SUBSTRATE SALINITY AFFECTS GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF ROSA HYBRIDA L.

Abstract

The effects of NaCl salinity (control (0.4 dS m-1 ), 2.5 dSm-1 , 5.0 dS m-1 , 7.5 dS m-1 and 10.0 dS m-1 , respectively) developed after 6 weeks of pruning (beginning of study) on plant growth, flowering and quality of three cut rose (Rosa hybrida L.) cultivars viz. ‘Kardinal’, ‘Anjlique’and ‘Gold Medal’ was studied to achieve better management, quality production and ascertaining salinity tolerance of cut roses. Number of leaves branch-1 , leaf area, leaf total chlorophyll contents, bud diameter, flower diameter and flower quality were greater when plants were grown with canal water (control) having only 0.4 dS m-1 salinity) which also reduced interval between flushes by early flowering, while plant height, number of flowers plant-1 flush-1 , fresh and dry weight of a flower, flower stem length and diameter were higher with 2.5 dSm-1 substrate salinity followed by canal water (control). Among cultivars, ‘Anjlique’ proved comparatively salt tolerant as compared with ‘Kardinal’ and ‘Gold Medal’ by having vigorous growth and higher flowering attributes. In summary, cut roses can not tolerate higher substrate salinity and should be grown with less than 2.5 dS m-1 sodium chloride concentration in the substrate.