Plant husbandry – Process
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-14
2004-10-26
Campell, Bruce R. (Department: 1661)
Plant husbandry
Process
Reexamination Certificate
active
06807769
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Strawberries are an important and valuable crop throughout the world. Due to genetic heterozygosity, adaptability, and plasticity of the plant, this species can grow in varied environments throughout the world, from Alaska to South Africa (Martinelli, A. [1992] “Micropropagation of strawberry (Fragaria spp.)” In: Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry 18:354-370, Springer Verlag, Berlin, W. Germany). The high value of the fruit allows for intensive production methods in many regions.
Florida produced approximately 75 million kilograms of strawberries on 2,350 hectares in the 1993-94 season, an average yield of over 32,000 kg ha
−1
(Freie, R. and N. Pugh [1995] Florida agricultural statistics: Vegetable Summary 1992-1993, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tallahassee, Fla. p. 47-48). Most of the crop is harvested between December and April with peak production occurring in mid-March. The average value of fruit ranged from greater than $3.00 per kg in November/December declining through the season to less than $1.00 per kg in March/April. However, only 10% of Florida's strawberry production occurs in November/December when the crop value is highest. Greater than 50% of Florida's production occurs in March/April when fruit value is below production costs (Smith, S. and T. Taylor [1993] “Production cost for selected vegetables in Florida, 1992-93,” In:
University of Florida Circular
1121, Gainesville, Fla. p.22).
Commercial strawberry cultivars must be vegetatively propagated because seeds are not true to type. This propagation has traditionally been done in field nurseries to produce a bare-root transplant. There are many problems associated with these bare-root transplants. However, containerized transplants also have drawbacks including being very vegetative and lacking early fruit production. Researchers have studied different methods for initiating early flower development in containerized plants. For example, researchers have attempted to place containerized plants in large coolers (without light) to initiate flower buds, but this has not been successful.
Many environmental conditions have been shown to affect strawberry plant growth and development during propagation. See, for example Durner, E. F., E. B. Poling, and E. A. Albregts [1987] “Early season yield responses of selected strawberry cultivars to photoperiod and chilling in a Florida winter production system”
J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci.
112:53-56; Maas, J. L. [1986] “Photoperiod and temperature effects on starch accumulation in strawberry roots”
Adv. Strawberry Prod.
5:22-24; Long, J. H. [1935] “Seasonal changes in nitrogen and carbohydrate content of the strawberry plant”
Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci.
33:386-388 as well as dormancy Bringhurst, R. S., V. Voth and D. VanHook [1960] “Relationship of root starch content and chilling history to performance of California strawberries”
Proc. Amer. Soc. Hon. Sci.
75:373-381; and Durner, E. F., J. A. Barden, D. G. Himelrick, and E. B. Poling [1984] “Photoperiod and temperature effects on flower and runner development in day-neutral, Junebearing, and Everbearing strawberries”
J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci.
109:396-400.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention concerns methods for enhancing flower induction in strawberry plants. More specifically, one embodiment of the subject invention provides a method for inducing flowering in strawberry plants by reducing the daytime temperature of the strawberry plants. In a preferred embodiment of the subject invention the daytime temperature may be reduced from about 30° C. to about 20° C. in order to induce flowering.
In a further embodiment of the subject invention, enhanced flower induction can be obtained according to the subject invention by reducing the amount of daylight (photoperiod) to which the strawberry plant is exposed. For example, if the photoperiod in a particular area is about 12 hours, then this can be reduced to a period of time, such as 6-10 hours, sufficient to enhance flower induction. In using this means to enhance flower induction, it is not necessary to reduce the temperature. Alternatively, with the reduced photoperiod the temperature may be reduced to a lesser extent than when a full photoperiod is used.
The optimal photoperiod and temperature can be readily determined by a person skilled in the art, having the benefit of the instant disclosure, for a particular strawberry plant species in a particular location.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5444179 (1995-08-01), Izhar et al.
Heide, O. M., “Photoperiod and Temperature Interactions in Growth and Flowering of Strawberry,” The Scandinavian Society for Plant Physiology, vol. 40 (1): 21-26, 1977.*
Sonsteby, A., “Short-Day Period and Temperature Interactions on Growth and Flowering of Strawberry,” Third International Strawberry Symposium vol. II, Acta Horticulturae, No. 439, pp. 609-616, Sep. 1997.*
Darrow, G.M., “The Strawberry”, 1966, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pp. 355-365.*
Long, J.H. (1935) “Seasonal changes in nitrogen and carbohydrate content of the strawberry plant”Proc. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 33:386-388.
Durner, Edward F. and E. Barclay Poling (1986) “Early Season Yield Responses of Selected Strawberry Cultivars to Photoperiod and Chilling in a Florida Winter Production System”J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 111(6):53-56.
Durner, Edward F., J.A. Barden, D.G. Himelrick, E.B. Poling (1984) “Photoperiod and Temperature Effects on Flower and Runner Development in Day-Neutral, Hunebearing, and Everbearing Strawberries”J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 109(3):396-400.
Smith, Scott A. and Timothy G. Taylor (Jun., 1991) “Production Costs for Selected Vegetables in Florida, 1990-91”Economic Information Report EI 91-2(Food&Resource Economics Dept., Agr. Exp. Stations, IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611).
Bish, E.B. et al. “Development of containerized strawberry transplants for Florida's winter production system”Acta Hort., 1997, book No. 439, vol. 1, pp. 461-468.
Bish, E.B. et al. “A system for producing large quantities of greenhouse-grown strawberry plantlets for plug production”HortTechnology, 2001, 11(4):636-638.
Bish, E.B. and Cantliffe, D.J. “Strawberry daughter plant size alters transplant growth and development”Acta Hort., 2000, book No. 533, vol. 1, pp. 121-124.
Bish, E.B. et al. “Container volume and media particle size alter growth of strawberry transplants”Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc., 1997, 110:258-261.
Bish, E.B. et al. “Strawberry plug transplants: Regulation of growth and production”Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc., 1996, 109:160-164.
Bish, E.B. et al. “Temperature conditioning and container size affect early season fruit yield of strawberry plug plants in a winter, annual hill production system”HortScience, 2002, 37(5):762-764.
Darnell, R.L. et al. “The physiology of flowering in strawberry”Horticultural Reviews, 2003, 28:325-349.
Kirschbaum, D.S. et al. “Strawberry waiting bed plants: a valid alternative to increase early and total yields in sub-tropical regions”Scientia Horticulturae, 2000, 84:83-90.
Kirschbaum, D.S. et al. “Propagation site latitude influences initial carbohydrate concentration and partitioning, growth, and fruiting of ‘Sweet Charlie’ strawberry (Fragaria X AnanassaDuch.) transplants grown in Florida”Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc., 1998, 111:93-96.
Bish Eric B.
Cantliffe Daniel J.
Chandler Craig K.
Campell Bruce R.
McCormick-Ewoldt S. B.
Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik
University of Florida
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