Effect of Foliar Spray of Different Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs), Micronutrients and Seaweed Extract on Vegetative Growth, Flowering, Fruit Yield and Quality of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during 2025–2026 at the Central Orchard (Horticulture Research Farm), Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Faculty of Agriculture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS), Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, to evaluate foliar applications of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari. Eight-year-old, uniform trees of pomegranate cv. Kandhari were used for the study. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with eleven treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised foliar applications of plant growth regulators (GA₃ and NAA), micronutrients (ZnSO₄ and borax), and seaweed extract, applied individually and in different combinations. The first foliar spray was applied in September 2025. The results revealed that treatment T₁₀ (GA₃ at 100 ppm + NAA at 40 ppm + seaweed extract at 5 ml L⁻¹ + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) produced the maximum vegetative growth and was the most effective treatment. However, T₆ (NAA at 40 ppm + ZnSO₄ at 0.5% + borax at 0.2%) was found to be the most economically viable treatment. The study indicates that integrated foliar application of plant growth regulators, micronutrients, and seaweed extract can significantly improve vegetative growth, total number of flowers, number of fruits per plant, and fruit weight (g) in pomegranate under Prayagraj agro-climatic conditions.