Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part H (2024)

The present research, entitled "Studies on the effect of Planting Seasons, Spacing and Pinching on Growth and Flower yield of African Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) variety Pusa Narangi Gainda," was carried out at the College of Agriculture and Research Station in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, during the Rabi and Kharif seasons in 2019–20 and 2020–21. Treatment consisted of three planting seasons (Se1: Kharif, Se2: Rabi and Se3: Summer), three spacings (Se1: 30 x 30 cm, S2: 45 x 45 cm, and S3: 50 x 50 cm), and three pinching levels (P0: No pinching, P1: Single pinching and P3: Double pinching). A randomized block design (Factorial) with three replications is used to set up a three-factor experiment. In these combinations, there were a total of 27 treatments. Kharif season (Se1) produced significantly higher values of plant height, flower diameter, and yield attributes, such as number of flowers per plant, flower yield per plant (g), flower yield (kg), and yield (t/ha). This was followed by the (Se2) Rabi season. However, throughout this experiment, the (Se2) Rabi season showed increased plant spread, primary and secondary branches, first bud appearance, fresh weight of individual flower, and 50% blossoming. The treatment (S1) 30 × 30 cm yielded the highest significant plant height, the earliest initial bud appearance, flower yield per plant (g), flower yield (kg), and yield (t/ha) during a mean of two years. Maximum plant spread (E-W and N-S) was observed in treatment (S3) 50 × 50 cm in both years, and (S2) 45 x 45 cm in this experiment based on mean data. The results showed that under this treatment and in both years, double pinching (P2) significantly reduced the maximum height of the plants, the number of flowers per plant, the number of flowers per plot, the number of flowers per plant (g), the number of flowers per plant (kg), and the yield (t/ha).The highest gross income was obtained under the Kharif season in treatment (Se₁S₁P₂) (470100, 497350 and 483725 Rs. t/ha respectively) which was followed by (Se₁S₁P₁) (441300, 458675 and 449988 Rs. t/ha) and minimum gross income was recorded in Se₁S₁P0: Kharif season x 30 x 30 cm x no pinching (385320, 442400 and 413860 Rs. t/ha). The maximum net income was obtained under Kharif season in treatment (Se₁S₁P₂) (339337, 1096521 and 717929 Rs. t/ha), followed by (Se₁S₁P₁) (308617, 974196 and 641407 Rs. t/ha^,, respectively). The minimum net income was recorded in (Se₁S₁P₀) (250717, 306357 and 278537 Rs. t/ha).The maximum benefit: Cost ratio (Se₁S₁P₂) (2.60, 2.77 and 2.68 respectively) followed by (Se₁S₁P₂) (2.33, 2.42 and 2.38 respectively) during both the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 and on the basis of mean data. The minimum benefit: Cost ratio was recorded in (Se₁S₁P₀ (1.86, 2.25 and 2.06) under this investigation.

On the basis of experimental finding it was concluded that the treatment (Se₁S₁P₂) Kharif season x 30 x 30 cm x double pinching was suitable for better growth, flowering and yield of African marigold.