Académique Documents
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Culture Documents
1. Orchids
Importance
Orchids are the most fascinating and beautiful of all flowers. They exhibit a
importance and play a very useful role to balance the forest ecosystem.
Srilanka. In spite of their commercial value, the orchids in India have not get
district of West Bengal and in Sikkim export some orchids but the trade is
with a wealth of orchid flora, and about 1600 species are estimated to occur
native to this country are important parent plants for the production of
like Vanda coerula (Blue vanda or Blue moon vanda) and species of
is possible to grow all types of orchids in suitable places without the control
suitable for Chennai and other coastal areas where the humidity is high.The
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Botany
simpodial
* Grow in soil
* Underground orchids
* Found in Australia
Propagation
producing only a few additional orchid plants in an year. But they ensure
uniformity among the plant types. Most growers multiply orchid plants by
orchid clump
may acquire some 8-10 good sized canes and such a plant can be divided to
4-5 individual units having at least 2 canes per division. Eg. Dendrobium,
Off-Shoots (Keikis) : Off-Shoots are miniature plants with roots from the
nodes of old canes. Application of cytokinins like BAP 1g/litre will stimulate
Cuttings : Matured stems should be cut neatly into pieces with 3-4 nodes
and a few roots. They can be planted on sand and kept in shade for root
Flower stalk cuttings of Phalaenopsis, Phaius etc., can also be used for
and some other monopodials. As all these methods can generate only a few
plants at a time, nowadays newer techniques like dry seed culture, green pod
culture and meristem culture are resorted to by both growers and breeders to
Cultivation practices
Unlike many other cultivated ornamentals, orchids are very hardy plants
which can withstand quite a lot of adversities. However, for growing them
and potting materials, repotting and division, fertilizer application and plant
Temperature
Orchids have originated from all the different temperature regimes of the
world and consistent with its place of origin, each orchid requires a specific
temperature for optimum growth. For orchids suitable to cool climates the
suitable for hot climate (tropical) 18° - 32°C (night /day). From these basic
temperature requirements, we can see that orchids which grow well and
Humidity : This is a critical factor especially for orchids coming from the
Light : Light is the most important single factor that controls healthy growth
of the plant and their ability to reach flowering. Some orchids need full sun
to flower while others die if kept in full sun. Again basically orchids fall under
three groups i.e., those that require full sun, those that need intermediate
exposure to sunlight and those that need full shade. Intensity of light that
propylene shade nets of various intensities such as 25%, 50%, 75% etc., are
now available in the market and those should be used judiciously to provide
Aeration : Air that constantly circulates keeps the orchid plants in good
health. Stagnant and still air promotes fungal growth. A fresh moist
The two questions that arise here are : 1. How much water is to be given?
Too much water will encourage fungal and bacterial growth. Too little water
will stunt the plant. The latter is better than excess watering. However the
best way is to get adjusted to the right amount of watering for healthy
growth. This depends on several factors such as the type of orchid, type of
support such as pots, wooden baskets, coconut husks, tree fern rafts, pieces
of wood etc.
Potting medium
Orchids thrive well under a wide range of growing media but the most
common mixture consists of charcoal, coconut husk pieces, dried tree fern
roots, sphagnum moss, broken pieces of bricks, perlite pieces etc., either
years. This is necessary when the plant grows large and overgrows its
container or when the potting material deteriorates or when the plant has to
be split or divided. It is better to repot epiphytes every year. The best time for
repotting is when fresh roots emerge at the bases of the previous year’s
done when new leaf growth shows at the top and there is new root growth.
Whenever a plant has grown to a large clump with 2 or 3 old canes and new
shoots, it can be divided before repotting. Each division must have at least
one old cane of two years’ growth, one new shoot and some new roots.When
possible to cut the top region with a few roots and plant it anew. Off-shoots
that arise from the nodes of the stem also can be cut and potted.
Fertilizer application
only on what they could absorb from decaying tree bark and the atmosphere.
the rate of 0.2% spray twice a week + boric acid 125ppm+GA3 125ppm twice
neem cake etc. can be moderately used. It must be soaked in water at 1:10 or
• Proper time and method of harvest controls vase life and the quality
• A spike can be cut at last 1or 2 buds are yet to open or 20 per cent of
• Immediately after harvest, the lower 0.75cm of the peduncle is cut off, and
• Treatment with 8-HQC+5% sucrose improve the flower quality and vase-life
of flowers.
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8
ANTHURIUM
Araceae
INTRODUCTION
Pink Spathe: Abe Pink, Ava Anneke, Agnihotri, Alipine, Blush Bettine,
Cambia, Candy Stripe, Hoenette, Fair Lady, Lady Jane, Launette, Marian
Seefurth, Paradise Pink, Passion, Premier, Sarina, Surprise Rosa, Spirit,
Sweet Heart Pink and Sweet Heart Cherry.
White Spathe: Acropolis, Avo Margerett, Avo Jose, Angel Cotopaxi,
Chameleon, De Weese, Fla Exotic, Geisha, Firnay, Hara White, Jamaica,
Hidden Treasure, Lambada, Lima. Mauritius white, Myron Mooni, Manoa
Mist, Maunekea, Uranus, Uniwai, Trinidad and suchiro.
Salmon Spatha: Sweety.
Orange Spathe: Avo Gino, Casino, Dimaond Juoilee, Fia Range,
Hawaii, Horning Rubin, Horning Orange, Mauritius Orange, Nitta, sunburst,
Sweet Heart Orange.
