Effects of Drip Irrigation Schedules on the Yields of Marigolds

Abstract

Marigolds are popular plants in the Asteraceae family with yellow, orange, and red flowers due to their carotenoid compounds. It is reported that drip irrigation is an efficient method for maintaining a constant supply of moisture and nutrients and thus promoting plant growth. The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of drip irrigation schedules on the yield of marigolds. The experiment was conducted by transplanting seedlings of marigolds aged 20 days to plastic pots and then watering them with an automatically controlled mist irrigation system for 1 h twice daily. The irrigation schedules were varied as follows: 07:00–08:00 and 12:00–13:00, 08:00–09:00 and 13:00–14:00, 09:00–10:00 and 14:00–15:00, or 10:00–11:00 and 15:00–16:00. The findings showed that the first method was the best option for cultivating marigolds as it involved the lowest irrigation rate of 773.31 mL/h and the highest yield with the flower size reaching 6.61 cm, the flower weight standing at 10.53 g, and the number of flowers equaling 6.17 per plant.