| Summary, etc. |
Experiments were conducted at the Department of Pomology and <br/>Floriculture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during 1995-1997 to optimize <br/>the shade, nutrients and growth regulators for cut flower production in Anthurium <br/>andreanum var. 'Hawaiian Red'. <br/>The effects of three growth regulators, viz., GA, BA and Ethephon with <br/>two concentration each, 750 ppm and 1500 ppm, in combination with four nutrients, <br/>viz., 1 % fertilizer complex, Hoagland solution, Knop's solution and Ohio solution, <br/>were assessed at four levels of shade, viz., 80, 70, 60 and 50 per cent. Post harvest <br/>studies were also carried out with an objective to prolong the longevity of cut <br/>blooms, following different stage of harvest and giving different pulsing and hold- <br/>ing treatments. <br/>Results revealed that the different levels of shade and growth regulators <br/>significantly influenced all the morphological characters of the plant, viz., height, <br/>spread, number of leaves, leaf area, petiole length, number of branches and suckers. <br/>Plant height was significantly superior under 80 per cent shade <br/>(5.68 cm), 1 per cent fertilizer complex sprays (5.46 cm) and BA 750 ppm sprays <br/>(6.11 cm), were superior individually. The superior treatment combination was 70 <br/>per cent shade + Knop's solution + 750 ppm BA (7.60 cm). <br/>The maximum plant spread (EW - 20.13 cm and NS - 19.80 cm) was <br/>under 80 per cent shade. Eighty per cent shade + Ohio solution + 1500 ppm BA <br/>recorded the maximum EW spread (26 cm), while NS spread was maximum <br/> <br/>(28.70 cm) in the treatment combination involving 80 per cent shade + 1 per cent <br/>fertilizer complex + 750 ppm BA. <br/>The best values of growth parameters were recorded under 80 per cent <br/>shade and 750 ppm BA, viz., 14.03 and 14.02, respectively, for number of leaves <br/>(9.29 and 10.79 cm, respectively) for petiole length, leaf length (7.76 and 8.33 cm, <br/>respectively), leaf breadth (5.93 cm and 6.49 cm, respectively), index leaf area <br/>(50.75 cm- and 59.60 cm-, respectively). Total leaf area (423.25 cm? and <br/>517.56 cm>, respectively) and LAI (0.43 and 0.51, respectively) were maximum <br/>under 70 per cent shade and BA 750 ppm. The superior combinations for these <br/>parameters were 80 per cent shade + Ohio solution + 750 ppm BA, for highest <br/>number of leaves (26.20); 80 per cent shade + Ohio solution + 1500 ppm BA for <br/>highest petiole length (14.00 cm); 60 per cent shade + Hoagland solution + 750 ppm <br/>BA for maximum leaf length (10.50 cm) and 60 per cent shade + 1 per cent <br/>fertilizer complex + 750 ppm BA for maximum leaf breadth (8.0 cm). The <br/>treatment combination involving 70 per cent shade + 1500 ppm BA with Hoagland <br/>solution was the best for maximum index leaf area (90.90 cm-) while same with 1 <br/>per cent fertilizer complex was the best for total leaf area (872.00 cm-) and LAl <br/>(0.89). <br/>Branching started only after 6 months from the commencement of the <br/>experiment. It was one month earlier under 80 per cent and 70 per cent shade levels. <br/>Significantly superior branching was observed under 80 per cent shade (2.29), <br/>fertilizer complex (2.13) and GA 750 ppm (2.37), individually. Treatment <br/>combination involving 80 per cent shade + 1 per cent fertilizer complex + 1500 <br/>ppm GA recorded the maximum branching (3.80). <br/> <br/>.' . <br/>Sucker production was the best under 80 per cent shade (1.35) and <br/>750 ppm BA (1.35). Treatment combination involving 80 per cent shade + Ohio <br/>solution + 750 ppm BA produced the maximum number of suckers (2.5) per plant. <br/>Growth behaviour with respect to height, number of leaves, leaf area, <br/>number of suckers and branches showed a linear trend. The linear growth rate was <br/>consistent and positive under the treatment combination of 80 per cent shade + Ohio <br/>solution + 750 ppm BA. <br/>Dry matter production was significantly superior under higher shade <br/>intensity and lower concentration of BA. The dry weight ratio of shoot:root was the <br/>highest (2.15) under the treatment combination of 80 per cent shade + Knop's solu- <br/>tion + 750 ppm Ethephon. <br/>Leaf longevity was significantly highest (161 days) in the treatment <br/>combination, 70 per cent shade + 1 per cent fertilizer complex + 750 ppm BA. <br/>Stomatal distribution and size were not influenced significantly by the <br/>treatments. Leaf senescence, though was influenced significantly, no particular <br/>trend was observed. <br/>The aerial root production decreased significantly with decrease in shade <br/>intensity. Primary and secondary roots and root spread were the highest under 80 <br/>per cent shade and BA 1500 ppm. Maximum root length was observed under 60 per <br/>cent shade. <br/>Flowering with small stalkless flowers was first observed under 50 per <br/>cent shade with GA 750 ppm, at the age of 8 months. Inflorescence with normal size <br/> <br/>were produced at the age of 13 months, first under 80 per cent shade followed by 70 <br/>per cent, 60 per cent and 50 per cent. The time taken for various stages of flower <br/>development and the number of inflorescence produced per plant were not <br/>influenced significantly. <br/>Chlorophyll content in leaf was significantly influenced by shade levels. <br/>There was a decrease in chlorophyll content with decrease in intensity of shade. <br/>Eighty per cent shade and 1500 ppm Ethephon was superior with respect to the <br/>content of green pigments. The highest total chlorophyll content was observed in the <br/>treatment combination involving 60 per cent shade + Ohio solution + 750 ppm <br/>Ethephon (8.8 mg g -1 fresh weight). Anthocyanin content was not influenced by any <br/>of the treatments or combinations. <br/>The leaf nutrient content and uptake of nutrients was maximum under 80 <br/>per cent shade and BA 750 ppm, individually. <br/>Post harvest studies showed that the right stage of harvest of <br/>inflorescence was when 1/3 flowers were open on the spadix. Inflorescence <br/>harvested at this stage with medium to large size spathe lasted for a longer period <br/>(23.33 days). Among the pulsing treatments, BA 50 ppm for 12 hrs, recorded <br/>maximum vase life (20.00 days). <br/>Among the different holding solutions tried, 8-HQ 30 ppm, BA 20 ppm <br/>and Triadimefon 30 ppm recorded the optimum values of PL W, uptake of vase <br/>solution, change in pH and EC, and recorded late spathe blueing, late spadix <br/>necrosis and high gloss retention. Highest vase life period (27.00 days) was recorded <br/>in 8-HQ 30 ppm (25.00 days) and Triadimefon 30 ppm (25.00 days). Among the <br/> <br/> <br/>combinations tried, BA 20 ppm + Bavistin 0.1 per cent showed longest vase life <br/>(23.67 days). <br/>Maximum net profit per pot (Rs.204.60) was recorded by the treatment <br/>combination involving 80 per cent shade + Ohio solution + 750 ppm BA. <br/><br/> |
