Abstract

Commercial flower production in Chile has become important in the last few years. Production technology associated to this area is still in development. In order to learn about biomass production and N, P, K ,Ca, and Mg accumulation during the growing cycle of Liatris callilepis (L.) Willd, a study was conducted under production conditions, in an andisol Diguillin series (Typic Melanoxerands). In this study flower production and flower quality were evaluated, as well as nutrient extraction of whole plants including aerial part and roots (crown) were evaluated under conditions of none, medium and high fertilization. Production evaluation was performed at different phenological stages: planting (day 0), stem appearance (day 21), spike development (day 45), spike coloration (day 67), stem harvest (day 71), crown harvest (day 160). Flower quality evaluation was done at the time of stem harvest. The results obtained indicated that L. callilepis had a sigmoid curve of development, and no significant differences were found in production under the three different fertilization conditions. Biomass production of the treatment without fertilization was 21.7 t ha-1, with an absorption rate per hectare of 266 kg N, 32 kg P, 345 kg K, 180 kg Ca, and 91 kg Mg. Quality of floral stem was not affected by fertilization. Biomass production at the harvest of crowns responded to treatment with higher fertilization doses.