Effect of nitrogen and potassium application on growth and flowering of sweet william (Dianthus barbatus L) Kumar Mohit, Dilta BS*, Sharma BP1, Kumar Pardeep2, Thakur Ashok, Sharma Rajender Department of Seed Science and Technology 1Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India 2Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India *Email for correspondence: balbirsinghdilta@gmail.com
Online published on 23 January, 2019. Abstract The present investigations were carried out at the experimental farm of Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh with the objective to work out the optimum doses of nitrogen and potassium for obtaining better growth and flowering quality in sweet william. The experiment was laid out in RBD (factorial) with 16 treatment combinations of four levels of nitrogen viz N0(0 g/m2), N1(20 g/m2), N2(30 g/m2) and N3(40 g/m2) and four doses of potassium viz K0(0 g/m2), K1(10 g/m2), K2 (20 g/m2) and K3 (30 g/m2) along with a constant dose of FYM @ 5 kg/m2 and P @ 20 g/m2 replicated thrice. Among different levels of nitrogen N3 (40 g/m2) recorded maximumvalues for days taken to first flowering (133.25 days), plant height (48.58 cm), plant spread (43.58 cm), number of flowers per plant (106.25), inflorescence diameter (9.54 cm) and flowering duration (45.13 days). The application of potassium @ 30 g/m2 resulted in highest values for days taken to first flowering (124.25 days), plant height (43.67 cm), plant spread (39.51 cm), number of flowers per plant (98.42), inflorescence diameter (8.41 cm) and flowering duration (42.54 days). The interaction N3 (40 g/m2) × K3 (30 g/m2) recorded significantly maximum values in terms of various growth and flowering parameters. It is concluded that for better growth and obtaining quality flowering the sweet william plants should be fertilized with N: K @ 40: 30 g/m2 along with FYM @ 5 kg/m2 and P @ 20 g/m2. Top Keywords Nitrogen, potassium, sweet william, growth, flowering. Top |