Flowering and yield in marigold (Tagetes spp) cv. Pusa Basanti gainda as influenced by mulching and pinching practices

A field trial to study the effect of mulching and pinching on flowering of marigold var. Pusa Basanti Gainda was conducted during Rabi season of the year 2017–18. The trial was conducted in split plot design comprising two levels of mulching (No mulching and mulching with black polythene as main factor and second factor as different levels of pinching (Control-no pinching, pinching after 3 weeks of transplanting, pinching after 5 weeks of transplanting and double pinching-pinching after 3 and 5 weeks of transplanting). The least number of days for initiation of flowering and 50% of flowering, at 47.06 and 55.75 DAT days after transplanting, respectively, were recorded in black polythene mulching practice. In interaction between mulching and pinching, significantly longest flowering span (31.50 days), highest numbers of flowers (41.38 plant^-1) and highest flower yield (217.75 g plant^-1 and 10.735 t ha^-1) were recorded in the mulching with double pinching (M₂P₄).