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The influence of basal plate attached to a propagule on flowering and yield of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.)
Abstract
The propagule for commercial cut tuberose production is critical for earlier flowering and yield of plants. Variation in the number of flowering shoots per plant and low yields as a result of diversity of propagules the plants are raised from is experienced in commercial production.
This experiment examined how the size of pre-existing basal plate attachment to a propagule influences flowering and yield of plants. Basal plate material was excised from propagules in the proportions of 0, 1/3 and 2/3 by cutting perpendicularly through the sides. The propagules were disinfected in a fungicidal solution and planted in greenhouse pots. There were significant differences in flowering time, number of flowers produced and spike length among plants with differing proportions of basal plate attached to the propagules. Propagules that had whole basal plate attached resulted in earlier flowering and higher yield of stems per plant. The dry matter in floral stems was significantly increased with the size of the basal plate. When no basal plate was removed, 50% of dry matter was recovered in flower stems, compared to 30% when 2/3 of basal plate was removed. Daughter bulb weight gain was also significantly higher with high proportion of basal plate retention, showing that basal plate presence results in higher yields and quality of tuberose cut flowers.
Keywords: Basal plate, propagule, flowering, yield
Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology Vol. 8 (1) 2006: pp. 15-23