Abstract

To seek a way to solve the slow growth of bulbs of Lycoris, a pot experiment with three replications was conducted to evaluate the effects of watering frequency on growth, net photosynthetic rate and bulb biomass of Lycoris haywardii under greenhouse condition. The results revealed that leaf number, leaf length and fresh bulb weight was increased by 67, 41 and 323% respectively, under the irrigation frequency of once a month, which were significantly greater than that of other treatments. And leaf number increase rate was positively correlated (r=0.97, P<0.01) with the irrigation frequency, so was fresh bulb increase rate (r=0.98, P<0.01). However, no significant differences were observed with regard to bulb number in all the treatments. The species with a good ability of drought resistance can get by under irrigation frequency of once in every three months. The maximum net photosynthetic rate reached 18.0 μmol/m2/s or higher, and the light saturation point was near or higher than 2000 μmol/m2/s, therefore, a full-light management was recommended for the cultivation of L. haywardii. It took about a week to recover the normal photosynthetic ability after a severe drought stress. On the contrary, short-term drought stress had no more negative effect on net photosynthetic rate but remarkable light compensation effect. Higher temperature (under 22°C) was favourable for photosynthesis. Cultivation management in dormancy stage was necessary for increasing bulb yield of Lycoris. Key words: Watering interval, drought resistance, photosynthesis, biomass, cultivation.

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