Abstract

Propagation of noble dendrobium orchid (Dendrobium nobile Lindl.) by cutting was studied in two experiments. In the first experiment we evaluated the effect stem age on propagation success: mature stems - from already bloomed stems; and young stems – yet to bloom; and Nitrogen fertilizer application, from two sources: as Nitrate and Ammonium (respectively as Calcium Nitrate at concentrations of: 5.81 gL-1; 11.61 gL-1; 17.42 gL-1; and Urea at concentrations of 2.00 gL-1; 4.00 gL-1 and 6.00 gL-1 plus control treatments). We evaluated the following parameters: the number of cuttings stalks that launched shoots and/or roots, vigor, number of roots per plant and root length per plant. Factorial analysis of variance (stems age x source of Nitrogen; and age of stem x Nitrogen level) was applied using a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) approach. Where significant differences were observed, averages were compared using post-hoc tests (Tukey). Propagation success was higher using cuttings from mature stems (60.2%), a value 1.6 times higher than obtained with stem cuttings from young stems (38.0%). Application of Nitrogen, in both forms, did not influence any of the evaluated parameters. In the second experiment we treated cuttings from mature stems with Salicylic acid in 3 concentrations (0.10 mM; 0.50 mM; 1.00 mM and plus a control treatment). Evaluated parameters included proportion of cuttings stalks that launched shoots and/or roots, leaf length, root length, and number of roots per stem cutting. Factorial analysis of variance was applied with post-hoc tests. Application of 0.50 mM of Salicylic acid increased the proportion of cuttings stalks that launched shoots and/or roots by 20.5% relative to the control treatment.

Highlights

  • Between 2008 and 2014, growth in flower cultivation in Brazil oscillated between 7% and 10% in quantity and 12% to 15% in gross sales (SEBRAE, 2015)

  • We aimed to improve the propagation of noble dendrobium by cuttings by evaluating the effect of stems age used for cuttings, and potential interactions with nitrogen fertilizer and Salicylic acid application on cutting survival rates and vigor

  • To analyze treatment differences and interactions between factors, we used a fully-factorial analysis of variance using the Generalized Linear Model (GLM)

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Summary

Introduction

Between 2008 and 2014, growth in flower cultivation in Brazil oscillated between 7% and 10% in quantity and 12% to 15% in gross sales (SEBRAE, 2015). Assuming an average of 13.5% growth in revenues, it can be estimated that gross sales in 2016 alone reached US$ 2.12 billion. The export of orchid scions totaled US$ 152,000 in 2010 and in the following year US$ 103,000, i.e. a decrease of 31.8%. Over the same period, orchid plantlet imports increased 60.4%, with gross financial product generated rising from US$ 4.2 to US$ 6.7 million (SECEX, 2012). Considering that the “plantlet” is the basic input associated with final orchid production, the expansion of such cultivation is occurring predominantly through use of imported plantlets.

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