Studies on the Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Vegetative Growth, Flowering, Yield and Shelf Life of the Marigold Cv. Siracole

Abstract

The present experiment entitled “Effect of plant growth regulators on vegetative growth, flowering, yield and shelf life of the Marigold cv. Siracole” was carried out during 2016-2017 at BCT Krishi Vigyan Kendram, Haripuram, Visakhapatnam district. The experiment was designed to study the effect of plant growth regulators namely GA3 at 50 ppm, 100 ppm, 150 ppm and NAA at 150 ppm, 200 ppm, 250 ppm on vegetative growth, flowering, yield, and shelf life of marigold with 7 treatments in three replications in a randomized block design. The treatment GA3 150 ppm recorded maximum values for plant height (50.71cm, 74.57 cm), number of branches (15.59, 19.45) over other treatments after 60and 90 days after transplanting. Control resulted in the minimum number of branches per plant (10.4,13.3), plant height (46.6cm, 58.5 cm) over other treatments. Among the floral parameters, minimum number of days to first floret appear (44.25days), and 50 percent flowering (58.37days), number of flowers per plant (72.81), flower size (21.58 cm), flower weight (10.7 g), flower yield per plant (524.6 g), per hectare (26.33MT) and shelf life (3.55days) was recorded with GA3 150 ppm. Minimum flower size (19.6 cm) and minimum flower weight (7.3g), maximum number of days to first floret appear (53.18 days), maximum 50 percent flowering (71.3 days), minimum number of flowers per plant (29.49), minimum flower yield per plant (335.3 g), per hectare (16.6 MT) and shelf life (3.1days) was recorded with control. GA3 100 ppm (46.41 days) and NAA 250 ppm (46.48) are on par with each other at first flower initiation. It was found that GA3 at 150 ppm was recorded better results for growth, flowering, yield and shelf life of marigold cv. Siracole.