Effect of plant growth regulators on growth , biochemical changes and yield of mustard [ brassica juncea ( l . ) czern . & coss . ]

The investigation entitled “Effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on growth, biochemical changes & yield of mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.& Coss.]” was conducted during rabi season, 2013-2014 at the Instructional Farm of Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.), India in randomized block design with ten treatments, three replications and variety Narendra rai (NDR-8501). The treatments were comprised of foliar spray of 3 plant growth regulators (PGRs) of different concentrations viz., Salicylic acid (0.1 mM. 0.3 mM, 0.5 mM), GA3 (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) and kinetin (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) along with untreated control (distilled water spray) & spraying was done at 30 DAS. Observations were recorded at 60, 90 DAS and at maturity. The observations were taken on growth parameters like plant height, number of branches plant-1, biochemical parameters like chlorophyll a & b content, oil content, yield characters like no. of siliquae plant-1, no. of seeds plant-1, setting percentage of siliquae. All the PGRs viz., salicylic acid (0.1 mM, 0.3mM, 0.5mM), GA3 (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) and kinetin (25 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm) induced positive influence on the growth characters and chlorophyll content in plants but the foliar spraying of GA3 50 ppm at 30 DAS was found more profound among all treatments. All the treatments enhanced the yield and yield contributing characters at all the doses in mustard. On the basis of above investigation it may be concluded that foliar spray of PGRs at 30 DAS may be used as a potential tool to improve growth and yield of mustard.