Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 39 (1): 73 - 78 (2016) TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE Journal homepage: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/ Phenological Growth Stages of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) Inflorescence Choon, S. Y.1, Ding, P.1*, Mahmud, T. M. M.1 and Shaari, K.2 1Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. 2Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. ABSTRACT Torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) inflorescence with its showy appearance can be used as a cut flower. However, the development of inflorescence has not been studied. The aim of this study is to determine the phenological stages of torch ginger inflorescence from the emergence of rhizome until full bloom stage using the extended BBCH scale. The growth stages of the inflorescence are categorised into peduncle elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering and senescence. It takes about 60 days for the inflorescence to emerge from rhizome and develop to reach full-bloom stage with true flower opening. This study provides important information in understanding this crop. Keywords: BBCH scale, cut flower, developmental stages, phenology, Zingiberaceae INTRODUCTION by rhizome and seed. It takes about 12 Torch ginger (Etlingera elatior), also known months after planting to start flowering but as torch lily, wild ginger or Philippine a longer time is needed when seeds are used. wax flower, belongs to the family of The torch ginger inflorescence is borne on a Zingiberaceae. It is indigenous to Malaysia long, slender and leafless peduncle arising and Indonesia. In Malaysia, it is called from the rhizome of the ground (Ibrahim & ‘kantan’. Torch ginger is usually propagated Mood, 2001). The leaves are grown from separate stalks along the rhizome. The torch ARTICLE INFO ginger inflorescence mainly consists of three Article history: Received: 24 October 2014 colours namely red, pink and white. The Accepted: 10 August 2015 pink torch ginger is commonly planted in E-mail addresses: [email protected] (Ding, P.), villages while the white and red are rare. The [email protected] (Choon, S. Y.), red/pink/white portion of the torch ginger [email protected] (Mahmud, T. M. M.), [email protected] (Shaari, K.) inflorescence is actually the involucral * Corresponding author ISSN: 1511-3701 © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press Choon, S. Y., Ding, P., Mahmud, T. M. M. and Shaari, K. bracts. The true flower is cone-shaped and torch ginger inflorescence as cut flowers appears between the large waxy bracts. rather than only for culinary purposes would In Malaysia, the torch ginger help to increase the marginal revenue of inflorescence at tight bud stage is commonly growers. used in culinary dishes. The young In Malaysia, the torch ginger inflorescence bud is a compulsory ingredient inflorescence is frequently harvested at tight as flavouring for ‘asam laksa’, a popular bud stage. Therefore, the developmental local dish. It is also an important element in stages of the inflorescence are rather vague. many Malay, Nyonya and Thai dishes. Other No study has been done to identify the traditional usage of the torch ginger plant phenological stages during the development includes the use of the fruit to treat earache of the torch ginger inflorescence. By and the leaves for healing of wounds and for understanding the phenological growth bathing by post-partum women to remove stages of the torch ginger inflorescence, it body odour (Chan et al., 2009). Studies have would be easier to access a suitable timing shown that the leaves contain antioxidant for applying fertiliser and for watering. and antibacterial properties (Chan et al., Improper of maintenance activities 2007). The leaves, peduncle, inflorescence will cause the failure of inflorescence and rhizome have been used for essential oil development. production (Sohail & Akhtar, 2011). Therefore, the aim of this study was Recently, besides commercial to determine the phenological stages production as cooking ingredients, this of the torch ginger inflorescence from crop is gaining recognition as an ornamental the emergence of the rhizome until and landscaping plant in urban areas. In full-bloom stage. In this study, the fact, when left to bloom, it is one of the extended Biologische Bundesanstalt, most beautiful and striking inflorescences Bundessortenamt and Chemical industry of tropical flowering plants, and brightens (BBCH) scale (Meier, 2001), with 10 up any garden. The extravagant and showy principal growth stages, numbered from inflorescence of the torch ginger at each 0 to 9, was used to describe the changes stage can also be used as a cut flower. It has of the morphological characteristics of the been used in floral arrangements in countries torch ginger inflorescence. Developing a such as Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand and uniform phenological scale would be a the United