EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS ON NUTRIENT CONTENT AND UPTAKE IN DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF AFRICAN MARIGOLD (TAGETES ERECTA L.)

Abstract

The experiment on effects of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition on African marigold was conducted to ascertain nutrient content and uptake by different varieties. The results revealed that NPK content and uptake of plant was significantly increased in proportion to the supply of their respective element (N at 200 and P at 150 kg ha^-1) at all stages of growth except, K content was not influenced by different P rates. The content and uptake of nutrients was decreased with age of plant. The variety Pusa Narangi (V₃) uptake maximum amount of NPK at 90 DAT (full bloom stage) i.e. 72.24, 19.56 and 98.51 kg ha^-1, respectively by followed by Pusa Basanti (V₂). The highest phosphorus uptake was recorded with the treatment combination N₃P₃V₃ (24.96 and 20.54 kg ha^-1 at 90 DAT and final harvest stage) which was at par with N₃^P₃^V₂ ^{and N}₂^P₃^V₂.