Effect of consortium biofertilizer on growth and flowering of african marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)

The study entitled “Effect of consortium biofertilizer on growth and flowering of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) var. Punjab Gainda No 1” was conducted at Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during 2020. The experiment was laid out with six treatments viz. 50% RDF + FYM 20 tonnes/ha, 75% RDF + FYM 20 tonnes/ha, 100% RDF + FYM 20 tonnes/ha, 50% RDF + FYM 20 tonnes/ha + Consortium biofertilizer 500g/ha, 75% RDF + FYM 20 tonnes/ha + Consortium biofertilizer 500g/ha, 100% RDF + FYM 20 tonnes/ha + Consortium biofertilizer 500g/ha. The consortium biofertilizer was applied to the roots of seedlings for half an hour before transplanting in RBD design as a root dip treatment replicated four times. The maximum plant height (67.89 cm), plant spread (58.72 cm), number of branches per plant (17), flower duration (45 days), number of flower per plant (38.19), average flower weight (5.09 g), flower diameter (5.86 cm), flower yield/m² (1.21 kg) were observed with 100% RDF + FYM 20 tonnes/ha + consortium biofertilizer 500g/ha. Whereas, minimum number of days taken for flower bud appearance (48.11 days) and number of days taken to 50% flowering (74 days) were recorded with same treatment. N, P, K contents of leaves and partitioning coefficient were also significantly improved in plants treated with consortium biofertilizer. From this study it is evident that addition of consortium biofertilizer @ 500 g/ha as seedling root dip treatment improves floral and vegetative parameters in marigold.