Flower greening in phytoplasma-infected Hydrangea macrophylla grown under different shading conditions

To determine the effect of light intensity on flower greening, the Japanese hydrangea phyllody (JHP) phytoplasma-infected hydrangea cultivars ‘Midori’, ‘Libelle’, ‘Rosea’ and ‘Madame E. Mouillere’ plants were grown under different shade conditions. In the first-year experiment, the results indicate that the flowers of the JHP-phytoplasma-infected hydrangea become green under shaded conditions (70% and 49% sunlight intensities). On the other hand, under full sunlight intensity (100% sunlight intensity), the flowers of ‘Midori’, ‘Rosea’, and ‘Libelle’ plants were blue, pink or white. To calculate the percentage of flower greening, inflorescences of these plants were separated and divided into individual flowers, and classified into four types by green-area ratio, calculated using Adobe Photoshop. Under shading with one sheet of cheesecloth (70% sunlight intensity), the inflorescences of ‘Midori’, ‘Libelle’ and ‘Madame E. Mouillere’ plants were composed of more than 40% completely green flowers (0.8 ≦ green-area ratio), whereas those of ‘Rosea’ plant had 0% completely green flowers. Under shading with two sheets of cheesecloth (49% sunlight intensity), the inflorescences of ‘Midori’, ‘Libelle’ and ‘Madame E. Mouillere’ plants had more than 75% completely green flowers; ‘Rosea’ plants had 28%. In the second-year experiment, under full sunlight intensity, ‘Midori’ plants had four types of flower depending on their green-area ratio, namely, completely blue or pink, pink-green, greenish and completely green flowers. Under shading with two sheets of cheesecloth, ‘Midori’ plants had more than 90% completely green flowers. The JHP-phytoplasma could not be identified by PCR analysis in flowers with a green-area ratio = 0 (completely blue/pink/white flowers). On the other hand, in flowers with a green-area ratio > 0, the JHP-phytoplasma was detected by PCR analysis. Thus, we conclude that shading enhances flower greening in hydrangea by increasing the JHP-phytoplasma concentration in the flowers.     

The effect of forcing temperature on peony shoot and flower development

Pre-chilled potted plants of Paeonia ‘Coral Sunset’, ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’, ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, and ‘Karl Rosenfeld’ were placed in a range of controlled temperature regimes to ascertain the effect of temperature on the timing of shoot emergence and floral development. For all cultivars, warmer temperatures up to 25 °C lead to more rapid shoot emergence and flower development. Linear temperature responses adequately described the rate of development from shoot emergence to flower bud appearance, and from bud appearance to flower opening, but a curvilinear response was required to describe the time taken for shoots to emerge. There were significant differences between cultivars in the number of heat units required for shoot emergence, with the shoots of the slowest-developing cultivar, ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’, taking 50% longer to emerge than those of the most rapid, ‘Coral Sunset’. No significant differences were found among cultivars in the time taken from shoot emergence to flower opening, although the ‘split’ stage (when the bud opens sufficiently for petal colour to be observed) was slightly earlier in ‘Karl Rosenfeld’.     

杂交兰新品种‘玉女兰’

‘玉女兰’是以墨兰‘企剑白墨’为母本,大花蕙兰‘金作家’为父本杂交育成的新品种。其株形优美,花出架,平均着花10朵,花黄绿色,花径6.3 cm,有香气,温室栽培1月中旬始花,花期1 ~ 2个月。     

兰花新品种‘霞光’

 ‘霞光’是由母本西藏虎头兰‘黄素花’（Cymbidium tracyanum L. Castle）和父本大雪兰 （Cymbidium mastersii）杂交选育而成的兰花新品种。四季常绿，叶带状，14 ~ 20 枚；花葶高52 ~ 55 cm， 着花6 ~ 12 朵，花朵自然水平展开9.6 ~ 13.2 cm，有香味。萼片和花瓣均为金黄至卵黄色，切花瓣稍宽 （1.4 ± 0.2）cm，唇瓣左右裂片之间有两行金黄色毛，合蕊柱背和腹面为红色。花期40 ~ 60 d，瓶插期 20 ~ 45 d。适宜在亚热带或气候相近的温暖地区保护地栽培。     

