El sistema flotante como alternativa para la producción de plantines de Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum L.)

the production of lisianthus seedlings (eustoma grandiflorum l.) is carried out on plug trays under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. seedling production in argentina is not efficient, and the seedlings obtained are not uniform and have reduced development. another seedling production method is the floating system, which is used in the production of tobacco and horticultural seedlings. this method consists in the utilization of polystyrene trays floating on water tanks from sowing to transplant. this work evaluated the floating system for lisianthus seedling production as an alternative to the conventional way. experiments were carried out on three different dates, and the variables measured were: percentage of germination and seedlings at transplant, fresh and dry weights of aerial and radicular parts, number of nodes with expanded leafs and length of first pair of true leafs during the seedling cultivation period. the percentages of germination and seedlings at transplant were not significantly different between treatments, but in the other parameters evaluated, floating system seedlings were superior in comparison to those obtained with the conventional system. the results allow us concluding that the floating system could then be used as a better alternative for lisianthus seedlings production, obtaining bigger and higher quality plantlets in a shorter period of time with lesser lost and higher homogeneity.