Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Pinching on Garland Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev)

Abstract

Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev) is one of the most important flower crop grown commercially throughout India. Plant growth regulators have great potential to influence plant growth and yield by judicious planning of the type of PGR and its optimal concentrations. Similarly, pinching is also known to significantly influence flowering and yield. Both PGRs and pinching have been known to affect growth and yield of chrysanthemum. But information regarding their use in combination is lacking. Keeping these points in view, the present experiment was carried out at Horticultural Research and Instructional Farm, Department of Horticulture, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh during Rabi season of 2012−13. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The treatments consisted of fourteen combinations of three plant growth regulators (GA₃,MH and CCC) at different concentrations without and with pinching (P) including control (water spray). Data on various growth and flowering parameters were recorded. The results revealed that maximum plant height, earliest days to flower and shelf life was recorded on the application of GA₃ (200 ppm) whereas, maximum number of leaves plant^-1 was recorded with GA₃ (200 ppm) alongwith pinching. Maximum plant spread and number of secondary branches plant^-1 was observed on the application of CCC (1500 ppm) alongwith pinching. Maximum primary branches plant^-1, period of flowering, number of flowers plant^-1 and flower yield was obtained on the application of MH (750 ppm) alongwith pinching. However, maximum flower diameter was noticed with MH (750 ppm).