EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF HYDRANGEA (Hydrangea macrophyllaThunb.)
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Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigations entitled, “Effect of nitrogen and potassium on growth and flowering of
hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla Thunb.)” was carried out at the experimental farm of Department of
Floriculture and Landscaping, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P) during
2013 - 2014. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (Factorial) with 5 levels of nitrogeni.e.
N1 (40 g N/m
2
), N
2 (50 g N/m
2
), N3 (60 g N/m
2
), N4 (70 g N/m
2
), N5 (80 g N/m
2
) and 4 levels of potassium i.e.K1
(30 g K/m
2
), K2 (40g K/m
2
), K
3 (50 g K/m
2
) and K4 (60 g K/m
2
), altogether 20 treatment combinations of nitrogen
and potassium replicated thrice. Among different levels of nitrogen, N
5 (80 g N/m
2
) recorded maximum values for
plant height (83.23 cm), stem length (66.87 cm), number of shoots per plant (22.24), stem thickness (1.14), number
of leaves per plant (243.87), number of cut flowers per plant (22.23), number of cut flowers per meter square
(88.91) and inflorescence diameter (19.06 cm). However, minimum number of days taken to bud formation
(380.84 days), minimum number of days taken from bud formation to first floret opening (17.57 days), minimum
number of days to harvesting stage (423.19 days) and maximum vase life (21.50 days) was recorded with the
lower level of nitrogen i.e.N1 (40 g N/m
2
). As regards the effect of potassium, maximum plant height (79.85 cm),
stem length (65.06 cm), number of shoots per plant (20.48), number of leaves per plant (222.02), number of cut
flowers per plant (20.24), number of cut flowers per meter square (80.97), inflorescence diameter (17.15 cm) and
vase life (19.33 days) were recorded with the application of K3 (50 g K/m
2
) except for stem thickness which was
found to be maximum (1.02 cm) with the applicationof K
4 (60 g K/m
2
). However, minimum number of days
taken to bud formation (382.32 days), number of days taken from bud formation to first floret opening (19.22
days) and number of days to harvesting stage (426.76 days) were recorded with the lower level of potassium i.e.
K
1 (30 g K/m
2
). The interaction, N
5
× K
3
i.e.80 g N/m
2
and 50 g K/m
2
recorded maximum values in terms of most
of the growth and flowering parameters of commercial importance except vase life which was found to be
comparatively better in N1
× K
3
i.e. 40 g N/m
2
and 50 g K/m
2
.
Hence, it is concluded that for better growth,
flowering and yield of cut flowers, the hydrangea plants be fertilized with NPK @ 80:30:50 g/m
2
.
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