TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE Flowering And
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sc. 42 (4): 1375 - 1389 (2019) TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE Journal homepage: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/ Flowering and Reproductive Biology of Zingiber spectabile Endah Retno Palupi1*, Deborah Herlina Adriyani2, Megaria Tjong1 and Krisantini1 1Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Bogor Agricultural University, Jalan Meranti, Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia 2Indonesian Ornamental Crops Research Institute, Jalan Raya Ciherang, Segunung Cianjur 51260, Indonesia ABSTRACT The species of Zingiberales are sources of globally important spices and ornamental plants, and have long been used in Asian traditional medicine, cuisine and as herbs. Some species have high ornamental value due to their attractive foliage or flowers, including Zingiber spectabile Griff. Hybridization has been the major source of genetic variation in flower and ornamental breeding and understanding the flowering season and peaks of flowering is important for flower growers. Stigma receptivity, or the effective pollination period, is one of the important factors determining successful fertilization and has been rarely studied in Zingiberaceae. The objectives of this study were to examine the Z. spectabile reproductive biology, to investigate stigma receptivity under several flowering developmental stages, and their reproductive success. The inflorescence development of Z. spectabile from the start of the bracts opening to fully open bracts took 13-17 weeks. The ideal time for artificial pollination was between 11:00-13:00 hours, and the anthers dehisced prior to stigma receptivity. Our study demonstrates that Z. spectabile is self-compatible and cross- pollination does not increase fruit set and seed set. Keywords: Flower structure, ornamental traits, pollen viability, stigma receptivity INTRODUCTION The ginger family (Zingiberaceae) has over 1500 species, mostly native to Asia and the ARTICLE INFO Pacific (Leong-Skornickova & Gallick, Article history: 2010). Members of Zingiberales are sources Received: 13 June 2019 Accepted: 24 September 2019 of globally important spices and ornamental Published: 13 November 2019 E-mail addresses: plants, and have long been used in Asian [email protected] (Endah Retno Palupi) traditional medicine, herbs and culinary. [email protected] (Deborah Herlina Adriyani) [email protected] (Megaria Tjong) Some species have high ornamental values [email protected] (Krisantini) * Corresponding author due to their attractive foliage or flowers, ISSN: 1511-3701 e-ISSN: 2231-8542 © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press Endah Retno Palupi, Deborah Herlina Adriyani, Megaria Tjong and Krisantini including Zingiber spectabile Griff, Alpinia, (protogynous) and cataflexistylous and Costus that had been commonly used (protandrous) morphs according to the as cut flower. Other Zingiberaceae species direction of stigma movement and time of such as Globbas, Calatheas, Curcuma and pollen release during anthesis (Takano et Tapeinochilos are just beginning to be al., 2005). available in the market in Indonesia. Zingiber spectabile foliage ranges Zingiber spectabile is also known as from 2-3 m in height. The leaves have beehive gingers; its local names include been traditionally used to treat various bihip (Indonesia), and tepus tanah (Malay). ailments, and their rhizomes are used as a Another species of beehive ginger that has germicide, stimulant and in the treatments been cultivated is Zingiber olivaceum. of cough and asthma (Sadhu et al., 2007). Zingiber spectabile is usually 2.5-3 m Sivasothy et al. (2012) evaluated anti- tall with lots of basal cones, whereas Z. bacterial activities of oils extracted from olivaceum is 1.5-2 m tall with smaller basal Z. spectabile leaves and rhizomes. Eighty and terminal cones. Zingiber spectabile compounds were isolated and identified, inflorescences have yellow to brown bracts and some demonstrated activities against with yellow spots on their true flowers; the Escherichia and Salmonella. Sivasothy et al. inflorescences are popular as cut flowers (2013) reported that curcuminoids from the due to the variable bract colours (Loges et rhizome of Z. spectabile had preservative al., 2011) and long-lasting shelf life (Chee properties with higher antioxidant and & Hoo, 2010). antibacterial activities. Zingiber spectabile is a short-day Despite their huge economic, cultural species; it requires at least nine weeks and ornamental importance, studies on of consecutive short days in order to Zingiberaceae are limited, particularly initiate and develop flowers (Criley, on Z. spectabile flowering biology and 2011). The inflorescence is terminal and hybridization. Zingiber spectabile is can measure up to 