This study was carried out at Floriculture Farm of College of Horticulture, Dapoli during the Rabi season of 2020-21 to assess the effect of plant growth regulator and pinching practice on flowering in gaillardia. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design comprising seven treatments of plant growth regulators coupled with pinching practices and replicated three times. Seven treatments were tried with three growth regulators (Main factor)as T1-Control, T2-Ethephon @500ppm, T3-Ethephon @ 1000 ppm, T4-GA3 @ 100 ppm, T5-GA3 @ 200 ppm, T6-CCC @ 1000 ppm and T7-CCC @ 2000 ppm with pinching each consisting of two levels (Sub plot) as P1-Pincning at 30 days after transplanting and P2-No pinching.
The significantly early initiation of flowering (60.33DAT), least number of days required for 50% flowering (70.00 days), and the longest flowering duration (137.83 days) were observed in treatment T5 (GA3 @ 200ppm). The delayed flowering initiation (81.83DAT) was observed in T6 (CCC@1000ppm) treatment. Early initiation of flowering (69.67DAT) and least days required for 50% flowering (79.00 days) was observed in treatment P2 (No pinching) whereas P1(Pinching at 30 DAT) took maximum days for initiation of flowering (73.43 days after transplanting).
The least days required for initiation of flowering (59.00 days) were recorded in T5P2 (GA3 @ 200 ppm + no pinching). The minimum number of days required for flower opening from bud stage (5.17 days) was recorded in T4 (GA3 @ 100 ppm). Introduction The gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella) is mainly grown for its cut flowers and the loose flowers are used for making garlands in religious occasions and for decoration during social functions. It's gorgeously colored flowers are best arranged in copper bowls or simple plain-colored vases.
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Malshe, Kiran & Salvi, Bharat & Mahadik, Sandip & Pawar, C. (2021). Effect of plant growth regulators and pinching on flowering characters in gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella). 482-485.