Reformation of specialty cut flower production for Celosia cristata

Abstract

Celosia cristata is an interesting and increasingly popular crop in specialty cut flower production. With origins of dry, temperate climates in Africa and Asia, this herbaceous annual plant is now distributed and cultivated worldwide. C. cristata has a wide variety of cultivars available on the market including the ‘Chief Series’ and the ‘Bombay’. To become a more sustainable and energy-efficient crop in the future, one potential change in production is an overall increase on growth efficiency. By evaluating the current practices and traits of C. cristata, a new ideotype is proposed that addresses possible genetic improvements that can create a more sustainable production of C. cristata.