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Photoplates of some Heliconia species and cultivars available in Eastern part of India (Source Author's collection during her research work). From top left to right: H. psittacorum × H. spathocircinata cv. ‘Golden Torch’, H. psittacorum var. ‘Lady di’, H. psittacorum var. ‘Choconiana’, H. wagneriana, H. stricta var. ‘Dwarf Jamaican Red’, H. stricta, H. rostrata, H. humilis, H. metallica
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Heliconia, also known as ‘False-Bird-of-Paradise’, is a genus of flowering plants in the monotypic family of Heliconiaceae.The genus contains 250–300 species distributed in Neotropical areas from the North of Mexico to the South of Brazil. Several Heliconia species are widely cultivated as ornamental plants for landscaping as well for cut flower pr...
Citations
... Traditionally, these plants are used in gardens and also as cut flower. The current scenario, post-pandemic, is associated with the increasing popularity of these segments among consumers in pan world (Paull, 1990;Paull and Chantrachit, 2001;Jaroenkit and Paull, 2003;Reis et al., 2020a andReis et al., 2020b;Malakar et al., 2022). The main pros of tropical flowers are the eco-friendliness characteristics as mentioned by Darras (2021) while the current global floral trends i.e 'Sustainable' and 'Wellbeing' (Kaishita, 2022) also endorse the significance of its cultivation. ...
... Colombia (15.4%) and Mexico (10.9%) are at the forefront of its production (Linares-Gabriel et al., 2020). India has been identified as the emerging domestic producer of this Specialty Tropical Cut Flower (STCF) among the Southeast Asian countries (Malakar et al., 2022).The price of a cut stem is approximatelyUS$2-3 or US$3-5 for the erected (80-100 cm length) or the pendent helicônias (e.g.H. rostrata)respectively (e-Source: https:// www.cbi.eu/events/royal-floraholland-trade-fair-rfhtf-2016; no recent data are available). ...
Aesthetic attributes and easy-to-grow nature of tropical cut flowers (TCFs) have contributedto their potential for increased production. The dearth of information regarding agronomic practices and lack of planting materials are the key hindrances against their fast expansion. Unconventional high-temperature storage requirements and the anatomy of the peduncle contribute topoor vase life performance, while troublesome packaging and transport due to unusual size and structureprimarily cause post-harvest quality deterioration. Nonetheless, the exotic floral structuresconsequently increase market demand, particularly in temperate countries. This boosts studies aimed at overcoming post-harvest hindrances. While a few TCFs (Anthurium, Strelitzia, Alpinia, and a few orchids) are under the spotlight, many others remain behind the veil. Heliconia, an emerging specialty TCF (False Bird-of-Paradise, family Heliconiaceae), is one of them. The structural uniquenessand dazzling hues of Heliconia genotypes facilitate shifting its position from the back to the forefrontof the world floriculture trade. The unsatisfactory state-of-the-art of Heliconia research and the absence of any review exclusively on it are the key impetus for structuring this review. In addition to the aforementioned setbacks, impaired water uptake capacity after harvest, high chilling sensitivity, and the proneness of xylem ducts to microbial occlusion may be counted as a few additional factors that hinder its commercialization. This review demonstrates the state-of-the-art of post-harvest research while also conceptualizing the implementation of advanced biotechnological aid to alleviate the challenges, primarily focusing on Heliconia (the model crop here) along with some relevant literature on its other allied members. Standard harvesting indices, grading, and packaging are also part of the entire post-harvest operational chain, but since these phases are barely considered in Heliconia and the majority of tropical ornamentals except a few, a comprehensive account of these aspects has also been given. The hypothesized cues to nip chilling injury, resorting to different biochemical treatments, nano-based technology, and advanced packaging techniques, may Frontiers in Plant Science CITATION Malakar M, Paiva PDO, Beruto M and Cunha Neto AR (2023) Review of recent advances in post-harvest techniques for tropical cut flowers and future prospects: Heliconia as a case-study. help overcome preservation difficulties and propel its transition from niche to the commercial flower market. In a nutshell, readers will gain a comprehensive overview of how optimum post-harvest handling practices can rewardingly characterize this unique group of TCFs as the most remunerative component.
