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| Production parameters for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana | |
| How much earlier will your crop be ready for sale if you raise the temperature by 1°C? How much will this increase plant height? What are realtive effects on light intensity and temperature on plant development? Research work at the University of Wageningen, Holland, has examined the main production parameters for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Anatole’. A growth model has been obtained that will be extended to other cultivars and pot sizes (10.5cm pots were used in the experiments). The model predicts harvest date and product quality. The study will be made available to growers, breeders, consultants and companies manufacturing climate control programs. Light intensity and temperature affect reaction time. At light intensity of 200mmol m-2 s-1 plants flowered 12 days earlier that at 60mmol m-2 s-1 (partly due an increased leaf temperature from the light irradiance). Growing at 23°C as opposed to 18°C reduced reaction time from 82 to 65 days. Plant height is influenced by light intensity and temperature but the effect of temeperature is more important. Plant height of 21.6cm was recorded at 26°C and 13.5cm at 18°C. The number of flowering shoots ranged from4.6 to 20.5 according to light intensity and temperature. Light intensity is the more important factor and at the same temperature, the number of flowering shoots at 200mmol m-2 s-1 increased by a factor of between 2 and 4 when compared to 60m m-2 s-1. High light levels also influnce the size of the inflorescence (number of flowers per shoot) which relates to flower quality. At a light intensity of 200mmol m-2 s-1 at a temperature of 21°C, the average increase in the nulmber of flowers per shoot increased by a factor of more than 2 when compared to a light intensity of 60m m-2 s-1. Further increases in temperature reduced the number of flowers per shoot. “FlowerTech” 2005, vol 8/no.5. www.Hortiworld.nl For further information contact: Susana M.P. Carvalho and Ep Heuvelink, Horticultural Production Chains Group, Wageningen. Fax 0031 317484884, E-mail: info@wur.nl www.wur.nl |
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