‘地平线’天竺葵的花芽分化及光周期特性

 为了研究‘地平线’天竺葵的花芽分化特性及光周期对其生长发育的影响,采用石蜡切片 方法观察了花芽分化的过程,探讨了7 种光周期处理对始花期及开花质量的影响。结果表明：（1）‘地平 线’的花芽分化过程可以划分为8 个时期,持续时间大约为9 周;（2）‘地平线’花芽分化时期与各生长 指标（株高、株幅、真叶数和播种周数）均极显著相关,通过回归方程判断其幼龄期在5 片真叶前结束; （3）‘地平线’为量性短日照植物,促其早花的最佳光周期为昼12 h/夜12 h;（4）较长日照下‘地平线’ 的株形高大松散,较短光周期下矮小紧凑。‘地平线’天竺葵在5 片真叶前,采用16 h 日照栽培,可得到 健壮幼苗;5 叶期后,12 h 日照诱导,可促进分枝开花。     

Rootstock effect on budburst of ‘Premier’ low-chill peach cultivar

To determine the effect of rootstock with different chilling requirements on the bud break of the low-chill ‘Premier’ peach cultivar (150 CH), the trees grafted on ‘Newbelle’ (150 CH) and ‘O’Henry’ (750 CH) seedling rootstocks were forced in a glasshouse after being subjected to 100, 200 and 300 CU chilling. The percentage of flower bud burst was slightly higher on ‘Newbelle’ than on ‘O’Henry’, although the difference was not significant. There was little leaf bud burst with 100 CU chilling on both rootstocks. With 200 and 300 CU chilling, the percentage of leaf bud burst and the total leaf number per tree was higher on the ‘Newbelle’ than on the ‘O’Henry’ rootstocks.     

无花粉观赏向日葵新品种‘闽葵4 号’

 ‘闽葵4 号’是以观赏向日葵品种‘GS08’为母本,自交系‘M1R3-1’为父本,经杂交选 育的观赏型向日葵新品种。舌状花瓣黄色,管状花黑色,无花粉。单干型,生长势强,适应性广,生长 期短,可四季种植,秋植生育期84 ~ 89 d,株高106 ~ 136 cm。花盘径7.1 ~ 7.5 cm,花径14.6 ~ 15.8 cm, 花瓣34 ~ 48 枚,瓶插寿命10 ~ 14 d,切花产量9 ~ 12 万株 · hm-2,可作为切花或庭院景观种植观赏。     

Ray florets color and shape mutants induced by C ion beam irradiation in chrysanthemum

Ion beam irradiation is attracting attention in floriculture as a means of inducing mutations. We investigated the effect of ion beam irradiation on induction of ray florets color/shape mutants from two strains of chrysanthemum to create new flower cultivars. The ray florets and leaf explants of chrysanthemum cultivars, ‘Shiroyamate’ and ‘H13’, respectively, cultured on MS medium were irradiated with ¹²C⁵⁺ ion beam at doses of 1, 2, 4 and 8Gy. The frequency of shoot primordia formation on ray florets explants of ‘Shiroyamate’ and shoot bud formation on leaf explants of ‘H13’ was decreased by 8Gy and 4Gy irradiation, respectively. The effective dose of ion beam was less than 4Gy in ‘Shiroyamate’ and less than 2Gy in ‘H13’. After exposure to an effective dose of ion beam, regenerated plants were grown in a green-house and the field. Yellow ray florets mutants from ‘Shiroyamate’, and various ray florets color mutants (dark-red, light red, pink, pink spray) and a flower shape mutant (double-ray florets) from ‘H13’ were induced by ion beam irradiation. Furthermore, a white mutant was obtained from a chimeric mutant. These results suggest that the combination of ion beam irradiation and tissue culture would be an effective means of generation mutants at a high efficiency.     

