PUJA SHARMAUMA PATEL2023-11-212023-11-212023-09-19https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810201654Abstract The present investigation titled Studies on growth and flowering behaviour of ‘Early White’ Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev.) was carried out at Hi-Tech Floriculture Farm of Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, (Nauni) Solan (HP) during 2022-23. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprising of six different planting densities viz., 9 plants/m2 (D1) i.e., control, 16 plants/m2 (D2), 25 plants/m2 (D3), 36 plants/m2 (D4), 60 plants/m2 (D5) and 100 plants/m2 (D6) each replicated five times. The data was recorded for two flowering flushes i.e., summer flush (May-June) and winter flush (October-November). From the present investigation, it can be concluded that all the vegetative parameters viz., plant height (90.83 cm), plant spread (30.16 cm), Number of branches per plant (3.98) and stem girth 7.37 mm); flowering parameters viz., days taken to visible bud formation (79.51 days), days taken to flowering (103.86 cm), flower size (11.73 cm), length of cut stem (80.33 cm), weight of cut stem (54.27 g), vase life (19.09 days) and duration of flowering (22.84) and yield parameters viz., number of cut stems per plant (3.41), number of cut flower yield per square metre (103.44) were found better during winter flush of the crop as compared to summer flush. Among different planting densities, maximum plant spread (38.48 cm), number of branches per plant (4.76), flower size (12.40 cm), weight of cut stem (69.22 g), stem girth (8.81 mm), number of cut stems per plant (4.61), vase life (20.59 days) and duration of flowering (25.94 days) were recorded under lowest planting density i.e., D1 (9 plants/m2). Whereas, earliest flower bud initiation (82.34 days), earliest flowering (109.15 days), maximum plant height (92.98 cm), cut stem length (83.30), cut flower yield per square metre (160.10), cut flower yield per square metre per year (320.20) and highest benefit cost ratio (4.56) were observed under highest planting density i.e., D6 (100 plants/m2).EnglishThesis