Vol. 12, Issue 12 (2023)

Author(s):
Boyapothula Srilatha, P Prasanth, N Seenivasan, G Sathish and B Chandra Sheker

Abstract:
The present investigation entitled “Effect of Organic manures and Biostimulants on growth and flowering of Gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella Foug.) cv. Local Yellow." was carried out at PG Research Block, College of Horticulture, Mojerla during 2019 to 2020. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with 18 treatments and two replications. The treatments consists of two factors i.e. Organic manures viz., F₁-FYM (2 kg/sqm), F₂ - Vermicompost (0.5 kg/sqm), F₃ – Neem cake (0.3 kg/sqm and Biostimulants viz., B₁ - Humic acid 0.2%, B₂ - Humic acid 0.4%, B₃ - Biovita (Seaweed extract) 0.2%, B₄ - Biovita (Seaweed extract) 0.4%, B₅ - Nitrobenzene 0.2% and B₆ - Nitrobenzene 0.4%. Among the organic manures, Neem cake at 0.3 kg/sqm (F₃) recorded the best results in floral parameters like minimum days taken for first flower bud intiation (59.46 days) and days taken for 50 percent flowering(84.60 days), duration of flowering(130.38 days), no. of flowers per plant (76.64), flower yield per plant (247.26 g), flower yield per plot (2.97 kg), flower yield per hectare (14.89 t) followed by Vermicompost at 0.5 kg/sqm (F₂). Among the biostimulants, Biovita 0.4% (B₄) recorded the best values in terms of minimum days taken for flower bud intiation (54.70 days) and 50 percent flowering (81.31 days), duration of flowering (137.59), no. of flowers per plant (77.45), flower yield per plant (265.03 g), flower yield per plot(3.18 kg), flower yield per hectare(15.90 t) followed by Biovita 0.2% (B₃). The treatment of Neem cake at 0.3 kg/sqm + Biovita 0.4% (F₃B₄) recorded the minimum days taken for first flower bud initiation (51.23 days) and days taken for 50 percent flowering (77.03 days) followed by F₃B₃ (Neem cake at 0.3 kg/sqm + Biovita 0.2%). Further, other floral parameters like duration of flowering (139.79 days), no. of flowers per plant (80.25), flower yield per plant (279.87 g), flower yield per plot (3.36 kg), flower yield per hectare (16.79 t) was also highest with the combination of Neem cake at 0.3 kg/sqm + Biovita 0.4% (F₃B₄) followed by F₃B₃ (Neem cake at 0.3 kg/sqm + Biovita 0.2%).