Nutrient content, uptake and yield in African marigold (Tagetes erecta Linn) as influenced by pinching and foliar application of gibberellic acid

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1 Indian J. Agric. Res., 49 (6) 2015 : Print ISSN: / Online ISSN: X AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE Nutrient content, uptake and yield in African marigold (Tagetes erecta Linn) as influenced by pinching and foliar application of gibberellic acid Shalini Badge*, D.M. Panchbhai and R.P. Gajbhiye Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultrue, Nagpur , India. Received: Accepted: DOI: /ijare.v49i ABSTRACT Present experiment was conducted at Main Garden of University, Akola, Department of Horticulture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Agriculture University, Akola during summer season of the years and 20-, to study the effect of pinching (No pinching, pinching at 15, 22, and 30 days after transplanting ) and foliar application of gibberellic acid (100 ppm, 200 ppm, 300 ppm and control) at 15 th and 30 th days after planting on NPK content and uptake by pinching and gibberellic acid spray. The results revealed that maximum nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content and uptake as well as yield parameters viz., weight of flower, number of flower plant -1, yield of flower plant -1 and hectare -1 by African marigold plants were recorded by pinching at 15 days after transplanting and foliar application of gibberellic acid 300 ppm. Key word : Marigold, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium. INTRODUCTION African marigold (Tagetes erecta Linn), a member of the family Asteraceae, is one of the most popular and commercial flower annuals grown in almost all part of the country. It is the leading loose flower of social and religious functions. It occupies special importance due to its hardiness, easy culture including inexpensive packaging and low pest and wider adaptability under wide range of Agro-climatic conditions. Its commercial cultivation is gaining momentum day by day in many states. By pinching, the terminal portion of shoots is removed enhancing earlier emergence of side branches and production of more number of good quality and uniform size flowers. However, without applying pinching treatment plant grow taller and spread of plant is comparatively lesser resulting in limited yield. Pinching treatment at different times can help in achieving the twin objective of proper plant spread and flowering at different times for maintaining steady supply of flowers to the market over longer period resulting in more economic returns. In recent years, a number of growth regulators have been used in the field of agriculture especially in horticulture. Gibberelllic acid play and an active role in influencing the physiology as well as chemical content in plant which in turn put forth many changes in plant growth, flowering and yield. Many workers have reported that the application of growth regulators like gibberellic acid influenced NPK content and uptake by the plant (Goyal and Gupta, 1994). Keeping this in view, the present investigation was undertaken to find out the effect of pinching time and concentration of gibberellic acid on the content and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and yield parameters. *Corresponding author s shalinibadge@gmail.com. MATERIALS AND METHODS A field experiment was conducted during summer season of the year and 20- at main garden, University Department of Horticulture, Dr. P.D.K.V., Akola. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with sixteen treatments combinations replicated thrice. Treatments comprised of four pinching levels viz., P 0 - no pinching, P 1 - pinching at 15 days after transplanting, P 2 - pinching at 22 days after transplanting and P 3 - pinching at 30 days after transplanting with four concentrations of gibberellic acid viz., G 0 - control, G ppm, G ppm and G ppm. Seeds of African marigold var. African Double Orange were procured from market. The raised beds were prepared after mixing the soil with well rotten FYM. The seed were sown on bed at a distance of 10 cm between the row and 2 to 3 cm within the row. Four weeks old healthy, stocky seedlings were used for transplanting. Transplanting was done in the month of January at a spacing of 45 cm x 30 cm. The recommended dose of fertilizers (N:P :K 2 0@100:50:25 kg ha -1 ) was applied in the form of urea, single supper phosphate and muriate of potash. Full dose of single supper phosphate and muriate of potash and ½ dose of urea was applied at the time of transplanting and remaining ½ dose of urea was applied one month after transplanting. Regarding pinching treatments, 4-5 cm terminal portion of growing tip was nipped off at 15, 22 and 30 days after transplanting. The foliar application of gibberellic acid was done twice at 15 days and 30 days after transplanting.

