Research & Reviews: Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology Volume 1, Issue (1-3) Compilation 2012 ISSN: 2278–2206© STM Journals 2012. All Rights Reserved Page 57 Growth, Flowering and Quality of Standard Carnation Var. ‘Trendy’ as Influenced by Levels of Fertigation and Sources of Nutrients Under Cost Effective Green House Professor G. Gopinath 1 , Assistant Professor S.Y. Chandrashekar 2 * 1 Deapartment of Horticulture, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore-65 2 Dept. of floriculture, College of Horticulture, Mudigere-577132 *Author for correspondence: Chandrashekar.sy@gmail.com 1. INTRODUCTION Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) a member of family Caryophyllaceae is one such cut flowers which has tremendous demand in international flower market with a trade value of more than 93.42 million dollars [1]. Carnation is preferred to roses and chrysanthemum in several exporting countries, due to its wide range of forms, excellent keeping quality, ability to withstand long distance transportation and remarkable ability to rehydrate after continuous shipping. Out of the several factors affecting the growth and productivity of carnations, balanced nutrition is most important. Fertigation which combines fertilizer application with irrigation is recognized as one of the most effective and convenient means of maintaining optimum levels of fertility resulting in higher productivity of better quality produce and also helps in economizing the use of water and fertilizer. The present day need is to develop cost effective production technology which was ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted to study the effect of levels of fertigation and sources of nutrients on growth, flowering and quality of standard Carnation var. Trendy under cost effective greenhouse at the Horticultural Research Station Division of Horticulture. UAS, Gandhi KrishiVigyan Kendra, Bangalore (Karnataka). The green house covering 136 m 2 area with dimensions of 16 mx8.5mx3.5m was constructed with GI frame using UV stabilized LDPE film of 200 micron. Two sources i.e. straight (urea, single super phosphate and murate of potash) and water-soluble (Kemira limited, Finland) of fertilizers and three levels (100, 80 and 60%) of fertigation were tried in factorial RCBD (Randomized complete block Design) with four replications. Significant differences among levels of fertigation were obtained with respect to height of plants at both 105 and 120 days after pruning and during winter. Application of 80% recommended dose of fertilizers resulted in producing higher number of laterals per plant at 105 days after planting and during winter (6.28 and 4.35 laterals per plant, respectively), which may be due to 80% dose of fertilizer was optimum for producing higher number of laterals per plant. Application of 80% recommended dose of fertilizers resulted in producing longer length of flower buds during winter (1.93 cm), thicker flower buds during winter and summer (1.34mm and 1.80mm, respectively), longer length and thicken growth of flower stalks during rainy and summer (58.31cm and 2.99mm respectively), higher number of petals per flower head during rainy and winter (68.11 and 63.38 petals/flower head, respectively) and increased diameter of cut-flowers during all the three seasons viz, rainy, winter and summer (6.94 cm, 5.52 cm and 5.23 cm, respectively). Keywords: Carnation, fertigation, greenhouse, growth and flowering