Influence of Growing Media on Early Vegetative Growth and Flowering Attributes of Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium R.) Genotypes

Abstract

Growing medium is a major determinant of root-zone aeration, water availability and nutrient supply in container-grown chrysanthemum, while cultivar-specific responses can modify the magnitude of these effects. A two-year investigation (2024-25 and 2025-26) at Banda, Uttar Pradesh, evaluated seven growing media across five chrysanthemum genotypes in a factorial completely randomised design with four replications. The 7 × 5 factorial generated 35 treatment combinations, with one plant per 10-inch pot and 140 pots maintained under open-field conditions in each experimental setup. This paper focuses on plant height, plant spread, number of branches and number of leaves at 30 and 60 days after transplanting (DAT), together with leaf area, flower bud break, number of flowers per plant, flower withering period and flower weight per plant. Pooled data showed that soil + sand + farmyard manure (2:1:1; M2) produced the greatest plant height at 30 and 60 DAT (12.79 and 22.75 cm), whereas soil + sand + vermicompost (2:1:1; M3) produced the highest number of leaves at both stages (24.03 and 45.15). Cocopeat + vermicompost + farmyard manure (2:1:1; M6) recorded the largest leaf area (30.76 cm2), the highest flower number (54.35 plant-1) and the longest flower-withering period (71.60 days), while M3 advanced flower bud break to 96.85 days. Cocopeat + vermicompost + vermiculite (2:1:1; M7) produced the greatest mean flower weight (3.03 g). Pusa Lohit (G3) showed the greatest pooled leaf area (45.82 cm2), the longest flower-withering period (68.80 days) and the highest flower weight (5.25 g), whereas Pusa Chitraksha (G4) produced the most flowers (39.29 plant-1). Notable pooled interactions included M2 × G3 for plant height at 60 DAT (29.13 cm) and leaf area (68.14 cm2), M6 × G4 for flowers per plant (75.63), M6 × G3 for flower withering (75.50 days), and M1 × G3 for flower weight (6.51 g). The findings indicate that no single medium optimised every trait and that substrate choice should be aligned with the desired vegetative and floral response.