sign in sign up
<<
Home , Zantedeschia

HORTSCIENCE 25(8):925-927. 1990. number of of Xanthosoma (also Ar- aceae) were the same under 8-hr days and 8- hr days with an incandescent light extension Growth and Flowering of Zantedeschia to 18 hr, but elongation was greater under day extension compared to 8-hr day- elliottiana and Z. rehmannii in length (McDavid and Alamu, 1979). Floral development of longiflorum was un- Response to Environmental Factors affected by daylength, but were taller under long than short days (Heins et al., Brian E. Corr1 and Richard E. Widmer2 1982). Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, grown at 21C flowered 17 days earlier than plants grown MN 55108 at 15C. grown at 10C did not sprout Additional index words. lily, floriculture, flowering potted plants, area, until greenhouse temperatures naturally in- irradiance level, photoperiod, medium and air temperature creased above 15C. height and number of flowers were not reported (Post, 1936). Abstract. The influences of irradiance level, day length, temperature, and leaf area Flowering of other is affected by on growth and flowering of Zantedeschia elliottiana Engl. W. Wats (yellow calla lily) temperature. Anthurium schenetiunum grown and Z. rehmannii (pink calla lily) were determined. Plants grown with 45% or 15% at 15C produced 112 flowers, while plants of natural irradiance were taller than those grown under full natural irradiance but at 21C produced only 50 flowers during 70 flowered at the same time and produced a similar number of flowers. Leaf removal days (Noordegraaf, 1973). Over a 240-day treatments had no effect on any characteristic measured. Plants grown with a night growing period A. schenetianum produced interruption (NI; 2200 HR to 0200 HR) were taller than those under short days (SD = 210, 180, 120, and 110 flowers at 15, 20, 8 hours), but flowered at the same time and produced a similar number of flowers. 25, and 10C, respectively (Maatsch and Plants were grown with air at 15 or 20C in combination with medium temperatures Bachthaler, 1964). Transferring A. scherzer- at ambient level (1C less than air temperature) or a constant 20 or 25C. Z. rehmannii ianum plants from 21 to 9, 12, 15, or 18C grown with the medium at 20 or 25C and air at 1.5 or 20C flowered faster and were for 4, 6, or 8 weeks before returning the taller than plants grown with air at 15C and with the medium at ambient temperature, plants to 21C increased production but plants from all temperatures produced the same number of flowers over a 120-day compared to plants grown continually at 21C cycle. When plants grown with a NI in the first cycle were replanted and grown through (Noordegraaf, 1973). a second cycle, they were taller than plants grown from SD treatment first-cycle plants. We found no report in the literature of the No first growth-cycle treatment influenced flowering in the second growth cycle. effect of medium temperature on Zantedes- chia growth or development. Air and me- Yellow and pink are grown for (Noordegraaf, 1973; Nakesone and Kame- dium temperatures have been shown to flowering potted plants and cut flowers (Ball, moto, 1962). Leaf removal had no effect on influence the growth of Dieffenbachia ma- 1986). Foliage of these species senesces in number of Anthurium flowers produced culata, another member of the Araceae. With response to periodic drought in their native (Nakesone and Kamemoto, 1962). Malay- air at 18.5C, plants were taller in medium habitat (Letty, 1973). In the United States, sian of taro (Colocasia esculenta) held at 18.5C than in one at 13C and taller Zantedeschia rhizomes are produced in fields did not flower until 10 to 12 emerged at 24 than at 29.5C. In 13C air, height in- in California, with irrigation discontinued (Ghani, 1984), suggesting a requirement for creased approximately linearly with increas- before harvest to induce foliar senescence. a minimal photosynthate level for flower ini- ing medium temperature (Conover and Poole, Initiation of Zantedeschia flowers occurs tiation or development. 1987). Significant medium temperature ef- shortly after replanting that have Commercial grower observations have in- fects on many plant characteristics have been been harvested from California fields (Corr, dicated that there are no photoperiodic ef- found in several species (Cooper, 1973). Pe- 1988). We found no studies on environmen- fects on Zantedeschia growth (Ball, 1986). tunia hybrida grown at an elevated medium tal factors controlling flower initiation and Day extension or night interruption of Zan- temperature had a larger leaf area, were taller, development. tedeschiu (presumably Z. aethiopica) slightly and bloomed sooner than those at lower tem- Flowering of some genera in the Araceae increased the number of flowers produced peratures (Merritt and Kohl, 1982). is partially controlled by irradiance levels. over a 115-day period, although the differ- Our experiments were designed to deter- The effect of reduction of photosynthesis, ence may not have been statistically signif- mine the effects of irradiance level, leaf area, either by removal of leaves or by shading, icant (no significance statistics reported) temperature, and photoperiod on flower de- has been studied in Anthurium. Decreased (Greene et al., 1932). Days to flower and velopment during the first growth cycle fol- irradiance lowered the number of flowers per plant and increased flower stem length

Received for publication 3 Apr. 1989. Scientific Journal Series Paper 16,932, Minnesota Agricul- tural Experiment Station, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 5.5108. We thank Golden State Growers, Capitola, Calif., for donating the rhi- zomes used in this study. Portions of this research were funded by a grant from the American Floral Endowment. The cost of publishing this paper was defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. Under postal regulations, this paper therefore must be hereby marked advertisement solely to indicate this fact. 1Graduate student. Present address: Dept. of Or- namental Horticulture and Landscape Design, Univ. of Tennessee, P.O. Box 1071, Knoxville, TN 37901. 2Professor Emeritus.

