Cut Flower Market Research Articles

Wild-sourced Chamelaucium uncinatum have no resistance to Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust)

Chamelaucium uncinatum is a West Australian endemic shrub that is grown as a garden ornamental and for the cut flower market. Commercial cultivars are highly susceptible to infection by Puccinia psidii, which causes leaf, stem, bud and flower rust. Pathogenicity tests showed that wild-sourced C. uncinatum plants have no apparent natural resistance to this pathogen.

Marketing of Gladioulus Cut Flowers in Some Districts of Uttrakhand

In this study the marketing possibility of a perishable commodity, namely gladiolus cut flowers which largely depends upon the rapidity with which it can be transported to the large consuming market centers were analyzed, during the year 2008–2009. The data relating to various aspects of marketing of gladiolus cut flowers in the areas such as Haldwani, Ramnagar and Kashipur markets have been collected. A comparative information was also gathered on the methods of sale by retailers, marketing charges, cost per item wise and price spread of gladiolus cut flowers. The results showed that the technique of marketing of flowers is as important as that of the production. The price in the markets were high during the festive season months. The major cost of marketing was of packaging, commission and transportation. The market middle man also receives a huge percentage of total cost of the produce, which is a basic disadvantage in the marketing of gladiolus cut flowers.

The cut flower markets of Poland and Ukraine in the EU

Distribution channels play an important role for the market. The cut flower market has big potential for development in such countries as Ukraine and Poland. In the article there outlined a comparison of distribution channels of cut flowers in European countries. A model of the distribution system was created which determined the main locations of flower trade in the European countries

Fungicides Used Alone, in Combinations, and in Rotations for Managing Gladiolus Rust in Mexico.

Gladiolus rust, caused by Uromyces transversalis, is a quarantine-significant pathogen in the United States. However, the fungus is endemic to commercial gladiolus-producing areas in Mexico and has been intercepted frequently on gladiolus plants entering the United States for the cut-flower market. The present study assessed 15 fungicide active ingredients (five quinone outside inhibitors: azoxystrobin, fluoxastrobin, kresoxim-methyl, pyraclostrobin, and trifloxystrobin; six triazoles: cyproconazole, difenoconazole, epoxiconazole, myclobutanil, propiconazole, and tebuconazole; three succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors: boscalid, flutolanil, and oxycarboxin; and one broad-spectrum protectant: chlorothalonil) and one plant activator, acibenzolar-S-methyl, applied alone, in combinations, and in various rotations for efficacy against U. transversalis on field-grown gladiolus plants in Mexico. Experiments were conducted in 2010, 2011, and 2012 in commercial fields in Atlixco and Santa Isabel Cholula in Puebla and Cuautla and Tlayacapan in Morelos. Fungicides were applied at 2-week intervals starting when plants had three full leaves. Disease severity was recorded each week for at least 7 weeks after the first application. Under high disease pressure in 2010, fungicides were less effective than in 2011 and 2012, when disease pressure was not as high. In all 3 years, most fungicide treatments significantly reduced disease severity. Triazoles were more effective than quinone outside inhibitors when applied as individual products in 2010, and combinations of two fungicides in different mode-of-action groups were more effective than fungicides applied individually in 2011. In 2012, rotations of fungicides, either with individual products or with combinations of two products, provided excellent rust management. Reducing disease development by U. transversalis on commercial gladiolus plants in Mexico will reduce the potential for introducing this pathogen on cut flowers into the United States.

Evaluation of Transportation Practices in the California Cut Flower Industry

In the past two decades, California’s share of the national cut flower market has decreased from 64 percent to 20 percent. California growers’ largest competitors are South American growers; Colombia controls 75 percent of the US market. South American growers have several competitive advantages, including the favorable trucking rates they enjoy by consolidating all shipments in Miami, Florida, prior to US distribution. This paper evaluates the California cut flower industry’s current transportation practices and investigates the feasibility and cost of establishing a shipping consolidation center in Oxnard, California. Applying a simple inventory management policy, we estimate a 35 percent system-wide transportation cost decrease of $20 million per year if all California cut flower growers participate in the consolidation center. The California Cut Flower Commission incorporated our findings into an application for federal funds from the US Department of Transportation to construct a new flower transportation and logistics center in California. The state’s flower growers are also searching for alternative ways to cooperatively fund a consolidation center.

