Vol. 12, Issue 9 (2023)

Author(s):
CS Reddy, VV Bhaskar, MT Naik, KN Madhuri, K Subramanyam and G Fareeda

Abstract:
The present investigation was carried out at the Horticultural Research Station, Mahanandi, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University during the summer season of 2021 and 2022. The experiment was carried out with three factors and two replications in a randomized block design with factorial concept to study their individual and combined influences on certain floral parameters in marigold. Among the individual treatments, soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha^-1, humic acid @ 4 kg ha^-1 and Azospirillum @ 5 kg ha^-1 in combination with PSB @ 5 kg ha^-1 and Bacillus spp. @ 5 kg ha^-1 recorded significantly lowest number of days to flower bud emergence, first flower opening and peak flowering in marigold and the same treatments recorded significantly highest number of days to flower senescence on the plant during 2021, 2022 and the pooled data mean in marigold in comparison to all other treatments. Among the two combination treatments, soil application of graded levels of biochar and humic acid, biochar and different microbial consortia, humic acid levels and different microbial consortia recorded significantly lowest number of days to flower bud emergence, first flower opening and peak flowering of marigold. Among the three combination treatments, soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha^-1 in combination with humic acid @ 4 kg ha^-1 and either of the microbial consortia recorded on par results i.e., soil application of biochar @ 10 t ha^-1 in combination with humic acid @ 4 kg ha^-1 and Azospirillum @ 5 kg ha^-1 + PSB @ 5 kg ha^-1 + Bacillus spp. @ 5 kg ha^-1 recorded significantly lowest number of days to first flower opening during the year 2021 and in the pooled data mean and number of days to peak flowering during 2021, 2022 and the pooled data mean, whereas the same treatment with Arka Microbial Consortium @ 15 kg ha^-1 recorded significantly early flower bud emergence in marigold during the year 2022.