Horticultural performance of ethylene-insensitive etr1-1 petunias

Savannah Mead*and Nicole Waterland
Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Presentation No.: 30

Assigned Category (Presentation Format): Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (Poster Presentations)

Student’s Major: Horticulture

Petunias (Petunia x hybrida) are among the most popular and economically important crops in the floricultural industry. The value of floriculture crops increases with higher horticultural performance such as aesthetics consistency, uniformity, vigor, and longevity. The flower of etr1-1, an ethylene-insensitive mutant, is known to last twice as long (14 days) as wild type ‘Mitchell Diploid’ petunia (MD; 7 days). Horticultural performance between etr1-1 and MD petunias was evaluated for the potential economic benefit of etr1-1 usage. Horticultural performance metrics, including nutrient content, biomass, floral longevity, turgidity, and vigor, were compared between two cultivars. MD exhibited higher growth index as an indicator of vigor by 43% (p<0.0001). The average change in turgidity over a 24-hour postharvest submersion period was similar (P=0.2643). Both cultivars showed similar aesthetic consistency and uniformity at maturity. Better performance of etr1-1, indicated by the increased floral longevity and reduced vigor may offer excellent commercial potential, although other qualities such as tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses should be considered.

Funding:

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's SURE program (Rita Rio & Michelle Richards-Babb)