32个切花菊品种的耐低磷特性

Cut chrysanthemum( Chrysanthemum × moriflorum Ramat.) is one of the most important ornamental plants in cut flower market all over the world. Phosphorus is a principal limited factor for plant growth,more than 90% of the added fertilizer phosphorus may rapidly be transformed to phosphorus forms that are not easily available to plants. Due to low natural phosphorus and high fixation capacity,a heavy dose of phosphorus is needed to achieve high production. Developing cultivars with tolerance to phosphorus deficiency may represent a more sustainable solution than sole reliance on fertilizer application. The possibility of exploiting genotypic differences in absorption and utilization of phosphorus to improve efficiency of phosphorus fertilizer use or to obtain higher productivity on phosphorus deficient soils has received considerable attention in recent years. In this study,to assess genotypic variation of cut chrysanthemum for tolerance to phosphorus deficiency,32 cultivars of cut chrysanthemum were screened and evaluated for tolerance to low phosphorus using sand culture at seedling stage with two treatments of low phosphorus( 15 μmol / L) and normal phosphorus( 300 μmol / L) in the Chrysanthemum Germplasm Resource Preserving Centre,Nanjing Agricultural University,China. The results showed that there existed evident genotype differences in different cultivars of cut chrysanthemum in tolerant ability to low phosphorus stress. Among all the characters studied,relative plant dry weight( low phosphorus supply / normal phosphorus supply), relative phosphorus content and relative phosphorus accumulation demonstrated significant genotypic variation( the CV was 12. 14%,20. 99% and 26. 41%,respectively). Moreover,correlation analysis showed that there were significant positive correlations between relative plant dry weight and relative phosphorus content,between relative plant dry weight and relative phosphorus accumulation,and between relative phosphorus content and relative phosphorus accumulation( P0. 01),the correlative coefficients are 0. 3067,0. 7391 and 0. 8258 respectively. Therefore,relative plant dry weight,relative phosphorus content and relative phosphorus accumulation were suggested as screening indexes of cut chrysanthemum on tolerance to low phosphorus stress. A comprehensive evaluation of low phosphorus tolerance of 32 cultivars was made by using hierarchical clustering analysis. Clustering analysis showed that 32 cultivars could be divided into extremely low phosphorus tolerant,low phosphorus tolerant,moderately low phosphorus tolerant,low phosphorus sensitive and extremely low phosphorus sensitive group respectively. Among 32 tested materials,the tolerant ability to low phosphorus stress of Nannongyinshan is higher than other cultivars, belonging to extremely low phosphorus tolerant cultivar; T1102, Nannongyupan, Nannonggongxun and Nannongbaixue are low phosphorus tolerant cultivars; Nannongyuzhu, Nannongjinrong,Nannongjindie,Nannongzichun,Nannongyuegui,huanghanju,Monalisa Yellow,Noa Yellow,Monalisa Rosy and Jinba are low phosphorus sensitive cultivars; the tolerant ability to low phosphorus stress of Nannonghongfeng, Nannongxiangbin and Youxiang are lower than other cultivars,these cultivars are extremely low phosphorus sensitive genotypes; the others are moderately low phosphorus tolerant cultivars. Efficient genotypes with the desirable characteristics can be used directly in advance field trials or in breeding programs to cope phosphorus deficiency.

Microsatellite Marker Development in Peony using Next Generation Sequencing

Peonies (Paeonia), the grand garden perennial of spring and early summer, are economically important to the international cut flower market. Herbaceous peonies (Paeonia section Paeonia), tree peonies (Paeonia section Moutan), and intersectional crosses between the two types (Itoh Paeonia hybrids) are of interest to gardeners, growers, and nursery producers. Thousands of peony cultivars exist and identity is traditionally determined by experienced horticulturists knowledgeable in plant and bloom characteristics. With DNA extraction possible during any time of the year, molecular markers can provide genotype identity confirmation for dormant roots or mature post-bloom plants. The primary objective of our research was to rapidly and inexpensively develop microsatellite markers in a range of Paeonia species using barcoded Illumina libraries. A secondary objective was to apply these simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to fingerprint 93 accessions that include tree, intersectional, and herbaceous peonies. We used 21 primers to distinguish cultivars and their close relatives. Also from our sequence information, greater than 9000 primers were designed and are made available.

