INTRODUCTION |
· TUBEROSE (POLIANTHES TUBEROSA L.) IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TROPICAL ORNAMENTAL BULBOUS FLOWERING PLANTS CULTIVATED FOR PRODUCTION OF LONG LASTING FLOWER SPIKES. IT IS POPULARLY KNOWN AS RAJANIGANDHA OR NISHIGANDHA. IT BELONGS TO THE FAMILY AMARYLLIDACEAE AND IS NATIVE OF MEXICO. TUBEROSE IS AN IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL CUT AS WELL AS LOOSE FLOWER CROP DUE TO PLEASANT FRAGRANCE, LONGER VASE-LIFE OF SPIKES, HIGHER RETURNS AND WIDE ADAPTABILITY TO VARIED CLIMATE AND SOIL. THEY ARE VALUED MUCH BY THE AESTHETIC WORLD FOR THEIR BEAUTY AND FRAGRANCE. THE FLOWERS ARE ATTRACTIVE AND ELEGANT IN APPEARANCE WITH SWEET FRAGRANCE. IT HAS LONG BEEN CHERISHED FOR THE AROMATIC OILS EXTRACTED FROM ITS FRAGRANT WHITE FLOWERS. |
· TUBEROSE BLOOMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ITS CLUSTERED SPIKES ARE RICH IN FRAGRANCE; FLORETS ARE STAR SHAPED, WAXY AND LOOSELY ARRANGED ON SPIKE THAT CAN REACH UP TO 30 TO 45 CM IN LENGTH. THE FLOWER IS VERY POPULAR FOR ITS STRONG FRAGRANCE AND ITS ESSENTIAL OIL IS IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF HIGHGRADE PERFUMES. ‘SINGLE’ VARIETIES ARE MORE FRAGRANT THAN ‘DOUBLE’ TYPE AND CONTAIN 0.08 TO 0.14 PERCENT CONCRETE WHICH IS USED IN HIGH GRADE PERFUMES (SINGH AND UMA, 1995). |
ORIGIN AND HISTORY · TUBEROSE IS A NATIVE OF MEXICO FROM WHERE IT SPREAD TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD DURING 16TH CENTURY. THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST CULTIVATED PLANTS, AND MAY BE EXTINCT IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT. THE AZTECS WERE GROWING IT NEARLY 600 YEARS AGO. THE SPANISH FOUND THE AZTECS GROWING IT IN 1519 AND TOOK IT BACK WITH THEM TO THE OLD WORLD. A FRENCH MISSIONARY, RETURNING FROM THE INDIES IN THE 1500’S DID SO AS WELL. · ONCE INTRODUCED TO EUROPE, IT BECAME PART OF THE MOON GARDEN, A COLLECTION OF WHITE OR PASTEL FLOWERS, WHICH RELEASE AN INTENSE FRAGRANCE AFTER DUSK. THESE GARDENS WERE POPULAR AMONG THE SUN-SHUNNING VICTORIAN LADIES, WHO VALUED A MILKY PALE COMPLEXION. THE PLANT DID FALL OUT OF FAVOUR WHEN IT BECAME MUCH OVERUSED AT FUNERALS. IT HAS AN INTENSE FRAGRANCE AND ONE OR TWO OPEN BLOSSOMS WILL FILL THE AIR OF AN ENTIRE GARDEN. IT IS BELIEVED THAT TUBEROSE WAS BROUGHT TO INDIA VIA EUROPE IN 16TH CENTURY. |
