The Physiology Of Tropical Orchids In Relation To The Industry, Second Edition

Over the past ten years, the orchid industry has been growing at a steady pace in South-East Asia and East Asia. In some Asian countries, orchids have become an essential export item. To maintain this progress, there is an urgent need for a book that will help the region's orchid growers in improving their cultivation and management skills, and guide new students in understanding orchid physiology. This book provides a comprehensive description of tropical orchid physiology relevant to commercial growers, research workers and graduate students. An integrated and unifying theme of tropical orchid physiology, with a clearly written factual text as well as illustrations, is presented over nine chapters. Each chapter is designed to provide comprehensive and up-to-date information on a particular aspect of orchid physiology. This book complements the existing scientific literature available for improving orchid cultivation and setting a new research agenda, especially in the tropics. Foreword......Page 6 Preface to the 2nd Edition......Page 8 Preface to the 1st Edition......Page 10 Contents......Page 12 Acknowledgements......Page 17 1.1. Introduction......Page 18 1.2. Orchid Cultivation and Industry......Page 19 1.3. How Basic Orchid Physiology Can Help the Industry......Page 22 1.4. Concluding Remarks......Page 25 General References......Page 26 2.2. Growth Habit......Page 28 Pseudobulbs......Page 30 Flowers......Page 32 Leaves......Page 39 Roots......Page 40 Epiphytic orchids......Page 41 Terrestrial orchids......Page 43 Species......Page 47 2.6. Summary......Page 50 General References......Page 51 References......Page 52 3.2. Photosynthetic Pathways......Page 54 3.3. What is δ13C Value?......Page 58 Thin-leaved orchids......Page 62 Thick-leaved orchids......Page 66 3.5. Photosynthetic Characteristics of Non-Foliar Green Organs......Page 69 Aerial roots......Page 71 Stems......Page 78 Pseudobulbs......Page 79 Flowers and fruit capsules......Page 81 Varying δ13C values in non-foliar green organs......Page 83 Effects of light......Page 85 Effects of age......Page 86 CAM orchids......Page 92 CAM orchids......Page 94 Effects of sink demands......Page 98 Effects of pollutants......Page 99 Effects of virus infection......Page 101 Effects of elevated carbon dioxide......Page 102 3.7. Concluding Remarks......Page 103 General References......Page 104 References......Page 106 4.2. Respiratory Processes......Page 110 Protocorms and seedlings......Page 113 Leaves......Page 116 Flowers......Page 118 Roots......Page 123 4.4. Respiratory Drift During Flower Development......Page 126 4.5. Photorespiration......Page 135 4.6. Other Oxidases in Relation to Orchid Respiration......Page 137 4.7. Concluding Remarks......Page 139 4.8. Summary......Page 140 General References......Page 141 References......Page 142 5.2. Mineral Requirements and Tissue Analysis......Page 146 5.3. Fertiliser Application Practices......Page 153 Effects of organic fertilisers on orchid growth......Page 155 Effects of mulching on orchid growth......Page 156 Effects of inorganic fertilisers on orchid growth......Page 160 5.4. Foliar Application and Root Absorption......Page 166 Ion uptake by orchid tissues......Page 169 Ion uptake by orchid roots......Page 170 5.7. Summary......Page 178 General References......Page 179 References......Page 180 6.2. Differentiation of Flower Bud......Page 185 6.3. Factors Affecting Flower Induction......Page 187 Response to low temperature......Page 189 Hormonal control......Page 194 6.4. Seasonality in Flowering......Page 196 6.5. Application of Flower Induction at the Commercial Level......Page 200 6.6. Bud Drop......Page 205 6.7. Controlling Orchid Flower Production......Page 206 6.8. Concluding Remarks......Page 209 General References......Page 210 References......Page 211 7.2. The Source–Sink Concept of Phloem Translocation......Page 215 Sources and sinks......Page 216 Phloem loading......Page 217 Phloem unloading......Page 218 Sources usually supply nearby sinks......Page 219 Vascular geometry and phyllotaxy can affect partitioning pattern......Page 220 7.4. Patterns of Assimilate Movement in Tropical Orchids......Page 221 Thin-leaved sympodial orchids......Page 222 Thick-leaved sympodial orchids......Page 232 Thick-leaved monopodial orchids......Page 237 7.5. Import of Assimilates by Mature Orchid Leaves......Page 243 7.7. Improving the Harvestable Yield of Orchids......Page 245 Increasing the photosynthetic capacity of orchid leaves by increasing irradiance......Page 251 Increasing photosynthetic capacity of orchid leaves by elevated carbon dioxide......Page 252 Increasing assimilate availability for flower development by selecting specific cultivars with more leaves......Page 253 7.8. Concluding Remarks......Page 256 General References......Page 257 References......Page 259 8.2. Senescence in Plants......Page 262 8.3. Growth and Development of Orchid Flower and Inflorescence......Page 264 Post-pollinated phenomena......Page 271 Ethylene and senescence......Page 273 8.5. Postharvest Handling of Cut-Flowers......Page 284 Preharvest conditions......Page 286 Extension of vase-life......Page 287 Formulation of various solutions......Page 288 8.6. Storage and Transport......Page 293 Hypobaric storage/controlled storage......Page 294 8.8. Summary......Page 297 General References......Page 298 References......Page 300 9.1. Introduction......Page 305 9.2. Factors Affecting Orchid Growth in Vitro......Page 306 Sugar......Page 307 Carbon dioxide......Page 309 Ethylene......Page 310 Nitrogen sources......Page 313 Lighting direction......Page 314 Other factors......Page 316 Gas-permeable culture system......Page 317 Alternative supporting media......Page 323 Reduction in vitrification of in vitro plantlets......Page 325 Improved rooting of plantlets......Page 326 Development of a flow system......Page 327 9.4. In Vitro Flowering......Page 329 9.5. Thin Section Culture......Page 330 9.6. Synthetic Seeds......Page 331 9.7. Concluding Remarks......Page 332 General References......Page 334 References......Page 336 General References......Page 340 References......Page 341 References......Page 342 General References......Page 344 References......Page 345 References......Page 346 References......Page 347 References......Page 348 General References......Page 349 References......Page 350 General References......Page 353 References......Page 354 Appendix II: "Can we use elevated CO2 to increase productivity in the orchid industry?" (from the Malayan Orchid Review)......Page 356 Introduction......Page 357 Current Elevated CO2 Practices for Other Horticultural and Agricultural Plants......Page 358 Scientific Basis to Explain the Positive Effects of Elevated CO2 on Orchid Growth......Page 360 Why do Some Plants Stop Responding to CO2 Enrichment? Do Orchids Behave Similarly?......Page 365 Acknowledgements......Page 366 References......Page 367 Subject Index......Page 370 Plant Index......Page 382