe Island Babosa Mean* 1935 San Luis Obispo Vernalis Liberty Island . . Sacramento Milpitas Meant Shafter Milpitas Sacramento Vernalis Davis Salinas Meant 0.4 0.0 38.3 35.4 15.1 0.0 47.4 69.3 4.1 2.2 69.9 74.7 19.0 0.9 65.0 63.1 59.9 3.3 87.2 83.1 19.7 1.3 61.6 65.1 18.5 32.9 37.7 37.0 58.4 1936 2.5 1.6 14.4 2.9 59.7 1.7 14.8 38.5 42.6 10.3 0.4 0.0 46.4 26.5 36.9 0.0 2.5 31 27.5 21.2 0.0 8.7 57.3 34.7 41.6 0.4 5.8 46.1 38.7 28.7 0.4 5.6 38.9 28.8 4.3 31.5 16.7 19.6 24.4 26.5 * A difference of 6.8 per cent L" required for significance. t The difference required for significance is 7.6 per cent for 1935, 7.4 per cent for 1936. (fig. 12) , and mild in flavor. Although inbred only one generation, Stock- ton G36 matures very uniformly, about 10 to 14 days later than Red 21 (table 3). Yields obtained in several districts of the state are given in table 1 for 1935 and 1936. In 1935 the highest yields were secured on Liberty Island and at Milpitas. In 1936, yields were good in all districts where this variety was tested, the highest yield being secured at Davis and the next best at Milpitas. In 1936, a grower's strain of Stockton Yellow Globe was included in the test plots at the various locations for comparison. The percentage of bolting is shown in table 2 for 1935 and 1936. This variety bolted very little regardless of location. Even at Milpitas and Salinas, where climatic conditions favor bolting, the percentage was Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 17 negligible. The delayed bolting habit makes this variety especially well suited for the intermediate crop in the central coastal region. The selfed progeny of the original plant of Stockton G36 (pedigree no. 36-40) segregated for green and albino seedlings in the ratio of three Fig. 12. — Stockton G36 onion, field run, grown at Davis, California: a high- yielding strain of Stockton Yellow Globe, mild-flavored. A pronounced delayed bolting habit makes it especially adapted as an intermediate crop in the coastal region of central California. green to one albino. The albinos live for a few days only. They have not been completely eliminated from the stocks, and in the early seedling stage a few of these white seedlings are still evident. TABLE 3 Time of Maturity of Onion Varieties in Several Localities, 1936 Locality Red 21 Stockton G36 Lord Howe Island Stockton Yellow Globe Babosa June 9 June 8 June 8 June 8 June 22 June 17 June 17 June 18 June 25 July 1 May 2 May 20 May 26 May 19 May 7 June 17 June 17 June 18 June 25 June 23 May 9 May 20 May 26 May 19 May 7 18 University of California — Experiment Station Lord Howe Island. — The seed of Lord Howe Island was secured from Australia in 1932. It was planted in the cold frame in late November of that year ; and the seedlings were transplanted March 1, 1933, on peat soil near Terminus, San Joaquin County, California. The leaves have a characteristic rigid, upright habit of growth. The bulbs are deep red, oblate (fig. 13), and very mild-flavored. They mature Fig. 13. — Lord Howe Island, introduced from Australia in 1932 : a deep-red, sweet, mild-flavored, early -maturing onion adapted to about the same conditions as the Bermuda types and Creole. at approximately the same time as Early Grano, Babosa, Crystal Wax, and Yellow Bermuda. The bulbs do not keep well in storage and there- fore must be marketed shortly after harvest. The yields in the different test plots have not been very high (table 1) . In 1935 they were best at San Luis Obispo, in 1936 at Shafter. The higher yields in these two places are due to a smaller percentage of bol- ters than in the plots farther north. The bolting habit is too pronounced to permit this variety to be used as the transplant or intermediate crop in central California, but this should not be a problem farther south, especially if the seed is not sown too early in the fall. In certain districts of southern California, the variety is well adapted and will probably Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 19 become increasingly important, especially where an earty red onion is preferred. White Persian. — Seed of the White Persian onion was secured from Persia in 1929 through the United States Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Exploration and Introduction, as FP186279. It was later named White Persian by the California Agricultural Experiment Station. It is useful chiefly in hybridizing with other sorts to incorporate