Feasibility analysis of floating floriculture system for aesthetic and economical use of polluted wetlands in urban areas of Bangladesh

Abstract Rapid urbanization possesses detrimental impacts on the environment especially on water bodies. Polluted water from industrial and residential sources ends up in water bodies and make them unattainable and unsightly. An indigenous cultivation practice, floating agriculture allows the fallow wetlands for agricultural production. Cultivation of economically important flower like marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) on wetlands through floating agriculture technique make the water bodies productive and aesthetically valuable. Considering this, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the performance of marigold on floating bed. To perform the experiment, two different samples (based on flower color) of marigold seedlings were cultivated on floating and soil bed. Data on different morphological, physiological as well as yield-related parameters were collected and subjected to statistical analysis. Results of the study revealed that, with other favorable growth parameters number of flowers was greater in floating condition. These profound growth responses suggest the sound adaptation of marigold in floating agriculture technique.