EFFECT OF HUMIC ACID AND PACLOBUTRAZOL ON FLOWERING THREE CULTIVARS OF Gerbera jamesonii Bolus ex. Hook.

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in plastic house of Hort. and Land scape Dept. College of Agric. and Forestry. at the period from December 2011 to July 2012. to evaluate three cultivar response of Gerbera jamesonii i.e Dameblanche (white flower). Laurance (yellow flower) and Arrow (red flower). to soil treatment with humic acid at: 0 and 120 mg/ m2 and three concentrations of Paclobutrazol i.e. 0. 60 and 120 mg/ L by spraying on vegetative growth. The factorial experiment conducted by using split-split plot within Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicate and 15 plants for treatment. The data showed: At the end of the experiment. red cultivar gave best results of number of inflorescences 7.49 inflorescences/plant. vase life 15.00 days compared with the other cultivars studied. While largest values of inflorescence diameter 93.81mm. scape length 50.85 cm. scape diameter 6.51 mm were found yellow cultivar plants. The white cultivars record the lowest value for total inflorescence number. inflorescence diameter. length of scape and vase life. Treatment with paclobutrazol caused a significant decrease in inflorescence diameter. scape length. but didn’t affect on vase life. In general. red flower cultivar plants which not treated with humic acid interact with paclobutrazol treatment at 120 mg/ L gave higher number of inflorescence/ plant. inflorescence diameter. scape diameter. vase life which increased to 16.00 days.