Effect of different soil media on growth, flowering and yield of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) under naturally ventilated polyhouse condition

Abstract

An experiment entitled Effect of Different Soil Media on Growth, Flowering and Yield of Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus) under naturally ventilated polyhouse conditions was conducted at Horticulture Research Field, Department of Horticulture, during the year 2019-2020. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design having 10 treatments T0(Normal soil), T1(Cocopeat), T2 (Vermicompost), T3 (Neemcake), T4(Cocopeat 50% + Vermicompost 50%), T5(Cocopeat 25% + Vermicompost 75%), T6 (Cocopeat 75% + Vermicompost 25%), T7 (Cocopeat 75% + Neemcake 25%), T8 (Cocopeat 25% + Neemcake 75%), T9 (Cocopeat 50% + Neemcake 50%) with three replications. The result revealed that treatment T1 (Cocopeat) is the most promising treatment with respect to pant height (40.75cm), plant spread (34.27cm), number of leaves (15.45cm), days taken for bud initiation (77.18), Flowering diameter (9.70cm), Flower stalk length (43.69cm), flower stalk girth (2.07cm), vase life (10days), flower yield per plant (11.02), flower yield/200m2 (139.09), maximum gross return (556,360), maximum net return (387,660) and benefit cost ratio is 3.29. Thus, among the different treatments soil media cocopeat is the most suitable soil media under naturally ventilated polyhouse in Prayagraj agro climatic conditions.