Vol. 11, Issue 4 (2022)

Author(s):
Laxmi Patil, MS Biradar, Jeevitha D and Umesh Chimmalagi

Abstract:
Crossandra is an emerging loose flower crop in recent floriculture business particularly in different parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Advance horticultural practices like closer spacing and mulching increase the productivity and quality of flower crops along with high yielding cultivars. In this regard a field experiment was conducted to assess the influence of mulching and spacing on various characters of different crossandra varieties at Department of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during 2018-19. The study consists of three factors; sixteen treatment combinations involving four varieties, with and without mulching and spacing at two levels were tried in factorial randomized block design with two replications. The results of the study indicated that, Spike initiation (73.90 days), 50 per cent flowering (81.96 days) and first flower harvest (88.43 days) were found significantly early in Arka shravya. Same variety recorded the longest spike (14.04 cm) and flowering duration (164.04 days). All the attributes were superior under mulched condition over without mulch. Longer spike length (11.49 cm) was observed at 60 cm × 30 cm spacing. Among different treatment combinations, Arka shravya planted closely (60 cm × 30 cm) on mulched beds found best with respect spike initiation (64.00 days), 50 per cent flowering (76.30 days), first flower harvest (81.10 days) and spike length (16.65 cm). Likewise it also recorded maximum duration of flowering (169.70 days) compared to other combinations.