Impacts of Drip Fertigation Levels on Asiatic Lily Performance Under Field Conditions in a Non-Traditional Indian Region

Abstract

Lilies belonging to the Liliaceae family are captivating flowering plants with a long history and cultural significance. With more than 100 species and thousands of cultivars, these plants have been cultivated for millennia and hold diverse symbolic meanings across cultures. In India, lilies grow well in temperate Himalayan regions, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. The floriculture sector in India is growing rapidly, especially for export-oriented and high-value crops, i.e. lily. Drip fertigation will support commercial lily cultivation in non-traditional regions like the Himalayan Tarai region. With increasing water scarcity and the need for sustainable floriculture, efficient fertigation practices are essential to improve flower yield and quality with minimal input use. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different drip fertigation levels on the quality of Asiatic lilies produced under open field conditions in the Himalayan Tarai region in India. This study, “Impact of different drip fertigation levels on the quality of Asiatic lilies cultivated under open field conditions of the Himalayan Tarai region in India”, compared four treatments were compared: fertigation levels 120, 100 and 80 per cent RDF, and one control (conventional method of manuring and fertilisation). The study provides a comprehensive view of the impacts of different drip fertigation levels on various plant growth parameters, i.e. plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area per plant, and stem diameter. The study was carried out using a randomized block design (RBD) consisting of four treatments (120% RDF, 100% RDF, 80% RDF, control) and five replications. The results showed that the fertigation level 120 per cent RDF  (Recommended dose of fertilizer) treatment significantly increased plant height, leaf area, and biomass, whereas the fertigation level 100 per cent RDF treatment had early bud initiation, maximum floret diameter, and shelf life of the spike.  The fertigation level 120 per cent RDF through drip fertigation system had taller plant height (104.00 cm) and maximum leaf area (1291.54 cm²), whereas the fertigation level 100 per cent RDF was found superior in bud number per spike (5.50 per plant) and the shelf life of spike (27.70 days). Moreover, the results demonstrated that fertigation level 120 per cent RDF treatment resulted in the largest bud sizes, indicating that higher nutrient levels facilitate better floral development. The conventional method of manuring and fertilisation consistently underperformed across all the plant growth and spike quality parameters. These findings underscore the importance of fertigation in improving both growth and floral quality, providing practical guidelines for growers aiming to increase economic viability and sustainability in lily cultivation. Therefore, growers should carefully consider their specific needs and objectives when selecting fertilizer treatments to achieve the best possible outcomes for plant development and flower quality.