Effect of micronutrient sprays on growth and flowering of chrysanthemum

Abstract

Field experimentation was conducted during 2006-07 at 3 locations to study the effect of foliar application of micronutrients, viz. zinc sulphate (ZnSO 4 ), ferrous sulphate (FeSO 4 .7 H 2 O) and manganese sulphate (MnSO 4 ) each at 4 levels, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8% including a control, on growth and flowering of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev) at Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Solan. At Coimbatore, foliar application of FeSO 4 0.8% (T 4 ) recorded longest flowering duration (42.69 days) and maximum flower yield (124.21 g/plant, 1.67 kg/plot) over the control (85.29 g/plant and 1.36 kg/plot). At Hyderabad, duration of flowering was recorded maximum with foliar spray of FeSO 4 at 0.2% (62.3 days) which was at par with ZnSO 4 or MnSO 4 at 0.4% (61.0 and 60.3 days, respectively) and the number of flowers per spray was increased by all the micronutrients at lower level (0.2%). The treatment MnSO 4 (0.4%) also resulted in recording maximum average flower weight (2.17 g) and more number of flowers/plant (200). At Solan, foliar spray with MnSO 4 (0.6%) thrice recorded significantly maximum number of side shoots/plant over all other treatments. FeSO 4 .7 H 2 O at 0.2% recorded maximum number of flowers/spray, followed by ZnSO 4 at 0.6% or 0.2% and FeSO 4 at 0.6% which were at par with each other.