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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164000
Title: MYCORRHIZA-INDUCED CHANGES IN PARTITIONING AND COMPOSITION ALTERS FLOWER AND VEGETATION PRODUCTION OF FLORAL GEOPHYTES

Author
item Scagel, Carolyn

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/17/2004
Publication Date: 7/1/2004
Citation: Scagel, C.F. 2004. Mycorrhiza-induced changes in partitioning and composition alters flower and vegetation production of floral geophytes. ASHS Annual Meeting Abstract. 2004. 39(4) p. 767.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Resource partitioning and plant storage components are important factors that influence both the productivity and profitability of geophyte species that are produced as floral crops. We determined that inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can alter plant characteristics that affect the quality and productivity of bulbs and cut flower production in several floral geophytes, including Brodiaea laxa, Zephyranthes spp., Sparaxis tricolor, Freesia x hybrida, Zantedeschia spp., and Calla spp. Plant growth, flower production, and bulb/corm/tuber (bulb) production and composition were measured for two growth cycles after inoculation with the AMF, Glomus intraradices. Generally, in species that produced most of their leaf area prior to flower emergence, AMF-inoculated plants exhibited earlier emergence of shoots and flowers than non-inoculated plants. However, AMF inoculation delayed both shoot and flower emergence in species that produced either leaves throughout the growth cycle or large flowers early in the growth cycle. Many species that exhibited an earlier flower emergence or produced more flowers in response to AMF inoculation also produced smaller daughter bulbs and more offsets than non-inoculated plants. Across all species, AMF inoculation increased the concentrations and contents of several storage components that influence bulb quality (Zn, S, N, amino acids, and carbohydrates). Changes in partitioning between bulb and flower production that resulted from AMF inoculation altered important aspects of commercial geophyte production for flowers or bulbs. AMF-induced increases in mineral uptake and resource storage are also related to aspects of quality important in the production of vegetative propagates.