Vol. 11, Issue 12 (2022)

Author(s):
Laxmi Patil, Biradar MS, Patil VS, Math KK and Patil HY

Abstract:
In the recent years, Heliconia introduced to the flower trade and recognizing itself as an unexploited ornamental variety of unusual elegance which is identified as an emerging cut flower becoming popular in all metropolitan cities of India. It is mainly sold as exclusive (tropical) flower in mixed bouquets and flower arrangements. A high value flower crop can assure sizable income to farmers with minimum investment and care. This crop is being grown as an ornamental plant in the garden. Hence, it is necessary to develop suitable agro techniques to enhance production of high quality flowers. Therefore, field trial was undertaken at the Department of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during 2021-22 to understand the influence of growing condition, spacing and nutrition to improve the growth and yield of Heliconia genotypes. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design with three replications and sixteen treatment combinations comprised of two growing conditions as main plot (M₁: Coconut garden and M₂: Shade house) and combinations of genotypes, spacing and nutrition as eight sub plots [G₁: H. latispatha Orange, G₂: H. psittacorum Kenea Red, S₁: 40 cm × 40 cm, S₂: 40 cm × 60 cm, N₁:100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and N₂:75% RDF]. Result indicated significant difference with all growth and yield parameters. Plants in shade house took less number of days to first flowering and exhibited highest values for all the characters compared to plants in coconut garden. The interaction found significant for plant height (139.38 cm) which was higher under T₁₃ (M₂G₂S₁N₁). Treatment combination T₁₁ (M₂G₁S₂N₁) recorded highest number of leaves shoot^-1 (7.83) and suckers clump^-1 (12.10). T₁₅ (M₂G₂S₂N₁) recorded maximum plant spread (61.03), leaf length (44.15 cm) and leaf breadth (18.22 cm), took less number of days to first flowering (132.45), 50 percent flowering (172.50). T₁₅ (M₂G₂S₂N₁) registered maximum number of flowers clump^-1 (16.67) and yield ha^-1 (50.00 lakh flowers) and the same treatment combination can be suggested to get higher yield in Heliconia.