Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth Parameters of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) cv. MGH-4

Abstract

An experiment entitled " Effect of plant growth regulators on growth, yield and fruit quality of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) cv. MGH-4" was conducted at Horticulture Research Field, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) during 2019. Plant Growth regulators are regarded as one of the most important treatments, used nowadays in agriculture, which in most cases modify the plant growth and the subsequent fruiting. The experimental trial consisted two plant growth regulators having different concentration NAA (30, 40, 50, 60, 70 & 80 ppm) and GA3(30,40, 50, 60 & 70 ppm). Water was used as a control. The application of plant growth regulators significantly affects the vegetative as well as reproductive attributes of the crop. Application of plant growth regulators at the 2-4 leaf stage was found to be the most productive in terms of growth attributes of bottle gourd. Treatment T7 (80 ppm NAA) at 2-4 leaf stage showed the maximum vine length (8.20 m), Number of Leaves Per Plant (103.50) and took minimum Days to First Female Flower Initiation (53.33). However, the treatment T9 (40 ppm GA3) showed the maximum Number of Male Flowers Per Vine (54.08) and Number of Female Flowers Per vine (17.08). Plant Growth regulators are one of the most significant treatments currently used in agriculture, and they typically alter plant growth and subsequent fruiting and growth attributes.