2 For estimation of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content and uptake in African marigold plants, composite samples of whole plant were taken after harvest and ground to powder which was used for the chemical analysis. Nitrogen was estimated by Kjeldahl s method (Jackson, 1967), phosphorus was estimated by Vanadomolydo phosphoric acid yellow colour method (di-acid extract) and potassium was estimated by using the flame photometer (Jackson, 1967). The total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by African marigold plant at the harvesting stage was calculated by multiplying the dry matter of crop with the corresponding values of NPK and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content and uptake were expressed in kg -1. Observation on yield parameters like weight of flower, number of flower plant -1, yield of flower plant -1 and heactare -1 were recorded at the time of harvesting. Two years data were pooled together and statistically analyzed (Gomez and Gomez 1984). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The performance (pooled over two years) of pinching and gibberellic acid on nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium content and uptake by plants and yield parameters of summer African marigold is presented in Table 1, 2, 3 and 4. Content and uptake of nitrogen: The data from Table 1 revealed that during the years,20- and pooled results, pinching at 15 days after transplanting was found to be significantly maximum in respect of nitrogen content in plant and uptake by plant (2.34%, 2.16% and 2.19% respectively) followed by treatment pinching at 22 days after transplanting and at 30 days after transplanting. The treatment no pinching had recorded significantly minimum Volume 49 Issue 6, nitrogen content and uptake by plant (1.95%, 1.82% and 1.88% respectively). However, maximum nitrogen uptake by African marigold plant ( kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively) was recorded at 15 days after transplanting followed by treatments pinching at 22 and at 30 days after transplanting. The treatment no pinching had recorded significantly minimum nitrogen uptake by plant ( kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively). The superior results in respect of uptake of nitrogen by African marigold plants in treatment pinching at 15 days after transplanting might be due to more dry matter produced by the plants which have absorbed more quantum of nitrogen from the soil. Similar results were quoted by Joshi and Barad (2002) and Sharma et al. (2006) in African marigold. The effect of foliar application of gibberellic acid on nitrogen content and uptake by African marigold plant during both the years of experimentation and pooled data was found to be significant. The nitrogen content in African marigold plant had recorded significantly maximum (2.26 %, 2.15% and 2.21 % respectively) with the treatment of gibberellic acid 300 ppm followed by the treatments 200 and 100 ppm. However, minimum nitrogen content (1.86%, 1.81% and 1.84% respectively) was recorded with the control treatment during the years and 20- and from pooled data. Similarly, maximum nitrogen uptake by African marigold plant (364.43kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively) was recorded with the treatment of gibberellic acid 300 ppm followed by the treatments 200 and 100 ppm. The control treatment had recorded significantly minimum nitrogen uptake by plant ( kg ha -1, kg ha -1, and kg ha -1 respectively). The earlier research workers viz., Gowda et TABLE 1: Nitrogen content and uptake by African marigold plants as influenced by pinching and gibberellic acid Nitrogen content (%) Total uptake of nitrogen (kg ha-1) P0 No pinching P1 Pinching at 15 DAT P2 Pinching at 22 DAT P3 Pinching at 30 DAT SE (m) CD at 5% G0 Control (Water spray) G1 GA3 100 ppm G2 GA3 200 ppm G3 GA3 300 ppm SE (m) CD at 5% SE (m)

3 536 INDIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH TABLE 2: Phosphorus content and uptake by African marigold plants as influenced by pinching and gibberellic acid Treatments Phosphorus content (%) Total uptake of Phosphorus (kg ha -1 ) P 0 No pinching P 1 Pinching at 15 DAT P 2 Pinching at 22 DAT P 3 Pinching at 30 DAT F test Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. SE (m) CD at 5% G 0 Control (Water spray) G ppm G ppm G ppm SE (m) CD at 5% SE (m) al. (1990) and Chopde et al. (20) also reported that nitrogen content and uptake enhanced due to the treatment of gibberellic acid 200 ppm and 150 ppm in Jasmin and gladiolus respectively. Content and uptake of phosphorus: The data presented in Table 2 indicated that the treatment pinching at15 days after transplanting resulted in significantly maximum phosphorus content in African marigold plant (0.336%, 0.343% and 0339% respectively) followed