2007 Volume 6 Issue 3 Pages 355-359
Effects of the excision of mother tuber on flowering and growth of daughter tubers of Sandersonia aurantiaca plants were investigated. By large excision of the mother tuber, the numbers of leaves and stem elongation were retarded and the numbers of flowers were decreased. The number of days to flower budding and the number of days to flowering were increased by large excision of the mother tuber. The length of normal fingerlike or fork shaped daughter tubers was not affected by excision of the mother tuber. The maximum diameter of daughter tubers was larger when excision of the mother tuber was smaller. The fresh weight of daughter tubers was larger when excision of the mother tuber was smaller, and was the greatest without removal (control), intermediate at removal of the enlarged stem base, leaving 1/2 remaining, and the smallest when only 1/4 was left remaining. The fresh weight of daughter tubers at 1/4 remaining treatment was about 50% of the control. It was concluded that flowering of Sandersonia is adversely affected by slight excision of the mother tuber at planting, while slight excision of the mother tuber hardly affect enlargement of the daughter tubers.
