Gerbera

Dr. Rajasekar, P., Ph.D.,

Department of Horticulture
PAJANCOA & RI
 Introduction
• Discovered by botanist Robert Jameson in 1878
• Gerbera : Gerbera jamesonii
• Family : Asteraceae
• Origin : South African and Asiatic regions
• Ch No : 2n=50
• CN : Transvaal daisy, Barberton daisy, African daisy
• Ranks fifth in cutflower ( Rose, carnation, Chrysanthemum , Tulip )
• Cut flowers, Beds, borders, rockery and pots
• It is one among the top 10 cut flowers – In international cut flower
trade
• Flowers – attractive colour

• Wide range - climatic requirement

• Plants – tender perennial herbs , stemless flower plant

• Salt sensitive plant

• Flower heads - grouped into single, double and semi double
cultivars
 Species

• Gerbera asplenifolia
• Gerbera aurantiaca
• Gerbera kimziana – Himalayan gerbera
• Gerbera jamesonii
• Gerbera viridifolia
• Present day cv. originated from Gerbera hybrida (diploid plant)

Gerbera jamesonii × Gerbera viridifolia

 Gerbera aurantiaca
• Hilton daisy

• Laeves are lanceolate to oblong

• 12.5-15 cm long

• The flowers are not single flowers but a

head made up of many tiny florets
massed together.
• The 'petals' (ray florets) are usually a
striking crimson, but may be orange,
pink or yellow on the upper surface and
are coppery below
 Gerbera asplenifolia
• Leaves narrow,10-15cm long,
leathery gloss
• Lobes roundish, concave margins

• Revolute flower heads purple on a

hairy scape
 Gerbera jamesonii

• Barberton Daisy

• Hairy throughout

• Base woody, leaves lobed, many

solitary, orange, scarlet, heads 7.5-
12.5 cm or across, are borne from
May to August
• Single or double flowered cultivars
and hybrids in attractive petal
colours available
 Gerbera viridifolia

• Leaves elliptical or oblong, obtuse,

green on both sides and smooth
• Flowers stalks short.

• Flower heads are dirty white and

small
 Gerbera kimziana
• A himalayan species whose flowers scarcely open
The major producing states in India are KA, MH, TN, WB, HP, J & K
and Gj.

Various Forms of Gerbera

Single Flowers

Single row of non-overlapping petals (ray florets)

Single

Double
Spider

Semi double

Petals are pointed at the tips

 Double

Double row of overlapping petals with a green, black, or dark

red eye

In double varieties, bicolor flowers are also available.

 Crested Doubles

These doubles contain two rows of overlapping petals with one or

more inner rows of shorter petals with a green, black, or dark red eye

Full crested Doubles

These have solid overlapping rows of petals with an inner row

diminishing in size, covering the eye entirely
 Specification for Green house

• Height : 5 to 6.5 m
• Length : North-South
• Gutter direction : North-South
• Polythene thickness : 200 microns

• Vent opening : Along the wind direction

• Minimum 4m - between two adjoining poly houses.

• Sufficient ventilation space is required on top and sides.

• Tropical and subtropical climate is congenial for successful

cultivation
Open ventilated polyhouse
 Soil and water
Soil
• pH : 5.5 -6.5 – Availablity of nutrients
• EC : 0.25-0.75 dS/m - Estimate TDS
• Highly porous and well drained – better rooting – 50-70 cm
Soil sterilization:
• Steaming - via drain-pipes
• Soil disinfection - formaldehyde (2%), methyl bromide (100 g/m²),
chloropicrin, vapam or basamid, etc.
• The fumigant must be injected 10-15 cm deep – pathogens &
nematodes.
• After application of the chemicals soil - covered with UV
stabilied polyflim (25 micron ) for 2 days
• Remove of polyflime, wash the media thoroughly
• Soil wash with frequent irrigation for 4-8 hr
• Plough the field at 30 cm depth three times
• Carried out after 1-2 weeks after sterilization
Water
• Requirement : 4-6 litres/day/sq.m
• pH : 5.4-6.8
• EC Water : 0.3- 0.5 mS/cm
• Water with fertilizer : 1.2 – 1.5 mS/cm
• High EC - due to Ca, K, Mg - beneficial
• But Na or Cl - harmful
• Water stress followed by watering or high humidity in the air
– pre-harvest stem break in gerbera
 Water quality

Quality EC TSS Na content Na absorption pH

(mmhos) (ppm) ( %) (Ratio)

