Abstract

                                Chemical manipulations using plant growth regulators were carried out in banana ev. Robusta for better partitioning efficiency and yield improvement. Mepiquat chloride (1, 1-dimethyl piperidinium chloride), CCC (2-chloroethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) and brassinolides were given as foliar application in different concentrations at specific stages of growth. Plant height was increased (209.6 cm) significantly by foliar application of brassinolides (0.2 ppm) at 4th and 6 month after planting. Phyllochron did not show any significant variations between the treatments. However, leaf area as well as leaf area index exhibited variations due to brassinolides (0.2 ppm). In the case of physiological parameters, foliar application of CCC 1000 ppm. registered higher net photosynthesis (25.3 µmol ms), chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/ Fm: 0.863) and RWC (87.7%). But, transpiration was observed high in the plants treated with brassinolides 0.2 ppm (6.42 µg 11,0 ms). It is evident that foliar application of CCC 1000 ppm at 4th and 6th month after planting resulted in higher yield by registering higher bunch weight (24.1 kg) and number of fingers (124.5). However, no significant difference was noticed in number of hands. Total sugars and TSS also exhibited higher values of 17.7 and 23.4 per cent respectively. But, titrable acidity was found to be insignificant between teratments.

Key words : Banana, plant growth regulators, physiology, yield.