IMPORTANCE AND USES: · TUBEROSE CAN SUCCESSFULLY BE GROWN IN POTS, BORDERS, BEDS AND COMMERCIALLY CULTIVATED FOR ITS VARIOUS USES. THE FLOWERS OF TUBEROSE ARE ALSO USED FOR MAKING ARTISTIC GARLANDS, FLORAL ORNAMENTS, BOUQUETS, BUTTONHOLES, GAJRAS AND EXTRACTION OF ESSENTIAL OIL. IT IS ALSO A POPULAR CUT FLOWER, NOT ONLY FOR USE IN ARRANGEMENTS, BUT ALSO FOR THE INDIVIDUAL FLORETS THAT CAN PROVIDE FRAGRANCE TO BOUQUETS AND BOUTONNIERES. · THE LONG FLOWER SPIKES ARE EXCELLENT AS CUT FLOWERS FOR TABLE DECORATION. THE FLOWERS EMIT A DELIGHTFUL FRAGRANCE. TUBEROSE REPRESENTS SENSUALITY AND IS USED IN AROMATHERAPY FOR ITS ABILITY TO OPEN THE HEART AND CALM THE NERVES, RESTORING JOY, PEACE AND HARMONY. TUBEROSE FLOWERS HAVE LONG BEEN USED IN PERFUMERY AS A SOURCE OF ESSENTIAL OILS AND AROMA COMPOUNDS. TUBEROSE OIL IS USED IN HIGH VALUE PERFUMES AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS. · FURTHERMORE, FRAGRANT FLOWERS ARE ADDED ALONG WITH STIMULANTS OR SEDATIVES TO THE FAVOURITE BEVERAGE PREPARED FROM CHOCOLATE AND SERVED EITHER COLD OR HOT AS DESIRED. TUBEROSE BULBS CONTAIN AN ALKALOID -LYCORINE, WHICH CAUSES VOMITING. THE BULBS ARE RUBBED WITH TURMERIC AND BUTTER AND APPLIED AS A PASTE OVER RED PIMPLES OF INFANTS. DRIED TUBEROSE BULBS IN POWDERED FORM ARE USED AS A REMEDY FOR GONORRHOEA. IN JAVA, THE FLOWERS ARE EATEN ALONG WITH THE JUICES OF THE VEGETABLES. |
AREA AND DISTRIBUTION · TUBEROSE IS GROWN COMMERCIALLY IN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES INCLUDING INDIA, KENYA, MEXICO, MOROCCO, FRANCE, ITALY, HAWAII, SOUTH AFRICA, TAIWAN, NORTH CAROLINA, USA, EGYPT, CHINA AND MANY OTHER TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL AREAS IN THE WORLD. IN INDIA, COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION OF TUBEROSE IS POPULAR IN BAGNAN, KOLAGHAT, MIDNAPUR, PANSKURA, RANAGHAT, KRISHNANAGAR OF WEST BENGAL; COIMBATORE AND MADURAI DISTRICTS OF TAMIL NADU; PUNE, NASHIK, AHMEDNAGAR, THANE, SANGLI OF MAHARASHTRA; EAST GODAVARI, GUNTUR, CHITOOR, KRISHNA DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH MYSORE, TUMKUR, KOLAR, BELGAUM AND DEVANHALLI TALUK IN KARNATAKA ; GUWAHATI AND JORHAT IN ASSAM ; UDAIPUR, AJMER AND JAIPUR IN RAJASTHAN; NAVSARI AND VALSAD OF GUJARAT AND PARTS OF UTTAR PRADESH AND PUNJAB. AS PER AREA AND PRODUCTION STATISTICS OF NATIONAL HORTICULTURE BOARD (2013), THE TOTAL AREA UNDER TUBEROSE CULTIVATION IN THE COUNTRY IS ABOUT 7. 95 LAKH HECTARE. THE PRODUCTION OF LOOSE AND CUT FLOWERS IS ESTIMATED TO BE 27.71 ‘000 MT AND 1560.70 LAKH NO’S RESPECTIVELY |
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION · TUBEROSE IS HALF-HARDY, HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL, BULBOUS PLANT. IT IS CLASSED AS A MONOCOTYLEDON, LEAVES OFTEN LIGHTER GREEN IN COLOUR. IT IS AN ERECT HERB, 60-120 CM HIGH WITH STOUT AND SHORT BULBS. BULBS ARE MADE OF SCALES AND LEAF BASES AND STEM REMAINS CONCEALED WITHIN SCALES. FIBROUS ROOTS ARE MAINLY ADVENTITIOUS AND SHALLOW. LEAVES ARE BASAL, 6-9 IN NUMBER, 30- 45 CM LONG, ABOUT 1.3 CM WIDE, LINEAR, GRASS LIKE