Evaluation of Asiatic lily cultivars in Terai region of West Bengal under low-cost polyhouse

Abstract

A varietal evaluation study was conduced to assess the performance of different Asiatic Lily genotypes under the Terai region of West Bengal. The study aimed to select genotypes with superior adaptability and commercial traits, including sprouting, plant height, flower bud production and vase-life. Asiatic Lily cultivar Fangio recorded early sprouting and maximum plant height, cv. Ercolano produced the highest number of flower buds and cv. Zambesi exhibited the longest vase-life of cut flowers. The findings underscore the importance of multi-trait selection for identifying cultivars suited to the dual demands of field performance and marketability in the Terai region. Among the cultivars tested, ‘Fangio’ and ‘Zambesi’ showed potential for further use in commercial floriculture and breeding programs.