Assessment of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus ex. Hooker F.) cultivars under polyhouse condition

Most of the cultivars of gerbera grown in India are introduced from other countries without evaluating their performance under Indian conditions. Hence, the study was undertaken to study the relative importance of commercial varieties under different climatic conditions. An evaluation study on gerbera under polyhouse condition was conducted at RHREC, UHS campus, G.K.V.K. Bangalore, during 2011–12. Among the nine cultivars studied, there was a significant variation for growth, cut flower yield and quality parameters under polyhouse (NVPH). The cv. Sonata recorded highest (26.6) number of leaves, plant height was maximum (39.5 cm) in cv. Kyillian and plant spread (N/S and E/W) was maximum in cv. Julia (77.8 and 74.6 cm). Among flowering characters, early bud appearance was noted in cv. Kyillian (38 days), cv. Dameblanche took minimum days taken for 50 per cent flowering (92.3) and first harvest was recorded at 73 days and blooming period was maximum in (25.6 days) in cv. Sonata. The characters such as stalk length, stem thickness and stem neck thickness was observed maximum in cv. Julia (72.4, 0.88 and 0.66 cm), flower diameter was maximum in cv. Kyillian (10.6 cm) and diameter of disc florets was maximum in cv. Figaro (7.1 cm). Significant difference was observed in yield parameters. Flowers yield per plant and per square meter was maximum in cv. Sonata (9.8 and 109 flowers respectively), and maximum vase life was recorded in cv. Julia (12.3 days).