Effects of Planting Density and Methods of Raising Seedlings on Flowering, Yield and Quality of Cut Flowers in Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus L.)

Abstract

Effects of planting density and raising seedling method on the flowering, yield and quality of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) were investigated. Plants were sown in July and pinched in September. In experiment 1, ‘Maryland Pink’ and ‘Light Pink Butterfly II’ were pinched at the temporary planting stage followed by planting at a density of 4, 6 or 8 plants per row. The yield of cut flowers per plant decreased with an increase in planting density. However, the yield of cut flowers per square meter was significantly less in 4 plants per row than in 6 and 8 plants per row. The number of days from pinching to flowering and cut flower quality were not affected by the planting density. In experiment 2, ‘Maryland Pink’ was non-temporary planted with the same density as in experiment 1 or planted after temporary planting as a conventional method with 6 plants per row. Effect of planting density in non-temporary planting was similar to that of‘Maryland Pink’ in experiment 1. The flowering of the primary shoots on the second node was earlier in non-temporary planting than in the conventional method, and the yield of cut flowers was greater in the former than in the latter. The results show that the productivity was higher in raising seedlings without temporary planting than in the conventional method.