How To Grow Tuberose

 

How To Grow Tuberose

                                                            

Botanical Name: Polianthes tuberosa

Family: Amaryllisaceae

Origin: Mexico

Cominon Name : Rainigandha. Gul-e-Shabu

The flowers in the 'single' tuberose are very fragrant, while the 'double' cultivar has less fragrance.

The spikes usually last 7-12 days in the inflorescence, depending on the room temperature.

The peak flowering season is between June and October.

 Tuberose has a special and important place among ornamental tuberous plants. It is also known as 'Gul Chari' and 'Gul Shabbo'. Tuberose is native to Mexico and from there it reached other countries in the 16th century. In the Gardeners Dictionary of 1743, written by Philip, he has mentioned two species of it - namely 1. Hyacinthus indicus tuberosus Flore, Indian Tuberose and 2. Hyacinthus indicus tuberosus Plena, which is commonly called "Double Tuberose", on whose plants double flowers bloom. It is a plant of the Polyanthus genus and has many species. It is a plant of the Amaryllidaceae family. It is grown in pots, beds and borders. Mexico is said to be the origin place of Polyanthus tuberosa and about 12 related species.

 Tuberose is grown in France, Italy, South Africa, North Carolina (USA) and India. In India, it is grown in various states. In West Bengal, it is grown especially in Kolaghat of Midnapore district and Puranagar Haringhata, Hanskhali, Kachrapura, Shantipur and Krishnanagar of Nadia district. In Maharashtra, it is cultivated in Pune and Thane districts. It is cultivated in Devanahalli taluk of Karnataka, Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, Lucknow and Delhi in Uttar Pradesh. It is grown for its fragrance and flowers which remain safe for a long time. Garlands and garlands are made from its flowers. Apart from this, it is also grown for cut flowers. Cut flowers are exported from Mumbai to Middle Eastern countries, which earns foreign currency.

The main components found in tuberose oil are geranial, neral, benzyl alcohol, methyl benzoate, methyl salicylate, eugenol, benzyl benzoate and methyl anthranilate.

 Tuberose is a semi-hardy, tuberous, perennial plant. Its tubers are made up of scales and leaf bases and the stem is a condensed structure, covered with scales. Its roots are mainly fibrous and shallow. Its leaves are long, thin, grass-like, light green and grow vertically. Its flowers are accompanied by funnel-shaped florets, which are fragrant, waxy white, about 25 mm long, solitary or double flowers, which grow on a spike. The apical flower stalk, which grows directly from the tuber, keeps flowering for a long time. The anthers are attached in the middle of the stamens of the flower. Its fruit is called a "capsule".

Botanical description

The tuberose plant is semi-tolerant, tuberous, perennial and blooms throughout the year. Its flowers are bell-shaped, fragrant, white, shiny, about 2.5 cm long, single and double and are attached to the spike. There are 6 pollen sacs. The ovary is three-chambered with many testicles which develop to form a capsule fruit.

Varieties

There are three types of tuberose varieties which are as follows-

1. Single, which has one row of corolla segments.

2. Slightly double, which has 2 or 3 rows of corolla segments.

3. Double, which has more than three rows of corolla segments.

There is a lot of variation in the above three varieties. Its double petal varieties are also known as 'Pearl' or 'Dwarf Pearl Excelsior'. Flowers in one or more colourful forms and in a single form are called "Mexican Single" but sometimes it is also called "Mexican Ever Blooming". Usually the florets of double tuberose do not open completely, resulting in loss of fragrance. The single type has more fragrance and it is cultivated more than the other types. Evaluation of the available types has revealed that it has domestic types, which are as follows-

 How to Grow Tuberose Plant

 ( 1 ) Single flowers

(2) Semi-double flowers

(3) Double (Pearl) flowers

(4) Single variegated leaves single

 Sometimes the names of the varieties of Tuberose are also given on the name of the place or country; like- 'Calcutta Single' and 'Calcutta Double', 'Mexican Single'. Calcutta Single and Mexican Single are suitable varieties for large scale cultivation.

In India, research work for the development of improved varieties of Tuberose has been done at the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, as a result of which the following three varieties have been developed -

 1. Light Pink Prize - The flowers of this variety are light pink in colour. It has been developed from a variety called 'First Prize'.

