Bulletin UASVM Horticulture, 68(1)/2011 Print ISSN 1843-5254; Electronic ISSN 1843-5394

Studies Regarding the Behaviour in Crop Conditions of Some Species from Ornamental Flora, with Decorative Value

Elena-Liliana CHELARIU, Lucia DRAGHIA

University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iaşi, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, Iaşi - 700490, Romania; [email protected]

Abstract. The current paper presents the preliminary results of a study regarding the behaviour in crop conditions of four species, from spontaneous flora, with ornamental value (Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis grandiflora and Gladiolus imbricatus). In comparison with the behaviour in natural habitat were made phenological studies to establish the vegetation period and biometric quality studies. The obtained results show that the studied species had a good adaptability in crop conditions, with maintaining ornamental value.

Keywords: Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis grandiflora, Gladiolus imbricatus, spontaneous flora, ornamental value

INTRODUCTION

The new tendencies in garden design influence in a direct way the industry of ornamental plants, in the way of diversifying the range of plants well adapted to the local pedo-climatic conditions, which will be able to decorate for a long period of time and requiring low establishment costs and maintenance. The plants with ornamental features from spontaneous flora are preferred, because have the added benefit of adaptability in local and regional conditions. This creates a new opportunity, relatively untapped regional, as a niche market for ornamental plant nursery industry. Introduction in culture, on a large scale of new ornamental species from the spontaneous flora, can be achieved by selection of biological natural material or through modern methods of breeding. Literature from abroad and country highlight the concerns of scientists in finding ways and means by which biodiversity of spontaneous flora can be preserved and used as a source of new plants for the horticultural sector, especially the ornamental one. Research regarding the crop potential for ornamental purposes of species from Romanian spontaneous flora were made in many areas, such as Transilvania (Buta et al., 2009), Oltenia (Manda et al., 2009), Moldova (Draghia et al., 2010). The aim of the current paper is to enrich the assortment of ornamental plants with species from spontaneous and to provide farmers effective breeding and maintenance technologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies were realised in 2010, in the experimental field of Floriculture discipline from USAMV Iaşi, having as research material four species with ornamental value (Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis grandiflora, Gladiolus imbricatus), from spontaneous flora of NE area of Romania. The studies species are herbaceous and are framed after life cycle in the group of perennial hemicryptophyta plants (Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis grandiflora) and perennial geophyta (Gladiolus imbricatus) (Fig. 1).

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a) Campanula glomerata b) Campanula persicifolia

c) Digitalis grandiflora d) Gladiolus imbricatus

Fig. 1. (a-d). Species studied in 2010

For each specie is synthesised information regarding the morphological characters of the plants, their spreading frequency in Romania and on vegetation areas, origin and geographic distribution, significant ecologic demands (Tab. 1). Experimental crops were established in the spring of 2010 using fragments resulted from division (Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis grandiflora) and underground organs (Gladiolus imbricatus). Experiments were settled down in blocks with choice tiered linear stacked, each variant representing a species. The proposed methodology for evaluation of the analysed taxons was based on: phenological studies to establish the vegetation period; biometric studies for quality (analyse of the phenotypic expression by using indexes for plant and flower morphology, waist and diameter of the plant, aspect, compaction, number of flowers per plant etc.). In the experimental field were made phenological observations and biometric determinations which revealed the behaviour in crop of the gathered taxons.

316 Tab.1 Species from spontaneous flora brought in crop in 2010

Spread on Origin/ Scientific name/popular/ Freq. in Bio-form vegetation areas geographic Botanic family Romania and levels distrib. perennial Central and Campanula glomerata L. – tassel - oak forest area – hemicryptophyta, frequent Eastern Campanulaceae boreal level 2n = 30 Europe perennial silvo-steppe area, Campanula persicifolia L. – bells - hemicryptophyta, frequent on meadows and Eurasia Campanulaceae 2n = 16 forest edges oak forest area – perennial Digitalis grandiflora Miller – beech level, in Central hemicryptophyta, frequent yellow finger – Scrophulariaceae glades and forest Europe 2n = 56 edges oak level – beech Gladiolus imbricatus L. – small perennial geophyta, frequent level, in wet Eurasia sword – Iridaceae 2n = 60 meadows (Ciocârlan V., 2000)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Evaluation and monitoring of the morphological features (plants’ growing and development modality, colour of flowers, decorative organs etc) which gives to the studied plants (Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis grandiflora, Gladiolus imbricatus) the state of decorative ones, was realised during vegetation period (April – October). In Tab. 2 are presented the results regarding the behaviour of plants in crop conditions, appreciated through recorded biometric measures for some growing and development features and after some specific ornamental features (flowers colour, plants’ port). At all four studied species the decorative aspect is assured, mainly, by the flowers with different colours, completed by the elegance of plants’ port. Those ones had a normal growing and development like in the natural habitat conditions. The obtained results after the measurements on plants’ height and number of flowers were compared with the ones recorded at the plants in their own natural ecosystem. Tab. 2 Phenological and morphological observations made in 2010

