Environmental factors affecting growth of carnation stock plants and cuttings
Date
1964
Authors
Altstadt, Ralph Allen, author
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Abstract
Three major experiments concerning carnation stock plants were designed to determine the highest possible quality of cuttings measured by their performance in terms of the speed, quantity, and quality of first-crop flower production. In experiment I, Pink Mamie stock plants were grown in 4 environmental control chambers set at temperatures of 65, 70, 75, and 80°F, each containing 3 levels of nutrition (1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 times the standard feeding rate). All chambers received approximately 525 ppm CO2. Nutrition produced no significant differences in stock plant growth or subsequent performance of cuttings. Each decrease in temperature produced an increase in total fresh weight of cuttings, fresh weight per cutting, and dry weight per cutting, while the opposite trend was noted for per cent dry matter. Yield of cuttings was approximately the same for 65, 70, and 75°F, but a decrease was observed at 80. As plants aged and solar energy increased, the size of cuttings decreased in any given temperature. Cuttings taken from stocks grown at 65 and 70°F produced more first-crop flowers in a shorter period of time and more second-crop potential than those grown at 75 and 80°F. Mean grade was slightly higher for the latter two temperatures. In the second experiment, two studies of stock-plant age were established. The first tested the growth of cuttings taken from stock plants 4 and 18 months of age, with cuttings sized equally by number of expanded leaves. The second tested the growth of cuttings from stock plants 7 and 21 months of age, when cuttings were sized equally by fresh weight. Cuttings from young stock plants in the first study contained more shoots after pinching, grew faster after planting, produced more first-crop flowers of higher mean grade, and had .ore second-crop potential growth. When cuttings contained equal fresh weights, similar trends were observed as formerly, except second-crop potential was equal for both age groups. In experiment III, the growth of cuttings containing 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 leaf-pairs was determined, along with the effects of 2 weight groups within each leaf-pair category. As cutting size increased from 4 through 8 pairs of expanded leaves, less time was required for development of young plants and quality of first-crop flowers increased. Considering the sum of first-crop flowers and buds after harvest, increases were observed as cutting size increased to 6 leaf-pairs, decreased at 7 and reached a high at 8. Generalizations from the entire study are as follows: (1) stocks receiving high levels of nutrition and carbon dioxide, along with cool temperatures, produced the highest quality and quantity of cuttings, (2) the most accurate measurement of cutting quality was fresh weight, and (3) maximum all-around performance was achieved with cuttings containing at least 6 pairs of expanded leaves and weighing at least 10 grams.
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Subject
Carnations
Growth (Plants)