EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF Fe' AND Zn' ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND YIELD OF CHINA ASTER (Callistephus chinensis L. Nees)
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Date
2005
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AAU, Anand
Abstract
The present investigation entitled "Effect of foliar application of 'Fe' and 'Zn' on growth, flowering and yield of China aster (Callistephus chinensis L. Nees)" was carried at College Nursery of B.A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during the rabbi season of 2004 - 05. The treatments comprising two micronutrients viz., FeS04 (@ 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.8%) and ZnS04 (@ 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5% and 0.6%) each sprayed at 30, 45 and 60 days after transplanting along with control were tried in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results revealed that application of ZnS04 @ 0.5% (Tg) at an interval of 30, 45, and 60 days after transplanting produced significantly maximum plant height (62.48cm), plant spread (24.53cm East-West direction and 26.72cm North-South direction), and number of branches (22.40) per plant. The next best treatment was FeS04 @ 0.4% (T3), which recorded significantly maximum number of leaves (396.79) per plant at maturity stage and required significantly minimum days for emergence of first flower bud (61.97) and for full opening of first flower (82.13) as compared to control (70.75 and 91.11 days, respectively). Treatment ZnS04 @ 0.5% (T8) recorded significantly maximum flower stalk length (28.43cm) followed by treatment FeS04 @ 0.4% (26.84cm) as compared to control (21.29cm), however effect on flower diameter was non significant. The treatment of ZnS04 @ 0.5% (T8) recorded the significantly the highest number of flowers (63.24) and weight of flowers (164.42 g) per plant as well as flower yield (182.69q) per hectare as compared to control. The next best treatments was FeS04 @ 0.4% (T3), also gave significantly higher values for number, weight and yield of flowers as compared to control and remained at par with T§ treatment. The application of ZnS04 @ 0.5% (T8) and FeS04 @ 0.4% (T3) produced flowers with significantly maximum vase life 9.53 days and 9.47 days, respectively as compared to 7.40 days in control. In case of shelf life differences were found not significant.
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HORTICULTURE, AGRICULTURE, A STUDY