Phenological,morphological and functional indicators of genetic variability and their implication in the sexual reproductive system of Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae)

The floral biology of ‘Koroneiki’, ‘Kalamata’ and ‘Mastoidis’ was studied for three consecutive years to elucidate the potential physiological and genetic controls of inflorescence architecture and phenology and to identify potential genotype-distinguishing characters that could be employed for morphological cultivar discrimination. The first open flowers were mainly observed at position I for ‘Koroneiki’ (83%) while they were mainly located at position II for ‘Mastoidis’ (40%) and ‘Kalamata’ (63%). The last open flowers were principally located at the apical position for ‘Koroneiki’ (46%) and ‘Kalamata’ (68%) and at position II for ‘Mastoidis’ (75%). Most of the first open flowers were perfect for ‘Koroneiki’ (89%) and ‘Mastoidis’ (97%) while lower percentages were observed in the last open flowers (67% and 80%, respectively). Higher percentages of perfect flowers were observed in ‘Mastoidis’ compared to ‘Koroneiki’ in both cases. The average flowering shoots of ‘Kalamata’ produced significantly more flowers (1523/m) compared to ‘Koroneiki’ (1139/m) and ‘Mastoidis’ (1044/m). The half of the flowers in ‘Mastoidis’ were located at position I while the 38% was located at position II and only the 12% at the apex. By contrast, approximately the 80% of flowers in ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Kalamata’ panicles was equally distributed at positions I and II, while the 18% and 19%, respectively, was located at the apex. A marked relationship was also observed between flower position in the panicle and flower gender.     

Correlation of phytoplasma concentration in Hydrangea macrophylla with green-flowering stability

The interaction between phytoplasma concentration and green-flowering stability was studied in hydrangea cultivars. Three green and 18 nongreen cultivars were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis to determine Japanese hydrangea phyllody (JHP) phytoplasma infection. The results showed that JHP-phytoplasma was detected only in ‘Midori’ plants, which have green sepals. ‘Midori’ plants were propagated, and from 29 rooted cutting plants, they were grouped into three types on the basis of sepal color, that is, green (75.9%), blue-green (13.8%) and blue (10.3%) sepals. To clarify the variability in the sepal color of ‘Midori’ plants, JHP-phytoplasma concentration in the sepals and leaves of green-, blue-green- and blue-flowering plants was determined by PCR analysis. The semiquantitative PCR comparisons of 370 bp DNA fragments showed that the JHP-phytoplasma concentrations in green sepals were 16 times higher than that in blue-green sepals. JHP-phytoplasma could not be identified by PCR analysis in blue sepals and leaves. These results showed that JHP-phytoplasma concentration correlated with green sepal stability in ‘Midori’ plants. A histological observation of sepals showed that epidermal cells of blue and blue-green sepals had a dome shape. Otherwise, green sepals were leaflike with flat epidermal cells, and palisade parenchyma cells with numerous chloroplasts.     

Improvement of flower color by means of leaf treatments in lily

Flower color, an important feature biologically and commercially, is based on four natural pigments – flavonoids, carotenoids, betalains and chlorophylls. Temperature, light, nutrition – as well as additions of sugar, salt, or metals to the conservation water – have an effect on pigmentation. We investigated the effects of K-sulphate and/or sucrose on flower color in leaf treatments applied 30–10 days before harvest to four Asiatic lily (Lilium × elegans Thunb.) cultivars during the winter and summer. Colors of tepals were evaluated by a portable spectrocolorimeter that calculates the standard CIE L*a*b* coordinates and the color differences (E). After leaf treatments during both seasons, cultivars with flowers with high red components (e.g. the purple ‘Fangio’ and the pink ‘Brindisi’) showed significant improvements in color quality. The orange-flowered ‘Tresor’ showed improvement only if K-sulphate and Mix (K-sulphate and sucrose) solution treatments were applied during the summer. The yellow-flowered ‘Menorca’ was not affected by treatments during either summer or winter forcing season. Especially in the winter, a significant reduction in flower abortion was observed for cut flowers of all cultivars. In summer only ‘Fangio’ and ‘Tresor’ showed a reduction in flower abortion. Also, flower size and longevity were improved by the leaf treatment. The results, obtained from a commercial nursery operation, demonstrate that lily growers can adopt a very simple and inexpensive treatment to improve important qualitative traits of their product.     

