• R. Sudhagar

The experiment on the effect of integrated nutrient management on the flower yield of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) was carried out in the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University. African marigold is a widely cultivated flower crop in south India, demanding heavy nutrients for better productivity and quality. The organic manures and EM have also been found to influence the flower yield of African marigold. In this study, the organic manure ie., vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 and EM @ 1:1000 dilution as foliar plus soil application along with inorganic fertilizers were applied in different combinations. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with 11 treatments in three replications. All the treatments significantly influenced the flowering components of African marigold. The application of 75% RDF + vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 plus EM @ 1:1000 dilution (soil + foliar application) resulted in improving the yield components like increased number of flowers plant-1, flower diameter, weight of ten fresh flowers, weight of ten dry flowers, flower yield plant-1 and flower yield ha-1; and minimum days to flower bud initiation and days to 50% flowering. Hence, from the results of the present study, it can be concluded that application of 75% RDF + vermicompost @ 5 t ha-1 plus EM @ 1:1000 dilution (soil + foliar application) was found to be the best for enhancing the yield and quality in African marigold.

Organic manures, Vermicompost, Effective microorganisms

"EFFECT OF INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON THE FLOWER YIELD OF AFRICAN MARIGOLD (Tagetes erecta L.) CV. LOCAL ORANGE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no.284-289, May-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905M47.pdf

"EFFECT OF INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ON THE FLOWER YIELD OF AFRICAN MARIGOLD (Tagetes erecta L.) CV. LOCAL ORANGE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no. pp284-289, May-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905M47.pdf