RhNAC2 and RhEXPA4 Are Involved in the Regulation of Dehydration Tolerance during the Expansion of Rose Petals

Dehydration inhibits petal expansion resulting in abnormal flower opening and results in quality loss during the marketing of cut flowers. We constructed a suppression subtractive hybridization library from rose (Rosa hybrida) flowers containing 3,513 unique expressed sequence tags and analyzed their expression profiles during cycles of dehydration. We found that 54 genes were up-regulated by the first dehydration, restored or even down-regulated by rehydration, and once again up-regulated by the second dehydration. Among them, we identified a putative NAC family transcription factor (RhNAC2). With transactivation activity of its carboxyl-terminal domain in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) cell and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) protoplast, RhNAC2 belongs to the NAC transcription factor clade related to plant development in Arabidopsis. A putative expansin gene named RhEXPA4 was also dramatically up-regulated by dehydration. Silencing RhNAC2 or RhEXPA4 in rose petals by virus-induced gene silencing significantly decreased the recovery of intact petals and petal discs during rehydration. Overexpression of RhNAC2 or RhEXPA4 in Arabidopsis conferred strong drought tolerance in the transgenic plants. RhEXPA4 expression was repressed in RhNAC2-silenced rose petals, and the amino-terminal binding domain of RhNAC2 bound to the RhEXPA4 promoter. Twenty cell wall-related genes, including seven expansin family members, were up-regulated in Arabidopsis plants overexpressing RhNAC2. These data indicate that RhNAC2 and RhEXPA4 are involved in the regulation of dehydration tolerance during the expansion of rose petals and that RhEXPA4 expression may be regulated by RhNAC2.

Comparison of High Tunnel and Field Production of Specialty Cut Flowers in the Midwest

The U.S. specialty cut flower market has grown over the last several years because stems of many specialty cut flower species cannot be transported long distances and therefore need to be grown regionally. High tunnel production of cut flowers is an alternative to field and greenhouse production that has several benefits. Specialty cut flower species Antirrhinum majus L. ‘Potomac Orange’ and ‘Rocket Red’, Celosia argentea L. var. cristata Kuntze ‘Chief Red’, Dahlia ×hybrida Cav. ‘Karma Thalia Dark Fuchsia’, Dianthus barbatus L. ‘Amazon Neon Cherry’, Eustoma russellianum Salisb. ‘Mariachi Blue’, Helianthus annuus L. ‘Premier Lemon’ and ‘Sunrich Yellow’, Matthiola incana (L.) W.T. Aiton ‘Katz Lavender Blue’, and Zinnia elegans Jacq. ‘Benary Giant Scarlet’ were grown in both field and high tunnel environments in the midwestern United States. High tunnel production resulted in a first week’s harvest of 44.8 (46%), 115, and 21.1 (110%) more stems for Antirrhinum ‘Rocket Red’, Dianthus, and Zinnia, respectively. Compared with field production, high tunnel production yielded a greater number of stems/m2 for Antirrhinum ‘Potomac Orange’, Celosia, Dianthus, and Zinnia and longer stems for Antirrhinum ‘Potomac Orange’ and ‘Rocket’, Eustoma, Matthiola, and Zinnia. For example, high tunnel production yielded 185 (39%) and 192 (59%) more stems/m2 and 12.6 (34%) and 8.9 (32%) cm longer stems for Mathiola and Zinnia, respectively. Other stem characteristics such as inflorescence length and flower width showed more variation among cultivars. Our results indicate that cut flower yield and/or quality of Antirrhinum ‘Rocket Red’, Dianthus, Matthiola, Zinnia, Dahlia, Eustoma, and Helianthus ‘Sunrich Yellow’ and ‘Premier Lemon’ significantly increases when produced in high tunnels located in the Midwest.

Indução de embriões somáticos a partir de embriões zigóticos de Heliconia bihai (L.) L. cv. Lobster Claw Two

As flores tropicais têm contribuído para o aumento do mercado florístico no Brasil; dentre elas destacam-se as do gênero Heliconia. A propagação de helicônias que atinge maior número de mudas ocorre por via vegetativa, por meio da divisão de rizomas, aumentando a probabilidade de disseminação de doenças, podendo, num futuro próximo, comprometer a produção de flores. O cultivo in vitro surge como importante alternativa para proporcionar a produção de mudas de helicônia com elevado padrão de qualidade. Entretanto, a micropropagação de helicônias via ápices caulinares depara-se com problemas de contaminação endofítica, dificultando a multiplicação do explante. Diante disso, fez-se necessário avaliar alternativas que promovam a produção de mudas in vitro, por meio da utilização de outros explantes. Para tanto, realizou-se um experimento, utilizando embriões zigóticos, provenientes de frutos imaturos e maduros de H. bihai (L.) L. cv. Lobster Claw Two, em combinações de AIA (0; 5,70 e 11,41 µm L-1) e 2,4-D (0; 22,62; 45,24; 67,86 e 90,48 µm L-1), para induzir a formação de embriões somáticos durante 90 dias. Por meio de análise histológica, observou-se a formação de embriões somáticos apenas nos embriões zigóticos, provenientes de frutos maduros, cultivados na ausência de reguladores de crescimento.

