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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp5 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Effect of transplanting dates and mulches on growth and flowering of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.11694
Submitted
9 September 2025
Published
18-08-2026

Abstract

The productivity and quality of flowers can be improved by using high-yielding cultivars and improved horticultural practices such as date of planting and mulching. Planting dates and mulch materials have a significant impact on the growth and flowering of marigold. Therefore, a field experiment was planned at College of Horticulture, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda, Uttar Pradesh during 2023–24. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomised block design (FRBD) with three replications to investigate the effect of transplanting dates and mulches on the growth and flowering of African marigold. Analysis of the results revealed significant variations in plant height, plant spread, number of secondary branches per plant, duration of flowering, flower diameter, number of flowers per plant and flower yield per plant in the D1 treatment, i.e., the first fortnight of October. Among the mulch treatments, significant results were recorded for plant height, plant spread, number of primary branches per plant, duration of flowering, flower diameter, number of flowers per plant, flower yield per plant and days to first flower opening under the M3 treatment, i.e., silver black polythene mulch. Among the various treatment combinations, early bud initiation, early first flower opening, maximum flower diameter and maximum flower yield were recorded under the treatment combinations D1M2, D2M3, D3M1 and D3M1 respectively. Overall, the treatment combination D1M3 [transplanting during the first fortnight of October + polythene mulch (silver black)] showed the best results for most of the growth, flowering and yield parameters. Future research should focus on evaluating the effects of organic and inorganic mulches on plant canopy, weed population control and improving the soil biophysical properties.

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