thrips resistance. The plant characters which make this variety thrips- resistant have been described in a previous publication (4) . The plants mature very late ; the bulbs are white, oblate, and mild- flavored. The foliage is light green. The chief objections to this onion as a commercial variety are its tendency to split badly and to bolt, its poor keeping quality, and its susceptibility to downy mildew. Seed is avail- able to growers, and the variety may have a place as a green bunch onion in locations where seed can be sown directly in the field. Crystal Grano. — Although this new variety has not yet been widely tested, it is very attractive and should become popular among growers who have a market for a white type of Early Grano. It resulted from a cross of that variety on a white bulb found in an Early Grano field. Segregation in the F 2 was almost exactly three yellow bulbs to one white. Seed may be released to seedsmen in the fall of 1941. Typical bulbs are shown in figure 14. Brown 5. — This variety was released in 1935 as Australian Brown U. C. No. 1, a name shortened to Brown 5. In the fall of 1929, 200 Australian Brown bulbs of good type, selected from various commercial lots, were planted at the University Farm, Davis. In 1930, the plants were selfed, and the next year progenies were grown. Only 148 progenies survived. Within 39 of these, bulbs of appar- ently identical type were selected for massing. To these were added 7 other inbred lines, selected at various times before 1929, and some F x bulbs between 2 other inbred lines. Thus the population mass-pollinated in 1932 consisted of 46 inbred lines and 1 F t progeny. Three of the in- bred lines had been inbred for two generations, the others for only one generation. In 1933, small plots of bulbs were grown for test, and in 1934 an increase block was sown on Liberty Island. These 1934 bulbs were planted back on Liberty Island in December, and the seed produced served as foundation seed for Brown 5. The main effort has been to secure a strain with uniformly chestnut- brown scales that adhere tenaciously, a lemon flesh color, good keeping quality, and uniform type (fig. 15). Although not all these objectives have been reached, the present strain of this variety excels the other 20 University op California — Experiment Station strains observed or tested. Insect or disease resistance has not been incor- porated. This variety does not bolt to seed readily. In general, it resem- bles Australian Brown. The characteristic shapes are shown in figure 15. Brown 5 was compared with three commercial strains of Australian Brown in peat soil at Terminus in 1933. It yielded 270 100-pound bags per acre, whereas the other strains yielded 254, 293, and 306, respec- Fig. 14. — Crystal Grano, a new variety of the White Grano type. Although absolute uniformity of type has not yet been attained, the bulbs are clear white and mild-flavored. It is a high-yielding, early-maturing variety, which might be substituted for Crystal Wax. tively. (A difference of 19 bags was required for significance.) In 1934, Brown 5 and the high-yielding strain of the preceding year were com- pared at Davis. Brown 5 yielded 200 sacks, and the other strain, 188. The difference in yield between the two strains in 1934 was not statis- tically significant. In 1934, a small storage test was run on 100 bulbs. These were grown at Davis, harvested August 6, and stored August 9 in a slatted tray in the onion warehouse. After 180 days, only one bulb had sprouted, and none had been discarded because of rot. When introduced in 1935, a few pink-fleshed bulbs could be found in Brown 5. By careful selection these have been eliminated ; this variety Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 21 is now almost 100 per cent yellow-fleshed. Seedsmen have found it to be a particularly high seed-yielder. Spanish 2. — In 1933 we reported (10) that certain plants produced by seed of commercial Sweet Spanish were capable of maturing bulbs of normal size in pinkroot-infested soil. Since that time this statement has been confirmed annually, and more recent data prove that by selecting these normal bulbs for seed production, resistance may be maintained. Fig. 15. — Characteristic shapes of bulbs found in Brown 5. This is an improved strain of Australian Brown with tenacious chestnut-brown scales, lemon-yellow flesh, and good keeping quality, noteworthy for its high seed