Review on the development of virus resistant plants in Alstroemeria

This review describes the stratagies of development of virus-resistant Alstroemeria plants using the genetic modification system. Despite of increasing of its importance in cut flower market, improvements of some horticultuirally important traits such as fragrance, long vase-life, virus resistance and tolerance against abiotic stresses are lack of the breeding program in Alstroemeria. Of these traits, virus-resistance is quite difficult to develop in Alstroemeria plants due to the limitations of genetic variation in the existed germplasm. To extend the genetic variation, plant biotechnological techniques such as genetic transformation and tissue culture should be combined to develop virusresistant line in Alstroemeria. In this review, several strategies for the generation of virus-resistance by using natural resistance genes, pathogen-derived genes and other sources including pathogen-derived proteins, virus-specific antibodies and ribosome-inactivating proteins are presented. Also, brief histories of breeding, tissue culture, and transformation system in Alstroemeria plants are described to inderstand of the application of transgenic approach for the development of virus-resistance in Alstroemeria species.

POSTHARVEST PERFORMANCE OF TWO CYRTANTHUS GENOTYPES (PM12 AND NR7)

As part of an ongoing programme screening new Cyrtanthus cultivars for suitability for the cut-flower market, two genotypes (PM12 and NR7) were assessed for vase life performance. Stems were harvested when florets were in tight bud, pulsed for 24 h at 5°C with one of four postharvest solutions (100 μM GA 3 , sucrose 5%, Chrysal SVB ® 1 tab/3L, Chrysal SVB ® 2 tabs/3L) or water, then packed in boxes to simulate transport for 48 h, after which vase life was assessed. Flower senescence was defined as when tepals showed the first signs of blue colouration and translucence at the margins, and the end of vase life was defined when 50% or more of the florets on a stem showed signs of tepal senescence. Mean vase life was 14.2 d for PM12 and 15.4 d for NR7 in water alone. PM12 vase life was improved by 3.3 d, and NR7 vase life was improved by 1.5 d when pulsed with either GA 3 or Chrysal SVB ® 1 tab/3 L. The majority of florets (90% for PM12, 86% for NR7) were fully open before senescence started. There was no significant difference between treatments in the rate of floret abortion in PM12. A lower proportion of floret abortion was observed in NR7 that had been pulsed with GA 3 , whereas the Chrysal SVB ® 1 tab/3 L treatment resulted in a high proportion of aborted florets in NR7 (27%). There was no significant difference between treatments in stem splitting for PM12 but sucrose treatment reduced the incidence of stem splitting in NR7. Flower colour was not significantly affected by any treatments. Stem colour was significantly different with sucrose pulsing, resulting in greater yellowing of stems in both genotypes. Further studies may establish a link between parentage and response to pulsing solutions to extend vase life.

Produção de helicônia Golden Torch influenciada pela adubação mineral e orgânica

A agrofloricultura alagoana demanda ações articuladas nos segmentos da cadeia produtiva, a fim de reduzir os custos com insumos como os adubos minerais, que representam um percentual significativo. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar os componentes de produção da Helicônia Golden Torch submetidos às adubações mineral, orgânica e organomineral. As variáveis analisada foram: número de perfilhos por touceira, número de haste floral, comprimento da haste floral, diâmetro da haste floral, comprimento da bráctea, número de folhas por haste floral e área foliar por haste floral. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a adubação orgânica e a organomineral proporcionaram as maiores produtividade. A adubação orgânica promoveu maior produtividade dos componentes de produção que o tratamento não adubado e a associação das adubações mineral e orgânica são uma prática que contribuiu para a otimização da adubação da cultura.

