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The summer Chrysanthemum variety ‘Caroline’ is re-glory in Taiwan cut flower market.

Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation station (TSIPS), C.O.A. refer that Tianwei Farmers' Association and TSIPS worked together to carry out a chrysanthemum health seedling improvement activities for the domestic red multi-flower chrysanthemum variety ‘Caroline’. TSIPS produced healthy and target virus-free ‘Caroline’ seedlings and returned to Tianwei Township for test-trial activates. In 2010, farmers' income increased because of chrysanthemum health seedling improvement activities, and the unit yield recovered from 10% to 60%. In 2021, the unit yield recovered and reached to 80%. The cooperation between TSIPS and Tianwei Farmers' Association are successfully solving industry problems and bringing back output value of ornamental chrysanthemum ‘Caroline’ cut flowers by nearly 10 million.

 TSIPS, C.O.A. indicates that chrysanthemum is one of the important cut flowers produced in Taiwan. According to the statistics of Agriculture and Food Agency, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan in 2020, the planting area of ​​chrysanthemums in Taiwan is about 599 hectares, and Tianwei Township, Changhua County covers 578 hectares. Therefore, it is estimated that for every 10 chrysanthemums produced locally, at least 9 are from Tianwei farmers. The red-flowered variety “Caroline’, well-received for its brilliant purple-red petals, is an important cut-flower chrysanthemum variety of Changhua Tianwei. In the past, the serious occurrence of plant wilting disease, with a loss rate of nearly 90%, and farmers lost everything.

According to the TSIPS field sampling test, the most important reason for the decline is the mother plants without re-new getting weaker. And the diseased plants in the field were mostly infected with chrysanthemum virus B (CVB) and chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd).  Chrysanthemums infected with CVB often affect root development and reduce the tolerance of plants to soil-borne diseases. As a result, chrysanthemum growth declines quickly before cut-flower harvest. In 2019, Tianwei Township Farmers' Association and TSIPS carried out the healthy seedling improvement action for variety ‘Caroline’. TSIPS produced healthy ‘Caroline’ seedlings free of specific viruses by tissue culture, virus screening and virus elimination techniques. In 2020, TSIPS and the farmers' association will produce healthy caroline seedlings without specific viruses at the production area. The improvement will reach 60% in that year. The harvest rate was improved to 80% in 2021. This action has allowed the chrysanthemum-cut flower variety ‘Caroline’ to be renewed and continued. The market prosperity of Caroline was reproduced.

TSIPS stated that the reappearance of Tianwei's domestic ornamental chrysanthemum industry is to solve long-term industrial problems. TSIPS will continue to pay attention and work with the Tianwei Farmers' Association to improve the cultivation yield of Tianwei chrysanthemums. At the same time, this is also the beginning of solving the current problems of many vegetatively propagated seedlings. Healthy seedlings are the foundation of crop cultivation. Implementing the five healthy concepts (water, medium, personnel, environment, and seedlings) is the basic concept of seedling propagation and crop cultivation. In the future, TSIPS will also actively construct and promote the concept of five rings of seedling production to enhance the level and competitiveness of Taiwan's seedling industry.TSIPS cooperated with Tianwei Farmers Association to implement the ‘Caroline’ Renewal Seedling Program.
Figure 1. TSIPS cooperated with Tianwei Farmers Association to implement the ‘Caroline’ Renewal Seedling Program.

Chrysanthemum cut flower variety ‘Caroline’ becomes more delicate and brighter in the sun.
Figure 2. Chrysanthemum cut flower variety ‘Caroline’ becomes more delicate and brighter in the sun.

Disease occurrence in un-renewed plants (left, 3-1). Flowering of plants propagated from healthy mother plants (right, 3-2).
Figure 3. Disease occurrence in un-renewed plants (left, 3-1). Flowering of plants propagated from healthy mother plants (right, 3-2).