Effect of Foliar Application of Plant Growth Regulators on Quality and Economics of Broccoli Production under Walk-In-Tunnel

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at “Center of Excellence on Protected Cultivation, College of Agriculture, IGKV, Raipur (CG)” to find out the possible effect of foliar application of plant growth regulators with different concentration levels on yield of broccoli. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. It was consisted of ten treatments including T0: Control (without spray of PGRs), T1: GA3 @ 40 ppm, T2: GA3 @ 60 ppm, T3: GA3 @ 80 ppm, T4: NAA @ 60 ppm, T5: NAA @ 120 ppm, T6: NAA @ 180 ppm, T7: GA3 @ 40 ppm + NAA @ 60 ppm, T8: GA3 @ 60 ppm + NAA @ 120 ppm and T9: GA3 @ 80 ppm + NAA @ 180 ppm”. Two foliar applications were performed at 20 days after transplanting and 40 days after transplanting. The important parameters encompassed in the study were gurd diameter (cm), primary curd weight (g), secondary curd weight (g), curd yield per plant, curd yield per plot and curd yield per hectare. Data was recorded three times during investigation that is 30 DAT, 60 DAT and at the time of harvest. Although all treatments showed a positive effect on yield among all the treatments, T9 was showed better performance which may be due to the elongation of cells and cell division, increased dry matter accumulation in plants. Therefore, foliar application of GA3 80 ppm + NAA 180 was optimum among all treatments for getting higher yield in broccoli crop.