Evaluation of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) cultivars under polytunnel conditions in upper Pulney hill

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) is a popular ornamental cut flower native of the America, known for its rose-like appearance, vibrant colours and long post-harvest life. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate different lisianthus cultivars under poly-tunnel conditions, focusing on various growth and floral characteristics, at the Horticultural and Forestry Research Station, TNAU, Kodaikanal, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, during 2024-2025. The study involved five lisianthus cultivars: Rosita 3 Clear Pink (V1), Rosita 3 Bright Blue (V2), Rosita 3 Pink Picotee (V3), Rosita 3 Blue Picotee (V4) and Aube 4 Pure White (V5). Among these cultivars, Rosita 3 Clear Pink (V1) exhibited the highest plant height (106.33 cm), number of leaves (60.40), longest internodal length (8.82 cm), earliest flower bud initiation (91.18 days) and had the shortest time from flower bud initiation to flower opening (24.59 days). The Cultivar Aube 4 Pure White (V5) highest shoots per plant (4.84), number of flowers per stem (10.70) and number of petals per flower (31.34). Aube 4 Pure White (V5) shows the longest bud length (4.82 cm), flower length (6.25 cm) and flower diameter (9.74 cm). The results suggest that cultivar Aube 4 Pure White (V5) exhibits the best performance in terms of growth and floral qualities for producing quality blooms of commercial standards, followed by Rosita 3 Bright Blue (V2), Rosita 3 Clear Pink (V1), Rosita 3 Pink Picotee (V3) and Rosita 3 Blue Picotee (V4).