... Such a system of flowering could be an important tool in selective breeding and hybridization. The in vitro flowering facilitated management of the flowering window and overcoming incompatibility barriers [23,24]. The occurrence of in vitro flowering in V. negundo was observed earlier while optimizing the micropropagation protocols [25,26]. ...
Vitex
negundo L. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic species used to cure several illnesses worldwide. The plant is a panacea of herbal formulations with several of its metabolites exhibiting significant pharmacological properties. The present study is an attempt to find the impact of silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) on inducing in vitro flowering in V. negundo. The floral morphology of in vitro and in vivo plants was evaluated using standard light microscopy techniques. SiNPs were tested at concentrations ranging from 50 mg L−1 to 300 mg L−1 by supplementation in the optimized shoot proliferation medium (Murashige and Skoog’s medium + 0.5 mg L−1 6- benzylaminopurine + 0.25 mg L−1 indole-3 acetic acid). The morphometric evaluation indicated 100 mg L−1 SiNP promoted flower bud induction within 2 weeks of the culture of shoots. The floral buds thus formed indicated the presence of distinct calyx, corolla, androecium, and gynoecium. A maximum of 28 flowers were found born on inflorescences by the 8th week of culture. The flowers remained pedicellate, pale purple, bisexual, and zygomorphic. The calyces were greenish-purple, pale-purple corolla, and didynamous-dithecous anthers. The ovary was globose, superior, and the style was linear with a short unequally bifid stigma. The stereomicroscopic analysis of floral morphology revealed that the flowers developed in vitro were almost similar to the mother plant except that the size was smaller. The pollens were viable, and the seed set occurred on pollination under in vitro conditions. To date, there is no published scientific report on the impact of SiNPs on in vitro flower induction in V. negundo and the comparative floral and pollen morphology. The present study confirms that the application of SiNPs could induce year-round in vitro flowering, and significantly improve in vitro rooting and acclimatization response of V. negundo plantlets.
... In addition, in vitro flowering also plays an important role in hybridization in plants, especially in hybridization techniques using pollen from rare cultivars. The barriers of incompatibility in plants can be overcome using in vitro methods and embryo-rescue techniques in distant breeding (van Tuyl et al. 1991;Malakar et al. 2022). ...
In the present study, the positive effects of AgNPs were demonstrated for adventitious shoot formation, in vitro flowering and fruiting of Passiflora edulis Sims f. edulis-an important commercial crop. The results showed that shoot regeneration from lTCL (87.67%) and oTCL (100%) explants were significantly improved on the medium supplemented AgNPs. The in vitro shoots derived from TCL explants were used for shoot multiplication. The treatment with 1.0 mg/L meta-topolin (mT) and 5 mg/L AgNPs enhanced the shoot multiplication with the highest number of shoots (13.67 shoots/explant), shoot height (4.33 cm), and total chlorophyll content (33.93 nmol/cm 2). For flowering induction, shoot tips cultured in MS medium supplemented with 7 mg/L AgNPs gave the highest of flowering rate (51.67%) and number of flowers per shoot (2.33 flowers) after 60 days of culture. In addition, shoots cultured in medium supplemented with 7 mg/L AgNPs showed significantly lower endogenous hormone of GA 3 , ABA, and melatonin levels than the control. In the treatment with 7 mg/L AgNPs, the flower bloom rate was 100% and the flower diameter was the largest (3.43 cm). The in vitro developed flowers self-fertilized and formed fruits. After 90 days of culture, the treatment supplemented with 7 mg/L AgNPs gave the highest fruiting rate (56.67%), number of fruits (1.67 fruits), and fruit diameter (1.13 cm). These findings pave the way for further research into flowering and fruiting mechanisms, as well as improving the efficient breeding process of this plant. Key message A first procedure has been established for in vitro flowering and fruiting of purple passion fruit via the application of nano-technology and the thin cell layer technique. Silver nanoparticles significantly improved shoot formation, in vitro flowering and fruiting of purple passion fruit.