FOLIAGE, BRIGHT GREEN, REDDISH NEAR THE BASE. THE FOLIAGE IS NARROW AT THE BASE AND WIDER AT THE TOP AND IS ARRANGED IN A ROSETTE AT THE BASE. TUBEROSE INFLORESCENCES (SPIKES) BEAR 25 ± 10 PAIRS OF FLORETS WHICH OPEN ACROPETALLY (I.E., FROM BASE TO TOP OF THE SPIKE). TUBEROSE IS A CROSS POLLINATED CROP. POLIANTHES GENUS CONTAINS THREE TYPES OF FLOWERS. ONE OF THEM IS SINGLE FLOWER TYPE HAVING BASIC CHROMOSOME NUMBER N = X = 30 AND 2N = 60, WHICH IS FEMALE FERTILE USED IN PERFUMERY INDUSTRY AND BREEDING PROGRAMME AS FEMALE PARENT. · THE OTHER TWO ARE SEMI -DOUBLE AND DOUBLE FLOWER TYPES AND GENERALLY USED AS CUT HAVE A FUNNEL SHAPED PERIANTH AND ARE FRAGRANT, TUBULAR AND WAXY WHITE, ABOUT 25 MM LONG, THE TUBE BENT ONLY NEAR THE BASE, FILAMENTS ATTACHED ON UPPER PART OF COROLLA, FRAGRANT, IN LONG TERMINAL RACEMES. STAMENS ARE SIX IN NUMBER, OVARY 3 LOCULAR, OVULES NUMEROUS AND FRUIT IS A CAPSULE. FLOWER. FLOWERS HAVE A FUNNEL SHAPED PERIANTH AND ARE FRAGRANT, TUBULAR AND WAXY WHITE, ABOUT 25 MM LONG, THE TUBE BENT ONLY NEAR THE BASE, FILAMENTS ATTACHED ON UPPER PART OF COROLLA, FRAGRANT, IN LONG TERMINAL RACEMES. STAMENS ARE SIX IN NUMBER, OVARY 3 LOCULAR, OVULES NUMEROUS AND FRUIT IS A CAPSULE. |
SOIL AND CLIMATIC REQUIREMENT |
CLIMATE · TUBEROSE IS BEST SUITED FOR CULTIVATION IN TROPICAL TO SUBTROPICAL AND TEMPERATE CLIMATES. TUBEROSE PREFERS TO GROW IN AN OPEN SUNNY LOCATION, AWAY FROM THE SHADE OF TREES. IT REQUIRES WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE ALTHOUGH FLOWERING IS PROFUSE UNDER MILD CLIMATE. IN INDIA, COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION OF TUBEROSE IS CONFINED TO WARM HUMID AREAS WITH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE RANGING FROM 20° TO 30°C. THE CROP IS REPORTED TO FLOWER PROFUSELY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IF THE CLIMATE IS MILD AND FREE FROM EXTREMES OF HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURE. IF THE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 40°C, THE LENGTH OF THE SPIKE AND QUALITY OF THE FLOWERS ARE SEVERELY AFFECTED. VERY LOW TEMPERATURE AND INCIDENCE OF FROST WILL DAMAGE THE PLANTS AND FLOWERS. TUBEROSES GROW WELL IN A SUNNY SITUATION AND SHOULD NOT BE GROWN ON SHADY OR SEMISHADY SITUATION WHICH DRASTICALLY REDUCES THE FLOWER YIELD. HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE ARE THE TWO MAIN FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASING OR DECREASING THE PRODUCTION OF TUBEROSE. TUBEROSE ALTHOUGH NOT STRICTLY PHOTOSENSITIVE, LONG-DAY EXPOSURE PROMOTES VEGETATIVE GROWTH AS WELL AS EARLY EMERGENCE OF THE FIRST FLOWER SPIKE AND ALSO INCREASES FLOWER SPIKE LENGTH. |
