2010 Prestige Red
Growth Regulators Applied / Height graph
Graph shows projected plant heights during production of the crop. Dots are plotted actual height each week. Arrows indicate when PGRs are applied with details in the weekly notes. We use the “late” graphical tracking curve and heights are from bench to height of growing tip. Heights are plotted from date of pinching to projected date of finish.
Notes
11/30
This crop of Prestige was at a finish stage last week which is about as early as Prestige Red will finish for use. Compare the development of Prestige in ’07 and ’09 which were hot years with heat delay and in ’08 and this year that were cooler years. This year the temperatures during the initiation period (end of Sept. and first of Oct.) were mild so the crop initiated on time. Then temperatures were warmer starting in mid Oct. and the crop developed rapidly. Early this crop got off to a fast start, which is not to unusual for Prestige. The two early Bonzi drench applications brought the heights back under control by the middle of the crop. The two drench applications on 26 Oct. and 2 Nov. worked to slow elongation during the warm temperature period. This is a good example of using lower drench rates during that period of early color development and avoiding the need for a higher rate late drench later in the crop.
11/23
This crop of Prestige will finish close to 15”. All of the plants are showing pollen this week, which is a week ahead of schedule. The crop looks good.
11/16
These Prestige are on track to finish well ahead of schedule and should look good.
11/09
The warm temperatures are speeding up development of this crop and it should finish ahead of schedule. The drenches applied in past 2 weeks as slowing elongation and plant heights look good.
11/02
Day temperatures were warmer than expected this past week and this crop of Prestige grew more than anticipated. We are applying a Bonzi drench at 0.2 ppm this week. This rate should not affect bracts too much and may be last PGR needed on this crop. Bract development appears to be ahead of schedule.
10/26
We got good growth on this crop of Prestige this past week and the plants look good. First color is showing this week, which indicates the crop should finish on schedule. This crop is more than a week ahead of Prestige in ’09, a hot fall, and similar to ’08, a cooler year. We will slow elongation a little this week with a Bonzi drench at 0.1 ppm and see how that works.
10/19
As we expected this crop of Prestige did not grow very much this past week. Some shoots are starting to elongate a little more now, indicating there should be more growth over the next week.
10/12
These Prestige Red plants have tight shoot tips indicating they again will not grow too much this next week. The effect of the drench 2 weeks ago may have been more than we were anticipating.
10/05
The near normal temperatures probably mean that Prestige Red is initiating on time this year and that it should be easier to control than it was last year. This group of plants is still well above the graph, but the terminals are tight, indicating the plants should not grow too much this next week. So we are not treating again this week.
9/28
The drench applied 2 weeks ago did not have as much effect on the growth of these Prestige Red as we had hoped. We will be more aggressive with this crop now and are applying a Bonzi drench at 0.2 ppm, which is our highest rate for an early drench.
9/21
This crop of Prestige Red appears to be under good control at this point and we are not treating this week.
9/14
Our weather has been warm, but greenhouse temperatures have not been too hot. This group of Prestige Red is off to a relatively fast start. We now need to apply PGRs with the goal of getting heights back close to the line in next 3 weeks. We are applying an early Bonzi drench at 0.1 ppm this week and will probably do this again in 2 more weeks.
9/07
This Prestige Red crop is off to a good start and we will likely apply a drench next week.
8/31
Prestige Red is a new variety that we grew in breeder trials last year. For warm climates this has potential to be an improvement over Freedom Red. It has better stem strength and does not stretch at the end the way Freedom can. 1139 performed well under our hot conditions last year and in our Heat Delay research trials. We will start with B-Nine/Cycocel sprays and move to Bonzi drench as needed.
