THE ENLARGEMENT OF LEUCOJUM AESTIVUM L. IN DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITION

Leucojum aestivum L. (summer snowflakes) is one of the species permitted to export in a limited number from Turkey. 6-7 million summer snowflakes bulbs with more than 7.5 cm circumference are exported to the Netherlands, Denmark and USA. The bulbs obtained from propagation methods are only permitted to export. This study was conducted to enlarge the circumference of snowflakes bulb by using soilless culture techniques in different substrates such as sawdust, cocopeat and perlite+ peat in a short time in a part of unheated glasshouse which belongs to Eanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture, 2014-2015. The study was established according to randomised plot design with 3 replications and each plot had 20 bulbs of Leucojum aestivum L. Some parameters like, bulb diameter, bulb height, bulb weight, stem diameter, stem and leaf weight, dry stem and leaf weight, leaf number, leaf length, leaf thickness, leaf width, root length, root weight, dry root weight and emerging ratio were determined. As a result of the study, substrates have a significant effect on bulb diameter, bulb height, bulb weight, stem and leaf weight, dry stem and leaf weight, leaf number, leaf length, leaf thickness, leaf width, root length, root weight, dry root weight and emerging ratio. However, there was no significant difference between substrate treatments for the stem diameter. The highest average value of bulb diameter (24.80 mm), bulb height (35.38 g) and bulb weight (10.29 g) were measured in perlite+ peat. While perlite+ peat gives the best result for leaf length (31.23 cm), the highest average value for root length (22.58 cm) were measured in cocopeat.