MSc

The thesis work entitled “Nutrient management in gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus.) grown under naturally ventilated poly house” was carried out at the Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2016-2018. The study was to assess the performance of five gerbera varieties to different doses of fertilizers with a view to find out the best fertilizer dose for each variety. This study also aimed for the standardization of nutrient management schedule for Gerbera jamesoniiBolus. Five varieties were selected for the study (V1- Beaudine, V2- Double date, V3- Mammut, V4- Esmara, V5- Aquamelon). Different nutrient treatments (N1- 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g m-2, N2- 15:15:15 N, P2O5, K2O g m-2, N3- 20:20:20 N, P2O5, K2O g m-2) were applied to the varieties at monthly and fortnightly interval. The experiment was laid out in completely randomised design consisting of thirty treatment combinations and three replications.
The study revealed that variety Beaudine was significantly superior in terms of vegetative parameters viz., plant spread (156.19cm) at 4 MAP, number of leaves (13.31) at 8 MAP and leaf length (37.09cm) at 4MAP. Variety Mammut was significantly superior in leaf breadth (11.03cm) at 10 MAP and number of suckers plantˉ1(2.59) at 6 MAP. The nutrient treatment 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 produced significantly higher plant spread (171.29cm) at 10 MAP, number of leaves (12.54) at 6 MAP, leaf length (34.04cm) at 4 MAP, leaf breadth (12.35cm) at 4 MAP and number of suckers plant-1 (2.97) at 6 MAP. The level of split application of nutrients s1 showed significantly superior values for plant spread (148.86cm) at 4 MAP, number of leaves (10.95) at 8MAP, leaf length (31.67cm) at 4 MAP, leaf breadth (10.79cm) at 4MAP and number of suckers plantˉ1 (2.42) at 6MAP. The variety Esmara when treated with 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 at monthly interval of split application of nutrients recorded significantly highest value for plant spread (183.38cm) at 10 MAP. Variety Beaudine treated with 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 (1.6: 1.6: 1.6 N, P2O5, K2O g plantˉ1)at monthly interval of split application of nutrients recorded significantly higher values for number of leaves (15.23) at 6MAP and leaf length (46cm) at 4 MAP. Variety Mammut treated with 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 split application of nutrients at monthly intervals recorded significantly higher values for leaf breadth (15.74cm) at 4 MAP and number of suckers plantˉ1 (3.89) at 6 MAP.
Regarding the flowering characters, Variety Esmara treated with 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 of split application of nutrients at monthly intervals recorded the lowest value for number of days taken for flowering (17) and variety Double date treated with 15:15:15 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 at fortnightly interval of split application of nutrients recorded lowest value for number of days taken from bud initiation to harvest (7.9) and there was no significant difference on flower longevity on the plant.
In flower characters, Mammut variety supplied with a combination of 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 fertilizers at monthly interval of split application of nutrients recorded highest flower diameter (11.24cm) and width of ray florets (1.00cm).There was no significant difference observed for flower disc diameter and length of the ray florets. Esmara variety with a combination of 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 fertilizers at monthly interval of split application of nutrients recorded the highest number of ray florets (65.01).Beaudine variety with a combination of 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 fertilizers at monthly interval of split application of nutrients recorded the highest stalk girth (2.39cm) and stalk length (79.34cm).
In yield parameters, highest number of flowers produced plant-1year-1(25.75) and higher yield of flowers in relation to season (15.25) at rainy season was recorded for variety Esmara treated with a combination of 10:10:10 N, P2O5, and K2O g mˉ2 with a split application of nutrients at monthly intervals.
The vase life of flowers and water uptake showed no significant difference among the treatment combinations
All the five varieties while treated with 10:10:10 N, P2O5, K2O g mˉ2 at monthly intervals resulted high values for vegetative, flower and flowering characters. The best performance for Beaudine followed by Esmara and Aquamelon. BC ratio was highest for Beaudine.
Future line of work may be standardisation of agrotechniques for gerbera under Kerala conditions.