SOIL · TUBEROSE CAN BE GROWN ON WIDE VARIETY OF SOILS RANGING FROM LIGHT, SANDY LOAM TO A CLAY LOAM. IT CAN ALSO BE SUCCESSFULLY GROWN AS A COMMERCIAL CROP EVEN IN THOSE SOILS WHICH ARE AFFECTED BY SALINITY AND ALKALINITY CONDITIONS IF BETTER AGRONOMICAL PRACTICES ARE ADOPTED. THE SOIL SHOULD BE AT LEAST 45 CM DEEP, WELL DRAINED, FRIABLE, RICH IN ORGANIC MATTER AND NUTRIENTS WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE IN IT. TUBEROSE SHOULD BE GROWN IN WELL DRAINED PLACE. CROP IS SENSITIVE TO WATER STAGNATION AND IT CANNOT TOLERATE WATER LOGGING EVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD. SO IT IS VERY ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE PROPER DRAINAGE OR ELSE PLANTING SHOULD BE DONE ON BUND. FERTILE, LOAMY AND SANDY SOILS HAVING A PH IN THE RANGE OF 6.5 TO 7.5 WITH GOOD AERATION AND DRAINAGE ARE IDEAL FOR TUBEROSE CULTIVATION. A PLACE PROTECTED FROM STRONG WINDS IS PREFERABLE. |
SELECTION OF SIGHT · TUBEROSE IS A SUN-LOVING PLANT. FOR ATTAINING GOOD VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND MAXIMUM YIELD OF FLOWERS, A SITE SHOULD BE CHOSEN, WHERE THE PLANTS WILL GET PLENTY OF SUN THROUGHOUT THEIR GROWING PERIOD. THE SOIL SHOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT MOISTURE HOLDING CAPACITY. A PLACE PROTECTED FROM STRONG WIND, HOT AND COLD WAVES IS PREFERABLE, SO THAT THERE IS NO DAMAGE OF FLOWER STALK. IN SHADY SITUATION, THE PLANTS GROW TALL AND LANKY AND THE FLOWERING IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED. THEY ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER STAGNATION AND POOR DRAINAGE CONDITIONS AND HENCE REQUIRE WELL DRAINED AND AERATED SOIL. |
FIELD OR LAND PREPARATION · THE LAND SHOULD BE PLOUGHED DEEP TO A GOOD TILTH, 2-3 TIMES , TO A DEPTH OF 30 – 45 CM. THE FIRST PLOUGHING SHOULD BE DONE IN JANUARY. THE FIELD IS LEFT EXPOSED TO SUN FOR AT LEAST 15 DAYS THAT DESTROYS THE WEEDS AND INSECTPESTS. THE SECOND PLOUGHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE PLANTING. AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND PLOUGHING, WELL ROTTEN FARMYARD MANURE AT THE RATE OF 50 TONNES PER HECTARE SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE SOIL. THEN, THE SOIL IS BROUGHT TO A FINE TILTH BY BREAKING THE CLODS AND REMOVING THE WEEDS. AFTER FIELD PREPARATION, PLOTS OF CONVENIENT SIZES SHOULD BE PREPARED WITH IRRIGATION CHANNELS, RIDGES AND FURROWS AT THE RECOMMENDED SPACING. |
SEASON OF PLANTING · WELL-DEVELOPED SPINDLE-SHAPED BULBS, WITH DIAMETER 1.50 CM AND ABOVE FORMING AT THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE CLUMP, ARE CONSIDERED IDEAL FOR PLANTING. TUBEROSES ARE GENERALLY PLANTED IN MARCH – APRIL IN THE PLAINS AND APRIL-MAY IN THE HILLS. THE BULBS CAN ALSO BE PLANTED DURING JULY – AUGUST. TO OBTAIN FLOWERS ALMOST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SEQUENTIAL PLANTING CAN BE PRACTICED. FRESHLY HARVESTED TUBEROSE BULBS CAN BE USED FOR PLANTING 4 – 5 WEEKS AFTER HARVESTING. PLANTING FRESH BULBS LEADS TO PROFUSE VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND POOR FLOWERING |
