scholarly journals Efficient Breeder Seed Production Utilizing Ethephon to Promote Floral and Fruit Abscission in Ornamental Chile Peppers

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek W. Barchenger ◽  
Danise L. Coon ◽  
Paul W. Bosland
Keyword(s):  
Foliar Spray ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Mature Fruit ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Chile Pepper ◽  
Fruit Number ◽  
Breeder Seed ◽  
Ethephon Treatment ◽  
Chile Peppers

Controlled abscission of floral structures is an important horticultural technique that has many applications throughout the growing season. A novel use of chemical abscission in chile pepper (Capsicum annuum) is the removal of open flowers and fruit for the production of breeder seed. For efficiency of abscising flower buds, open flowers, and fruit of ornamental chile peppers, two foliar spray treatment levels, 1000 and 2000 ppm ethephon were tested. Ornamental chile peppers were chosen because they are prolific flower and fruit producers, making removal of potentially cross-pollinated fruit and open flowers laborious. Flower bud and flower number were reduced with both 1000- and 2000-ppm ethephon treatments, while fruit number decreased only with 2000-ppm ethephon treatment. ‘NuMex Easter’ was more sensitive to ethephon treatment as compared with ‘Chilly Chili’ and ‘Riot’. Ethephon had no negative impacts on end of the season growth index, mature fruit number, and seed number. We found ethephon can reduce numbers of flower buds, open flowers, and fruit with no long-term effect on mature fruit and seed number, making it a useful tool for the production of breeder seed in chile pepper breeding programs.

Foliar Application of Ethephon Decreases Apical Dominance in `Orchid' Petunia (Petunia × hybrida Vilm.-Andr.)

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 491e-491
Author(s):  
Darren L. Haver ◽  
Ursula K. Schuch
Keyword(s):  
Apical Dominance ◽  
Petunia Hybrida ◽  
Foliar Application ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Foliar Spray ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Lateral Shoot ◽  
Application Rates

Ethephon was applied as a foliar spray to 36-day-old petunia seedlings to determine its effectiveness at reducing apical dominance by increasing lateral shoot development. Ethephon application at rates of 125, 250 and 500 mg·L–1 to whole shoots of Petunia × hybrida `Orchid' decreased apical dominance compared to the control. The average length of a lateral shoot increased 56% as ethephon application rates increased from 0 to 500 mg·L–1. In Expt. I, ethephon-treated plants had a greater number of laterals than control plants. The number of nodes produced before the first flower bud was initiated increased from 15 to 21 as rates of ethephon increased from 0 to 500 mg·L–1. Ethephon delayed anthesis up to 10 days when applied at 500 mg·L–1 and up to 8 days when applied at 250 mg·L–1. The number of visible flower buds increased in all ethephon-treated plants compared to the control. Ethephon at 250 mg·L–1, increased shoot and root dry mass 37.9% and 20.4%, respectively, compared to untreated controls. Roots appeared healthy in both experiments, but phytotoxicity (mild chlorosis) occurred in Expt. II on plants treated with 500 mg·L–1. The experiment was repeated twice with similar results.

scholarly journals Dormant Pruning and Fall Ethephon Application Influence Peach Pistil Hardiness

1995 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 823-829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward F. Durner
Keyword(s):  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Prunus Persica ◽  
Heat Accumulation ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Controlled Conditions ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Ethephon Treatment

Flower bud hardiness of ethephon-treated (100 mg·liter-1 in October), dormant pruned (in December) `Redhaven' peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch.) trees was studied from December through March using exotherm analysis. In early December, buds not treated with ethephon were 0.5C hardier than ethephon-treated buds. From mid-December through March, ethephon-treated buds were 0.5 to 2.1C hardier than nontreated buds. When a main effect of pruning was detected, buds from pruned trees were 0.8 to 2.8C less hardy than buds from nonpruned trees. On several dates, a significant interaction on flower bud hardiness between ethephon treatment and pruning was detected. For trees not treated with ethephon, buds from pruned trees were 1.8 to 2.2C less hardy than those from nonpruned trees. Pruning did not affect hardiness of buds from ethephon-treated trees. Ethephon delayed bloom to the 75% fully open stage by 9 days. Pruning accelerated bloom to the 75% fully open stage by 3 days compared to nonpruned trees. Flower bud dehardening under controlled conditions was also studied. As field chilling accumulated, flower buds dehardened more rapidly and to a greater extent when exposed to heat. Pruning accelerated and intensified dehardening. Ethephon reduced the pruning effect. The percentage of buds supercooling from any ethephon or pruning treatment did not change as chilling accumulated. In trees not treated with ethepbon, fewer buds supercooled as heat accumulated, and pruning intensified this effect. In pruned, ethephon-treated trees, fewer buds supercooled after exposure to heat. The number of buds supercooling in nonpruned trees did not change with heat accumulation. Flower bud rehardening after controlled dehardening was also evaluated. After dehardening in early February, there was no difference in the bud hardiness of pruned or nonpruned trees. Buds from ethepbon-treated trees were hardier than those from nontreated trees. With reacclimation, buds from pruned trees were not as hardy as those from nonpruned trees. The percentage of buds supercooling from ethephon-treated trees did not change with deacclimation or reacclimation treatments. After deacclimation in late February, buds from pruned trees were 2.2C less hardy than those from nonpruned trees. After reacclimation, buds from pruned, ethephon-treated trees rehardened 2.6C while buds from all other treatments remained at deacclimated hardiness levels or continued to deharden. Ethephon-treated pistils were shorter than nontreated pistils. Pistils from pruned trees were longer than those from nonpruned trees. Deacclimated pistils were longer than nondeacclimated pistils. Differences in hardiness among ethephon and pruning treatments were observed, but there was no relationship between pistil moisture and hardiness.

