Gerbera Tissue Culture Plants

Description

Gerbera is one of the most important cut-flowers, successfully grown under different conditions in several areas of the world and meeting the requirements of various markets. Gerbera flowers comes in vibrant colours like white, cream, yellow, orange-pink, purple or violet adding beauty to your garden. It has around 40 species spreading from Africa across to Madagascar into tropical Asia and South America. Gerbera are plants with a height up to 18 to 24 inch and 4 to 10 inch diameter flowers. Its cut flowers last long and gives colour and beauty to any room.

• Agro Climate
  • The plants need a liberal amount of sun and water. Half day of direct sun and half day of partial shade and remaining slightly moist at all times is ideal. High source of light can give an abundance of flowers.
• Soil
  • Gerberas thrive on a well-drained, rich, light, neutral or slightly alkaline soil. They prefer slightly acidic soils.The production of gerberas increases significantly in soils with an optimum pH of 6.5, and E.C. (Electrical Conductivity) of less than 0.1.
• Veriaty
• Land Preperation
  • The saplings (tissue cultured) can be replanted in pots filled with a mixture of sand, dried organic mix, loam.Gerberas are grown on raised beds. The composition of bed material should be such that it should be highly porous, well drained and provide proper aeration to the root system: Red soil, sand, compost in the ratio of 2:1:1
• Planting Time
  • Gerbera planting is done in 2 seasons : a. Spring (Jan, Feb and March) and b. Summer (June-July)
• Planting Distance
  • The spacing between the rows should be 30-40 cm and 25-30 cm within the row accommodating 8-10 plants/m2.
• Methods of Planting
  • Growing of gerberas in raised bed improves drainage and aeration. As the root system establishes the plants are pulled down.
• Irrigation
  • Immediately after plantation, irrigate the plant with overhead irrigation for 4 weeks to enable uniform root development. Thereafter regularly through drip irrigation system is desirable. The average requirement is about 500-700 ml/day/plant depending upon the season and stage of the crop.
• Fertigation
  • gerbera requires plenty of organic matter and ample of nutrients in the form of major and minor nutrients for proper growth and production. Application of FYM, NPK give better results. Apart from this, spraying with micronutrients like boron, calcium, magnesium and copper is recommended.
• Cultural Practices
  • Gerbera is a 26-32 months crop. The first flower is produced 8 weeks after plantation when plants are with 15 to 16 leaves. The average yield is 200 flowers per sq. mt. (6 plants/sqmt.). The flowers are harvested when 2-3 whorls of stemens have entirely been developed. a. Pluck the flower in the morning when temperature is low. b. Flowers are plucked from the plant rather than cutting them with knife. c. Cut the heel of the stem by giving an angular cut. d. Immediately put the flowers in 5ml water after harvesting for four hours at 20 degrees Celcius. e. Always add commercial bleach( 5 ml/lit) or Citric acid + Ascorbic acid ( 5ml each/lit of water). f. Sleeves the individual flower with poly thin bag of size 4.5”x4.5” g. Make bundle of 10-20 flowers.
• Harvesting
  • Most gerbera varieties should be harvested when the 2 outer rows of disk florets have begun to open. Flowers are harvested by twisting the stems off near the point of attachment to the rhizome; Place soon after harvest in a solution containing 40 ppm hypochlorite. Make sure that at least one or two row of disk flowers (tubular flowers in the center of the head) is showing pollen. If stems were pulled from the ground, cut 10 cm off the bottom to remove the woody portion and improve water uptake.
• Disease & Paste Management
  • “Fungus and stem rot is a common problem with over watered plants. Remove old leaves regularly to prevent fungus infections. a.Foot rot: Infection occurs at soil surface on the collar portion of the stem, leaves turn yellow and wilting takes place. Control: Soil solarization and Sanitation: Drenching of Bavistin 2g/lt/m2 b.Powdery mildew: White coating appears on leaves and other plant parts. Control: Spraying of Karathane or Benomyl 0.4ml / lt. Pests: a). Whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum): Spraying of  Phosphomidon 0.05% or Acephate 0.05%. b).Leaf miner (Liriomyza trifoli): Spraying of Vertimac or Monocrotophos 0.05%. c).Red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) Spraying of Dicofol 0.05% or wettable Sulphur 0.5%.”