Biostimulants for promoting growth, yield and flower quality in Anthurium (Anthurium andreanum Lind)

Abstract

The study entitled 'Biostimulants for enhancing growth, yield and flower quality in Anthurium (Anthurium andreanum Lind.)' was conducted at the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram. The research spanned from December 2022 to November 2023 and the aim was to assess the impact of biostimulants on growth, yield and flower quality of Anthurium andreanum Lind cv. Dora. in a naturally ventilated polyhouse. Employing a completely randomized design with ten replications, the different treatments administered were T1 i.e., control (fertilizers and manures as per KAU POP recommendations, i.e., cow dung supernatant + 19:19:19 (2 g L-1) weekly once), T2 (T1 + 0.2 per cent humic acid at fortnightly intervals), T3 (T1 + 0.2 per cent humic acid at monthly intervals), T4 (T1 + 2 per cent humic acid - fulvic acid mixture at fortnightly intervals), T5 (T1 + 2 per cent humic acid - fulvic acid mixture at monthly intervals), T6 (T1 + 100 mg L-1 salicylic acid at fortnightly intervals), T7 (T1 + 100 mg L-1 salicylic acid at monthly intervals),T8 (T1 + 2 per cent humic acid - fulvic acid mixture + 100 mg L-1 salicylic acid at fortnightly intervals), T9 (T1 + 2 per cent humic acid - fulvic acid mixture + 100 mg L-1 salicylic acid at monthly intervals),T10 (T1 + 0.5 per cent seaweed extract at fortnightly intervals), T11 (T1 + 0.5 per cent seaweed extract at monthly intervals), T12 (T1 + 0.2 per cent humic acid + 0.5 per cent seaweed extract at fortnightly intervals), T13 (T1 + 0.2 per cent humic acid + 0.5 per cent seaweed extract at monthly intervals), T14 (T1 + 2 per cent humic acid - fulvic acid mixture + 0.5 per cent seaweed extract at fortnightly intervals) and T15 (T1 + 2 per cent humic acid - fulvic acid mixture + 0.5 per cent seaweed extract at monthly intervals). Among vegetative parameters, the highest plant height was recorded in T12 (T1 + 0.2 per cent HA + 0.5per cent SWE fortnightly) which was on par with T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly). All the other vegetative parameters like, number of leaves, stem girth, leaf length and leaf breadth recorded superior values in T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly). The highest number of suckers and minimum days for sucker emergence were recorded in T2 (T1 + 0.2 per cent HA fortnightly). Leaf area and leaf area index showed their highest values in T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly). Regarding floral parameters, shortest days for bud initiation was observed in T9 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA +100 mg L-1 SA monthly) which was on par with T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly). Other floral characters like, stalk length, stalk girth, spathe length, spathe width, spadix length, spadix girth along with flower longevity were recorded highest in T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly). In yield parameters, the highest number of flowers per plant was observed in T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly) and the lowest flower yield was exhibited by T1 (control). With regard to post-harvest parameters, vase life and water uptake recorded highest values in T8 (T1 + 2per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly). The physiological loss in weight was minimum in T8 (T1 + 2per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly). Among the macronutrients, N and P content in leaves were highest in T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA fortnightly) whereas, K content was highest in T14 (T1 + 2 per cent humic-fulvic acid mixture in combination with 0.5 per cent seaweed extract). Among the secondary nutrients, the highest calcium content (1 per cent) in leaves was recorded in T1 (control plants) and Mg content was highest in in T12 (T1 + 0.2 per cent HA + 0.5 per cent SWE fortnightly). Sulphur content recorded the highest in T3 (T1 + foliar application of 0.2 per cent humic acid monthly). The micronutrient content was analyzed and the highest Fe and Mn content were recorded in T8 (T1 + 2 per cent HFA + 100 mg L-1 SA at fortnightly intervals). Zinc content recorded the highest in T9 (T1 + 2 per cent humic-fulvic acid mixture in combination with 100 mg L-1 salicylic acid monthly) and the highest copper content in leaves was recorded in T4 (T1 + 2 per cent humic-fulvic acid mixture fortnightly). Finally, the most economically feasible treatment w