Vol. 11, Issue 12 (2022)

Author(s):
Dhanyasree K, Rafeekher M, Simi S and Amal Premachandran

Abstract:
Vegetative propagation of papaya on commercial scale have an inherent limitation due to difficulty in obtaining sufficient number of side shoots. This is primarily due to the strong apical dominance that occurs due to presence of auxin in the meristem zone. Overcome this problem, the effect of plant bio-regulators viz., Gibberllic acid (GA₃) and Benzyladenine (BA) were investigated, on six months old field grown papaya trees of variety Red Lady in induction of side shoots, to be used as scion for grafting in papaya at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) during October 2021 to June 2022. Among the treatments, it was revealed that GA₃ 500 mg/L + BA 500 mg/L recorded minimum number of days for shoot initiation (3.74). In respect to number of shoots, BA 500mg/L produced a higher number of (32.58 and 38.72) shoots per plant at 15 and 30 days after spraying respectively. Whereas, GA₃ 250 mg/L + BA 250 mg/L recorded more number of shoots per plant at 45 and 60 days after spray (40.50, 41.43). In respect of number of propagatable laterals, plants sprayed with GA₃ 250 mg/L + BA 250 mg/L registered the maximum of 17.63, 20.58, 24.08 19.92 nos in Red Lady at 15,30 45 and 60 days after spraying. GA₃ 500mg/L recorded maximum length and girth at 15 (9.71, 3.54), 30(11.81, 4.43), 45(12.81, 4.60) 60 (13.29, 4.78) days after spray followed by combination of GA₃ 250 mg/L + BA 250 mg/L.