Effect of foliar application of micronutrients on growth, flowering and yield of Daisy (Glebionis Coronaria L.)

Introduction

Annual chrysanthemum (Glebionis coronaria L.) is one of the most widely cultivated garden flowers grown all over India and is highly suitable for loose flowers, pot culture, and bedding purposes. It belongs to one of the largest families of flowering plants, Asteraceae. Annual chrysanthemum is also referred to as crown daisy or garland daisy or Leucanthemum coronarium or Chrysanthemum coronarium L. It is a winter annual, and it is native to the Mediterranean region. It is distributed throughout Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. It is mainly propagated through seeds, which produce daisy-like golden yellow to white flowers. Annual chrysanthemums are relatively short-duration crops and they are less photosensitive and thus capable of growing throughout the year under moderate climatic conditions. The plant is considered to be hardier and vigorous, and it grows taller. It completes its life cycle within 120-150 days.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Research cum Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur (C.G.), during the Rabi season of 2025-26. The field experiment was carried out on the Boom variety of Daisy using a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with three replications. The study consisted of two factors: Factor A with two levels and Factor B with seven levels. Thus, a total of 14 treatment combinations (2 × 7) were formed and evaluated. The treatments comprised T 1 -Morning spray + control, T 2 -Morning spray + Zinc 0.2%, T 3 -Morning spray + Zinc 0.4%, T 4 -Morning spray + Iron 0.1% T 5 -Morning spray + Iron 0.2%, T 6 -Morning spray + Copper 0.1%, T 7 -Morning spray + Copper 0.2%, T 8 -Evening spray + control, T 9 -Evening spray + Zinc 0.2%, T 10 -Evening spray + Zinc 0.4%, T 11 -Evening spray + Iron 0.1%, T 12 -Evening spray + Iron 0.2%. T 13 -Evening spray + Copper 0.1%, T 14 -Evening spray + Copper 0.2%. The micronutrient solutions used in the present investigation were prepared by dissolving micronutrients in water. zinc 0.2 per cent solution was prepared by weighing 2 grams of zinc and dissolved in 1000 ml of water, zinc 0.4 per cent solution by weighing 4 grams of zinc and dissolved in 1000 ml of water, ISSN Print: 2617-4693 ISSN Online: 2617-4707 NAAS Rating (2026): 5.29 Indexing: Embase iron 0.1 per cent solution was prepared by weighing 1 gram of iron and dissolved in 1000 ml of water, iron 0.2 per cent solution by weighing 2 grams of iron and dissolved in 1000 ml of water, copper 0.1 per cent solution was prepared by weighing 1 gram of copper and dissolved in 1000 ml of water, copper 0.2 per cent solution by weighing 2 grams of copper and dissolved in 1000 ml of water. The foliar application of micronutrient solutions was carried out twice during the crop growth period. The first spray was applied at 50 DAT and the second spray at 75 DAT. The micronutrient solutions were sprayed uniformly on the foliage of the plants during the morning and evening hours under favorable weather conditions. All the recommended cultural practices, including irrigation, weeding and plant protection measures, were followed uniformly throughout the experimental period. The recorded observations were subjected to analysis of variance appropriate for a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD). Treatment means were compared using the critical difference (CD) at the 5% level of significance. Standard error of mean (SEm±) and CV at 5% were calculated for comparison among treatments."

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on plant height was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The highest plant height (91.22 cm) was recorded under B 3 (zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (zinc 0.2%) with 90.43 cm, while the lowest plant height (80.73 cm) was recorded under B 1 (control). The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on plant height was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Saini et al. (2015), Karuppiah (2014) [1] , and Chopde et al. (2016) [2] in chrysanthemum and Kumar et al. (2003) in carnation.

Number of branches

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on number of branches was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The highest number of branches (35.97) was recorded under B 3 (zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (zinc 0.2%) with 34.88, while the lowest number of branches (30.45) was recorded under treatment B 6 (Copper 0.2%). The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on number of branches was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Karuppiah (2014) [1] in gerbera and similar results was also obtained by Thirumalmurugan V. et al. (2021) in African marigold.

