The effect of different nutritional solutions on growth and flowering of potted anthurium (Anthurium andreanum cv. LentiniRed) was comparised in soilless culture in a completely randomized design with four nutrient solutions (treatments) and four replications (each replication five pots), in a research green house in University of Guilan from November '2014 to July '2015. The first (nitrate/total nitrogen, 3. 5/3. 5) and second (nitrate/total nitrogen, 3/3) nutritional solutions were without ammunium and the third (nitrate/total nitrogen, 4/4. 5 and ammonium/total nitrogen, 0. 5/4. 5) and forth (nitrate/total nitrogen, 3. 5/4 and ammonium/total nitrogen, 0. 5/4) ones included it. The first and third nutritional solutions included 2. 9 and the second and forth ones included 2. 4 meqK/l solution. The results showed significant differences among different treatments regarding the number of leaf, flower, flowering time, and the amount of spathʾ s anthocyanins, leaf chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids, the concentrations of nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron in leaf. There were no significant difference for plant height, length and width of spath, length, width and area of the leaves and leaf phosphorus concentration. The most number of the leaves and flowers was found in the third nutrient solution. Flowering in third and forth treatments were faster than others. The most concentration of spathʾ s anthocyanin was seen in plants related to the second treatment and the most chlorophyll a and carotenoid concentrations were observed in the first and third treatments. Ammonium as a nitrogen source led to a significant decrease in the cationsʼ s concentration and an increase in iron concentration in leaf.

Anthurium production has an important contribution to the floriculture or cut flower industry. The integration of organic and inorganic nutrient sources is the best cultivation management for anthurium. The study was conducted to assess the effect of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers as exogenous sources of nutrients on the performance of anthurium. The study was two factor experiment laid out in a 3 × 3 adopting a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Treatment means comparison was done using tukey’, s significant difference test (HSD). The different factors were as follows: M1: Coconut husk, M2: Coconut husk with chicken dung and M3: Coconut husk with cattle manure for factor A, and F0: No inorganic fertilizer, F1: 90-60-60 (NPK) and F2: 45-30-30 (NPK) for factor B. The results revealed that the chicken and cattle manures as part of the growing media significantly improve the growth of anthurium regardless of the amount of inorganic fertilizer applied. The net income as well as the return on cash expense were negative from all treatments.

Background and objectives: Anthurium (Anthurium andreanum) is one of the most beautiful and expensive produced flowers in the world with high yield and quality for investment. Duration of vegetative and reproductive growth of Anthurium is heavily influenced by nutrition, but few studies have been conducted to determine the exact ratios of elements for its nutrition.Materials and methods: This study was carried out in order to compare the effects of different nutritional solutions on flowering of pott Anthurium (Anthurium andreanum cv. Lentini Red) in soilless culture in a completely randomized design with 4 different nutrient solutions as treatments, with 4 replications (each replication consisted of 5 pots), in a research green house in University of Guilan from November '2014 to July '2015. The differences between nutritional solutions were the amount of used potassium nitrate and calcium and the existence and the lack of ammounium, the first nutritional solution (ammonium and less Ca) included nitrate :total nitrogen, 4 :4.5 and ammonium :total nitrogen, 0.5:4.5 with 2 meq Ca/L and 2.9 meq K/L nutrient solution and the second nutritional solution (nitrate, high K and Ca) included nitrate :total nitrogen, 7.2: 7 .2 with 4 meq Ca/L and 4.6 meq K/L nutrient solution and the third nutritional solution (nitrate and high Ca) included nitrate: total nitrogen, 7.2: 7.2 with 4.6 meq Ca/L and 4 meq K/L nutrient solution and the forth nutritional solution (ammonium and high Ca) included nitrate: total nitrogen, 7.2: 7.8 and ammonium: total nitrogen, 0.6: 7.8 with 4 meq Ca/L and 4 meq K/L nutrient solution. Nutrient solutions were used based on plant requirement.Results: Results of analysis of variance showed significant differences among 4 different treatments regarding the height of plant, number of leaf and flower, peduncle length and diameter, spath’s length and width, fresh and dry weight of root, the concentrations of nitrogen, potassium, magnesium and calcium in leaf and the spath’s anthocyanins content. There was no significant difference regarding flower longevity, foliage’s fresh and dry weight, leaf phosphorus and iron concentrations. The most number of leaves was related to the ammonium and less Ca nutrient solution and the most number of flowers was related to the ammonium and less Ca and ammonium and high Ca nutrient solutions. The height of plant, peduncle length and diameter, spath’s length and width, fresh and dry weight of root in plants fed by the nitrate and high Ca and ammonium and high Ca nutrient solutions were more than the others. The spath’s anthocyanins content and leaf’s nitrogen concentration in plants fed by the nitrate, high K and Ca and ammonium and high Ca nutrient solutions were more than the others. The nitrate, high K and Ca and nitrate and high Ca nutrient solutions produced the most concentration of leaves potassium and magnesium. Calcium concentration in plants fed by the ammonium and less Ca nutrient solutions was less than the other plants.Conclusion: Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of flower in pot Anthurium plants, using the ammonium and high Ca nutrient solution in flowering stage, were better than the others.

