EFFECT OF GROWING MEDIA ON THE CORMELIZATION OF FREESIA UNDER THE AGRO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF PESHAWAR

The experiment “Effect of growing media on the cormelization of Freesia under the agro-climatic conditions of Peshawar” was conducted at Ornamental Horticulture nursery Farm, Department of Horticulture, Agricultural University Peshawar, Pakistan during 2005-2006. Four cultivars of freesia i.e. Valentino, Jessica, Golden Wave and White Wings were planted in four different planting media i.e. control, leaf mold, mushroom compost and poultry manure. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement. Media were used as main plots while cultivars as subplots. Media mostly affected the parameters studied during the experiment. Maximum daughter corm length (3.23 cm), diameter (2.69 cm), volume (8.56 ml), weight (8.74 g), number of cormels per plant (5.59), cormels volume per plant (7.43 ml) and cormels weight (7.89 g) were produced by the cultivars grown in mushroom compost. Whereas, minimum daughter corm length (2.61cm), diameter (2.30cm), volume (6.20ml), weight (6.20gm), number of cormels per plant (2.72), cormels volume per plant (2.71ml) and weight of cormels per plant (2.57gm) were recorded in cultivars grown in poultry manure. Among the cultivars, some parameters showed significant variation. Maximum daughter corm length (3.14cm) was recorded in cv. White Wings, while minimum number of cormels per plant (5.73), maximum cormels volume per plant (7.30ml) and maximum cormels weight per plant (7.29gm) were given by the plants grown in cv. Golden Wave. Maximum daughter corm diameter (2.62cm), maximum daughter corm volume (8.34ml) and maximum daughter corm weight (8.36gm) were recorded for the cv. Jessica. Non significant interaction was observed between the planting media and cultivars.