Effect of iron and zinc on growth, flowering and bulb yield in lilium
Table 2 Effect of iron and zinc on flowering characters
whereas number of buds plant -1 (4.67) was found to
Length
Days
Dia-
be maximum in plants treated with ZnSO 4 at 0.4%
Days
Number
of
to
meter
dose. Both the treatments have shown effects which
to
Treatment
of buds
flower
open-
of 1st
were significant over control plants. Iron and zinc
colour
plant -1
stalk
ing of
flower
might be responsible for synthesis of bio-assimilates
show
(cm)
1st bud
(cm)
which leads to more number of leaves and eventually
Control
2.67
10.00
51.00
54.33
13.83
partitioning of floral growth. Foliar dose of ZnSO 4 at
FeSO 4 0.2%
4.00
13.83
51.67
53.33
15.07
0.2% was also noticed to increased diameter of 1st of
FeSO 4 0.4%
4.67
11.33
47.67
51.33
13.90
flower (15.07 cm). Foliar spray of combination of iron
ZnSO 4 0.2%
3.33
10.67
47.33
50.33
15.07
sulphate and zinc sulphate both at 0.2% contributed
to early days to colour show (45.33 days) and
ZnSO 4 0.4%
4.67
10.33
52.67
54.67
14.52
opening of 1st bud (47.33). Involvement of iron and
FeSO 4 0.2%
+
ZnSO 4
4.33
8.67
45.33
47.33
14.32
zinc in photosynthesis with enhanced carbohydrate
0.2%
assimilation results in luxurious vegetative and floral
FeSO 4 0.2%
growth. Iron has been reported to induce production
+
ZnSO 4
3.33
11.67
48.33
52.00
14.17
of healthy green leaves and hence lead to greater
0.4%
distribution of assimilates to floral parts. Khalifa
FeSO 4 0.4%
et al. , (2011) also observed similar effects of iron and
+
ZnSO 4
4.00
10.87
47.00
49.33
14.46
zinc on treated plants.
0.2%
FeSO 4 0.4%
Bulb Characters
+
ZnSO 4
3.67
11.00
51.00
52.67
14.18
0.4%
Foliar application of zinc sulphate was registered to
C.D. at 5%
1.04
2.90
5.73
5.83
0.95
be more effective as compared to iron sulphate in
enhancing the yield attributes in lilium by increasing
untreated plants (11.16 mm). Iron and zinc were
the number of bulblets plant -1 , number of scales
reported to act as important catalyst in several
bulb -1 , weight of bulbs plant -1 and diameter of bulb
metabolic reactions occurring in plants and also
(Table 3). However all the doses of zinc sulphate
contribute in accumulation of bio-synthates through
and iron sulphate failed to exert any conspicuous
various processes and hence vegetative growth is
effect on number of bulbs plant -1 and weight of
enhanced. These findings were in agreement with
bulblets plant -1 . ZnSO at 0.4% treated plants showed
4
the results of Balakrishnan (2005) and Memon et al. ,
significant increase in number of bulblets plant -1
(2013).
(5.00), number of scales bulb -1 (11.00), weight of
bulblets plant -1 (0.42 g) and diameter of bulb (3.05
Flowering Characters
cm).All the plants treated with foliar dose of ZnSO 4 at
It is inferred from the data given in Table 2 that
0.4% gave better results than control plants for these
FeSO 4 and ZnSO 4 at various concentrations have
characters. Zinc is known to be involved in formation
altered different flowering parameters studied i.e.
of auxins which eventually leads to development of
number of buds plant -1 , length of flower stalk, days
seeds. These findings were supported by Eid et al. ,
to colour show, days to opening of 1st bud and
(2010) and Singh et al. , (2012). Application of foliar
diameter of 1st flower. Length of flower stalk and
FeSO 4 at 0.4% treatment performed significantly
diameter of 1st flower was observed to be enhanced
and the treated plants were observed for attaining
to a maximum measurement of 13.83 cm and
maximum weight of bulbs (12.61 g). This result was
15.07 cm, respectively at foliar dose of FeSO 4 0.2%,
in accord with the findings of Rao (2005).
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