International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), Acta Horticulturae, 847, p. 333-336, 2009
DOI: 10.17660/actahortic.2009.847.45
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The objective of the present work was to compare the quality of tulip flowers in their presentation of cut flowers, produced with inorganic nutrition (nutrient solution) and its combination with organic Foliar Fertilization Bee Honey (FFBH). The experiment was done under greenhouse conditions, using 11-12+ caliber Darwin hybrid bulbs of Golden Apeldoorn cultivar (yellow flowers), and 17.6 cm pots. The substrate was a mixture composed of perlite, tezontle (volcanic porous rock) and Peat moss in a 1:1:0.83 v/v/v ratio, respectively, with a density of 3 bulbs/pot. The effect of the Steiner Solution at 0, 50, and 100% concentrations, and the foliar application of bee honey at 2% were evaluated. The variables measured at the moment of the cut were: stem height, base diameter, bud size, and plant nutrient concentration. In the postharvest period, vase life and water uptake were measured. Significant differences (p<0.05) existed in the evaluated variables. The greatest height was with 50% solution treatment (58.7 cm) and the greatest base diameter for 100% solution (supplemented with foliar fertilization with bee honey) was 13.53 mm. Tulip bud length ranged from 4.0-5.8 cm. Nitrogen in the plant tissue increased as a function of the applied nutrient concentration, as did phosphorus and magnesium. Iron showed no such. The plants watered with 100% solution and FFBH exhibited a 15 days vase life and the greatest water uptake (11 ml day-1).