A little stress ensures more flower bulbs

Bulbs are shortened plants with specialized bulbous scales, which serve as primary storage tissue. These bulbous scales can best be described as thickened leaves in which food is stored. The scales also play an important role in propagation. For example, the bulbs of daffodil and amaryllis are cut into pieces: as a result, new mini bulbs grow in the axils of the bulb scales.

The WUR is investigating whether the propagation of these bulbs can be optimized in a sustainable way. A stress treatment seems to be the most suitable for this. In some organisms, a little stress triggers tissue or organ regeneration. For example, tissue stress gives a lizard a new tail (if the old one has broken off).

In a flower bulb, a small amount of stress can cause the injured tissue to become more active, thereby producing more mini bulbs. This can be done, for example, by adding hydrogen peroxide. However, WUR uses 'plasma activated water' in its research: this water is active for approximately one hour, after which a combination of water and nitrogen remains.

In the case of tulip, the propagation is slightly different. There, existing growing points in the axil of the bulb scales grow into mini bulbs. This process is called 'splitting'. A five-scaled bulb has five growing points, but only three of them will become viable bulbs. The WUR is investigating whether the addition of a small amount of ethylene will trigger the growth of all growing points, so that the tulip produces more suitable mini bulbs.

The research 'Fundamental system leap in flower bulbs' is a PPP and is financed by Top Sector Horticulture & Propagation Materials, KAVB, Anthos, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Hobaho, Kapiteyn, Prins, Iribov, Dunamo Foundation, Agrifirm-GMN, BQ Support, Greenport Duin & Bollenstreek, Bulb Academy and Rabobank Nederland.​