An experiment was conducted to study the effect of varying levels of N and P on yield and quality of cut flowers in orchid Dendrobium cv. Sonia 17. The results indicated a significant influence of the treatments and months on different vegetative and yield parameters. The maximum number of canes per plant (6.73) was recorded in T4 (1:6:1 NPK level). The number of spikes per plant (1.8) was the highest in T8 (2:6:1 NPK level) during January. However the treatment T4 (1:6:1 NPK level) recorded the maximum total number of spikes produced per plant per year (10.93) and was on par with T8 (2:6:1 NPK level) which produced 10.80 spikes. During October, the treatment T4 (1:6:1 NPK level) produced the maximum number of flowers per spike (15.53). The longest spikes (72.10cm) were produced during April in T4 (1:6:1 NPK level. Flower diameter was maximum (10.10 cm) in June in T8 (2:6:1 NPK level). Vase life was not significantly affected by the treatments during any of the months. The observations were compared with the benchmark data for Dendrobium cv. Sonia 17 and were found to be superior with special reference to production and the quality of spikes. The yield and quality could be sustained without any drastic decline round the year.
Foliar nutrient, orchid
