Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and flowering of calendula

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Horticulture section, College of Agriculture, Nagpur (Maharashtra), India during Rabi season of the year 2018-2019 to know the response of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and flowering of calendula. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replication and sixteen treatment combinations, which comprised of four levels of nitrogen (0, 75, 100 and 125 kg ha-1) and phosphorus (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg ha-1). The results revealed that nitrogen and phosphorus levels significantly influenced the growth and flowering of calendula. Growth parameters viz., plant height (62.33 cm), stem diameter (0.76 cm), leaves plant-1 (177.36), leaf area (73.66 cm2), branches plant-1 (37.60) and plant spread at 50 % flowering (45.56 cm) were recorded significantly maximum with nitrogen 100 kg and phosphorus 50 kg ha-1. As regards flowering parameters viz., minimum days for first flower bud initiation, days for opening of first flower, days for 50 per cent flowering and flowering span were recorded with individual application of nitrogen 100 kg and phosphorus 50 kg ha-1.