Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Early Access

Propagation dynamics and morphological-biochemical insights of Lilium (Lilium hybrida L.) scales in soilless media under north-western plains of India

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8673
Submitted
4 April 2025
Published
25-11-2025

Abstract

Lilium (Lilium hybrida L.) is an important ornamental bulbous crop valued for its beautiful cut flowers. It is propagated by bulbs, bulblets and scales. Scaling is an important technique of propagation as it results in rapid formation of bulblets and subsequently flowering-grade bulbs. This process is greatly influenced by the growing media in which the scales are raised. Hence, the present study was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to standardize the best soilless growing media substrate composition for improved bulblet formation and development. The different media compositions included cocopeat, perlite, vermiculite and spent mushroom compost in varying ratios. The results revealed that better bulblet growth in terms of minimum days taken for sprouting (28.27), days taken for visible bulblet production (17.22), maximum number (3.07), weight (1.45 g) and diameter of bulblets formed per scale (1.33 cm) as well as no. of roots/scale (4.90) were observed in media containing perlite + cocopeat (1:1). Additionally, the biochemical parameters analysed for starch content (106.11 mg/g) and total soluble sugars (71.28 mg/g) were found maximum in the bulblets raised in the same media composition. Therefore, the soilless media comprising perlite + cocopeat (1:1) was found the most suitable for the rapid multiplication of Lilies from scaling.

