Comparative Evaluation of Growth, Yield and Quality

Ten gerbera cultivars (‘labinel’, ‘lilla’, ‘alp’, ‘alberino’, ‘bonnie’,‘avemaria’, ‘mammut’, ‘lexus’, ‘‘terramixa ’ & ‘sarolta’) were evaluated fortheir growth, yield and quality characteristics under protected conditions during2011. among the cultivars studied, there were highly significant variationsobserved for growth, yield and quality parameters. longest stalk length (60.3cm) was exhibited by the cultivar ‘alberino’ followed by ‘lexus’ (59.0) and‘mammut’ (54.0 cm). the same cultivar also produced flowers with maximumdiameter. with respect to vegetative parameters like number of leaves per plantand plant spread were also more in the same cultivar. maximum number offlowers 135 per square meters was recorded in cv. ‘avemaria’ (135) followedby ‘alberino’ (125). maximum vase life was recorded in cultivars ‘alberino’and ‘lexus’ (6.6) followed by ‘mammut’ (5.6) and ‘‘sarolta’’ (5.6). excellentquality flowers were observed in cultivar ‘alberino’ (4.8) followed by ‘lexus’(4.4). cultivar ‘alberino’ and ‘lexus’ were found superior with respect togrowth, yield and vase-life characteristics under protected conditions.