THE EFFECT OF CULTURAL PRACTICES ON GROWTH, FLOWERING, AND ROOTING OF ADENIUM OBESUM By KAITLYN MARIE MCBRIDE A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2012 1 © 2012 Kaitlyn Marie McBride 2 To Dr. Henny, Mrs. Henny, and Terri Mellich. Thank you all so much, for everything, I would not be here if not for you. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Henny, Terri Mellich, Dr. Chen, Dr, Guy, Dr. Norman, and Mrs. Henny for all of their help during the whole process. Oglesby Plants International, thank you for the generous donation of plant material. Finally, I would like to thank Jesse and my parents for all of their love and support. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ 7 LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 9 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... 11 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 14 2 EFFECTS OF NUTRITION AND LIGHT LEVELS ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF ADENIUM OBESUM ‘ICE PINK’ AND ‘RED’ .............................. 23 Materials and Methods Experiment 1-1 .................................................................. 23 Results and Discussion Experiment 1-1 ................................................................. 24 ‘Ice Pink’ ........................................................................................................... 24 ‘Red’ ................................................................................................................. 25 Data Experiment 1-1 ............................................................................................... 26 Materials and Methods Experiment 1-2 .................................................................. 37 Results and Discussion Experiment 1-2 ................................................................. 38 Data Experiment 1-2 ............................................................................................... 41 Materials and Methods Experiment 1-3 .................................................................. 48 Results Experiment 1-3........................................................................................... 50 Soluble Salts and pH ........................................................................................ 52 Mineral Nutrient Analysis Results ..................................................................... 52 Data Experiment 1-3 ............................................................................................... 56 3 PROPAGATION OF ADENIUM OBESUM ‘RED’ AND ‘ICE PINK’ UTILIZING VEGETATIVE TIP CUTTINGS ............................................................................... 69 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 69 Materials and Methods............................................................................................ 72 Experiment 1. .......................................................................................................... 74 Experiment 2. .......................................................................................................... 74 Experiment 3. .......................................................................................................... 75 Experiment 4. .......................................................................................................... 76 Experiment 5. .......................................................................................................... 76 Experiment 6. .......................................................................................................... 77 Experiment 7. .......................................................................................................... 77 Experiment 8. .......................................................................................................... 78 5 Experiment 9. .......................................................................................................... 79 Experiment 10. ........................................................................................................ 79 Experiment 11. ........................................................................................................ 80 Discussion .............................................................................................................. 81 4 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................ 93 APPENDIX: EXTRA DATA TABLES AND FIGURES.................................................... 96 LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................. 113 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................... 116 6 LIST OF TABLES Table page 1-1 Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ growth, average flower number, and visual quality. ................................................................................................................ 26 1-2 Effect of shade and fertilizer level on growth of Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’. ..... 27 1-3 Adenium obesum ‘Red’ growth, average flower number, and visual quality. ...... 30 1-4 Effect of shade and fertilizer level on growth of Adenium obesum ‘Red’. ........... 31 1-5 Effect of three shade and fertilizer levels on Adenium obesum ‘Red’. ................ 41 1-6 Effect of shade and fertilizer level on Adenium obesum ‘Red’ ............................ 42 1-7 Effect of four fertilizer levels on Adenium obesum ‘Red’ ..................................... 56 1-8 Effect of four fertilizer levels on Adenium obesum ‘Red’. .................................... 57 1-9 Effects of four fertilizer rates on the soluble salt concentration and pH balance of Adenium obesum .............................................................................. 62 1-10 Effect of four fertilizer levels on elemental values of Adenium obesum ‘Red’ flowers ................................................................................................................ 63 1-11 Effect of four fertilizer levels on elemental values of Adenium obesum ‘Red’ leaves. ................................................................................................................ 64 1-12 Effect of four fertilizer levels on elemental values of Adenium obesum ‘Red’ stems. ................................................................................................................. 65 1-13 Effect of four fertilizer levels on elemental values of Adenium obesum ‘Red’ roots. .................................................................................................................. 66 2-1 A list of rooting compounds and the active ingredients used for cutting propagation experiments with Adenium obesum ‘Red’ and ‘Ice Pink’. ................ 84 2-2 Effects of four rooting compounds on Adenium obesum ‘Red’ cuttings. ............. 84 2-3 Effects of four rooting compounds on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ cuttings. ....... 84 2-4 Effects of four rooting hormones on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ cuttings .......... 85 2-5 Effects of four rooting hormones on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ cuttings. ......... 85 2-6 Effects of four rooting compounds on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ cuttings ........ 85 7 2-7 Effects of four rooting compound on Adenium. obesum ‘Ice Pink’ cuttings. ....... 86 2-8 Effects of four rooting compounds on Adenium. obesum ‘Red’ and cuttings ...... 86 2-9 Effects of four rooting hormones on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ and cuttings. .. 86 2-10 Effects of four rooting compounds on Adenium obesum ‘Red’ cuttings. ............. 87 2-11 Effects of four rooting compounds on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’. .................... 87 2-12 Effects of four rates of IBA +NAA on Adenium obesum ‘Red’. ........................... 87 8 LIST OF FIGURES Figure page 1-1 Interaction of three fertilizer levels and three light levels on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’. ............................................................................................................ 28 1-2 Interaction of three fertilizer levels and three light levels on Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’. ............................................................................................................ 29 1-3 Interaction of three fertilizer and light levels on Adenium obesum ‘Red’ ............. 32 1-4 Interaction of three fertilizer levels and three light levels on Adenium obesum ‘Red’ ................................................................................................................... 33 1-5 Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ after 16 weeks (April to August) of growth .............. 34 1-6 Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ after 16 weeks (April to August) of growth .............. 34 1-7 Adenium obesum ‘Ice Pink’ after 16 weeks (April to August) of growth. ............. 35 1-8 Adenium obesum ‘Red’ after 16 weeks