RESPONSE OF CORMELS OF DIFFERENT FREESIA CULTIVAR TO VARIOUS PHOSPHORUS LEVELS

An experiment was conducted to determine the response of cormels of different freesia cultivars to various phosphorus levels at Ornamental Horticulture Nursery Farm, Department of Horticulture, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Agricultural University Peshawar. Four Phosphorus (P) levels i.e. 0, 20, 40 and 60 kg ha-1 was applied to two cultivars of freesia i.e. Golden Wave and White Wings. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD). The cultivars showed significant effects for most of parameters studied. Similarly the different phosphorus dozes had a significant effect on all the parameters except sprouting %age, days to flowering and cormel size. The interaction between the cultivars and phosphorus dozes was not significant for all the parameter. Freesia cormels supplied with P at 60 kg ha-1 produced maximum sprouting %age, cormel size and cormels weight and took minimum days to sprouting. The cormels that received no P (control) took maximum days to sprouting and resulted in lower sprouting %age, smallest cormels and minimum cormel weight. In case of the cultivars, cv. Golden Wave took less days to sprouting and flowering and produced maximum cormel size, sprouting %age and cormel weight.