Articles
The effect of varying greenhouse conditions for forcing Cymbidium orchids growth in a tropical climate region
Article number
1435_12
Pages
95 – 100
Language
English
Abstract
Cymbidium orchids are esteemed for their high value and enjoy widespread popularity worldwide, including in Thailand.
However, due to Thailand’s tropical climate, the domestic production of Cymbidium is primarily restricted to cooler highland regions.
As a solution, cultivating Cymbidium in controlled-environment greenhouses has appeared as a practical approach to overcome this challenge.
This research aimed to study the effect of greenhouse conditions on controlling the flowering of Cymbidium. Four years, Cymbidium ‘Fuku Musume’ was selected and grown in a 50% shading greenhouse (with avg. light intensity of 234.5 µmol m‑2 s‑1, relative humidity (RH) of 80.7%, and temperature is 29.7°C) for 3 months before moving to different greenhouse condition treatments.
The experimental design was completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 treatments, 8 replications (pots) i.e., T1) plants were continuously grown in 50% shading greenhouse, T2) plants were moved to evaporative cooling greenhouse (with avg. 330.5 µmol m‑2 s‑1 light intensity, 86.3% RH and temperature being 26.9°C) and T3) plants were moved to glasshouse (with avg. 108.5 µmol m‑2 s‑1 light intensity, 82.2% RH and temperature being 19.6°C). Liquid fertilizer was supplied every week with 500 mL pot‑1. The number of leaves per plant and leaf length were measured at 5 months after treatment.
Flowering percentage, flower quality, leaf color intensity, photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance were recorded.
The results found that different greenhouse conditions did not affect leaf length at 5 months after treatment.
However, growing Cymbidium in the glasshouse (T3) increased leaf color intensity.
The flowering percentage was the highest, about 87% in T3, and flower abortion was found in T1 and T2. Forcing Cymbidium by growing in a 50% shading greenhouse for 3 months before transplanting to a glasshouse could stimulate flowering within 144 days with 2 stems pot‑1 with 12.4 florets stem‑1, 64.9 cm. of inflorescence length.
However, due to Thailand’s tropical climate, the domestic production of Cymbidium is primarily restricted to cooler highland regions.
As a solution, cultivating Cymbidium in controlled-environment greenhouses has appeared as a practical approach to overcome this challenge.
This research aimed to study the effect of greenhouse conditions on controlling the flowering of Cymbidium. Four years, Cymbidium ‘Fuku Musume’ was selected and grown in a 50% shading greenhouse (with avg. light intensity of 234.5 µmol m‑2 s‑1, relative humidity (RH) of 80.7%, and temperature is 29.7°C) for 3 months before moving to different greenhouse condition treatments.
The experimental design was completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 treatments, 8 replications (pots) i.e., T1) plants were continuously grown in 50% shading greenhouse, T2) plants were moved to evaporative cooling greenhouse (with avg. 330.5 µmol m‑2 s‑1 light intensity, 86.3% RH and temperature being 26.9°C) and T3) plants were moved to glasshouse (with avg. 108.5 µmol m‑2 s‑1 light intensity, 82.2% RH and temperature being 19.6°C). Liquid fertilizer was supplied every week with 500 mL pot‑1. The number of leaves per plant and leaf length were measured at 5 months after treatment.
Flowering percentage, flower quality, leaf color intensity, photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance were recorded.
The results found that different greenhouse conditions did not affect leaf length at 5 months after treatment.
However, growing Cymbidium in the glasshouse (T3) increased leaf color intensity.
The flowering percentage was the highest, about 87% in T3, and flower abortion was found in T1 and T2. Forcing Cymbidium by growing in a 50% shading greenhouse for 3 months before transplanting to a glasshouse could stimulate flowering within 144 days with 2 stems pot‑1 with 12.4 florets stem‑1, 64.9 cm. of inflorescence length.
Authors
K. Panjama, S. Ruamrungsri, C. Inkham
Keywords
temperature control flowering, growth and development, agricultural management, crop improvement, crop management
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