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Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) ; Asteraceae

Varieties

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

Climate

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.

Soil

Well drained, rich, light, neutral or slightly alkaline soil with pH range of 5.5 – 7.0.

Propagation

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.

Spacing

40 x 30 cm or 30 x 30 cm

Irrigation

Drip irrigation with 500-700 ml of water/day/plant

Nutrition

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

Special Practices

Leaf pruning
Remove old leaves periodically

Plant Protection

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.

Disease

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.