by the treatments pinching at 22 days and 30 days after transplanting. Minimum phosphorus content (0.278%, 0.286% and 0.282% respectively) was recorded with No pinching treatment during the years the years and 20- and in pooled data. Similarly, maximum phosphorus uptake by African marigold plant (51.76 kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively) was recorded with the treatment pinching at 15 days after transplanting followed by the treatments pinching at 22 and 30 days after transplanting. The No pinching treatment had recorded significantly minimum phosphorus uptake by plant (34.56kg ha -1, 34.02kg ha -1, and kg ha -1 respectively) during both the years, 20- and in pooled data respectively. The data presented in Table 2 reveled that foliar spraying of gibberellic acid significantly increased phosphorus content of African marigold plant. The maximum phosphorus content in plant (0.340%, 0.346% and 0343% respectively) was recorded with treatment foliar application of gibberellic acid 300 ppm and it was followed by treatments with 200 and 100 ppm gibberellic acid. Significantly minimum phosphorus content was registered under the control treatment (0.276%, % and % respectively) during both the years, 20- and in pooled data respectively. Maximum phosphorus uptake by African marigold plant (54.75 kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively) was recorded with the treatment gibberellic acid 300 ppm followed by the treatments 200 and 100 ppm. The control treatment had recorded significantly minimum phosphorus uptake by plant (30.71kg ha -1, kg ha -1, and kg ha -1 respectively). Increased in phosphorus in response to foliar application of gibberellic acid might be due to the higher uptake of nutrient from soil. Goyal and Gupta (1994) and Chopde et al. (20) also noted that, the phosphorus content was more due to application of gibberellic acid 100 ppm and 150 ppm in rose and gladiolus, respectively. Content and uptake of potassium: The data from Table 3 revealed that during the years,20- and in pooled data, pinching at 15 days after transplanting gave significantly maximum potassium content in plant (1.96 %, 1.80% and 1.88% respectively) followed by treatments pinching at 22 days after transplanting and 30 days after transplanting. The treatment no pinching had recorded significantly minimum potassium content in plant (1.34%, 1.35% and 1.34 %, respectively). Total uptake of potassium was found to be significantly maximum ( kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively) by pinching treatment at15 days after transplanting followed 22 days after transplanting and 30 days after transplanting. The minimum total uptake of potassium (169. kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively) was found in no pinching treatment. The superior results in respect of uptake of

4 Volume 49 Issue 6, TABLE 3: Potassium content and uptake by African marigold plants as influenced by pinching and gibberellic acid Treatment Potassium content (%) Total uptake of Potassium (kg ha-1) P0 No pinching P1 Pinching at 15 DAT P2 Pinching at 22 DAT P3 Pinching at 30 DAT SE (m) CD at 5% G0 Control (Water spray) G1 GA3 100 ppm G2 GA3 200 ppm G3 GA3 300 ppm SE (m) CD at 5% SE (m) potassium by African marigold plants in treatment pinching at15 days after transplanting might be due to more absorption of potassium from soil resulting in better plant growth and in higher dry matter production by plant compared to the other treatments. Similar results were quoted by Joshi and Barad (2002) and Sharma et al. (2006) in African marigold. The data presented in Table 3 reveled that foliar spraying of gibberellic acid significantly increased potassium content of African marigold plant. The maximum (1.82%, 1.77 % and 1.80% respectively) potassium content in plant was recorded with the treatment foliar application of gibberellic acid at 300 ppm followed by treatments 200 and 100 ppm. Significantly minimum (1.30%, 1.30% and 1.30% respectively) potassium content was registered in the control treatment during both the years, 20- and in pooled data, respectively. Maximum potassium uptake ( kg ha -1, kg ha -1 and kg ha -1 respectively) was recorded with the treatment gibberellic acid at 300 ppm followed by 200 and 100 ppm. The control treatment recorded significantly minimum potassium uptake by plant ( kg ha -1,160.23kg ha -1, and kg ha -1 respectively). Under similar situations Goyal and Gupta (1994) observed maximum uptake of potassium due to application of gibberellic acid 100 ppm in rose. Yield parameters: Data on yield parameters are presented in Table 4. Significantly maximum weight of flower (7.58 g, 7.22 g and 7.40 g respectively) was recorded in the treatment no pinching followed by the treatments pinching at 15 days after transplanting and at 22 days after transplanting. The