Response of Hybrid Orchid (Dendrobium spp.) cv. Sonia to Application of Micro Nutrients

An experiment on response of hybrid orchid, Dendrobium spp., cv. ‘Sonia’ to selected micronutrients was conducted in the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during 2012 to 2013. The experiment was conducted in shade net house with eight treatments each replicated thrice. Micronutrient treatments viz.,T1- Zinc 500 ppm, T2-Zinc 750 ppm, T3-Zinc 1000 ppm, T4-Manganese 200 ppm, T5-Manganese 400 ppm, T6-Boron 100 ppm and T7-Boron 200 ppm were applied as foliar spray at an interval of 15 days along with fertilizer mixture 19 All @ 2 g per liter (control) sprayed twice a week. Among the micronutrient treatments, Zinc 1000 ppm (T3) was found superior in respect of the parameters viz., pseudo bulb height (29.85), number of leaves/plant (7.08), leaf area (68.66 cm2 ), inter nodal length (5.26 cm), cane girth (2.43 cm), spike length (28.91 cm), number of florets/spike (4.03), flower spike yield /coco block/year (5.53), number of flowering canes / clump (2.00), duration of flowering (149.20 days), self life (52.22 days), vase life (37.00 days), total soluble sugar (107.24 mg/g DW), soluble protein (436.39 mg/g FW), net assimilation rate (0.35 mg/cm2/day) and total chlorophyll content (0.83 mg/g FW) while treatment T2(RDF + Zn 750 ppm) recorded best for days to flower bud appearance (133.37 days) and days to harvest of spike (3.47 days).