yields. Onion pinkroot is caused by a soil-inhabiting fungus described by Hansen (3) as Phoma terrestris. The fungus lives in the soil indefinitely after once becoming established. For this reason, the best control can be obtained by the development of resistant varieties. The complete developmental history of Spanish 2 will be reported later. The strain has resulted, however, from continual selection of nor- mal bulbs matured in pinkroot-infested soil. Certain of these bulbs were inbred, and similar inbred lines were massed in order to maintain or to restore vigor. Pertinent data secured in 1937 and 1938 appear in tables 4 and 5, respectively. The data in table 4 indicate two pertinent facts. First, all the resistant strains produced heavier bulbs than the commercial stock in 1937. Sec- ond, at harvest time there were marked differences in percentage of 22 University of California — Experiment Station rotted bulbs, with strain 4 the most susceptible. This rotting was due not to the pinkroot organism, Phoma terrestris, but to a species of Fusarium. The bulbs of Spanish 2 were more attractive than the others, with fewer doubles. When grown in soil heavily infested with the pinkroot fungus in 1938 (table 5), all resistant strains from 2 to 5, inclusive, produced heavier bulbs than the commercial Sweet Spanish No. 7. The total percentage of bulb rot was less in strains 2 and 3 than in the others, particularly in commercial No. 7, of which 42.3 per cent were rotted after 60 days' storage. When grown in soil only slightly infested with pinkroot, Spanish 2 produced the heaviest bulbs. Relative bulb size of Spanish 2 and com- mercial Sweet Spanish No. 7 is shown in figure 16. There was less bulb rot in the resistant strains than in No. 7. Results of the 1939 test (table 6) are similar to those of the two pre- vious years. Selected stocks produced a higher percentage of disease-free bulbs than the commercial checks. The average bulb weight was also greater in the selected stocks. The differences on slightly infested soil were not so outstanding. Selected stocks again held the advantage in per- centage of original stand disease-free at harvest time. The commercial checks, however, equaled or exceeded the selected stock in average bulb weight. Because of its consistent production of large bulbs, in soils either se- verely or slightly infested with pinkroot, and because of its apparent resistance to fusarium bulb rot, as well as its manifestation of desirable type for the variety, we have decided to name and release Spanish 2. Approximately 200 bulbs were planted at Davis in December, 1938, and the seed was distributed to seedsmen in 1939, but since it takes two years to produce a crop of onion seed, the variety will not be available to grow- ers until 1941. Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 23 TABLE 4 Besponse of Commercial and Selected Stocks of Sweet Spanish Onions When Matured in Soil Heavily Infested with Pinkroot, Davis, 1937 Strain Actual pedigree Number of repli- cations Number of bulbs harvested Bulb weight in grams Per cent bulb rot at harvest* 9 9 8 9 2 2 9 352 429 401 275 108 78 427 72 128 126 123 87 150 122 6.6 P4 cg34 cg36 lot 1... 5.3 P4 cg34 cg361ot 2... 4.3 P4-99 cg34 cg36 22.5 Spanish 8 P 35-24-1 cg35 4.4 Spanish 9 P4-99cg34 14.3 P4 cg34 5.5 * Bulb rot due not to pinkroot infection but to fusarium after root rotting by the pinkroot organism. TABLE 5 Effect on Yield and Percentage of Bulb Eot When Commercial and Selected Stocks of Sweet Spanish Onions Were Planted in Soil Heavily and Slightly Infested with Pinkroot, Davis, 1938 Strain Sweet Spanish No. 6 Sweet Spanish No. 7 Spanish 2 Spanish 3 Spanish 4 Spanish 5 Heavily infested with pinkroot Bulb weight in grams* 72 90 142 128 100 128 Per cent bulb rot At harvest 21.3 27.5 10.4 10.1 31.6 13.3 After 60 days in storage 29.1 42.3 20 1 20.2 47.8 23.9 Slightly infested with pinkroot Bulb weight in gramsf 118 163 200 170 Per cent bulb rot At harvest 0.5 1.8 0.0 11 0.0 After 60 days in storage 1.5 7.3 0.6 3.2 4 * A difference of 13 grams is required for significance. t A difference of 27 grams is required for significance. TABLE 6 Kesponse of Commercial and Selected Stocks Grown in Soil Heavily and Slightly Infested with Pinkroot, Davis, 1939 Heavily infested with pinkroot Slightly infested with pinkroot Strain Total number of plants Per cent of stand harvested as sound bulbs Per cent of stand diseased Average bulb weight in grams Total number of plants Per cent of stand harvested as sound bulbs Per cent of stand diseased Average bulb weight in grams Spanish 2 Spanish 2* Spanish 5 Spanish 6 250 750 750 300 250 300 400 73.2 76.6 58.8 73.6 46.0 49.6 34.0 26.8 23.4 41.2 26.4 54.0 50.4 66.0 156 141 141 157 27 81 93 200 300 300 200 200 250 300 93.0 S6 93.3 95.5 81.0 90.8 84.6 7.0 4.0 6.7 4.5 19.0 9 2 15.4 162 175 187 168 36 Yellow Valenciaf. . Riverside Sweet Spanish 166 203 * One generation further advanced than the Spanish 2 listed above, t Commercial checks. 