~ 1189 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal 2021; 10(10): 1189-1191 ISSN (E): 2277- 7695 ISSN (P): 2349-8242 NAAS Rating: 5.23 TPI 2021; 10(10): 1189-1191 © 2021 TPI www.thepharmajournal.com Received: 07-08-2021 Accepted: 09-09-2021 Pruthvi P Hegde Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India BC Patil Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India MS Kulkarni Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India NK Hegde Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India Laxman Kukanoor Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India Mukund Shiragur Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India Harshavardhan M Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India Corresponding Author: Pruthvi P Hegde Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, K. R. C. College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India Efficacy of biostimulants on growth and flowering of Dendrobium orchid (Dendrobium nobile Lindl.) var. Sonia-17 under protected cultivation Pruthvi P Hegde, BC Patil, MS Kulkarni, NK Hegde, Laxman Kukanoor, Mukund Shiragur and Harshavardhan M Abstract Studies on efficacy of biostimulants on growth and flowering of Dendrobium orchid var. Sonia - 17 under protected cultivation were carried out at farmers’ field, Chapparamane during 2017-19. Eight biostimulants in two combinations were taken for the study and RDF was taken as control. The results revealed that among the biostimulant treatments, the treatment receiving Biovita (Brown sea weed extract) @ 1.5 per cent showed maximum plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, number of pseudobulbs, pseudobulb perimeter, days taken for bud initiation, days taken for spike emergence to first floret opening and final harvest compared to all other treatments and control (RDF). Keywords: biostimulant, Dendrobium orchid, Biovita, sea weed extract Introduction Orchids are flowers of exquisite beauty valued as cut flowers and pot plants in the floriculture trade. In the past couple of decades, they have occupied coveted position in the international flower market, evolving in to a multibillion dollar business. With the recent increase in world floriculture trade, orchids have become the second most popular plants as cut flowers as well as pot plants with an annual growth rate of 10-20 per cent (Sudeep et al., 2018) [6] . At present, wide spread requirement for environment friendly agriculture for the production of quality flowers is in high demand. Efforts are underway for the sustainable way of crop production with organic fertilizers and biostimulants from natural resources to enhance the production of commercially important flower crops. The use of biostimulants, which has the capacity to beneficially modify plant growth, has grown dramatically over the past decade. Bio stimulants are the materials other than the fertilizers that promote the plant growth when applied in minute quantities and are also referred as ‘metabolic enhancers’. They promote the plant growth besides improving yield and quality. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to know the efficacy of biostimulants on growth and flowering of Dendrobium orchid var. Sonia - 17 under protected condition. Material and Methods An experiment was undertaken under naturally ventilated polyhouse condition during 2017-19 at farmers’ field, chapparamane, sirsi under K R C College of Horticulture, Arabhavi. Three month old healthy tissue cultured plants of var. Sonia - 17 were planted in orchid pots (earthen pots) and were placed on concrete benches. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design with seventeen treatments and two replications. Treatments included T1 : Control (RDF - 30:10:10 @ 0.2% during vegetative stage and 10:20:20 @ 0.2% during flowering stage), T 2 - Humigrow (Humic acid) @ 1%, T 3 - Humigrow @ 1.5%, T 4 - Super growth (Fulvic acid) @ 1%, T 5 - Fulvic acid @ 1.5%, T 6 - Biovita ( Sea Weed Extract) @ 1%, T 7 - Biovita @ 1.5%, T 8 - Spic cytozyme (GA 3 0.001%) @ 0.3%, T 9 - Spic cytozyme @ 0.5%, T 10 - Isabion @ 1%, T 11 - Isabion @ 1.5%, T 12 - Boom flower (Nitro benzene) @ 1%, T 13 - Boom flower @ 1.5%, T 14 - Formula 15 (Humic Acid + Fulvic Acid + Amino acid) @1%, T 15 - Formula 15 @ 1.5%, T 16 - Humicel plus (Humic Acid + Fulvic Acid+ Sea Weed Extract) @ 1%, T 17 - Humicel plus @ 1.5%. RDF and biostimulants were applied as a foliar spray at weekly intervals. The growth parameters were recorded using five random plants at peak growth stage (15 months after planting).