Marigold (African marigold) (Tagetes erecta L.); Asteraceae

Pusa Narangi Gainda, Pusa Basanthi Gainda (IARI varieties), MDU 1 (TNAU variety) and Arka Agni, Arka Bangara (IIHR varieties).

Year round production is possible under tropical and sub-tropical conditions

Well drained loamy soil with pH of 7.0 to 7.5.

Propagated through seeds. Seed rate is 1.5 kg /ha. 25 – 30 day old seedlings are transplanted in the field on one side of ridges at 45 x 35 cm spacing. Treat the seeds with Azospirillum (200 g in 50 ml of rice gruel) before sowing.
Once in a week or as and when necessary. Water stagnation should be avoided.
Apply 45:90:75 kg NPK/ha as basal and 45 kg N/ha as top dressing 45 days after planting.

130 – 150 days.

Flowers are picked once in 3 days beginning from 60 days after planting

18 t/ha.

L3 hybrid (cultivated for xanthophyll extraction).

Sown throughout the year. Seed rate is 100 g/acre. Seeds are sown in protrays and 20 day old seedlings are transplanted on raised beds at 90 x 22.5 cm spacing to accommodate 44,400 plants/ha. Treat the seedlings with Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 0.5% before planting.
Recommended Dose of Fertilizer (RDF) is 90: 90:75 kg NPK/ha. 75% RDF is applied through fertigation [Water Soluble Fertilizer (WSF) application through drip irrigation]. Water Soluble Fertilizers such as Polyfeed (19:19:19), Potassium Nitrate (13:0:45) and Urea (46% N) can be used.
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.

Foliar spray of FeSO4 0.5% + ZnSO4 0.5% on 30th and 45th day after transplanting.

Spray humic acid @ 0.2% on 30 and 45 days after transplanting.

Pests
Cut worms and Helicoverpa armigera: Spray spinosad 45 SC @ 0.75ml/lit.

Mealybug : Spray dimethoate 30 EC @ 2ml/lit. or fish oil rosin soap @ 25 g/lit.
Bud borer : Spray spinosad @ 0.75 ml / lit.
Thrips : Spray fipronil 5EC @ 1.5ml/lit.
Red spider Mite
Spray any one of the following:
Spray abamectin 1.9 EC @ 0.5 ml/lit.
Fenazaquin 10EC @ 2 ml/lit.

Flowers : 30 – 35 t/ha
Xanthophyll : 1.7 – 1.9 g/kg of fresh flowers

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