The study was conducted at the department of Floriculture & Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, to evaluate 20 marigold genotypes with 12 testers (10 African marigold (Tagetes erecta) and 2 French marigolds (Tagetes patula) genotypes) and 8 lines for the production of F1 hybrids, during 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Pooled data analysis of vegetative parameters showed the superiority of tester genotype KAU-M 21 in terms of plant height (43.77 cm), plant spread (31.97 cm), number of primary branches (7.87) and stem girth (4.12 cm), while KAU-M 1 showed the superiority in total leaf area (47.27 cm2 ). Among the lines, KAU-M 42 showed good performance for all the vegetative parameters. An analytical study on floral characters highlighted that the testers, KAU-M 1 and KAU-M 40, produced larger flowers (6.3 cm and 5.80 cm diameter) having significantly more individual flower weight (9.70 g and 7.85 g) and ray floret weight (5.60 g and 3.50 g) respectively. French marigold genotypes KAU-M 48 and KAU-M 47 showed earliest bud initiation (17.92 and 19.37 days) and earlier flower opening (35 and 37.75 days). KAU-M 46 produced a maximum number of flowers per plant (103.37), while KAU-M 2, KAU-M 1, KAU-M 19, and KAU-M 40 recorded maximum yields that ranged from 215 to 243 g/plant.
Among the lines, KAU-M 6 recorded the highest number of flowers and yield per plant (92.32 and 228.99 g), followed by KAU-M 5, KAU-M 16, and KAU-M 42. Among the testers, the shelf life of flowers differed significantly, and the majority of the genotypes recorded a shelf life ranging from 2.0 to 2.67 days. The total carotenoid content was significantly higher in KAU-M 47 and KAU-M 48 (4.85 and 2.26 mg/g, respectively) among the testers, and KAU-M 18 and KAU-M 42 (2.01 mg/g and 1.49 mg/g respectively) among the lines. KAU-M 1 and KAU-M 5 recorded the highest lutein content (102.3 mg/g and 62.3 mg/g) among the testers and lines, respectively.
Read the complete research at: www.researchagte.net
Ponnarath, Shilpa & Unniampurath, Sreelatha & Sankar, Dr & S, Dr & A, Dr. (2022). Evaluation of growth parameters and yield attributes of marigold genotypes under humid tropical plains. Journal of Tropical Agriculture.