IngentaConnect Effects of Rest Period Length and Forcing Temperature on Yield, Q...

Author: Särkkä L. E.

Source: Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, B, Volume 52, Number 1, 1 March 2002 , pp. 36-42(7)

Abstract:

Young rose plants cv. Mercedes were grown either year-round or by interrupting the growing period in winter with a rest period of 2 or 6 weeks at 2°C. In fast start of forcing the temperature was immediately raised to 20°C for 2 weeks, whereas in slow start of forcing the temperature was kept at 8°C during the first week, at 13°C during the second and thereafter at 20°C. The growing temperature was 17°C and the photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) was either 100 or 65

mol m^-2 s^-1 20 h day^-1. The lower PPF was tested only in fast forcing. Production with a rest period did not reduce the yield compared with year-round production. An interaction between rest period length and forcing rate on yield and quality was observed. Fast forcing at 100

mol m^-2 s^-1 PPF resulted in a higher yield than did slow forcing at 100

mol m^-2 s^-1 and fast forcing at 65

mol m^-2 s^-1 PPF after a 6-week rest period. Plants with 2 weeks' rest, however, gave a higher yield with slow than with fast forcing at both PPF. Irradiance of 65

mol m^-2 s^-1 PPF combined with a 6-week rest and slow forcing impaired flower quality. Vase life, when expressed as mean values, did not differ between treatments, but the proportion of cut flowers with a short vase life was higher after 6 than after 2 weeks' storage.

Keywords: OSMOLALITY; ROSA; HYBRIDA L; SUPPLEMENTARY LIGHT; YEAR-ROUND PRODUCTION

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

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Effects of Rest Period Length and Forcing Temperature on Yield, Quality and Vase Life of cv. Mercedes Roses