DEPTH OF PLANTING · THE DEPTH OF PLANTING VARIES FROM 3.0 – 7.0 CM DEPENDING UPON THE DIAMETER OF THE BULB AND THE SOIL TYPE. IT SHOULD BE 2.5 TIMES MORE THAN THE DIAMETER OF BULBS. WHILE PLANTING, THE BULBS ARE PLANTED AT THE RECOMMENDED PLANT-SPACING, 4-6 CM DEEP ON THE SIDES OF THE RIDGES. PLANTING IS DEEPER IN SANDY SOIL AS COMPARED TO CLAY SOIL. IN SANDY LOAM SOIL PLANTING OF BULBS IS DONE AT THE DEPTH OF 6.0 CM. IN GENERAL, PLANTING IS DONE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE GROWING PORTION OF THE BULB IS KEPT AT THE GROUND LEVEL. |
SEED / BULB TREATMENT · DIPPING THE BULBS IN 4% SOLUTION OF THIOUREA CAN BREAK THE RESTING PERIOD. PRE-PLANT STORAGE OF BULBS AT 10°C FOR A PERIOD OF 30 DAYS WILL IMPROVE THE PLANT GROWTH, INCREASE SPIKE AND FLOWER YIELD. PRE-PLANTING TREATMENT OF BULBS WITH GA3, ETHEREL OR THIOUREA PROMOTES EARLY APPEARANCE OF FLOWER SPIKE AND PRODUCES LONGER SPIKES WITH MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FLORETS. TUBEROSE PLANTED AT OPTIMUM SPACING 12 THE BULBS ARE FIRST THOROUGHLY CLEANED AND TREATED WITH BAVISTIN (0.2%) FOR 30 MINUTES. DIPPING THE BULBS FOR ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES IN A SOLUTION OF EMISAN (0.2%), THIRAM (0.3%), CAPTAN (0.2%) OR BENLATE (0.2%) IS ALSO RECOMMENDED. DRY IN SHADE BEFORE PLANTING OR STORING. BEFORE PLANTING TREAT BULBS IN SYSTEMIC FUNGICIDE AND BEFORE STORING IN CONTACT FUNGICIDE. |
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT · TUBEROSE RESPONDS WELL TO THE APPLICATION OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MANURES. APART FROM FYM (20 TONNES/HA), A FERTILIZER DOSE OF 100 KG N, 50 KG P2O5 AND 70 KG K2O PER HECTARE IS RECOMMENDED FOR TUBEROSE PRODUCTION. FOR ACHIEVING INCREASED ESSENTIAL OIL CONTENT IN FLOWERS AND FOR THE MAXIMUM RECOVERY OF CONCRETE, A FERTILIZER DOSE OF 80 KG N, 60 KG P2O5 AND 40 KG K2O PER HECTARE HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED. OF THE FULL RECOMMENDED DOSE OF FERTILIZERS, HALF THE N, THE FULL DOSE OF P AND K HAS TO BE APPLIED AT THE TIME OF PLANTING AND THE REMAINING HALF OF N IS GIVEN AS A TOP-DRESSING AFTER 45 DAYS OF PLANTING. |
MICRONUTRIENTS · APART FROM N, P AND K, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, SULPHUR, IRON, ZINC, MANGANESE, ALUMINIUM, BORON AND COPPER HAVE ALSO BEEN FOUND TO INFLUENCE THE GROWTH AND FLOWERING IN TUBEROSES. FOLIAR SPRAY OF ZNSO4 0.5% + FESO4 0.2% + BORIC ACID 0.1% IMPROVES GROWTH AND FLOWERING |