H ORTS CIENCE, VOL. 25(8), AUGUST 1990 925 cover with reflective white exterior was drawn tom heat and maintain uniform temperatures over all the plants from 1600 HR to 0800 HR within treatments. daily to exclude light. A divider that ex- Irrigation was withheld beginning 115 days cluded light separated the plants into two after planting to induce foliar senescence. treatments. Short-day treatment (SD) re- Rhizomes were harvested 1 month later, then ceived no light between 1600 HR and 0800 stored for 6 weeks as described by Corr and HR. Night interruption plants (NI) were ir- Widmer (1988). Rhizomes were replanted (12 radiated from 2200 HR to 0200 HR by cool- Aug.) and grown at ambient photoperiod with lowing harvest from the field. Flowering in white fluorescent lamps filtered with orange 20C minimum temperature. the next cycle of growth following foliar se- and red cellophane to exclude most photo- Rhizomes were graded to ensure similar nescence and rhizome harvest was also stud- synthetically active radiation (<10 sizes in all treatments in an experiment. All ied. The ratio of red (660 nm) to experiments were designed and analyzed as Zantedeschia elliottiann and Z. rehmannii far-red (730 mn) light was 8:1. completely randomized designs, with five rhizomes were received from California in Starting 100 days after planting, irrigation replicates per treatment. Each replicate con- late Feb. 1986. After storage at 20C, rhi- was withheld to induce foliar senescence, and sisted of a single plant. zomes were planted 10 June in a 1 sphagnum rhizomes were harvested 1 month later. Rhi- Leaves and peduncles (stalks supporting peat : 1 perlite: 1 loam soil (by volume) mix zomes were then stored at 15C for 6 weeks the spathe and ) were longer on plants in 15cm (1.15 liter) plastic pots and grown to promote vegetative growth after replant- grown under reduced irradiance than on plants in a glasshouse as previously described (Corr ing (Corr and Widmer, 1988). Z. rehmannii under full available irradiance (Fig. 1). There and Widmer, 1987), unless otherwise noted. rhizomes were replanted, with half of the was no significant effect of reduced irradi- To investigate the effect of leaf removal on rhizomes from each first growth cycle pho- ante on date of first flower, total number of flower development, an entire leaf blade was toperiod treatment grown under SD and the flowers, or spathe length or width in either removed at the juncture of blade and petiole, other half under NI. Z. elliottiana rhizomes species. None of the leaf removal treatments or one-half of the blade was removed by slic- were discarded due to severe infection with had a significant effect on any of the factors ing through the blade adjacent to the midrib Erwinia soft rot. measured: number of developed shoots, from blade base to tip with a razor blade. Rhizomes of Z. elliottiana and Z. reh- number of leaves expanded before first flower, The first, second, or third leaf of each shoot manni were received from a California pro- peduncle length, leaf length, days from was selected as it unfolded. In a separate ducer on 4 Feb. 1987, planted the following emergence to first flower, date of first flower, experiment, rhizomes were planted on 10 June day as described previously, and placed at or total number of flowers. as previously described, then grown under five air/medium temperature combinations: Plants grown under NI were significantly full available irradiance or one or two layers 15C air with ambient, 20, or 25C medium taller at first flower and at 60 and 90 days of Saran shading material (1220, 550, or 170 temperature; and 20C air with ambient or post-planting, with longer peduncles than respectively, on a cloudless 25C medium temperature. Ambient medium plants grown under SD (Table 1). Photoper- day at midday). temperatures were » 1C lower than those of iod had no significant effect on the number Rhizomes of Z. elliottiana and Z. reh- the air. To maintain constant medium tem- of leaves, shoots, or flowers at 60 or 90 days mannii were received from California on 4 peratures, pots were placed on a 2.5-cm layer post-planting, number of leaves before first Feb. 1987 and planted the following day as of sand over electric heating cables that were flower, date of first flower, or total number described previously. Plants were grown in placed on galvanized screen resting on poly- of flowers in the first growth cycle (data not a glasshouse held at a minimum of 20C, in- styrene foam sheets. All pots within a given shown). creasing up to 25C on sunny days. For temperature treatment were enclosed on all Plants were significantly taller during a photoperiodic control, a woven black plastic sides in polystyrene foam to help retain bot- second growth cycle if-grown with a NI in

