ACONITUM AS A FLOWERING POT PLANT

Acanitum napellus, a cut flower crop, was tested for its potential as a flowering potted plant. Paclobutrazol was used as a growth-retardant agent, applied by dipping the tubers before planting or drenching the growth medium, 2 weeks after planting. Paclobutrazol applications in the range of 12.5-25 p.p.m. (dip) and 0.5-2 mg pot-1 (drench), reduced plant height and inflorescence length, but the reduction in plant hei ght was more moderate in the case of medium drench treatments. Increas ing concentrations of paclobutrazol above these levels had no signific ant additional effect. Flowering potted plants were considered commerc ially desirable when the plant height was 20-30 cm and inflorescence l ength about 15 cm; this ratio was obtained in plants developed from tu bers dipped in 12.5 p.p.m. paclobutrazol.