Vol. 9, Special Issue 10, Part S (2025)

An experiment was conducted to study the impact of Pusa hydrogel on growth and yield of Nephrolepis cordifolia ‘Duffii’ for cut foliage during 2023 - 24 at Floriculture Research Farm, ASPEE College of Horticulture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four repetitions, consisting six treatments viz., T₁: Control (Cocopeat + Vermicompost), T₂: Pusa hydrogel @ 10 g, T₃: Pusa hydrogel @ 20 g, T₄: Pusa hydrogel @ 30 g, T₅: Pusa hydrogel @ 40 g, T₆: Pusa hydrogel @ 50 g. Cocopeat and Vermicompost (2:1 v/v) were used as potting media. The findings showed that, plant height (44.34 cm, 48.73 cm and 53.20 cm), plant spread in N - S directions (34.28 cm, 39.28 cm and 53.88 cm) and E - W directions (34.73 cm, 40.34 cm and 55.35 cm), blade length (33.19 cm, 36.54 cm and 40.41 cm), blade width (15.96 mm, 16.37 mm and 16.66 mm), petiole (stipe) length (10.04 cm, 12.31 cm and 14.38 cm), pinna length (13.89 mm, 14.60 mm and 15.07 mm), pinna width (8.94 mm, 9.13 mm and 9.31 mm) and frond length (43.44 cm, 47.91 cm and 51.94 cm) were observed maximum in plants grown in media containing Pusa hydrogel @ 50 g (T₆) at 60, 120 and 180 days after planting, respectively. Potting media amended with Pusa hydrogel @ 50 g (T₆) resulted maximum fresh weight of 10 fronds (12.19 g) and obtained highest number of cut foliage (77.31 per pot per year). Reduction in irrigation frequency (5.20 days) with minimum consumptive water use (17.56 L/pot) were noted with application of Pusa hydrogel @ 50 g in media (T₆) throughout the crop growth period than control (1.53 days and 59.63 L/pot, respectively).