minimum weight of flower (6.47g, 6.05g and 6.26 g respectively) was recorded in treatment pinching at 30 days after transplanting. However, number of flowers plant -1 (32.60 ), yield of flowers plant -1 ( g) plot -1 (6.95 kg ) and hectare -1 (17.16 t) were registered under the treatment pinching at 15 days after transplanting followed by pinching at 22 days and 30 days after transplanting while minimum number of flowers plant -1 (24.68), yield of flowers plant -1 ( g ), and hectare -1 (13.51 t ) were recorded in no pinching treatment. This might due to the fact that early pinching produced more number of branches due to development of large auxiliary shoots which produced more number of flowers increasing yield of flowers. The results are in agreement with Pushkar and Singh (20) in marigold who reported that pinching at 20 days after transplanting was more effective for increasing yield of marigold flower. The data from Table 4 showed that foliar application of gibberellic acid 300 ppm registered significantly maximum weight of flower (7.56 g, 7.09 g and7.32 g respectively), number of flowers plant -1 (32.45), yield of flowers plant -1 ( g), and hectare -1 (17.59 t) followed by 200 ppm and 100 ppm. The minimum weight of flower (6.73 g, 6.18 g and 6.45 g respectively), number of flowers plant -1 (26.67), yield of flowers plant -1 ( g), plot -1 (5. kg) and hectar -1 (.61 t) were obtained in control treatment. The increase in yield and yield parameters with GA 3 spray might be due to more uptakes of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for better crop growth, production of number branches plant -1 and maximum number of flowers plant -1 ultimately increasing the flower yield. Similar results were also reported by Amit Kumar et al. (20) in marigold who reported that foliar application of GA 3 at 350 ppm was more effective for increasing all flower yield parameters in African marigold.

5 538 INDIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH TABLE 4: Yield contributing parameters of summer African marigold as influenced by pinching and gibberellic acid Treatments Weight of flower (g) Number of flower plant -1 Flower yield plant -1 (g) Flower yield ha -1 (t) Factor A Pinching (P) P0 No pinching P1 Pinching at 15 DAT P2 Pinching at 22 DAT P3 Pinching at 30 DAT SE (m) CD at 5% G0 Control (Water spray) G1 GA3 100 ppm G2 GA3 200 ppm G3 GA3 300 ppm SE (m) CD at 5% SE (m) The interaction effect of pinching and gibberellic acid treatments on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content and uptake and all yield parameters viz., weight of flower, number of flower plant -1, yield of flower plant -1 and heactare -1 were found to be non significant for both the years of experimentation and for pooled results too. It can be concluded that the treatment pinching 15 days after transplanting and foliar treatment of gibberellic acid 300 ppm was found better for maximum content and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by plant and all yield contributing characters. REFERENCES Gowda, J.V.N., Gowda, Venkate, Gowda, Nage and Farooqi, A.A. (1990). Effect of growth regulators on growth, flowering and composition in gundumallige (Jasminum sambac Ait), Proceedings of the th International congress of essential oils, fragrances and flavours, New Delhi, India, -16 November, 1989:105-2 Goyal, R.K. and Gupta, A.K. (1994). Effect of growth regulators on nutritional status, anthocynin content and vase life of rose cv. Superstar. Haryana J. Hort. Sci. 23: 8-1 Jackson, M.L. (1967). Soil Chemical Analysis. New Dehli, Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi pp Joshi, A.S. and Barad, A.V. (2002). Effect of N. P and pinching on the nutrient composition and uptake by African marigold. Proceeding of National symposium on Indian floriculture in the new millennium, Lal Bagh, Bangalore, 25-27, February, 2002: Amit Kumar, Kumar Jitendra, Braj Mohan, Singh J.P. and Rajbeer R. N. (20). Studies on the effect of plant growth regulators on growth, flowering and yield of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda. Ann. Hort. 5: Chopde Neha, Gonge V.S. and Kuchanwar O.D. (20). Study on nutrient content and uptake in gladiolus influenced by varieties and plant growth regulators. PKV Res. J. 36: Gomez, K.A. and Gomez A.A. (1984). Statistical procedure for Agricultural Research, 2 nd Edition Awiley International Publication, Singapore: Pushkar, N.C. and Singh A. K. (20). Effect of pinching and growth retardants on flowering and yield of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) var. Pusa Narangi Gainda. International J. Hort. 2:1-4. Sharma, D.P., Patel Manisha and Gupta Nishith, (2006). Influence of nitrogen, phosphorus and pinching on vegetative growth and floral attributes in African marigold (Tagetes erecta Linn.). J. Ornamental Hort. 9: