Abstract:
An experiment was conducted to explore the effect of shoot bending at different angles on the performance of the Hybrid Tea Rose cultivar ‘Minu Pearle’ for two consecutive years. From the study, a significant effect was observed in terms of vegetative traits as well as flowering characteristics. The cultivar performance was recorded to be superior with shoot bending at 30˚and 45˚angle in terms of vegetative traits and flower quality parameters such as shoot length, stalk length, flower diameter, self-life and vase life of flowers. Similarly, in terms of flowering traits (days to flower bud emergence, sepal reflex, and days to attain cup shape from the date of bending) earliest was recorded with shoot bending at a 30˚followed by45˚ angle, and the slowest flower development was obtained at 90˚ angle. A similar trend was also followed in terms of the number of flowers per plant in bent shoots. This is the first-ever report on the effect of shoot bending angles on roses and this practice can help in enhancing the production of a higher number of quality roses at the commercial level.