Carnation- introduction and uses – varieties – media and environment- Fumigation - filed preparation - planting systems – nutrition and fertigation - weed management – training and pruning – special horticultural practices - role of growth regulators- physiological disorders and its control measures- harvest index and yield

1. CARNATION
• Most important cut flower of the world
• Basic chromosome number is 15
• Origin: Southern France
• Flower colour- two major pigments viz.,
carotenoids and flavonoids
• Bedding, pots, borders, edging, rock gardens
• Excellent keeping quality, wide range of forms,
ability to withstand long distance , rehydrate
after continuous shipping
Dianthus caryophyllus, Caryophyllaceae

2. SPECIES
The genus Dianthus has about 300 species of which only
a few are cultivated viz.,
D. caryophyllus
D. barbatus - Sweet Williams
D. chinensis- ‘Indian Pink’ or ‘Japanese Pink
Modern day perpetual flowering carnation is a cross
between D. caryophyllus x D. chinensis

3. Two major groups
Standard type Spray type
1. Large single blooms Smaller, more in a stem
2. Longer flower stalk Shorter
3.Exported as cut flower. Grown in cool climate condition
Grown in full sunshine
4.Extensively grown in Columbia Grown world widely
5.Cultivars : Dusty sim, Sona, Chabaud giant, Inland densy,
Sacking pink, Lady’s sim, Marguerette fantesy,
Malmaison
White sim, William sim, Scania, Giant, Dwarf spray carans.
Arthur sim, Dusty yellow.

4. CLASSIFICATION
Border and Picotee
Earliest type and easiest to grow
Have symmetrical flowers
Dwarf and hardy perennials
Produce single stem during the first year and become bushy
in the subsequent years
They are classified according to the colour pattern of the
petals such as
 Bizarres- white ground colour + stripes of two or more colours
 Flakes- white ground colour + stripes of single colour
 Fancies- brilliant coloured + irregular markings or blended
colours
 Picotees- rounded and smooth petals of yellow, white or buff
background + a band of colour border at margin
 Selfs- single even colour without spots or stripes

5. (ii) Chabaud or marguerite
Annual carnations
Clove- scented single or double flowers
Propagated by seeds
The blooms are large with fringed petals, which do not last very long in vase
Comparatively easier to culture than the perpetual type
(iii) Malmaison
Plants are stiffer with broad leaves, gives a massive appearance
Flowers are large, double with well- filled centres, fragrant and generally have
a pink shade
The buds are rounded with short calyx

6. (iv) Perpetual flowering
These are hybrids involving many dianthus species
Produce flowers round the year
Flowering stems are longer and have the ability to withstand long distance
transportation
They are grouped into standard and spray type

7. State/ Region Cultivars
Maharashtra - Pune Aristo, William Sim
H.P. -Solan Arthur Sim, Candy,
Espana,White Candy
Punjab-Ludhiana Arthur Sim, Sam’s Pride, Scarlet
Elegance
T.N.-Kodaikanal Arthur Sim, Scania, Scarlet
Elegance and Star light
W.B.-Kalimpong Arthur Sim, Dusty, Scania
CULTIVARS GROWING IN INDIA
First genetically modified variety: Moon dust - florigene

8. Red with smooth petal edges with long flower stalks
Yield: 300 to 325 flowers /m2 /year
Important character: Tolerant to Fusarium wilt and nematodes
IIHR- Arka Flame

9. Types of Green houses
Types based on Climate control
 Naturally ventilated Poly House
 Fan & Pad
 Fan & Pad with Atomization

10. SOIL
Well drained red loamy soil with pH of 5.5 - 6.5
EC - Vegetative stage - 1.2 ms/cm
Generative stage - 1.5 - 1.7 ms/cm

11. Methods of Pre-plant Soil Sterilization
Physical Process: Steam & Solar
Chemical Process:
- Formalin, Hydrogen peroxide
- Basamid GR (Alternative to MB)

12. Basamid GR
Basamid GR - soil fumigant, imported from Germany
Used by growers in more than 90 countries.
Does not pose hazard to the stratospheric ozone layer
MB affects the ozone layer.
End products of degradation are bicarbonate, nitrate and sulphate - plant
nutrients.
In India, it is only registered product as preplant soil sterilant, which
controls nematodes, weeds, soil borne fungi, bacteria and insects.

