Promotion of Globularia sarcophylla flowering by Uniconazol, an inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis

Globularia sarcophylla, originating from the Canary Islands, was recently introduced as a new cut flower in Israel. Two major problems have prevented its commercialization: the late-summer blooming and the low quality of its flowering shoots. In the present work we studied the factors affecting G. sarcophylla flowering. We found that long-day (LD) conditions slightly promote flowering but artificial photoperiodic illumination does not enable the manipulation of flowering time. On the other hand, treatment with the gibberellin (GA)-biosynthesis inhibitor, Uniconazol, had a dramatic promotive effect on flowering time. Application of Uniconazol in autumn or winter induced flowering in winter or early spring, respectively. The inhibitor did not advance flowering during the summer or in the phytotron under high temperatures. When plants were grown in the spring/summer under heavy shading, they did not flower unless they were treated with Uniconazol. Uniconazol treatment also improved flower quality by reducing the length of inflorescence pedicles. This effect was found in all seasons. Based on our results, we raise the hypothesis that Uniconazol treatment induces flowering by diverting assimilates to the apex. Inhibition of GA biosynthesis under conditions limiting photosynthetic activity reduces vegetative growth and increases the availability of assimilates to the apex, leading to flower initiation. However, under high irradiance and/or high temperatures, when the levels of assimilates are sufficient to induce natural flowering, the inhibitor has no further effect. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.