Effect of various combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash on enhancing the flowering time in Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Hazara Agriculture Research Station Abbottabad, Pakistan during 2010-11 to evaluate the impact of various N, P, K combinations (Control, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potash (K), N+P, N+K, P+K and N+P+K) on plant height, number of branches, suckers, leaves, flowers per plant, leaf area, days to flowering, blooming period, flower size and flower fresh weight. The experiment was conducted as a Completely Randomized Block Design with 8 treatments replicated 4 times. Terminal cuttings were individually planted in 7 cm plastic pots on 10th June. Plants were transplanted to 28 cm pots on 10th July. Application of fertilizer with (N+P+K) combination was significantly better with plant height (63.9 cm), maximum leaf area (131.6 cm 2 ), less days (116) to flower, more number of flowers (32), maximum blooming period (38 days), larger flower size (6.3 cm) and flower fresh weight (4.4 g). Untreated chrysanthemum plants had least plant height (46.5 cm), number of branches (7) per plant, number of leaves (47) per plant, leaf area (94.2 cm 2 ), number of flowers (15) per plant, blooming period (35 days), flower size (4.5 cm) and fresh weight (3.3 g). Treatment of plants with (N+P+K) combination alone gave flowering after 116 days from planting in 7 cm pots and produced flowers on 4th October which was earlier than the normal season.