Response of macronutrient application on growth and yield attributes of marigold in mango orchard

Investigations were carried out in the year 2004–05 and 2005–06 at IGAU, Raipur to study the effect of fertilizer levels on growth and yield attributes of marigold in mango orchard. Higher levels of NPK (N₅₀P₂₅K₂₅ g/m²) were found to be beneficial in improving the vegetative characters viz., plant height, number of primary branches and plant spread in marigold. Earliest first flowering was recorded under N₀ P₀ K₀ g/m². A gradual and steady increase in days to first flowering was observed with increase in fertilizer levels from N₀ P₀ K₀ to N₅₀ P₂₀ K₂₀ g/m². Application of N₃₀ P₁₅ K₁₅ g/m² in marigold resulted in significantly maximum number of flowers per plant, flower size, flower weight, flower yield per plant, flower yield per unit area and longest flowering duration over N₀ P₀ K₀ g/m².