... In addition, in vitro flowering also plays an important role in hybridization in plants, especially in hybridization techniques using pollen from rare cultivars. The barriers of incompatibility in plants can be overcome using in vitro methods and embryo-rescue techniques in distant breeding (van Tuyl et al. 1991;Malakar et al. 2022). ...
In the present study, the positive effects of AgNPs were demonstrated for adventitious shoot formation, in vitro flowering and fruiting of Passiflora edulis Sims f. edulis—an important commercial crop. The results showed that shoot regeneration from lTCL (87.67%) and oTCL (100%) explants were significantly improved on the medium supplemented AgNPs. The in vitro shoots derived from TCL explants were used for shoot multiplication. The treatment with 1.0 mg/L meta-topolin (mT) and 5 mg/L AgNPs enhanced the shoot multiplication with the highest number of shoots (13.67 shoots/explant), shoot height (4.33 cm), and total chlorophyll content (33.93 nmol/cm²). For flowering induction, shoot tips cultured in MS medium supplemented with 7 mg/L AgNPs gave the highest of flowering rate (51.67%) and number of flowers per shoot (2.33 flowers) after 60 days of culture. In addition, shoots cultured in medium supplemented with 7 mg/L AgNPs showed significantly lower endogenous hormone of GA3, ABA, and melatonin levels than the control. In the treatment with 7 mg/L AgNPs, the flower bloom rate was 100% and the flower diameter was the largest (3.43 cm). The in vitro developed flowers self-fertilized and formed fruits. After 90 days of culture, the treatment supplemented with 7 mg/L AgNPs gave the highest fruiting rate (56.67%), number of fruits (1.67 fruits), and fruit diameter (1.13 cm). These findings pave the way for further research into flowering and fruiting mechanisms, as well as improving the efficient breeding process of this plant.
Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), caused by soilborne Fusarium spp., is a major global threat to the cultivation of bananas. In addition to persistent chlamydospores, weeds are a reservoir of the causal agents. However, it remains unclear whether other Zingiberales species, which are grown in the same geographic regions, also can serve as hosts for Fusarium spp. that cause FWB. Greenhouse assays were conducted to investigate whether Fusarium phialophorum (Race 1; pathogenic to Gros Michel banana) and Fusarium odoratissimum (TR4; pathogenic to Cavendish banana) can infect three Heliconia species, two ornamental banana species or Musa textilis (abacá). Heliconia latispatha, Musa balbisiana , and Musa coccinea displayed external symptoms after inoculation with TR4, while inoculation with Race 1 caused symptoms in H. latispatha , H. psittacorum, M. coccinea , and M. velutina . Isolates recovered from distinct organs of all studied plant species were characterized and re-isolated strains caused FWB symptoms in Gros Michel and Cavendish banana plants, and their rhizome discolored area scores were similar to the reference strains. The susceptibility of some ornamental species and the presence of Fusarium strains as asymptomatic endophytes in others, with remaining pathogenicity, call for a revision of the race nomenclature and the current containment protocols for FWB.
Heliconias are tropical plants with ornamental potential. These plants are particularly used in the floriculture industry because of their exotic colors and shapes. Species characterization is important for the selection of genotypes for the ornamental plant market and subsequent application in studies of genetic improvement. The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic divergence of Heliconia densiflora and Heliconia psittacorum accessions based on quantitative morphological and molecular markers. The morphological and molecular descriptors revealed genetic variability among the accessions evaluated. The greatest genetic variability was observed among H. psittacorum accessions, whose sample number was also larger compared to H. densiflora. Morphological characterization was efficient in differentiating the two Heliconia species, especially to characteristics such as bract and inflorescence length, postharvest durability, and flower stem diameter, which contributed most to the divergence in this study. On the other hand, molecular characterization identified one H. densiflora individual that was grouped with the H. psittacorum genotypes. The results showed that ISSR markers can differentiate closely related H. densiflora and H. psittacorum individuals. The materials evaluated can contribute to the maintenance of local genetic diversity through the germplasm bank of the local breeding program of ornamental tropical plants.
