Growth and development of Hemerocallis fulva subjected to doses of nitrogen and phosphorus

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the effect of different doses of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and development of Hemerocallis fulva variety Flore Full, herbaceous perennial widely used in landscaping. The experimental design was randomized blocks with 25 treatments, arranged in a factorial 5 x 5 (0; 75; 150; 225 and 300 kg ha-1 N and 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg ha-1 P), with 4 replicates. The phosphorus fertilization was carried out 15 days after planting (DAP) and nitrogen was applied in coverage divided in three equal applications at 15, 120 and 240 DAP. There were evaluated the plant height, number of tillers per plant, soil coverage area, the fresh mass of plant, root system and shoot; and the dry mass of plant, root system and aerial part, and calculated the ratio of root dry mass and plant dry mass. It was also obtained the nutrient content of the leaf tissue and root system. The highest tillering was gained with the use of 150 kg ha-1 N combined with 400 kg ha-1 of P. Intermediate doses of N (75-170 kg ha-1 of N) showed higher production of plant fresh and dry mass and root dry mass. Doses of N and P influenced the N and P content in plant tissues of roots and leaves of Hemerocallis. Plants fertilized with 300 kg ha-1 of N and 273 kg ha -1 of P lead to the highest levels of N in the leaves and doses of 80 kg ha-1 of N and 68 kg ha-1 P, the highest content of P in the leaves of H. fulva. Already, in the roots, the highest N content was obtained with application of 300 kg ha-1 N in the presence of P and doses of 225 kg N ha-1 combined with 300 ha-1 P provided the highest P content in the roots.