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ISHS Acta Horticulturae 620: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Asian Plants with Unique Horticultural Potential: Genetic Resources, Cultural Practices, and Utilization

THE IMPORTANCE OF PHOTOPERIOD IN CULTIVAR AND SITE SELECTION FOR PRODUCTION OF MYOGA (ZINGIBER MIOGA ROSCOE): DETERMINATION OF CRITICAL DAYLENGTH

Authors:   K.J. Stirling, R.J. Clark
Keywords:   photoperiod, flower bud initiation, ginger, long-day plant, new crops
DOI:   10.17660/ActaHortic.2003.620.4
Abstract:
Identification of suitable locations for production of myoga (Zingiber mioga Roscoe), a potential new crop in Australia, has been difficult due to a lack of information on factors influencing flowering. This study focussed on photoperiod as one factor, since potential production sites within Australia differ considerably in daylength due to the geographical range. The two Cultivars available in Australia were examined in this trial due to the previously observed differences in vegetative and reproductive development. Plants grown under 14hr daylengths produced flower buds, while those grown under 10 and 12 hr daylengths did not produce flower buds. The failure of plants grown under 10 and 12 hr daylengths to produce flower buds was due to abortion of developing floral primordia rather than a failure to initiate inflorescences. In fact, plants grown under these shorter daylengths initiated flower buds at an earlier stage than those grown under 14hr daylengths. It was concluded that for flower bud development in myoga a qualitative long day requirement must be satisfied and that flower bud initiation was promoted by short daylengths. The critical daylength for flower bud production in both Cultivars examined was identified as being between 12 and 14 hours. Short day conditions resulted in abortion of flower primordia, premature senescence of foliage and reduced foliage dry weight in both Cultivars. Early senescence and low flower bud yield of one Cultivar has been observed in crop evaluation trials in Southern Australia and New Zealand. It was previously thought that differences in critical photoperiod between the two Cultivars might explain this observation. In this trial no significant differences in vegetative and reproductive development were observed between the two Cultivars when grown at various daylengths. This may be due to the difference in critical daylength between the two Cultivars being quite small and therefore the intervals between tested daylengths were too large to identify any potential differences.

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