Kirkuk University Journal for Agricultural Sciences (KUJAS)

Efficacy of GA3 Primer and Foliar Application of Nano-NPK Fertilizer on Growth, Flowering, Bulbs and Bulblets Yield of Four Narcissus Cultivars

10.58928/ku26.17302
Volume 17, Issue 3
Summer 2026
Page 9-18
Kirkuk University Journal for Agricultural Sciences (KUJAS)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Bayan Zaki Abdulkareem 1
Yousif Ali Abdulrahman 2

1 Department of Horticulture and Landscape Design / Agricultural Engineering Sciences / Salahaddin University -Erbil Kurdistan Region, Iraq

2 College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Dohuk University – Kurdistan – Republic of Iraq

Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of gibberellin (GA3) priming and nano-NPK fertilizer application on the growth, flowering, and bulb production of four Narcissus cultivars. The experiment was conducted in Pirmam, Erbil Province, from October 15, 2024, to May 22, 2025. Treatments included four cultivars Little Princess, Golden Delicious, The Bride, and the local Aqra were used, bulb soaking with GA3 at concentrations of 0 and 100 mg L⁻¹ for 24 hours, combined with foliar spraying of nano-NPK fertilizer at concentrations of 0, 50, and 100 mg L⁻¹.

Our findings demonstrated that the cultivars had a significant effect the highest values of 48.99 cm, 5.97 g and 40.68 cm for plant height, leaves dry weight and flower stalk lenghth, respectively, were recorded for Golden delicious cultivar, and the highest average of 17.83 days and 2.06 were recorded for flower coordination date and bulbest produce, respectively, of Local Aqre cultivar. Moreover, GA₃ at 100 mg L⁻¹ resulted in a significant increase in plant height, chlorophyll, flower coordination date, bulb volume and bulbest produce 48.99 cm, 64.83, 16.81 days, 45.27 cm3 and 1.69, respectively.

The interaction among Narcissus cultivars, GA₃ priming concentrations, and nano-NPK fertilizer levels exerted significant effects on flowering and yield-related traits, including leaf area, flowering date, flowering synchronization, flower stalk length, bulb volume, and bulblet number. For leaf area, the highest values were recorded in The Bride cultivar, reaching 88.01 cm² and 87.93 cm² under treatments of 0 and 100 mg·L⁻¹ GA₃ combined with 100 mg·L⁻¹ nano-fertilizer, respectively. The earliest flowering was observed in the local Aqra cultivar, particularly under 100 mg·L⁻¹ GA₃ with 100 mg·L⁻¹ nano-fertilizer, achieving a minimum of 137.33 days to flowering. Flowering coordination date was markedly enhanced in The Bride cultivar with higher GA₃ and nano-fertilizer doses, extending up to 20.00 days.

Keywords

Efficacy
GA3primer
Nano-fertilizer spray
Growth
Flowering
bulbs and bulblets yield
Narcissus cultivars
Subjects
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