2. Rajat Rekha - Silver-like shining stripes are found in the middle of the flowers of this variety. It has been developed from "Single Flowered" Tuberose.

3. Swarn Rekha - Golden yellow stripes are found along the lobes of the flowers of this variety. It has been developed from "Double Flowered" Tuberose.

Indian Horticultural Research Institute, Bangalore has developed the following two varieties by hybridizing single and double varieties-

1. Shringar – In this, single shaped florets develop on a strong spike of height. The beak of its florets has a light pink tinge. This variety gives 40% more yield of discrete flowers than the traditional single, while the amount of concretions (0.135%) remains equal to that of the traditional 'single' variety (0-133%). It produces seeds in abundance. It is resistant to root knot nematodes. It has been proposed for cutting flowers, discrete flowers and extraction of aromatic oil.

2. Suvasini – In this, 'double' shaped florets develop on a strong spike and all the florets bloom till the end of the spike. In comparison to the traditional 'double' variety, it gives 25% more yield of spikes. It is tolerant to root knot nematodes. It has been proposed for 'cut flowers'.

Propagation

 The propagation methods of Tuberose are mentioned below—

By seed - In favorable climate, seeds are produced only in single flowering varieties. Seeds should be sown in a mixture of leaf mold and garden soil in the ratio of 50:50. Moisture and temperature have a special effect on the germination of its seeds. 80°F (26.6°C) of soil temperature is considered favorable for the germination of its seeds.

To prepare the seedlings of Tuberose, the beds should be dug thoroughly. After this, sufficient amount of cow dung manure should be added to it. After digging once, the soil should be leveled. In heavy soils, seeds should be sown at a depth of 1.50 cm in rows made at a distance of 10 cm, whereas in light soils, seeds should be sown at a depth of 2.0 cm. Mulch should be spread to maintain moisture in the soil. Keep irrigating as per the need. The seeds start germinating within 10-15 days of sowing. When the plants attain proper growth, they are planted in pots or beds, so that they can grow freely and produce flowers.

Vegetative propagation - The following two methods come under this method, which are mentioned below-

1. By tubers - Propagation by tubers is the most common method for multiplication of Tuberose on commercial level. However, in this method, care needs to be taken in the selection of tubers.

While selecting tubers of Tuberose, the following things should be kept in mind -

(i) The tubers should be conical or flat.

(ii) The tubers should be healthy.

(iii) The average diameter of the tubers should be 1.5 cm or more. Recent trials have shown that tubers of 1.5 to 3.0 cm diameter planted at 5 cm depth at 20 x 20 cm spacing give the best flowering.

Tubers should be planted early to get maximum yield and should be grown as long as possible.

2. By dividing the tubers - Tuberose can also be grown by this method. The success of this method depends on the diameter of its tubers. Trials have shown that tuberose planted with large tubers at 20 cm depth gives the best flowering.

Timing of Tuberose in different regions of the country

  

S. No.	Place	State	Test Application	Best Time
1.	Bangalore	Karnataka	Whole year	April-June
2.	Hisar	Haryana	Whole year	April-May
3.	Samastipur	Bihar	February - May	March
4.	Akola	Maharashtra	April - September	April
5.	Navsari	Gujarat	March - June	All four months
6.	Pune, Lucknow, Hyderabad	Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh	February	All four months
7.	Kalyani	West Bengal	March	All four months

 

Soil and Climate

 Soil - Tuberose can be grown in different types of soils. It can be cultivated in unsuitable saline and alkaline soils. 'Sandy loam' or 'loamy soils', which have alkalinity (pH value) 6.5-7.5 and have good aeration and drainage, are considered suitable for its cultivation. Those soils are considered suitable for its cultivation which contain sufficient amount of organic matter so that they can conserve sufficient amount of moisture. If you have tuberose in pots, then in that case the pots should be filled with a mixture of the following things-

Garden soil - 2 parts

Cow dung manure - 1 part

Leaf manure - 1 part

Climate - Mild climate is required for growing Tuberose as its plants are unable to tolerate high or low temperatures. In India, it can be grown commercially in warm, humid areas with a temperature of 20-25°C. It requires high humidity and a temperature of about 30°C for good growth. If the temperature exceeds 40°C, it causes deterioration in the quality of the pedicels and flowers. On the contrary, very low temperatures destroy the plants and flowers. Tuberose grows well in open sunlight.