兰花新品种‘曙光’

 兰花新品种‘曙光’是以西藏虎头兰‘黄素花’（Cymbidium tracyanum L. Castle）为母本和大雪兰（Cymbidium mastersii Griff. ex Lindl.）为父本杂交选育而成。植株四季常绿,叶片带状,14 ~ 20片,花葶高51 ~ 56 cm,着花6 ~ 12朵。花朵自然水平展开9.5 ~ 13.0 cm,有香味。萼片乳黄色至淡绿色（渐变）,花瓣稍宽（1.6 cm ± 0.2 cm）,淡黄绿色,具有淡红色纵脉,唇瓣左右两裂片之间有两行金黄色毛,合蕊柱腹面为淡红色。花期40 ~ 60 d,瓶插期20 ~ 45 d。适宜在亚热带或气候相近的温暖地区保护地栽培。     

不同栽培方式下‘巧玲’芍药花蕾败育研究

 芍药生长发育的各个时期都存在花蕾败育现象,降低了成花率。以芍药品种‘巧玲’为材料,研究温室促成盆栽、室外盆栽和大田地栽方式下的花蕾败育情况,结果表明：不同栽培方式下芍药花蕾败育率明显不同,与各生长发育阶段蕾径大小相关。蕾径2 ~ 4 mm败育蕾发生率呈现温室促成栽培（67.9% ~ 86.6%）> 室外盆栽（44.9%）> 大田地栽（16.3%）的规律,此类败育蕾是由萌芽初期芽分化速度晚于同期正常芽的芽体发育而引起,蕾径达2 mm的败育蕾的雄蕊、雌蕊原基分化已完成;蕾径4 ~ 8 mm的败育蕾发生率呈现室外盆栽（29.6%）> 温室促成栽培（9.2% ~ 25.6%）> 大田地栽（11.8%）的规律,蕾径达5 mm的败育蕾处于胚珠原基分化阶段;蕾径8 ~ 17 mm的败育蕾在温室促成栽培条件下发生率为0 ~ 4.8%,但在室外盆栽及大田地栽环境中均没有发生,蕾径达10 mm的败育蕾其胚珠的珠心和珠柄已形成;蕾径17 ~ 27 mm的败育蕾在室外盆栽环境中发生率最高,为19.9%,其次为大田地栽,为9.2%,温室促成栽培最低,为0 ~ 1.4%,蕾径达18 mm的败育蕾可见胚珠的珠心、珠被、珠孔。3种栽培方式下败蕾率最高均出现在茎伸长期,即主要发生在2 ~ 4 mm大的花蕾,温室促成栽培中控制该阶段花蕾败育是降低败蕾率的关键,可以通过肥水管理,适当延长低温处理时间及保持后期栽培温度稳定来减少其发生,提高成花率。     

茶香月季新品种‘醉红颜’

 ‘醉红颜’是以‘巨型美地兰’ב第一玫瑰红’为亲本育成的茶香月季新品种,花亮粉色, 重瓣,平均花径为13.9 cm,香气浓郁,对黑斑病有一定抗性,适宜以北京气候特点为主的华北地区庭院 栽培。     

Deferring flowering of nobile dendrobium hybrids by holding plants under low temperature after vernalization

Orchids are currently the most valuable potted crop in the United States. To date, no studies focused on making possible the year-round greenhouse production of flowering nobile dendrobium orchids. This experiment was aimed at developing a strategy to defer flowering of nobile dendrobium orchids by holding them under low temperature. Mature Den. Red Emperor ‘Prince’ and Den. Sea Mary ‘Snow King’ were held at 10 °C for various durations (0, 4, 8, 12 or 16 weeks) after vernalization (4 weeks at 10 °C). Plants were forced in a greenhouse after holding. Time to flower, flower differentiation (flowering node percentage, number of aerial shoot and aborted bud) and flower quality (total flower number, flower diameter, flower number per flowering node and flower longevity) were determined. Increase of low temperature holding duration from 0 to 16 weeks extended time to flower up to 3 months and did not affect parameters of flower except producing larger flowers and reducing flower number per flowering node for Den. Red Emperor ‘Prince’. Notably, the flower longevity was not adversely affected. Defoliation was aggravated in Den. Red Emperor ‘Prince’ by longer duration of cooling and was considered a detrimental effect of low temperature holding.     