Introduction: Postharvest handling of tropical flowers is usually difficult due to their sensitivity to cold temperatures. Anthurium(Anthurium andraeanum)is a tropical plant used in ornamental industry for its beautiful spathe and leaves. It can be produced in wide ranges of climates, in locations far away from their original habitats in greenhouses. Although, anthurium has long vase life compared to other cut flowers, postharvest exposure to cold temperatures makes some restrictions on its desirable vase life. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different light spectra on postharvest performance of anthurium cut flowers. Materials and Methods: Cut flowers of Anthurium andraeanum cultivars with red ('Calore') and white ('Angel') spathes were obtained from a commercial anthurium greenhouse on the morning. Anthurium cut flowers were harvested when 40-50% of the spadix true flowers were fully opened. Each flower was placed in closed flasks containing 500 mL water. Sixty flasks with cut flowers (30 cut flowers from each cultivar) were placed into chambers with exactly similar conditions but with different light spectra including white (W), blue (B), red (R) and 70% R+30% B (RB) provided by LED production modules and darkness. Each flower under light spectra was inspected and the vase life of the all flowers, change in spathe angel, spathe area, maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and fluorescence decline ratio (RFD) were measured during 14 days exposure to 4 °C storage. Results and Discussion: Spathe 'angel' seven and 14 days following exposure to cold storage was dramatically increased in B light while the lowest changes were observed in R light of the both cultivars. Vase life of anthurium cut flowers were significantly (P≤0. 01) influenced by the interaction between light spectra and cultivars. Among the light spectra, the longest vase life were observed in spathes exposed to R light in both cultivars. In 'Angel', exposure to B light dramatically shortened the vase life of anthurium cut flowers in comparison with the other light spectra. A positive relationship was detected between spathe area and vase life of cut flowers, while the relationship between spathe 'angel' and vase life was negative. No photosynthetic activity was detected on the spathe of anthurium, but the peduncle of anthurium showed the photosynthetic activity. The highest Fv/Fm and RFD values were detected in darkness and the lowest values for Fv/Fm and RFD were observed in R and RB-exposed spathes. No relationships was observed between the photosynthetic activities and the vase life of anthurium cut flowers. Although there are some reports confirmed the importance of plant growth under different light spectra on its postharvest quality, there is no report regarding the effects of light spectra on the quality of cut flowers in postharvest stage. Similar to anthurium, some reports indicated that there is no relationship between the photosynthesis and the quality of harvested products. Conclusion: Exposure of anthurium cut flowers to different light spectra resulted in alterations of morphology and quality during exposure to low temperatures. B spectrum had strong negative effects on the morphology and quality of anthurium cut flowers, while exposure to R light resulted in improvement of quality of anthurium cut flowers with less negative effects on their morphology. Spathe of anthurium had no photosynthetic activity, while its peduncle showed the photosynthetic activity. There were significant relationships between morphology and vase life of anthurium cut flowers, while no relationships were found between photosynthetic activity and their vase life. In conclusion, lighting environment during postharvest of anthurium cut flowers should be take into account for keeping their quality under low temperature conditions. Red light spectrum was introduced as the best light treatment to reduce chilling injury, increase the vase life and maintain the quality of anthurium cut flowers in both cultivars.