Marigold Cultivation Guide

Marigold is one of the most important floweringannuals cultivated in india. It has gaind popularity on account of its easy culture
and wide adaptalbility , wide attractive colurs , shape, size , and good keeping two. Those are :African maarigold - Tagetes
erectaand French Marigold - Tagetes patula.

Climate :
1. Marigold requirs mild climate for luxuriant growth and flowering .
2. The optimum temperature range for its profuse growth is 18-20 C
3. Temperature above 35C.restrict the growth of the plants .
4. In severe winter , plants and flowers are damaged by frost.
5. The season of sowing and transplanting of seedlings for obtaining flower at differnt seasons of the year are givin below:
Flowering Sowing Transplanting
season time time
rainy Middle of Middle of
june july
winter Middle of Middle of
august september
summer First week First week of
of january february

Soil:
1. Marigold can be growth in wide range of soils , as it is adapted in different soil types.
2. French marigolds are best cultivated in lightsoil wereas a rich well draind , moist soils are best suited for Afican marigold
3. Sandy loam soil with pH5.6 to 6.5 is ideal for cultivation .

Varietes:
Ttagets erecta (African marigold ):
Giant doublr african orrange , climax , spun gold .

Tagets patula ( French marigold ):

Red brocade, rusty red , butter scotch , valencia.

Tagets tenuifolia:
Golden gem , lulu, pumila, ursula.

Selsection of site:

A sunny location is ideal for marigold cultivation .under shade , it produces more vegtative growth and do not produceany
flowers. Highest yields are upturned when planting is doneduring august - sep .railfall during rainy season and high tempertures
during summer will affect the flower quality .

Filed perpration and sowing:

Perpration of field:
Nursery bed are thoroughly perpared by digging and incorporating well rotten FYM.befroe sowing the seeds, malathion dust
should be dusted on outer side of nursery beds to avoid aunts.

Planting materialand propagation :

Marigold is mainly propagated by seeds besides it can also propagated by herbaceous cuttings.

Nursery rising :
1. The marigold seeds are black in color and remain viable for about 1-2 years for rising of seedlings .
2. Seed germinate in 5-7 days .
3. Seed should be sowed in pots, seed boxes .
4. Nursery beds are perpared by digging area .
5. Seed should be sown thinly (6-8cm row to row ) and 2 cm deep.
6. Generally 200-300g seed/acreis required for raisind the nursery in summer and rainy season .
7. The seed germinate 4-5 days after sowing and seedlings become ready for transpalnting after 3-4p weeks for sowing.

Transplanting and seedlings :

1. Marigold seedlings are easily transplanted and established in the filed without much mortality.
2. Very old seedligs are also not desirable.
3. After transplanting a light irrigation or watering with rose cane should be done .
4. Plant density depends largerly upon the growth habit, and the soil type.
5. In general spacing should be 30cm*30cm and 40cm *40cm for african marigoald

Manure and fertilizers:

1. Well decomposed FYM @24t/ha should be mixed before ploughing .

2. In addition recommended N:P:K fertilizer dose wuold be 100:75:75.
3. The remaining quantity of nitrogen should be 30-40 days after transplanting.
4. Marigold also requir zinc and boron.

Weeding :

Weeding are amajor problem in marigold especialy in rainy season crop. If the weed not remove in time , a grat loss would
occure in terms of growth .

Irrigation :

Its done in once a week or as and when necessary.irrigate the crop in 7-8 days interval but the frquncy and quantity of water
also depend upon soil and season.

Pinching/ nipping and earthing up:

Three weeks after tranplanting earthing up is done ad then one week after earthing up or 1 month after transplanting the
seedlings. Pinching is generally done for the 4o days after transplanting .

Diseases and management :

Diseases Symptoms Managements

Damping off Brown necrotic spots on Avoid over watering

young seedlings drenching with copper
oxychloride@3g/I
Collar rot Black lesions on main Crop rotation for 3-4 years.
stem .

Powdery mildew It appers grey or white Kerthane @0.5%or dusting

powder . sulpher powder.

Viral disease Streaking or motling of Dimethoate at 2ml/I

leaves

Pest mangement :

Pest Symptoms Management

Red spider mite They suck the plant Spraying of kellthane(2ml/l)

shape

Aphid Black or crown spot Spraying of malATHION

Leaf hopper Leaves rolled Spraying dimethoate at

leaeswilting of leaves 2ml/I

Harveting of flowers:
1. After transplanting plans take 60-50 days to flower .
2. Flowers should be harvested in morning hours .
3. Loose flower are packed in a bamboo basket, while flowers with stalk are bunched in bundlesnad tranported to market .
4. From one plant nera about 100 to 150 flowers are obtaioned .

Packing:

After harvesting it is better to keep flowers in cool place.

The marigold is packed in gunny begsfor local market and for distance bamboo basket are used.

Yield:

African marigold yields about 15 -28t/ha whereas the french marigold yield 10-12t/ha . where as the French marigold yields 10-
12t/ha.