Effect of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Spacing on Growth and Flowering in Tuberose (Polianthes Tuberosa Linn.) Cultivar Single

A multifactor experiment on tuberose cv. Single was conducted at Instructional Farm of ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, during 2002–2004. The treatments comprised four levels of nitrogen (100, 200, 300 and 400 kg N/ha), three levels of phosphorus (100, 150 and 200 kg P205/ha) and three spacings i.e. 30x20, 30x30, and 30x45 cm, in a randomized block design with factorial concept replicated thrice. The results revealed that for higher yield of spikes and bulbs tuberose could be planted at a closer spacing of 30x20 cm and fertilized with 400 kg nitrogen and 200 kg phosphorus per hectare. The effect of spacing on vegetative and floral characters was observed to be non significant. Spikes/plant was found to be higher under wider spacing (30x45 cm). Application of nitrogen at 400 kg/ha recorded significantly the highest values of vegetative and floral characters. Number of days to first flowering was advanced at higher level of nitrogen. The effect of phosphorus was non significant on vegetative characters while floral characters viz., rachis length and number of florets/spike were found significant. Bulb yield in terms of clump weight t/ha was also found significant and 200 kg P2O5/ha recorded the higher values.