Karely, new variety of cut flower heliconia, suitable for the humid Mexican tropics

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Simitrio Ortiz Curiel
Carlos H. Avendaño-Arrazate
Leobardo Iracheta-Donjuan

Keywords

Inflorescence, bract, cut flower.

Resumen

Objective: To describe Heliconia uxpanapensis x Heliconia latispatha var. Karely, interspecific variety generated for cut flower based on commercial standards.


Design/Methodology/Approach: Interspecific hand pollination was carried out between H. uxpanapensis Gutiérrez Báez x H. latispatha Benth. The female parent is endemic to Mexico; it presents compact growth due to its pachymorphic rhizome, red and erect inflorescence, and bracts in distal position. H. latispatha grows expansively due to its leptomorphic rhizome, its inflorescence, composed of orange bracts, is erect and helical. The F1 hybrid was self-fertilized and produced viable seed. The mature zygotic embryos were germinated in vitro, the seedlings were acclimatized at six months and at ten months they were established in the field; Heliconia var. Karely was generated from this population.


Results: Karely variety is F2 product of the interspecific cross between H. uxpanapensis x H. latispatha, it presents a compact growth habit, erect inflorescence, bracts in distal position of orange color with red border. The inflorescence is clean and healthy. The postharvest half-life is 15 days


Study Limitations/Implications: Karely must be cultivated under an agroforestry system in conditions of 20 to 30 % shade for the adequate pigmentation of the bracts. In addition, it requires sandy-loam soil for proper development and growth of its inflorescence.


Findings/Conclusions: Karely has ideal characteristics for cut flower and meets the characteristics established by the market.

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