Determining the Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield and Quality of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during 2023 at the instructional farm, faculty of horticulture, uttar banga krishi viswavidyalaya, pundibari, west bengal. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (rbd) with eight treatments and three replications. The study aimed to assess the influence of different plant growth regulators on growth, yield, and quality parameters of chilli. The results revealed that treatment t4 (paclobutrazol 40% sc @ 87.5 ml/ha) recorded the highest number of primary branches (4.25), maximum fruits per plant (130.62), yield per plant (449.32 g), yield per plot (6.73 kg), and yield per hectare (10.78 t). Treatment t3 (paclobutrazol 40% sc @ 70 ml/ha) achieved the highest fruit length (8.94 cm), fruit diameter (3.64 mm), and leaf area (3.66 cm²). In terms of quality, the maximum total soluble solids (6.35 °brix), ascorbic acid content (106.63 mg/100g), and total chlorophyll content (2.57 mg/100g) were observed in treatment t6 (alpha naphthalene acetic acid 4.5% sl @ 10 ppm/ha). Conversely, maximum plant height (46.07 cm) and maximum days to 50% flowering (57.38 days) were recorded in the control (t0). The study concludes that the application of paclobutrazol and naa significantly enhances the growth, yield, and quality of hybrid chilli bnhp-104 compared to untreated plants.