EFFECTS OF GIBBERELLIC ACID AND SALICYLIC ACID ON MORPHOPHYSIOLOGY AND YIELD OF COWPEA

Abstract

Executive Summary An experiment was conducted in the Agronomy field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University to study the effects of gibberellic acid and salicylic acid on morpho-physiology and yield of cowpea during November 2022 to June 2023. The nine (9) treatments are T = Control, T 2 = GA 3 50 ppm, T 3 = GA 3 100 ppm, T

50 4 = SA 50 mM, T 5 = SA 100 mM, T

50 ppm + SA 50 mM, T 7 = GA 3 50 ppm + SA 100 mM, T 8 = GA 3 6 1 = GA 100 ppm + SA 50 mM, T

= GA 100 ppm + SA 100 mM. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. In case of morpho-physiological character the highest plant height, highest no. of branches, leaf area index, dry matter content plant 3 , Crop growth rate, relative growth rate and SPAD reading was (86.47 cm), (14.65), (0.19), (73.02 gm), (2.40 mg cm -2 day -1 ), (33.40 mg gm -1 day -1 ) and (62.36) respectively from treatment T

(GA 3 100 ppm + SA 100 mM) and the lowest was observed from treatment T (control). On the other hand, the highest number of pods plant -1 , number of seeds pods -1 , pod length, 1000 seed weight, seed yield plant -1 , grain yield, stover yield, biological yield and harvest index was (19.5), (14.50), (22.29 cm), (128.40 gm), (36.18 gm), (5.81 t ha -1 1 ), (5.04 t ha ), (10.86 t ha -1 ) and (53.45%) respectively from treatment T 9 (GA 100 ppm + SA 100 mM) and lowest was observe from treatment T 1 3 (control). Proper use of plant growth regulator especially combined use of GA and SA can play an important role to increase yield in cowpea. Application of growth regulators has good management effect on morphophysiology and yield of cowpea.