13. Temperature
Optimum night – 10 -11°C during winter and 13 -15.5°C in
summer
Optimum day temperature range is 18 - 24°C
High day and night temperatures during flowering result in
abnormal flower opening and calyx splitting
Calyx splitting of flower can be minimized by regulating
temperature of the polyhouse to 15.6°C on cool days and 18.3°C on sunny
days
Increased temperature - stem length, mechanical strength of stem,
flower size, number of petals per flower and keeping quality -decreased
very low temperature delays flower bud development

14. Light:
 Facultative long day plant
 Require high levels of light to produce high quality flowers
Photoperiod is more important factor than light intensity in
flowering, which influences the lateral shoot development and
flowering in carnation
 Carnation handles lot of light i.e. upto 50000 lux

15. Humidity
 Initial stages of growth and development, humidity should be
maintained around 80 to 85 per cent
 Whereas at full growth stage it should be 60 to 65 per cent
 Hot and humid climate is not suitable for carnation cultivation
Ventilation
A ventilation of 25-30% of the polyhouse ground
area is ideal

16. Carbon dioxide
level affects both plant growth and flower quality in greenhouse
Best quality flowers can be produced when CO2 concentration in the
greenhouse is maintained at 500 - 750 ppm during day time under high light
intensity and in a temperature range of 14-15°C
Under favourable conditions, additional carbon dioxide increases the
flower production by 10-30%

17. Propagation
Plantlets/suckers can be used for planting.
The terminal cuttings of 5-10 cm are treated
with NAA at 500 ppm for 5 minutes to induce
rooting.
Cuttings are dipped in Carbendazim 2g/lit
solution.
The cuttings normally develop good root system
within 21 days.

18. Propagation
Stem tip cuttings
Leading Private Compaines
Albani
Selecta
Barbaret & Blanc
P.kooij and Zonen
Santamaria
Hilwarda

19. Bed preparation
Basal fertilizer dose of single super phosphate @ 200
g/m2 , potassium sulphate @ 150 g/m2, magnesium sulphate
@ 50 g/m 2 and borax @ 2 g/m 2 should be evenly spread and
thoroughly mixed with the media before bed preparation
Azospirillum, Phosphobcteria, Trichoderma viridi,
Pseudomonas fluorescens, VAM each 1 kg can be added for
500m 2 area for enriching the soil

20. Bed layout:
• Bed layout depends on the orientation of the greenhouse.
However, balanced development of the crop occurs when
the beds are formed in the North – South direction
• If the beds run East - West, the crop tends to crowd in the
northern side
• The ideal bed width and height are 75 -100 cm and 30 - 45
cm
• The bed length should not exceed 25 m. A path width of 45
- 50 cm is ideal

22. Planting should be done preferably in the evening
Spacing of 15 x 15cm ---- 30 - 33 plants/m2
In general four row or six row system of planting is adopted
Planting should be done at shallow depth with part of the root
zone exposed
Deep planting will leads to rotting

27. Grow-bag system
Grow-bag system is a recent innovation in carnation
cultivation
Poly grow bags are made up of specially formulated
plastic which has a longer life
The bags are available in various dimensions
The bags are filled with growing media, preferably inert
media like cocopeat and used for planting
Grow-bags are recently being used in some parts of the
Nilgiris for carnation cultivation

28. Grow bag system of Planting

29. Support Material - Netting

30. Nylon G.I. wire

31. Every 3m wires supported with poles
Bottom layer - 7.5 x 7.5 cm
II nd layer - 10 x 1 0 cm
III rd layer - 12.5 x 12.5cm
IV th layer - 15 x 15 cm

