Effect of nutrient application in gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus.) grown under naturally ventilated polyhouse

The study was conducted during 2021 at Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani, Trivandrum (Kerala) to assess the performance of five gerbera varieties to different doses of fertilizers with a view to find out the best fertilizer dose for each variety. This study also aimed for the standardization of nutrient management schedule for Gerbera jamesonii Bolus. Five varieties were selected for the study (V₁- Beaudine, V₂- Double date, V₃- Mammut, V₄- Esmara, V₅- Aquamelon). Different nutrient treatments (N₁- 10:10:10 N, P₂O₅, K₂O g m⁻², N₂- 15:15:15 N, P₂O₅, K₂O g m⁻², N₃- 20:20:20 N, P₂O₅, K₂O g m⁻²) were applied to the varieties at monthly and fortnightly interval. The experiment was laid out in completely randomised design consisting of thirty treatment combinations and three replications. The study revealed that variety Beaudine was significantly superior in terms of vegetative parameters viz., plant spread (156.19 cm) at 4 MAP, number of leaves (13.31) at 4 MAP. Variety Mammut was significantly superior in and number of suckers plantɹ (2.59) at 6 MAP. The nutrient treatment 10:10:10 N, P₂O₅, K₂O g mɲ produced significantly higher plant spread (171.29 cm) at 10 MAP, number of leaves (12.54) at 6 MAP, and number of suckers plant⁻¹ (2.97) at 6 MAP. The level of split application of nutrients S₁ showed significantly superior values for plant spread (148.86 cm) at 4 MAP, number of leaves (10.95) at 8 MAP, and number of suckers plantE¹ (2.42) at 6 MAP. All the five varieties while treated with 10:10:10 N, P₂O_5, K₂O g mɲ (1.6: 1.6: 1.6 N, P₂O_5, K₂O g plantE¹) at monthly interval basis resulted high values for flower characters and among them Esmara, Beaudine and Aquamelon performed the best.