Studies on response of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Calcutta double to season and spacing

The present investigation entitled “Studies on response of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Calcutta double to season and spacing” was conducted at the College of Horticulture, Dapoli in 2024-25. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design under open field condition with four replications and nine treatment combinations. The study involves three planting season (P₁- II^nd fortnight of June, P₂- II^nd fortnight of October, P₃- II^nd fortnight of January) and three different spacing (S₁- 30 x 30 cm, S₂- 45 x 30 cm, S₃- 60 x 30 cm). The study discovered that marigold planted during treatment P₁S₁ (II^nd fortnight June at spacing of 30 x 30 cm) recorded the maximum plant height (105.80 cm). The number of leaves per plant (459.65), plant spread (N x S: 54.30 cm, E x W: 64.05 cm), leaf area (43.62 cm²), Field longevity of flowers per plot (18.05 days), flower size (59.23 mm), weight of a flower (9.85 g) and weight of 100 flowers per plot (994.75 kg) noted their maximum in treatment P₂S₃ (II^nd fortnight of October at spacing of 60 x 30 cm). Treatment P₂S₂ (II^nd fortnight of October at spacing of 45 x 30 cm) achieved early flower emergence (51.45 days), 50% flowering (84.83 days) and highest post-harvest shelf life (8.75 days). Treatment P₂S₁ (II^nd fortnight of October at spacing of 30 x 30 cm) recorded the maximum yield per plot (29.12 kg) and yield per hector (53.93 t).