Studies on effect of pinching and plant bioregulators on growth and flowering of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Basanti Gainda

A field experiment on the effect of pinching and plant bioregulators on growth and flowering of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Basanti Gainda was conducted at the Instructional Farm, Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalrapatan, Jhalawar during the rabi season (October 2009 to March 2010) to find out the effect of two levels of pinching i.e. no pinching and pinching and eight levels of plant bioregulators (viz. four levels of each ethrel and paclobutrazol @ 100, 200, 300 and 400 ppm). The results revealed that pinching treatment significantly decreased the plant height (64.40 cm), increased number of primary branches (37.67), higher chlorophyll content and relative water content (3.93 mg/100 g), (94.49 per cent) respectively, more number of flowers per plant (92.04), higher estimated flower yield per hectare (247.57 q). Paclobutrazol 100 ppm was found best for more relative water content (105.37 per cent), more fresh flower weight (6.27 g), more number of flowers per plant (100.58), higher estimated flower yield per hectare (145.48 q), whereas ethrel 100 ppm increased the number of primary branches (38.46), the maximum relative water content (106.42 per cent), more dry flower weight (4.98 g) and higher estimated flower yield per hectare (145.48 q).