Browsing by Author "Hasna, P M"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Precision farming techniques for tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.)
(Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2025-05-20) Hasna, P M; Rafeekher, M
A study entitled “Precision farming techniques for tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.)” was undertaken during 2022-2024 at Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The main objective of the study was standardization of manuring, drip irrigation, fertilizer levels, spacing and mulching in tuberose hybrid Arka Prajwal. The study consisted of two experiments. The first experiment on “Standardization of manuring, irrigation and fertilizer level in tuberose” was laid out in split-split plot design with 16 treatment combinations and replicated four times. The main plot treatments were two manures (M1-FYM and M2- Poultry manure), the subplot treatments were two levels of irrigation (I1- IW/CPE 1 and I2-IW/CPE 0.8) and the sub sub plot treatments were four levels of fertigation (F1- 75 per cent recommended dose of N and K, F2- 100 per cent recommended dose of N and K, F3- 125 per cent recommended dose of N and K and F4- half N and full K of recommended dose). Control plot was laid out based on conventional farming practices. FYM @ 30 t ha-1 and poultry manure based on nitrogen equivalence were applied. Soil test-based recommendation for fertigation was derived based on 100: 50: 50 kg ha-1 as per KAU POP. Full dose of phosphorus was applied at the time of land preparation. Urea and sulphate of potash were used as fertilizer source for fertigation. Observations were recorded on vegetative, floral, post-harvest characters, plant and soil nutrient content. Among manures, poultry manure recorded superior results as compared to FYM for most of the parameters that were studied. Levels of drip irrigation had no considerable effects on plant characters, however in consideration with moderate water usage irrigation at IW/CPE 0.8 can be recommended. Within different levels of fertigation, drip fertigation of ½ N and full K had given the best results. Application of higher dose of fertilizers had no remarkable effects over growth, yield and quality. Results revealed that combined effect of poultry manuring, drip irrigation and fertigation proved superior to their individual effects. Vegetative parameters viz., plant height, no. of leaves, leaf length, leaf breadth, leaf area and LAI were significantly improved in treatment M2I2F4 (poultry manure+ IW/ CPE 0.8+ ½ N and full K through fertigation). As far as floral characters are concerned, M2I2F4 had positive influence on early spike emergence, minimum days to first floret opening and 50% flowering. Quality attributes of spikes such as spike length, rachis length, girth of peduncle, number of florets per spikes and number of spikes per hill exhibited improvement under M2I2F4. This treatment also had positive influence on length, diameter and weight of florets and loose flower yield. Among post- harvest parameters, fresh weight, vase life, water uptake and concrete recovery also higher under M2I2F4. Hence application of poultry manure, irrigation at IW/ CPE 0.8 and ½ N and full K through fertigation can be recommended for improved growth, yield and quality of tuberose hybrid Arka Prajwal. Synergistic effect of organic manuring, drip irrigation and fertigation with water soluble fertilizers paved the way for effective and efficient utilization of water and nutrients by the plants, thereby resulting in better plant growth. The second experiment on “Standardization of spacing and mulching in tuberose” was laid out in split plot design with eight treatment combinations and each replicated four times. The main plot consisted of plastic mulching (P1- Mulched, P2- Non mulched) and sub plot consisted of four levels of spacing (S1- 20 cm × 15 cm, S2- 20 cm × 20 cm, S3- 20 cm × 25 cm, S4- 20 × 30 cm). The best treatment combination from experiment I were selected for conducting experiment II. The treatment combination P1S4 (plastic mulching + 20 × 30 cm spacing) exhibited superior performances across vegetative, floral and post-harvest characters. Plant and soil analysis also resulted in highest nutrient content in this treatment combination. Planting at wider spacing under plastic mulching can be recommended for improved growth, yield and quality of tuberose. Regarding economics of cultivation, the treatment combination P1S4 recorded highest BC ratio for loose flowers. However, for cut flowers, P1S1 (plastic mulching + 20 × 15 cm spacing) achieved the highest BC ratio, followed by P1S4. A precision farming package of “application of poultry manure @ 10.60 t ha-1 and full dose of phosphorous (30 kg ha-1) as basal at the time of land preparation, along with drip fertigation of ½ N and full K (35.50 kg N and K per ha) at IW/ CPE 0.8 and planting at a spacing of 20 × 30 cm under plastic mulching” can be recommended for improved vegetative, floral and post-harvest characters of tuberose hybrid ‘Arka Prajwal’. A semi-automatic fertigation system that can be controlled and monitored remotely using GSM technology has been developed based on the nutrient utilization model derived in terms of growth parameters of the crop as well as the nutrient content of soil and plant.
Varietal evaluation of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) for yield growth and quality
(Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, 2020) Hasna, P M; Meera Manjusha, A V
Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L. Family: Amaryllidaceae) is one of the most popular tropical ornamental bulbous flowering plant grown on a commercial scale throughout different states of India. They are much adored by the aesthetic world for their colour, elegance and fragrance. As the commercial cultivation of tuberose is gaining importance, introduction and identification of high yielding varieties is necessary. The quality and production of any crop or variety largely influenced by its genetic makeup and climatic condition under which they are grown. Therefore, in order to select suitable and high yielding cultivar for a particular region it is very much necessary to collect and evaluate all the available genotypes. The study entitled “Varietal evaluation of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) for growth, yield and quality” was carried out at the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, Kasaragod and RARS Pilicode during 2019-2020. The experiment was laid out in Randomized block design with ten treatments and three replications. The varieties were screened for vegetative, floral, quality and post- harvest parameters. The study clearly indicated that genotypic differences among varieties and variation in environmental factors significantly influence vegetative and floral characters of tuberose. Minimum number of days to 50 % flowering (108.38 days), longest spike (111.80 cm) and maximum diameter of peduncle (3.05 cm) was recorded in variety Arka Prajwal. Variety Arka Suvasini recorded maximum value for rachis length (47.60 cm), longevity of spike (13.60 days), days to complete opening of spikes (26.15 days), diameter of floret (3.53 cm), weight of 100 florets (235.43 g), loose flower yield (131.31 g) and fresh weight of spike (133.52 g). Variety Arka Vaibhav recorded maximum number of florets per spike (63.00). Longest floret was observed in variety Culcutta Single (7.03 cm). Variety Culcutta Double found to be superior in terms of vase life (8.53 days) of spike. Concrete recovery found maximum in single petalled cultivars than semi double and double type cultivars. Stage of harvest, growing environmental condition, season and method of extraction have significant influence on the recovery of concrete. In the present study concrete recovery ranges from 0.012 to 0.117 % and maximum concrete obtained for the variety Arka Sugandhi. Out of the ten genotypes of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) comprising single, semi- double and double petalled cultivars, the variety Arka Prajwal, Arka Shringar, Arka Sugandhi and Culcutta Single among single petalled type, Arka Vaibhav the only semi petalled type and variety Arka Suvasini and Culcutta Double among double petalled type were found to be superior in terms of growth, yield and quality of flower under northern Kerala condition. Among these Arka Prajwal can be recommended for loose flower production, Arka Suvasini for cut flower production and Arka Sugandhi for oil extraction purpose.