Articles
Phenological studies of Protea cynaroides (L.) Arctic Ice following a synchronising winter pruning regime
Article number
1347_13
Pages
85 – 92
Language
English
Abstract
Protea cynaroides (L.) Arctic Ice is produced by Future Fynbos (Pty) Ltd. licensees in South Africa under the Ayoba® brand name, with production volumes that have more than tripled over the past three years.
Cropping distribution for Arctic Ice is restricted to two peak periods in the southern hemisphere; either April-May or October-November, with low productivity outside these prime harvesting times.
With the aim to attain a consistent supply of Arctic Ice the outcomes of a synchronizing prune to bearers within a biennial system of Arctic Ice was evaluated.
Pruning in the winter of 2017 on Pomona Farm, Piket-Bo-Berg, South Africa, was compared to current commercial practices within an annual bearing system as the control.
This study focused on the progressive development of shoot phenology ensuing pruning, over the 2017-2019 seasons.
Reporting is based on events such as bi-weekly tracking of shoot flushing patterns, increases in physical shoot diameter and number of flushes, as well as documenting flowering times as obtained from harvest data.
Results showed that defined periods of active growth similar to the control persisted, with flowers being produced 21-27 months after winter pruning on shoots that achieved a minimum number of flushes and attained a certain stem diameter.
Synchronised plants result in increased production, yet the flowering remained clustered within the two commercial harvest peaks when compared to control plants.
Possible flowering outcomes, as well as the estimated time from prune to harvest was predicted using vegetative shoot characteristics as predictor variables.
Through characterizing shoot regrowth from prune to harvest, locality specific inferences coupled to phenology aid in the understanding of commercial Arctic Ice management.
Cropping distribution for Arctic Ice is restricted to two peak periods in the southern hemisphere; either April-May or October-November, with low productivity outside these prime harvesting times.
With the aim to attain a consistent supply of Arctic Ice the outcomes of a synchronizing prune to bearers within a biennial system of Arctic Ice was evaluated.
Pruning in the winter of 2017 on Pomona Farm, Piket-Bo-Berg, South Africa, was compared to current commercial practices within an annual bearing system as the control.
This study focused on the progressive development of shoot phenology ensuing pruning, over the 2017-2019 seasons.
Reporting is based on events such as bi-weekly tracking of shoot flushing patterns, increases in physical shoot diameter and number of flushes, as well as documenting flowering times as obtained from harvest data.
Results showed that defined periods of active growth similar to the control persisted, with flowers being produced 21-27 months after winter pruning on shoots that achieved a minimum number of flushes and attained a certain stem diameter.
Synchronised plants result in increased production, yet the flowering remained clustered within the two commercial harvest peaks when compared to control plants.
Possible flowering outcomes, as well as the estimated time from prune to harvest was predicted using vegetative shoot characteristics as predictor variables.
Through characterizing shoot regrowth from prune to harvest, locality specific inferences coupled to phenology aid in the understanding of commercial Arctic Ice management.
Publication
Authors
N. Hattingh, C. OBrien, E.-L. Louw, G. Jacobs, E.W. Hoffman
Keywords
cut flowers, floriculture, flowering time, flushing, harvest, predictions, Proteaceae
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