USE OF GROWTH REGULATORS · FOLIAR APPLICATION OF GA3 AT 50 TO 100 PPM THRICE AT 40, 55 AND 60 DAYS AFTER PLANTING IS FOUND TO BE BENEFICIAL. THE APPLICATION OF CCC AT 5000 PPM AND GA3 AT 1000 PPM INDUCES EARLY FLOWERING, INCREASED FLOWER STALK PRODUCTION AND IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF FLOWERS. |
WATER AND IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT · IT IS VERY ESSENTIAL TO IRRIGATE BEFORE PLANTING TO PROVIDE OPTIMUM MOISTURE FOR SPROUTING AND FURTHER IRRIGATION SHOULD BE AVOIDED UNTIL THE BULBS TO THE CROP IS GIVEN, DEPENDING UPON THE PREVAILING WEATHER CONDITIONS. IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, IRRIGATION IS RECOMMENDED TWICE A WEEK AND DURING WINTER AT 10 DAYS INTERVAL. |
INTERCULTURAL OPERATIONS · HIGH MANURE AND IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT CREATES CONGENIAL CONDITIONS FOR THE GROWTH OF VARIOUS WEEDS. HENCE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE PLOTS CLEAN AND FREE OF WEEDS AND TO AVOID THE EXPOSURE OF BULBS, THE PLOTS SHOULD BE WEEDED PERIODICALLY AND EARTHED-UP ONCE A MONTH. MANUAL WEEDING IS EFFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE DONE AT MONTHLY INTERVAL. CONTROL OF WEEDS BY USING CHEMICALS IS ALSO FOUND EFFECTIVE. A PRE-EMERGENT TREATMENT OF GRAMAXONE (@ 3 LITRES / HA) FOLLOWED BY THREE POST- EMERGENT SPRAYINGS AT INTERVALS OF 110 DAYS IN BETWEEN THE ROWS KEEPS THE CROP WEED FREE. APPLICATION OF ATRAZINE @ 3 KG/HA IN 1000 LITRES OF WATER AS A PRE-EMERGENT WEEDICIDE ALSO KEEPS THE PLOTS WEED-FREE. ATRAZINE @1.0- 1.5 KG /HA IN 1000 LITRES OF WATER SPRAYED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PLANTING OF BULBS, SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCESTHE WEED POPULATION. MULCHING THE PLOTS WITH STRIPS OF BLACK POLYTHENE, DRIED GRASS AND CHOPPED STRAW IS EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING WEEDS.HOEING BETWEEN PLANTS AT REGULAR INTERVALS IS HELPFUL IN LOOSENING THE SOIL AND UPROOTING WEEDS. EARTHING – UP ENABLES THE SPIKES TO GROW ERECT, DESPITE STRONG WINDS AND RAINS. EARTHING UP TO 10-15 CM HEIGHT IS DONE WHEN PLANTS ARE 15- 20 CM HIGH. THE FLOWER-SPIKES SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY STAKES AFTER ABOUT 2 1/2 MONTHS OF PLANTING. STAKING WITH BAMBOO OR WOODEN STICKS IS DONE IN BEDS AND STRING OR ROPE MAY BE TIED IN THREE ROWS ALONG THE PLANT-ROWS TO AVOID LODGING OF PLANTS. |