24 University of California — Experiment Station Fig. 16. — Spanish 2, resistant to pinkroot (lower), and commercial Sweet Spanish, susceptible (upper). When grown in heavily infested soil at Davis in 1938, these two varieties had an average bulb weight of 141.1 and 72.2 grams, respectively. This means that Spanish 2 bulbs averaged approxi- mately % pound. SEED SOURCES OF NEW VEGETABLE VARIETIES Seed of the following recently developed or introduced vegetable varie- ties may be secured now or in time for the 1941 crop, from several seed companies operating in California : Powdery-Mildew-resistant Canta- loupe No. 45 ; Baby Persian ; Cal 55 and Pearson tomatoes ; California Klondike No. 3, California Klondike No. 8, Striped Klondike No. 11, Klondike R7, and Blue Ribbon watermelons; Red 21, Stockton G36, Bul. 646] Newly Developed Vegetable Varieties 25 Lord Howe Island, and Brown 5 onions. Seed of the remaining varieties described is not distributed at present but, in most cases, should be ob- tainable by 1942 from seed companies. The University does not supply seed of those varieties described herein which have won a place in pro- duction. The present policy is to withhold release of seed until the variety is reasonably pure and until the supply is sufficient to satisfy growers' needs for testing and seed companies' needs for seed increase. SUMMARY Since 1927 the following varieties of melons, tomatoes, watermelons, and onions have been introduced or are ready for distribution. The three varieties of melons introduced — Powdery-Mildew-resistant Cantaloupe No. 45, Powdery-Mildew-resistant Honeydew No. 60, and Baby Persian — are all resistant to form no. 1 of powdery mildew. The Cal 55 tomato is a late-maturing, high-yielding canning type ; the Pearson is used chiefly for shipping and fresh market. Five varieties of watermelons have found a place in the industry. Two of these, Klondike R7 and Blue Ribbon, are resistant to fusarium wilt. The others, California Klondike No. 3, California Klondike No. 8, and Striped Klondike No. 11, are susceptible. Seven onion varieties have been introduced, or soon will be. Red 21 and Stockton G36 are used for the intermediate crop. Lord Howe Island and Crystal Grano are extra-early types. White Persian is used chiefly for hybridizing, as a source of thrips resistance. Brown 5 is an excellent storage onion similar to Australian Brown. Spanish 2 is a good variety of the Sweet Spanish type and is resistant to pinkroot. 26 University of California — Experiment Station LITERATURE CITED 1. J agger, I. C, and G. W. Scott. 1937. Development of Powdery-Mildew-resistant Cantaloupe No. 45. U. S. Dept. Agr. Cir. 441:1-5. 2. J agger, I. C, T. W. Whitaker, and D. R. Porter. 1938. A new biologic form of powdery mildew on muskmelons in the Imperial Valley of California. Plant Dis. Report. 22: 275-76. 3. Hansen, H. N. 1929. Etiology of the pink-root disease of onion. Phytopathology 19:691-704. 4. Jones, H. A., S. F. Bailey, and S. L. Emsweller. 1934. Thrips resistance in the onion. Hilgardia 8(7) -.215-32. 5. Jones, H. A., D. R. Porter, and L. D. Leach. 1939. Breeding for resistance to onion downy mildew caused by Peronospora destructor. Hilgardia 12(9) : 531-50. 6. Porter, D. R. 1933. Watermelon breeding. Hilgardia 7(15) : 585-624. 7. Porter, D. R. 1937. Breeding high-quality wilt-resistant watermelons. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 614:1-43. 8. Porter,, D. R., C. S. Bisson, and H. W. Allinger. 1940. Factors affecting the total soluble solids, reducing sugars, and sucrose in watermelons. Hilgardia 13(2) : 3 1-66. 9. Porter, D. R., and John H. MacGillivray. 1937. The production of tomatoes in California. California Agr. Ext. Cir. 104: 1-61. 10. Porter, D. R., and H. A. Jones. 1933. Resistance of some of the cultivated species of Allium to pinkroot (Phoma tcrrestris). Phytopathology 23:290-298.