Marigold crop production

2. INTRODUCTION :
 Common name: Marigold
 Scientific name: Tagetes spp
 Family: Asteraceae
 Native: Central & southern America (Mexico)
 Marigold is one of the most beautiful and commercially important
loose flower crop.
 Marigold is annual herb which have 33 species & numerous
variety.

3. IMPORTANCE AND USES
For beautification and also in landscape plans
It is highly suitable as a bedding plant, in an herbaceous border
Is ideal for newly planted shrubberies to provide colour and fill the spaces
French marigold is most ideal for rockery, edging, hanging baskets and window
boxes
Both leaves and flowers are equally important from medicinal point of view
Leaf paste is used externally against ‘boils’ (hard inflamed tumor) and
Carbuncles (inflamed ulcer)
leaf extract is good remedy for earache
Flower extract is considered as blood purifier
cures bleeding piles and
is also a good remedy for eye diseases and ulcers.

4. The essential oil present is used in the perfume industry
Rich in carotene pigments -Xanthophylls are the major carotenoid
Lutein accounts for 80 – 90% of total Xanthophylls content
Used for poultry feed to intensify the yellow colour of the egg yolk and broiler skin as well
as flesh and used for colouring food stuffs
In India, the extraction of carotenoid - Kerala, Karnataka and Andra Pradesh, primarily
in Cochin, Hyderabad and Bangalore and it is being exported to Mexico regularly
The oil has a pronounced odour and acts as a repellent to flies and Musquitos
It is also grown to reduce nematodes in many vegetables, fruits and ornamental
plants (Trap crop)

5. Origin and History
Native of Central and South America, especially ‘Mexico’.
It spread to different parts of the world during early part of the 16th century.
The name ‘Tagetes’ was given after ‘Tages’, a demigod, known for his
beauty.
The marigold was at first regarded with distrust due to its strong
disagreeable smell and it was considered as a poisonous plant.
Thus most of the persons chose to admire its beauty from a distance and
only a few cared to handle it.
Marigold is also known as ‘friendship flower’ in the United States.
• African marigold represents vulgar minds whereas,
• French marigold is a symbol of jealousy.

6. Distribution
• African marigold was first introduced into ‘Spain’ early in the 16th century and
became popular in Southern Europe under the name, ‘Rose of the Indies’.
• This plant was reintroduced into Europe in 1535 under the name, ‘Flos Africonus’
by Emperor Charles V.
• It was correctly named as Plantas tagetes indica in Fuch’s Herbal of 1547
(Genders, 1971).
• Another well known type of marigold i.e., French marigold (Tagetes patula)
followed a similar route from Mexico to that of African type.
• Bailey (1963) mentioned that T. erecta was put into cultivation in 1596 and T.
patula in 1573 in Europe.

7. SPECIES
 Tagetes erecta
 Tagetes patula
 Tagetes tenuifolia
 Tagetes lucida
 Tagetes lacera
 Tagetes lemmonii
 Tagetes minuta
 Tagetes psyilla

8. Tagetes patula Tagetes erecta
Tagetes tenuifolia Tagetes lucida
Tagetes lacera
Tagetes lemmonii

9. DEScRIPTION
 HABIT : Herbs and Shrubs
 LEAVES : Simple, Alternate or opposite, rarely compound
 INFLORESCENCE : A head (Capitulum) with an involucre of bracts
 FLOWER : The central tubular florets are know as Disc florets and the marginal
ligulate ones as Ray florets
 CALYX : Modified in to clusters of hairs called pappus
 COROLLA : Petals (5), gamopetalous, tubular
 ANDROECIUM : Absent
 GYNOECIUM : Carpels 2, syncarpous;ovary inferior, one celled with one basal,
anatropous ovule
 FRUIT : A capsul.
• MALE STERILITY:
• There are two types of male sterility is observed by Goldsmith during 1968 in
marigold viz.,
• 1. Apetalous
• 2. Double flowered.

10. Species of marigold
Tagetes erecta
(African
marigold)
The plant is hardy, annual, about 90cm tall, erect and branched.
Leaves are pinnately divided and leaflets are lanceolate and serrated.
 Flowers are single to fully double and large sized of globular heads.
The florets are either two lipped or quilled.
Flower colour varies from lemon yellow, yellow, golden yellow or
orange.
Self incompatible and cross pollinated
The ratio of CP to SP is 35:65
There are about 33 species

11. Tagetes patula
(French
marigold)
A hardy annual about 30cm tall, forming a bushy plant.
Foliage is dark green, reddish stem.
Leaves are pinnately divided and leaflet are linear lanceolate and
serrated.
Flowers are small either single or double born on proportionately
long peduncle.
The flower colours vary from yellow-mahogany-red.
 Self incompatible and cross pollinated
The ratio of CP to SP is 70:30

