Impact of Growing Medium and Wastewater Irrigation on Vegetative and Flowering Characteristics of Tagetes erecta L.

ABSTRACT: Marigold, member of Asteraceae (Compositae) family, is grown as ornamental cut flower and landscape plant and as a source of natural compounds. The aim of this study was evaluation of the effects of growing medium and irrigation by wastewater on vegetative and flowering characteristics of marigold. The treatments were combination of irrigation (by ordinary water, raw wastewater and refined wastewater) and growing medium (soil and mixture of 1/3 soil, 1/3 sand and 1/3 peat) in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The maximum plant height (80.2 cm) and shoot number (17.1/plant) were achieved on mixture + refined wastewater which were significantly different when compared to other treatments. Flower number was maximum (24.1/plant) in mixture + refined wastewater which was not significantly different when compared to soil + refined wastewater. The maximum flower diameter (7.1 cm) was obtained in mixture + refined wastewater.