Callistemon citrinus is a flowering scrub which is
grown for its magnificent flowers in the Spring and Summer. Especially
in Greece, where the climate conditions are favourable for its growth,
Callistemon demands in the market are increasing every year.
Vigorous shoot growth which require multiple prunings is a problem
associated with the production of marketable Callistemon plants
in containers. Growth regulators are known to retard the growth of woody
landscape plants. The purpose of this study (1st experiment) was to investigate the
effects of 2 growth retardants, Paclobutrazol and Cycocel, applied as a
liquid drench, on the growth of Callistemon citrinus.
This experiment was conducted in Wageningen Agricultural University,
The Netherlands, at "Unifarm Experimental Center", in
September 2001.
In the second experiment, the objective was to determine if the growth
retardants can increase the frost resistance of Callistemon.
Because of the negative correlation between growth rate and frost
hardiness, one might expect that growth-inhibiting chemicals would favor
the development of hardiness. A positive effect can lead to better
protection under days with frost or to cultivation in areas that frost
occurs often.
The experiment was conducted in Wageningen Agricultural Univeristy,
in the Horticultural Production Chain Department.
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