Quality production of cut roses cv. Gladiator as influenced by nutrient, plant density and water management

The response of different levels of nitrogen nutrition and plant density in cut roses was investigated on flower quality, flower vase life and cut flower production of field grown rose cv. Gladiator. Results revealed that application of nitrogen at 40 g per plant gave significantly higher quality of cut flower production with respect to longer stem length, number of cut flowers, number of petals per flower, flower diameter and cut flower yield. Lower level of nitrogen (20 g/plant) and without nitrogen increased vase life of cut flowers, but higher level of nitrogen (60 g/plant) reduced it. Besides, lowest plant density at 90 x 60 cm spacing gave higher quality of cut flowers (longer stem length, number of petals per flower, flower diameter and vase life). As regards the effect of drip irrigation, rose plants irrigated at 0.6 CPE recorded maximum number of petals per flower, flower diameter on plant, flower production with different categories of stem length and longivity of cut flowers. It is concluded that nitrogen at 40 g/plant, plant density at 90 x 60 cm spacing and drip irrigation at 0.6 CPE were found to be optimum levels to value production in rose cv. Gladiator.