PRODUCTION OF LACHENALIA BULBS

Suitable basic cultural practices need to developed for new crops such as Lachenalia. During the season of 1995 trial were run at Roodeplaat to establish the optimal growing conditions for Lachenalia. An indication of the different levels of nutrition on bulb production, as well as the effect of planting densities and shading levels is discussed.

To establish the nutritional needs, small bulbs of two cultivars were grown hydroponically and treated with four concentrations of a basic nutrition solution as suggested by the Commissie Bemesting Glastuinbouw, Naaldwijk. Collected data include bulb fresh weight and size increase, natural multiplication by offsets and propagation by cuttings, and mineral content of the plants at three stages. The conclusion can be drawn that lower than normal levels of nutrition is preferable to increase multiplication by cuttings, but that a normal level should be used to grow small bulbs to forcing size.

Results of bulbs of the same size and cultivars grown under three different planting densities and shading intensities show that maximum increase in size and weight is achieved by the widest spacing tested and at the highest light intensity tested. Cuttings of plants grown at the lowest light intensity produced more bulblets.

It can be concluded that different growing conditions should be used for multiplication purposes and growing bubls to forcing size.