ISHS Acta Horticulturae 822: VI International Pineapple Symposium
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL MANIPULATION OF FLOWERING IN PINEAPPLE |
| Authors: | C.H. Lin, S. Maruthasalam, L.Y. Shiu, W.C. Lien, M. Loganathan, C.W. Yu, S.H. Hung, Y. Ko, Y.Y. Chen |
| Keywords: | activated charcoal, calcium carbide, flowering, shoot apex, Tainon 17 |
| Abstract:
Synchronization of flowering is an important aspect of pineapple cultivation, especially for fresh market growers. Through the use of ethylene forcing, flowering can be induced in pineapple throughout the year. Ethylene, a gaseous plant hormone, is solely responsible for the initiation of reproductive development in pineapple. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of cold treatment of pineapple on ethylene production and flower induction. Cold treatment stimulated greater amounts of ethylene production in shoot apex than in ‘D’-leaf basal tissues. Shoot apices of pineapple treated with ice crystals also produced twice as much ethylene as did those of control plants. However, pineapple plants treated 1-2 times with ice crystals or ice water were not induced to flower under field conditions. In another field experiment two applications of 1.0% calcium carbide (CaC2) applied at 48h intervals was sufficient to complete force reproductive development of ‘Tainon 17’ pineapple plants. Supplementation of CaC2 with activated charcoal had no significant effect on the percentage of inflorescence emergence. However, GC analysis revealed that the release of acetylene from CaC2 was prolonged by up to 24h by the addition of activated charcoal. Based on these preliminary results, additional experiments are being conducted to identify the most cost-effective combinations of CaC2 and activated charcoal for the efficient forcing of pineapples. | |
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