Determining the Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield and Economics of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

A field experiment  was carried out to determine the effect of plant growth regulators on growth, fruit yield and economics of brinjal (cv. JC-1) at the Instructional cum Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Biswanath College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Sonitpur district of Assam during 2014-15. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with ten treatments and three replications. The growth regulators were applied in different concentrations viz., GA₃ (25, 50 and 100 ppm), IAA (25, 50 and 100 ppm), NAA (25, 50 and 100 ppm). The growth regulators showed significant response on morphological, physiological and yield attributing characters of brinjal during the period of present investigation. The results revealed that morphological characters with respect to plant height (93.70 cm), number of leaves per plant (53.10) and number of branches per plant (6.90) were significantly improved by GA₃ treatment at 100 ppm (T₃). The maximum leaf area index (2.82) was recorded under GA₃ at 100 ppm (T₃) whereas GA₃ at 50 ppm (T₂) recorded the highest (802.40 g) total dry weight per plant at harvest. However, the highest leaf chlorophyll content index (44.50) was recorded under treatment with NAA at 50 ppm (T₈). The treatment with GA₃ at 50 ppm (T₂) showed significantly higher total number of flower per plant (38.49), number of fruit per plant (18.56) and fruit yield (1.58 kg plant^-1 and 377 q ha^-1). The maximum gross return (Rs. 3,01,600 ha^-1) was obtained in T₂ (50 ppm GA₃) treatment which resulted in the highest net profit (Rs. 1,95,867 ha^-1) corresponding to the highest benefit cost ratio of 2.85. Hence, it can be concluded that GA₃ proved to be the best in improving the morphological, physiological, yield attributing parameters and net benefit in brinjal.