scholarly journals Ethephon Prolongs Dormancy and Enhances Supercooling in Peach Flower Buds

1991 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 500-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward F. Durner ◽  
Thomas J. Gianfagna
Keyword(s):  
Prunus Persica ◽  
Storage Period ◽  
Bud Dormancy ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Ethephon Treatment ◽  
Bud Growth ◽  
Peach Trees ◽  
Heat Requirement

The heat requirement for flower bud growth of container-grown peach trees [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cvs. Redhaven and Springold] in the greenhouse varied inversely and linearly with the length of the cold-storage period (SC) provided to break bud dormancy. Ethephon reduced the rest-breaking effectiveness of the 5C treatment. Buds from ethephon-treated trees grew more slowly than buds from untreated trees upon exposure to 20 to 25C, resulting in later bloom dates. The effect of ethephon on flower bud hardiness in field-grown trees of `Jerseydawn' and `Jerseyglo' was studied using exotherm analysis after deacclimation treatments. Bud deacclimation varied with reacclimating temperature (7 or 21 C), cultivar, ethephon treatment, and sampling date. All buds were more susceptible to injury in March than in January or February. Buds reacclimated more rapidly at 21C than at 7C. `Jerseyglo' reacclimated more rapidly than `Jerseydawn'. Untreated buds were less hardy and also reacclimated more rapidly than treated buds. Ethephon enhanced flower bud hardiness in three distinct ways: 1) it decreased the mean low-temperature exotherm of pistils, 2) it increased the number of buds that supercooled after exposure to reacclimating temperatures, and 3) it decreased the rate of deacclimation, especially at 21C. Ethephon prolongs flower bud dormancy by increasing the chilling requirement. The rate at which flower buds become increasingly sensitive to moderate temperatures in late winter and spring is thus reduced by ethephon. Thus, ethephon delays deacclimation during winter and delays bloom in the spring. Chemical name used: (2-chloroethyl) phosphoric acid (ethephon).

FLOWER AND FRUIT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF THE XEROPHYTE OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA

1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yitzchak Gutterman
Keyword(s):  
Seed Development ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Apical Part ◽  
Terminal Segment ◽  
Prickly Pear ◽  
Axillary Buds ◽  
Mature Fruit ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Opuntia Ficus Indica

The developmental stages of the flower bud of Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear), from the initial active meristem of the axillary flower bud to the mature fruit, including pollination and seed development, are followed. This xerophyte develops flower buds mainly from the axillary buds on the margin of the apical part of the terminal segment of the flat, leafless branch (platiclades). Flower bud meristems start to be active and secrete mucus in January. The red-bracted flower buds start to appear in March/April, flowers open during May/June, and fruit matures during June/August. The developmental stages were divided into 11 stages, and some were photographed by SEM.

scholarly journals Peach Pistil Carbohydrate and Moisture Contents and Growth during Controlled Deacclimation following Ethephon Application

1991 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 507-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward F. Durner ◽  
Thomas J. Gianfagna
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Phosphoric Acid ◽  
Prunus Persica ◽  
Carbohydrate Content ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Moisture Contents ◽  
Ethephon Treatment ◽  
Bud Growth ◽  
Fall Application

