17 Aug Marigold for year- round livelihood
भारत में सारे साल गैंदे के फूलों की खेती करके आमदनी बढाऐ। Marigold (Tagetes spp.) a member of family Asteraceae, is native of central and South America, especially Mexico. Marigold is broadly divided into two groups, viz., African marigold (Tagetes erecta Linn.) and French marigold (Tagetes patula Linn). The African marigold is a hardy annual plant grows up-to one meter and above, bears single or fully double large sized globular heads of yellow, orange and white shades, whereas French marigold is dwarf and grow up to 20-60 cm height which bears small, lemon yellow golden yellow or orange tinged red flowers. Its habit of free flowering, short duration to produce marketable flowers, wide spectrum of attractive colours, shape, size and good keeping quality has attracted the attention of flower growers. It is put to many uses like cut flowers, garden displays, garlands, bouquets and for worship. It is grown as an annual in a herbaceous border and is also ideal as a filler for newly planted shrubberies to provide colour and to fill the spaces. Apart from its significance in Ornamental Horticulture, it has been valued for other purposes too. The aromatic oil extracted from Tagetes minuta which is being traded as “Tagetes oil” is a fly repellent. It is also...