926 H ORTS CIENCE, VOL. 25(8), AUGUST 1990 either the first or second growth cycle than measured except petiole elongation (Mc- elliottiana and Z. rehmannii. HortScience those grown under SD (Table 2). Photoper- David and Alamu, 1979). No reference to a 22:605-607. iod during the first or second growth cycle carryover effect of photoperiod on any factor Corr, B.E. and R.E. Widmer. 1988. Rhizome had no effect on days to emergence, number in the second growth cycle was found in the storage increases growth of Zantedeschia el- of leaves, number of shoots, days to first literature. liottiana and Z. rehmannii. HortScience 23:1001-1002. flower, number of leaves before the first Plants flowered sooner and were taller at 20C air than at 15C air (Table 3). By heating Ghani, F.D. 1984. Preliminary studies on flow- flower, or total number of flowers in 120 ering in taro cultivars in Malaysia, p. 169-172. days of the second growth cycle (data not the medium to 20C, time to flower in 15C In: S. Chandra (ed.). Edible aroids. Oxford shown). air was approximately equivalent to that for University Press, London. Z. rehmannii grown at the higher medium air at 20C (Table 3). The lower air temper- Greene, L., R.B. Withrow, and M.W. Richman. or air temperatures flowered sooner and were ature with heated medium may be a more 1932. The response of greenhouse crops to elec- taller with longer peduncles than those grown economical glasshouse environment for crop tric light supplementing daylight. Ind. Agr. Expt. at lower temperatures (Table 3). There was production than a higher air temperature with Sta. Bul. 366. no signifidant effect of temperature on any ambient medium temperature. Heins, R.D., H.F. Wilkins, and W.E. Healy. 1982. characteristic of Z. elliottiana growth or on The increase in plant height at low irra- The influence of light on lily (Lilium longiflo- the number of flowers produced by either diance, with night interruption, or at higher rum Thunb.). II. Influence of photoperiod and species over 115 days. medium temperatures may result in unac- light stress on flower number, height and growth There was no effect of air or medium tem- ceptably tall plants for flowering potted-plant rate. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 107:335-338. peratures during the first growth cycle on production. If necessary, height control of Letty, C. 1973. The Zantedeschia. Bothalia 11, 1 and 2:5-26. plant height or days to emergence of either Zantedeschia may be achieved with an ap- Maatsch, R. and E. Bachthaler. 1964. Einfluss species in the second growth cycle. There plication of paclobutrazol (Tjia, 1987). verschiedener nachttemperaturen auf die Bil- was no effect of air or medium temperature None of the environmental treatments of dung and Entwicklung der Blutenstande bei An- during the first cycle of Z. elliottiana growth the first growth cycle influenced flowering thurium scherzerianum hort. Gartenwelt 64:273- on days to first flower or number of flowers in the second growth cycle. Therefore, the 274. produced during the second growth cycle. environmental control of floral initiation, if McDavid, C.R. and S. Alamu. 1979. Effect of No Z. rehmannii plants flowered in 120 days any, remains unknown. daylength and gibberellic acid on the growth after planting in the second growth cycle. and promotion of flowering in tannia (Xantho- The lack of any effect of either leaf re- Literature Cited soma sagittifolium). Trap. Agr. 56:17-23. moval or decreased irradiance on number of Merritt, R.H. and H.C. Kohl. 1982. Effect of Ball, V. 1986. A promising new pot plant. Grower temperature and photoperiod on growth and crop flowers produced or days to first flower sup- Talks Nov. 1986. p. 48-51. ports the conclusion that de- efficiencyof Petunia. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. Conover, CA. and R.T. Poole. 1987. Growth of 107:997-1000. velopment is not dependent on current Dieffenbachia maculata ‘Perfection’ as affected photosynthate within the ranges of these ex- Nakesone, H.Y. and H. Kamemoto. 1962. An- by air and soil temperatures and fertilization.- thurium culture. Hawaii Agr. Expt. Sta. Tech. periments. Leaf and peduncle length were HortScience 22:893-895. Bul. 50. longer under low irradiance, which is similar Cooper, A.J. 1973. Root temperature and plant Noordegraaf, C.V. 1973. Influence of tempera- to the response of Anthurium (Nakesone and growth. Cmwlth. Bur. Hort. Crops, E. Malling, ture on flowering in Anthurium schenerianum. Kamemoto, 1962). Res. Rev. 4:1-73. Acta Hart. 31:71-76. There is no evidence for a photoperiodic Con, B.E. 1988. Factors influencing growth and Post, K. 1936. Further responses of miscellaneous effect on flower initiation or development, flowering of Zantedeschia elliottiana and Z. plants to temperature. Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. although peduncle length and plant height rehmannii. PhD Thesis, Univ. of Minnesota, Sci. 34:3627-629. were significantly affected. This is similar to St. Paul. Tjia, B. 1987. Growth regulator effect on growth the sesponse of Xanthosoma, which also was Corr, B.E. and R.E. Widmer 1987. Gibberellic and flowering of hyb. unaffected by photoperiod for all factors acid increases flower number in Zantedeschia HortScience 22:507-8.

H ORTS CIENCE, VOL. 25(8), AUGUST 1990 927