New Flowering Potted Plant Development Progress Reports - June 2001
Annual Progress Report
New Flowering Potted Plant Development
Jeff S. Kuehny, Department of Horticulture, Louisiana State University
Richard A. Criley, Department of Horticulture, University of Hawaii
Industry Needs Addressed:
Due to the limited research funds provided, we were unable to conduct the
entire research program outlined in the original proposal submitted to the
American Floral Endowment on February 1, 2000. Therefore objective two and part
of objective three were initiated this winter and are currently on going.
Objective 2.
To develop systems to manipulate dormancy in rhizomes of gingers in order to
extend the seasonal availability.
Controlling entry into and termination of
dormancy is important in rhizome production for year around forcing by growers.
Although cut gingers are known to have good postharvest longevity, effects of
various production protocols on growth and development and appropriate stages of
development for shipping of potted gingers are not known. The research initiated
this winter will benefit producers of propagules by increasing their product mix
and seasonal marketing period. Greenhouse operators will be able to increase the
assortment of plants they sell to the benefit of the U.S. floral industry and
their consumers.
Objective 3.
To determine the optimum forcing conditions for gingers.
The optimum light intensity, day length and air temperature for forcing
ginger will be elucidated so that greenhouse growers can produce a marketable
pot plant to increase their product availability, product assortment and
production efficiency. Research conducted on the effect of light intensity and
its effect on days to emergence, days to flower, plant height and flower quality
were addressed with several ginger species.
Research Summary:
Rhizomes of Globba winittii, Curcuma alismatifolia, C.
roscoeana and Kaempferia from Thailand and Hawaii were stored at the
University of Hawaii for 2, 3 and 4 months at 15, 20 or 25 oC to
determine the storage longevity of the rhizomes, the effect of temperature on
the longevity of rhizomes, carbohydrate content and consequent shoot emergence,
growth and flowering, and whether a dormant period and duration of the dormant
period is necessary for inflorescence production. At the end of the storage
period the rhizomes were shipped to Louisiana State University for forcing. The
types of data to be taken include: carbohydrate accumulation in the rhizomes and
their relationships to dormancy, emergence and flowering, time frames from
initiation of storage to emergence, numbers of shoots, percentage of shoots that
develop inflorescence, time frame from emergence to anthesis and quality of
finished product. This experiment will be concluded by August 1, 2001.
Eight Curcuma species, Kaempferia and Globba winittii
were grown under 0% (9,500 fc), 30% (5,000 fc) and 60% (1,500 fc) shade. Optimum
plant height and flower color of Curcuma were achieved with 0% shade. Kaempferia
(grown for its decrotive foliage) and Globba winittii plant quality was greatest
when grown under a 30% shade. Time to emergence and flower initiation was not
affected by the light level.
Summary of Published Information:
Please see attached article from Greenhouse Product News.
Application for Continued Funding Report
Development of new flowering pot plants is of interest to US greenhouse
operators and consumers and a research priority for scientists. Ornamental
gingers have unique foliage, produce many flowering stems per pot, have
long-lasting colorful bracts, a 90 to 100 day production cycle, and few disease
or insect problems. Because these attributes and the continued increase in sales
of gingers across the US (For example: One broker of ginger has seen a 100 fold
increase in sales of rhizomes and the number of plants ordered in flats from
tissue culture continues to exceed availability.) there is a pertinent need for
continued research.
Goals and Objectives for 2001/2002:
1. To determine the best method of producing ornamental ginger as a flowering
pot plant by comparing growth and development of tissue-cultured and field-grown
rhizome propagules.
Plant quality and finishing time of tissue-cultured plants will be compared
with the same species of plants grown from field grown rhizomes produced at the
University of Hawaii. The rhizomes will be grown from the same source of tissue
cultured plants that are currently being grown to produce sizable rhizomes for
this experiment. One set of tissue cultured plants will be planted in the field
at the University of Hawaii in February, 2000 and another set planted in July,
2000 to provide two different sizes (grades) of rhizomes. This experiment will
be a randomized complete block design with 4 blocks and 3 treatments (tissue
cultured plants, rhizome set 1, rhizome set 2). The evaluation will include
measurements of starting plant mass, number of growing points produced, number
of inflorescence stalks produced, plant size (height and width), days to
emergence, days from emergence to flower, and useful postproduction longevity as
outlined in objective 5.
Timeframe
: Year 2 (Fall 2001 to Spring 2002).
Sites
: Hawaii - field rhizome production. Louisiana - forcing, obtaining
production and postproduction data and plant quality evaluations.
2. To determine the optimum forcing conditions for gingers.
Optimum rhizome production and storage methods determined in Obj. 2 (to be
completed this summer) will be used to produce rhizomes for this set of
experiments. Potted gingers will be subjected to factorial experiments in which
the day length and temperature environments provide a range of commercially
feasible forcing conditions. Treatments will include: extended day lengths of 8,
14 or 20 hours; day/night temperatures of 25/20 C, 30/25 C, or 35/30 C. The data
to be taken include days to emergence, days from emergence to inflorescence,
plant height, diameter, shoot and inflorescence number, and post-production
longevity as outlined in objective 3.
Timeframe
: Year 2 (summer/fall 2001 Hawaii, spring/summer 2002
Louisiana).
Site
: Hawaii - Production of rhizomes for forcing in Louisiana. Louisiana
- Forcing of rhizomes and conducting outlined experiments.
3. To characterize the postproduction life of gingers and evaluate
preproduction factors that may extend the postproduction longevity of the
flowering potted plant.
When the inflorescence of potted gingers is 1/4 to 1/3 open, plants will be
removed from the greenhouse production environment and placed in interior
conditions. The interior environment for postproduction will be held at 21±3C,
with an irradiance of 30 umol ¬ó2 s-1. Postproduction
life will end at flower abscission. Flower quality ratings will be based on a
scale of 1, 2, or 3 (1 = best and 3 = worst). Rating of visual plant quality
will be based on a scale from 1 to 10; 10 = excellent, 8 = good, 6 = regular, 4
= poor, 2 = very poor, 0 = dead plant. This scale is based on leaf
abscising/yellowing, flower form/color, flower abscising, flower development,
flower distribution, stem and leaf distribution. Flower height will be measured
weekly through the postproduction phase. All measurements will be taken before
plants are moved to the interior environment and then weekly thereafter.
Timeframe
: Year 2 on plants produced in experiments from objectives 1, 2
and 3.
Site
: Hawaii - Production of rhizomes for forcing in greenhouse.
Louisiana - Forcing of rhizomes and conducting experiments.
Anticipated impacts of research and dissemination plan:
This research will provide commercial field growers and greenhouse operators
with production protocols for several species of gingers as new potted plants.
Producers of propagules will benefit by increasing their product mix and
seasonal marketing period. Greenhouse operators will be able to increase the
assortment of plants they sell to the benefit of the U.S. floral industry and
their consumers. Results of this research will be disseminated through trade
publications and peer-reviewed scientific journals and at grower conferences.
Success of this research will be reflected by the extent to which these plants
are adopted by growers and accepted by the buying public, but the for research
and dissemination time period will extend beyond the 3-year period for which
support is being sought.
