Response of pinching and foliar application of gibberellic acid on growth and flower yield in summer African marigold

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Main Garden, Department of Horticulture, Dr. P. D. K. V., Akola with the objective to study the effect of pinching and foliar application of gibberellic acid on growth and yield of African marigold. Treatments comprised four levels of pinching i. e. no pinching, pinching at 15 DAT, pinching at 22 DAT and pinching at 30 DAT and four levels of gibberellic acid i. e. 100 ppm, 200 ppm, 300 ppm and control during summer seasons of the years 2010–11 and 2011–12. Among the pinching treatments, pinching at 15 DAT was found to be the best for improving vegetative growth parameters and flower yield. In respect of foliar application of gibberellic acid, gibberellic acid 300 ppm was recorded significantly better for increasing the vegetative growth and flower yield.