Effect of Foliar Application of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.)

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Effect of foliar application of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus T.)” was conducted at Horticulture Research farm, Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during Zaid season 2021 on watermelon with plant growth regulators viz., NAA (45,60ppm) GA3 (25,50 ppm) and Control (water spray). The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) consisting of 10 treatments with 3 replications. The results concluded that in variety TMWH-2786 with treatments T5(GA3@50ppm) performed superior in the following parameters viz., days to germination (6-7 days) survival percentage (99.5%),  vine length (5.77 m), days to the appearance of the first pistillate flower in 50% of plants (44.7 days), days to first harvest (93.73 days), fruit size in longitudinal shape (28.6 cm), maximum fruit weight (2.26 kg), number of marketable fruits per plant (2.11 fruits), maximum yield per hectare (31.78 tons), fruit diameter (30 cm) and TSS (10.5 ͦ Brix) was recorded.