1Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Division of Ornamental Crops, Hesaraghatta, 560 089, Bengaluru, India
2Banaras Hindu University, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Horticulture, 221 005, Varanasi, India
*Corresponding author: rai.summer@gmail.com
Online published on 18 May, 2015.
Lilium is a bulbous plant having non-tunicate bulbs. They are popular throughout the world for their exotic colours and fragrance, making them ideal cut flowers. A trial was conducted to study the effect of foliar spray of iron and zinc in form of sulphate to see their effect on growth, flowering and bulb yield attributes in lilium. Bulbs of lilium cv. Tresor were planted under polyhouse condition and different combinations of iron sulphate and zinc sulphate at 0.2% and 0.4% were applied as foliar spray at 30 and 45 days after planting. Experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 3 replications. Foliar application of FeSO4 0.2% promoted length of flower stalk and diameter of 1st flower, while its higher dose (FeSO4 at 0.4%) increased the number of buds plant-1 and weight of bulbs plant-1. Foliar treatment of ZnSO4 at 0.4% significantly enhanced the number of bulblets plant-1, number of scales bulb-1, diameter of 1st flower and diameter of bulb. Different treatment combinations of iron sulphate and zinc sulphate also affected various characters like number of leaves plant-1, diameter of stem, days to colour show and days to opening of 1st bud.
The combined spray of iron and zinc sulphate improved growth characteristics.
Flowering parameters got enhanced by iron and zinc sulphate individually.
Zinc sulphate increased bulb yield of lilium.
Lilium, Iron sulphate, Zinc sulphate, Growth, Flowering, Bulb yield