Anatomical and biochemical studies of anthocyanidins in flowers of Anagallis monelli L. (Primulaceae) hybrids

Violet, lilac and red flower colors segregated in an F₃ population obtained from hybridizing blue and orange breeding lines of Anagallis monelli at UNH. One individual per color was studied, as well as “true-blue” cultivar ‘Skylover Blue’. Anatomical examination revealed typical petal layout with upper epidermis, loose mesophyll and lower epidermis. Cells in upper and lower epidermis were categorized by their vacuole color. Blue and red individuals had mostly blue and red cells, respectively. Lilac and violet individuals had blue and bicolored (red and blue) cells on both surfaces, and red cells on the lower epidermis only. Violet individuals had more blue cells on the upper epidermis than lilac individuals. Anthocyanidins were determined by HPLC for each petal epidermis. Blue flowers had only malvidin in both petal surfaces, red flowers had mostly delphinidin with traces of malvidin. Lilac and violet flowers had more malvidin than delphinidin. For violet and lilac flowers respectively, 2 and 3% delphinidin in upper petal surfaces result in a reddish tone while in the lower surface 33 and 25% delphinidin result in a red color. pH in upper and lower petal surfaces were significantly different for each individual, which may affect final flower color.     

Prolonged high-temperature exposure differentially reduces growth and flowering of 12 Viola × wittrockiana Gams. cvs

Many cool season garden crops, including Viola × wittrockiana Gams. (pansy), exhibit reduced flowering outdoors during the warm summer months. Twelve pansy cultivars varying in summer garden performance were grown under either 20 ± 1.5 or 30 ± 1 °C (air temperature) to determine growth and flowering responses to prolonged high-temperature exposure and to identify selection criteria to screen pansies for flowering heat tolerance. Increasing temperature from 20 to 30 °C increased leaf number below the first flower on ‘Crystal Bowl Primrose’ and ‘Skyline White’ only. Flower bud number reduction at 30 °C versus 20 °C varied from 20% for ‘Crystal Bowl Purple’ to 77% for ‘Majestic Giants Red and Yellow’. Flower diameter reduction at 30 °C versus 20 °C ranged from 14% for ‘Skyline Beaconsfield’ to 44% for ‘Super Majestic Giants Ocean’. The percentage reduction in total color (flower number × estimated flower area) ranged from 60% for ‘Crystal Bowl Primrose’ to 88% for ‘Majestic Giants Rose Shades’. Based on a weighted base selection index, ‘Super Majestic Giants Canary’ and ‘Delta Yellow’ were identified as the most heat-tolerant cultivars, while ‘Super Majestic Giants Ocean’ and ‘Majestic Giants Rose Shades’ were identified as the most heat-sensitive. In a second experiment, root and shoot dry mass were determined after 10, 20, or 30 d when grown at 20 or 30 °C. Relative growth rate and root:shoot ratio were also calculated. After 30 d, ‘Crystal Bowl Primrose’, ‘Crystal Bowl Sky Blue’ and ‘Skyline White’ relative growth rates were lower at 30 °C versus 20 °C. Root:shoot ratio on day 30 was lower at 30 °C compared to 20 °C for six cultivars, but similar across temperature for five cultivars and higher for ‘Crystal Bowl Primrose’. Flower bud number at first flower was positively correlated with branch number, shoot dry mass at flowering, but not correlated with root dry mass at flowering, and negatively correlated with flower diameter and root:shoot ratio (either at flowering, or after 10, 20 or 30 d at 30 °C), suggesting that these traits may be useful when screening pansies for flowering heat tolerance.     