Wine Red Spathe: Kingston.
Green Spathe: Midori, Rainbow Laugna.
Brown Spathe: Choca.
Bicolour Spathe: Cultivars with bicolour come under ‘Cbake’ group
which are extremely variable in size and shape. Fla Rope, Chameleon,
Cardmal, Anuenue, Kalapana, Mlekey Mouse, Lamboda, Paradiso, Madam
Pele, Rainbow, Madone, Farao.
Mauve Spathe: Lavender Lady.
Cream Spathe: Fantasia.
There are some double flowering anthurium plants which produce on
small and one large spathe on the some stem with a single spadix and are
available in red, pink and orange colours.
The varieties like Alpine, Sweety, Funny, Toscane, Kingstone and Rosa
are considered to be good pot plants with beautiful flowers. The well known
miniature variety is ‘Lady Jane’.
There is maximum demand for red coloured varieties. Other colours in
anthurium, in order of customers’ preference are pink, cream, obake, white,
salmon, yellow and green.
FLORAL DEVELOPMENT
The clongation of the stem bearing the spadix bebins about on month
after expansion of the subtending leaf. The time of floral differentiation,
however, has not been determined. The cycle of the leaf and flower
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emergence varies with the season, being greater during periods of cooler
temperature and low light intensity. A 5 mm flower bud can be found in the
axil of the subtending leaf even before significant elongation of the leaf
occurs, and a dormant period, is reported or the flower bud. After passing
through a juvenile period when the flowers are not initiate a plant initiates a
flower for each leaf with the potential for 3 to 8 flowers per plant per year.
The anthurium flower is a spadix or inflorescence spike, cylindrical in
shape, bearing up to 300 inconspicuous bisexual flowers arranged in a series
of spirals. The is subtending by a showy leaf-like structure called a spathe.
The spadix and spathe are borne on a leafless stem or pedumcle.
Commercial flower narvesting takes place when approximately three quarters
of the stigmas along the spadix have become receptive. Protogyny prevents
self-fertilisation as the stigmatic surfaces become receptive about one week
befor pollen is shed in the same flower.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
Flower initiation of anturium occurs at a temperature of 180C and
above, with the optimum reported at 200C or higher. Leaf cooling has been
reported to improve flower production of Anthurium andreamum under
conditions of high ligh intensity. Long petioles and wide spatle, representing
the highest quality, result from 19 and 220C air temperature. Production of
flowers is maximum at 16 to 190C. Vegetative growth of the plants is best at
220C. Below 160C spathe necrosis may be observed.
EFFECT OF LIGHT
Under greenhouse conditions, increasing light intensity to a maximum
of 18 K1x with leaf cooling at 15 K1x improves flower production by an
average of 140 per cent. The Hawaiian recommendation for 75 per cent
shade is approximately 32 to 38 Klx, although the range actually used varies
from 50 to 90 per cent of full sunlight (162 Klx). There is no report on
photoperiod responses on anthurium.
GROWING MEDIA
Anthurium thrive best in a high organic, well-acrated medium with pH
rage between 5.5 and 6.0 and good water retention capacity but with proper
drainage and aeration. A variety of growing media are available like
sugarcane bagasse, fock wool, wood shavings, leaf mould, coir pith, coconut
husk, cured coffee pulp, spent ground coffee or coffee parchment. They
thrive best in various combinations of soil, coarse sand, brick pieces,
farmyard manure, sugarcane bagasse, car cash and neem cake. As a
growing medium, coconut husk and cocopeat salt, especially sodium chloride
and caleium ions in the medium. They can be planted in earthen pots (22 to
30 can) or in the ground.
IRRIGATION
Anturium needs copious watering, depending on the stage of plant
growth, season, pot size and nutrient media. They should be supplemented
with plenty of water during summer and winter. In summer moaths, plants
are to be watered twice daily. Irrigation can be accomplished by flooding
beds or through mist or overhead sprinklers. It is essential to ensure that
plants are compretely dry by mid-afernoon to avoid diseases. Unsightly
deposits on the leaves may coour due to overhead watering with poor quality
water. Concentration of sodium chloride and bicarbonate ions are to be in
an acceptable lower level. To improve poor quality, water should be treated
with water softeners. For anthurium cultivation, rain water is considered to
be the best quality water.
FERTILISERS
Anthurium is benefited by balanced fertilizer application consisiting of
macro- and micro-nutrients like N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn and B. Weekly
application of NPK fertilizer 7:11:7 at the rate of 10.5 b/m2 along with
potassium sulphate 0.6 b, calcium nitrate 4.75 b and tnagnesium sulphate 4
g per m2 is recommended. Depending upon the variety, 700 to 1,100 kg N
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per hectares per year is required. Monthly micronutrient spray with 1.0 per
cent each of iron sulphate and sine sulphate and 0.2 per cent each of
manganese sulphate and borax is beneficial. To enhance the vegetative
growth, foliar application of 0.1 per cent urea at monthly intervals is
suggested. Fertilisers can alsobe applied through drip irrigation system.
Calcium deficiency causes colour breakdown disorder in spathe. A level of
0.14 to 0.16 per cent calcium in spathe or -.44 to 055 in leaf was determined
to be the critical level. Supplying calcium (500 kg/ha/year) reduces the
incidence of the colour breakdown disorder.
prices vary from Rs.15 to Rs.30 per flower in florist shops, while growers get
Rs.6 to Rs.10 per flower.