Growing condition: The experiment was carried out in partially control environment at Horticulture Farm in the Department of Horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during the period from April 2013 to February 2014, to detect the morpho-physiological activities of anthurium variety for both vegetative growth and flowering. Location of the site was 23074' N latitude and 90035' E longitudes with an elevation of 8 meters from the sea level in the Agro-Ecological Zone of Madhupur Tract (AEZ No. 28). The experimental site was chosen in a subtropical monsoon climatic zone, characterized by plenty of rainfall and moderately low temperatures prevail during October to March (Rabi season), which is suitable for anthurium (the test plant) growing in Bangladesh (BARI Hand Book, 5th edition). To suit of anthurium variety was kept in 60 mesh, black net for maintaining the partial control environment. The size of each pot was 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter and 20 centimeter (8 inches) in height. Earthen pots were filled up 5 days before planting. The pulverized coconut husk was mixed with a small amount of soil (10:1 v/v) as growing media. After preparation of the pots, 60 platelets were assembled for transplanting. Anthurium plants were transplanted in the pot carefully, so that root and shoot crown were not damaged during transplanting.
Plant materials: The anthurium plants were collected from a commercial nursery in July 2013 and then multiplied at the SAU Horticultural farm and new plantlet were collected from their suckers. Five different varieties, viz. V1, Pink anthurium; V2, White pink anthurium; V3, White anthurium; V4, Light anthurium and V5, Green red anthurium, were served in split-plot design with four replications which comprise in 60 replicates. A single plant was grown in a pot.
Intercultural operations: Hand weeding was done in all pots as necessary. Old and diseased leaves were plucked up from healthy plants every day when observed. Watering was done at every alternate day. Every fortnight interval, anthurium was treated with ridomil @ 2g/L and Malathion @ 2g/L to control the pests and diseases at vegetative and flowering stages. In vegetative stage, Furadan 5G @ 3g/L was also applied to protect soil nematodes.
Observation data: Plant height, length of petiole, length of leaf, breadth of the leaves was measured in centimeter (cm) through the measuring scale and data were adopted at 20 days interval. The number of new suckers grown was counted in three plants of each replication from anthurium base of the independent roots. Leaf area was taped by the CL-202 Leaf Area Meter, (USA) with the non destructive method. It was expressed in cm2. The mean of five readings from the portable chlorophyll meter (SPAD-502, Minolta, Japan) was obtained. The role of chlorophyll meter (SPAD) is non-destructive. Four mature leaves were used to determine a mean value of leaf area and SPAD value. Moreover, leaf area and SPAD value data were collected at three stages, namely vegetative, reproductive and harvesting. The length of the flower stalk and spadix was obtained from each flower and both were conveyed in centimeter. It was counted from the basement of emergence to the attachment of the spathe and recorded as a centimeter (Kamemoto, 1962). Diameters of the flower stalk and the width of spadix were measured using Digital Caliper-515 (DC-515) in millimeter (mm). Spathe length was measured from the base to the tip of the spathe and recorded in centimeter. Center of the spathe was worked out for spathe breadth. Candle position is the orientation between spathe and spadix which was measured as an angle between the tip of spathe to the tip of the spadix. It was recorded in degrees (0). The data were recorded and average candle position was taken after blooming of flowers. Flowers were harvested when the unfolding of the spathe was completed. It was harvested in the morning and was cut with long stalks of anthurium. The best time for harvest was when 1/3rd to 2/3rd of the true flowers on the spadix were open (Kamemoto, 1962). The flowers were sorted out for grading from blemishes, black spot, discolored spathe, short stalk, as well as deformed shape, and on vase life. The vase life of flowers was counted harvesting and kept under plastic bottles with the normal tap water. Daily observations were considered and the data were recorded in terms of number of days. Number of flowers obtained per plant was recorded in each replication at the experiment duration.
Statistical analysis: Collected data were tabulated and analyzed in accordance with the aims of the study using MSTAT-C computer package program and difference between treatments was assessed by Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at the 5 % point of significance (Gomez and Gomez, 1989).