Effect of spacing and pinching on growth and flowering in African Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda

A field experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm, C.C.S. University, Campus Meerut (U.P.) during the winter season of 2010-11 so as to study the effect of spacing and pinching on growth and flowering in African marigold. It can be concluded that wider spacing showed significantly better effect on flower quality and quantity parameters i.e. flower diameter, flower weight, flowers per plant and flower weight per plant, while significantly maximum flower yield (132.93 q/ha) was obtained at the closer spacing. Although, flowering parameters i.e. flower diameter, flower weight, flowers per plant and flowers weight per plant were not significantly affected by spacing and pinching combinations but flowers yield was significantly maximum (224.10 q/ha) under closer with earlier pinching (130 DAT).