ISHS Acta Horticulturae 43: Symposium on Cultivation of Flowers under Protection in the Mediterranean Regions
FLORICULTURE UNDER PROTECTION IN SOUTH AFRICA |
| Authors: | O.J. Olivier, M.C. Bolton |
| Abstract:
Commercial flower and bulb production started about 25 years ago with an annual local turn-over of approximately R600 000; it has already developed into a flourishing local and export business with annual sales of R5,5 million. Research work at the Horticultural Research Institute is concentrated on : freeing carnations and chrysanthemums of virus diseases by heat therapy and meristem tip-culture, selecting and virus indexing the most popular Hybrid Tea and Floribunda cultivars of roses. The results have been very good, especially with roses. Studies on the life history of the carnation worm (Epichoristodes acerbella (Walker)) showed that optimum temperatures for development lie between 15 and 25° C and the theoretical threshold of development 6 to 7° C. Eggs, larvae and pupae exposed to 1° C could not survive after 35, 45 and 60 days respectively. Research has now been initiated on Proteas, the most popular wild flower in South Africa. | |
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