How to Plant Tuberose

Agricultural work

Selection of site - Site selection is of great importance for getting more growth of plants and more yield of flowers. As far as possible, land with open sunlight should be selected for this, although a little shade is essential in the afternoon during summer. If there is too much shade, then in this situation the plants become very tall and thin and flower production is adversely affected. Tuberose plants do not like excess moisture. Therefore, they do not like waterlogging even for a short time, because in such a situation the root system gets damaged, as a result of which the growth and flowering of the plants is adversely affected. If due to any reason the field gets filled with excess water, then immediate arrangement should be made to drain it otherwise your hopes will be dashed.

Preparation of Soil - Preparation of soil is of special importance in the cultivation of Tuberose. The soil should be made soft by plowing and leveling the field properly. Along with this, manure should also be added in appropriate quantity. If the land is not prepared properly, lumps will remain in it. There should also be no undecomposed organic matter in the field, because in such a situation, the production of tubers is adversely affected. This also adversely affects the quality and yield of the flowers obtained. 50 tonnes of completely rotten cow dung manure should be added per hectare. Cow dung manure should be added about a month before sowing the tubers. Keep in mind that the land should be free from weeds and the remains of the previous crop.

Planting of Bulbs - Generally tuberose bulbs are planted in April-May in hilly areas and February-March in plain areas. Tests conducted for two years in medium fertility soil have shown that the best time for planting bulbs is between June 14 and June 29. It is absolutely necessary to plant again after three years.

 Before planting tubers, the following points should be kept in mind—

1. Fresh tubers should not be planted because plants grown from fresh tubers grow more, but flowers are less. Therefore, for proper growth of plants and to get more flowers, fresh tubers should be stored for some time before planting. Tubers must be kept in a semi-shaded and well-ventilated room for at least one month.

2. It is very important for tubers to be of proper size for planting. Tests have shown that '30 to 60 gram tubers' whose size is 2.0-3.0 cm are found to be best for planting. Larger tubers take more time to germinate. The size of the tuber affects the flowering period. Flowers appear early on larger tubers, which give more flowering stalks and more flowers. It also affects the number of flowers on each flower stalk, the quality of flowers and the production of "daughter bulbs".

3. Before planting the tubers should be treated with a medicine called "Blightox" so that the plants can be protected from fungal diseases.

4. The tubers can be sown to a depth of 4-7 cm which depends on the size of the tuber, nature of the soil and the area where it is grown. Similarly, in sandy soil also, the tubers will have to be sown at a greater depth otherwise their shoots will come out late. In sandy loam soil, it is recommended to sow the tubers at a depth of 6.0 cm.

Planting Distance  - Planting distance affects the yield per unit area, quality of flowers and tubers. Experiments have shown that higher plant density gives more flower stalks, flowers and tubers. Planting distance varies from region to region. The quantity of tubers produced also varies. Experiments conducted at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Nadia have shown that tubers should be sown at a distance of + 20 × 20 cm. 2,50,000 tubers are required per hectare. This gives maximum yield of flower stalks, flowers and tubers. Sharga (1977) has recommended planting distance of 30 × 30 cm. Bhattacharya and colleagues (1979) have suggested a planting distance of 20 × 25 cm, which gives maximum number of flowers and tubers per plant.

Manure & Fertilizers  - It is very important to get the soil tested to know the amount of nutrients required for the Tuberose crop. Tuberose requires a large amount of nutrients. But nitrogen should not be added in large quantities, because it causes the following harms-

 • Flower stalks become longer and softer.

• Diseases and insects attack flower stalks more.

• Flower stalks fall due to high speed winds.

• The quality of flowers is adversely affected.

 How to Grow Tuberose

If less quantity of nitrogen is given, then it has the following results—

• The number of flower stalks decreases.

• Fewer flowers are produced per flower stalk.

• The leaf cluster becomes yellowish green.

If there is deficiency of phosphorus in the plants, then it has the following results—

• The lower leaves of the plants become purple and the upper leaves become dark green.

• It has a negative effect on the growth of plants and flowers.

If there is a deficiency of calcium in plants, it has the following consequences-

• Flower stalks burst.

• Buds rot.

If there is a deficiency of boron (borax) in plants, it has the following consequences-

• Edges of leaves burst and they become ugly.

• Flower clusters remain small.

