INFLUENCE OF HUMIC ACID ON VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE ATTRIBUTES OF AFRICAN MARIGOLD (Tagetes erecta L.)
MUHAMMAD KAMRAN AZAM
Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Anbar 23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
IBADULLAH JAN
Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Anbar 23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
ADNAN GHANI
Agricultural Research Station Swabi, KP, Pakistan
AYESHA KAMAL
Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Anbar 23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
AKHTIAR AHMED KALHORO
Department of Botany, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur 66022, Sindh, Pakistan.
MUHAMMAD ZAHID ASLAM
Cotton Research Station, Bahwalpur, Pakistan.
SHAHID NADEEM
Horticulture Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, Pakistan.
SYED WAQAR HUSSAIN SHAH
Entomological Research Sub-station, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.
MUHAMMAD AAMER
Soil and Water Testing Laboratory, Lodhran 59320, Punjab, Pakistan.
SADIA NOUREEN ZAFAR
Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
ARSHAD HUSSAIN
Agronomic Research Station, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.
IKRAM ULLAH
Department of Agriculture, The University of Swabi, Anbar 23561, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and College of Landscape and Horticulture, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study entitled ‘influence of humic acid on vegetative and reproductive attributes of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)’ was studied at Agricultural Research Station Swabi during 2017. The main aim of this study was to find out the adequate dose of humic acid that can enhance vegetative and reproductive qualities of marigold. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used with three replications. Four different concentrations (0, 1000ppm, 2000ppm, 3000ppm) of humic acid were sprayed during vegetative and reproductive stages of marigold plants. Humic acid was sprayed twice, 1st spray before reproductive stage and 2nd spray after the bud formation. The effect of humic acid on marigold was evaluated for plant height, number of leaves plant-1, stem diameter, blooms plant-1, blossom diameter, and blossom fresh and dry weight. Provision of humic acid at 1000ppm, 2000ppm and 3000ppm concentration ranges resulted in linear increase in leaves of a plant, stem diameter, plant height, blooms plant-1, blossom diameter, fresh and dry weight of blossom. But plants sprayed with 2000 ppm humic acid were effective for most of the parameters that can increase profit in marigold flowers business.
Keywords: Humic acid, African marigold, vegetative growth, reproductive growth