FALL FLOWERING OF LEUCOCORYNE COQUIMBENSIS F PHIL. AFTER LONG-TERM BULB STORAGE TREATMENTS

Long-term storage (13-14 months) of Leucocoryne coquimbensis F. Phil. bulbs was assessed for the production of flowers for the desired fall marketing season. All bulbs that had been stored for 11 months at 25 d egrees C after 2 months' storage at 5, 10, or 25 degrees C emerged in August and flowered from November to December. The first flower stem a borted if bulbs had been stored at 25 degrees C for more than 13 month s, by which time the second flower bud was initiated. The aerial parts of bulbs that had been stored at 25 degrees C for 14 months before pl anting aborted after emergence. The flower quality of bulbs that had b een stored at 25 degrees C for 13 months was as good as that of bulbs stored at 5 or 10 degrees C for 2 months prior to 11 months storage at 25 degrees C.