Integrated nutrient management for growth, flowering, and xanthophyll yield of marigold (tagetes erecta. l.)
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Date
2006
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UAS, Dharwad
Abstract
Marigold is one of the important commercial flower crops of India, which ranks first
among the loose flowers. It is not only grown as a cut flower and in landscaping but also as a
source of natural carotenoid pigment, ‘xanthophyll. It is used in poultry industries to intensify
yellow-orange colour of egg yolk and broiler skin. Marigold xanthophyll is gaining lot of
importance in the international market. The study was conducted to find out the best
integrated nutrient approach with organic manures, biofertilizers along with 75%
recommended dose phosphorus (RDP) and nitrogen (RDN) for higher growth, flower and
xanthophyll yield in Alfisol at Floriculture Unit, Department of Horticulture, MARS, UAS,
Dharwad, during Rabi, 2005-06.
The vegetative parameters viz., plant height, plant spread, number of primary and
secondary branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, total dry matter production were
recorded maximum in treatment T8 (i.e., vermicompost (12.5 % N) + poultry manure (12.5 %
N) + 200 g of Azospirillum along with 75% RDN/ha) at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after
transplanting. The same treatment T8 found to be early for flower bud initiation, 50%
flowering and maximum flowering duration. Similarly the floral characters, viz., flower
diameter, number of petals per flower, were also maximum in the same treatment. Besides
the above, yield components like number of flowers per plant, flower yield, petal meal yield,
xanthophyll yield per hectare with maximum net returns and B: C ratio, uptake of N and P
were also maximum in the treatment combination of vermicompost (12.5 % N) + poultry
manure (12.5 % N) + Azospirillum along with 75% RDN/ha. Overall the above treatment
was significantly superior to all other treatment combinations tried.
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Horticulture