Selection of potential pollinizers for ‘Hass’ avocado based on flowering time and male–female overlapping

Avocado production is dependent on the singular synchronous protogynous dichogamy of the species that promotes outcrossing. With the objective of selecting potential pollinizer avocado genotypes for ‘Hass’, the most important avocado cultivar worldwide, we have monitored during two consecutive years the flowering phenology of 27 avocado genotypes in South-eastern Spain. The average length of the flowering season was 45 days ranging from 18 days for ‘Harvest’ to 50 days for ‘Fuerte’. The earliest genotypes to flower were ‘Fuerte’ and ‘Shepard’ that started blooming during the third week of March. The latest genotypes to flower were ‘Colin V-33’, ‘Adi’, ‘OA184’ and ‘Harvest’, which started blooming in the second week of April. ‘Hass’ blooming lasted 30 days, from the first week of April until the second week of May. Since a good pollinizer must present not only an overlapping in the flowering season but also an overlapping in sexual stages with the pollinated cultivar, a group of 12 genotypes (‘Hass’, ‘Fuerte’ and 10 genotypes producing ‘Hass-like’ fruit with good overlapping in the flowering season with ‘Hass’) was studied with more detail determining daily the stages of male and female overlapping every 2 h. Results herein indicate that ‘Marvel’ and ‘Nobel’ showed a high sexual overlapping with ‘Hass’. Taking into account the flowering phenology, the overlapping in sexual stages and the fruit set obtained with hand-pollinated flowers in the field, those two genotypes could be an interesting alternative to the current use of ‘Fuerte’ as pollinizer for ‘Hass’ in South-eastern Spain.     

Effects of genotype and stigma development stage on seed set following intra- and inter-specific hybridization of Dianthus spp.

The caryophyllaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the pink or carnation family. Members of this family are widely grown as ornamental plants. The species Dianthus chinensis, Dianthus barbatus, and Dianthus superbus include notable examples of such ornamental varieties. Intra- and inter-specific hybridization is important for the breeding of improved varieties and, therefore, it is desirable to optimize the efficiency of cross-pollination procedures within this family. Here, we conducted intra-specific pollination using four lines of D. chinensis, and inter-specific pollination between D. chinensis, D. barbatus and D. superbus genotypes. For each of these crosses we recorded information of pollen viability, stigma development stage at time of pollination, pollen germination on the stigma surface and pollen tube elongation within the stigma, and final seed set. Pollen viability levels were determined at the start of anther dehiscence, which occurred on day 1 of flower opening. The genotypes D. chinensis var. ‘Bz2’, D. barbatus var. ‘Xb’, and D. superbus wild species ‘Qm’ all displayed good levels of pollen viability (i.e. between 68% and 75%); D. chinensis vars. ‘H58III’, ‘H68I’ and ‘H6II’ showed lower levels of pollen viability (i.e. between 32% and 51%). In each Dianthus line, the stigma organs were observed to undergo morphological changes during the 1–7 d following flower opening. We have characterized these changes as five distinct development stages, namely, ‘column’ (day 1), ‘Y-like’ (day 2), ‘Y-shaped with slight curve’ (days 3–4), ‘Y-shaped horn-like’ (days 5–6), and ‘wilting’ (day 7). Pollen was artificially applied to stigma organs at each of these development stages and aniline blue staining was used to follow pollen tube germination on the stigma surface and pollen tube elongation down the length of the stigma. This showed that the ‘Y-shaped slightly curved’ stigma stage (3–4 d) was optimal for pollination. The ‘Y-shaped horn-like’ stage (5–6 d) was also receptive to pollination. By contrast, the earlier ‘Y-shaped’ (2 d) and ‘column’ (1 d) stages, and also the later ‘wilting’ (7 d) stage, were far less receptive. Parallel field experiments were conducted in which seed set was measured following the artificial pollination of flowers at different development stages. These data also indicated that the optimal time for pollination was during 3–4 d of flower opening. This conclusion held true for both intra- and inter-specific crosses of the various Dianthus lines. Thus, stigma receptivity in Dianthus does not become optimal until 3–4 d after flower opening. Since anther dehiscence occurs at 1 d (i.e. when stigma are at the unreceptive ‘column’ stage), this suggests that Dianthus employs a delayed self-fertilization strategy. We also found a significant effect of genotype on pollen tube growth and seed-set values. The highest numbers of seed per flower were achieved when the D. superbus wild species ‘Qm’ was the female parent in inter-specific crosses. Thus, genotype and stigma development are identified as key factors that determine the success of cross-pollination in Dianthus lines.