Vol. 10, Issue 11 (2021)

Author(s):
MV Shinde, KV Malshe, BR Salvi, VV Sagvekar and RG Khandekar

Abstract:
The field experiment was conducted in rabi season of 2020-21 at Floriculture Farm, College of Horticulture, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. The location is under hot and humid region with lateritic soil type. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design comprising four replication and six different mulching treatments viz; Control (No mulch), Paddy straw, dry grass, glyricidia leaves, black polyethylene mulch and silver polyethylene mulch. the significantly early initiation of flowering (34.60DAT) was observed in treatment T₅ (Black polythene mulch). The delayed initiation of flower bud (46.53DAT) was observed in treatmentT₁ (Control). The significantly lowest number of days required for 50% flowering (49.03 days) and the longest duration of flowering (78.49 days) were also taken in treatment T₅ (Black polythene mulch). Flowers in the T₅ (Black polythene mulch) treatment had the significantly highest flower diameter (7.40 cm), highest fresh weight (14.43 g/flower) and dry flower weight (2.93 g/flower).