Excellent 0.25 175 20 3 6.5

Good 0.25-0.75 175-5 25 20-40 3-4 6.5-6.8

Pemissible 0.75-2.0 525-1400 40-60 5-10 6.8-7.0

Doubtful 2.0-3.0 1400-2100 60-80 10-15

7.0-8.0

Unsuitable >3.0 >2100 >80 >15

>8.0
 Temperature
• Sunny or semi-shady locations are ideal for gerbera cultivation
• Optimum night temperature : 15 -16⁰C
• Day temperature : 23-25⁰C
• Temperature leaf unfolding 25-27 ⁰C .
flower initiation 23⁰C
• The flowering of Gerbera is harmed below 12⁰C and above 35⁰C.
• 12⁰C 15 -25⁰C 35⁰C
Bud initiation will stop flower frequency low bud abortion
• RH : 60 - 70%
• Light - 450 - 600 foot candles
• CO2 - 700 ppm
• Polyhouse is preferably maintained at 3.4-4.0 m height
 Soil Sterilization
• Steam – Not for Indian Conditions
• Sun - Cover with polyflim (25 micron) for 6-8 weeks
• Chemical
– Formalin 7.5 – 10 lit/ 100 sq.m
– Methyl Bromide 25-30 g/ sq.m
– Basamid (Dazomet) 30-50 g / sq.m
– Mix water with hydrogen peroxide @ of 35 ml per/lite + silver is
used for sterilization of soil. After that in 4 to 6 hours the crop can
be planted
 Bed preparation

Raised beds
• Bed height - 45 cm, Width – 60 - 100 cm & Convenient length

• Path between beds - 30 cm

• While bed preparation, add

– SSP (0:16:0) @ 2.5 kg per 100 sqft - better root estb.,

– Magnesium Sulphate @ 0.5 kg /100 sqft - take care of

deficiency of Mg.

– Neem Cake 1kg/sq.m – prevention of nematode infestation.

 Propagation
• Gerbera is propagated by seed, by cuttings of side shoots and
suckers.
• Seeds : Seed is set if cross-pollinated.
• Sowing of seed – any season.
• Germinate in 15 to 20oC within two weeks; otherwise it may take
up to 30 days.
• Require a longer time to produce flowers
• Plants from seeds will bloom in the second year and produce
good flowers from the third year onwards.
• seedlings are picked at 2-4 leaf stage /transplanting in about 5-6
weeks
• Vegetative : Side shoots, with some amount of heel, is utilized for.

Divisions/ suckers, cuttings are also used.

• Done by division of clumps (June)

• Micro propagation : Explants for micro propagation - Shoot tips,

Leaf mid-rib, Capitulum, Flower heads, Inflorescence and Buds.

• Murashige and Skoog (MS) media with modification is successfully

used as culture media.

 Growing environment
Naturally ventilated low-cost polyhouses preferred
• Height of polyhouse 3.4-4.0 m for efficient air circulation

• 50% Shadenet - control light intensity and solar radiation

Shadenet cultivation
- plants are to be protected in the monsoon - polythene cover on the top

- cut gerbera do not meet the exportable quality standard

- RH 75 to 80%

• 400 w/m² light intensity is required on the plant level

• supplementary lighting and increased day length, more side shoots,

increased flower yield and early harvesting of flowers
 Planting
• Plant should not be less than three months old.
• Tissue culture - atleast 4 to 5 leaves.
• Gerberas are planted on raised bed in two rows formation.
• Zigzag plantation system is mostly preferred.
• While planting 65% portion of root ball should be kept below
ground and rest of the portion i.e. 35% should be kept above the
ground for better air circulation in the root zones.
• Ideal planting density and spacing: 8-10 plants/sqm
 Planting
• Maintain RH 60 - 80 % to avoid desiccation
• First 3 weeks – overhead irrigation
• Drip Irrigation – 1 drip / plant
• Water requirement – 300 -700 ml/ plant/day
• Fresh water – 4-5 days storage
• Summer – Bed edges should be watered – evaporation loss
• Never use Excess water
• Moderate moisture is enough
• Shallow planting – plants would be pulled easily while
harvesting
• Deep planting – high disease incidence
• Spacing: 30 X 30 cm or 40 x 25 - 30 cm.
• Season
• (a) Open field cultivation
• 1. Spring (January-February and March)
• 2. Summer (June, July and August)
• (b) Protected cultivation
• Throughout year

Arka Krishika
Planting
 Bench System

• A pot size of 3.5 / 4.5 litres and 18-20 cm deep is recommended.

