EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS WITH FOLIAR APPLICATION OF GIBBERELLIC ACID ON PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND SOIL HEALTH OF MARIGOLD (TAGETES ERECTA L.) CV. PUSA NARANGI GAINDA

The present investigation entitled "Effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers with foliar application of gibberellic acid on productivity, profitability and soil health of Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda" was laid out in Randomized Block Design with twelve treatments and three replications. The results revealed that maximum plant height, plant spread, number of branches per plant, earliest flower bud initiation, days taken to opening of first flower, duration of flowering, length of flower stalk, diameter of flower, number of flowers per plant, weight of flower, flower yield, net return and cost: benefit ratio were under the treatments 100% R. D of NPK (100 kg N, 75 kg P and 75 kg K) + 25 % R. D of vermi-compost (17.9 q/ha) + GA(3) 100 ppm followed by, 100% R. D of NPK (100 kg N, 75 kg P and 75 kg K) + 25% R. D of FYM (50 q/ha) + GA(3) 100 ppm. The highest population of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and organic carbon were found under 100% R. D of NPK (100 kg N, 75 kg P and 75 kg K) + 25% R. D of FYM (50 q/ha). Moreover, highest microbial organic carbon was under 100% R. D of NPK (100 kg N, 75 kg P and 75 kg K) + 25 % R. D of vermi-compost. The application of 100% R. D of NPK (100 kg N, 75 kg P and 75 kg K) + 25 % R. D of vermi-compost (17.85 q/ha) + GA(3) 100 ppm was found to be most effective treatment for productivity, and profitability of Marigold. However, treatment 100 % RDF and 25 % % RD of FYM was superior for soil health under sub-tropical climatic conditions of western Uttar Pradesh.