Standardization of pruning month and growth regulators application on flower quality characteristics of jasmine (Jasminum sambac (L.) aiton) during off season flower production under polyhouse condition

Abstract

The experiment was carried out during 2021-2023 at the Department of Horticulture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru to study the influence of pruning and application of growth regulators on flower quality characteristics of jasmine (Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton) during off-season flower production under polyhouse condition. There were three pruning treatments were imposed during the second fortnight of August (P1), October (P2) and December (P3 control). Foliar application of growth regulators viz., GA3 at 100 (G1), 150 (G2), and 200 ppm (G3); Cycocel at 500 (G4), 750 (G5), and 1000 ppm (G6) and double distilled water (Control, G7) were sprayed at 15 days after pruning under polyhouse condition. Combination of pruning and growth regulators comprising of 21 treatments with three replications laid out in Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD). Among the off-season pruning treatment, the interaction between P2G6, which involves pruning in October coupled with foliar spray of Cycocel at 1000 ppm, resulted in the highest chlorophyll content during peak vegetative period i.e., 57.00 in November and during flowering chlorophyll content of 58.25 was recorded in January. Flower quality characteristics viz., corolla tube length (1.600 cm), bud length (1.850 cm) and flower diameter (3.830 cm) were significantly maximum in plant pruned with October pruning with GA3 at 200 ppm. While, bud diameter (1.317 cm) and 100 buds weight (51.270 g) higher in P2G6 (October pruning + Cycocel at 1000 ppm). Shelf life showed no significant difference among the treatments. Off season flower yield per ha (1.628 kg) was maximum in plants pruned during October month with application of Cycocel at 1000 ppm (P2G6).