33. PINCHING
Removing the heads of main stem at early stage for side shoots
Done 3 weeks after planting during morning

34. Single pinch
At 5 th or 6 th node
6-8 side shoots retained
Pinch & Half
Single pinch of main stem & half of resulting shoots long enough are
pinched
Provide steady production of flowers
Double pinch
Single pinch followed by another pinching of all shoots at 6-8 cm in length

35. 2
DISBUDDING
Removing undesirable immature flower buds for small no. of large flowers or large no. of small flowers

36. Disbudding
Standard varieties – side buds removed without damaging leaves &
stems
Spray varieties – terminal bud removed to encourage lateral flower
buds to develop
Care taken to avoid injury to main stem

37. Nutrient management
Basal application
Single super phosphate - 200 g/m2
potassium sulphate - 150 g/m2
magnesium sulphate - 50 g/m2
Boron - 20 g/m2
Water requirement
4-5 lit / m2 / day

38. Nutrients Quantity / m2/ week
Tank-A (Monday and Thursday)
Ammonium nitrate 3.0g
Potassium nitrate 5.0 g
Monoammonium
phosphate
2.0 g
Magnesium sulphate 2.5 g
Boron 1.0 g
Trace elements /
micronutrients
1.0 g
Tank – B (Tuesday and Friday)
Potassium nitrate 5.0 g
Calcium nitrate 8.0 g
Nutrients Quantity / m2/ week
Tank – A (Monday and Thursday)
Ammonium nitrate 2.0 g
Potassium nitrate 7.5 g
Monoammonium
phosphate
2.0 g
Magnesium
sulphate
2.5 g
Boron 1.0 g
Trace elements /
Micronutrients
1.0 g
Tank – B (Tuesday and Friday)
Potassium nitrate 5.0 g
Calcium nitrate 9.0 g
Till bud formation Bud formation to harvest
Fertigation schedule
(Floriculture today April , 2007)

39. PESTS
Red Spider Mite
Symptoms :
These have the ability to produce fine silk
webbing
They suck sap from the leaves which results in
tiny yellow (or) white speckles
Once the foliage of a plant becomes bronze it
often drops prematurely
Heavily infested plant may be discoloured and
stunted
Favourable conditions
High temperature and low relative humidity
More populated crop (dense crop)
Control measures
Apply Thiovat (Wettable sulphur) @ 2.0 g/lit ,
Metasystox (Oxy-demeton-methyl) @ 1.0
ml/lit or Vertimec (Abamectin) @ 0.4 ml/lit of
water

40. Aphids
Symptoms:
Feeding usually occurs on buds and undersides of
leaves
Feeding on young leaves results in distorted leaves as
they continue to grow
Older leaves may display patches of chlorolic spots
Aphids excrete honey dew, which results in black
fungus development on plants
Favourable conditions:
Cloudy weather favours rapid build up of aphids
population
Low temperature favours development of young
aphids
Control : Apply Asatap (Acephate) @ 0.5 – 1.0 g/lit of
water

41. Thrips
Symptoms:
Both the nymphs and adults suck the
sap from leaves and flower
Leaves may fade and shrivel in case of
heavy infestation and foliage becomes
silvery
Control
Spray Asatap (Acephate) @ 1.0 g/1 lit
of water (or) Decis (Deltamethrin) @
0.5 ml/lit of H2O (or) Exodust @ 1.0
g/lit of water

42. Caterpillars
Symptoms
Feed on the leaves
Sometimes they may bore into the buds, plant
growth is affected adversely
Favourable condition
Warmer climate in polyhouse
Fluctuation of relative humidity in the
polyhouse
Fluctuation of temperature in the polyhouse
Control : Polytrin (Cypermethrin) @ 0.5 ml/lit of
water

43. Nematodes
Symptoms
Infected plants usually appear stunted and tend to wilt on
warmer days
Root galls are generally conspicuous and easily identified
Control: Thionet (Phorate) @ 6.0 g/sqm or Basamid (Dazomet)
@ 6.0 g/sqm

