Journal of FARM SCIENCES, Vol 25, No 1 (2012)

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Evaluation of Dendrobium orchids for growth and yield grown under greenhouse

S. Sugapriya, J.C. Mathad, A.A. Patil, R.V. Hegde, S. Lingaraju, M.S. Biradar

Abstract


Dendrobium is one of the important genera of orchid and grown commercially for cut flowers. Therefore evaluation of its growth habit, flowering behaviour and yield under the different growing conditions for a location specific is important. Nine varieties of Dendrobium orchids were evaluated for growth and yield. The study revealed that among the different varieties evaluated, Sonia-17 recorded maximum plant height (54.57 cm), length of internode (5.00 cm) and number of pseudobulbs per plant (9.73), where as Medame uraiwan registered more number of leaves (18.33) and maximum pseudobulb girth (6.23 cm). Maximum leaf length (16.5 cm) was recorded in Burana fancy where as leaf breadth was maximum (4.9 cm) in the varieties Sonia-17 and Medame uraiwan. Physiological growth parameters viz. leaf area (61.06 cm2), leaf area index (7.3) and leaf chlorophyll content (80.53 SPAD units) were registered maximum in Sonia-17. The varieties Sonia-17 (187.13 days) and Somark white (201.67 days) have taken less number of days for flower bud initiation where as Sonia-17 exhibited minimum time interval from flower bud initiation to first flower opening and first flower opening to harvest (31.43 days and 27.67 days respectively). Out of the nine varieties studied, Sonia-17 exhibited free-flowering nature and seasonal flowering was observed in rest of the varieties. The number of spikes per plant per year (8.67) was recorded maximum in the variety Sonia-17.

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