Growth and flowering of Alstroemeria
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Date
1986Author
Chepkairor, Margaret J
Type
Journal ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The study was conducted to investigate the
growth and flowering patterns of 3 cultivars of
Alstroenieria and the effect of some floral
preservatives on the vase-life of the produced cut
flowers.
Propagated rhizomes started sprouting 9 days
after planting in all cultivars. 'Pink Perfection'
produced more total shoots (flowering and non-flowering)
than "Carrnen' and 'Marina'. "Carmen", 'Pink Perfection'
and 'Marina' flowered 132, 215 and 245 days after
planting respectively. The number and percentage of
flowering shoots were higher in 'Carmen' followed by
iPink Perfection' and 'Marina' in that order. The
average lengths of inflorescences were 94.3 82.9
and 47.0 cm in 'Pink Perfection' y 'Marina' and 'Carmen's
respectively< The percent marketable inflorescences
improved with time, reaching their optimums after 3J., 40
and 44 weeks from planting in 'Carmen', 'Pink Perfection'
and 'Marina', respectively.
Pruning increased the total number of shoots
and percentage of new shoots formed ln 'Marina'. The
average rates of shoot production were 47.42 and
16.75% inpruned and unpruned hills, respectively.
The total number of cut flowers from pruned- hills
were 50.83% more than from the controls. The average
length of .cu t stems were 119.6 and 96.2cm
from pruned and unpruned hills, respectively. The
average diameters of cut stems were 1.,07and 0.90 cm
from pruned hills and controls, respectively.
Pruning had no influence on the percent marketable
stems. More white grade (~ 70 cm long) cut stems
and less blue (60 - 69 cm long) and yellow (SO-59 cm)
long grades were however produced from pruned hills
than the controls.
Sucrose, at 4% did not improve the vase life
of the cut flowers of Alstroemeria cvs 'Carmen',
'Marina' and 'Pink Perfection'. All petals were shed
at the same time as the controls. Petals from all cut
flowers pretreated for 1 hour in silver thiosu1phate
complex, then held in deionized water were shed 8, 7
and 6 days later than the controls in 'Carmen', 'Pink
Perfection' and 'Marina', respectively. However, those
cut flowers held in 4% sucrose solution instead of
deionized water shed all petals 6~ 4 and 2 days later
than the controls in 'Carmen', 'Pink Perfection' and
'Marina', respectively. Petals from all cut flowers
pretreated for 1 hour in 2.5% chrysal, then held in
deionized water were shed 9. 6 and 6 days later than
-thecontrols in 'Carmen', 'Pink Perfection' and 'Marina',
respectively. However, those held in 4% sucrose
solution instead of deionized water, shed all petals 5,
4 and 2 days later than the controls in 'Carmen" 'Pink
Perfection' and "Marina !, respectively
Publisher
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nairobi
Subject
AlstroemeriaDescription
MSc