Blooming Growing and Flowers Decorative Nr. Specie Life cycle (decade/ Port development colour part* month) features Campanula purple 1 perennial III/05 erect P, Fl normal glomerata violet Campanula 2 perennial II/06 erect blue violet P, Fl normal persicifolia Digitalis 3 perennial II/06 erect yellow P, Fl normal grandiflora Gladiolus 4 perennial II/05 erect purple P, Fl normal imbricatus *Decorate through: P - port; Fl – flowers colour.

At all studied species we observe a tendency of decreasing the plants’ height, the differences being insignificant at Campanula glomerata (average height of the cultivated

317 plants being of 32.5 cm face to 36.8 cm), Campanula persicifolia (44.1 cm face to 47.3 cm), at Digitalis grandiflora (53.2 cm face to 58.6 cm) and at Gladiolus imbricatus (30.7 cm face to 35.9 cm) (Fig. 2).

cm 100 natural habitat 90 crop 80 70 58.6 60 53.2 47.3 50 44.1 40 36.8 35.9 32.5 30.7 30 20 10 0 Campanula Campanula Digitalis Gladiolus glomerata persicifolia grandiflora imbricatus

Fig. 2. Height of plants

10.5 11.2

25.8 27.1

7.5 Gladiolus imbricatus 8.3

Digitalis grandiflora 7.3 8.1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 Campanula persicifolia nr. flori/planta

Campanula glomerata crop natural habitat

Fig. 3. Number of flowers

Regarding the blooming capacity the obtained results highlight a decrease of the number of flowers at the plants from collection, differentiated for each specie (Fig. 3). So, at Campanula glomerata the average number of flowers from inflorescences decreased with around 9.9%, at Campanula persicifolia with about 9.6%, at Digitalis grandiflora with 4.8%, at Gladiolus imbricatus with 6.2%, recorded differences being insignificant. Analysing the aspects regarding the decorative period in the experimental field, we observe that the studied species assure the décor almost the same interval of time as in natural habitat, but is recorded in crop conditions a low delay of blooming with around 3-7 days (Tab. 3). Vegetative multiplication through fragments resulted from plants’ divison (Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis grandiflora) and underground organs (Gladiolus

318 imbricatus), used also as a method for establish the experimental field in the spring of 2010, proved to be the simple method and with the best results, over 90% from the used biologic material assured the vegetation start. Tab. 3 Decorative period for studied species

Month IV V VI VII VIII IX

Decade 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 Specie

Campanula natural habitat glomerata crop

Campanula natural habitat persicifolia crop

natural habitat Digitalis grandiflora crop

natural habitat Gladiolus imbricatus crop

CONCLUSIONS

At species Campanula glomerata, Campanula persicifolia, Digitalis gradiflora, Gladiolus imbricatus the main decorative element is represented by flowers or inflorescences, and secondary by plants’ height, the number of branching stems, size, shape and disposal mode of leaf. These decorative features justify the recommendation of the studied species for crop using in ornamental purposes. The study of taxons’ behaviour in crop conditions show a good adaptability of them, remarking insignificant differences face to the taxons from natural habitat (decrease of plants’ height, a low delay of blooming with around 3-7 days). The studied species cover almost the same decorative period as in natural habitat, decorating through flowers and port, from May to September.

Acknowledgments. This work was supported by CNMP, project number PNII – 52174/2008. REFERENCES

1. Buta, Erzsebet, Maria Cantor, A. Zaharia, Joung Hyang-Young, H.R. Choe and S.K.Park. (2009). The exploration of Korean spontaneous flora for introducing some interest species in Romania. Lucrări ştiinţifice USAMV Iaşi, seria Horticultură.52:609-614. 2. Ciocârlan, V. (2000). Flora ilustrată a României. Pteridophyta et Spermatophyta. Editura Ceres, Bucureşti, 973-40-0495-6. 3. Draghia, Lucia, Elena-Liliana Chelariu and C. Sîrbu. (2010). The behaviour in crop of some species with ornamental features from spontaneous flora of Romania. Lucrări ştiinţifice U.S.A.M.V. Iaşi, vol.53, seria Horticultură, ISSN 1454-7376. 4. Manda, Manuela, Carmen Nicu and Doina Anton (2009). Study regarding the aclimatisation of some plants of decorative interest from the specifical flora of Oltenia. Lucrări ştiinţifice USAMV Iaşi, seria Horticultură, vol. 52: 441-446.

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