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Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology

Gypsophila

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Datta Awchar(2012-11-106)

College of Horticulture

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Baby’s Breath

Greek word: gypsos – gypsum

philos – friendship

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Origin: Europe & Asia

Important member of top ten cut flowers

Introduction

Both single & double flowers extensively used as cut

flowers

G. paniculata and G. elegans popular cutflower used

in flower arrangement and bouquets

Mainly used as fillers in flower arrangements and

bouquets

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...Introduction

o G. eleganso G. pacificao G. paniculatao G. acutifoliao G. cerastioideso G. perfoliatao G. repenso G. viscosa 5

There are about 150 species in the genus

Species include:

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G. paniculata G. repens

G. elegans G. aretioides

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G. pacifica

G. cerastioides

G. viscosa

G. perfoliata

EXTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING PLANT GROWTH & FLOWERING

Photoperiod :

Lond day plant Flower inducement more effective after 45 days

of vernalization & 16 hours of photoperiod

Light :

Critical factor in flower production during winter Gypsophila does best in full sun in cool summer

areas or partial sun in warm summer areas 8

Temperature : Optimum growing temperature is 15°C Higher temperature (30°C) will reduce flowering

Relative humidity :o Plantlets grown at high RH larger & consisted of more

shoots than in low RH

CO2 :

Within a month CO2 treated plants showed a weight increase by 2-3 times than control

CO2 concentration upto 350 microliters9

Plant growth regulators :

GA, BA, Kinetin, Paclobutrazol have influence on growth &

flowering

Photoperiods & temperatures also influence the efficacy of

PGRs

GA3 250mg/l spray 3 times a week increase plant height,

number of flowering shoots/plant & length of flowering shoot

Application of BA 300ppm in heated plastic green house

under long day conditions promoted flower initiation

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PROPAGATION

Seed propagation

Vegetative propagation

Cutting

Grafting

Micropropagation

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CULTIVATION

Areas with congenial climate grown in outdoors

Gypsophila is a long day plant requires plenty of sun light with

high irradiance

Location :

Should be sunny throughout the day

Free from any strong winds

Amble supply of irrigation water

Should not be any waterlogging

Should be free of frost 12

Soil & soil sterilization:

Soil should be well drained with a low water table

pH - 6.5 to 7.5

Plot with a 3 years history of monoculture, yield increases

with solarization & fumigation with methyl bromide with

15% & 27% respectively

Soilless cultivation:

The best substrate for growth of G. paniculata is perlite +

peat & husk pines + perlite + peat substrate13

Types of cultivation:

Open field

Green house

Planting density:

Depends on the variety – 6-8 plants/square meter

40,000-50,000 plants per hectare

Bed should be 1 m wide and the paths between beds 0.5 m

Irrigation:

2-3 drip lines and an overhead system 14

Pruning: After the second flush plants are pruned usually 2-3 cm

above ground level The GA 150ppm is sprayed after the pruning when growth

is delayed

Pinching: Pinching increases the flower stalk length & cut flower

production Pinching delays the days to budding & blooming but

increase the flower stalk length Leaf number & leaf width larger under non pinching

treatment than pinching treatment

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Mulching:

Black polyethylene film hasten flowering

Cut flower yield increased by early planting & use of

reflective film

Harvesting:

It is harvested when the flowers are open & not matured

Flowers on the plant do not open simultaneously

Tip of spray opens first & is harvested separately

Flowers should not placed in water & refrigerated

immediately after the harvest 16

POST HARVEST HANDLING & TECHNOLOGY

Gypsophila exhibited a vase life of 14 days Flower can be stored for 1-2 days at 40C Dried flowers last for >1 year

Bud opening solution: Improve the water balance of cut inflorescence during transport 200ppm 8HQC + 25 ppm silver nitrate + 5-10% sugar for 72

hours

Pulsing solution: 5% sucrose + 510 ppm Benzalkonium chloride + 300 ppm GA

at 210C results the longest vase life with 99% flower

opening17

Vacuum cooling: Cooling rate increased with both water spray & stem water

absorption Water absorption through stem of cut flowers of gypsophila

used to prevent water loss during vacuum cooling

Packing: A corrugated modified atmosphere box (MAP box) consisting

of an inner layer of a differentially permeable polymer incorporated into a craft liner laminated with a tissue paper used for packing

Inner layer limits the diffusion of CO2 & water vapour from the box

Tissue paper acts to prevent the formation of water droplets on the inside surface

It is commonly used when flowers are sent by sea transport18

Storage of cut flower:

Gypsophila flowers with about 50% flowers in open

condition kept in a preservative solution

Store >2 weeks at 20C

Gypsophila should not be stored dry as the flowers will fail

to open

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Drying of flowers:

Two methods:

1. Flowers are air dried & kept upright in a container of water

covering only the cut ends, at a temperature of 100C

2. Flowers are dipped in a solution of 1 part of glycerine & 2

parts of water

Flowers should be removed from the glycerine solution when

drops of water accumulate on the leaf surface

Stem should be dried keeping the flowers hanging down in a

well aerated room20

Cold storage & cryopreservation of plants:

Roots cut into 20cm long pieces & kept with or without peat

moss in containers stored at -2 or 20 C for 6 months

Fresh weight of root clumbs & crowns unchanged after the

cold storage

Fructose found to be high in roots stored along with peat

moss at 20C

More plant height, early flower bud formation & flowering,

longer flower stalks & thicker stem

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PESTS OF GYPSOPHILA Thrips

Regent (Fipronil) @ 1.5ml/l Pride (Acetamiprid) @ 0.4gm/l

Caterpillar

Proclaim (Emamectin benzoate) @ 0.2ml/l

Nematodes Benlate (Benomyl) @ 3gm/l Hydrogen peroxide with silver @ 3ml/l

Whitefly Astra (Methomyl) @ 1.5gm/l

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DISEASES Powdery mildew

Wettable sulphur @ 1.5gm/l Index (Myclobutanil) @ 0.5gm/l

Fusarium Topsin-M (Thyaphanate-Methyl) @ 2gm/l

Root rot

Bavistin @ 2gm/l

Bacterial blight Streptocyclin @ 0.2ml/l Emison (Ethoxy methyl mercury chloride) @ 1.5ml/l

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White Million Stars – small semidouble blooms Fun Time Ultra – small blooms Golan – medium-sized semidouble blooms New Love – medium-sized semidouble Blooms Dynamic Love– medium-sized double Blooms Over Time – large blooms Bristol Fairy – large double blooms

Pink Pinkolina - medium-sized semidouble blooms My Pink – large double blooms Pink Fairy – large double blooms Pink Star – large double blooms

Popular varieties

THANK YOU25

Thank you