Effect of Foliar Application of Chemical Nutrient Mixture and Growth Regulators on Different Leaf Parameters of Pot-Anthuriums

Background: Leaves are vital plant organs executing major physiological functions of plants. They act as a primary site for carbohydrate synthesis and transpiration. The leaf characteristics also readily affect the flowering. Chlorophyll in the leaves plays major role in photosynthesis. In pot plant industry, the size, shape and colour hold the commercial value. An experiment was carried out on tropical flowering Anthuriums for pot plant production in coastal Bhubaneswar area under AICRP floriculture to study effect of different nutrients and growth regulators/bio-stimulants on pot- Anthuriums leaves. Methods: The treatments include five types of nutrient solution sprayed with varying frequency of weekly once and twice and six types of growth regulators with varying forms and concentrations. Significant variation was observed in different leaf parameters obtained from different treatment combinations. Result: Among all the nutrient treatments, liquid MS medium resulted better leaf characteristics with once week spray and among different growth regulators, GA3 @ 200 ppm resulted better leaf characteristics. Among the treatments, spraying of liquid MS medium once in week resulted in highest leaf breadth (1.93 cm), leaf area (8.20 cm2) and leaf chlorophyll content (0.87 mg/ cm2). Spraying liquid MS medium once in a week along with GA3 @ 200ppm sprayed at two months interval resulted in largest leaf area (12.42 cm2).