Rival commodity chains: Agency and regulation in the US and Colombian cut flower agro-industries

ABSTRACT Export-oriented development strategies and trade regimes encourage the incorporation of developing country exports into northern markets, often bringing them into competition with domestic suppliers. While studies of transnational commodity flows focus on the organization and coordination of economic activities over geographic space, little research has been done on their competitive relations. In this article, I focus on the political economy of disputes over market access by linking trade regimes to the economic and political activities of actors in the rival Colombian and US cut flower commodity chains. I argue that the regulation of the Colombian and US cut flower commodity chains is a process marked by institutional mediation and political and economic contestation. In shaping their economic spaces, a combination of shifting discourses, litigation, and political lobbying in sites of power are used by economic actors to meet their interests. The examination of rivalry over market access shows variation in the configuration of economic activity in the US cut flower market over time while drawing attention to the dynamic interaction among economic actors, institutions, and markets.

BREEDING ANANAS FOR THE CUT-FLOWER AND GARDEN MARKETS

Only small quantities of Ananas have been marketed as cut flowers or as potted plants for garden use in Australia. Worldwide there have, until very recent times, been no breeding programs to develop ornamental characteristics and hence the choice of cultivars has been limited mainly to semi-domesticated selections or those developed by amateur enthusiasts. Interest in developing Ananas selections specifically for the ornamental market is now increasing. A small program has operated in Australia since 1995. In this program, a total of 4,700 seedlings were generated over three generations using various parental combinations of Ananas comosus var. comosus, A. comosus var. bracteatus, A. comosus var. ananassoides 'FRF223', A. comosus var. erectifolious 'Selvagem 6' and Ananas macrodontes 'I.26-803'. Several selections have been developed for the garden and or cut-flower market. Characteristics represented include a pink or red syncarp, dark red-brown foliage and a dwarf, clumping growth habit. While a surprising display of ornamental diversity exists within Ananas, the genus is limited in comparison to the other bromeliad genera. Opportunity might exist however to introgress characteristics such as additional foliage colours, plant morphology and syncarp colours from other genera into Ananas.

Integrating drivers influencing the detection of plant pests carried in the international cut flower trade

This paper analyses the cut flower market as an example of an invasion pathway along which species of non-indigenous plant pests can travel to reach new areas. The paper examines the probability of pest detection by assessing information on pest detection and detection effort associated with the import of cut flowers. We test the link between the probability of plant pest arrivals, as a precursor to potential invasion, and volume of traded flowers using count data regression models. The analysis is applied to the UK import of specific genera of cut flowers from Kenya between 1996 and 2004. There is a link between pest detection and the Genus of cut flower imported. Hence, pest detection efforts should focus on identifying and targeting those imported plants with a high risk of carrying pest species. For most of the plants studied, efforts allocated to inspection have a significant influence on the probability of pest detection. However, by better targeting inspection efforts, it is shown that plant inspection effort could be reduced without increasing the risk of pest entry. Similarly, for most of the plants analysed, an increase in volume traded will not necessarily lead to an increase in the number of pests entering the UK. For some species, such as Carthamus and Veronica, the volume of flowers traded has a significant and positive impact on the likelihood of pest detection. We conclude that analysis at the rank of plant Genus is important both to understand the effectiveness of plant pest detection efforts and consequently to manage the risk of introduction of non-indigenous species.

UF Savanna Cultivar Group—Eight Colors of Heat-tolerant Lisianthus for Potted Plants

A lisianthus [Eustoma grandifl orum (Raf.) Shinners; Gentianaceae Juss.] breeding program was initiated in 1985 at the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Bradenton. The emphasis was on development of pot or bedding plant types with heat-tolerance and and basal branching pot and bedding plant types. Cultivars differ signifi cantly in their sensitivity to high temperatures (Fukuda et al., 1994; Harbaugh et al., 1992; Li et al., 2002). Seedlings of most commercial lisianthus cultivars form rosettes (formation of a basal cluster of leaves with no fl owering stems) when grown at or above 25 to 28 C (Harbaugh et al., 1992; Harbaugh, 1995; Ohkawa et al., 1991; Ohkawa et al., 1994; Pergola, 1992). ‘Maurine Blue’ (Harbaugh and Scott, 1996) and ‘Florida Blue’ (Harbaugh et al., 1996) were the fi rst heat-tolerant lisianthus whose seedlings could be grown at 28 t 31 °C without rosetting. Maurine Blue’ was intended to be used as a fl owering potted plant when grown with the use of growth retardants or as a bouquet cutfl ower without growth retardants. Additional colors have been added over the years that also were heat-tolerant with vegetative and fl ower characteristics similar to ‘Maurine Blue’. The Maurine cultivar group now includes pink, pink-lilac, white, light blue, lilac (Harbaugh and Scott, 1998), blue/white (Harbaugh and Scott, 2003), and pink/white (Harbaugh and Scott, 2005 a) bicolored fl ower colors. When grown without growth retardants, these cultivars have a height suitable for the bouquet cut-fl ower market. ‘Florida Blue’ was semi-dwarf and intended to be used as a bedding plant. Additional colors added to form the Florida cultivar group included light blue, pink (Harbaugh and Scott, 1999), silver (Harbaugh and Scott, 2001), blue/white and pink/white (Harbaugh and Scott, 2005 b) bicolored fl ower colors. The UF Savanna cultivar group is heattolerant and intermediate in height between the Florida cultivar group and the Maurine cultivar group. The UF Savanna cultivar group edge, ‘Savanna Blue Frost’ and ‘Savanna Pink Frost’ fl ower colors are not available in other commercial pot type lisianthus.

