Current Advances in Agricultural Sciences(An International Journal)

A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2009 at Faizabad to study the effect of pinching and nitrogen fertilization on vegetative growth, flowering behaviour and yield of calendula (Calendula officinalis L.). Growth and flowering characters as well as flower yield were significantly influenced due to various pinching operations and nitrogen levels. Pinching reduced plant height, length of flower stalk and flowerdiameter of calendula; however, bud initiation and openingof first floret were delayed due topinching operation. Significantly more numbers of flowers plant⁻¹ and yield of flower ha⁻¹ were recorded when pinching operation was exercised at 30 DAT, showing an increase of 14.2 and 11.6% over the control, respectively. Response of crop to nitrogen fertilization was significant up to 100 kg N ha⁻¹ for primary branches plant⁻¹, number of leaves plant⁻¹, opening of first floret, length of flower stalk, numbers of flowersplant⁻¹, flower diameter and flower yield. Results further revealed that crop fertilized with 100 kg N ha⁻¹ showed an increase of 11.7 and 82.1% in flower yield ha⁻¹ over 50 kg N ha⁻¹ and the control.