The Floriculture Institute has started a project for the domestication and use of native ferns for ornamental purposes in order to collaborate in the diversification of production and also, to reduce extractive use.
In Argentina, ferns comprise 28 families, 91 genera and 366 species distributed in four regions: the Yungas cloudforest, the Andean-Patagonian rainforest, and the Pampas Hills. This floristic richness creates an opportunity for diversification the production and to provide new textures and shapes for floral art.
The objective of this work was to determine objectively the potential use of 15 native Argentine ferns as cut foliage through quality parameters and vase life. From these results, it is intended to value genetic resources to be considered as new crops for ornamental horticulture.
The results showed that it is feasible to consider the commercial production of Pityrogramma calomelanos, Niphidium crassifolium, Campyloneurum nitidum, Blechnum austrobrasilianum and Pteris denticulata by the quantity of fronds obtained and their quality, represented by their size. Campyloneurum nitidum excelled for its vase life of more than 26 days and frond production of 273.61 fronds/m2 at second year cultivation. Pteris denticulata produces 179.44 fronds/m2 but vase life was only 7 days.
Many other ferns of Argentine are still to be prospected and the protocol proposed can be an alternative to evaluate them.
Read the complete research at www.rbho.emnuvens.com.br.