Comparative study of the effect of plant growth regulators on growth, yield and physiological attributes of chilli, Capsicum annuum L cv Kashi Anmol

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2014–2015 at the research field of Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, UP. The experiment consisted of 10 treatment combinations comprising plant growth regulators and their mode of application and was laid out in randomized block design with factorial concept having three replications. It comprised four different growth regulators viz NAA (40 ppm), GA₃ (50 ppm), brassinosteroid (50 ppm), 2,4-D (5 ppm) and water as control and two methods of application viz seed soaking for six hours and foliar application at flower bud initiation stage. Among the growth regulators, significantly maximum seed yield per plant (8.30 g), seed yield per fruit (0.35 g), average fresh weight of fruits per plant (39 g) and average dry weight of fruits per plant (19.67 g) were obtained in 40 ppm NAA (G₂) as against control (G₀). Similarly significant increase in seed yield and quality parameters were recorded in foliar spraying of growth regulators (M₂) over seed soaking for six hours (M₁) and also with foliar spraying of 40 ppm NAA at flower bud initiation stage (G₂M₂) over other treatment combinations.