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2026 Vol.39, Issue 5 Preview Page

Research Article

Effects of Short-Day Treatment and Pinching Time on Growth and Flowering of Elsholtzia splendens for Pot Plant Production

단일 처리와 적심시기가 분화용 꽃향유의 생장과 개화에 미치는 영향

Young Min Choi1
,
Song Hee Ahn1
,
Hee Kyung Song1
,
Chan Ho Kang2
,
Ju Hee Kim2
최 영민1
,
안 송희1
,
송 희경1
,
강 찬호2
,
김 주희2
1Researcher, Plant Resources Research Institute, Jeonbuk State Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Namwon 55720, Korea
2Senior Researcher, Plant Resources Research Institute, Jeonbuk State Agricultural Research & Extension Services, Namwon 55720, Korea
1전북특별자치도농업기술원 자원식물연구소, 농업연구사
2전북특별자치도농업기술원 자원식물연구소, 농업연구관
*Corresponding Author
1 October 2026. pp. 256-266
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Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of short-day treatment and pinching time on the growth and flowering of Elsholtzia splendens to establish an efficient commercial pot-plant production system. Plants were subjected to pinching alone or combined short-day (16 h dark, 8 h photoperiod) and pinching treatments, with pinching performed from the 2- to 20-leaf stage at two-leaf intervals. Pinching alone had little effect on growth or flowering compared with the control. In contrast, the combined treatment significantly promoted flowering, reducing the time from sowing to spike emergence and flowering by 28~90 and 35~98 days, respectively. Spike emergence and flowering occurred 20.4 and 39.7 days, respectively, after the initiation of short-day treatment. The combined treatments also reduced vegetative growth, with plant height, width, stem diameter, and total branch number averaging 61.9%, 65.5%, 60.8%, and 32.5% of the control, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed that spike number was positively associated with vegetative growth, whereas spike size was negatively correlated, indicating a trade-off between vegetative and reproductive growth. Lodging occurred in plants exceeding 50 ㎝ in height, 30 ㎝ in width, and more than 50 total branches but was not observed in the combined short-day and pinching treatments at the 2–12 leaf stages. Overall, short-day treatment combined with pinching at the 8~12 leaf stages provides an effective strategy for commercial pot-plant production of E. splendens, enabling rapid flowering, compact growth, and improved ornamental quality.

Keywords
Branching
Days to flowering
Floret
Flowering induction
Lodging
Ornamental value
Reproductive growth
Spike inflorescence
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Information
  • Publisher :The Plant Resources Society of Korea
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국자원식물학회
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Plant Resources
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국자원식물학회지
  • Volume : 39
  • No :5
  • Pages :256-266
  • Received Date : 2026-04-08
  • Revised Date : 2026-07-07
  • Accepted Date : 2026-07-07
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7732/kjpr.2026.39.5.256
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