Response of bio-fertilizers and inorganic manures on floral character of China aster (Callistephus chinensis L. Nees) cv. Kamini

Introduction

China aster [Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees.], a member of the family Asteraceae, is one of the most important annual flower crops grown in many parts of the world. Among annual flowers, its rank third next only to chrysanthemum and marigold. The genus Callistephus has only a single species Callistephus chinensis. Linnaeus named it Aster chinensis at first, but it was renamed to Callistephus chinensis by Nees. The single species chinensis belong to the genus Callistephus (Munikrishnappa and Chandrasheker, 2014) [12] . The name Callistephus is derivative from two Greek words: Kalistos, which means most attractive and Stephus, which means crown. It symbolizes purity, love, peace, beauty and passion (Naikwad et al., 2018) [13] . The colours are varied, including natural pink shades of white, pink, primrose, light blue, lavender, fuchsia, purple, dark blue and scarlet. Kamini variety was derived by crossing two pure lines (AST 6 x AST-36) and was developed through pedigree method of breeding with the intent of obtaining pink coloured flowering variety for cut flower purpose, which is exceptional to the Local Pink variety. It is native to China has spread to Europe and other tropical countries during 1731 A.D. It is also an important flower crop of Siberia, USSR, Japan, North America, Switzerland and Europe. It is grown successfully in open conditions for year round production in kharif, rabi and summer to have continuous supply of flowers to the market. In India, China aster is widely cultivated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. However, it is estimated to be grown in an area of 3,500 hectares in India. In Maharashtra, total area under floriculture is 22,000 ha with a total production of 7914 lakh numbers cut flowers and 119 MT loose flowers. Among this, area under China aster is 1,020 ha with a production of flower 800 million tonnes (Bhondave, 2015) [3] . The plant was around 60 cm tall and single blooming type and branching type. There are two types of florets in an aster bloom: ray florets and disc florets. The bloom type depends mainly upon the relative number of the two kinds of florets and their shapes. The most suitable feature for the classification of China aster is the form of ray florets. Since its arrival to Europe, the plants form, size and colour of bloom have changed significantly (Sindhuja and Prasad, 2018) [15] .

China aster is an economically important seasonal flower. Conventional nutritional applications create threat to soil health. Biofertilizers if effective in this crop can be safer and more economic choice. Hence, the present investigation with Vermicompost + PSB + Azotobacter China aster was taken up. Biofertilizer maintains living cells or latent cells of effective microbial strains. When they are spread through nucleoli or dirt, they help crops absorb nutrients through cooperation in the rhizosphere. They promote the active development of microorganisms in the soil, thereby supplementing the range of nutrient availability in a form that plants can easily adapt. The production of qualified nominated microorganisms with dramatic reproduction is a powerful part of promoting the growth of microorganisms in the soil.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted during 2019-2020 in the Horticultural Research Farm, Department of Horticulture and landscape architecture, College of Agriculture, IGKV, Raipur, (C.G.). The biofertilizers used were Vermicompost, PSB, Azotobacter, FYM and the variety of China aster subjected to treatment was Kamini. The treatments were T 1control 100% RDF, T 2 -75% RDF + PSB + Azotobacter, T 3 -50% RDF + PSB + Azotobacter, T 4 -75% RDF + 25% FYM, T 5 -50% RDF + 50% FYM , T 6 -75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost, T 7 -50% RDF + 50% Vermicompost, T 8 -75% RDF + 25% FYM + PSB + Azotobacter, T 9 -75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB+ Azotobacter, T 10 -50% RDF + 50% Vermicompost + PSB+ Azotobacter, T 11 -50% RDF + 50% FYM+ PSB + Azotobacter The study was carried out in RBD with three replications. Data were recorded on various parameters of floral attributes.

Result and Discussion

Number of days to bud initiation

Number of days to bud initiation exhibited significant differences amongst the treatments. Number of days to bud initiation effect of biofertilizer and inorganic manure. The earliest to bud initiation (69.00 days) was observed in treatment T 9 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB + Azotobacter) followed treatment T 8, -75% RDF + 25% FYM + PSB + Azotobacter, T 10 -50% RDF + 50% Vermicompost + PSB+ Azotobacter (70.70 days) and maximum days to bud initiation (87.00 days) were taken in treatment T 1 (100% RDF control). By inoculating Azotobacter and phosphate solubilizing bacteria with 75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost observed early days to bud initiation in the plants fertilized with 70% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB 0.5 g each in gerbera and an application of Azospirillum + PSB + 50% vermicompost equivalent to RDF + 50% recommended NPK resulted in improvement in bud initiation in garland chrysanthemum Airadevi (2012) [2] . Kumari et al., (2017) [9] reported that early bud initiation with application of PSB + 15g phosphorus/m 2 in chrysanthemum.

