ISHS Acta Horticulturae 234: VII International Symposium on Virus Diseases of Ornamental Plants
THE EFFECTS OF PRUNUS NECROTIC RINGSPOT VIRUS ON PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF ROSE FLOWERS |
| Authors: | J.R. Moran, J.D. Faragher, D.M. Baker |
| Abstract:
Field trials were set up in a commercial rose grower's glasshouse. Virus-tested (VT) plants of the cultivars, Sonia and Mercedes were compared with plants of the same two cultivars known to be infected with prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRV). All plants were grown on VT Rosa multiflora inermis rootstocks and flowers were picked once a week for 18 months. The following measurements of flower yield and quality were made: flower production per plant over a given time, stem length and diameter, a visual appraisal of flower quality, and vase life and flower opening in the vase. All VT Sonia and Mercedes were tested for infection with PNRV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at the completion of the trial, no PNRV was detected. In the cultivar Sonia, the VT line had a 25% increase in flower production per plant but there were no differences in flower quality. In the cultivar Mercedes, there were no differences in total flower production per plant. However, the quality of flowers produced by the VT Mercedes line was better than those from the infected line, average stem length was longer and the proportion of "first-class" flowers were greater. There were no differences in vase life between flowers from VT or PNRV infected plants for either variety. The present results show that there are likely commercial advantages to growing PT roses. | |
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