Effect of sewage water and potting media on growth and flowering of calendula (Calendula officinalis)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the interactive effect of soil-based and soilless media compositions supplemented with different proportions of treated sewage water on growth and flowering of Calendula officinalis. In this experiment, four media compositions i.e., soil + Farm Yard Manure (FYM), Cocopeat + Soil+ FYM, Cocopeat + FYM and Cocopeat + Soil were used in definite ratios to select an ideal potting media for raising (8-inch pots) potted calendula plants and irrigated with Tap water (100%), Sewage water (100%), Tap water + Sewage water (75%:25%), and Tap water + Sewage water (50%:50%) in 2017-18. Our results showed that media composition comprising M3 Cocopeat + FYM (1:1) showed enhanced growth in studied vegetative and flowering parameters in potted Calendula plants. The Calendula plants grown in M3 media supplemented irrigation treatment I2 showed desirable characteristics necessary as a specimen plant. Furthermore, irrigation with treated sewage water (100%) illustrates the best results in vegetative and flowering growth parameters of calendula plants in comparison to other treatments. Cocopeat + FYM shows the minimum pH (7.23) and maximum EC (4.25) ds/m), percent available N (0.70%), percent available K (0.91%), total porosity (66.6%). The chemical composition of sewage water (100%) shows maximum pH (7.74), EC (2.13 dS/m), N (0.92 mg L^–1), P (1.63 mg L^–1) and (24.15 mg L^–1) whereas Tap water shows minimum N, P and K. This composition of media and sewage water was indicating about the ideal composition to raise calendula seedlings to full-grown floriferous potted plants with all the desirable characteristics essential for a specimen display.