Influence of basal shoot number on plant growth, leaf biomass, nutrient status, flowering attributes and yield in rose

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of basal shoot number on plant growth, leaf nutrient status, flowering attributes and yield in rose. Plants were pruned during 1999 and 2000 to facilitate well-balanced arrangement of basal shoots. Experiment was started during 2003–2004 when plants attained desired number of healthy and strong shoots. Plants were pruned on November 15, 2003 at 30 cm above the ground by retaining different number of basal shoots viz., 3, 5, 7 and 9 per plant as treatments and replicated five times in a randomized block design. Experiment was repeated during 2004–2005 in same manner. Retaining 9 basal shoots per plant treatment significantly increased number of lateral shoots/plant, leaf biomass/plant, leaf area index and plant height followed by retaining 7 basal shoots in a plant. However, maximum diameter of shoot was recorded with retaining 7 basal shoots per plant treatment. Leaf nutrient composition did not influence significantly, whereas retaining 9 basal shoots/plant resulted in the maximum uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus potassium that was at par with retaining 7 basal shoots per plant treatment. Number and weight of flowers/plant during winter, summer and rainy seasons were considerably increased with increasing number of basal shoots in the plant and maximum values on these parameters were recorded with retaining 9 basal shoots per plant. It is interesting to note that various flowering attributes i.e., days taken to flowering, diameter of flower, individual flower weight and number of petals/flower did not influence significantly due to different treatments. Significant increase in number of flowers/plant/year and flower yield/plant/year were noticed with retaining 9 basal shoots in a plant treatment followed by 7 basal shoots/plant treatment. Remaining treatments strikingly reduced flower production and minimum yield of flower was obtained with retaining 3 basal shoots per plant treatment.