GUPTA, Y.C.SHARMA, PRIYANKA2016-06-172016-06-172013http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/67520ABSTRACT The present investigation entitled, “Effect of planting dates on growth, flowering and seed production of selected winter annuals.” was carried out at experimental farm of the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P) during 2010 and 2011. The studies were conducted on six winter annuals namely; annual chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium L.), candytuft (Iberis amara L.), godetia or satin flower (Godetia grandiflora Lindl.), helichrysum or paper flower (Helichrysum bracteatum Andr.), snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.), sweet william (Dianthus barbatus L.). The experiment was laid out in RBD keeping planting dates as treatments with four replications. Planting was done at an interval of 15 days starting from September 17 in both the years. Plantings dates were; September 17, October 2, October 17, November 1, November 16 and December 1. Findings revealed that in case of annual chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium L.), maximum plant height (120.29 cm), plant spread (55.50 cm), number of side stems per plant (16.23), duration of flowering (41.43 days), number of flowers per stem (21.98), number of heads per plant (308), number of seeds per head (243.95), seed yield per plant (77.40 g), 1000 seed weight (1.67 g) and benefit cost ratio (14.24) were recorded when planting was done on September 17. Earliest visible flower bud formation (60.08 days), flowering (95.08 days) was also recorded September 17 planting; however head formation was earliest (158.53 days) in December 1 planting. In candytuft (Iberis amara L.) also, September 17 planting resulted in maximum plant height (34.81 cm), plant spread (33.23 cm), number of side stems per plant (6.25), duration of flowering (41.43 days), number of flower clusters per stem (15.46), number of siliquae per plant (3467.72), seed yield per plant (10.25 g), 1000 seed weight (2.18 g) and benefit cost ratio (1.62). Earliest visible flower bud formation (55.43days), flowering (77.80 days) was also recorded September 17 planting; however siliqua formation was earliest (157.58 days) in December 1 planting. In case of godetia (Godetia grandiflora Lindl.), maximum plant height (68.35 cm), plant spread (50.66 cm), stem length (58.38 cm), duration of flowering (33.91 days), number of flowers per stem (central and side; 110.08 and 15.74), number of capsules per plant (327.50), number of seeds per capsule (90.69), seed yield per plant (9.18 g) and benefit cost ratio (1.21) were recorded when planting was done on September 17. Earliest visible flower bud formation (121.36 days), flowering (151.53 days) and capsule formation (205.42 days) were observed in December 1 planting. In helichrysum (Helichrysum bracteatum Andr.), maximum plant height (92.88 cm), plant spread (46.00 cm), number of side stems per plant (12.35), duration of flowering (45.00 days), number of flowers per stem (6.02), flower size (5.63 cm), number of heads per plant (65.38), number of seeds per head (534.93), seed yield per plant (24.84 g), 1000 seed weight (0.77 g) and benefit cost ratio (3.07) were recorded when planting was done on September 17. Earliest visible flower bud formation (62.28 days), flowering (100.44 days) was also recorded September 17 planting; however head formation was earliest (162.01 days) in December 1 planting. In case of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.), maximum plant height (91.83 cm), plant spread (36.78 cm), stem length (82.00 cm), duration of flowering (39.97 days), number of florets per stem (31.70), number of pods per stem (30.87), number of seeds per pod (390.76), seed yield per plant (8.44 g), 1000 seed weight (0.126 g) and benefit cost ratio (1.59) were recorded when planting was done on September 17. Earliest visible flower bud formation (70.18 days) and flowering (107.35 days) was recorded in September 17 planting, however, earliest capsule formation (182.48 days) was observed in December 1 planting. In case of sweet william (Dianthus barbatus L.), maximum plant height (63.54 cm), plant spread (33.32 cm), stem length (56.30 cm), duration of flowering (41.98 days), number of flowers per stem (central and side; 109.42 and 27.58), number of capsules per plant (373.75), number of seeds per capsule (40.85), seed yield per plant (10.75 g) and benefit cost ratio (1.75) were recorded when planting was done on September 17. Earliest visible flower bud formation (71.15 days), flowering (99.50 days) and capsule formation (153.28 days) were observed in September 17 planting.enlivestock, breeds (animals), body weight, animal husbandry, sexual reproduction, genetics, biological phenomena, yields, productivity, land resourceswinter annuals ,planting dates on growth, flowering and seed productionThesis