12. Tagetes
tenuifolia
(syn. T. signata)
It is an annual with a branching habit.
 leaves are pinnately divided into 12, oblong, linear, sharply
serrated
 Flowers have 5 rays, yellow, roundish and obovate.
T. signata cv Pumula is very dwarf, bushy and grows <30cm.
Tagetes lucida
(Sweet scented
marigold):
The plants annual.
 Leaves are sessile, small and lanceolate,
flowers are usually 2-3 rayed.
 Produced in dense, terminal corymbs.
The flowers have much more agreeable odour than others

13. Tagetes lacera It was discovered in California.
The plants grows up to 120 – 150cm in height
and flowers profusely.
Flowers are yellow in colour.
Tagetes lemmonii • It is a shrubby plants, grows up to 60 – 70cm.
• Leaves are slender, opposite, 2-3cm long leaflets.
• Flowers are showy and 2-3cm in diameter.
Other species grown in gardens are
T. Minuta -Mexican Marigold
T. pusilla and
T. corymbosa
In India, the cultivation of T. erecta and T. patula
dominates.

14. Types of AFRICAN MARIGOLD
1. Carnation flowered
(Carnation flowered tall):
The plants grow up to a height of 75cm, flowers up to 10cm across.
Color orange, golden yellow, deep orange or lemon yellow
• Carnation flowered dwarf – grows up to 40cm, large flowering.
2. Chrysanthemum flowered
Tall double flowered – tall plants, 30-60cm large, various shades of yellow
and orange.
Dwarf double flowered – The height is 20-30cm .
3. Tall F1 hybrids:
Plants about 60 cm high, large, fully double flowers up to 12cm across

15. 4. Semi-tall F1 hybrids:
This is also known as ‘hedge type’ because of uniform and compact growth,
50cm high double flowers are 10cm across with lemon and golden yellow and
light orange.
5. Dwarf F1 hybrids:
Plants are 15 to 40cm high and of compact growth, many flowers appear at time.
• Inca series: Flowers are large, fully double and compact
Space age series: Early flowering, dwarf and uniform
Galore series: Long flowering duration, uniform
6. F1 Triploid: Early and very free-flowering, large and golden yellow flowers.

16. Types of FRENCH MARIGOLD
1. Dwarf Single: Plant 20-30cm high, colour yellow, orange, reddish brown,
mahogany red, golden yellow, bi-colour.
2. Dwarf Double – Scabious flowered: wide range of colour – golden
yellow, golden orange with red marking, golden yellow with red, brownish
red with orange centre, golden yellow with spotted red etc.
3. Dwarf Double Petite: Very dwarf plants, 15-20 cm high, bears numerous
attractive flowers with golden yellow, orange, yellow and maroon colour.
4. French Dwarf Single: Plants 20-35 cm high, compact flowers, single,
golden yellow, yellow, golden yellow with maroon eye, mahogany red with
yellow centre, yellow with brown.

17. 5. Dwarf Triploid F1 Hybrid: Plants 25-40cm high, extremely early, profuse
flowering; colour – yellow, golden yellow, orange and brownish red.
6. Dwarf Double:
a. Dwarf All Saints: About 20cm high, good for bedding, wide range of colours.
b. Dwarf chrysanthemum: Plants are 20cm high, compact and bushy,
chrysanthemum flowered, rose, and crimson.
7. Tetraploid Hybrids: Early flowering, brilliant orange, fully double, carnation type
blooms, 6-7cm across.
8. Single Signet (Tagetes tenuifolia):
It is another dwarf type of marigold, plants grow 30-35cm tall, bushy with fine
lacy foliage and covered with small single flowers of lemon yellow and orange
colours. These are grown for pot culture, edging or rock garden.

18. Important varieties
AFRICAN MARIGOLD: produces either 50 flowers or 800g of flowers by
weight/plant for commercial growing.
Eg:
Alaska, Fire Glow, Golden Jubilee, Golden age, Yellow Fluffy, Giant Double African
Orange, Climax (F1), Golden Climax and Tant Bangalore selection, Pusa Narangi Gainda,
Pusa Basanti Gainda, Orange Lady, Orange Double, Sun Giant, Texas, Yellow stones or
Gold, Sumith,

19. FRENCH MARIGOLD
Cultivars which produce either 100 flowers or 200g flowers per plant.
Eg:
Brownie Scout , Burpees Nugget, Cupid Yellow, Orange flame, Petite (W), (Y),
Petite spray, Petite Gold, Yellow pygmy, Rusty Red, Butter Scotch, Red
Brocade, Valencia, Sussana, Bolero , Bonita, Burpee’s Gold Nugget, Burpee’s
red and gold, Caronea, Cupid Yellow, Fiesta, Goldie, Harmony, Lemon drop,
Melody.

