MARIGOLD

1.Introduction

In India marigold is one of the most commonly grown flowers and used extensively on religious and social functions in different forms. Because of their ease incultivation, wide adaptability to varying soil and climatic conditions, long duration of marigolds have become one of the most popular flowers in our country. Flowers are sold in the market as loose or as garlands. Due to its variable height and colour marigold is especially use for decoration and included in landscape plans. Cultivation tends to be located close to big cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai, Calcutta and Delhi. The estimated area on which flowers are grown in India is about 1,10,000 hectares. Major growing states are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Traditional flowers, including marigolds, occupy nearly two thirds of this area. In northern India in Himachal Pradesh, small scale farmers are growing marigold and other flower crops for garlands and decoration.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Plantae

Clade Angiosperms Order Family Tribe Tageteae Genus

2.Land selection and Preparation

Soils  The marigolds are hardy and can be successfully grown in different types of soils and climate. Marigold can be successfully cultivated on a wide variety of soil. The French marigold grows best in light soil while the African marigold requires a rich, well- manured and moist soil. However, the soil is deep fertile friable having good water holding capacity well drained and near to neutral in reaction viz.pH 7.0-7.5 is most desirable. Preparation of Land

 The land is ploughed 4-6 times, 45-50 t/ha of farmyard manure is applied at the time of ploughing , ridges are formed and channels formed at convenient size (60cm apart). Seedlings are transplanted on the sides of the ridges (40 cm). 3. Season and Climate Season  Marigold can be grown three times in a year – rainy, winter and summer seasons. The season of sowing and transplanting of seedlings for obtaining flower at different seasons of the year are given below:

Season Sowing time Transplanting 1. Rainy season Middle of June Middle of July 2. Winter season Middle of August Middle of September 3. Summer season First week of January First week of Februay

Climate  They can grow in almost all seasons except in very cold weather, as they are susceptible to frost. Marigolds require mild climate of luxuriant growth and profuse flowering. For seeds germination optimum temperature ranges 180 to 300 C. Soil and planting is carried out during rainy season winter and summer season hence flowers of marigold can be had almost throughout the year.  Mild climate during growing period (14.5°-28.6°C) greatly improves flowering while higher temperature (26.2°-36.4°C) adversely affects flower production.  A sunny location is ideal for marigold cultivation. Under shade, it produces more vegetative growth and do not produce any flowers. 4. Selection of crop/ variety/ planting material There are 33 of marigold and numerous varieties. There are two common types of marigold: I) The African Marigold (Tagetes erecta) Origin: African marigold: Mexico II) The French Marigold (Tagetes patula) Origin: French Marigold: Mexico and South America Botanical Description African marigold (Tagetes erecta) The African marigold is hardy, annual; about 90 cm tall erect and branched. Leaves are pinnately divided and leaflets are lanceolate and serrated. Flowers are single to fully double with large globular heads. The florets are either 2-lipped or quilled. Flower colour varies from lemon yellow to yellow, golden yellow or orange. There are also dwarf varieties (20 to 30 cm) having large double flowers. The important varieties are: Giant Double African Orange, Giant Double African Yellow, Cracker Jack, Climax, Dubloon, Golden Age, Chrysanthemum Charm, Crown of Gold, Spun Gold.

French marigold (Tagetes Patula) The French marigold is a hardy annual, about 30 cm tall, forming a bushy plant. Foliage is dark green with reddish stem. Leaves are pinnately divided and leaflets are linear lanceolate and serrated. Flowers are small, either single or double The colour flowers may be yellow, orange, golden yellow, primrose, mahogany, rusty red, tangerine or deep scarlet or a combination of these colours. The important varieties are: Red Borcade, R colour varies from yellow to mahogany red.

Signet marigold or golden marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia)

Tagetes tenuifolia is an annual herb sometimes reaching as much as 50 cm (20 inches) tall. Leaves are less than 3 cm (1.2 inches) long, deeply divided into many small parts. The plant produces many small flower heads in a flat-topped array, each head with 5 ray florets and 7- 9 disc florets. Golden Gem, Lulu, Pumila, Ursula. However, in the market mostly orange coloured varieties are preferred.

Indigenous varieties of African Marigold:

1. Pusa Narangi Gainda: The plant of this variety is medium strature, grows a heit of 8085 cm. the plant remain vegetative for 100 days and flowers in 125-135 days. The flowering duration ranges from 45-60 days. The colour of flower is orange with big ruffled florets.The yield of variety 25-30 tonnesw/ ha. This is an open pollinated variety and seed can be multiplied in farmers field.

2. Pusa Basanti Gainda: The plant of this variety are medium strature, which grows a height of 60-65 cm. the plant remain vegetative for 135 days and takes 140-145 days to flowers.the plant need to pinch 45-50 days. The variety sown in October and transplanted during November. It is an open pollinated variety and yield up to 75-100 kg of seeds/ha.

