THAKUR, PRIYANKAMANASAHEB, NICHAL VIKRAM2017-02-152017-02-15201047331http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810001107ABSTRACT Studies on “Effect of growing media, pinching and paclobutrazol on growth and flowering of Barleria cristata L.” were carried out at the experimental farm of the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping of Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during 2009. Two experiments were carried out in CRD factorial design with three levels each of growing media (Soil from natural habitat, Soil from natural habitat and FYM (2:1, v/v), Soil, Sand and FYM (2:1:1, v/v)), pinching (No pinch, Single pinch and Double pinch) and paclobutrazol(0, 75, 150 ppm) having 54 treatment combinations keeping three replications each having four pots accommodating one plant per pot. Plants were raised through seeds and cuttings both. Analysis of variance showed significant differences among treatments for all the traits except for flower size. Findings revealed that seed raised plants are suitable for production of pot plants. However, seed and cutting raised plants differed significantly among themselves for various growth and flowering parameters. Seed and cutting raised plants showed optimum plant height (1.5 to 2.5 times to the height of the pot) when grown in soil from natural habitat and FYM with single and double pinching and without application of paclobutrazol for growing as pot plant. Seed raised plants recorded maximum number of secondary side shoots (20.58), leaves (177.42), flower clusters (16.17), flowers (23.58) per plant when grown in soil from natural habitat and FYM with double pinching and with the application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol and seed raised plants showed early visible bud formation and flowering when grown in all growing media without pinching and application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol. However, the cutting raised plants recorded maximum number of secondary side shoots (16.00), leaves (171.67), flower clusters (17.83), flowers (24.42) per plant when grown in soil from natural habitat and FYM with double pinching and with the application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol. Seed raised plants showed better results in case of plant height, length of primary side shoots and plant spread than cutting raised plants while cutting raised plants recorded early visible bud formation and flowering and maximum number of flower clusters per plant than seed raised plants. Based on the findings of present investigations, seed raised Barleria cristata L. plants grown in pots containing soil from natural habitat and FYM (2:1, v/v) with double pinching and application of 75 ppm paclobutrazol is recommended for better growth and flowering.ensowing, intercropping, wheats, tillage equipment, seed drilling, crops, mustard, fertilizers, land resources, chickpeasThesis