CHARACTERIZATION OF SIX CULTIVARS OF GERBERA UNDER SOILLESS CULTURE

The objective of this study was to characterize the morphology, phenology and productivity of six gerbera cultivars: ‘Schirlain’, ‘Savanna’, ‘Sunset’, ‘Chateau’, ‘Marisol’ and ‘Thalassa’. Daily temperature data were used to calculate the growing degree days (GDD) to differentiate three phenological stages: transplant to the appearance of the flower capitulum, appearance of flower capitulum to its opening, and opening of the capitulum until flower harvest.
Crop production was under greenhouse soilless culture conditions and drip irrigation, using red volcanic rock gravel as substrate.
The earliest cultivars were ‘Thalassa’ and ‘Sunset’ with 1300 GDD and the latest cultivar was ‘Savanna’ with 2030 GDD. The largest number of flowers produced per month was obtained in ‘Thalassa’ (4.4 average) and the lowest average in ‘Marisol’ and ‘Schirlain’ (2.0 and 1.8, respectively). The concentration of N in recently mature leaves averaged 2.23% across all cultivars.
Results indicated variability in scape length, diameter of flower capitulum, scape diameter, and duration of phenological stages.
The flowers produced meet the standards demanded by the national market and the calculation of GDD can be used for scheduling harvest of this crop for high demand dates.

II International Symposium on Soilless Culture and Hydroponics

J.M. Barrios-Díaz, B. Barrios-Díaz, W. Cruz-Romero , G. Vázquez-Huerta

Gerbera jamesonii, cut flower, nutrient solution, phenological stages, degree-days

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.947.49