Use of Benzyladenine to Increase Production and Postharvest Quality of Floricultural Crops
Dr. Erik Runkle, Michigan State University, $22,000, 2 year project
Other Project Team Members -
Dr. Art Cameron, Professor, Michigan State University
Executive Summary
The quality of a floriculture crop influences the price that a grower receives, the price a retailer can charge, and the favorable experience of the consumer. Therefore, strategies that improve production and postharvest quality can benefit nearly everyone in the floriculture market chain. This proposed research focuses on how a plant hormone (benzyladenine, or BA) can be used to improve both the production and postharvest attributes of potted flowering plants. Commercial products containing BA and GA (e.g., Fascination, Valent USA) have been recently introduced or are in the product development stages by chemical manufacturers. Fascination is already used on a few floricultural crops to prevent lower leaf necrosis, and other BA compounds are used off-label to stimulate lateral bud break (e.g. hostas) and flowering of Thanksgiving and Easter cactus.
Preliminary research at MSU indicates that BA can be used as a foliar spray to elicit desirable responses in many other floricultural crops. We have found that BA increases flower spike number in phalaenopsis orchids and inhibits lower leaf necrosis in diverse herbaceous crops such as Hibiscus and Helenium. We have also found that BA can stimulate flowering and extend the vase life of cut flowers. This proposed research will further define how BA can be used to extend postharvest longevity, stimulate branching, and increase flowering of potted and bedding plant crops including phalaenopsis orchid, poinsettia, and seed geranium. Our objective is to develop specific techniques and strategies that can be used by greenhouse growers to produce crops of higher value and to extend the postharvest life in a range of floricultural crops using combinations of BA and GA. In addition, these strategies could improve the satisfaction of the end consumer, which may lead to increased consumer purchases of floral crops.
For further information contact Dr. Erik Runkle at runkleer@msu.edu
