Influence of cold storage of unrooted cuttings on some vegetative, rooting and flowering characters of Dianthus caryophyllus L. cvs [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

This experiment was carried out during two seasons of 199511996 and 1996/1997 at the Experimental Station and Laboratory of the Veget. and Floric. Dept.. Faculty of Agriculture. Mansoura University. Egypt. to study the effect of cold storage of unrooted cullings on the characters of cullings and the obtained plants until flowering stage of Dianthus caryophyllus L. of cultivars Bianca. Festival and Salmony. The obtained results indicated that Festival cv. cUllings stored at 2-4°C for. various periods showed a positive effect and significant increase in all vegetative, rooting and flowering measurements followed by Bianca cv., while Salmony ev. was the lowest in that respect in both seasons. Also the vegetative and rooting growth parametars of cUllings were linearly decreased with increasing the storage periods. However. the highest fresh weight of cullings and vegetative growth, plant height. number of branches per plant as well as rooting percentage and fresh weight of root per plant resulted from cullings stored for 3 months, while the lowest vegetative and rooting growth values resulted from cullings stored for 6 months before rooting in both seasons. At harvest time, number of days until colour showing. number and diametar of flowers and the length of flowering stems were affected by the cold storage periods. Flowering characters at harvest were decreased with increasing the storage periods especially when the cullings were stored for 6 months comparing with relatively shortest periods for 3 months in both seasons. Mortality percentage of rooted cullings growing in culture medium has been also affected by cold storage periods. Longer storage periods of unrooted cullings for 4. 5 or 6 months resulted in higher mortality percentages comparing with other periods. in both seasons. The obtained results revealed that the cold storage of unrooted cullings up to 3 months at 2-4°C and 85% relative humidity in polyethylene bags was without any effect on subsequent quality and is recommended.

Summary in Arabic.

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