Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) ; Asteraceae
Red : Ruby Red, Sangria
Yellow : Doni, Supernova, Mammut, Talasa
Rose : Rosalin, Salvadore
Pink : Pink Elegance, Marmara, Esmara
Orange : Carrera, Goliath, Marasol
Cream : Farida, Dalma, Snow Flake, Winter Queen
Production of quality flowers requires shade house (50%) or naturally ventilated polyhouse. Day temperature of 22-25ºC and night temperature of 12-16ºC are ideal.
Well drained, rich, light, neutral or slightly alkaline soil with pH range of 5.5 – 7.0.
Commercially propagated through division of suckers and tissue culture plants.
Field preparation and planting
Soil fumigation with Formaldehyde (100 ml in 5 l/meter sq.) or Dazomet (30 g/meter sq.) is recommended to control soil borne pathogens (Phytophthora, Fusarium and Pythium).
Raised beds of 1-2 m width and 30 cm height are prepared. Growing media consisting of FYM: sand: cocopeat/paddy husk (2:1:1) is ideal.
40 x 30 cm or 30 x 30 cm
Drip irrigation with 500-700 ml of water/day/plant
Fertigation is adopted from 3rd week after planting as per the following schedule.
Fertilizer Quantity (g/500meter sq.)
A tank (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Calcium Nitrate 700
Potasium Nitrate ( 13:0:46) 400
Fe EDTA / sulphate 20
B tank (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
Mono Ammonium Phosphate (12:61:0) 300
Sulphate of Potash (0:0:50) 700
Magnesium Sulphate 700
Manganese Sulphate 5
Zinc Sulphate 3
Copper Sulphate 3
Molybdenum (Sodium Molybdate) 1
Boron (Borax) 3
Leaf pruning
Remove old leaves periodically
Pests
Aphids
Spray any one of the following:
Imidacloprid 17.8 % SL @ 1 ml/lit.
Dimethoate 30 EC @ 2 ml/lit.
Whitefly
Spray any one of the following:
Imidacloprid 17.8 % SL @ 1 ml/lit.
Dimethoate 30 EC @ 2 ml/lit.
Thrips
Spray any one of the following:
Dimethoate 30 EC @ 1.5 ml/lit.
Fipronil 5 SC @ 1.5 ml/ lit.
Red spider mite
Spray any one of the following:
Abamectin 1.9 EC@ 0.4 ml/lit.
Propargite 57 EC @ 2 ml/lit
Nematode
Soil application of Bacillus subtilis (BbV 57) or Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 2.5 kg/ha at the time of planting for the management of root knot nematode.
Flower bud rot: Spray copper oxychloride @ 2 g/l
Powdery mildew: Spray wettable sulphur @ 2g/l or azoxystrobin @ 1g/l
Harvest
Flowering starts 3 months after planting. Flowers are harvested when 2-3 rows of ray
florets are perpendicular to the stalk.
Yield
Average yield under polyhouse is 200 – 250 flowers/m2
/year. Crop can be
maintained for 2 years.