2. Pusa Arpita: It is summer growing marigold. The plant have dense foliage. It is also an open pollinated variety.

4. Serakal: this variety was identified in Eastern India. The specialty of this variety is uniform and bushy growth of the foliage and uniform size of flowers as well. The plant is generally grown by cutting. This plant can be propagated throughout the year.

Planting Land should be ploughed 2 to 3 times to bring the soil to a fine tilth. One month old seedlings with 3-4 leaves are fit for transplanting. Watering of nursery bed one day prior to uprooting will lessen the damage to root system. Uprooting of seedlings and transplanting should be done in the evening hours for better establishment. Time of Transplanting Mid July, mid October and February-March are suitable time for transplanting. At the time of transplanting they should of 7 to 10 cm height and bear 3-4 true leaves. Transplanting should be done in well prepared land in the evening hours. Proper spacing between is required for better development of plants and for higher flower yield. The following spacing is recommended for marigold. 1) African marigold 60 X 30 cm or 45 X 30cm. 2) French marigold 20 X 20cm or 20 X10cm

Propagation Marigold is generally propagated either by seed or by herbaceous cuttings. By Seed Marigold is mainly propagated by seeds, besides crop raised from seeds is tall, vigorous and heavy bloomer. For raising seedling for one hectare, about 1.0 kg seed is required. For raising seedlings seeds can be sown in pots, seed boxes or on flat or raised nursery beds.

Seeds should be sown thinly and be covered with light soil or sand or sieved leaf mould and watering should be done by fine nose. By herbaceous cuttings Varieties like Gaint African yellow, Gaint African orange do not set seed. Therefore these are usually multiplied by herbaceous cuttings. For cutting method, 6-10 cm long cuttings are made from the apical portion of the shoot and treated with root promoting hormones like IAA and IBA. Cuttings planted in sand or vermiculite root easily and rooted cutting are transferred in bed or pots for flowering. 5. Water Management

Marigold takes about 55-60 days to complete vegetative growth and to enter into reproductive phase. At vegetative and flowering period sufficient amount of moisture in soil is essential. The frequency and quantity of water mainly depends upon soil and climatic condition. Though plants tolerate dry weather upto 10 days without irrigation but growth and flower production is affected adversely. From April to June, frequent irrigation at the interval of 4-5 days is required.

6. Integrated Nutrient Management INM refers to the maintenance of soil fertility and of plant nutrient supply at an optimum level for sustaining the desired productivity through optimization of the benefits from all possible sources of organic, inorganic and biological components in an integrated manner. 6.1) Organic FYM is given @ 50 tones/ha at the time of field preparation. 6.2) Bio fertilizer Soil application of 2 kg each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria per ha at the time of planting. Biofertilizers are to be mixed with 100kg of FYM and applied. Application of DNP-G @ 3-4 bags per acre, PH-50 @ 10 Kg / acre , Amino-G @ 10 Kg/acre results better yield and also maintain soil fertility. Spray Bio-max @ 3ml and 5g 19:19:19 per lit of water results better growth and flower production. 6.3) Chemical fertilizers Incorporate 20 tonnes of Farm Yard Manure during the last ploughing. Apply 20-40 kg N, 80 kgs of P2O5 and 80 kgs of K2O per acre. Half of nitrogen, entire dose of phosphorus and potash should be applied as basal dose, preferably one week after transplanting and rest half nitrogen should be applied one month after the first application. Irrigate after application. 6.4) Speciality fertilizers 6.41) Soil application : Application of DNP-G @ 3-4 bags per acre, PH-50 @ 10 Kg / acre , Amino-G @ 10 KTg/acre results better yield and also maintain soil fertility.

6.42) Foliar application : Foliar application of Total @ 5g per lit of water, Spray Bio-max @ 3ml and 5g 19:19:19 per lit of water results better growth and flower production.

6.43) Drip application : Fertigation is a method of application in which fertilizer is incorporated within the irrigation water by the drip system. Drip application of Bumper crop kit @ 1 no per acre, and micronutrient application (Grade II) @ 10 kg per acre.

6.5) Nutrient deficiency symptoms

Primary nutrients

Nitrogen Deficiency: The older leaves become uniformly chlorotic. After considerable time, older leaves become necrotic and drop off if abscission is possible for the species. Purple to red discoloration may develop in older leaves as they turn chlorotic in some species of marigold.

Phosphorus Deficiency: The plant becomes severely stunted, and at the same time, the foliage becomes deeper green than normal. In some species, the older leaves develop purple coloration. Older leaves then develop chlorosis followed by necrosis. Roots become longer than normal when the deficiency is moderate.