44. Diseases
Powdery mildew
On the top of the leaves white,
powdery fungal growth develops
consisting of hyphal threads and
spore carriers
The fungus is also observed on the
underside of leaves
Malformation of young leaves
Brown spots develop on full grown
leaves
Control: Spray Roko (Thiophinate
methyl) @ 2.0 g/lit or Bayer
(Biternol) @ 2.0 g/lit of water

45. Black spot (Alternaria dianthi):
Characterized by appearance of round
purplish spots on the leaves, enlarging slowly
with brownish black centre having
sporulation
The leaf tissues surrounding this spot turn
yellow
Severe infection leads to premature death of
the leaves
Control: Spray Chlorothalonil@ 1.5 g/lit of
water

46. Botrytis
Symptoms:
The fungus is usually identified by
the development of fuzzy, grayish
spore over the surface of the rotted
tissues
The fungus causes a brown rotting
and blighting of affected tissues
Blooms are worst affected
resulting in poor quality
Control: Spray Carbendazim /
Capton @ 2 g / lit of water

47. Phytophthora Foot Rot
Symptoms:
Withering and yellowing of foliage, leaf death
External browning of stems and internal
browning at nodes
Stem and root rot may take place
Lower leaves become purple and dry
Shortening, blackening and rotting of stems
Control: Apply Alleite @ 1.5 g/lit of water (or)
Kavach (Chlorothalonil) @ 1.5 g/lit of water

48. Pythium Root Rot
Symptoms: Infection results in stunted
growth and ultimately drying of entire
plant
Control:Spray Bavistin (Carbendazim) 2.0
g/lit or Alleite @ 1.5 g/lit or
as Kavach(Chlorothalonil) @ 1.5 g/lit of
water

49. Fusarium (Stem rot and wilt)
Symptoms:
Lower leaves start becoming
yellow followed by withering of
leaf bases and yellowing of mid
ribs and eventually the branch
wilts
Brown discoloration and
shredding of vascular bundles
Control: Spray Alleite @ 1.5g/lit
or Kavach (Chlorothalonil) @
1.5 g / lit of water

50. CNFV Disease Report
First report of Carnation necrotic fleck
virus (CNFV) infecting carnations in India
By G. Raikhy, V. Hallan, S. Kulshrestha, M.
L. Sharma, Raja Ram and A. A. Zaidi
In 2003

51. Physiological disorders
Calyx Spliting : It is a major problem in carnation
Causes:
fluctuation in temp. (< 10º C )
moisture situation
low N
high ammonical N
boron deficiency
varietal character
Control: This may be rectified by uniform
watering, higher nitrate to ammonical N ratio
fertilizer applications, spraying of borax and avoid
planting of varieties which are prone to split (e.g.
Carbet, Espana ,Pamir). Use small rubber band on bud
when it show opening.

52. Sleepiness
Due to ethylene and water stress
Carnation petals cup upwards and
fail to open
This is due to ethylene gas emitted by
fruits and vegetables
Controlled by not mixing the flowers
with vegetables and fruits during
storage and transit
Spray STS -0.4mM – before harvest

53. Slabside
Malformation during cool periods
Bud does not open evenly so that petals protrude on one
side only, giving a lopsided shape to the flower
This can be avoided in heated greenhouses but not when
temperatures are too cool
Weak Stem: Common during winter months due to reduced
light & Excess Nitrogen
Boron Deficiency
Symptoms: Malformed flower buds, short stems and excessive
branching
Control: Apply boron through drip irrigation @ 30 g borax /
10 sqm once in a year

54. Curly tip
This disorder affects the growing tips which curl and become
distorted.
Tips of the young shoots fail to separate and continuation of
growth results in a characteristic curvature.
Poor light and other adverse conditions are thought to be the
causes of the disorder. Water stress and potassium deficiency
are suspected causes for a physiological curly tip and die-
back of carnation flowers.

55. Grassiness
Grassiness refers to failure of plants to
produce flowers.
This is a genetic disorder which varies
from variety to variety.
Removal and destruction of affected plants
is the only way of correcting this disorder.

