Comparative analysis of conventional and precision farming systems for African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.).

摘要

The study compared precision farming system with conventional farming system (farmers' practice) of African marigold in two growing seasons. In precision farming system, 75% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) was combined with three biostimulants, panchagavya 3%, humic acid 0.2% and seaweed extract 0.25%. Application of 75% RDF and along with humic acid 0.2% resulted in superior performance with regard to vegetative growth, flower yield as well as xanthophyll content of flowers. The values recorded in this precision farming method for the various vegetative and flowering parameters during the first and second seasons respectively are plant height (19.71 and 19.75 cm at 60 days after transplanting), dry matter production (62.42 and 61.42 g at 60 days after transplanting), number of flowers (60.26 and 62.29), individual flower weight (17.36 and 16.47 g), flower yield per plant (1.02 and 1.05 kg), flower yield per hectare (35.19 and 36.23 tonnes) and xanthophyll content (1.81 and 1.76 g per kg of fresh flowers). The corresponding values recorded for the vegetative, flowering and quality (in terms of flower xanthophyl content) parameters under the conventional system of cultivation during the two growing seasons were found to be significantly lower compared to the precision farming system involving application 75% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) and 0.2% humic acid.