20. Varieties released by IIHR and IARI
Arka Bangara
Pusa Arpita: Selection from heterozygous population
Pusa Basanti Gainda: Golden Yellow x Sun Giant
Pusa Narangi Gainda: Cracker Jack x Golden Jubilee

21. SOIL REQUIREMENT:
Marigold can be successfully cultivated on a wide variety of soils. However,
a soil that is deep fertile and sandy loam, friable having well water holding
capacity, well drained and near to neutral in reaction. pH of 7.0-7.5 is most
desirable.
PREPARATION OF SOIL:
Land should be well prepared by ploughing 2-3 times and 50 tones of well
decomposed farmyard manure should be well mixed. Beds of convenient
size are made to facilitate irrigation and other cultural operations.
PROPAGATION:
Marigold is propagated by both methods i.e.,
1. Seeds
2. Cuttings.

22.  Seed rate: 400-500g/acre (1000 – 1500 g/ha)
Raising seedlings:
 Bed size 3m long X 30cm wide X 15-20cm height.
 About 12-15 beds -one acre .
 seeds are sown 2-3cm deep at 5cm apart.
 The seed germinate in 5-7 days of sowing,
 water the bed once in 3-4 days depending upon climate.
Transplanting:
 Transplanting should be done in well prepared land and
 field should be irrigated 2-3 days prior to transplanting.
 The height of the seedlings should be 6-8cm (25-30 days old seedlings).

23. • BY CUTTINGS:
• This method is commonly followed for maintaining the purity of
varieties. Normally, the presence of adventitious roots along the stem
helps in the establishment of cuttings. About 10 cm long cuttings are
made and treated with seradix No.1. The cuttings are planted in the sand
to strike roots easily and plants thus raised are used for bedding and pot
planting.

24. Spacing:
Tagetes erecta Tagetes patula
1) 40 x 40cm 1) 20 x 20cm
2) 45 x 30cm 2) 30 x 30cm
3) 60 x 45cm
Manures and fertilizers
• FYM = 30t/ha – incorporate 25-30 days before transplanting
• Fert - 120:80: 80 NPK kg/ha
• Full P & K should be applied at the time of land preparation.
• Nitrogen should be applied in 2 splits 0 and 40 days after planting.
Pinching:
• The terminal shoots should be removed to enhance the large number of
axillary shoots 40 days after transplanting.

25. Rouging:
•The seed crop should be examined at 2 stages.
•Vegetative stage or pre-flowering and flowering.
At vegetative stage, plant showing variation for growth habit foliage/stem colour
should be uprooted and dumped.
However, at flowering the colour of the flower, type of flowers (single or any
variation in floret arrangement)
should be rouged 3 – 4 times during flowering period (since, flowering period
varies from 45 – 55 days in Pusa Narangi Gainda and Pusa Basanthi Gainda).
Earthing-up:
•Since marigold has shallow root system, therefore to avoid the risk of toppling of
plants at full bloom stage in seed crop earthing-up is practiced.

26. • FLOWERING
• Summer season crop, - commences by the
middle of May with maximum intensity in the
month of June and continues till the onset of
rains.
• Rainy season crop - by the middle of September
and the flowering will continue till December.
• Winter season crop - by the middle of January
and will continue till March.

27. PESTS AND DISEASES:
DISEASES
1. Damping off / Collor rot (Rhizoctonia solani) : Seed treatment with capton @
0.5%
2. Leaf spot (Alternaria tagetica) : Spray with Blitox @ 0.4% or Cercospora spp.
Bavistin @ 0.1%
3. Blight (Colletotrichum capsia) : DM 45 @ 0.2%
4. Inflorescence blight (Alternaria zinnac) : DM 45 @ 0.2% or Bavistin @ 0.1%
5. Powdery mildew (Oidium sp.) : Spray with calixin, sulfex @ 0.2% (WS) @ 0.2%
Viral diseases: Marigold is infected by CMV, Aster yellow virus
PESTS
1. Red spider mite : Spray Kelthane @ 2ml/l
2. Hairy caterpillar: Spray Endosulfan or Ekolux @ 2ml/l
3. Leaf hopper : Spray wits Melathian or Rogar @ 2ml/l

28. HARVESTING AND YIELD:
Marigold flower should be plucked when they attain the full size depending upon
the variety. Plucking of flowers should be done in cool hours of the day i.e, either
in the morning or evening. Field should be irrigated before harvesting so that,
flowers keep well for longer period after plucking. Plucked flowers should be
covered with moist gunny bags if kept overnight before taking to market.
Productivity of plants increases considerably by regular plucking of flowers.
YIELD
No. of flowers Fresh flower
(Million/ha) (t/ha- 1)
1) African marigold 1.5 – 2.5 11 – 18
2) French marigold 6.0 – 8.0 8 – 12

29. Harvesting of seeds:
The fully developed, dried flowers should be picked up in early morning
to avoid cracking in calyx.
At the time of picking small and under developed flowers should be
avoided.
The dried petals are removed first followed by removal of calyx manually
on individual flower basis.
About 2 – 3kg dried flowers can be threshed by a labour/day, thus
threshing requires a large number of laborers.
The winnowing of threshed material is done through air currents.
Seed yield: 30 – 35kg/acre (75-85 kg/ha).
•The 1000 seed weight is 2.98g & 2.46g in Pusa Narangi Gainda and Pusa
Basanti Gainda respectively.