R. Das and S.K. Patra
Abstract
An investigation entitled âInfluence of pinching on growth & flowering of spray type of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora) cv. Shyamalâ was undertaken at Agricultural Research Station, Binjhagiri, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Siksha âOâ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, in year 2024- 25. With 9 treatments and 3 replications, experiment has been set up in R.B.D. Treatments under this trial were found significant for all the characters under observation. Studies revealed that the treatment T8, i.e. Pinching thrice at 30, 40 and 50 DAT was found best for all the growth characters like plant height (25.02cm), plant spread (32.11 cm2), number of primary (6.34), secondary (23.34), tertiary branches (8.34), number of leaves (76.28) except plant girth which was found best (2.39 cm) under the treatment T9, i.e. pinching thrice at 40,50 and 60 DAT. Whereas flowering characters like days taken to first bud initiation (78.67 days), days taken to colour break stage (85.03 days) and days taken to full open stage (91.11 Days) were found optimum to delay the flowering in treatment T9, i.e. pinching thrice at 40, 50 and 60 DAT. Large-sized flowers were obtained in control as compared to pinched ones while treatment T3, i.e. single pinching at 40 DAT was found effective in getting longest shelf life (12.46 days). And all the yield attributing characters encompassing number of flowers/plant (64.25), yield/plant on weight basis (321.26 g), yield/plot (8.67 kg) and yield/ha (11.73 ton) were found effective in treatment T6, i.e. pinching twice at 30 and 40 DAT.