EVALUATION OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS AND COW URINE ON VEGETATIVE VIGOUR, REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS, AND YIELD OF STRAWBERRY (FRAGARIA × ANANASSA DUCH.) CV. WINTER DAWN

Abstract

The study was conducted at Horticultural Research Center, College of Horticulture, SVPUAT to assess the vegetative parameters, reproductive parameters and yield  of strawberry cultivar Winter Dawn to evaluate the exogenous application of PGR’s and cow urine. The experimental trial was carried out using the randomized block design (RBD) with three replications and nineteen treatments. Foliar application of plant growth regulators (GA3 and NAA) and cow urine was done with concentration (GA3 75 and 100 ppm), NAA (20 and 30 ppm) and cow urine (5 and 10 %). The results showed that both individual and combined application of foliar spray had shown big impact on the vegetative parameters, reproductive parameters and yield of strawberry plant. The pooled results had shown variation among the treatments for the studied characters. The treatment T18 GA3 100 ppm + NAA 20 ppm + Cow urine 10 % recorded maximum pooled number of leaves (20.23 at 90 DAP), petiole length (12.77 cm at 90 DAP) and maximum canopy spread (E-W 27.51 cm and N-S 24.17 cm). For reproductive and yield parameters, treatment T17 – GA3 75 ppm + NAA 30 ppm + Cow urine 5% significantly advanced the flowering duration taking minimum number of days to flowering (41.76 DAP), maximum number of fruits per plant (20.24) and recording maximum yield per plant (472.98 gm). The treatment effect for days taken to fruit set was non-significant (CD-NS). The findings demonstrate the combined application of synthetic growth regulators and cow urine enhance the vegetative vigor and reproductive traits in strawberry.