Comparison of High Tunnel and Field Production of Specialty Cut Flowers in the Midwest

The U.S. specialty cut flower market has grown over the last several years because stems of many specialty cut flower species cannot be transported long distances and therefore need to be grown regionally. High tunnel production of cut flowers is an alternative to field and greenhouse production that has several benefits. Specialty cut flower species Antirrhinum majus L. ‘Potomac Orange’ and ‘Rocket Red’, Celosia argentea L. var. cristata Kuntze ‘Chief Red’, Dahlia ×hybrida Cav. ‘Karma Thalia Dark Fuchsia’, Dianthus barbatus L. ‘Amazon Neon Cherry’, Eustoma russellianum Salisb. ‘Mariachi Blue’, Helianthus annuus L. ‘Premier Lemon’ and ‘Sunrich Yellow’, Matthiola incana (L.) W.T. Aiton ‘Katz Lavender Blue’, and Zinnia elegans Jacq. ‘Benary Giant Scarlet’ were grown in both field and high tunnel environments in the midwestern United States. High tunnel production resulted in a first week’s harvest of 44.8 (46%), 115, and 21.1 (110%) more stems for Antirrhinum ‘Rocket Red’, Dianthus, and Zinnia, respectively. Compared with field production, high tunnel production yielded a greater number of stems/m2 for Antirrhinum ‘Potomac Orange’, Celosia, Dianthus, and Zinnia and longer stems for Antirrhinum ‘Potomac Orange’ and ‘Rocket’, Eustoma, Matthiola, and Zinnia. For example, high tunnel production yielded 185 (39%) and 192 (59%) more stems/m2 and 12.6 (34%) and 8.9 (32%) cm longer stems for Mathiola and Zinnia, respectively. Other stem characteristics such as inflorescence length and flower width showed more variation among cultivars. Our results indicate that cut flower yield and/or quality of Antirrhinum ‘Rocket Red’, Dianthus, Matthiola, Zinnia, Dahlia, Eustoma, and Helianthus ‘Sunrich Yellow’ and ‘Premier Lemon’ significantly increases when produced in high tunnels located in the Midwest.

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Floral Crop Production in High Tunnels

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/hortsci.19.1.56 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 56-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

H. Chris Wien

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Warm Season ◽

Cut Flower ◽

Cut Flowers ◽

High Tunnel ◽

Flower Production ◽

High Tunnels ◽

Celosia Argentea ◽

Low Tunnels ◽

High Level

High tunnels are well suited for use in the production of floral crops, especially cut flowers. Through the increases in temperature afforded at both ends of the growing season, high tunnels allow earlier and later harvests than are possible in the field. During summer, rain protection and a relatively calm environment provides an ideal growing environment to cut flower crops. In U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Hardiness Zones 3 through 5, the higher temperatures of a high tunnel permit culture of warm-season crops like celosia (Celosia argentea) during summer. Cut flower production allows intensive production on a small land area and provides a high level of income. For these reasons, high tunnels have become a standard part of cut flower growers' farms. Most commonly, they are single-bay structures with roll-up sides, but use of multi-bay complexes is becoming more popular for larger-scale growers. In USDA Hardiness Zones of 7 and higher, high tunnels are shaded in summer to lower interior temperatures and enhance production of shade-tolerant species. Overall, techniques of moderating temperature extremes with shading and ventilation, or use of low tunnels inside to increase minimum temperatures are important options for cut flower production. In the presentation, comparisons will be made in growth and earliness of production and yield for several cut flower species grown in the field and an adjacent high tunnel.

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INHERITANCE OF FLOWERING TIME AND ITS APPLICATION FOR INDIRECT SELECTION IN THE DAVIS POPULATION OF GERBERA

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.25.11.1357 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 25 (11) ◽

pp. 1357F-1358

Author(s):

Yiran Yu ◽

James Harding ◽

Thomas Byrne

Keyword(s):

Flowering Time ◽

Genetic Correlations ◽

Indirect Selection ◽

Cut Flower ◽

Narrow Sense ◽

Narrow Sense Heritability ◽

Components Of Variance ◽

Genetic Components ◽

Flower Yield ◽

Cut Flower Yield

Genetic components of variance and heritability of flowering time were estimated for five generations of the Davis Populationof Gerbera hybrids, Composite, Estimates of narrow-sense heritability averaged 0.50 and broad-sense heritability averaged 0.77 using the NCII design. Narrow-sense heritability was also estimated with two models of parent-offspring regression, resulting in average heritability of 0.49 and 0.51. Estimates of components of variance indicated that the major genetic effect controlling flowering time is additive. However, the dominance component accounted for 28% of the total variance; the environmental component was only 23%. Flowering time is negatively correlated with cut-flower yield. The phenotypic coefficient was –0.34; genetic correlations were –0.47 when estimated from the NCII design, and –0.72 when estimated from the parent-off-spring method. A practical model was constructed to assess the efficiency of indirect selection for cut-flower yield using flowering time as a marker trait. The advantages of indirect selection accruing from increased population size and reduced generation time are discussed.

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Cut Flower Yield and Quality Response to Cutting Height at Harvest of Rose ‘Yellow King’ in Hydroponic Culture

Flower Research Journal ◽

10.11623/frj.2015.23.2.18 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 98-103

Author(s):

Dong Chun An ◽

◽

Jin Gi Kim ◽

Ju Chean Hwang ◽

Young Don Chin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydroponic Culture ◽

Cut Flower ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Flower Yield ◽

Cut Flower Yield ◽

Quality Response ◽

Cutting Height

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Effects of inbreeding on cut-flower yield in gerbera

Euphytica ◽

10.1007/bf00025428 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 81 (2) ◽

pp. 157-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

H. Huang ◽

J. Harding ◽

T. Byrne ◽

T. Famula

Keyword(s):

Cut Flower ◽

Flower Yield ◽

Cut Flower Yield

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FIELD-GROWN CUT FLOWERS: AN ECONOMICAL ANALYSIS FOR PRODUCTION IN THE OZARKS

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.27.6.659d ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 27 (6) ◽

pp. 659d-659

Author(s):

Gloria McIntosh ◽

Gerald Klingaman

Keyword(s):

Consumer Response ◽

Stem Length ◽

Vase Life ◽

Cut Flower ◽

Cut Flowers ◽

Fresh Weight ◽

Flower Production ◽

Economical Analysis ◽

Celosia Cristata ◽

Number Of Stems

Several cut flower species were studied to determine their feasibility for cut flower production. Three fertilizer treatments (0.5, .1, and .15kg/m2 respectively) were used and their effect on number of stems, stem length and fresh weight were determined. Celosia cristata and Ageratum houstonianum `Blue Horizon' proved to respond best to fertilizer treatments. Celosia fertilized at a rate of .15kg/m2 will produce approximately 200 stems/m2. Ageratum will produce appoximately 400 stems/m2 when fertilized at a rate of .10kg/m2. Fertlizer rates of .10 and .15 kg/m2 for Eustoma culture yielded 86 stems/m2, which was lower than other species used in this test. Extended vase life and consumer response could possibly justify using this species in cut flower production. An economic break-even analysis will be presented to show what price will have to be received per stem to cover costs.

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