Articles
Pinching of Ayoba® Leucadendron cultivars to increase product value
Article number
1463_1
Pages
1 – 6
Language
English
Abstract
The removal of apical meristems, commonly referred to as pinching, is a horticultural technique widely applied across floricultural crops to encourage lateral shoot development.
In cut flower cultivars like Leucadendron, this practice promotes branching and produces stems with multiple cones, a characteristic especially desirable for smaller cone products marketed as sprays.
A high-quality spray consists of a cluster of three to eight well-formed cones, with the branched section of the stem measuring no more than 15 cm.
Optimal timing windows for pinching Leucadendron cone products have been developed for several Ayoba® cultivars.
Pinching trials on specific Leucadendron cultivars began in 2009 in South Africa, with Ayoba® Jade Pearluse, leading to commercial implementation in 2010. Current findings for southern hemisphere conditions suggest that for Ayoba® Cherry Pearl, pinching during the first half of March produces high-quality sprays, while Ayoba® Jade Pearl benefits from pinching in mid- to late March, and Ayoba® Silver Pearl from mid-March to early April.
The timing and pinching depth influence spray characteristics, as it influences the number of lateral shoots that break and the time available for these shoots to extend and form cones.
This impacts the visual appeal and value of the final spray product, resulting in either a loose or flat spray where the number of cones corresponds with the number of lateral shoots.
This study emphasizes the importance of precision in this technique to meet market standards and maximize crop value.
In cut flower cultivars like Leucadendron, this practice promotes branching and produces stems with multiple cones, a characteristic especially desirable for smaller cone products marketed as sprays.
A high-quality spray consists of a cluster of three to eight well-formed cones, with the branched section of the stem measuring no more than 15 cm.
Optimal timing windows for pinching Leucadendron cone products have been developed for several Ayoba® cultivars.
Pinching trials on specific Leucadendron cultivars began in 2009 in South Africa, with Ayoba® Jade Pearluse, leading to commercial implementation in 2010. Current findings for southern hemisphere conditions suggest that for Ayoba® Cherry Pearl, pinching during the first half of March produces high-quality sprays, while Ayoba® Jade Pearl benefits from pinching in mid- to late March, and Ayoba® Silver Pearl from mid-March to early April.
The timing and pinching depth influence spray characteristics, as it influences the number of lateral shoots that break and the time available for these shoots to extend and form cones.
This impacts the visual appeal and value of the final spray product, resulting in either a loose or flat spray where the number of cones corresponds with the number of lateral shoots.
This study emphasizes the importance of precision in this technique to meet market standards and maximize crop value.
Publication
Authors
C. OBrien, N. Naudé, H. Hettasch
Keywords
cut flower, pinching window, apical meristem, lateral shoot development, spray quality
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