AGRONOMIC RESPONSE OF FOUR Dahlia pinnata Cav. (Asteraceae) VARIETIES IN THREE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENTS

Flower cultivation has increased nationwide. Currently, species of the Dahlia genus (known colloquially as Dahlias) are grown for ornamental purposes, with central Mexico having the highest production rate. Due to its importance, we sought to evaluate the effect of three different methods of cultivation (shade net, greenhouse, and open field) on the growth and development of four dahlia varieties in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. The experiment was carried out at the Horticulture Department of the Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro. Tuberous roots of four D. pinnata varieties were sown directly into the soil and covered with mulch. The shade netting production environment proved to be the best in production, with the best results in plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, and days to flowering. The highest-performing cultivar was the Antje variety. On the other hand, the Antje variety (cultivated under shade netting) had the longest flower stalks, the Boy Mick variety (cultivated in the greenhouse) had the heaviest flowers, and the Canby Centennial variety (cultivated in open field) had the flowers with the thickest stalks. The results show that Dahlias can be grown in northeastern Mexico because the area meets suitable conditions for crop development and production.