Effect of Bulb Cutting and Pot Medium on Propagation of Hippeastrum (Hippeastrum hybridum Hort.)

Experiments were conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm of Horticulture Department, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Salna, Gazipur during December, 2007 to May, 2009 to investigate the effect of bulb cutting and potting media on propagation of hippeastrum. The bulb cutting significantly influenced all the parameters except days required to first leaf emergence and leaf breadth at 60 DAP. Leaf number at 60 DAP, leaf length at 60 and 100 DAP, number of plant per section of bulb and number of bulb per pot were found to be significantly increased upto second treatment and then gradually decreased with the increase of bulb cutting. The highest number (2.20) of plant per section of bulb, bulblets (2.20) per section of bulb were obtained from 4 sections/bulb while diameter (20.74 mm) of bulb and combined weight (57.65 g) of bulb and plant were maximum at treatment 2 sections/bulb. Potting media also showed significant influence on all studied parameters. The maximum number (2.04) of plant per section of bulb and bulblets (2.04) per section of bulb were revealed at potting media containing only compost while the potting media contained sand, soil and compost at equal amount produced the biggest size of bulblets (20.07 mm) and maximum weight (44.75 g) of bulb and plant combinedly. However, the combined effect of T2 x P3 produced the maximum number (2.60) of plant and bulblets per section of bulb while the biggest size (23.05 mm) of bulblets and the highest yield (68.66 g) of bulb and plants were obtained in T1 x P4.