States of America. The use of the good reference for researchers to identify torch ginger inflorescence as a cut flower the growth stages for further study of this is relatively young in Malaysia. There is crop. Besides, it is also beneficial to growers only a small number of florists using the cut for more efficient agricultural practices inflorescence as bouquet fillers. However, at to enhance the inflorescence production. farm price, the margin of the cut flower is To our knowledge, this is the first report five times higher than that of the tight bud. describing the phenological growth stages of Therefore, diversifying the usage of the the torch ginger inflorescence using BBCH 74 Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 39 (1) 74 - 78 (2016) Phenological Growth Stages of Etlingera elatior scale and perhaps, also the first report about RESULTS the Zingiberaceae family. From observation, a torch ginger plant flowers only once. The mean of the MATERIALS AND METHODS inflorescence peduncle length is about 0.7 Pink torch ginger plants planted at Field m. The leafless torch ginger inflorescence 2, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra is unable to carry out photosynthesis. It is Malaysia, Malaysia since November 2011 presumed that the growth and development were used in this study. The mean daily of the inflorescence depends on the stored temperature during the observation period carbohydrates that are translocated from the was 23-35°C with monthly precipitation mother plant. The phenological stages of the of 250-300 mm. The inflorescence growth torch ginger inflorescence were summarised performance of 20 torch ginger inflorescences and are described in BBCH scale. was observed daily from January to May 2013. The principal growth stage of the Principal Growth Stage 3: Peduncle torch ginger inflorescence as described in Elongation BBCH scale (Meier, 2001) was determined 30 Beginning of peduncle growth (Fig.1). by observing the morphological changes and 32 Peduncle reaching final length of 20% days taken for the inflorescence to emerge (Fig.1). from rhizome until full-bloom stage when 34 Elongation continues reaching final true flowers were seen. Fertilisation was length of 40% (Fig.1). done monthly with NPK Blue (12:12:17:2) 39 Peduncle reaching final length, elongation at 500 g/clump while watering and weeding process stops and inflorescence bud forms were carried out when necessary. (Fig.1). Fig.1: Principal growth stage 3: Peduncle elongation. Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 39 (1): 75 - 78 (2016) 75 Choon, S. Y., Ding, P., Mahmud, T. M. M. and Shaari, K. Principal Growth Stage 5: Inflorescence show. The longevity of a true flower is just Emergence 24 h (Fig.3). 50 Inflorescence bud starts swelling (Fig.2). 52 Inflorescencebud swelling, pink pigment Principal Growth Stage 9: Senescence starts to deposit in the bracts (Fig.2). 90 Opening of first ring of true flowers 56 Inflorescence bud continues swelling complete (Fig.4). until tips form (Fig.2). 95 Full bloom: 50% of true flowers from 59 Bracts visible with intense pink colour inflorescence head opened (Fig.4). (Fig.2). 99 End of blooming: All true flowers opened; inflorescence head turned brown Principal Growth Stage 6: Flowering and dry. True flowers failed to develop into 60 Beginning of bract separation and fruit and seed (Fig.4). increase in size (Fig.3). 62 Opening of bracts at 2-tip (Fig.3). DISCUSSION 64 Opening of bracts at 6-tip (Fig.3). In general, it took about 30 days for an 66 Opening of bracts at 8-tip, causing inflorescence to emerge from rhizome and increase of bract size and layers (Fig.3). develop until inflorescence bud swelling. 68 Opening of bracts, outer layers of The development of inflorescence began bracts unfold revealing a cone-shaped from elongation of the peduncle and the inflorescence head (Fig.3). swelling of the inflorescence bud. During 69 Full bloom, also the end of flowering the flowering stage, it took another 30 stage, all bracts unfold and true flowers days from tight-bud stage to reach full Fig. 2. Principal growth stage 5: Inflorescence emergence. 76 Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 39 (1) 76 - 78 (2016) Phenological Growth Stages of Etlingera elatior Fig.3: Principal growth stage 6: Flowering. Fig.4: Principal growth stage 9: Senescence. Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sci. 39 (1): 77 - 78 (2016) 77 Choon, S. Y., Ding, P., Mahmud, T. M. M. and Shaari, K. bloom where true flowers were shown. REFERENCES True flowers were growing in a ring and Chan, E. W. C., Lim, Y. Y., Ling, S. K., Tan, S. the opening of true flowers was from outer P., Lim, K. K., & Khoo, M. G. H. (2009). to inner of inflorescence head. From the Caffeoylquinic acids from leaves of Etlingera opening of the first ring of true flowers, species (Zingiberaceae). LWT - Food Science and Technology, 42(5), 1026-1030. it took about 24 days for all true flowers to open ring by ring. At this stage, the Chan, E. W.