Evaluation of indoor ornamental plants suitable for indoor vertical garden in response to different nutrient formulations

There is limited scientific information regarding the appropriate fertigation required influencing various growth and physiological parameters of indoor ornamental plant species for an indoor vertical gardening under Indian conditions. The experiment was therefore set up with the objective to determine optimum concentration of nutrient formulations for successful installation of vertical garden by using eight indoor ornamental plant species i.e. Aglaonema angustifolium, Dracaena compacta (Red), Dracaena godseffiana, Scindapsis aureus, Schefflera arboricola variegata, Syngonium podophyllum, Philodendron selloum and Schefflera arboricola. These were grown in soilless media consisting of cocopeat, perlite and vermiculite in the ratio 3:1:1 with four concentrations of Hoagland nutrient solution (25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 % of Hoagland's solution) and the fifth concentration was self-composed nutrient formulation. Experimental design was factorial completely randomized design (CRD) keeping three replications in each treatment. NF IV (100 % of the Hoagland's solution) proved significantly better over other treatments in terms of plant growth and physiological characters under indoor conditions. Best five species based on performance of various parameters studied were Schefflera arboricola, Dracaena godseffiana, Philodendron selloum, Syngonium podophyllum and Scindapsis aureus.