Effect of Micronutrients (Boron & Zinc) on Growth, Flowering and Quality of Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) Under Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse Conditions of Prayagraj, India

The present investigation was done to study the effect of micronutrients (Boron & Zinc) on growth, flowering and quality of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) under naturally ventilated polyhouse conditions of Prayagraj. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with fifteen treatments replicated thrice. Foliar application with three levels of boron (0.05%, 0.1% and 0.15%), three levels of zinc (0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%) and treatment combinations of both boron and zinc along with control were applied. Among all the treatments, T2 (B @ 0.1%) recorded significantly taller plants (84.71 cm), more number of leaves (165.47), more number of shoots (7.53), more number of internodes (17.27), higher internodal length (5.21 cm), longer bud (3.63 cm), more bud diameter (2.33 cm), higher flower stalk girth (4.86 mm) and more vase life (11.2 days). However, treatment T6 (Zn @ 0.6 %) exhibited early days for bud initiation (124.27 days), bud opening (14.47 days), 50 percent flowering (138.73 days), more number of cut flower stalks per plant (7.13) and more number of flowers per meter square (178.33) while treatment T5 (Zn @ 0.4 %) exhibited longer flower stalk (66.23 cm) and treatment T10 (B @ 0.1 % + Zn @ 0.2 %) produced good flower diameter (6.62 cm). Poor flowers were generated by plants that were not given micronutrients. So, T2 (B @ 0.1 %) and T6 (Zn @ 0.6 %) can be applied topically to improve the quality of flowers. Hence, applications of micronutrient are proven to be crucial for improving the vegetative growth, flowering, quality and yield parameters of carnation grown under naturally ventilated polyhouse conditions of Prayagraj.