CULTIVATION OF TUBEROSE

1. Topic - Cultivation practices of
tuberose

2. INTRODUCTION
 Tuberose is one of the important cut flower
among the top ten cut flowers
Half-hardy, Perennial bulbous plant
 Commonly known as Rajanigandha in
Bengali ,Gulchari and Galshabbo in Hindi
 Family: Asparagaceae
 Binomial name –Agave amica
 Native to Mexico
 occupies very special position among the ornamental
bulbous plant for its beauty , elegance and sweet
pleasant fragrance.

3. 2. Uses of tuberose
• commercially used for garland making,
Aesthetic purpose, floral arrangement such as;
bouquets, rangoli, boutonnieres.
• Tuberose also uses for table purpose because
it has long spike length, long post-harvest life.
• The flowers emit very sweet fragrance that
ability to open the heart refers your mind and
clam effect the nerves.
• Tuberose flowers extremely used in perfume
and essential oil industry.
• Now a days tuberose also use for beverage
industry and food industry.

4. • CULTIVARS:-
There are four types of tuberose :-
• i. Single with one row of corolla segments.
• ii. Semi-double bearing flower with 2-3 rows of corolla
segment.
• iii. Double having ore than three rows of corolla
segment.
• iv. Variegated

5. VARIETIES
• Shringar
• Suvasini
• Single Mexican
• Swarna Rekha
• Rajat Rekha
Single
Mexican
Rajat
Rekha

6. Shringar:-
• This variety of tuberose develop through
hybridization, cross between ‘Single x Double’
and was released by Indian Institute of
Horticultural Research (IIHR),Bangalore.
• Flower is highly fragrance and medium spikes.
• Flower bud attractive due to pinkish tinge. Spike
has more number of flowers and floretes are
large in size.
• These type flowers basically use loose flower
purpose and yield of these flower are 15,000-
20,000 kg/ha.

7. Prajwal
This hybrid developed through
hybridization, cross between ‘Shringar’
x ‘Mexican Single’. The hybrid was
released by Indian Institute of
Horticultural Research (IIHR),
Bangalore. Colours of flower buds are
slightly pinkish and flowers are white.
The individual florets sizes are large,
compared to ‘Local Single’.

8. REQUIRED ENVIRONMENT:-
A. Climate :-
Grows in mild climate
Temperature above 400 C reduces the spike lenght and
quality of the flowers.
 In , India the commercial cultivation of tuberose is mainly
confined in warm humid area with average temperature
range from 200 to 350 centrigrade.
Very low temperature and frost also damage the plant and
flowers.

9. B. SOIL :-
Tuberose grows in a wide range of soils.
Its cultivation can also be extended economically in almost unproductive soils
affected by salinity and alkalinity .
Loam and sandy loam soils having pH range from 6.5 to 7.5 with good aeration and
drainage are considered suitable for its cultivation.
The soil should be rich in organic matter and retain sufficient moisture for proper
growth .
FYM and leaf mould in proportion of 2:1:1 should be used.

10. C. PROPAGATION :-
Mainly propagated vegetatively by means of bulb.
Although , not yet very common , propagation may also
be done by the division of bulbs.
To get virus free material or for a very rapid multiplication
, the propagation is done through tissue culture.

11. CULTIVATION PROCESS :-
• A. Site selection : Generally for optimum growth and high yield of flowers it is
preferable to choose a place having plenty of sunlight. A little shade towards the later
part of the afternoon is desirable in hot summer.
• B. Soil preparation : The field should be worked deep to a good tilth and properly
manured . If the soil is not throughly prepared and contain soil clods or decomposed
organic matter, bulb production is affected and it also reduces the yield and quality of
flowers. Well rotten cow dung or farmyard manure @ 50 tonnes/ha, should be
incorporated with the soil about a month before planting. Care should be taken to
make the land free from weeds.
• C. Bulb selection and planting :- Selection of good planting material is necessary for
obtaining higher yield and good quality of flowers. Generally bulbs having diameter
2.0-3.0cm are suitable for planting. It is observed that planting of bulbs having 2.6-3.0
cm recorded the highest yield of spikes and flowers.

12. • D. Irrigation :- Irrigation should be done before planting to provide
optimum moisture for sprouting and further irrigation should be avoided
until the bulb have sprouted . The tuberose field should be irrigated at 10-
15 days interval if weather is dry.
• E. Weed control:- Weed become a serious problem in the cultivation of
tuberose . If these weeds are not removed in time, growth and productivity
will be markedly reduced. Manual weeding is effective if done frequently.
Generally, after each irrigation weeding is done.

13. F. Manuering and fertilization:
• During the preparation of soil a basal application of leaf mould, farmyard
manure or cattle manure @ 20-50 tonnes/ha.
• High dose of N and P markedly promotes leaf and bulb formation in tuberose.
These treatment also improves flowering. The effect of K has been less
pronounced than N and P in these respect.
•
• The plant treated with less dose of N and P shows growth inhibition and fails
to flower.
• NPK Requirement-200:300:200

14. Mulching
• The black polythene and Clinicidia leaves found
most suitable mulches for tuberose cultivation.
• The 5 kg green leaves of Gliricidia are sufficient
for 11 metre plot to harvest bumper yield and
quality of flower and spikes.
• The size of spike and fragrance is better than
the black polythene mulches plots.
• The leaves of Polyalthia, Leuceana, Litchi and
Paddy straw could also be used for mulching in
tuberose to conserve the soil moisture and
reduced the weed population upto great
extent.

