Effect of calcium nitrate on propagation of LA hybrid lilies through scaling

Abstract

The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (factorial) consisting of three cultivars and six calcium nitrate doses (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 g/m2). Among the cutivars, maximum bulblet multiplication was found in UHFS LA Lily Collection 1 (2.59) followed by Batistero (2.48) and Frans Hals (2.32), respectively. Among the different calcium nitrate doses, 10 g/m2 calcium nitrate dose gave best results for per cent sprouting (76.03 %), minimum days taken for sprouting (102.00 days), sprout length (9.60 cm), fresh weight of bulblet/scale (1.69 g), bulblet diameter (9.32 mm) and propagation index (125.69 %) when supplied to the scales in ten equal split doses in liquid form. However, for obtaining higher number of leaves/scale (6.38) and maximum multiplication (2.90 bulblets/scale) calcium nitrate application at the rate of 20 g/m2 supplied to these scales proved to be most effective treatment. The interaction between cultivars and calcium nitrate doses has shown variable responses. Highest per cent sprouting was observed in Frans Hals (77.14 %) with 15 g/m2 and 25 g/m2 calcium nitrate and in UHFS LA Lily Collection 1 (77.14 %) with 10 g/m2, whereas maximum sprout length (10.18 cm), number of bulblets/scale (3.01) and bulblet diameter (9.77 mm) were found in cultivar UHFS LA Lily Collection 1 with 10 g/ m2 and number of leaves/scale (7.03) in cultivar Batistero with 25 g/m2 calcium nitrate dose.