RESPONSE OF FREESIA CULTIVARS TO DIFFERENT GROWING MEDIA UNDER PESHAWAR CONDITIONS

The experiment “Response of freesia cultivars to different growing media” was conducted at Ornamental Horticulture nursery, Department of Horticulture, Agricultural University, Peshawar 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. Early emergence (25.22 days), maximum number of leaves (10.44), maximum lamina length (22.7 cm), maximum leaf area (310.54 cm2), maximum number of florets plant^-1 (41.71), maximum number of spikes plant^-1 (7.67) and maximum plant height (36.18cm), was recorded in plants grown in mushroom compost, while late emergence (62.23 days), less number of leaves (8.14), less lamina length (18.16cm), less leaf area (205.55 cm^2) plant^-1, late flowering (153.39 days), less number of florets plant^-1 (21.33), less number of spikes plant^-1 (3.93), less spike persistence (8.01 days) and less plant height (28.28 cm) was obtained in poultry manure. Early flowering (142.66 days) occurred in control, while maximum spike persistence (9.89 days) was observed in leaf mold. Among the cultivars, some parameters showed significant variation. Early emergence (33.90 days) and early flowering (145.84 days), and spike persistence (9.24 days) was recorded in cv. White Wings, while minimum leaf area plant^-1 (221.42 cm^2), late flowering (147.04), less florets plant^-1 (28.46), and minimum plant height (30.19 cm) was produced by the cv. Golden Wave. Maximum leaf area per plant (275.68 cm2) and maximum plant height (34.01 cm) was given by cv. Valentino, while late emergence (36.33 days), minimum spikes per plant (6.06) and less spike persistence (9.03 days) were recorded for cv. Jessica. Non significant interactions were observed between the planting media and cultivars.