Abstract
Thinning of Alstroemeria `Regina' at 0, 30, 60, or 90% did not result in induction of cyclic variation in shoot length. Thinning caused an overall decrease in stem length and final fresh weight of storage roots (SR). Number of nodes on generative shoots did not change due to thinning treatment but varied over time. Thinning by 90% reduced yield, delayed harvest and increased flower quality. In the second year, plants were rethinned and grown with supplemental HPS irradiance of either 25 or 125 μmolm-2sec-1. Weekly production diminished with increased thinning, and was amplified by increased total fluence. In a second experiment, thinning resulted in decreased shoot, rhizome and SR growth in plants sampled before and after flowering. Rhizome index increased with increased thinning, indicating a relatively smaller impact of thinning on rhizome growth compared to SR and shoot growth. The carbohydrate composition of SR tissue was unchanged by treatment. Thinning resulted in decreased SR production and decreased fresh weight per SR between thinning treatments. Change in total amount of carbohydrate reserves in the SR is therefore due to change in number & size of the SR.
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