INFLUENCE OF TERMINAL BUD PINCHING ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF LISIANTHUS (Eustoma grandiflorum)

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of pinching (P₀ = control, P₁ = Single pinching, P₂ = Double pinching) on various attributes of Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) at the Horticultural Farm, Sher-e-bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka Bangladesh during May-October 2015 with three replications. Significant variations in all parameters were found in pinching.  Tallest plants (58.7cm) were found from control and shortest plant (41.3cm) from double pinching. Maximum number of branches/plant (4.3), branch length (47.3mm), branch diameter (5.2mm), number of flower buds/plant (21.0), number of flowers/branch (4.5), number of flowers/plant (19.3) and chlorophyll percentage (81.5) were found following single pinching (P₁). Maximum number of leaves/branch (23.3), days to first flower (125.7) were found by following double pinching (P₂) .Whereas minimum number of leaves/branch (14.3), days to first flower (105.7) were found from control (P₀). The experimental findings showed that single pinching could be used for maximizing the flowering thus will bring huge profit for commercial growers.