HARVESTING · IN INDIA TUBEROSES ARE CULTIVATED FOR PRODUCTION OF FLOWER SPIKES AND LOOSE FLOWERS ON A COMMERCIAL SCALE FOR THE DOMESTIC MARKET. FLOWERING OF TUBEROSE STARTS 3 TO 3 1/2 MONTHS (80 TO 100 DAYS) AFTER PLANTING AND FLOWERING TIME IS JULY ONWARDS. AUGUST-SEPTEMBER IS THE PEAK PERIOD OF FLOWERING. TUBEROSE FLOWERS ALL THE YEAR ROUND. DEPENDING ON THE PURPOSE, HARVESTING IS DONE BY CUTTING THE SPIKES FROM THE BASE OR SINGLE FLOWERS ARE HARVESTED AS THEY OPEN DAY BY DAY. FOR MARKETING OF CUT FLOWER SPIKES, THE TUBEROSE IS HARVESTED BY CUTTING THE SPIKES FROM THE BASE WHEN 1-2 PAIRS OF FLOWERS OPEN ON THE SPIKE. SPIKES ARE HARVESTED AT BUDBURST STAGE PREFERABLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE SUNRISE OR LATE IN THE EVENING BY CLIPPING WITH A SHARP KNIFE OR SECATEURS THAT GIVES A CLEAN CUT. ABOUT 4-6 CM BASAL PORTION OF THE SCAPE HAS TO BE LEFT TO ALLOW THE GROWTH OF BULB. FOR LOOSE FLOWER PURPOSE INDIVIDUAL FLOWERS WHICH GROW AT THE HORIZONTAL POSITION ON FLOWERS STALK ARE PLUCKED EARLY IN THE MORNING BY 8.00 A.M. |
RATOON CROPPING · AFTER HARVESTING THE MAIN CROP, THE FLOWER STALKS ARE HEADED BACK (CUT TO THE BASE) AND THE PLOTS SHOULD BE WELL- MANURED AND IRRIGATED. ABOUT 3-4 RATOON CROPS CAN BE TAKEN FROM A SINGLE PLANTING. FOR THE PROPER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PLANTS, FERTILIZER DOSE AS GIVEN IN THE MAIN CROP SHOULD BE APPLIED IN TWO EQUAL SPLIT DOSES IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY AND APRIL. ALL OTHER CULTURAL PRACTICES SHOULD BE DONE AS IN CASE OF MAIN CROP. THERE IS EARLY FLOWERING IN RATOON CROP AS COMPARED TO MAIN CROP. THE RATOON CROP RESULTS IN MORE NUMBER OF SPIKES BUT REDUCES NUMBER OF FLORETS, LENGTH OF SPIKES AND WEIGHT OF FLOWERS. THEREFORE, RATOON CROP SHOULD BE USED ONLY FOR LOOSE FLOWERS OR OIL EXTRACTION PURPOSE. IN TEMPERATE CLIMATE, DURING NOVEMBER – DECEMBER, WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPS, LEAVES OF THE PLANTS TURN YELLOW AND DIE AND PLANTS UNDERGO DORMANCY. DIGGING OF BULBS SHOULD BE DONE AT THIS STAGE. WITH THE INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE THE CROP REGAINS GROWTH FROM THE PREVIOUSLY PLANTED BULBS WHICH IS TERMED AS RATOONING. FOR RATOONING IN TUBEROSE, THE YELLOWING PLANTS SHOULD BE TWISTED FROM THE GROUND LEVEL WHICH LEADS TO EARLY MATURING OF BULBS. |
LIFTING, CURING, AND STORAGE OF BULBS · HARVESTING STAGE OF TUBEROSE BULB IS IMPORTANT FOR STORAGE OF BULBS AND THEIR GROWTH. THE BULBS ARE HARVESTED WHEN THE FLOWERING IS OVER AND PLANT CEASES TO GROW. BULBS REACH MATURITY AT ABOUT 40-50 DAYS AFTER FLOWERING AND AT THIS STAGE, THE BECOME YELLOW AND DRY. AT THIS STAGE, IRRIGATION IS WITHHELD AND THE SOIL IS ALLOWED TO DRY BEFORE DIGGING OUT THE BULBS. THE LEAVES ARE CUT OFF AT THE GROUND LEVEL AND THE BULBS ARE DUG OUT. AFTER DIGGING, THE BULBS ARE LIFTED OUT AND ADHERING EARTH SHAKEN OFF NEATLY AND THOROUGHLY. THE OFFSETS