Effects of growth and storage temperature on Lachenalia cv. Ronina bulb morphology

Temperature plays an important role in the production of high quality Lachenalia bulbs, which is required for successful international bulb trade. The effects of three growth temperature regimes (high, moderate and low) on the development of bulbs prior to harvest and during the storage period were studied. Bulbs planted on 1 March were harvested at 15 November and subsequently stored at 25 degreesC until 15 December. From mid-September until 15 December, 10 plants were sampled randomly from each treatment at 2-week intervals and morphological studies were conducted on these bulbs by means of serial hand sections. The high temperature regime treated bulbs developed more modules, but inflorescence abortion occurred. Bulbs subjected to a low temperature regime treatment developed slightly slower than those of the moderate and high temperature regime treatments. In all the treatments, daughter bulbs were observed in the axils of both swollen leaf bases from mid-November. In spite of the slower development of bulbs subjected to the lower temperature regime, the overall quality was better than bulbs grown in the moderate and high temperature regimes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.