PERFORMANCE OF GLADIOLUS (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FERTILIZERS AND SPACING USING MARIGOLD (Tagetes patula) AS AN INTER-CROP
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Date
2022
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Abstract
The investigation was conducted in the Experimental farm of Department of
Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during 2018-19 and 2019-20, to
study the effect of varied levels of spacing and Nitrogenous fertilizer doses in
intercropping of French marigold with Gladiolus on growth, yield and quality attributes
of the crops and determine the suitable spacing and fertilizer for the system. Postharvest
quality of gladiolus spikes produced in the system was further evaluated in the
Laboratory of Department of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat during both the years. The first
experiment was replicated three times in 3 factorial RBD with 12 treatments having 3
spacing levels (40cm×20cm, 50cm×20cm, 60cm×20cm), 3 Nitrogenous doses (130 +
220 + 200 kg NPK/ha, 160 + 220 + 200 kg NPK/ha, 190 + 220 + 200 kg NPK/ha),
which were compared with 3 controls (Sole Gladiolus, Sole Marigold and Gladiolus +
Marigold intercropping with RDF and Recommended Fertilizer). Laboratory
experiment laid out in CRD with 3 replications and 10 treatments viz. Distilled water,
Sucrose 4%), NaOCl 100 ppm, 8-HQC 200 ppm, Al2(SO4)3 300 ppm, CoSO4 400 ppm,
Sucrose 4% + Al2(SO4)3 300 ppm, Sucrose 4% + 8-HQC 200 ppm, Sucrose 4% +
CoSO4 400 ppm and Sucrose 4% + NaOCl 100 ppm.
Field experiment revealed that growth, floral, yield and quality traits recorded
significant variation in intercropping of both crops. In gladiolus, maximum sprouts per
plant (2.43), plant height (140.79 cm) and leaves per plant (7.07) recorded with 190 +
220 + 200 kg NPK/ha (F3). Spacing of 60cm×20cm (S3) recorded highest plant height
(141.12 cm) and leaves per plant (7.32). Sprouts per plant was superior (2.13) in
50cm×20cm spacing, which is at par with 60cm×20cm spacing. The treatment effect
having maximum sprouts per plants (2.52) was attained in T9 (S2F3) and maximum plant
height (144.17 days) and leaves per plant (7.42) were revealed in T12 (S3F3).
Flowering attributes including days to emergence of gladiolus spike (79.20
days), bud initiation (87.19 days) and opening of first floret (94.72 days) was recorded
minimum in spacing S3 (60cm × 20cm). 130 + 220 + 200 kg/ha NPK revealed minimum
days to spike emergence (77.77 days), bud initiation (85.79 days) and opening of first
floret (93.83 days). Treatment T10 (S3F1) took least days for spike emergence (76.25
days), bud initiation (84.41 days) and floret opening (92.47 days). Spikes per corm
(2.20), rachis length (65.06 cm), internodal length (7.61 cm), spike length (94.17 cm)
and floret diameter (12.53 cm) of spike, fresh weight (111.04 gm), dry weight (46.04gm), self life (16.16 days) and vase life (12.94 days) recorded highest in treatment T11
(S3F2). Number of florets open (5.36) and florets per spike (12.36) obtained maximum
in T8 (S2F2). Treatment T3 (S1F1) attained minimum spike fresh weight (67.75 gm), dry
weight (20.75 gm), self life (9.10 days) and vase life (6.98 days).
T8 (S2F2) recorded maximum corm size (7.23 cm) and T11 (S3F2) recorded
maximum corm weight (139.48 gm), number of corms (3.36) and number of cormels
(26.24) per corm planted. Spacing 60cm×20cm (S3) and 160 + 220 + 200 kg NPK/ha
(F2) recorded highest corm weight, number of corms per corm planted and number of
cormels per corm planted.
Physiological attributes of gladiolus viz. Total Chlorophyll content, Net
Assimilation Rate, Leaf Relative Water Content and Leaf Area Duration was maximum
in of 60cm×20cmand 190 + 220 + 200 kg NPK/ha. Leaf Nitrogen, Phosphorus and
Potassium was attained superior in S3 (60cm×20cm) and F3 (190 + 220 + 200 kg
NPK/ha).
Vegetative and reproductive growth of marigold used as intercrop depicted
significant results. Growth parameters of marigold was superior with NPK at 190 + 220
+ 200 kg/ha and 60cm×20cm (S3).Flower characters including days to bud visibility
(28.02 days), days to full bloom (43.95 days), flowers per plant (36.19), flower diameter
(3.38 cm), days to 50% flowering (59.94 days), flower fresh weight (2.96 gm), self life
(4.75 days) loose flower life (3.57 days) and flower yield per plant (114.93 gm) was
attained in spacing S3. Days to bud visibility (26.34 days), days to full bloom (42.08
days) and days to 50% flowering (58.38 days) was observed maximum in F1 (130 + 220
+ 200 kg/ha NPK) and number of flowers per plant (36.84), flower diameter (3.64 cm),
fresh weight (2.81 gm), self life (4.85 days), loose flower life (3.79 days) and yield per
plant (119.86 gm) was attained with in NPK supplied at 160 + 220 + 200 kg/ha NPK
(F3).
Evaluation of post-harvest soil analysis revealed that maximum soil organic
Carbon and availability of NPK in soil was attained in broader spacing of 60cm×20cm
and NPK at 190 + 220 + 200 kg/ha.
Highest B:C ratio of 3.44 was attained in treatment combination T11 (S3F2).
Considering performance of both crops in intercropping system, T11 was found to be
prominent option for increasing yield and maximizing the economic return in the
system under study. The results of the second experiment for evaluation of effect of floral
preservatives on the post-harvest life of gladiolus spikes upon intercropping with
marigold, the treatment T8 comprising Sucrose (4%) + 8-HQC (200 ppm) attained
maximum florets open at a time (5.80 days) and total blooming period (17.62 days). The
treatment T7 i.e. Sucrose (4%) + Al2(SO4)3 (300 ppm) recorded minimum days to basal
floret opening (2.58 days), maximum floret size (11.81 cm), longevity of first floret
(5.62 days), highest vase life (13.39 days) and vase solution uptake (101.61 ml) and
lowest was obtained in treatment with T1 (distilled water).
Based on the analysis, it may be suggested that gladiolus spikes grown in
intercropping of marigold can be treated with Sucrose (4%) + Al2(SO4)3 (300 ppm) to
maximize the post-harvest floral attributes of the spikes.