30 cm in height. The available in very limited variants, and bracts vary in colour from white, yellow, no information is available on the self orange to red, often darkening as the -incompatibility of this species. Self- bracts mature. Zingiberaceae flowers are incompatibility has been linked to the usually zygomorphic, bisexual with a reduction in the fitness of the progenies, single functional stamen, and five sterile mainly due to the increased expression stamens are transformed into labellum of deleterious or lethal genes (Olmstead, and staminodes (Leong-Skornickova 1989). Hybridization has been the major & Gallick, 2010). Flexistyly, a form of source of genetic variation in flower and heterodichogamy, has been reported to ornamental breeding, and half of the be widespread in Zingiberaceae (Li et al., flowering plants show self -incompatibility 2001, Takano et al., 2005); flexistyly can (Gibs, 2014). Therefore, understanding have two floral morphs, i.e. anaflexistylous pollination, self-incompatibility, and seed 1376 Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sc. 42 (4): 1375 - 1389 (2019) Flowering and Reproductive Biology of Zingiber Spectabile setting is valuable for breeders in creating from 70-90%, with average day/night new variants. Stigma receptivity refers to the temperatures of 24-26°C/18-20°C. ability of the stigma to support germination Three-year-old plants of the Z. spectabile of viable and compatible pollens (Yi et collection of IOCRI were used for this study. al., 2006). Stigma receptivity determines The plants were grown on 18 plots of 1 m an effective pollination period, i.e. the x 8 m, using a mixture of soil: manures: longevity of the ovule minus the time lag rice husk media with ratio 1:1:1 (v/v/v). between pollination and fertilization (Dafni The plants began flowering 8 months after & Maues, 1998); it is one of the important planting and continuously produced flowers. factors determining successful fertilization. The inflorescence of Z. spectabile has 1-3 Knowledge on self-incompatibility provides flowers open at a time acropetally, thus information for plant breeders to plan every floret in one inflorescence exhibits breeding programs (Wickramasinghe et a range of different developmental stages. al., 2010). The objectives of this study were to examine Z. spectabile reproductive Description of the Flower Stage, biology, to investigate stigma receptivity Inflorescence Structure and Floral Biology under several flowering developmental stages, and their reproductive success. The growth stages of Z. spectabile was The results of this study will allow a better based on the principal growth stage understanding of the flowering of this described in Biologische Bundesanstalt, species, particularly its flowering seasons Bundessortenamt and Chemical industry and peaks of flowering, which is important (BBCH) scale (Meier, 1997) and growth information for the commercialization of stage of Etlingera elatior determined by this species, as well as to provide strategies Choon et al. (2016). Morphological changes to optimize pollination and increase fruit set. of the shoot apices were observed daily to study the onset of floral initiation. Ten MATERIALS AND METHODS (10) flower buds were tagged to record the duration of flower opening, temporal The experiments were conducted at the and spatial separation of pollen shedding Ornamental Plant Research Station of and stigma receptivity. The stigma was Indonesian Ornamental Crops Research considered as receptive when extended Institute (IOCRI), at Segunung, Cianjur, papillae and exudates were visible on West Java, Indonesia (6.7°S, 107.0°W GPS) the stigmatic surface. Morphological between January to September 2010. The characteristics such as length and diameter research station is located on the highland of of the bracts, length and diameter of the ± 1100 m above sea level. The plants were stem, bract colour, and percentage of open grown in a net house which transmitted ± bracts were measured weekly starting at 55% of natural light intensity. The relative bud stage, i.e. 10% of bract opening, to humidity inside the net house ranged Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sc. 42 (4): 1375 - 1389 (2019) 1377 Endah Retno Palupi, Deborah Herlina Adriyani, Megaria Tjong and Krisantini full opening, i.e. >80% of bract opening, or water to 10 mL stock solution. The pollens when no more florets developed. Petal and were incubated in the medium for one labellum length and width, petal colour, hour prior to germination count under the length of the pistil and pollen, number of light microscope (Olympus BX51) at 100x ovules, and number of pollens per anther magnification. Pollen viability, i.e. those were measured at anthesis on ten flowers having the pollen tube no less than the pollen from randomly selected plants. Bract and diameter, was calculated as percentage