15. G.Diseases and pests:-
• Common diseases are –
a) Stem rot
b) Botrytis spots and blight
c) Leaf spot
d) Flower bud rot
Botrytis blight
Leaf spot

16. Stem Rot
 Stem Rot is soil born diseases caused by Sclerotium
rolfsii .
 can be identified with symptoms like appearance of
prominent coarse mycelial masses on leaf surface at or
near the soil level. Infected leaves loose green colour
due to rotting. which extend and cover whole leaf and
detached from plant.
 Management
 Spraying of Redomil/Bavistin @2g/litre of water as
soon as symptoms appear in any plant.
 Destroy or burn the infected plant debris to check the
further infection.
Tuberose plants severely
damaged by stem rot

17. • Common pests are-
• a) Grasshopper
• b) Thrips
• c) Weevil
• d) Red spider mites
• e) Aphids

18. HARVESTING :-
• HARVESTING OF FLOWERS:
• Tuberose is harvested by cutting the spikes from
the base for table decoration or the individual
flower is picked from the spike for making
garlands and other floral ornaments.
• Picking of flowers should be done in cool hours of
the day either in the morning or in the evening.
• Harvesting of flowers on the previous evening
and marketing in the next morning leads to a
weight loss of about 40 per cent.
• The flowers spike for vases should be cut when
the first pair of flowers fully open, with a sharp
knife and place immediately in water.

20. HARVESTING OF BULBS
• Harvesting of tuberose bulbs at proper
stage of maturity is important for storage of
bulbs and their subsequent growth after
planting.
• The bulbs reach maturity when the
flowering is over and plant growth ceases,
depending on the environmental condition
and soil moisture

21. Storage of Bulbs
• The soil adhered to the clumps are
removed and the off shoot is separated by
rubbing off.
• Loose scales and long roots should be
removed and bulbs are graded into
different groups depending upon the size
of bulbs diameter. They are stored
separately in a cool, dry and shady place.
• During storage the bulbs should be stirred
every few days to prevent and check the
spread of mould and rot.
• Storage for 5-6 weeks is necessary before
the bulbs are ready for planting.

22. Yield
• Flowers are ready for harvest in about 3 to 4
months after planting. At first year 4-5
lakhs/ha spikes production (cut flowers
purpose) and 7-10 ton/ha flowers production
(loose flowers purpose);
• Second and third years 5-6 lakhs/ha spikes
production (cut flowers purpose) and 10-13
ton/ha flowers production (loose flowers
purpose).
• In addition, 25-30 tonnes/ha of bulbs and
bulblets may be harvested at the end of 3rd
year.

23. MCQs
1.Tuberose is Comercially Propagated through
a)Bulb b) Seed
c)Bulblet d) Both a and c
2.Tuberose is ………………. Plant
a)Annual b) Binneal
c)Perennial d)some time a some time b
3.NPK Requirement in Tuberose is
a)200:300:200 b)300:200:200
c)150:200:150 d)100:100:100
4.Optical Temperature Requirement is (degree celcius)
a)10-15 b)2-3
c)28-30 d)None
5.Tuberose is native to-
a) Mexico b) Egypt
c) India d) China
6.Which of the following is Common Name of tuberose
a) Rajanigandha b) Gulchari
c) Galshabbo d) all of these
7.Weight of bulb required for commercial propagation
a)<30 gm b)>30 gm
c)20 -30 gm d)non of the above
8. Semidouble variety has how many corolla segments?
a) 2-3 rows b) 1 row
c) 2 rows d) >3 rows

24. 9.Stem rot in tuberose is caused by
a)Sclerotium rolfsii b)Puccinia triticina
c)Erwinia species d)x. campestris
10. Prajwal hybrid developed through hybridization, cross
between ………..
a)Single Mexican x Rajat Rekha b)suvasini x shringar
c) Shringar x Mexican Single d) Rajat Rekha x shringar
11.Which type of soil is best suited for tuberose cultivation
a)Loam b)sandy loam
c)Clayey d)both a and b
12.What does tuberose symbolizes
a)Love b)Peace & Purity
c)Beauty d) Hope
13.which of the following cultivar is mainly used as loose
flower
a)Single b)double
c)Semidouble d)variegated
14.Which of the following statement is correct about
irrigation in tuberose.
a) Irrigation should be done before planting to provide
optimum moisture.
b) Further Irrigation should be avoided until the bulb
have sprouted .
c) The tuberose field should be irrigated at 10-15 days
interval if weather is dry.
d) All of the above.
15. Varieties developed from gamma radiation
a) Rajat Rekha and Swarna Rekha
b) Rajat Rekha and Phule Rajani
c) Phule Rajni and Suhasini
d) Arka Nirantara and Calcutta Double

25. 16.Which of the following is ideal loose flowers, cut flowers
and perfumery industry ?
a)Suvasini. c ) Prajwal
b)Shringar. d )Vaibhav
17.Planting spacing in tuberose is…………cm
a)20 x 20 b)10 x 20
c)30 x 20 d)10 x 10
18.Which of the following is family of tuberose?
a)Asparagaceae b)Solanaceae
c)Liliaceae d)cruciferae
19.Chromosome no. of tuberose is
a) 2n=30 b) 2n=14
c) 2n=40 c) 2n=20
20.Optimum soil Ph for tuberose cultivation is…………
a) 6.5 to 7.5 b) 5.0 to 6.0
c) 7.0 to 8.5 d) none

26. ANSWERS
1. d
2. c
3. a
4. c
5. a
6. d
7. b
8. a
9. a
10. c
11. d
12. b
13. d
14. d
15. a
16. b
17. c
18. a
19. a
20. a
Submitted to-
Respected Dr. ROSHNI MAM
Respected Dr. UDIT SIR
Submitted By-
SHRUTIDHAR
1901101098