Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Pinching on Growth and Yield of Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) under Prayagraj Agro Climatic Conditions

The experiment has been conducted to determine the activity of plant growth regulators and pinching on the growth and flowering yield of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) in the Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, (UP) during Rabi season 2021-2022, nine treatments were included in this trial viz..., T0 Control, T1 GA3 100 PPM + Pinching, T2 GA3 200 PPM + Pinching, T3 Triacontanol 20 ppm + Pinching, T4 Triacontanol 30 ppm + Pinching, T5 Lihocin 2000 ppm + Pinching, T6 Lihocin 4000 ppm + Pinching, T7 NAA 10 ppm + Pinching and T8 NAA 20 ppm + Pinching, were tested in three replications. The experiment of this design was randomized block design. The results has revealed that GA3 treatments and pinching had significant response on the plant height, number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, plant spread per plant, days from bud initiation to harvest, days required for flower appearance from transplanting, number of flowers per plant, flower diameter, fresh and dry flower weight, flower yield per plant, flower yield per plot, and flower yield per hectare. The maximum plant height (76.17cm), number of branches per plant (53.21), plant spread (90.22cm), number of leaves per plant (409.07), flower yield per plant (402.13g/plant), flower yield per plot (1.57kg), and flower yield per hectare (15.67) were recorded in the treatment T2 GA3 200 PPM + Pinching. This treatment showed the best results in vegetative growth and yield production.