|
PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of paclobutrazol (PBZ) as a growth retardant and partial root drying (PRD) as a water saving technique on excessive vegetative growth and yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) at different doses of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 ppm PBZ alone and in combination with PRD. The growth and yield parameters were evaluated at 50 days after transplanting (DAT), 100 DAT and at harvest (145DAT).Number of leaves, leaf area, relative growth rate, specific leaf area, dry weight of roots and shoots in tomato were decreased significantly in PBZ treated plants and PBZ + PRD@ 2.5ppm in comparison to control that clearly indicating the role of Paclobutrazol inhibiting gibberellins biosynthesis thereby reducing the growth of tomato plants. However, stem thickness increased significantly because when gibberellins biosynthesis decreases cell division still occurs, but the new cells do not elongate, resulting in stouter stem. Number of fruits/plant, dry weight of fruit, total soluble carbohydrates, fruit diameter, pericarp thickness, number of locules and fruit yield were increased significantly in PBZ treated plants and PBZ+PRD@ 2.5 ppmas compared to control. Application of PBZ @ 2.5 ppm commands a great significance in maintaining growth of plants and thereby enhancing the yield.