LONG-TERM FREEZING STORAGE OF BULBS TO RETARD FLOWERING IN ASIATIC HYBRID LILIES

The effects of various duration of precooling followed by a long term storage at freezing temperature on flowering of Asiatic Hybrid lily cu ltivars were studied. Bulbs of cultivars, which had not initiated flow er buds and those which had begun to initiate were used to determine t he effects of precooling, freezing, and planting dates of the bulbs. 1 . When bulbs were precooled at 1-degrees-C under moist conditions for 4-6 weeks followed by storage at - 2-degrees-C, high flowering percent age and an abundance of cut flowers with good quality were obtained wh ether floral initiation had taken place or not. 2. Precooling at 1-deg rees-C improved flower quality compared with those kept at 5-degrees-C or 9-degrees-C. Long term storage at - 4-degrees-C resulted in good f lower quality but it delayed sprouting and thus flowering time. Planti ng fozen bulbs during the hot summer season reduced their flowering po tential and flower quality and so it is not recommended.