RESULTS OF METHODICAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE COMPLEX REGULATION OF YIELD-FORMING PROCESSES IN CARNATIONS

Methodical principles have been elaborated which can be used for the planning and control of yield-forming processes. The first important task consists in a sufficiently accurate and reliable determination of those external factors which are of decisive importance for yield formation and in the investigation of their complex interaction. Secondly, it has to be ensured that the quantitative level of the main growing factors and their optimum mutual relationship are synchronized to the different stages of plant growth and development as this level is subject to changes which are determined by the growing stage and the plant species or variety. Thirdly, the level of all important yield-determining factors has to be in agreement with the intensity of photosynthetically active radiation (PhAR) which has generally to be considered a given quantity for economic reasons. As a whole, a dynamic structuration of the complex of essential yield-determining growth factors has to be ensured. The realization of these principles makes it possible to develop a quantitative differentiation of factorial programmes which is sufficient for practical purposes and to control the yield-forming processes to an increasing extent.