Impact of soilless media and fertigation frequency on growth and flowering of grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniaca L.) under protected conditions

Abstract

The experiment was conducted with four fertigation frequencies of NPK (20:20:20)@, 3gm/litre at 3 days interval, at 7 days interval, at 10 days interval and at 15 days interval and four different types of growing media combinations viz; (Garden soil), (Vermicompost + Cocopeat + Perlite [1:1:1 v/v], (Vermicompost + Cocopeat + Vermiculite [1:1:1 v/v] and M3 (Vermicompost + Perlite + Vermiculite [1:1:1 v/v]. The vegetative, floral and bulb parameters showed significant improvement in growing media (Vermicompost + Perlite + Vermiculite [1:1:1 v/v] and fertigation frequency NPK (20:20:20)@3gm/litre at 3 days interval. The maximum number of leaves plant-1 (8.66), plant spread (66.33 cm), number of spikes plant-1 (5.00), spike length (28.50 cm), diameter of spike (3.10 mm), number of bulbs plant-1 (3.66), diameter of main bulb (3.30), number of bulblets plant-1 (9.33), weight of main bulb (35.40 g) and minimum days taken to flowering (88) were recorded by using growing media combination of Vermicompost + Perlite + Vermiculite [1:1:1 v/v] and fertigation frequency of NPK (20:20:20)@3gm/litre at 3 days interval. So the growing media combination (Vermicompost + Perlite + Vermiculite [1:1:1 v/v] and fertigation frequency of NPK (20:20:20)@3gm/litre at 3 days interval was found to be best for improving the vegetative, floral and bulb parameters of Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniaca L.).