In India, Singh (1971) has recommended 40 and 60 kg nitrogen and phosphorus per hectare in the saline soils of Uttar Pradesh, while Sadhu and Bose (1973) have recommended two doses of 10 gram urea, 10 gram super phosphate and 8 gram muriate of potash per square meter for western Bengal. 

According to Yadav and colleagues (1985), it has been found most beneficial to apply 300 kg nitrogen twice and 200 kg phosphorus per year. By doing this, the growth of plants, flowers and tuber production is more. 

According to Sharga (1976), spraying 0.1 percent solution of urea orthophosphoric acid potassium cyanate with NP at an interval of 15 days gave more growth of plants, flowers and tuber production.

Nutrient requirement for Tuberose in kilograms per hectare

Centre	State	Variety	Nitrogen	Phosphorus	Potash
Hisar	Haryana	Single	300	200	100
Kalyani	West Bengal	Single	300	200	100
Pune	Maharashtra	Single	150	200	200
Port Blair	Andaman Nicobar	Single and Double	200	-	-
Bangalore	Karnataka	Single and Double	200	-	-
		Single	200	200	100
		Shringar	200	-	-
		Double	100	-	-
		Suvasini	150	-	-
Kalyani	West Bengal	Rajnigandha	200	100	200

 

Irrigation

Moisture plays an important role in the growth of tubers. Irrigation should be done before planting. After planting, irrigation should not be done until the tubers sprout. If excess water is given to the field at the time of sprouting, it increases the possibility of rotting of tubers. Similarly, when the flower stalks and flowers are developing, there should not be excess moisture in the field. Otherwise, their growth will be adversely affected. The interval of irrigation depends on the type of soil, growth condition and weather conditions. The field of tuberose should be irrigated at an interval of 10-15 days. According to Sharga (1975), in Lucknow, irrigation should be done every week in summer (April to June). In winter, irrigation should be done at an interval of 10 days, whereas in Southern India, irrigation should be done twice a week in the dry months and in other months, except during rains, irrigation should be done every week.

Weed Control

Since more fertilizer and water is given to tuberose crop, weeds also grow along with the growth of the crop. If weed control is not done on time, then the growth, development and flower production of the plants is adversely affected, because they consume the nutrients and moisture themselves. Weeding of weeds with a hoe is more effective, weeding should be done after every irrigation, although this method is more labor intensive and it increases the cost of cultivation. Still, weeding is very necessary to loosen the soil and destroy the weeds.

Nowadays, the use of some chemicals has also been found suitable for the destruction of weeds, among which Atrazine (3.0 kg active ingredient) has been found more useful. With its use, 10.2 tons of flowers were produced per hectare, whereas 5.8 tons were produced from an uncontrolled field.

 

Plucking of Flowers

Plucking of Tuberose flowers depends on the use of its flowers. If its flowers are to be used, then in that case the flower stalks should be cut from the base. If its flowers are to be used for making garlands or other things, then the flowers should be plucked carefully one by one.

Flowers should always be plucked in cold weather i.e. in the morning or evening. Tests have shown that if the flowers plucked the previous evening are sent to the market the next morning, then their weight decreases by 40 percent. 4-5 people can easily pluck 60 kg of flowers in 2.0 to 2.5 hours, hence it would be appropriate to pluck the flowers in the morning so that there is no reduction in their weight.

Flowers should be cut for decoration in the situation when the flowers of the pairs are fully bloomed, then the flower stalks should be cut from the base with a sharp knife. Immediately after cutting, they should be placed in water. To keep the flowers fresh for a longer time, the small leaves below the stems should not be removed.

Post-harvest Technology

Loose flowers are placed in bamboo baskets and sent to the market for sale. Each basket can hold about 10-15 kg of flowers. These flowers are sold on the basis of weight. When the flower stalks are separated on the basis of their length, length of the flower and its region, their quality is also taken care of. Then they are taken in bundles of 100 each. The stem part is wrapped with wet newspapers. To protect the flowers and buds from getting damaged, the entire bundle should be wrapped in soft, white, tissue paper or polythene. These bundles can be placed in cardboard boxes and sent immediately by airplane to distant markets for sale.

