MSc

The investigation entitled ‘Crop management and post-harvest techniques of Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’ was carried out in Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara from February, 2023 to December, 2023. The objective of the study was to standardize spacing, nutrient management and post-harvest techniques of Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’.
The experiment on spacing and nutrient doses was carried out in Randomized Block Design (RBD factorial) using six months old rooted cuttings of Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’ by adopting two different spacing viz., 45 cm x 45 cm and 45 cm x 30 cm and three fertilizer schedules viz., 24:6:12 N: P2O5: K2O g/ plant/ year, 48:6:12 N: P2O5: K2O g/ plant/ year, 100g farm yard manure/ plant at four months interval along with absolute control. Foliar spray of N: P2O5: K2O 1:1:1 (19:19:19) at 0.5 per cent was given at three months interval for all treatments, except absolute control. Observations on growth characters, nutrient status of soil, plant nutrient content, plant nutrient uptake and total chlorophyll content were recorded.
Among the growth characters such as plant height, plant spread and days taken for first harvest, number of shoots harvested, spacing was found to have no significant influence. Application of N2 (48:6:12 N: P2O5: K2O g/ plant/ year) was found to be superior with respect to plant height over control. Similar trend was observed in plant spread and days taken for first harvest. Regarding interaction effect, treatment combination of 45 x 45 cm spacing and the nutrient dose of 48:6:12 N: P2O5: K2O g/ plant/ year (S1 x N2) as well as S2 x N2 (45 x 30 cm spacing and N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year) were superior and on par in terms of plant height, plant spread, and days taken for first harvest during the experimental period.
Plant nutrient content and plant nutrient uptake were was found to be higher in wider spacing (45 x 45 cm). Total chlorophyll content was highest in closer spacing (45 x 30 cm). Nutrient content, nutrient uptake and total chlorophyll content in plants increased as the dose of nutrients applied increased. Application of N2 48:6:12 N: P2O5: K2O g/ plant/ year was found to be superior among the treatments with respect to all these parameters. In interaction effect, treatment combination of S2 x N2 (spacing of 45 x 30 cm with a nutrient dose of N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year), S1 x N1 (spacing of 45 x 45 cm with a nutrient dose of N: P2O5: K2O @ 24:6:12 g/ plant/ year), S1 x N2 (spacing of 45 x 45 cm with N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year) were on par having highest plant nutrient content. Plant nutrient uptake was found to be highest in S1 x N2 (spacing of 45 x 45 cm with N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year) and total chlorophyll content was highest in S2 x N2 (spacing of 45 x 30 cm with a nutrient dose of N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year).
Results showed that treatment combination of S1 x N2 (45 x 45 cm spacing and N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year) and S2 x N2 (spacing of 45 x 30 cm with a nutrient dose of N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year) exhibited superiority in terms of growth characters, plant nutrient content, plant nutrient uptake and total chlorophyll content. Even though these two treatments were on par, 25% more plants can be accommodated under the spacing of 45 x 30 cm (S2). Hence spacing of 45 x 30 cm and nutrient dose 48:6:12 N: P2O5: K2O g/ plant/ year can be recommended for enhanced growth and cut foliage yield of Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’.
Post-harvest studies included standardization of precooling, pulsing, packaging and storage, and holding. Experiment on precooling consisted of three treatments viz., precooling at 10⁰C for six hours, precooling at 15⁰C for six hours and control (without precooling) laid out in CRD with eight replications. After precooling the vase life of shoots were observed and it was found that the maximum vase life (16.25 days) exhibited by the shoots under control (without precooling). The lowest rate of change in fresh weight after the vase life was observed under treatment T3 (control). Hence it could be concluded that no precooling treatment is required for Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’.
Standardization of pulsing consisted of ten treatments and three replications each, laid out in CRD. The shoot were kept in sucrose 5% for four hours and six hours, sucrose 10% for four hours and six hours, acidified water four hours and six hours, filtered water for four hours and six hours and one 500 mg paracetamol tablet in five litres of water for four hours and six hours. The longest vase life (19 days) was observed in shoots treated with a pulsing solution of sucrose 5% for six hours (T2). This result was on par with T1 (sucrose 5% for 4 hours). And the lowest percentage change in fresh weight was observed in treatment T1 (sucrose 5% for 4 hours). During the vase life, maximum water uptake was observed under the treatments T2 (sucrose 5 % for 6 hours), T6 (acidified water for 6 hours), T1 (sucrose 5 % for 4 hours), and T10 (one 500 mg paracetamol tablet in 5 litres of water for 6 hours). Hence pulsing with sucrose 5% for four hours can be recommended for Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’.
Packaging and storage study was laid out in CRD with two factors, namely the packaging materials and storage duration. The shoots were subjected to different treatments of packaging viz., cut end plugged with moistened cotton, covered with polyethylene and packed in corrugated fibre board boxes with KMnO4 sachets and without KMnO4 sachets, cut ends plugged with moistened cotton, covered with newspaper and packed in corrugated fibre board with KMnO4 sachets and without KMnO4 sachets and control (without cotton and KMnO4). Shoots under each treatment were stored for durations viz., 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours under air conditioned room at 20⁰ C. Cut ends plugged with moistened cotton, covered with polyethylene and packed in corrugated fibre board boxes with KMnO4 sachets for 6 hours was found to be superior in terms of vase life (19.40 days).
Experiment on holding was conducted in CRD with five treatments viz., sucrose 1%, sucrose 2%, distilled water, tap water, one 500 mg paracetamol tablet dissolved in five litres of water and four replications each. Maximum vase life was exhibited by the shoots kept in distilled water (21.38 days) closely followed by sucrose 2% (18.63 days). Treatments viz., Sucrose 2%, sucrose 1% and distilled water were on par in terms of percentage change in fresh weight and total water uptake. As the availability of distilled water is difficult for farmers, sucrose 2% can be recommended as holding solution.
Based on the results of the study, spacing of 45 x 30 cm with a nutrient dose of N: P2O5: K2O @ 48:6:12 g/ plant/ year (S2 x N2) can be recommended for enhancing the growth and yield of Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’. A protocol for post-harvest management of Dracaena reflexa ‘Song of India’ developed from the study is stage of harvest when plant reaches a height, of 3 feet, conditioning by the removal of dried and diseased plant parts, followed by pulsing with sucrose 5% for four hours. After pulsing, packaging can be done by plugging cut ends with moistened cotton, entire shoots covered with polyethylene and packed in corrugated fibre board boxes with KMnO4 sachets. The recommended storage duration is six hours in air conditioned room of 200 C. Sucrose 2% can be used as the holding solution.