3. Introduction
Baby’s Breath
Greek word: gypsos – gypsum
philos – friendship
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Origin: Europe & Asia
Important member of top ten cut flowers
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4. ...Introduction
Both single & double flowers extensively used as cut
flowers
G. paniculata and G. elegans popular cutflower used
in flower arrangement and bouquets
Mainly used as fillers in flower arrangements and
bouquets
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5. There are about 150 species in the genus
Species include:
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
G. elegans
G. pacifica
G. paniculata
G. acutifolia
G. cerastioides
G. perfoliata
G. repens
G. viscosa
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8. EXTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING PLANT
GROWTH & FLOWERING
Photoperiod :
Lond day plant
Flower inducement more effective after 45 days
of vernalization & 16 hours of photoperiod
Light :
Critical factor in flower production during winter
Gypsophila does best in full sun in cool summer
areas or partial sun in warm summer areas
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9. Temperature :
Optimum growing temperature is 15°C
Higher temperature (30°C) will reduce flowering
Relative humidity :
o Plantlets grown at high RH larger & consisted of more
shoots than in low RH
CO2 :
Within a month CO2 treated plants showed a weight
increase by 2-3 times than control
CO concentration upto 350 microliters
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10. Plant growth regulators :
GA, BA, Kinetin, Paclobutrazol have influence on growth &
flowering
Photoperiods & temperatures also influence the efficacy of
PGRs
GA3 250mg/l spray 3 times a week increase plant height,
number of flowering shoots/plant & length of flowering shoot
Application of BA 300ppm in heated plastic green house
under long day conditions promoted flower initiation
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12. CULTIVATION
Areas with congenial climate grown in outdoors
Gypsophila is a long day plant requires plenty of sun light
with high irradiance
Location :
Should be sunny throughout the day
Free from any strong winds
Amble supply of irrigation water
Should not be any waterlogging
Should be free of frost
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13. Soil & soil sterilization:
Soil should be well drained with a low water table
pH - 6.5 to 7.5
Plot with a 3 years history of monoculture, yield increases
with solarization & fumigation with methyl bromide with
15% & 27% respectively
Soilless cultivation:
The best substrate for growth of G. paniculata is perlite +
peat & husk pines + perlite + peat substrate
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14. Types of cultivation:
Open
field
Green
house
Planting density:
Depends
on the variety – 6-8 plants/square meter
40,000-50,000
Bed
plants per hectare
should be 1 m wide and the paths between beds 0.5 m
Irrigation:
2-3
drip lines and an overhead system
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15. Pruning:
After the second flush plants are pruned usually 2-3 cm
above ground level
The GA 150ppm is sprayed after the pruning when growth
is delayed
Pinching:
Pinching increases the flower stalk length & cut flower
production
Pinching delays the days to budding & blooming but
increase the flower stalk length
Leaf number & leaf width larger under non pinching
treatment than pinching treatment
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16. Mulching:
Black polyethylene film hasten flowering
Cut flower yield increased by early planting & use of
reflective film
Harvesting:
It is harvested when the flowers are open & not matured
Flowers on the plant do not open simultaneously
Tip of spray opens first & is harvested separately
Flowers should not placed in water & refrigerated
immediately after the harvest
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17. POST HARVEST HANDLING & TECHNOLOGY
Gypsophila
exhibited a vase life of 14 days
Flower can be stored for 1-2 days at 4 0C
Dried flowers last for >1 year
Bud opening solution:
Improve the water balance of cut inflorescence during transport
200ppm
8HQC + 25 ppm silver nitrate + 5-10% sugar for 72
hours
Pulsing solution:
5% sucrose + 510 ppm Benzalkonium chloride + 300 ppm 17
GA
at 210C results the longest vase life with 99% flower
opening
18. Vacuum cooling:
Cooling rate increased with both water spray & stem water
absorption
Water absorption through stem of cut flowers of gypsophila
used to prevent water loss during vacuum cooling
Packing:
A corrugated modified atmosphere box (MAP box) consisting
of an inner layer of a differentially permeable polymer
incorporated into a craft liner laminated with a tissue paper
used for packing
Inner layer limits the diffusion of CO & water vapour from the
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box
Tissue paper acts to prevent the formation of water droplets
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on the inside surface
It is commonly used when flowers are sent by sea transport
19. Storage of cut flower:
Gypsophila flowers with about 50% flowers in open
condition kept in a preservative solution
Store >2 weeks at 20C
Gypsophila should not be stored dry as the flowers will fail
to open
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20. Drying of flowers:
Two methods:
1. Flowers are air dried & kept upright in a container of water
covering only the cut ends, at a temperature of 10 0C
2. Flowers are dipped in a solution of 1 part of glycerine & 2
parts of water
Flowers should be removed from the glycerine solution when
drops of water accumulate on the leaf surface
Stem should be dried keeping the flowers hanging down in a
well aerated room
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21. Cold storage & cryopreservation of plants:
Roots cut into 20cm long pieces & kept with or without peat
moss in containers stored at -2 or 20 C for 6 months
Fresh weight of root clumbs & crowns unchanged after the
cold storage
Fructose found to be high in roots stored along with peat
moss at 20C
More plant height, early flower bud formation & flowering,
longer flower stalks & thicker stem
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24. Popular varieties
White
Million Stars – small semidouble blooms
Fun Time Ultra – small blooms
Golan – medium-sized semidouble blooms
New Love – medium-sized semidouble Blooms
Dynamic Love– medium-sized double Blooms
Over Time – large blooms
Bristol Fairy – large double blooms
Pink
Pinkolina - medium-sized semidouble blooms
My Pink – large double blooms
Pink Fairy – large double blooms
Pink Star – large double blooms
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