Flower bud growth and carbohydrate content of pistils of two peach cultivars [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cvs. Jerseydawn and Jerseyglo] was studied during controlled postrest deacclimation in February and March at 7 and 21C following an application of ethephon (100 mg·liter-1, in October. Ethephon-treated pistils contained more sorbitol and sucrose than untreated pistils, and levels of both sugars decreased during deacclimation. Sorbitol content decreased more rapidly at 21C than at 7C in February, but no difference was detected in March. Fructose content increased during deacclimation in February and was not affected by cultivar, ethephon treatment, or deacclimation temperature. In March, fructose increased in untreated `Jerseydawn' pistils during deacclimation, but not in ethephontreated pistils. In `Jerseyglo', fructose was detected in all samples and declined during deacclimation. Glucose was not detected in treated pistils in February. In untreated pistils, glucose increased during deacclimation. In March, glucose was not detected in `Jerseydawn' pistils reacclimated at 7C. At 21C, glucose was detected only in untreated pistils after 2, 3, or 4 days of deacclimation. In `Jerseyglo', glucose was detected in all pistils. Moisture content of ethephon-treated pistils was lower than untreated pistils in both February and March. Pistil moisture content during deacclimation increased more slowly in ethephon-treated pistils than in untreated pistils in February, but not in March. Pistils sampled in March had a lower moisture content when reacclimated at 7C than at 21C. Pistil growth at 21C was slower in ethephon-treated buds than in untreated buds, but no difference was detected at 7C. The effects of a fall application of ethephon on the carbohydrate content of flower buds in relation to both winter deacclimation and growth in the spring are discussed. Chemical names used: (2-chloroethyl) phosphoric acid (ethephon).

scholarly journals Bulking Duration and Daminozide Affect Growth and Flowering of Achillea בCoronation Gold’

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-88
Author(s):  
Mohan Li ◽  
J. Raymond Kessler ◽  
Gary J. Keever ◽  
Wheeler G. Foshee
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Foliar Spray ◽  
Growth Retardant ◽  
Main Stem ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Open Flower ◽  
Single Shoot

A study was conducted to determine the effects of bulking duration and the plant growth retardant daminozide on plant growth and flowering of greenhouse-grown ‘Coronation Gold’ yarrow (Achillea בCoronation Gold’). Single-shoot liners of yarrow were transplanted on October 14 and December 2, 2010, into 15 cm (6 in) containers and bulked for 4, 6, 8, or 10 weeks prior to exposure to night-interrupted lighting (NIL). Increasing the bulking duration increased the number of shortened, thickened stems of rosette-like appearance, or offsets, that had developed from the base of the main stem by the end of bulking by 100 to 367% and reduced days to first and five open inflorescences, hereafter referred to as flowers, from the beginning of NIL by 13 to 16 days and 10 to 20 days for the October and December potting dates, respectively. Increasing the bulking duration increased flower and flower bud number by 67 and 25% in the October 14 and December 2 potting dates, respectively. Therefore, more flowers and flower buds formed on yarrow when potted early, compared to late potting. Lengths of the first five open flower stems were inconsistent and minimally affected by bulking duration. In a repeat of the experiment potted on December 2 using the same bulking treatments, 5,000 ppm of daminozide was applied as a foliar spray when half the plants in a bulking duration had begun to elongate and was reapplied 1 week later. Daminozide application decreased stem length at first open flower by 20 to 43%, but increased days to first flower and five open flowers by 6 and 8 days, respectively. As in the first experiment, increasing the bulking duration increased the number of offsets and flower and flower bud number and reduced days to first and five open flowers.

scholarly journals Genotype, Temperature, and Fall-applied Ethephon Affect Plum Flower Bud Development and Ovule Longevity

1992 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yerko M. Morenol ◽  
Anita Nina Miller-Azarenko ◽  
William Potts
Keyword(s):  
Mineral Content ◽  
Boron Content ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Full Bloom ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Terminal Flower ◽  
Ethephon Treatment ◽  
Bud Growth ◽  
Growth Chambers

Flower bud growth and ovule longevity of plum (Prunus domestics L.) cultivars Italian and Brooks and the effects of fall-applied ethephon and of temperature were studied. Fresh and dry weights of terminal flower buds were measured at l-week intervals from 50 days to 1 day before bloom in 1988. Buds were also analyzed for N, P, K, Ca, and B. After bloom, ovule longevity was determined using a fluorescence method after staining with aniline blue. Ovule longevity was determined in 1990 using shoots excised at full bloom from untreated and ethephon-treated trees of both cultivars and held in growth chambers for 18 days at 5, 10, 15, or 20C. `Brooks' flower buds showed a higher accumulation of fresh and dry weight than `Italian', and ethephon reduced bud weights in both cultivars. Ethephon did not affect mineral content of flower buds of `Brooks', but `Italian' flower buds contained a higher concentration of Ca and a lower concentration of P when treated with ethephon. Boron content was higher in the ethephon-treated buds of `Italian' trees on some sampling dates. Ovule longevity was higher for `Brooks' than for `Italian' in both years. Ethephon treatment delayed ovule senescence in `Italian' flowers, but had little or no effect on `Brooks' flowers. Increasing temperatures induced faster ovule senescence in both cultivars. Chemical name used. 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethephon).

