Effects of mulching on the growth and flowering of African Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effects of mulching materials and quantities on growth and flowering of African marigold at the Teaching and Research Horticultural Nursery, Federal University of Technology, Gidan Kwano Campus, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria on Latitude 9° 40' North and Longitude 6° 30' East.The experimental factors were dried Cynodon dactylon and sawdust at (0 g (0kg/ha), 10 g (53kg/ha), 20 g (91kg/ha) and 30 g (129 kg/ha). These were laid out in a 2x4 factorial fitted into Completely Randomized Design replicated 5 times to give total of 40 experimental pots. Data on number of leaves, plant height, leaf area, stem girth, number of flower buds and flowers of marigold were subjected to analysis of variance. Effects of mulching materials and quantities on growth and flowering of African marigold were significant (P ≤ 0.05). Seedlings mulched with 20 g of Cynodon dactylon grass had higher number of leaves (45 and 42), flower buds (8 and 9), and flower (12 and 16) at 10 weeks after transplanting. Similarly, mulching with Cynodium dactylon also enhanced development of broader leaf area (24.43 and 27.71 cm2), thicker stem girth (1.52 and 2.89 mm) and taller seedlings (33.89 and 42.38 cm) for the two experiments respectively. Quantities of mulching had significant effect on the morphological parameters such as ones listed above for 20 g (91kg/ha) mulching having the optimum performance followed by 10 g, and 30 g mulching while 0 g which is the control had the minimum performance. The propagation of African marigold requires 91 kg/ha of Cynodondactylon mulch for optimal growth and flower yield.