DILTA, B SBISHT, ANJAY SINGH2020-10-292020-10-292020-10https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810153936ABSTRACT The present investigation titled, “Studies on application of natural farming modules on flowering and seed production of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)” was carried out at the Khaltoo experimental farm of Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP)-173 230 during 2018 and 2019 so as to find out a suitable treatment module for obtaining better plant growth, flowering, seed yield and quality of African marigold with higher benefit: cost ratio. The treatment modules comprising different doses of Jeevamrit applied as drench (25ml/m2, 50ml/m2, 75ml/m2 and 100 ml/m2) and as foliar spray (5%, 10%, 15% & 20%) at 15 days interval, alternatively + Brahmastra @ 2.5 % and Neemastra @ 2.5 % at 7 days interval, alternatively along with RDF, untreated control and an organic module based on Trichoderma viride. The field experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 19 treatment replicated thrice and the laboratory investigations were carried out with four replications. Although, maximum values for plant height (102.73 cm), plant spread (47.17 cm), number of branches per plant (14.44), number of flowers per plant (53.80) diameter of flower (6.45 cm), number of seeds per capitulum (268.12), seed yield per plant (14.74 g), seed yield per plot (176.90 g), seed yield per hectare (327.59 kg), 1000 seed weight (2.56 g), seed germination (85.13 %), seedling length (12.66 cm), seedling fresh weight (0.55 g), seedling dry weight (7.78 mg), SVI-I (1077.68), SVI-II (662.55) and lowest seed EC (0.93 dS/m), available NPK (454.30 kg/ha, 87.54 kg/ha and 434.74 kg/ha, respectively) were recorded in M18, but found to be statistically at par with the treatment module M16, M12 and M15 including M17. The treatment module M16 has also exhibited highest viable microbial count i.e. bacteria (119.17 × 105 cfu/g soil), fungi (17.33 × 103 cfu/g soil) and actinomycetes (14.00 × 102 cfu/g soil) as well as maximum benefit: cost ratio (3.69:1). However, the minimum values w.r.t. plant growth, flowering, seed yield and seed quality parameters as well as for other characters under study were recorded in the untreated control (M19). Hence, the treatment module M16 comprising drenching with Jeevamrit @ 100 ml/m2 + foliar application of Jeevamrit @ 20 % at 15 days interval + Neemastra @ 2.5 % and Brahmastra @ 2.5 % at 7 days intervals, alternatively can be recommended for commercial seed production of African marigold to obtain higher benefit: cost ratioEnglishThesis