Abstract:
FOREWORD
No one can dispute the importance of stand establishment in the production of horticultural crops.
Whether generated from seed, seedling plug, cutting, grafting or tissue culture, a successful establishment of plant propagules is the essential first step en route to success in the marketplace.
Stand establishment thus, by its very nature, crosses commodities, disciplines and research interests.
Symposium 23 at the International Horticultural Congress of the International Society for Horticultural Science highlighted, over 4 days, current research in seed, traditional and specialized plant production practices, and emerging opportunities in the utilization of systemic acquired resistance pertaining to stand establishment.
Session one was on the topic of seed quality and handling.
Many investigations of biological (e.g., dormancy, germination biochemistry, thermoperiodicity), physical (e.g. imbibition isotherms, non-destructive determination of seed viability, priming technology), and mechanical (seed and seed coat ultrastructure, coating technology) traits of seed were reported, as they relate to stand establishment.
Traditional transplant production and stand establishment issues were the subjects of session two.
New techniques (e.g. closed systems, specialized films, hypocotyl elongation control) in transplant production were complemented by dissertations on field scale carrot and tomato production and efforts to improve crop yield by wavelength mediation via colored plastic mulch.
Session three dealt with issues in specialized plant production.
While grafting is a time-honored technique in woody species, it is relatively new in the production of herbaceous vegetable transplants.
In our efforts to out-compete deleterious soil-borne microorganisms, grafting technology for vegetables is becoming increasingly popular.
Grafting, in vitro and cutting propagation were thoroughly covered in the specialized plant production session.
The impact of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) on stand establishment was addressed in session four.
Manipulating plant growth and health by the introduction of biological or chemical agents is a relatively new field of endeavor for horticulture.
The theory and application of rhizobacteria, soil hydrogenation, and SAR-inducing compounds as enhancers of seedling vigor and growth, crop disease and nematode resistance, stress tolerance, and yield were discussed.
Finally, many fine posters accompanied each session of the symposium and some poster presenters were asked to submit manuscripts to complement those of the oral programs.
The following compilation of symposium manuscripts is therefore considered the proceedings of the IHC Symposium 23 - Issues and advances in seed technology, transplant production, and stand establishment research.
S. Nicola, J. Nowak and C.S. Vavrina
Co-Conveners
PREFACE
The papers contained in this volume of Acta Horticulturae report the proceedings of a symposium on Issues and Advances in Transplant Production and Stand Establishment Research.
Keynote speakers and authors of selected contributed oral and poster presentations were given the opportunity to submit a manuscript for publication.
These manuscripts were reviewed by the symposium editors and other referees.
Only those papers judged suitable for publication following the authors consideration of reviewer suggestions appear in this volume of Acta Horticulturae.
The ISHS acknowledges and appreciates the contribution of all editors and reviewers.
They have made a significant contribution to assuring the quality of this publication.
The ISHS Board of Directors
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