Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Signifi cant differences between the original version and the version
cultivated by farmers were detected on at least one trait for all the varieties
and for all traits, except for intensity of green color.
Most of the varieties showed signifi cant changes for the A and B param-
eters of color, bolting and fl owering indexes (three to fi ve). Morphological
traits (leaf attitude, thickness or blistering) were the traits that evolved the
least. Intensity of green did not show signifi cant changes for any of the
varieties. We studied (data not shown) the correlation between the visual
intensity of green score (from one to fi ve) and each parameter of the chro-
mameter (L, A and B) separately. Visual observation and chromameter
parameters were always well correlated, for example, decreasing intensity
of green (most of the cases observed in the table above) corresponded with
increasing of L value (“whiter”), decreasing of A value (“greener”) and
increasing of B value (“more yellow”). Thus, we can conclude that there
were changes of color in some cases even if the visual intensity of green
score did not show signifi cant changes. The chromameter measurements
completed the visual observations because they decomposed the different
dimensions of color, which the eye cannot do.
All varieties showed statistically signifi cant, p < 0.05 changes within
different measured traits for each variety. Some varieties changed for only
one or a few traits ('Monarch Long Standing', 'Verbeterde Hollandia' and
'Viking Matador'), whereas others showed changes for a greater number
of traits ('Alwaro', 'Viking' or 'Eté de Rueil'). Figure 4 illustrates the dif-
ferent amplitudes of changes with two varieties: 'Verbeterde Hollandia'
and 'Alwaro'.
'Alwaro' is the variety that showed the most differences between the
original and farmer's (MC) versions. MC version has signifi cantly longer
petioles and leaves (+1.3 cm for both relatively to original version). Color
showed signifi cant changes for parameter A (decrease, “greener”) and pa-
rameter B (increase, “more yellow”). MC version had more erected peti-
oles and is earlier to bolt and fl ower than the original (fi ve development
indexes are different from the original version).
'Eté de Rueil' was cultivated by two different farmers (MC and
FD). Changes were observed on both farms but were not identical. In-
deed, the MC version changed signifi cantly for the B color parameter
and leaf thickness (the MC version was thicker than original version).