scholarly journals Ethephon Treatment May Alleviate the Suppression of Female Flowers of Cucurbita Pepo under High Temperatures

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 1421-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.C. Wien
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Female Flower ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Ethylene Action ◽  
Ethephon Treatment ◽  
Flower Bud Formation ◽  
Female Flowers

When pumpkins are grown in elevated temperatures (32/27 °C day/night) for 1 week during flower development, fewer female flower buds are formed than at normal temperatures (20/15 °C) and only a small percentage of these reach anthesis. To determine if application of the ethylene-releasing compound ethephon can overcome the suppression of female flowers at high temperatures, `Baby Bear' pumpkin plants were sprayed at the two-leaf stage with 100 or 300 μL L–1 ethephon and then grown in hot and cool greenhouse compartments. At 20/15 °C, 17% of the first 15 main stem nodes produced female flower buds on control plants and virtually all of these developed into open flowers. The higher rate of ethephon increased female bud percentage to 37%. At 32/27 °C, only 3% of the nodes formed female flower buds and 2% flowered. Application of ethephon did not significantly increase female expression at high temperature, and none of the buds reached anthesis. Treatment with the inhibitor of ethylene action silver thiosulfate reduced female flower bud formation at the low temperature and entirely suppressed female flower buds at high temperature. In two additional experiments, these treatments were applied to two cultivars grown at a less extreme 32/20 and at 20/15 °C. Female buds and open flowers were moderately increased by ethephon in the high temperatures, suggesting that ethephon might foster female flowering in less extreme temperatures. Further work is needed to determine if ethephon treatment can overcome the heat-induced inhibition of female flowers in pumpkin under field conditions.

scholarly journals GROWTH RETARDANTS effects ON FLOWERING AND YIELD PARAMETERS OF SPANISH JASMINE (Jasminum grandiflorum L.)

1970 ◽  
pp. 01-03
Author(s):  
R. SUDHAGAR, S. KAMALAKANNAN
Keyword(s):  
Shelf Life ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Foliar Spray ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Flower Stalk ◽  
Yield Attributes ◽  
Yield Parameters ◽  
Randomized Block Design

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of growth retardants on flowering and yield parameters and shelf life of spanish jasmine. The experiment comprised of eleven treatments each replicated thrice was executed following the principles of randomized block design. The treatments included foliar spray of CCC @ 1000, 1500 and 2000 ppm, alar @ 1000, 2000 and 3000 ppm, ethrel @ 1000, 1500 and 2000 ppm, pruning and untreated control. In this study, the application of CCC 1500 ppm exerted favourable influence and enhanced the flower bud characters viz., flower bud length (2.98 cm), flower stalk length (2.36 cm) and total length of the flower (5.34 cm). The yield and yield attributes viz., hundred flower buds weight (9.90 g), flower buds yield plant-1 (4.23 kg), flower buds yield plot-1 (33.84 kg) and flower buds yield hectare-1 (14.1 t ha-1) were also found to be the maximum in the plants treated with CCC 1500 ppm. The plant growth retardants did not show any significant effect on shelf life of flowers.

Cyclamen Leaf Unfolding Rate in Response to Temperature

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 447d-447
Author(s):  
Meriam Karlsson ◽  
Jeffrey Werner
Keyword(s):  
Day Length ◽  
Leaf Number ◽  
Cyclamen Persicum ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Leaf Unfolding ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Number Of Leaves ◽  
Growth Chambers ◽  
Response To Temperature

Nine-week-old plants of Cyclamen persicum `Miracle Salmon' were transplanted into 10-cm pots and placed in growth chambers at 8, 12, 16, 20, or 24 °C. The irradiance was 10 mol/day per m2 during a 16-h day length. After 8 weeks, the temperature was changed to 16 °C for all plants. Expanded leaves (1 cm or larger) were counted at weekly intervals for each plant. The rate of leaf unfolding increased with temperature to 20 °C. The fastest rate at 20 °C was 0.34 ± 0.05 leaf/day. Flower buds were visible 55 ± 7 days from start of temperature treatments (118 days from seeding) for the plants grown at 12, 16, or 20 °C. Flower buds appeared 60 ± 6.9 days from initiation of treatments for plants grown at 24 °C and 93 ± 8.9 days for cyclamens grown at 8 °C. Although there was no significant difference in rate of flower bud appearance for cyclamens grown at 12, 16, or 20 °C, the number of leaves, flowers, and flower buds varied significantly among all temperature treatments. Leaf number at flowering increased from 38 ± 4.7 for plants at 12 °C to 77 ± 8.3 at 24 °C. Flowers and flower buds increased from 18 ± 2.9 to 52 ± 11.0 as temperature increased from 12 to 24 °C. Plants grown at 8 °C had on average 6 ± 2 visible flower buds, but no open flowers at termination of the study (128 days from start of treatments).

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