Vol. 11, Issue 4 (2022)

Author(s):
Rahul Das, Munikrishnappa PM, Seetharamu GK, Rajesh AM and Prasad Kumar

Abstract:
An experiment was carried out to evaluate eight genotypes of crossandra for growth flowering behaviour, yield and quality traits at floriculture section, College of Horticulture, UHS campus, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra post, Bengaluru, Karnataka during 2016-17. Significantly wide variation was recorded in vegetative and floral traits. The maximum plant height was observed with the genotype ‘Arka Shravya’ (56.95 cm). The plant spread in north – south direction and east – west direction was maximum in ‘Arka Shravya’ (60.09 cm & 60.21 cm, respectively). The genotype ‘Arka Shreeya’ induced maximum number of primary branches (9.00) and secondary branches (29.73) per plant while the leaf area was maximum (25.90 cm²) in the genotype ‘Arka Ambara’. As regards to flowering parameters viz., days to flower initiation (102.00 days), days to 50 per cent flowering (109.33 days) and days to first harvest (105.33 days) were recorded early in the genotype ‘Arka Shreeya’ while maximum duration of flowering was recorded in ‘Arka Shravya’ (45.00 days). Quality parameters viz., flower diameter (3.87 cm) and corolla length (2.58 cm) were recorded maximum in the genotype ‘Arka Shreeya’ with the color intensity of Orange red 35 B. ‘Arka Shravya’ recorded the maximum number of flowers per spike (42.00) and spike length (10.79 cm) while the number of spikes per plant (131.73) and hundred flowers weight (8.40 g) recorded maximum in the genotype ‘Arka Shreeya’. The flower yield per plant (232.60 g) and flower yield per hectare (12.79 t) was maximum in ‘Arka Shravya’. On basis of these observations, the genotype Arka Agni is found promising for commercial cultivation under Eastern dry zone of Karnataka.