References

  1. 1. Masoodi NH, Nayeem S. Effect of growth regulators and propagation media on the propagation of hybrid lilies through scaling. Int J Agric Sci. 2018;10:5924-7.
  2. 2. Hartmann HT, Kester DE. Plant propagation: principles and practices. 8th ed. Pearson Education Limited; 2013. p. 566-71.
  3. 3. Chandel A, Ujala, Thakur D, Sharma D, Partap M, Soni V, et al. Recent developments in soilless cultivation and their implications in floriculture. In: Singh KP, Dutta S, editors. Ornamental horticulture: latest cultivation practices and breeding technologies. Springer; 2024. p. 85-107. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-4028-4_5
  4. 4. Awang Y, Shaharom AS, Mohamad RB, Selamat A. Chemical and physical characteristics of cocopeat-based media mixtures and their effects on the growth and development of Celosia cristata. Am J Agric Biol Sci. 2009;4:63-71. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajabssp.2009.63.71
  5. 5. Bar-Tal A, Saha UK, Raviv M, Tuller M. Inorganic and synthetic organic components of soilless culture and potting mixtures. In: Raviv M, Lieth JH, Bar-Tal A, editors. Soilless culture. Elsevier; 2019. p. 259-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63696-6.00007-4
  6. 6. Ilahi WFF, Ahmad D. A study on the physical and hydraulic characteristics of cocopeat perlite mixture as a growing media in containerized plant production. Sains Malaysiana. 2017;46:975-80. https://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4606-17
  7. 7. Indrasumunar A, Gresshoff PM. Vermiculite’s strong buffer capacity renders it unsuitable for studies of acidity on soybean (Glycine max L.) nodulation and growth. BMC Res Notes. 2013;6:465. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-6-465
  8. 8. Jasińska A. Spent mushroom compost (SMC) – retrieved added value product closing loop in agricultural production. Acta Agraria Debreceniensis. 2018;150:185-202. https://doi.org/10.34101/actaagrar/150/1715
  9. 9. McCready RM, Guggolz J, Silveira V, Owens HS. Determination of starch and amylose in vegetables. Anal Chem. 1950;22:1156-8. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac60045a016
  10. 10. Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PT, Smith F. Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem. 1956;28:350-6. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac60111a017
  11. 11. Prihar SS, Sandhu BS. A rapid method of soil moisture determination. Soil Sci. 1968;105:142-4. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-196803000-00002
  12. 12. Subbiah BV, Asija CL. A rapid procedure for the estimation of available nitrogen in soils. Curr Sci. 1956;25:259-60.
  13. 13. Olsen SR. Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate. USDA Circ. 1954;39.
  14. 14. Jackson ML. Soil chemical analysis. Prentice Hall Inc; 1967. p. 128-9.
  15. 15. Duncan DB. Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics. 1955;11:1-42. https://doi.org/10.2307/3001478
  16. 16. Poudel P, Duenas AE, Di Gioia F. Organic waste compost and spent mushroom compost as potential growing media components for the sustainable production of microgreens. Front Plant Sci. 2023;14:1229157. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1229157
  17. 17. Zhang W, Song L, da Silva JA, Sun H. Effects of temperature, plant growth regulators, and substrates and changes in carbohydrate content during bulblet formation by twin scale propagation in Hippeastrum vittatum ‘Red Lion’. Sci Hortic. 2013;160:230-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2013.06.001
  18. 18. Singh AK, Singh R, Kumar R, Gupta AK, Rai AK, Kanawjia A, et al. Evaluating sustainable and environmentally friendly growing media composition for pot mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.). Sustainability. 2022;15:536. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010536
  19. 19. Yuan YL, Zhang JL, Zhao Z, Zhao J. Study on the method of scale propagation of Amaryllis vittata. J Northwest A&F Univ Nat Sci Ed. 2008;36:108-12.
  20. 20. Fidanza MA, Sanford DL, Beyer DM, Aurentz DJ. Analysis of fresh mushroom compost. HortTech. 2010;20:449-53. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.20.2.449
  21. 21. Singh A, Nazki IT, Qadri ZA, Ahmad Z. Effect of propagation media on clonal propagation through rhizome sections in Alstroemeria cv. SERENA. Asian J Hortic. 2014;9:213-6.
  22. 22. Wazir JS, Sharma YD, Dhiman SR. Performance of potted Alstroemeria (Alstroemeria hybrida L.) in different growing media under wet temperate conditions. J Ornamental Hortic. 2009;12:167-74.
  23. 23. Lohr VI, O’Brien RG, Coffey DL. Spent mushroom compost in soilless media and its effects on the yield and quality of transplants. J Am Soc Hortic Sci. 1984;109:693-7. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.109.5.693
  24. 24. Suh J, Lee J. Bulblet formation and dormancy induction as influenced by temperature, growing media, and light quality during scaling propagation of Lilium species. Acta Hortic. 1994;414:251-6. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1996.414.30
  25. 25. Rani N, Kumar R, Dhatt KK. Effect of nitrogen levels and growing media on growth, flowering, and bulb production of Lilium cultivars. J Ornamental Hortic. 2005;8:36-40.
  26. 26. Chaudhary N, Sindhu SS, Kumar TN, Saha DV, Raju A, Arora R, et al. Effect of growing media composition on growth, flowering, and bulb production of LA hybrid (Red Alert) and Oriental (Avocado) group of Lilium under protected conditions. Indian J Agric Sci. 2018;88:1843-7. https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v88i12.85430
  27. 27. Seyedi N, Mohammadi TA, Allahyari MS. The impact of perlite and cocopeat as the growth media on Lilium. Asian J Exp Biol Sci. 2012;3:502-5.
  28. 28. Dhiman MR, Sindhu SS. Effect of propagation media and growth regulators on bulblet formation through scale propagation in Lilium. J Ornamental Hortic. 2007;10:181-3.
  29. 29. Wu Y, Ren Z, Gao C, Sun M, Li R, Min J, et al. Change in sucrose cleavage pattern and rapid starch accumulation govern lily shoot-to-bulblet transition in vitro. Front Plant Sci. 2021;11:564713. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.564713
  30. 30. Li X, Wang C, Cheng J, Zhang J, da Silva AT, Liu X, et al. Transcriptome analysis of carbohydrate metabolism during bulblet formation and development in Lilium davidii var. unicolor. BMC Plant Biol. 2014;14:358. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-014-0358-4
  31. 31. Xu J, Li Q, Yang L, Li Z, Wang X, Zhang Y. Changes in carbohydrate metabolism and endogenous hormone regulation during bulblet initiation and development in Lycoris radiata. BMC Plant Biol. 2020;20:2394. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-020-02394-4
  32. 32. Li W, Huang D, Wang B, Hou X, Zhang R, Yan M, et al. Changes of starch and sucrose content and related gene expression during the growth and development of Lanzhou lily bulb. PLoS One. 2022;17:e0262506. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262506

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.