An anthurium farm in Assam Agriculture University. Telegraph picture

Jorhat, April 18: The Assam Agricultural University, in a bid to boost floriculture in the state, has designed a new way to ensure better yields for anthurium as well as marigold farmers.

The method developed by the horticulture department of the university will help the flowers to grow without soil.

Madhumita Choudhury Talukdar, a professor of the department, said there are two types of orchids — epiphytic and terrestrial. While the former variety grows naturally without soil, the terrestrial orchids, which include anthurium, are planted in soil.

“The problem of growing anthurium in soil is that usually within three years, the plants are afflicted by some soil-borne disease and die. We have standardised a method which allows the orchids to grow in shaded net houses,” she said.

First, a 30cm raised bed of brick and cement with a three-inch slope is constructed in the net house and covered with a black polythene sheet so the root does not come in contact with the soil. The sheet is covered with four-inch thick brick pieces, three-inch coal pieces and 3cm by 3cm coconut husks. Small pits of size 30cm by 30cm, filled with cocopeat and sand in the ratio of 3:1, are dug for planting the seedlings.

The seedlings have to be watered everyday during the dry season and murate of potash applied every week along with calcium nitrate for a glossy spathe. “Commercially available fertiliser NPK should also be sprayed on the plants by mixing 1mm NPK in one litre of water, twice a week,” she said.

“In the first year, the flower size is less than 5cm. The next year, it becomes slightly bigger and by the third year, the orchids attain a premium size of 22cm length and 14cm wide. In the Hawaiian market, the premium length is 15cm and in the Caribbean market it is 18cm,” Talukdar said.

Among the varieties in demand in the international market are Fire Tropical Calore, White Acropolis, Evita Red and Evita Pink.

Talukdar said the process to grow marigold flowers was still being standardised. “It is usually seen that marigold flowers grow in height in summer and either break or get spoilt during the rains. We have taken the Seracole variety and by making cuttings on a monthly basis, the height can be kept low and during the peak monsoon season of June, July, August and September, we have been able to get 220-230 flowers from one plant,” she said.