124 Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 88 (7): 1108–14, July 2018/Article https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v88i7.81596 Optimization of spacing and nitrogen dose for growth and fowering of statice (Limonium sinuatum) RITU JAIN 1 , M K SINGH 2 , KISHAN SWAROOP 3 , MAHALAKSHMI V REDDY 4 , T JANAKIRAM 5 , PRABHAT KUMAR 6 and ROHIT PINDER 7 ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012 Received: 3 October 2017: Accepted: 25 May 2018 ABSTRACT A feld study was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi during 2014-15 and 2015-16 with the objective of determining the effect of spacing, nitrogen and their interaction on growth and fowering of statice (Limonium sinuatum Mill.). The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with twelve treatments. The treatments consisted of three spacing viz. 30cm × 30cm (S 1 ), 30cm × 45cm (S 2 ) and 45cm × 45cm (S 3 ) and four nitrogen doses viz. 10 g/m 2 (N 1 ), 20 g/m 2 (N 2 ), 30 g/m 2 (N 3 ) and was compared with control (N 0 ). Data were collected for vegetative growth, fowering and biomass parameters of statice. Maximum plant height (83.60 cm) and spike length (23.89 cm) was recorded under S 1 N 3 , while the maximum plant spread (71.67 cm), number of cymes/spike (16.03), number of cut fowers/plant (19.66), cyme width (37.25 mm), spike diameter (5.67 mm) and fower longevity in the feld (60.97 days) was observed under S 3 N 2 . However, the maximum number of primary branches/plant (30.78), number of secondary branches/plant (15.93), number of leaves (68.80), cyme length (65.50 mm), shoot fresh weight (851.83 g), root fresh weight (11.72 g), dry weight of shoot (194.23 g), dry weight of roots (5.28 g) and shoot root ratio (69.57) was recorded with S 3 N 3 . Key words: Biomass, Flowering, Limonium sinuatum, Nitrogen, Planting density, Statice, Vegetative traits. Limonium sinuatum Mill., is commonly known as statice and belongs to family Plumbaginaceae. Globally it is the most commonly used cut fower and fller crop. The fowers present in short, papery clusters in colours ranging from white to pink, purple and yellow. Grown for its colourful fowers and its everlasting calyx (the green leaf that encloses the fower bud), the tiny funnel-shaped statice fowers have a delicate, airy, hazy appearance, almost like smoke. It is one of the most widely used fowers in dry fower arrangements (Dole and Wilkins 2005). Type of variety, growing environment and management practices substantially infuences the quality and yield of statice. (Burchi et al. 2006, Dole and Wilkins 2005, Fascella and Zizzo 2004). Among the management practices, plant density and fertilizer application are the two important approaches affecting the quality and quantity of fower production of any species. Therefore, optimization of plant spacing as well as fertilizers doses would be vital to ensure the best economic return (Khan et al. 2003). To this aim, a study was conducted to determine the effect of spacing, nitrogen application on vegetative growth and fowering of statice. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during 2014-15 and 2015-16. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with two factors, viz. spacing as main plot and nitrogen doses as sub plot with three replications. Treatments consisted of three spacing’s viz. 30cm × 30cm (S 1 ), 30cm × 45cm (S 2 ), 45cm × 45cm (S 3 ) and four nitrogen doses viz. 10g/m 2 (N 1 ), 10g/m 2 (N 2 ), 20g/m 2 (N 3 ) and 30g/m 2 (N 4 ). Beds were prepared and a fxed basal dose of fertilizers consisting of P & K @10g/m 2 was applied uniformly to all the beds. The standard cultural practices were followed and fve plants were randomly tagged in each plot for recording growth and fower yield characters. Observations for vegetative growth parameters like plant height, plant spread, days taken to bud formation, days taken to fower opening, number of primary branches per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, number 1 Present address: ritujain.iari@gmail.com, Division of Floriculture and Landscalping, IARI, New Delhi. 3 College of Home Science, ANGRAU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana. 5 Division of Horticultural Science, 6 National Coordinator, National Agricultural Higher Education Project Unit, ICAR, KAB II, New Delhi 110 012.