Effect of plant growth regulators on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).

The experiment was carried out at HRS, Mondouri, BCKV during 2012-14 to find out the effect of growth regulators on growth and yield of chilli cv. Beldanga. Three concentrations of four growth regulators, namely, NAA (25, 50 and 75 ppm), GA₃ (20, 40 and 60 ppm), 2, 4-D (5, 7.5 and 10 ppm) and ethrel (300, 400 and 500 ppm) were included in this investigation. The regulators were applied as foliar spray at 30 and 60 days after transplanting. There were altogether 13 treatments including control (water spray).In both the years, the seedlings were transplanted during middle of November in 2 x 1.6 m plot at 50 x 40 cm spacing accommodating 16 plants per plot. The experiment was laid out in RBD with three replications. The NPK dose was 150 : 80 : 80 kg/ha. Among different treatments, maximum number of both primary (4.43) and secondary branches (17.97), 1000-seed weight (3.74 g), yield per plant (182.31 g) and projected yield per hectare (6.37 t) were observed in plants raised from application of NAA 75 ppm. Maximum plant height (60.67cm), plant spread in (E-W) (36.00 cm) and maximum weight of 20 dry fruit (9.39 g) were recorded in GA₃ 60 ppm and GA₃ 20 ppm treated plants, respectively. The plant spread in (N-S) (36.97 cm) and maximum number of seeds per fruit (60.47) were recorded in 2,4-D 7.5 ppm treated plants. The projected yield under untreated control was 4.34 t/ha. From yield maximization point of view, the most effective treatment was NAA 75 ppm followed by NAA 50 ppm and GA3 60 ppm under alluvial plains of West Bengal for production of chilli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]