Vol. 11, Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
Aditi B Hande, Sudhir R Dalal, Anuradha A Watane and Atul D Warade

Abstract:
A field investigation entitled "Response of plant growth regulators on growth, flower yield and quality of China aster (Callistephus chinensis (L) Nees)" was carried out during the year 2020-21 at Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola with the objectives to study the effect of different growth regulators on growth, flowering, yield and flower quality of China aster cv. Phule Ganesh White and to find out the suitable concentration of growth regulators for higher and quality production of China aster. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with ten (10) growth regulator treatments which were replicated thrice. The treatment comprised three levels each of GA3 (50,100 and 150 ppm), Salicylic acid (50,100 and 150 ppm) and Triacontanol (1500, 2000 and 2500 ppm) along with control (water spray). The result of the present investigation indicated that, the growth regulator treatments significantly influenced the growth, flowering and yield of China aster. Maximum vegetative growth of China aster plant viz. plant height (70.36 cm), number of branches per plant (11.18), plant spread (39.88 cm) and leaf area (46.21 cm²) were recorded with GA3 @ 150 ppm spray. However, flowering parameters viz, minimum days for emergence of first flower bud (49.78 days), 50 per cent flowering (61.03 days) and first harvesting (64.25 days) were recorded with Triacontanol @ 1500 ppm and maximum duration (36.02 days) of flowering was recorded with Triacontanol @ 2000 ppm spray. In respect to yield parameters, maximum flower yield per plant (318.42 g), per plot (8.91 kg) and per hectare (3.53 t) were recorded with GA3 @ 150 ppm spray.