Understanding flower development: manipulating photoperiod the most valuable tool to control flower initiation

摘要

What factors can we use to influence the induction and development of flowers in daily greenhouse practice? The short answer would be this: Photoperiod. Light. Temperature. Nutrition. Quite straightforward we might think -- until we find out that virtually every species reacts differently to each of these factors as far as flower development is concerned. A grower needs to know the details of the flower mechanism for each crop in the greenhouse, in order to gain complete control over timing and quality. Most of the common species are well researched and documented and information about flower mechanisms is readily available. However many minor crops are either not well understood yet, or the information is hard to come by, or both. In those cases the grower has to rely on experience, basic principles, a green thumb, and as many contacts to other growers as possible.