A study was conducted during September 2018 to June 2019 at Floricultural Research Station, Hyderabad, India to examine the influence of different times of planting on seed attributes in Gaillardia pulchella local cultivars.
The experimental design is Factorial Randomized Block Design comprising of two cultivars namely Local yellow (C1) and Local red (with yellow tip) (C2) and five times of planting namely, 1st week of October (T1), 1st week of November (T2), 1st week of December (T3), 1st week of January(T4) and 1st week of February (T5) with three replications. The plot size is 2×2m with spacing followed is 30 × 45 cm.
The results revealed that, maximum number of seeds/inflorescence was recorded with T1 (1st week of October) and minimum with T2 (1st week of November). T4 (1st week of January) recorded maximum seed yield /hectare, seed yield/plot and seed yield/plant and minimum in T2 (1st week of November). Germination percentage was recorded maximum with T1 (1st week of October) and minimum with T5 (1st week of February). Among cultivars, significant variation was observed in germination percentage. C1 (local yellow) showed higher germination % than C2 (local red with yellow tip). Interaction effect between cultivars and different planting times was non-significant in all the characters.
Hence, it can be concluded that the cultivars namely Local yellow and Local red (with yellow tip) performed well with respect to seed yield. T4 (1st week of January) gave higher seed yield among different planting times and could be the best time of planting for seed production in Gaillardia pulchella.