Hypothesis
H1: Low-dose GA₃ applied pre-induction increases spiking/flowering.
H2: The same GA₃ reduces orchid–mycorrhiza (OM) root colonization.
Why it matters
Growers may coax blooms, but at a cost to beneficial fungal partners that support nutrition and resilience.
Design (5–6 weeks)
- Groups (n≈10 plants/group):
- Control: water + 0.05% non-ionic surfactant
- GA-Low: GA₃ 50 mg/L
- GA-Med: GA₃ 125 mg/L
- Foliar spray weekly ×3 (AM); keep all else constant.
- Record: days to visible spike, % plants spiking, spikes/plant, flowers/spike, flower diameter; note phytotoxicity.
- Optional OM check: clear & stain roots (ink–vinegar), estimate % colonization.
Plants
Prefer same clone/cross, uniform size/age (≥30 plants total). If 2 crosses are used, treat "Cross" as a block (aim 60 plants).
Timing
Start ~3–4 weeks before typical induction for your climate (e.g., mid-March for April initiation in SLO).
Data/Outputs
Upload CSV + 3–5 photos, link any microscope images. Optional: save duplicate root segments (RNAlater or frozen) for future DNA/RNA assays.
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