The Effect of Scale Position and Type of Growing Medium on Bulblet Production in Hybrid Lilium Cv. Serrano

Scale position and type of growing medium can affect the production of bulb in the lily plant. For this purpose, a factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with two factors, scale position in two levels, outer and inner scales, in combination with growing media in five levels. Base or control treatment included 50% peat + 50% perlite; in the other four beds, 50% perlite was kept constant, but the peat fraction of the base bed was replaced with 15 or 30% compost or vermicompost of cow manure; the experiment was conducted with four replications. The results showed that the highest number of bulb (3), bulb diameter (12.79 mm) and bulb dry weight (0.25 g) were obtained in the combined treatment of 15% vermicompost and outer scales. The highest number of roots (5.61) was recorded in peat + perlite bed, and the highest leaf number (15.25) and bulb fresh weight (1.18 g) were observed in the 15% vermicompost treatment. Root length (8.55 cm) was the lowest in the 15% compost. The highest number of roots (4.96), root length (10.66 cm) and bulb fresh weight (1.19 g) were obtained in the outer scales. The total chlorophyll content of the plants produced in the treatment of outer scales in combination with control, vermicompost 15% and 30% and 15% compost showed no significant difference. The highest root diameter (1.56 mm), leaf length (14.5 cm) and nitrogen content (2.48%) were obtained in the outer scales and peat + perlite (control) treatment. The highest potassium concentration (4.91%) was obtained in the combined treatment of vermicompost 15% and outer scales. The lowest phosphorus concentration was observed in the combined treatment of 30% compost and inner scales. Therefore, the outer scales and low levels of vermicompost could be optimal for the lily bulb production.