Number of days taken to flower opening

The days taken to flower opening was varied from 75.67 to 94.01 days. The minimum days to flower opening (75.67 days) was found in treatment T 9 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB + Azotobacter) which was found at par with treatment T 6 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost) and T 8 (75% RDF + 25% FYM + PSB + Azotobacter). However it was showed significantly differ with rest of other treatments. The maximum days taken to flower opening was (94.01 days) observed with treatment T 1 control (100% RDF). Phosphorus is a vital component and crucial for the induction of flowering and phosphorous solubilizing bacteria is known to intensification the accessibility of phosphorus resultant in earliness in flowering. Related results of earlier flowering by integrate use of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and biofertilizers are reported by Chaitra and Patil (2007) [4] and Kirar et al. (2014) [7] in China aster. Kumari et al. (2017) [9] observed early flowering in chrysanthemum with inoculation of PSB.

Number of flowers per plant

Statistically analyzed data revealed the results for number of flowers per plant. The maximum number of flower per plant (30.51) was noted in treatment T 12 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB + Azotobacter) which was found at par with treatment T 8 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB + Azotobacter) and T 6 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost). However it was showed significantly differ with rest of other treatments. The minimum number of flower noted plant was (23.60) observed with treatment T 1 control (100% RDF). The maximum flowers number per plant might be due to suitable nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium adaptation with extra nitrogen fixing and P2O5solubilizing capability and excretion of growth regulator by the organic manure. Similar results were also reported by Gupta et al. (1999) [6] in marigold, Mittal et al. (2010) [11] and Kumar et al. (2009) [8] in African marigold, Meshram et al. (2008) [10] in annual chrysanthemum and Chougala et al. (2014) [5] in double daisy.

Number of flowers per plot

The data recorded on average number of flowers per plot revealed that the higher count of flower each plot (1068.70) was noted in the treatment T 9 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost + PSB + Azotobacter) which was statistically similar with treatment (1008.00) T 8 (75% RDF + 25% FYM + PSB + Azotobacter). However, it differed significantly with rest of the other treatments. The minimum number of flower per plot noted plant was (826.00) observed with treatment T 1 control (100% RDF). This results in accordance with findings of Chaitra and Patil (2007) [4] , Kirar et al., (2014) [7] in China Aster; Mittal et al., (2010) [11] in African Marigold; Panchal et al., (2010) [14] in annual chrysanthemum. This may be attributed to the proper absorption of nutrients by plants and the inoculation of biological fertilizers and their translocation to florets. The results are consistent with the findings of Kirar et al., (2014) [7] . The largest flower head length and width were reported in Chinese aster with RDF of 75% + vermicompost + 25% PSB + Azotobacter.

The data regarding average flower stalk length determined in various treatments are as follows, the length of flower stalk ranged from 33.00 cm to 41.04 cm. Longest length of flower stalk (41.04 cm) was recorded in plants receiving treatment T 9 (75% RDF + 25% vermicompost +PSB + Azotobacter) which was found at par with Treatment T 8 (75% RDF + 25% FYM + PSB + Azotobacter), T 6 (75% RDF + 25% Vermicompost), Whereas it was showed significantly differ with rest of other treatments. The shortest stalk length was (33.00 cm) observed with treatment T 1 control (100% RDF). The similar result also reported of Agrawal et al., (2002) [1] in African Marigold.

The results of the present investigation revealed that the nutritional requirement of china aster could be fulfilled with the exclusive use of different bio-fertilizers and inorganic manures on floral character of china aster. The majority of the floral characteristics of plants, including days to bud initiation, days to flower opening, number of flowers per plant, number of flowers per plot, flower diameter and length of flower stalk, were found to respond best to Treatment T 9 (75% RDF + 25% vermicompost +PSB + Azotobacter) which was followed by Treatment T 8 (75% RDF + 25% FYM + PSB + Azotobacter).

References

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