ISHS Acta Horticulturae 453: IV International Protea Working Group Symposium
ADVANCING AND SPREADING OUT FLOWERING OF OUT-DOOR CULTIVATION IN THE GERALDTON WAX FLOWER BY SHORT DAY TREATMENT |
| Authors: | R. Shillo, A. Ronen, E. Mathan, R. Moldavsky |
| Abstract:
In earlier studies, wax flower (Chamelaucium uncinatum Schauer) was identified as a short-day plant (Shillo, et al., 1985). Under optimal temperature conditions and short days, some cultivars reach flowering within four months. However, under field conditions flowering time varies considerably between years and cultivars, and the period to flowering may increase to 5–7 months. In order to obtain early flowering under field conditions and a steady supply of cut flowers for the European market during the October-May export season, three years of experiments on advancing of flowering by shortening the days were carried out at the Besor Experimental Station, in the southern region of Israel. It was found that under prevailing field conditions the flowering times of both the natural and the forced plants changed from year to year and were affected by the ambient temperatures. A better response to short-day treatment occurred when night temperatures did not exceed 17–18°C during the induction and initiation period. Earlier flowering occurred when the temperature did not fall below 12–14°C during the flower development period. The late cultivars ‘Snow Flake’ and ‘Wendy’ did not respond to the short-day treatment and presumably they initiate flowers when temperatures drop to about 14°C. Choosing responsive cultivars and suitable climatic niches with cool nights during late summer is the way to advance flowering by short-day treatment and to improve distribution of flowering throughout the winter. | |
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