Effect of maleic hydrazide and pinching on growth and flowering behaviour of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at Experimental Research Farm, R.B.S College Bichpuri, Agra (U.P.) during rabi season of 2016-18 to study the effect of pinching and Maleic Hydrazide on growth and flowering behavior of African marigold (Tagetes erectaL.). The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications comprising of four different concentrations of Maleic Hydrazide (0, 250,500 and 750 ppm) and three pinching levels viz., no pinching, pinching at 20 and 40 (DAT). The results revealed that the application of 750 ppmMH recorded significantly maximum value of diameter of main stem (2.0 cm), plant spread N-S and E-W (44.7cm and 47.5cm), primary branches/plant (11.1), length of flower (7.0 cm), diameter of flowers(7.3 cm),flower/plant (79.5), and flower yield (170.9 qha-1 ), weight of flower/ plant (273.6 g), and dry matter content of plant (39.6g). The maximum plant height (72.4cm) and minimum days required for bud initiation (46.0days) were noticed under the control.Among the pinching treatments, pinching at 40 DAT recorded significantly maximum diameter of main stem (2.2 cm), plant spread N-S and E-W (47.0cm and 48.2cm), primary branches/plant (10.9), length of longest primary branches (38.6 cm), length of flower (7.6 cm), diameter of flowers(7.9cm),flower/plant (83.2), and flower yield (185.8qha-1 ), weight of flower/ plant (275.4g)and dry matter weight of plant (38.2g). Themaximum plant height (69.5cm) and minimum days taken to first flower bud initiation (47.4days)were recorded under no pinching. The interaction (P2xM3)recorded maximumnumber of primary branches (11.2), number of flowers per plant (86.3), size of flower (8.0cm) and yield of flowers (195.48qha-1 ) while minimumvalue were recorded under P0M0 treatment.