Yield

Flower yield depends on many factors including the variety of tuberose, size of tuber, density of plants and agricultural practices. According to Nambisan and Krishnan (1983), three years of experiments have shown that a single variety of tuberose gave the highest yield of 12000 kg per hectare when only cow dung manure was used. When nitrogen and phosphorus were used, the yield was 29,951 kg per hectare. In the first year, an average yield of 4.8-9.6 tonnes was obtained while the first ratoon crop yielded 8.9-12.1 tonnes and the second ratoon crop yielded 4.2-5.4 tonnes per hectare. Single varieties were grown for these experiments. The average yield of tuberose is 20 tonnes per hectare or 5 lakh flower stalks.

Harvesting, Yield & Storage of Bulbs

 Digging out tubers of Tuberose at the right time is a very important task, if the tubers are not dug out at their maturity, they will rot and their growth will also not be proper, so they should be dug out only when they are fully ripe. Its tubers are considered ripe when the flowers stop appearing and the growth of the plants stops. In such a condition, the leaves dry up and the tubers are almost in dormant state. At this stage, irrigation should be stopped so that the soil dries up and then the tubers should be dug out. The leaves should be cut from the ground level and the tubers should be taken out from the ground.

The yield of tubers depends on the variety of Tuberose grown, the size of the tuber and agricultural practices. Sharga (1977) obtained 80 quintals of tubers per acre. According to Yadav (1983), by planting single variety tubers of 2.6-3.0 cm size at 6 cm depth at 20 x 20 cm, 21-23 tonnes of tubers were obtained from three years of crop.

The soil on the tuberose clump should be removed and the offsets should be separated by rubbing. Loose scales and long roots should be cut. After that, the tubers should be classified according to size. Then they should be stored in a cool, dry, shady place. The tubers kept in the storage house should be turned over for a few days and the rotten tubers should be removed. 46 weeks of storage is mandatory for planting.

Often the tubers are left as they are in the field and their leaves are cut a little above the ground level and irrigation is not done at this time. When the spring season comes, the plants sprout on their own and flowers also appear on them. Replanting after three decades has been found to be beneficial and economically good.

How To Grow Tuberose

 Diseases & Insect Pests

 Tuberose does not suffer from any serious disease, however, sometimes its crop is affected by diseases like stem rot, “Botrytis spot and blight”, flower bud rot.

Stem Rot - This is a fungal disease, which causes rotting of the soil level. Light green spots appear on the leaves of the infected plants, which later spread on the entire leaf. The affected leaves fall, more or round sclerosis brown spots appear on the leaves or in the middle. Due to this, the plant becomes weak and due to more disease, few or few flower producing shoots come out. To avoid this disease, 20 percent 'Brassicol' should be sprayed at the rate of 3 kg per hectare at an interval of three weeks. The affected plants should be burnt otherwise they will make other healthy plants also sick.

Botrytis Spot and Blight - This disease is caused by a fungus called 'Brotrytis elliptica'. This disease causes heavy damage to the leaves. To prevent this, the following medicines should be sprayed.

2 gallons of Aminokal Copper Greeno in 100 gallons of water

Sodium Salt-O-Hydro Oxy Diphenyl 1: 200

This treatment should be repeated at an interval of 15 days.

Bud Rot - This disease is caused by the germ of Erbinia species. The symptoms of this disease are mainly seen on small buds, which later rot. Some buds shrink and some also dry up.

To prevent this disease, the diseased plants should be uprooted and destroyed, and Corosib (1 part in 1000) should be sprayed.

Insect Pests

Locust, Prang, Champa and Grips especially damage Tuberose.

Gross Hopper - This insect eats tender leaves and buds. To prevent this, 0.1% 'Rogor' or 0.1% 'Malathion' should be sprayed at an interval of 15 days.

Beetle - Its adults become active when it gets dark; they eat the shoots and leaves. Its larvae eat the roots and then make tunnels and enter the tubers. BHC should be sprayed before planting the tubers.

Aphids - These insects are very small, which eat the growing organs and flower buds. For their prevention, spraying of 0.1% Dimethoate (Rogor) at an interval of 10 days has also been found to be effective.

Thrips - These damage the leaves, flower stems and flowers. Sometimes they help spread an infectious disease called "bunchytop" which causes the "flower bunches" to become deformed.

To prevent this disease, 0.1% Rogor or 0.1% Malathion should be sprayed.

Cost of Cultivation

The total cost of tuberose cultivation is Rs. 15000 to Rs. 25000 per hectare.