The objective was to determine the productivity and profitability of field-grown specialty cut flowers. Productivity and profitability of cut flowers were based on yield and stem length measurements. Two 54 m2 beds were planted with 20 annual cut flower species and two beds with 20 perennial species. The experiment was a randomized complete block design with 16 plants per species in each block. Total number of flower stems per replication produced by annual species ranged from 35 to 1946. Percentage of productive plants was 100% for most of the annual species. The total number of flower stems harvested per productive plant ranged from 4 to 122 and bunches of flowers per 0.09 m2 varied from less than 1 to 12. Income estimates per 0.09 m2 indicated some species were highly profitable. Total number of flower stems per replication produced by perennial species ranged from 8 to 1501. Seven species of perennials did not bloom. The 3 perennial species with the greatest total number of flower stems harvested had 100% of the plants in production during the growing season and a greater total number of flower stems harvested per productive plant. Only four perennial species showed a positive income estimate per 0.09 m2. Percent mortality had an effect on productivity and was greater overall for the perennial species than the annual species. The lower overhead associated with field production coupled with highly productive species proved to be profitable.
1 Assistant Professor. 2 Former Graduate Research Assistant. Support was provided by Univ. of Tennessee Agricultural Expt. Station funds and the Tennessee Flower Growers' Association. George Ball Seed Co., Benary Seed Co., Nicholl's Gardens
A set of studies was established in Summer 1998 to determine the tolerance of field-grown cut flower species to specific preemergence herbicides, the effectiveness of weed control by those materials, and to determine if productivity of cut flowers is affected either by the herbicides or by colored mulches. Pendimethalin provided excellent early season weed control, but poor late-season control. It consistently caused injury at 4 lb a.i./A and sometimes at the 2 lb a.i./A rate. Oryzalin provided good to excellent weed control, but slightly injured celosia and zinnia when applied at 4 lb a.i./A. Napropamide provided excellent early season weed control, but marginally acceptable weed control later in the season. Though napropamide caused some injury to celosia early in the season when applied at the high rate, no injury to any of the plants was observed later in the season. Prodiamine and trifluralin were the overall safest of the herbicides, but they provided the weakest weed control. OH-2 was very effective when placed on the soil surface, but was less effective when placed on an organic mulch. The organic mulch was designed to keep the OH-2 particles from splashing on to the crop plant and injuring the plants. OH-2 tended to be safer placed on a mulch than on the soil surface, but statice was slightly injured even when a mulch was used.
Conventional irrigation practices of cut-fl ower greenhouse crops may result in application of excess water, resulting in runoff which may pollute the environment and contaminate drinking water supplies. A computerized irrigation control system based on soil moisture tension, originally designed for potted plants, was adapted for use in cut flower production. Tensiometers equipped with a high-fl ow ceramic tip and pressure transducers were effective in monitoring the soil moisture in the root zone of plants grown in ground beds and responded to rapid changes in soil moisture. The irrigation control system using these sensors, a computer, and custom-written software continuously monitored the moisture condition of the soil, initiated irrigation when the soil dried to a specific level, and turned off the water when an adequate amount was applied. When the system was installed in a greenhouse producing roses, water use decreased while productivity (stems harvested/m2) and stem length increased substantially. The observed increases in productivity and quality can result in significant increases in profitability for commercial rose producers.
Abstract
The effects of duration of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) flower and runner removal on first- and second-year yields were determined for two day-neutral cultivars (‘Tribute’ and ‘Brighton’), an everbearing cultivar (‘Ozark Beauty’), and a Junebearing cultivar (‘Scott’). For ‘Tribute’ and ‘Brighton’, flower removal until 1 July of the planting year resulted in maximum first-year yields, with continued flower removal positively associated with second-year yields. There was no effect of first-year fruiting on second-year production in ‘Scott’. Runner removal resulted in decreased cumulative yields per plot for all cultivars, but the effect was greatest for ‘Scott’. Second year fruit production of ‘Brighton’, ‘Tribute’, and ‘Ozark Beauty’ was synchronous and bimodal, with differences in yield occurring only in the later peak. Treatment had no effect on the periodicity of the fruiting cycle for any cultivar. ‘Tribute’ had the highest yield of the four cultivars in both years, whereas ‘Ozark Beauty’ had the smallest 2-year cumulative yield.
, anthocyanin concentration), flower number (by increasing flower abscission), flower productivity (percent flower canopy cover, leaf area), the number of vegetative nodes before flowering, the time to flowering, and leaf appearance in both cut flower ( Dela et
complete block design with three replications and with five plants per replicate. The plants were arranged on a plant stand (0.61 m high) made of wire mesh and spaced out, 60 cm × 60 cm. Table 1. Productivity data, measured as number of cut flowers per
of the spathe, spadix length and carriage, straightness of the peduncle and peduncle length, overall symmetry of the cut flower, and productivity ( Kamemoto and Kuehnle, 1996 ; Kamemoto et al., 1986 ). Anthurium andraeanum Linden ex André was first
use of foliar and soil analyses using critical nutrient concentration ranges that were not developed on flower or biomass productivity considerations, but rather on subjective foliage aesthetics ( Cabrera, 2000 ), have largely contributed to the
The floriculture industry is constantly looking for new cultivars and species of cut flowers to excite the consumers and diversify production ( Regan and Dole, 2010 ). The specialty cut flower industry can take advantage of innovation by regularly