GROWTH DYNAMICS AND FLOWER YIELD ASSESSMENT OF LISIANTHUS (Eustoma grandiflorum) ‘ECHO PINK’ CULTIVAR

A field experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during the period of January 2025 to April 2025 to evaluate the growth performance and economic potential of the ‘Echo Pink’ variety as a commercial cut flower in Bangladesh. The trial was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Plants were grown on a plot of 5 m × 1 m with a spacing of 30 cm × 20 cm, where 83 plants were cultivated. Throughout the experimental period, 'Echo Pink' demonstrated promising growth and floral characteristics. Plant height ranged from 70.0 to over 80.0 cm, with stem lengths between 80.0 and 90.0 cm and thickness ranging from 7.0 to 8.0 mm—parameters suitable for cut flower standards. SPAD values averaged 70.0, indicating high chlorophyll content, and leaf area measured 25.0–27.0 cm². Each plant produced 4.0–6.0 branches and over 50 flowers, with each stem bearing more than 10 flowers. The flowers had a diameter of 50.0–60.0 mm, over 24 petals per bloom, and an average flower weight of 4.0–6.0 g. From this setup, over 330 marketable stems were recorded in the plot, projecting an estimated 22,297 plants and 89,188 stems per bigha. Economic analysis revealed a total production cost of Tk 820,395 per bigha and a gross return of Tk 8,918,800 at a selling price of Tk 100 per stem, resulting in a Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) of 10.87. These findings suggest that 'Echo Pink' holds high potential for commercial cut flower cultivation due to its attractive morphology, high yield, and profitability.