• Between walking path : 75-80 cm.
• Between rows : 75-80 cm.
• Between the plants : 20 cm.
• Distance between the plants is measured from heart to heart of
the pot centre.
Bench Planting
 Advantages of Bench system
• A gutter has to be installed under the pots
• Ground under the system stays dry and the chance on Botrytis is
therefore reduced
• The leaves can be bent, thus allowing the crop to become more
open.
• Improve ventilation between the plants.
• Easy picking of flowers and crop maintenance.
• Efficient crop protection
 Irrigation

• Good quality water with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0 and EC of 0.5 to 1

mS/cm would be suitable.
• The water requirement of the gerbera plant is approximately
700ml to 1 litre/day/plant – Drip irrigation
 Basal fertilizer dose
After bed preparation:

Area Chemical Quantity

• 100 sq.m Single Super Phosphate 2.50 kg
Magnesium Sulphate 0.50 kg
Biozyme granules 200 gm
Humiguard Granules 200 gm
• Mix it well in upper 6” soil layer, apply water and at Vapsa condition
(Field capacity level) check EC and PH of soil before plantation.

Gerbera requires less amount of Nitrogen

DO NOT WALK ON THE BEDS AS IT DESTROYS SOIL TEXTURE.

 Varieties
• Most cultivars are diploid hybrids of Gerbera jamesonii.
• Some tetraploid – large plant and flower size
• Doubles are more in demand than the singles
• Double cultivars are mostly bicolour and look very attractive

Red : Ruby Red, Sangria

Yellow : Doni, Supernova, Mammut, Talasa
Rose : Rosalin, Salvadore
Pink : Pink Elegance, Marmara, Esmara
Orange : Carrera, Goliath, Marasol
Cream : Farida, Dalma, Snow Flake, Winter Queen
 Two varieties from TNAU released under clonal selection

YCD – 1
 Selection from OP seeds of germplasm maintained at HRS, YCD
 Dwarf , herbaceous , perennial, ht-39cm
 Flowers double, cherry red,
 Flowers large (D-9.11), moderately prominent disc
 Petals dense in concentric whorls
 Free from bent neck, petal wilting
 Suitable for cut flower, borders, pot cultivation
YCD-2
-Selection from germplasm collection at HRS ,YCD

-Blooming throughout the year, peak flowering May –June

-Flowers attractive rosy pink, on long stalk without bend

-Vase life 15 days

-Yield about 80 flowers/clump/year

Use : Garden display, bedding, edging

 IIHR
• Arka White – Semi double flower with white colour and green
disc
• Arka Red – Double type, year round cultivation
• Arka Pink -
• Arka Krishika – Open field cultivation, Flowers are double type
with yellow colour
• Arka Ashwa - Double type, flowers red purple, Cut flower & Flower
arrangement
• Arka Nesara – Red colour, Cut flower & Flower arrangement
 Arka Ashwa Arka White Arka Red

Arka Pink Arka Krishika Arka Nesara

 Thalassa

Sangriaa
 Deborra

Tharra
 Fertigation
( Three weeks after planting for 500 sq.mt. area)

S. No Name of the fertilizer Requirement

(in gms)
A tank (Monday, Wednesday, Friday )
1 Calcium Nitrate 700
2 Pottasium Nitrate ( 13:0:46) 400
3 Fe EDTA / sulphate 20
B tank (Tuesday,Thursday,Saturday)
4 Mono Ammonium Phosphate 300
(12:61:0)
5 Sulphate of Potash (0:0:50) 700
6 Magnesium sulphate 700
7 Manganese sulphate 5
8 Zinc sulphate 3
9 Copper sulphate 3
10 Molybdenum ( Sodium 1
molybdate )
11 Boron (Borax) 3
 Fertilizer Requirement
• First 3 months : 10:15:20 g NPK/m2/month
• From 4th month : 15:10:30 g NPK/m2/month flowering starts in
two splits at 15 days intervals
• Once in 3 months – Organic manure – maintain C:N Ratio

For good flower yield

• Once in a month -secondary and micro nutrients like boron,
calcium, magnesium and copper @ 0.15% (1.5 ml/litre water)
• leaves 2.7 – 3.13% N, 0.19 – 0.35% P, 3.06 – 3.64% K, 1.66 –
2.18% Ca, and 0.3 – 0.48% Mg.
 Weeding

1. Hand weeding is done whenever necessary.

2. Remove the flower buds up to 2 months and then allow for

flowering

3. Rake the soil once in 15 days to facilitate easy absorption of

water, fertilizer and to provide air to the roots.

4. Remove older leaves to facilitate new leaf growth and good

sanitation.
 PGR

• Nitrogen ,GA3 – Different concentrations

• 30 g N/ sq.m / month + spraying GA3 150 ppm at monthly

interval – maximum vegetative growth.
 Intercultural operation

• Leaf servicing
• Loosening of soil – once in 15 days
 Harvesting

• Starts flowering 8-12 weeks after planting

• Plants with 14-16 leaves
• Harvest 2-3 times/week

Harvest Index :
• 2- 3 whorls of stamens are visible
• 2 rows of Disc florets perpendicular to stalk
• Pick flower instead of cutting it off
• Lowest hardy part 2-3 cm is cut off
- Narrow xylem vessel and less water uptake
 Yield

• 240 flowers / sq.m / year

• 6 plants/sq.m - 40 flowers/plant/year
 Post Harvest Treatment
Precooling :
• Flowers in 2-3 cm water for 4 hours at 7-10⁰C.

