International Journal of Farm Sciences

Open Access
  • Year: 2015
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 3

Influence of growing media and daminozide on growth, flowering and pot presentability of Hydrangea macrophylla Thunb

  • Author:
  • BS Dilta, MKB Latpate1, YC Gupta1, BP Sharma1, Narender Negi1, Sapna Kaushal1
  • Total Page Count: 8
  • DOI:
  • Page Number: 111 to 118

Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, HP, India

1Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, HP, India

Abstract

The present study was carried out at the experimental farm of the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan to work out the most suitable growing medium and daminozide dose for producing the best quality and most presentable potted hydrangeas. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (factorial) having 21 treatment combinations of growing media (7) and daminozide doses (3) replicated thrice. Seven growing media viz M1: soil + FYM + sand (1:1:1, v/v), M2: forest soil (Rai, Picea smithiana L) + FYM + vermicompost (1:1:1, v/v), M3: forest soil (Rai) + FYM + vermicompost (2:1:1, v/v), M4: forest soil (Rhododendron, Rhododendron arboreum L) + FYM + vermicompost (1:1:1, v/v), M5: forest soil (Rhododendron) + FYM + vermicompost (2:1:1, v/v), M6: forest soil (Chir pine, Pinus roxburghii L) + FYM + vermicompost (1:1:1, v/v) and M7: forest soil (Chir pine) + FYM + vermicompost (2:1:1, v/v) were prepared after thoroughly mixing the ingredients and three doses of daminozide D1: 0 ppm, D2: 2500 ppm and D3: 5000 ppm were used. The observations on growth, flowering and pot presentability attributes were recorded at the time of peak flowering. The growing medium M5 recorded maximum values in terms of plant height (68.69 cm), plant spread (78.21 cm), inflorescence diameter (21.45 cm), number of inflorescences per plant (17.84) and number of inflorescences per plant opened at a time (15.58). Whereas maximum number of shoots per plant (20.50), duration of flowering (99.56 days) and highest pot presentability score (84.44) were recorded in M3. Maximum days to flower bud formation (243.3 days) were observed in growing medium M1. As regards the daminozide doses used D3 exhibited maximum number of shoots per plant (18.35), plant spread (71.59 cm), number of inflorescences per plant (16.44), number of inflorescences per plant opened at a time (14.51) and highest pot presentability score (84.23). However maximum plant height (68.95 cm), days to flower bud formation (242.1 days) and inflorescences diameter (22.02 cm) were recorded in D1 and maximum duration of flowering (93.10 days) was recorded in D2. Study showed that the plants grown in medium consisting of forest soil (Rai) + FYM + vermicompost (2:1:1, v/v) and sprayed with 5000 ppm dose of daminozide resulted in most desirable and presentable potted hydrangea.

Keywords

Growing media, daminozide, hydrangea, growth, flowering, pot presentability