Analysis of Characters and Germplasm of Significance to Improvement of Australian Native Waratahs (Telopea spp., family Proteaceae) for Cut Flower Production

Waratahs (Telopea spp.) are cultivated for their blooms for the international cut flower market. A morphometric study was conducted on a range of cultivated waratah varieties to determine the variability of selected characters of horticultural importance and which parents might be of value in future breeding programs. Univariate analysis of characters of 13 cultivars revealed the greatest range of variation in number of flowers, bract dimensions, flower colour and leaf margin type. Differences were observed between number of flowers per inflorescence in the T. speciosissima (Sm.) R.Br. group of accessions and the other species cultivars; interspecific cultivars with T. mongaensis, Cheel and T. oreades F. Muell. were intermediate, with a similar pattern observed in bract length and width. Multivariate analysis (canonical variate analysis – CVA) discriminated between waratah cultivars on the basis of flower colour (first axis), then flower number, bract length, leaf width and leaf margin type (axis 2). The third axis also separated leaf width, the fourth leaf length and width, and the fifth leaf apex shape, CVA was also used to explore the genetic contribution of three parent T. speciosissima cultivars to hybrid populations. Hybrids with ‘Sunflare’, ‘Sunburst’ or ‘Wirrimbirra White’ as one parent were very dispersed indicating the range of inheritance of the observed phenotypic characters, leading to the possibility of selecting individuals with the required degree of character inheritance. It was demonstrated that the Telopea speciosissima type, which forms the basis of the waratah cut flower industry, may be improved by hybridising with other Telopea species. The application of the results to the development of waratah breeding programs is discussed.

THE BACKHOUSIA PROJECT: A VALUE CHAIN ALLIANCE FOR AN AUSTRALIAN NATIVE CUT FLOWER TO JAPAN

The fact that most Australian native flowers are traded as opposed to marketed to overseas markets is possibly the reason behind the industry's inability to achieve its commercial potential. In an effort to improve their competitive position, a group of flower growers and an exporter approached the Centre for Native Floriculture to assist them in positioning Backhousia myrtifolia as a new cut flower in the highly competitive Japanese cut flower market. In order to achieve this, staff from the Centre's Value Chain Program assisted the group in forming an alliance and in implementing the principles of value chain management. This paper documents the process of alliance formation and value chain management that the group is undergoing, highlighting achievements and hurdles experienced in 2004.

Effect of Thidiazuron, Benzylaminopurine and Naphthalene Acetic acid on In vitro propagation of Tuberose (<i>Polianthes tuberosa L.</i>) from shoot tip explants

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) is an important export crop among small-scale farmers in Kenya. One of the main challenges facing production and marketing of good quality Tuberose cut flowers is the lack of clean planting material as the resource-poor farmers multiply their own propagules. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential of Thidiazuron (TDZ), a phenyl urea, benzylaminopurine (BAP), a cytokinin and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), an auxin, on in vitro propagation of tuberose from shoot tip explants. No multiple shooting was observed in any of the treatments tested. Results from the study indicated that TDZ, at low concentrations, was more potent than BAP in increasing shoot length and quality as well as the number of leaves per shoot. However, TDZ at high concentration (5 µM), was toxic leading to death of the shoot explant. Inclusion of NAA in media either supplemented with TDZ or BAP led to formation of calli, which did not differentiate further. Keywords:Thidiazuron; Benzylaminopurine; Naphthalene Acetic acid; propagation of Tuberose; Polianthes tuberosa L.JAGST Vol 6(1) 2004: 48-59