• Add commercial bleach/Sodium Hypochlorite (@ 7-10 ml) or Citric acid

+ Ascorbic acid @ 5ml each/lit of clean water.

pH – 3.5- 4.0

Kills bacteria

Preservative
• used for lengthening the vase life and improving the quality of flowers

• 5% sucrose + 20 g AgNO; 2% sucrose + 150 ppm NICI, 3% sucrose + 200

ppm 8-HQC or 2% of sucrose + 50ppm DICA
 Post harvest handling
• Grading – no specific grades
• Based on stem length and diameter, flowers are graded in A, B, C & D.
Stalk length : 45 – 55 cm
Flower diameter : 10 – 12 cm
Vase life : 8 – 10 days
• Packaging
Individual flower cover with polythene sleeves of size 4.5”x 4.5”
10 flowers/bunch
CFB box (98 x 30 x 12 cm of LWH)
Accomodates – 500 flowers/box
Gerberas are phototropic in nature
• a tendency to turn to the light

To keep the stems straight

• suspend their heads in a grid wire mesh
• wrap the stems in damp newspaper
• stand them upright in a vase of water.
 Storage

• 10-15 cm of stem placed in water

• Storage temperature : 6- 9⁰C
• Floral preservatives : sugar, bactericide

• 8 HQS 200 ppm+ AgNO3 20 ppm + sucrose 5%

• Vase life 7 days ( control 3 - 4 days)

 Scape bending

• Bending of flower stalk

• premature senescence

• Indication of loss of vase life

• Due to low water potential

• Changes in physiological and biochemical components of the

flower
Gerbera cups for Packaging
 Advantage of gerbera cups
• No more damaged gerbera’s

• Ideal packaging for sales

• Reducing transport loss by up to 50%

• Easy to transport

• The cost of the sleeves are low.

• Reduce botrytis or mould in the transport period because the

flower stays open
• Gerbera cup-machine to put the cups on, which saves labour.

• Visually more attractive

 Physiological disorders
• Flower bent neck : Loss of cell turgidity and lack of Calcium
• Double-faced Gerbera flower : Due to imbalance of nutrients. Too
much growth, too little flower buds.
• Pre-harvest stem break : High root pressure and high humidity in
the air.
• Premature wilting : Cloudy weather followed by bright sun or
carbohydrate depletion.
• Non-uniform flower blooming : Physical injury to flower stem/pest
damage/phytotoxicity.
• Short stem length: High salinity level, moisture stress, low soil temp.
 Deficiency Symptoms
Nitrogen : General yellowing
Potassium : Marginal necrosis of old leaves
Calcium : Extreme yellowing of young leaves
Magnesium : Interveinal chlorosis on older leaves; thick and
succulent leaves
 Pest and Diseases
Diseases:
• Root rot : Pythium , Phytophthora sps

Soil sterilisation,Benomyl 0.01% + captan 0.02%

• Powdery mildew: Erisiphe , Oidium sps

Rubigan 1ml/lit , Quintol 0.5 g /lit

• Botrytis: RH > 92% - gray spots on the flower petals- rot in
the heart of flower. Copperoxychloride 0.03%
 Pests

White flies Neemazol 2ml/lit Leaf miner Cypermethrine 0.5 ml/ lit
Thrips Dimethoate 2ml/lit
Tulsi plants grown surround the polyhouse to control pest infestation
Thank you
 Climate Control
• Initial period after planting,
shading of the greenhouse - provided
keep the humidity as high as possible
• As plants are developing,
increase the light intensity and ventilation.
• The plants themselves have a major influence on the greenhouse
climate (microclimate)
• Leaf wetness should be avoided
• Avoid rapid temperature rise - condensation on the flowers -
increases the problems with Botrytis on the flower petals.
• Start ventilation as soon as the sun starts influencing the
greenhouse temperature
• During monsoons, side curtains should be kept open in slanting
position, without affecting the air circulation
• shade net (50%) is used - to control light intensity and solar
radiation
Opening and closing of top shade net
• In summer close from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm.
• cloudy climate keep open, otherwise close from 10.00 am to 4.00
pm.
• During cold nights close the shade nets.
• Wash top of the plastic at periodical interval to remove the dust
and get maximum benefit of sunlight