Bulblet differentiation from Lilium longiflorum Thunb. bulb-scales

MARINANGELI PABLO; LUIS HERNÁNDEZ; CECILIA PELLEGRINI; NÉSTOR CURVETTO

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE

American Society for Horticultural Science

Lugar: Alexandria; Año: 2003 vol. 128 p. 324 - 329

0003-1062

External, middle and inner scales in parent bulbs were studied to evaluate the behavior of bulblet differentiation in Lilium longiflorum. We present a 13-stage developmental process, describing different steps including preprimordial, primordial, and bulblet formation. For all scales, preprimordial and primordial stages occured within the first four days. The differentiation process depended on parent scale position. Most bulblets arising from external scales reached three true scales while bulblets from middle ones formed four true scales. Homogeneity in the morphology of the parent scales, only shown in the middle ones, was associated with an immediate change of developmental stage for the population of bulblets. Iinner scales showed few bulblets with three and four true scales, the rest remaining at earlier developmental stages. Bulblet production decreased from external to internal scales: 2.6, 2.2, and 1.2 bulblets per scale, respectively, and showed a positive correlation with the scale base width. Maximum scale weight and surface area and maximum bulblet diameter and dry weight occurred in the middle scales. We conclude that scales located in the middle position of parent bulbs have a high bulblet differentiation potential and guarantee appropriate material homogeneity and better bulblet quality.