Effect of Foliar Application of Zinc and Salicylic Acid on Flowering and Yield of African Marigold cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda

Field experiment on African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) was conducted during winter season of 2014-15 to study the foliar effect of Zn and SA of 20 treatment combinations having five concentrations of zinc (0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.0 %) and salicylic acid (0.0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0 mM/L).The treatment Zn4 SA3 (Zinc 1% + Salicylic acid 1.0 mM/L) recorded the earliest first flower bud appearance (39.78 days), maximum number of flowers/plant (62.33), maximum flower yield per plant (378.34 g) and maximum flower yield/ha (259.87 q).While, the treatment combination Zn3 SA 2 (Zinc 0.75 % + Salicylic acid 0.50 mM/L) had the maximum diameter of flower (8.34 cm), maximum fresh weight of flower (6.27 g), maximum dry weight of flower (1.58 g) and minimum was recorded in control. Significantly the minimum days taken for first flower bud appearance (41.41 days), maximum number of flowers per plant (59.27), maximum flower yield per plant (353.52 g) and flower yield/ha (242.69 q) was observed at Zn4 (Zinc 1.0 %). While, the maximum diameter of flower (8.23 cm), maximum fresh weight of flower (6.03 g) and maximum dry weight of flower (1.46 g) with Zn3 (Zinc 0.75 %). Among the SA levels, SA3 (Salicylic acid 1.0 mM/L) had the minimum days taken for first flower bud appearance (40.94 days), maximum number of flowers/ plant (58.69), maximum flower yield/ plant (347.81 g), maximum flowers yields/ ha (238.90 q). While, the maximum diameter of flower (7.76 cm), maximum fresh weight of flower (6.06 g) and maximum dry weight of flower (1.42 g) was obtained with SA2 (Salicylic acid 0.50 mM/L).