With foliage plants, older leaves may lose their sheen, becoming dull green followed by red, yellow and blue pigments showing through the green, particularly on the undersides of the leaves along the veins. These symptoms spread across the leaf. Older leaves abscise if possible. Otherwise, necrosis develops from the tip toward the base.

Secondary nutrients

Magnesium Deficiency : Older leaves develop interveinal chlorosis. In several species, pink, red or purple pigmentation will develop in the older leaves following the onset of chlorosis.

In foliage plants with pinnately (netted) veined leaves, bronze-yellow chlorosis begins at the upper margins of older leaves, progressing downward along the veins, leaving a green, v-shape pattern at the top of the leaf. As chlorosis progresses down the leaf, a green, v-shape of tissue remain sat the bottom. Eventually, the tip, and then the base, become chlorotic.Necrosis follows chlorosis in the same pattern.

sulfur deficiency : causes unique flower symptoms with changes in colour from bright to pale yellow and modifications in shape and size of the petals.

Micronutrients

Iron Deficiency. Young leaves of seedlings sometimes develop general rather than interveinal chlorosis.In late stages, the leaf blade may lose nearly all pigment, taking on a white appearance.

Boron Deficiency. Symptoms include incomplete formation of flower parts such as fewer petals, small petals, sudden wilting or collapse of petals and notches of tissue missing in flower stems, leaf petioles or stems. Death of the bud giving rise to branching is followed by death of the new buds, eventually leading to a proliferation offshoots termed a “witch’s broom.” Short internodes, crinkling of young leaves, corking of young leaves, stems and buds, and thickening of young leaves all occur. Chlorosis affects young leaves but not in any definite pattern, resulting in eventual death of the root tips of short and thick roots. Molybdenum Deficiency. Symp-tomsapply to poinsettia, the only greenhouse floral crop it is known to affect. The margins of leaves at the middle of the plant become chlorotic, presenting asilhouette appearance and then quickly becoming necrotic. Symptoms spread up and down the plant. These leaves may also become misshapen, resembling a half-moon pattern with some crinkling. 7) Integrated Pest Management IPM refers to an ecosystem based strategy that focuses on long term prevention of pest or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation , modification of cultural practices and use of resistant varieties.

7.1) Insect pest Red Spider Mite (Tetranychus sp.)

These mites sometime appear on the plant near flowering time. Plants give dusty appearance.

Management  It can be controlled by spraying Metasystox 25 E C, or Rogor or Nuvacron 40 E C @ 1 ml/l of water.

2) Hairy Caterpillar (Diacrizai obliqua) Polyphagus insect and caterpillar eats away foliage. This caterpillar eats away foliage. Management  Sprays of Nuvon 50 E.C @ 1 ml/l of water. 3)Thrips

Thirps infest young leaves, buds and flowers and suck the sap. Affected leaves get distorted, while petals of flowers turn brown and dirty. Management Two or three sprays of Oxydemeton methyl, Diemthoate 0.05%, at 10 days interval.

4)Mealybug Mealy bugs are crowdly present in young shoots, stem and leaves. Flattening and crinkled with dark green leaves. It’s segregate honey like substances because of that leaves are converted into black sooty mould. Apical parts of the shoots show retarted growth. Management

 Spray prophenophos or dimethoate @ 2ml/litre.  Spray Fish oil rosin soap @ 25g/litre

5)Thrips (Thrips tabaci)

Discoloured or distorted plant tissue is clues that thrips were present. Thrips prefer to feed in rapidly growing tissue. Damaged leaves become papery and distorted. Infested terminals may discolour, rolled and drop leaves prematurely.

Petals may exhibit “colour break,” which is pale tissue that was killed by thrips feeding before buds opened.

Management

 Set up yellow sticky trap 20 per acre  Released Amphelicies cucumeris spider parasitoid.  Fipronil 1.5ml/litre or azardiractin 3ml/litre.

7.2) Disease Management 1) Damping off It is caused by Rhizoctonia solani and appears as brown necrotic spots girdling the radicle, later on extends to plumule and pre-emergence mortality. When infected seedlings are pulled, the root system appears fully or partially decayed.

Management  Seeds should be treated with Captan @ 3 g or Carbendazim @ 2.5 g per kilogram of seeds before sowing.

2) Flower bud rot It is caused by Alternaria dianthi. The disease mainly appears on young flower buds and results in dry rotting of buds. Symptoms are less prominent on mature buds but these buds fail to open.

Management

To control this disease regular spraying of the crop with Dithane M- 45 @ 0.2% should be followed.

Spraying of Mancozeb (2g/litre of water) effectively controls the flower bud and leaf infections.

3) Powdery mildew (Oidium sp. Leveillula taurica) Oidium sp. causes powdery mildew in marigold. Whitish, tiny, superficial spots appear on leaves, later on the whole aerial parts of the plant is covered with whitish powder.

