Response of pigeonpea to season, halopriming and plant bioregulators intervention in relation to plant physiology and yield potential

Abstract

Pigeonpea seeds were primed with CaCl2 (2%), ZnSO4 (100 ppm), KH2PO4 (1%), KCl (1%), MnSO4 (100 ppm) and water. Primed seeds of ZnSO4 showed increased germination (92 %), drymatter production (0.399 mg seedlings-10) and least values for electrical conductivity (0.110 dSm-1), leachate aminoacid (37.82 mg g-1) and lipid peroxidation (0.137 OD). The best priming treatment was taken to field trial. The plant bioregulators viz., GA3 (200 ppm), NAA (200 ppm), miraculan 2.0 ml/l, cytozyme 2.0 ml/l, CCC 200 ppm and diammonium phosphate 2% were sprayed at 65 days and 80 days after sowing. Under field trial seed priming with ZnSO4 (100 ppm) and foliar spray with CCC 200 ppm reduced the plant height (131 cm), produced more number of branches (18), flowers (993), pods (527), highest seed yield (1520 kg/ha) and 100 seed weight (8.77 g) in kharif season.