S06 - Session P15 - Innovations in supplementary light in horticulture - Effect of altitudinal locations on growth and flowering of ornamental Curcuma

Authors: Kanokwan Panjama, Soraya Ruamrungsri, Chaiartid Inkham *

Ornamental Curcuma is widely available for sale worldwide and has become an important export for Thailand.According to Thailand export statistics, ornamental Curcuma (e.g., C. alismatifolia ) was ranked seconded to orchids. Curcuma spp . is the tropical flower which the species distributed at the altitude around 500 n 1,300 meters above sea level. In Thailand, most of ornamental Curcuma rhizome production area were in northern part (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun and Phayoa province) which farmers were mainly grown these crops in lowland area. However, about 85 percentage of northern Thailand were covered with the mountain and classified as highland area. Thus, this experiment was aimed to study on the effect of differences planting area altitude on growth and flowering of ornamental Curcuma . Two cultivars of ornamental Curcuma ; ' Chiang Mai Pink' and 'RT Golden Reign' were grown at 2 difference altitudes i.e., lowland area (300 meters above sea level) and highland area (1,200 meters above sea level). Plant in each treatment were equally supplied with water and fertilizer. The results showed that both of ornamental Curcuma cultivars ' Chiang Mai Pink' and 'RT Golden Reign' grown under lowland condition gave the higher germination percentage than highland condition during 1-3 months after planting. And Curcuma 'Chiang Mai pink' cultivar grown under lowland condition gave the greater results in flowering percentage and flower quality than highland condition, while 'RT Golden Reign' cultivar grown under highland condition had no flowering at 6 months after planting. However, both of Curcuma cultivars grown under highland condition gave the higher results in the number of shoots per cluster than lowland condition.