Management The disease can be controlled by spraying with Karathane (40 E C) @ 0.5% or dusting with sulphur powder at fortnightly intervals.

Foliar application of sulphur compounds, Carbendazim, Triadimefon, Fenerimol, Penconazole and Triforine.

Wilt and Stem rot (Phytophthora cryptogea) The fungus attacks roots and collar portions of the plants. In nurseries the infection results in damping off and is aggravated by high soil moisture. In the field the infected plants show wilting.

Management  Treat soil with Captaf, Mancozeb and Metalaxyl.

Collar and root rot (Pellicularia filamentosa, P.rolfsii, Pythium ultimum, Sclerotinia sclerotiarum): It is caused by a number of pathogens and common ones are Phytophtora sp. Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium sp. Collar rot is caused either in nursery or in grown-up plants. It can be prevented by soil sterilization or by using healthy seedlings. Rotting of root and collar portions is noticed resulting in wilting of the plant.

Management

 Soil fumigation and planting healthy seedings

 Soil sterilization and controlled watering help in reducing the disease incidence.

8. Weed Management  In marigold control of weeds is an important operation. If the weeds are not removed in time, a great loss would occur in terms of growth and productivity of marigold particularly during rainy season. Hoeing and weeding should be done 3 to 4 times during the crop period to make the soil loose and weed free.

9. Cultural practices Pinching  In tall cultivars of African marigold, plants first grow upwards to their final height and later on produce a terminal flower. After the formation of terminal flower bud, axillary branches develop which also bear flower. However, if the apical portion of shoot is removed early, large number of axillary shoots arise resulting in well shaped bushy plant bearing more number of uniform sized flowers. Removal of apical portion of shoot is known as pinching. It is observed that pinching at 40 days after transplanting enhances flower yield.

10. Harvesting  Marigold flowers are plucked when they have attained full size. Plucking of flowers should be done in cool hours of the day. The field should be irrigated before plucking so that flowers keep well for a longer period after harvest. Plucked flowers are collected in polythene bags or bamboo baskets for carrying to markets.

Yield

 On an average a fresh flower yield of - 200-225 q per acre during rainy season 150 to 175 q per acre in winter 100-120 q per acre in summer can be obtained. 11. Post harvest handling Packing  For the local market marigold flowers are taken into gunny bags whereas from distant market bamboo baskets are used. Transportation  Different means of transportation viz. Rickshaws, Buses, Trains are used to carry the flowers to market depending upon the distance.

12) Cost of Cultivation and Profitability

Item No.of unit Cost / unit Total

1.Preparatory tillage 1.1 Ploughing by tractor with (1time) M.B. plough 4 hours 500 2000 1.2 Ploughing by tractor with (2 times) cultivator 4 hours 600 2400 1.3 Ploughing by tractor with (1 times) Rotavator with planting 4 hours 600 2400

2. Layout 2.2 Planting material (seedlings) 4000 seedlings 2 rupees 8000 2.3 Broadcasting (2 labours for 1 days) 2 labours 300 600

4.Manures and fertilizers 3.1 FYM 45 tonns Rs.600/t 27000 3.2 Urea 50 kg Rs. 6/kg 300 3.3 SSP 80 kg Rs. 9/kg 720

3.4 MOP 80 kg Rs. 15/kg 1200 3.5 DNP-G 100 kg Rs 16/kg 1600 3.6 PH-50 10 kg Rs 70/kg 700 Amino-G 10 kg Rs 70/kg 700 Rs. 200/ t of 3.5 Expenditure on manures application 4 labours FYM 9000 3.6 Expenditure on fertilizer application (for 1 day) 4 labours 250 1000 3.7 Neem cake 100 kg 800 1600 5. Intercultural operations 4.1 Weeding (for 1 day) Two times 4 labours 250 1000 4.2 Disbudding, Pinching operations (for 1 day) one time 4 labours 250 1000

6.Irrigation application 5.1 Labour charges (1men for irrigation) one labour 5000 5000 5.2 Drip water system 45000 7.Plant protection 6.1 Labour for spraying (2 men per spray) 2 labours 300 600 6.2 Dimethoate 1000ml 420 420 6.3Fipronil 1000ml 830 830 6.4 Nuvon 1000ml 1000 1000 6.5 Mancozeb 1000g 580 580 6.6 Carbendazim 1000g 550 550

7.Harvesting and Marketing 7.1 Harvesting 4 labours 500 2000 7.3 Transportation 3000 3000 Total 1,22,600/-

yield / acre 20 tonns Market value/kg 12 rupees

Total Revenue 2,40,000 Profit/loss = Total revenue - total expences profit = 1,17,400/-