Effect of different storage temperatures in flowering of Polianthes tuberosa L.

Isabel Niebla López is a Master’s Degree student in Floriculture Sciences at the Research Center for Assistance in Technology and Design of Jalisco State, A.C. (CIATEJ), Mexico. Currently, her research evaluates different forcing temperature treatments to control the flowering time of Polianthes tuberosa. It is supported by SEP CONACYT CB-2015-01 project number 258866. The production of tuberose as a cut flower has great economic importance worldwide and it is carried out both in greenhouses and in open fields. Flowering control, a key trait for this crop, is influenced by forcing temperatures and growth regulators. Isabel evaluated the effects of different forcing temperatures (4, 12, and 27°C) applied for different weeks (4, 5, 6, and 7) on the following flowering parameters: days to flowering (DTF), length of flower stem (LFS), thickness of the flower stem (TS), length of the spike (LS) and number of flowers (NF) for P. tuberosa ‘Double’. The bulb storage conditions affected the DTF; the treatment at 27°C for 7 weeks provided the early flowering while the storage at 12°C for 6 weeks caused late flowering. On the other hand, 4°C treatments weren’t statistically different from the control (room temperature). Storage treatment at 27°C showed an earlier flowering compared to the control. Treatment at 12°C delayed the flowering and the 4°C treatment was somewhat intermediate. The other flowering parameters were not affected by the storage conditions and the quality of the production was satisfactory. These results directly impact the production management of this crop because growers can control the flowering process without negative effects on the flower quality.

Isabel Niebla López won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best oral presentation at the IX International Symposium on New Ornamental Crops in Mexico in September-October 2019.

Isabel Niebla López, Camino Arenero, El Bajío, Zapopan, Jalisco, 45019, Mexico, e-mail: isapepito@gmail.com

The article is available in Chronica Horticulturae