<b>Agrotechniques to maximize productivity of Hydroalcoholic extract from medicinal garden herb, Calendula</b>

113-120Among the various agrotechniques, optimum nutrient management is one of the most important factors, which affect the growth and overall accumulation of active ingredients in the different organs of the plants as the capacity to produce dry matter per unit area is dependent on nutrient management. Two years field experiment was carried in winter season during 2000-2002 at Horticulture Research Farm, BCKV, Kalyani, Nadia (West Bengal) on clay loam soil taking 27 treatment combinations comprised of three levels (0,10, 20g/m2) of each of N, P2O5 and K2O under 3 replications to work out the optimum nutrient management for obtaining higher hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) from different parts of Calendula. The highest amount of HAE was noticed in the flower followed by leaf, shoot and to a lesser extent in root. The treatment combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the ratio of 20:10:20 g/m2 was observed to provide optimum nutrition for maximum productivity of flower as well as percentage of HAE producing 2308.70 g/m2 flower and 16.2, 14.4, 9.6 and 6.0% of HAE in flower, leaf, shoot and root, respectively on clay loam soil