Effect of land configuration and nutrient management on growth, quality and yield of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev) var. Thai Chen Queen

An investigation to standardize the land configuration and nutrient requirement for better growth, flowering quality and yield in chrysanthemum var. Thai Chen Queen was carried out during 2018–19 and 2019–20. The experiment was laid out in RBD with factorial concept having twelve treatment combinations replicated thrice. The first factor consisted four levels of land configuration methods, viz., ridge and furrow, raised bed, flat bed with two different space while the second factor consisted three levels of fertilizer, viz., 100%, 90% and 80% of fertilizer dose. Raised bed method of land configuration recorded significantly maximum plant height, plant spread, branches per plant, flowering duration, fresh flower weight, length of flower stem, flowers per stem and flower stems per plant as well as significantly minimum days to 50% flower bud initiation and 50% flowering. The same treatment also recorded maximum leaf area and flower diameter and flowering duration, which was at par with ridge and furrow method. However, flatbed method with 30 × 30 cm recorded maximum number of flower stems per plot and per hector which was recorded at par with raised bed method. Raised bed method also improved the soil physico-chemical properties. Application of 100% FD, i.e., 150:75:100 kg NPK/ha resulted significantly maximum in all vegetative and yield parameters while significantly minimum days required for 50% flower bud initiation and 50% flowering was also recorded in the same treatment.