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on plant spread was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The highest plant spread in E-W direction (36.80 cm) and N-S direction (42.41 cm) was recorded under B 3 (zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (zinc 0.2%), while the lowest plant spread in E-W direction (30.45) and N-S direction was recorded under treatment B 1 (Control). The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on plant spread was non-significant.

Flowering parameters days to 50% flowering

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on days to 50% flowering was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant.

The minimum days to 50 % flowering (60.96) was recorded under the B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (Zinc 0.4%) with 61.64 days, while maximum days to 50 % flowering (69.77) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control). The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on days to 50% flowering was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Thirumalmurugan and Gupta and Kumar (2015) in African marigold.

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on flowering duration was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant.

The maximum flowering duration (47.93) was recorded under the treatment B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 5 (Iron 0.2%), with 45.98 days, while minimum flowering duration (39.32) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control). The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on flowering duration was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Joseph et al. (2019) [3] in china aster.

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on flower diameter was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The maximum flower diameter (5.84 cm) was recorded under the treatment B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (Zinc 0.2%) with 5.75 cm, while minimum flower diameter (4.12 cm) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control), The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on flower diameter was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Vanlalruati et al. (2019) in chrysanthemum and Karuppiah (2019) in tuberose.

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on single flower weight was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The maximum single flower weight (2.96 g) was recorded under the treatment B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (Zinc 0.2%) with 2.85 g, while minimum single flower weight (2.38 g) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control), The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on single flower weight was non-significant.

Number of flowers plant-1

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on number of flowers plant-1 was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The maximum no of flowers plant-1 (138.67) was recorded under the treatment B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (Zinc 0.2%) with 136.57, while minimum no of flowers plant-1 (121.83) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control), The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on no of flowers plant-

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on flower yield plant-1 was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant.

The maximum flower yield plant-1 (437.18 g) was recorded under the treatment B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (Zinc 0.2%) with 421.28 g, while minimum flower yield plant-1 99. g) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control), The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on flower yield plant-1 was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Shah et al. (2016) in marigold, Chopde et al. (2016) [2] in chrysanthemum, and Joseph et al. (2016) in china aster.

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on flower yield plot-1 was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The maximum flower yield plot-1 (4.32 kg) was recorded under the treatment B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (Zinc 0.2%) with 4.17 kg., while minimum flower yield plot-1 (2.51 kg) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control), The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on flower yield plant-1 was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Shah et al. (2016) in marigold, Chopde et al. (2016) [2] in chrysanthemum, and Joseph et al. (2016) in china aster.

Flower yield ha -1 (q)

Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of different spray timings on flower yield ha -1 was non-significant. In contrast, the effect of different micronutrient concentrations was statistically significant. The maximum flower yield ha -1 (108.22 q) was recorded under the treatment B 3 (Zinc 0.4%), followed by B 2 (Zinc 0.2%) with 104.51 q, while minimum flower yield ha -1 (91.78 q) was recorded under the treatment B 1 (Control), The interaction effect of spray timings and micronutrient concentrations on flower yield ha -1 was non-significant. Similar findings were reported by Shah et al. (2016) in marigold, Chopde et al. (2016) [2] in chrysanthemum, and

Conclusion

The results of the present investigation on the "Effect of foliar application of micronutrients on growth, flowering and yield of Daisy (Glebionis coronaria L.)." revealed that the effect of spray timing was found to be non-significant for all the growth, flowering and yield parameters. In contrast, the effect of micronutrient concentration was significant, with B 3 (Zinc 0.4%) recording the highest values for plant height (91.22 cm), number of branches (35.97), plant spread (40.18 cm), flower diameter (5.84 cm), days to 50% flowering (60.96), flowering duration (47.93 days), single flower weight (2.96 g), number of flowers plant-1 (138.67), flower yield plant-1 (437.18 g), flower yield plot-1 (4.32 kg), and flower yield hectare-1 (108.22 q). The interaction effect of spray timing and micronutrient concentration (𝐴 × 𝐵) was found to be non-significant for all the parameters.

Therefore, it can be concluded that the micronutrient B 3 (Zinc 0.4%) was found to be the best for promoting vegetative growth, flowering and yield of Daisy. .

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