Influence of Storage Temperature, Storage Duration and Disbudding on Bulb Production in Asiatic Lilium cv. ‘Royal Trinity’

ABSTRACT: The main focus in lily cultivation has been on flowering attributes and bulb programming has not got a due attention Thus the experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different storage temperatures and durations along with the two stages of disbudding on bulb development of Asiatic lilium at AICRP floriculture research unit Regional research station Wadura. (SKUAST-K). Freshly harvested bulbs were subjected to four storage temperatures (Ambient, 40C, 00C,-40C) three durations (2, 4 and 6 weeks) and plants were disbudded at first bud appearance and third bud appearance. Results of this Investigation revealed that bulbs stored under ambient conditions sprouted earliest (8.18days) with maximum height (57.60cm) and more leaves plant-1(55.89) whereas earlier flower bud appearance (52.59 days) maximum number of bulbs(3.37), heaviest bulb(97.32g),maximum diameter(4.59cm),increased number of daughter bulbs(3.12) maximum diameter of daughter bulbs (1.36), maximum scale size(1.30cm) and efficient propagation coefficient(3.37) were observed at40C but number of scales per bulb was highest at -40C(14.82). Storage duration on other hand played a pivotal role in bulb production in lilium. Among three storage durations (2, 4 and 6 weeks).Earliest sprouting (8.03days) was observed under six week duration. Maximum plant height (67.84cm) with increased leaf number (72.74) was observed at two week duration. Similarly maximum number of bulbs(4.88),number of daughter bulbs(4.15),number of scales(15.97) and propagation coefficient(4.88) was observed at two week duration and heaviest bulb(102.83g),maximum diameter of bulb (4.89cm) and number of daughter bulb(1.58) along with scale size(1.46cm) were observed for six weeks. On the other hand stage of disbudding had a negative impact on plant height. Plant height was reduced in plants disbudded at first bud appearance (49.65cm) compared to non disbudded plants (62.42cm). Plants disbudded at first bud stage had least number of leaves (44.86) as compared to non disbudded plants (48.68). Plants disbudded after three bud appearance produced increased number of bulbs(3.46) with maximum bulb weight(120.13g) and diameter(5.87cm) as well as increased number of daughter bulbs (3.20 plant-1). Disbudding after three bud appearance also significantly increased diameter of daughter bulbs (1.99cm) Scale size (1.92cm) and propagation coefficient (3.46) were also higher in plants disbudded after three bud appearances. However number of scales per bulb (18.93) was more in non disbudded plants