Diversity assessment of Nerium accessions for growth and flower yield

Abstract

Thirty nerium accessions were evaluated for growth and flower yield. Each accession had specific vegetative and flowering traits, among them ACC-19 (Rasipuram pink double) recorded the maximum plant height (236.84 cm) and flower yield per plant (333.09g). ACC-2 (Panamarathanpatty white single) recorded the maximum number of primary branches (6.80). Leaf area (33.61 cm2), early flower bud initiation (90.47), flower bud length (3.40), number of inflorescences per plant (24.17), number of flowers per plant (10.67) were maximum in ACC-12. Accessions 12 (Rasipuram pink single) displayed profuse blooming and long-lasting blooming characteristics, which made them an excellent choice for commercial cultivation and landscaping.