Physiological Leaf Damage Sensitivity of Different Aechmea Hybrids

Physiological leaf damage in Aechmea plants, which are grown as ornamentals, shows up as brown areas in the upper half of the leaves. Young, fully developed leaves will especially suffer from this type of cell death. The damage is induced by changes in the environment namely switching from high light to low light for a considerable period of time and this process is exacerbated by high humidity during the night. So far, we have proven that these plants with Crassulaceae Acid Metabolism (CAM) play a central role in the mechanism of the induction and evocation of the specified leaf damage. Using different tests (malic acid content and accumulation in the leaves, leaf damage induction in isolated leaves and intact plants, malate content, cell wall strength and chemical composition of the cell walls) it is possible to classify different Aechmea hybrids, elucidating this leaf damage sensitivity. It was also noticed that differences between juvenile and adult plants exist. These findings are now used to screen and select new Aechmea hybrids as an early step in the selection of new cultivars with a high commercial value.