Efficacy of growth regulators and biostimulants on growth, yield and quality of Celosia cristata var. Chief Fire

Abstract

Studies on the effect of growth regulators and bio stimulants on growth, yield, and quality of Celosia cristata var. Chief Fire were carried out at the experimental field of the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Kittur Rani Channamma College of Horticulture, Arabhavi, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka during the year 2022-2023. Nine treatments of growth regulators, bio stimulants and their combinations were taken for the study viz T1 - Water spray (control), T2 - NAA @ 100 ppm, T3 - GA3 @ 100 ppm, T4 - Kinetin @ 50 ppm, T5 - Humic acid 1%, T6 - Biovita 1%, T7 - NAA @ 100 ppm + GA3 @ 100 ppm + Kinetin @ 50 ppm T8 - Biovita 1% + Humic acid 1% and T9 - NAA @ 100 ppm + GA3 @ 100 ppm + Kinetin @ 50 ppm + Biovita 1% + Humic acid 1 %. Growth regulators, bio stimulants and their combinations were sprayed twice (sprayed at 30 and 45 days after transplanting). The results revealed that among the growth regulators, biostimulant and their combination treatments, the treatment receiving the combination of bio stimulants Biovita 1% + Humic acid 1 % showed maximum plant height (30.66 and 60.00 cm), number of branches (6.62 and 13.33), number of leaves (50.67 and 100.33), leaf area (48.17 and 87.74 cm2 ) leaf area index (0.035 and 0.065). While minimum number of days for first flowering and 50% flowering (28.83 and 33.84 days), number of spikes per plant (14.66), weight of single spike (83.00 g) and vase life (8.81 days). However, the minimum values for all the parameters were recorded in the control. Thereby, Biovita 1% + Humic acid 1% showed potential for improving the growth, yield and quality parameters of Celosia cristata var. Chief Fire.