YEAR-ROUND PRODUCTION OF FLOWERING CALATHEA-CROCATA - INFLUENCE OF LIGHT AND CARBON-DIOXIDE

Citation
Jm. Vanhuylenbroeck et Pc. Debergh, YEAR-ROUND PRODUCTION OF FLOWERING CALATHEA-CROCATA - INFLUENCE OF LIGHT AND CARBON-DIOXIDE, HortScience, 28(9), 1993, pp. 897-898
Citations number
7
Categorie Soggetti
Horticulture
Journal title
ISSN journal
00185345
Volume
28
Issue
9
Year of publication
1993
Pages
897 - 898
Database
ISI
SICI code
0018-5345(1993)28:9<897:YPOFC->2.0.ZU;2-3
Abstract
Programmed flower induction of Calathea crocata Morr. et Joris is poss ible under the controlled environmental conditions of a multilayer gro wing room. A photoperiod of 10 hours for 9 weeks, growth at 18C, and a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 71 mumol.s-1.m-2 induced flowering in more than 95 % of the plants and in 50 % to 80% of the s hoots. In the meantime, none of the plants under natural conditions wa s induced. Significantly more flowers were induced when PPFD during th e short-day treatment was 71 rather than 56 mumol.s-1.m-2. Flowers bec ame visible 14 to 16 weeks after the start of the inductive treatment. Moreover, raising the CO2 concentration to 900 ppm for 5 months incre ased the leaf area and dry weight by 40%, and resulted in darker leaf color, longer flower stalks, and significantly accelerated flowering ( 10 days).