Integrated nutrient management for heliconia (Heliconia angusta cv. Christmas Red)

Abstract

The present investigation on “Integrated nutrient management for heliconia” was carried out in the Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2013-2014. Objective of the study was to standardize an integrated nutrient management schedule for heliconia for optimum flower yield and quality. The variety used for the present study was Heliconia angusta cv. Christmas Red. The treatments consisted of different combinations of heliconia mix, vermicompost, neem cake and PGPR mix-I with the basal application of FYM, bone meal and biofertilizers. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design consisting of nine treatments and four replications. The treatment T3 (Heliconia mix 2.5g +Vermicompost 200g + Neem cake100g) was found to be significantly superior in morphological characters (plant height, plant spread, number of leaves per plant, number of shoots, flower canopy height, leaf area, leaf area ratio and leaf area index), flower characters (length of inflorescence, length of spike, length of petiole, number of flower bracts, size of bract, flowers per bract, length of inflorescence stalk , vase life of inflorescence), leaf nitrogen content and soil available P (after the experiment). The lowest number of days taken for flowering was recorded in T6 (Vermicompost 400g + Neem cake 150g). The highest number of flowering shootsper year and the minimum number of days taken to first and fifty percent flowering was registered by T2 (Heliconia mix 2.5g + Vermicompost 150g+Neem cake 75g). The life of flower was observed to be highest for the treatment T8 (PGPR Mix-I + Vermicompost 150g + Neem cake 75g). The visual appeal of flowers were assessed based on four characters, among which T3 (Heliconia mix 2.5g + Vermicompost 200g + Neem cake100g) recorded highest value for colour development and bract arrangement and T8 (PGPR Mix-I + Vermicompost 150g + Neem cake 75g) recorded highest value for glossiness and general appearance of flower. The leaf P content was highest in T6 (Vermicompost 400g + Neem cake 150g) whereas T1 (Heliconia mix 2.5g + Vermicompost 100g + Neem cake50g) recorded the highest content of potassium and soil available organic carbon. The highest amount of soil available potassium before the experiment was recorded by T2 and after the experiment T9 registered the highest value. Highest benefit cost ratio was recorded in T3 (Heliconia mix 2.5g + Vermicompost 200g+Neem cake100g). The study revealed T3 (Heliconia mix 2.5g + Vermicompost 200g + Neem cake100g) as the best treatment in terms of growth characters, flowering characters and vase life studies followed by T8 (PGPR Mix-I + Vermicompost 150g + Neem cake 75g). Cultivars of heliconia differ greatly in size of plants as well as size of inflorescences. Heliconia angusta cv. Christmas Red used in this study was comparatively small sized cultivar. Further nutrient trials with large sized cultivars like Bihai and Carribea can be taken up considering the results obtained in the present study as a guideline.