Question

Bending is a specific technique being practice in which of the following crop?

• A. Rose
• B. Carnation
• C. Tuberose
• D. Gerbera

Hint:

In greenhouse rose production, remember the "bending" concept:
Bend the weak, thin, and non-flowering shoots downward so their leaves can feed the main upright flowering stems. This is essential for getting long-stemmed export-quality roses.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Specialized cultural operations are performed in commercial floriculture to manage canopy growth, maximize photosynthesis, and optimize flower quality.
Bending is one such cultural practice used in greenhouse flower production.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Bending is a key commercial practice in greenhouse rose cultivation (especially in protected cultivation for cut-flower production).
In this technique, weak, blind (non-flowering), or thin lateral shoots are bent downwards towards the ground or the pathways instead of being pruned off.
The primary reasons for performing this operation are:
1. Source-Sink Relationship: Bending these shoots keeps their leaves intact, allowing them to continue performing photosynthesis. These bent shoots act as a "source," producing carbohydrates that are translocated to the main upright stems (the "sink").
2. Bud Activation: Bending breaks apical dominance at the base of the plant, promoting the sprouting of strong, vigorous ground shoots (called "basal shoots" or "bottom breaks").
3. Flower Quality: These strong basal shoots develop into high-quality, thick, long-stemmed cut roses which are highly prized in export markets.
In other crops like carnation (B) or gerbera (D), pinching and disbudding are practiced, but not bending.
Therefore, bending is a specific technique practiced in Rose.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (A).