56. Calyx tip die back
Potassium deficiency and water stress cause tip die
back.
The disorder commences with browning of the
calyx tip and it progresses downwards damaging a
major part of the calyx.
This disorder is often followed by occurrence of
secondary fungal infection which makes the flower
unmarketable.
Spraying of potassium chloride @ 5g/l two times at
10 days intervals and providing adequate water @
4.5 l/m2 can minimize this malady

57. Internode splitting
Splitting of internodes affects the quality of
cut flowers.
Splitting is due to boron deficiency.
Application of borax @ 2g/m2 will correct
internode splitting.

58. Harvesting
Harvest: Flowering starts 110-120 days
after planting.
Stages of harvest
Standard types - paint brush stage
Spray types - when two flowers are
open and the remaining flower buds show
colou

60. Stages of Harvesting
Carnation is harvested in three stages
Tight bud stage :- Advised for long distance
market but in this flowers may not open
sometimes
Paint brush stage :- Standard carnations
should be harvested when the outer petal
unfold nearly perpendicular to the stem. Spray
types are harvested when two flowers are
open and the bud shows colour
Semi open stage :- Ideal for short distance
marketing.

61. In general 200-350 flowers/m2 can be
obtained from standard carnation, while
250 flowers/ m2 can be obtain from spray
carnation.
Yield
Standard: 300-350 flowers/m2 (8 -12
flowers/ plant)
Spray: 250 flowers/m2

62. Grading
Description Code
Minimum & Maximum Stem
Length (in cm)
0
Less than 5cm or flowers
marked without stems
5 5-10
10 10-15
15 15-20
20 20-30
30 30-40
40 40-50
50 50-60
80 80-100
100 100-120
120 120

63. Grading by Society of American Florists
S. No. Parameters
Grade
Blue or Fancy
Red or
Standard
Green or
Short
1. Bud diameter (mm)
a) Tight 50 44 none
b) Fairly tight 62 56 none
c) Open 75 60 none
2. stem length (cm) 55 43 30

64. Packaging
Wrapping the cut carnation flower bunches of
20 in corrugated sheet , putting rubber
band and packing in corrugated fibre board
boxes
Packaging sizes
Flowers are packed in bunches and sleeved in
plastic sheets or newspaper as desired by
customer
The sleeved bunches are packed in cardboard
boxes having 122 cm L x 50 cm W x 30 cm H
that are brought into the cold store and cooled
down

65. Grading, packing
and packaging

66. Pulsing
Solan centre- 1mM STS + 10% Sucrose for
8hrs
30 mg / L Silver Nitrate + 4% Sucrose
30 – 300 mg / L 8-HQC + 4% Sucrose
30 – 300 mg / L Copper Nitrate +3 %
sucrose
50 mg/ L Benzalkone + 10 % Sucrose
Commercially Used Floral Preservatives
Chrysal, Florissant 100 and Forever.
Doses : @ 2ml of Chrysal / Florissant 100 in
10 lit water

67. Storage
The cut ends of the flower stems are
dipped for 10 min in 1000 ppm STS
Pulsed at 10 to 200 C temperature for
one hours in 5% sucrose + 150 ppm
HQC
Cut carnation at paint brush stage, can
be stored under refrigerated for 3
weeks at 4± 10C

68. Vase life - 14 to 21 days
Preservative solutions:
4% sucrose + 30 ppm AgNo3, 4%
sucrose + 300 ppm 8 HQC
Yield:
Standard type: 200 Flowers/sqm
Spray type: 250 Flowers/sqm

69. Ethylene Sensitive:
 Flowers produce a large amount of ethylene and are so sensitive
to ethylene present in the atmosphere.
 Ethylene accelerates senescence of flowers and sleepiness of
petals.
 The fully opened flowers produce more ethylene and are more
prone to ethylene damage than the immature buds.
 It is therefore suggested not to keep carnation flowers along
with fruits and vegetables with emits ethylene gas.
 Pollination of flowers also promotes increase in ethylene
production by the flowers.
 Therefore, pollinated flowers should not be stored or
transported along with buds as few pollinated flowers may
damage all the flowers in the box.

70. Thank You