OR BULBLETS ARE THEN SEPARATED OUT BY HAND, WHICH ARE USED AS SEEDSTOCK FOR THE NEXT SEASON. THE BULBS ARE THEN GRADED BASED ON THE SIZE INTO MATURE (> 1.5 CM DIAMETER) AND IMMATURE (< 1.5 CM DIAMETER). CLEANED AND GRADED BULBS ARE PLACED ON SHELVES TO DRY OR CURE. TO HASTEN CURING, ARTIFICIAL HEAT OF 27O TO 35O C MAY BE APPLIED. THE BULBS MUST BE STIRRED OR HAVE THEIR POSITION CHANGED EVERY FEW DAYS TO PREVENT FUNGAL ATTACK AND ROTTING. CURING CAN ALSO BE DONE BY TYING THE BULBS IN BUNCHES AND HANGING THEM ON FRAMES AND WALLS. THE BULBS ARE ALSO TREATED WITH 0.2 PER CENT BAVISTIN OR MANCOZEB POWDER TO PREVENT THEIR ROTTING. AN AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 18OC FOR FOUR TO SIX WEEKS OR EXACTLY SIX WEEKS AT 30OC STIMULATES THE YIELD OF COMMERCIAL SIZED BULBS. LONGER STORAGE AT 30OC ADVANCES FLOWER SPIKE YIELD BUT THE QUALITY OF SPIKE DETERIORATES AND THE BULB NUMBER DECREASES. |
YIELD · FLOWER PRODUCTION VARIES WITH CULTIVAR OR VARIETY AND DEPENDS UPON BULB SIZE AT PLANTING TIME, DENSITY OF PLANTING, CULTURAL PRACTICES ADOPTED AND CLIMATIC CONDITION PREVAILING IN THE AREA. FLOWERS ARE READY FOR HARVEST IN ABOUT 3 TO 31/2 MONTHS AFTER PLANTING. ONE HECTARE OF TUBEROSE PLANTATION YIELDS 4 – 5 LAKHS OF SPIKES PER YEAR FOR CUT FLOWER PURPOSE. IN CASE OF SINGLE VARIETIES, 14-15 TONNES / HA OF LOOSE FLOWERS MAY BE HARVESTED. IN ADDITION, 20-25 TONNES / HA OF BULBS AND BULBLETS MAY BE HARVESTED AT THE END OF 3RD YEAR.CROP DURATION: 2 ½ TO 3 YEARS |
POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT · VASE LIFE · IMMEDIATELY AFTER HARVEST, THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CUT SPIKES SHOULD BE IMMERSED IN WATER FOR PROLONGING THE VASE LIFE OF SPIKES. THE SPIKES ARE MADE READY BY REMOVING THE UNWANTED LEAVES TO MINIMISE THE TRANSPIRATION LOSS FOR SENDING TO FLORAL MARKETS. FURTHER, PULSING OF SPIKES AT LOW TEMPERATURE (100C), FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS WITH THE ENDS IMMERSED IN WATER, IS HELPFUL IN PROLONGING LIFE OF SPIKES TO BE SENT TO DISTANT MARKETS.
HOLDING SOLUTIONS · A HOLDING SOLUTION CONSISTING OF SUCROSE 2 % + AL2 (SO4)3 300 PPM IS BEST FOR INCREASING THE POST HARVEST LIFE AND QUALITY OF CUT SPIKES OF TUBEROSE
GRADING AND HANDLING · THE FLOWER SPIKES FOR CUT FLOWER PURPOSE ARE GRADED ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING QUALITY ATTRIBUTES VIZ.,
STRAIGHT AND STRONG STEM OF UNIFORM LENGTH AND UNIFORM STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT ARE PREFERRED. FLOWERS SHOULD BE FREE FROM BRUISES AND DISEASES AND PESTS. THE INDIVIDUAL FLORETS FOR LOOSE FLOWER PURPOSE ARE GRADED ACCORDING TO THEIR SIZE. STORAGE THE FRESH FLOWERS CAN BE STORED AT 10OC FOR 5 DAYS. |
