Commercial Floriculture

Propagation

By Seeds
Conventionally Anthuriums are propagated by seeds.

Anthurium can be very easily grown by seeds, but it is an extremely slow process.
The berries (fruit of Anthurium) pop out extremely slow process.
The seed (sometimes two) is enveloped by juicy, mucilaginous pulp which depending needs to be removed completely before sowing.
The time required from pollination to the maturity of the seeds is about 6-7 months.
Seeds cannot be stored and this should be sown immediately.
The flowering starts after two years.
Seed propagated cultivars are poor in uniformity.
In fact, there may be a great variation in flower production, colour and shape.
Depending upon the type of medium used the seeds will germinate in 10 to 40 days.
The seedlings can be transferred to individual pots when they attain 3-4 leaf stage.

1. THROUGH CUTTINGS
Anthurium can be vegetatively propagated through cuttings obtained from fully grown plants.
Since, the vegetative growth is slow; the plants require at least 3-4 years to elongate and to produce 5-6 nodes and internodes.
Cuttings can be made by cutting just below the node, so that each cutting has single eye or bud in it.
The buds sprout in 20-30 days from the cuttings treated with growth hormones especially, the auxins (IBA & NAA) hastens the sprouting and rooting.
Vegetative propagation by terminal cuttings and stem sections are very slow.

2. BY SUCKERS
The highly condensed underground stem often produces shoots at the plant base.
Such multiple shoots may be with or without roots and they can be separated from mother plant and planted in individual pots.
The suckering capacity can be improved by exogenous application of growth regulators like BAP (@75 ppm) at monthly interval.
Anthurium starts producing suckers once they attain an age of 12-16 months.

3. TISSUE CULTURE
Anthuriums are highly amenable for in-vitro propagation using different parts as explants.

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