Lilium
spp. hybrids are important export products among the Chilean cut flower exports. Field plantations are often shaded to reduce temperature; however, the best shading percentage to attain a good quality cut flower and also a good quality bulb is unknown. This study assessed the cut flower quality of two
Lilium spp. hybrid cultivars, cv. Dreamland belonging to the Asiatic group and cv. Alhambra of the Oriental group, cultivated in the VII Region (35°17' S lat, 71°13' W long) under shading nets of 35, 50, 65, and 80% shading, and a control treatment without shade. The perimeter and weight of the bulbs were recorded at one, four and eight weeks after flower harvest. In both cultivars the plants grown under 65 and 80% shade were significantly taller, with no differences in both stem diameter and number of florets per stem among all the treatments. Bulb weight in both cultivars was higher in the control and 35% shade treatments. The bulb perimeter of cv. Dreamland was higher in the control and 35% shade treatments, and showed higher values at each subsequent evaluation. In cv. Alhambra, the perimeter of the bulbs of the different treatments was similar in all treatments in the last evaluation performed eight weeks after flower harvest. In double purpose crops, attaining good quality in both cut flowers and bulbs are contradictory; in this case it is proposed the use of 50% shade.
