Response of Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) to Ultraphyto Plus ‘8-8-8’ fertilizer

Seifeldin Ali Mohamed; Salwa Siddig Elhag Ibrahim

Seifeldin Ali Mohamed Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum
Salwa Siddig Elhag Ibrahim Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Shambat, Sudan

Keywords: Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), Ultraphyto Plus ‘8-8-8’, vegetative growth, flowering, leaf nutrient content

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of different doses of the liquid fertilizer (Ultra Phyto Plus ‘8-8-8’) on growth and flowering of the carnation cultivar “Can can scarlet”. The fertilizer doses were 0 ml/L, 1.25 ml/L, 2.50 ml/L and 3.75 ml fertilizer/litre of water. Treatments (doses) were laid in a completely randomized design with four replications. Data were collected on vegetative growth parameters namely; plant height, number of branches/plant and number of leaves/plants; flowering parameters namely number of flowers per plant, flower diameter and flower stalk length; leaf nutrient content, namely; leaf total nitrogen, leaf total phosphorus and leaf total potassium. Application of 2.5 ml/L of Ultra Phyto Plus ‘8-8-8’fertilizer resulted in significantly (P≤0.05) greatest values of all growth and flowering parameters, leaf total nitrogen, leaf total phosphorus and leaf total potassium compared to other treatments. The treatment of 2.50 ml/L water of the Ultra Phyto Plus ‘8-8-8’ liquid fertilizer may be recommended for the carnation cultivar “Can can scarlet”.