Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF SPACING AND PINCHING ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND SEED YIELD TRAITS IN AFRICAN MARIGOLD (TAGETES ERECTA) CULTIVAR PUSA NARANGI GAINDA UNDER SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS OF HARYANA, INDIA

Pooja Pant, Sushma Devi Mayengbam, Heena and Babita Singh

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out at Horticulture Demonstration Farm, Department of Horticulture, SGT University, Gurugram (Haryana), India during the year 2020-21 with a view to optimize spacing and pinching time in African marigold cultivar Pusa Narangi Gainda for achieving better growth, flowering and seed yield. Experiment comprises of three levels of spacing (30 x 30 cm, 30 x 45 cm and 30 x 60 cm) and two levels of pinching (no pinching, pinching at 30 DAT (Days After Transplanting) and pinching at 60 DAT) in nine treatment combinations. This experiment was conducted in a split plot design (Factorial) replicated thrice. It was noted that wider spacing (30 x 60 cm) and pinching at 60 DAT had significant effect on plant growth, flowering and seed yield. Wider spacing (30 x 60 cm) recorded maximum number of branches (23.31), diameter of main stem (1.30 cm), number of flowers per plant (40.02), flower diameter (9.58 cm), seed yield per plant (30.03 g), whereas, maximum plant height (49.53 cm) and earliest flowering (59.54 days) was recorded in closer spacing (30 x 30 cm). Similarly, pinching at 60 DAT resulted in maximum number of branches (21.17), diameter of main stem (1.23 cm), number of flowers per plant (73.53), flower diameter (40.14 cm), seed yield per plant (28.93 g), whereas, no pinching recorded maximum plant height (48.64 cm) and earliest flowering (69.79 days). Significant interaction between spacing and pinching recorded maximum flower yield/ per plant (949.00 g), flower yield/ per plot (10.10 kg), seed yield/ per flower (0.844 g) and seed yield/ per plot (367.67 g) with wider spacing and pinching at 60 DAT.