Investigations on propagation and domestication possibilities of three endemic Allium species (A. junceum subs. tridentatum, A. robertianum, A. sandrasicum) native to Antalya as potantial floricultural crops

ABSTRACT INVESTIGATIONS ON PROPAGATION AND DOMESTICATION POSSD3ILITIES OF THREE ENDEMIC ALLIUM SPECIES (A.junceum subs, tridentatum, A. roberüanum, A, sandrasicum) NATIVE TO ANTALYA AS POTANTIAL FLORICULTURAL CROPS Özgül KARAGÜZEL Ph.D. Thesis in Department of Horticulture Adviser: Prof. Dr. Ibrahim BAKTIR January 2005, 137 Pages This study was conducted to determine propagation and domestication possibilities of three endemic Allium species as potantial floricultural crops, in four seperate experiments. The first experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of growing conditions (glasshouse and open field) and cooling (cold) chilling treatments (at 5 °C and 10 °C for 15,30 and 60 days) on growth and flowering of three species used in tihs study. In second experiment, effect of application methods (foliar spray,soil drench and dipping) and doses (control, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg/plant) at Paclobutrazol on growth and flowering characteristics of A.robertianum and A.sandrasicum were tested. Third experiment series were carried out to investigate germination characteristics of species and propagation of them by seed using traditional or in vitro germintion methods. The purpose of the fourth experiment was to determine post harvest characteristics of species as potential cut-flower crops. During the study, mesaurements and observations related to the morphological and phenological characteristics of species in their native habitats were also performed. The study was carried out between 2002 and 2004 in native habitats of species, the greenhouse, field, tissue culture laboratories of The Agricultural Research Institute of West Mediterranean and tissue culture laboratories of Department of Horticultural Akdeniz University, Faculty of Agriculture. IllResults related to the first experiment indicated that all three species showed well adaptation in both glasshouse and partially shady place. The plants arised from bulbs chilled at 10 °C and grown under glasshouse conditions gave better results with respect to growth and flowering characteristics whereas plants grown partially open-field were better in leaf color and vigorousness. According to the second experiment results, paclobutrazol treatments had clear effect on growth and flowering and it was determined that paclobutrazol was more effective with the higher doses Applications of paclobutrazol at 2.5 mg/plant doses also decreased the number of days from planting to flowering. In the third experiment series, results showed that seed germinations in each of three species were very well in open field. There was not any problem on the germinations of the species. Bulblet formations on seedlings were nearly observed 8 months after the germinations.. Germination rates and bulblet formations were relatively low in MS media. In the fourth experiment, it was found that GTS applications increased vase life of Allium species. KEY WORDS: Allium, seed, bulb, cultivation, propagation, cold treatments paclobutrazol, GTS. COMMITTEE: Prof. Dr. Ibrahim BAKTIR (Advisor) Prof. Dr. Mustafa GÖKÇEO?LU Prof. Dr. Ibrahim UZUN Prof. Dr. Atilla AŞKIN Prof. Dr. Osman KARAGÜZEL IV